Sawdah bint Zam’ah (RA)

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Her Genealogy

• She is Sawdah bint Zam’ah bin Qais bin Abd shams bin Abd Wadd bin Nasr bin Malik bin Hisl bin Amir bin Lu’ayy Al Qurashiyah.
• Her mother was Ash-Shamus bint Qias bin Zaid bin Amr Al Ansariyyah.

Her Migration to Abyssinia

• When Allah, Most High commanded His Messenger (SAW) to preach Islam openly and to call upon all the people to worship Allah alone, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) obeyed his Lord’s command and called upon the people to abandon the worship of idols and to worship Allah alone.
• When she heard of this new religion, Sawdah’s (RA) heart was opened to it and she believed in the Message which Muhammad (SAW) brought.
• When Muhammad (SAW) began to preach openly, the torments inflicted by the pagans on the weak Muslims were cruel and severe to such an extent that some of them died, while others were tortured for the sake of their religion.
• When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) observed what had befallen them and how they were being severely tormented, he said to them: “If you were to leave for Abyssinia, you would find there a king in whose land no one is treated unjustly and it is a land of sincerity. You could stay there until Allah makes a way out for you from the oppression you are being subjected to here.”
• So a number of Muslims departed for the land of Abyssinia, among them the venerable Companion, Sawdah and her husband, As-Sakran bin Amr. They left their family, their property and their land and embarked on a boat, facing the terrors of the sea and accepting all of the dangers therein-even death- for Allah’s sake.
• Her husband settled in Abyssinia and Allah, the Most High blessed them with four children. As-Sakran even though he was in a strange land, worked hard with his hands to feed his wife and children and he refrained from begging from the people.

The Death of Her Husband

• While in Abyssinia, As-Sakran fell ill and when he and his family returned to Makkah, the illness became worse and a short time later, he died.
• She was now alone with four children whom she had to feed and clothe.
• But in spite of these difficult situations, Sawdah (RA) remained a God fearing woman, pure, chaste, guarding her honor and her reputation.

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