Ruqayya bint Muhammad

Ruqayya, daughter of the Prophet, wife of Uthman ibn Affan and mother of his son Abdullah ¹.

Ibn Hajar conveys from Abu Umar that he knows no disagreement that Zaynab is the eldest of the Prophet's daughters, the dispute being over Ruqayya, Fatima and Umm Kulthum — the majority holding this order ¹. He mentions, citing al-Jurjani, that Ruqayya was the youngest of them; or it is said Fatima was ¹.

Ruqayya was first under Utba ibn Abi Lahab; when the Prophet was sent, Abu Lahab ordered his son to divorce her, and Uthman married her ¹. Ibn Hisham said: Uthman married Ruqayya and emigrated with her to Abyssinia, where she bore him Abdullah — by whom he took his kunya ¹. As for Qatada's claim she bore him no child, Abu Umar calls it an error, judging Qatada meant her sister Umm Kulthum ¹.

Ibn Sa'd says she pledged to the Messenger of God, she and her sisters ¹.

Ruqayya fell ill in Medina when the Prophet went out to Badr, and Uthman stayed behind from Badr for her; she died the day Zayd ibn Haritha arrived bringing tidings of Badr — or it is said, he arrived as she was being buried ¹.

Ibn Sa'd relates from Ibn Abbas that the Prophet said when she died: "join our forerunner Uthman ibn Maz'un" — and the women wept, and Umar came striking them, so the Prophet said: "whatever comes from the eye and the heart is from God and mercy; whatever comes from the hand and the tongue is from Satan". Al-Waqidi comments this is an error — perhaps it was another of his daughters — since the established fact is that Ruqayya died at Badr ¹.

Ibn Manda narrated with a feeble chain, from Asma' bint Abi Bakr, a story of Uthman's and Ruqayya's emigration. Ibn Hajar says this context contains nkara (objectionable matter), and that the position of the sira scholars is that Uthman returned to Mecca from Abyssinia, then emigrated with his family to Medina ¹.