Nusaybah Bint k’ab Al Maziniyyah
Encyclopedia
Nusaybah bint Ka’ab was an early convert to Islam
, and the first female to fight in defence of the religion.
She took part in the Battle of Uhud
, the Battle of Hunain, the Battle of Yamama
and the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Umar bin Khattab quoted the prophet Muhammad
as stating that "in whichever direction he turned in the battlefield, he could see her defending and protecting him".
tribe living in Medina
, Nusaybah was the sister of Abdullah bin K'ab, and the mother of Abdullah and Habib ibn Zayd al-Ansari
.
When 74 leaders, warriors, and statesmen of Medina
descended on al-Aqabah
to swear an oath of allegiance to Islam
following the teaching of the new religion by Musab bin Omair in the city, Nusaybah and Umm Munee Asma bint Amr bin 'Adi were the only two women to personally pledge directly to the prophet Muhammad. The latter's husband, Ghazyah bin 'Amr, informed Muhammad
that the women also wanted to give their bayah
in person, and he agreed . She returned to Medina and began teaching Islam to the women of the city. This bayah
or pledge was the de-facto handing over of power to Muhammad over the city, by its key figures.
Her two sons, both later killed in battle, were from her first marriage to Zaid bin 'Asim Mazni. She later married bin 'Amr, and had another son Tameem and a daughter Khawlah.
like other women, and her intention was to bring water to the soldiers, and attend the wounded, while her husband and two sons fought. But after the Muslim archers disobeyed their orders and began deserting their high ground believing victory was at hand, the tide of the battle changed, and it appeared that defeat was imminent. When this occurred, Nusaybah entered the battle, carrying a sword and shield.
She shielded Muhammad from the arrows of the enemy, and received several wounds while fighting.
When a horse-mounted Quraish attacked her, she pulled on the horse's bridle
and plunged her sword into its neck, toppling the horse on top of its rider. Witnessing this, Muhammad then yelled for Abdullah to help his mother and the pair dispatched the struggling rider. The pair then circled around Muhammad, throwing stones at the advancing Quraish troops, until Muhammad noticed Nusaybah's wounds and ordered her son to bandage them, and praised their heroism. Abdullah was wounded himself, as a Quraish cut across his left arm, and Nusaybah treated him and told him not to lose courage. Picking her sword back up, she was complimented by Muhammad on her own courage and he pointed out the man who had wounded her son. Advancing to him, she cut his leg off with a blow of her sword, and he fell to the ground where he was killed by other fighters.
Nusaybah's twelfth wound, cut across her shoulder by a Quraish named Ibn Qumiah, left her unconscious on the battlefield. When she awoke after the battle, her first inquiry was whether Muhammad had survived. The wound was not healed until the following year.
named the central figure of his novel 1511HKombat as Hajjah Nusaybah. He once stated that he named the character thus because both of them showed limitless courage, as well as being visionary that far exceeds their own generation.
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and the first female to fight in defence of the religion.
She took part in the Battle of Uhud
Battle of Uhud
The Battle of Uhud was fought on March 19, 625 at the valley located in front of Mount Uhud, in what is now northwestern Arabia. It occurred between a force from the Muslim community of Medina led by the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a force led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb from Mecca, the town from...
, the Battle of Hunain, the Battle of Yamama
Battle of Yamama
The Battle of Yamama was fought in December AD 632 as part as the Ridda or apostate wars on the plain of Aqraba in the region of Yamama between the forces of Muslim Caliph Abu Bakr and Musaylimah, an apostate.-Background:...
and the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Umar bin Khattab quoted the prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
as stating that "in whichever direction he turned in the battlefield, he could see her defending and protecting him".
Life
A member of the Banu NajjarBanu Najjar
The Banu Najjar was one of the Jewish tribes of Arabia during Muhammad's era.They were included in point 31 of the Constitution of Medina as allies to the Muslims, being as "one nation", but retaining their Jewish religion .-People:*Rumaysa bint Milhan...
tribe living in Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, Nusaybah was the sister of Abdullah bin K'ab, and the mother of Abdullah and Habib ibn Zayd al-Ansari
Habib ibn Zayd al-Ansari
Habib ibn Zayd al-Ansari was a sahaba and martyr of Islam.-Biography:His father, Zayd ibn Asim, was one of the first in Yathrib to accept Islam and his mother, Nusaybah bint Kab was the first woman to fight in defence of Islam. Habib accompanied his parents, aunt and brother to Mecca with the group...
.
When 74 leaders, warriors, and statesmen of Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
descended on al-Aqabah
Second pledge at al-Aqabah
The Second pledge at al-Aqabah was an important event that preceded the Migration to Medina.-Event:Converts to Islam came from nearly all Arab tribes present in Medina, such that by June of the subsequent year there were seventy-five Muslims coming to Mecca for pilgrimage and to meet Muhammad...
to swear an oath of allegiance to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
following the teaching of the new religion by Musab bin Omair in the city, Nusaybah and Umm Munee Asma bint Amr bin 'Adi were the only two women to personally pledge directly to the prophet Muhammad. The latter's husband, Ghazyah bin 'Amr, informed Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
that the women also wanted to give their bayah
Bay'ah
Bay'ah , in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad...
in person, and he agreed . She returned to Medina and began teaching Islam to the women of the city. This bayah
Bay'ah
Bay'ah , in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad...
or pledge was the de-facto handing over of power to Muhammad over the city, by its key figures.
Her two sons, both later killed in battle, were from her first marriage to Zaid bin 'Asim Mazni. She later married bin 'Amr, and had another son Tameem and a daughter Khawlah.
Battle of Uhud
Initially, Nusaybah was attending the Battle of UhudBattle of Uhud
The Battle of Uhud was fought on March 19, 625 at the valley located in front of Mount Uhud, in what is now northwestern Arabia. It occurred between a force from the Muslim community of Medina led by the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a force led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb from Mecca, the town from...
like other women, and her intention was to bring water to the soldiers, and attend the wounded, while her husband and two sons fought. But after the Muslim archers disobeyed their orders and began deserting their high ground believing victory was at hand, the tide of the battle changed, and it appeared that defeat was imminent. When this occurred, Nusaybah entered the battle, carrying a sword and shield.
She shielded Muhammad from the arrows of the enemy, and received several wounds while fighting.
When a horse-mounted Quraish attacked her, she pulled on the horse's bridle
Bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, the "bridle" includes both the headstall that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit....
and plunged her sword into its neck, toppling the horse on top of its rider. Witnessing this, Muhammad then yelled for Abdullah to help his mother and the pair dispatched the struggling rider. The pair then circled around Muhammad, throwing stones at the advancing Quraish troops, until Muhammad noticed Nusaybah's wounds and ordered her son to bandage them, and praised their heroism. Abdullah was wounded himself, as a Quraish cut across his left arm, and Nusaybah treated him and told him not to lose courage. Picking her sword back up, she was complimented by Muhammad on her own courage and he pointed out the man who had wounded her son. Advancing to him, she cut his leg off with a blow of her sword, and he fell to the ground where he was killed by other fighters.
Nusaybah's twelfth wound, cut across her shoulder by a Quraish named Ibn Qumiah, left her unconscious on the battlefield. When she awoke after the battle, her first inquiry was whether Muhammad had survived. The wound was not healed until the following year.
In Popular Culture
Faisal TehraniFaisal Tehrani
Faisal Tehrani is the pen name of Mohd Faizal Musa is a novelist from Malaysia. He was born on August 7, 1974 at Hospital Kuala Lumpur and grew up in Malacca, Malaysia...
named the central figure of his novel 1511HKombat as Hajjah Nusaybah. He once stated that he named the character thus because both of them showed limitless courage, as well as being visionary that far exceeds their own generation.