Nana Khadijat
A virtuous woman of faith to the core, she was the very first woman to embrace Islam. She was a woman of substance in her days as a rich businesswoman in Mecca. Prior to the time Muhammad (SAW) was called into prophethood by Allah (SWT), Nana Khadijat (RTA) got the Prophet employed as a sales agent. She eventually became wife to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in spite of a very wide gap between them in terms of age and riches. She was much older in age and resources than the Prophet (SAW) was then, yet she submitted herself and her wealth to the authority of her husband, the Prophet (SAW). Nana Khadijat was never found wanting as a good wife to the Prophet (SAW), her enormous riches notwithstanding.
Women in Islam should emulate Nana Khadijat (RTA) as wives to their husbands, no matter the circumstances they find themselves. It is recorded that six of the seven offspring of the Prophet (SAW) were of Nana Khadijat, of whom Fatimah (RTA), who was also impactful in the early decades of Islam and ummah, was the only survivor.
Maryam (RTA)
She was the mother of Prophet Isa, Jesus Christ (AS). She was a virtuous virgin, extremely godly. She dedicated her life to worshipping Allah (SWT) and was so marked that Allah (SWT) revealed a whole suurah (Qur’an chapter) as tribute to her. The chapter in her name is Suurat Maryam (Qur’an Chapter 19).
Asia’tu
She was wife to the Egyptian emperor, Fir’aon (Pharaoh), an unrepentant atheist who practically made life difficult for the believers of monotheism during his time to hold onto their belief in Allah (SWT). It was at this period that Asiatu found herself as wife to Emperor Fir’aon. She hoodwinked Fir’aon in order to ensure the survival of baby Musa right from the cradle right under the watchful eyes of her husband-king who had insisted that the baby must be killed as other male infants of Israeli parenthood were decreed to be slaughtered right at birth. Asia’tu was tactfully polite to request Emperor Fir’aon to grant her the custody of the baby which grew eventually to become Allah (SWT)’s prophet to the Israelis (the Jews). Asia’tu said to Fir’aon: “A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” Surat Al-Qasas: Ayat 9 (Qur’an 28:9). Asia’tu, for her gentle and peaceful mien towards the tyrant ruler and husband, Fir’aon, symbolises something more than a school of philosophy for the entire Muslim ummah, that even in a most difficult situation, one can always choose to serve Allah (SWT) diligently. To Muslim women, she is a lesson in best culture and attitude as they relate with their spouses try to influence their men towards the prattice of pristine Islam as preached by the sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).
Zaenab Jalbab
This was the first Muslim woman who dressed herself up in complete compliance to the sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) . This historic feat was recorded in the fifth year after Hijirah (i.e., the year the Prophet (SAW) migrated from Mecca to Madinah).
Nana Abidat
She was the archetype of genuine woman rights activist. She worked to silence proclaimers of falsehood that Islam never allowed women a bit of the so-called fundamental human rights. Nana Abidat was a great advocate and a strong voice for the women in her time in Madinah. She was highly educated. It was her singular advocacy that compelled the great Caliph Umaru (RA), the second caliph after the death of the Prophet (SAW) to reverse a particular policy which became unpopular among the womenfolk. The caliphate had promulgated that Soddaaqi, monetsed dowry be substantially reviewed downward to enable more men who were poor to afford decent marriage. Nana Abidat voiced her dissent to Caliph Umar (RA) on the unpopular policy and she did that by citing a particular portion in the Glorious Qur’an to drive home her legitimate dissent: “And give to the women (whom you marry) their mahr (obligatory bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm (as Allah SWT has made it lawful )”. Surah An-Nisa (Chapter 4:4). Caliph Umar (RA) capitulated as Nana Abidat was able to convince him with her superior argument.
Nana Sayyidatu Ruqayyatu al-falatiyyah
She was very educated, and indeed a revered poet in the Arabic language. She did a 29-line poem with stylistic rhym, adopting the Arabic alphabets, alif, baah, taa, thaa…for effect in each of the lines.
Al-Galiyyah bint Sharik Al-Azdiyyah
She was mother to Imam Maliki ibn Anas (RA), one of the four established and reknowned imams in Islam to date. Al-Galiyyah was so much interested in the acquisition of Islamic knowledge. Imam Maliki ibn Anas (RA) narrated that his mother endeared him to knowledge through an anecdote and by enrobing him in a garment as a little child and initiating him into the knowledge world. He said she asked him to go all out to seek knowledge and wisdom from philosophers and thinkers of repute. Imam Maliki ibn Anas (RA) added that Al-Galiyya emphasised to him the reason why he had to equip himself and be inbued with character and good manners, as prerequisites for deep knowledge and wisdom.
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