Muhammad's Views On Slavery - His Slaves - Females - Wives and Concubines

Wives and Concubines

Safiyya bint Huyayy, according to Islamic account, adopted Islam and became a wife of Muhammad. She lived more than a decade after him as a widow and became involved in the first power politics of the early Muslim community and left a large inheritance to her Jewish family.

Maria al-Qibtiyya, a Coptic slave given as a concubine to Muhammad by Muqawqis, the Byzantine ruler of Egypt and Alexandria, in the year 7 AH (about 629CE). She gave birth to Ibrahim ibn Muhammad whom Muhammad loved dearly. Some sources indicate that she was freed and became Muhammad's wife, while other sources dispute this. Sirin (Shirin), the sister of Maria, was also given to Muhammad by Muqawqis. Muhammad saw fit to marry her to the poet Hassan ibn Thabit to whom she bore a son named Abdurrahman.

Salma (Umm Raafi’) was a concubine whom he later emancipated. She acted as a midwife within the household of Muhammad. She participated in the Battle of Khaybar as a nurse and cook for the Muslims. As mentioned above, she married Abu Rafi'. Maymoonah bint Sa’d, a servant, also said to have been a concubine and eventually set free. Umm al Rabab, or Mariya, was another concubine and Maymuna bint Abu Asib was also was freed by him.