The Hadeeth of the Eleven Women

[bamalli]

The Hadeeth of the Eleven
Women - A Hadith in Sahih Muslim

Muslim narrated the following hadith:

Isnad: Suleiman bin 'Abdir Rahman and 'Ali bin Hujr » 'Ibsai bin Bunus »
Hisham bin 'Urwa » 'Abd Allaah bin 'Urwah » 'Urwah

Narrated 'Aisha (radi Allaahu 'anha):

Eleven women sat (at a place) and promised and contracted that they would
not conceal anything of the news of their husbands.

* The first* one said, "My husband is like the meat of a lean weak camel
which is kept on the top of a mountain which is neither easy to climb, nor
is the meat fat, so that one might put up with the trouble of fetching it."

* The second* one said, "I shall not relate my husband's news, for I fear
that I may not be able to finish his story, for if I describe him, I will
mention all his defects and bad traits."

* The third *one said, "My husband is a tall man; if I describe him (and he
hears of that) he will divorce me, and if I keep quiet, he will neither
divorce me nor treat me as a wife."

* The fourth* one said, "My husband is a moderate person like the night of
Tihama which is neither hot nor cold. I am neither afraid of him, nor am I
discontented with him."

* The fifth *one said, "My husband, when entering (the house) is a leopard,
and when going out, is a lion. He does not ask about whatever is in the
house."

* The sixth* one said, "If my husband eats. he eats too much (leaving the
dishes empty), and if he drinks he leaves nothing, and if he sleeps he
sleeps alone (away from me) covered in garments and does not stretch his
hands here and there so as to know how I fare (get along)."

* The seventh* one said, "My husband is a wrong-doer or weak and foolish.
All the defects are present in him. He may injure your head or your body or
may do both."

* The eighth* one said, "My husband is soft to touch like a rabbit and
smells like a Zar'nab (a kind of good smelling grass)."

* The ninth* one said, "My husband is a tall generous man wearing a long
strap for carrying his sword. His ashes are Aboondant and his house is near
to the people who would easily consult him."

* The tenth *one said, "My husband is Maalik, and what is Maalik? Maalik is
greater than whatever I say about him. (He is beyond and above all praises
which can come to my mind). Most of his camels are kept at home (ready to be
slaughtered for the guests) and only a few are taken to the pastures. When
the camels hear the sound of the lute (or the tambourine) they realize that
they are going to be slaughtered for the guests."

* The eleventh* one said, "My husband is Aboo Zar' and what is Aboo Zar'
(i.e., what should I say about him)? He has given me many ornaments and my
ears are heavily loaded with them and my arms have become fat (i.e., I have
become fat). And he has pleased me, and I have become so happy that I feel
proud of myself. He found me with my family who were mere owners of sheep
and living in poverty, and brought me to a respected family having horses
and camels and threshing and purifying grain . Whatever I say, he does not
rebuke or insult me. When I sleep, I sleep till late in the morning, and
when I drink water (or milk), I drink my fill. The mother of Aboo Zar' and
what may one say in praise of the mother of Aboo Zar'? Her saddle bags were
always full of provision and her house was spacious. As for the son of Aboo
Zar', what may one say of the son of Aboo Zar'? His bed is as narrow as an
unsheathed sword and an arm of a kid (of four months) satisfies his hunger.
As for the daughter of Aboo Zar', she is obedient to her father and to her
mother. She has a fat well-built body and that arouses the jealousy of her
husband's other wife. As for the (maid) slave girl of Aboo Zar', what may
one say of the (maid) slave girl of Aboo Zar'? She does not uncover our
secrets but keeps them, and does not waste our provisions and does not leave
the rubbish scattered everywhere in our house." The eleventh lady added,
"One day it so happened that Aboo Zar' went out at the time when the milk
was being milked from the animals, and he saw a woman who had two sons like
two leopards playing with her two breasts. (On seeing her) he divorced me
and married her. Thereafter I married a noble man who used to ride a fast
tireless horse and keep a spear in his hand. He gave me many things, and
also a pair of every kind of livestock and said, 'Eat (of this), O Um Zar',
and give provision to your relatives." She added, "Yet, all those things
which my second husband gave me could not fill the smallest utensil of Aboo
Zar's." 'Aisha then said: Allaah's Apostle said to me, "I am to you as Aboo
Zar' was to his wife Um Zar'."

May Allaah grant the believing women the thorough reflection upon this
Hadeeth...Ameen!