Marriage

Marriage of the Prophet ﷺ and Safiyyah bint Huyayy

Name: Marriage of the Prophet ﷺ and Safiyyah bint Huyayy
Start: 628
Location: Khaybar

~7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar · 7 AH

The Fall of Khaybar·chapter 9 of 11

Khaybar

What happened

In brief

Safiyyah bint Huyayy, daughter of the chief of the Banu Nadir, was widowed and captured at Khaybar and fell to Dihyah al-Kalbi, and the Prophet ﷺ paid her price and took her. The Companions learned she was to be his wife when he made his thigh a step for her to mount and covered her with his cloak. A night from Madinah, after Umm Sulaym had made her ready, he tested her with the memory of her father's enmity and she answered that no soul bears another's burden; offered Islam or return to her people, she said she had already believed and that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ were dearer to her than kin. He freed her as her dowry and married her. Abu Ayyub kept watch outside the tent with his sword; the walima was dates, butter and barley; and his love for her, and the other wives' jealousy of it, lasted to his deathbed.

Outcome: Safiyyah embraced Islam and was freed and married by the Prophet ﷺ.

Significance

Safiyyah bint Huyayy became a Mother of the Believers, and her freedom was itself her mahr (bridal gift).

The Fall of Khaybar·Chapter 9 of 11

See the whole story

Previously← Extracting the Location of Huyayy's Gold From Sa'ya~7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar · 7 AH Continue readingThe People of Two Hijrahs (Asma bint Umays RA and Umar ibn al-Khattab RA) →~Shortly after the return from Khaybar, 7 AH (628 CE) · 7 AH

Connected events

Grew out of

Battle~Muharram to Safar 7 AH (628 CE) · 7 AH
The Battle of Khaybar
Safiyyah, daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, was among the captives; the Prophet ﷺ freed and married her on the road home.

Stories recalled alongside this event

Expedition~626 CE · 4 AH
The Siege and Expulsion of Banu Nadir
Safiyyah had been exiled with her tribe to Khaybar.

Around this time

Other events recorded in 7 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.

PersecutionAttempt to Poison the Prophet ﷺ at Khaybar~Muharram-Safar, 7 AH (628 CE), shortly after the conquest of Khaybar · 7 AH BattleThe Battle of Khaybar~Muharram to Safar 7 AH (628 CE) · 7 AH ConversionAmr ibn al-As's Encounter with the Najashi in Abyssinia~c. 7 AH, before Umrah al-Qada · 7 AH EventArrival and Conversion-Era Joining of Abu Hurairah RA at Khaybar~7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar · 7 AH DelegationBadhan's Spies and the Prophet ﷺ's Prophecy of Khosrow's Death~Jumada al-Awwal 7 AH / Feb 628 CE · 7 AH EventExtracting the Location of Huyayy's Gold From Sa'ya~7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar · 7 AH DelegationLetter to Heraclius, Emperor of Rome~c. 7 AH, after Hudaybiyyah and before Khaybar · 7 AH DelegationLetter to Khosrow, Emperor of Persia~c. 7 AH · 7 AH DelegationLetter to the Muqawqis of Egypt~c. 7 AH · 7 AH InstitutionNew Fiqh Rulings Legislated Around the Time of Khaybar~7 AH, around the time of Khaybar · 7 AH EventReunion With Ja'far ibn Abi Talib RA and the Abyssinia Emigrants~Muharram-Safar, 7 AH (628 CE) · 7 AH TreatySurrender of Fadak~628 CE · 7 AH

Sayings & Actions9

Captive and wife

A bruise, a dream of the moon, and a test of what was in her heart.

Muhammad ﷺTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

What is this?

Asked when the Prophet ﷺ noticed a bruise on Safiyyah's face after their marriage.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · Shortly before the fall of Khaybar

My husband Kinana gave this to me. I saw a dream that the moon had risen up from Yathrib, gone high up, and then fell into my lap. And when I told my husband about this...

withKinana

KinanaTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · Shortly before the fall of Khaybar

Do you expect the king of the Arabs will marry you?

Said to Safiyyah after striking her across the face on hearing her dream.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · Shortly before the fall of Khaybar

As soon as he had hit me, I started my menses right then on that day, and he never approached me until he died.

withKinana

Muhammad ﷺTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

Your father Huyayy was the most open of the Jews in their animosity against me, until Allah caused his death.

withHuyayy ibn Akhtab

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, doesn't Allah say in the Quran, "No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another"?

Muhammad ﷺTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

You have a choice. If you accept Islam, I shall keep you for myself; if you remain in your faith, then perhaps I will free you and you can return to your people.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

Ya Rasulullah, I was already inclined towards Islam even before you offered it to me, and I have already believed in you, and I have no desire to remain in my faith. I have no family left: my father and brother are no more. You have asked me to choose between kufr and Islam: Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to me than going back to my people.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Life event · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

Embraced Islam, and was freed and married by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

withMuhammad ﷺ

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, on the return journey from Khaybar

When we were close by, I was scared the Jews might retaliate.

Said in answer to the Prophet ﷺ asking her why she had refused to spend their first night together.

The wedding on the road

Two cloths between trees, Abu Ayyub's watch, and a walima of dates and barley.

Ummi Sulaym RA

Quote · 7 AH, the night before reaching Madinah

I took two pieces of cloth and put them between trees. And the women had whatever they could get to make her ready. And we were agitated that we didn't have much to beautify her with: perfume, jewelry, and the like. But when we finished, we smelled a perfume more fragrant than any other perfume we had smelled.

withSafiyyah bint Huyayy RA

The Prophet ﷺ asked Ummi Sulaym to prepare Safiyyah bint Huyayy for their wedding on the last night of the journey back from Khaybar.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari RA

Life event · 7 AH, the night after the marriage

Stood guard outside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ's tent all night with his sword drawn, fearing Safiyyah might do him ﷺ harm.

withMuhammad ﷺ,Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, the walima for Safiyyah

Whoever has food, let him bring it.

Abu Talha RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, on the return journey from Khaybar

Are you alright, ya Rasulullah?!

withSafiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Called out when the Prophet ﷺ's camel stumbled on the road back from Khaybar, throwing him and Safiyyah to the ground.

Muhammad ﷺTo Abu Talha RA

Quote · 7 AH, on the return journey from Khaybar

I am okay; I am not hurt.

Among the wives

This one will be trouble.

Zaynab bint Jahsh RATo Juwayriyya bint al-Harith RA

Quote · 7 AH, when Safiyyah arrived in Madinah

O Bint al-Harith, I think this one will cause trouble.

withSafiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Said to Juwayriyya bint al-Harith when Safiyyah bint Huyayy arrived in Madinah as the Prophet ﷺ's newest wife.

Juwayriyya bint al-Harith RATo Zaynab bint Jahsh RA

Quote · 7 AH, when Safiyyah arrived in Madinah

Don't worry, she is from a group that is rarely lucky with their husbands.

withSafiyyah bint Huyayy RA

People involved10

muslim

M
Muhammad ﷺ
Dihyah al-Kalbi RA
initial recipient of captive
Ummi Sulaym RA
prepared the bride
Abu Talha RA
companion who checked on the Prophet ﷺ
Zaynab bint Jahsh RA
wife of the Prophet ﷺ
Juwayriyya bint al-Harith RA
wife of the Prophet ﷺ
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari RA
guarded the Prophet ﷺ's tent

khaybar

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA
bride
Kinana
captured; put to death after the conquest over the hidden treasure

Huyayy ibn Akhtab

Related Quran1

Surah Fatir · 35:18

references

“No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another.”

The post directly quotes this ayah ("No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another") as the objection raised.

← All events

Marriage

Marriage of the Prophet ﷺ and Safiyyah bint Huyayy

~7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar · 7 AH

The Fall of Khaybar·chapter 9 of 11

Khaybar

What happened

In brief

Outcome: Safiyyah embraced Islam and was freed and married by the Prophet ﷺ.

Significance

Safiyyah bint Huyayy became a Mother of the Believers, and her freedom was itself her mahr (bridal gift).

The Fall of Khaybar·Chapter 9 of 11

See the whole story

Connected events

Grew out of

Battle~Muharram to Safar 7 AH (628 CE) · 7 AH
The Battle of Khaybar
Safiyyah, daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, was among the captives; the Prophet ﷺ freed and married her on the road home.

Stories recalled alongside this event

Expedition~626 CE · 4 AH
The Siege and Expulsion of Banu Nadir
Safiyyah had been exiled with her tribe to Khaybar.

Around this time

Other events recorded in 7 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.

Sayings & Actions9

Captive and wife

A bruise, a dream of the moon, and a test of what was in her heart.

Muhammad ﷺTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

What is this?

Asked when the Prophet ﷺ noticed a bruise on Safiyyah's face after their marriage.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · Shortly before the fall of Khaybar

My husband Kinana gave this to me. I saw a dream that the moon had risen up from Yathrib, gone high up, and then fell into my lap. And when I told my husband about this...

withKinana

KinanaTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · Shortly before the fall of Khaybar

Do you expect the king of the Arabs will marry you?

Said to Safiyyah after striking her across the face on hearing her dream.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · Shortly before the fall of Khaybar

As soon as he had hit me, I started my menses right then on that day, and he never approached me until he died.

withKinana

Muhammad ﷺTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

Your father Huyayy was the most open of the Jews in their animosity against me, until Allah caused his death.

withHuyayy ibn Akhtab

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, doesn't Allah say in the Quran, "No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another"?

Muhammad ﷺTo Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar

You have a choice. If you accept Islam, I shall keep you for myself; if you remain in your faith, then perhaps I will free you and you can return to your people.

Safiyyah bint Huyayy RATo Muhammad ﷺ

Quote · 7 AH, after the conquest of Khaybar