Fatimah
bint Harith
R was a Sahabiyah
(Companion of Muhammad S) who had seen unprecedented trajedy in her young
age.
Those Muslims, who had seen or met the Messenger
of Allah, Muhammad S, are called Sahabi (Companions of Muhammad
S).
Fatimah
bint Harith
R was from Banu (Family
of) Taym bin Murrah.
Murrah bin Ka'b, father of Taym bin Murrah was also an ancestor of the Messenger of Allah,
Muhammad S.irshadraja
Abu Bakr R, the first Khalifah (Caliph)
of Muslims was also from Banu
(Family of) Taym.
All
important families of the Quraysh
tribe were given a specific responsibility. This ensured
an equal participation of all powerful families in various
social and political affairs of the Quraysh
tribe. Banu (Family of) Taym
had the responsibility of fixing Qisas
(Penalty) for murder.
Fatimah
bint Harith
R was a daughter of Harith
bin Khalid bin Sakhr
R and Ritah
bint Harith bin Jabalah R. Both of her parents were early converts
to Islam. Those who converted to Islam
in its early days were called As-Sabiqun
Al-Awwalun (Early
Muslims). Most
of the early converts to Islam were from the
Quraysh tribe of
Makkah. They left the Quraysh
way of life. The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad
S also belonged to the Quraysh
tribe.
The Quraysh of Makkah
did not like their kinsmen becoming Muslims after
leaving their ancestral religion. They began
to torture the As-Sabiqun
Al-Awwalun (Early
Muslims) for leaving
their old religion.
To save them from the torture of Quraysh,
the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad S permitted them to migrate from Makkah
to Habash
(Ethiopia). Many Muslims migrated to Habash
(Ethiopia) in small groups at different times.
A Christian king Najjashi (Negus) ruled Habash
(Ethiopia) at that time. He welcomed
the migrant Muslims and allowed them to stay in his
country for as long as they wanted.
Parents of Fatimah
bint Harith
R also migrated to Habash
(Ethiopia) in the year 9BH (Before Hijrah)
(613 AD) to save
themselves from the torture of Quraysh.
Harith bin Khalid
bin Sakhr R and Ritah
bint Harith
bin Jabalah R, the parents of Fatimah
bint Harith
R lived in Habash (Ethiopia) for several
years. Fatimah
bint Harith
R was born in Habash (Ethiopia).
Two sisters of Fatimah
bint Harith
R named Zaynab bint
Harith and 'A'ishah bint
Harith and a brother named Musa
bin Harith was also
born in Habash (Ethiopia).
In the year 7H (Hijrah) (628 AD), the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad
S sent a message to King Najjashi (Negus) of Habash
(Ethiopia). He requested him to arrange for
the return of migrant Muslims. King Najjashi (Negus) arranged two boats for the
migrant Muslims, to take them back to Arab
lands.
The family of Fatimah
bint Harith
R was returning to Madinah
by boat. Because of thirst,
they drank sea-water during their journey. All children
of the family died on the boat. and only Fatimah
bint Harith
R survived.
Her mother Ritah
bint Harith
bin Jabalah R also died on their way to Arabia.
Rest of the migrant Muslims
reached Madinah
on the day Muslims won the battle of Khaybar.
The migrant Muslims could not wait for
the return of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad
S to Madinah,
instead all of them went to Khaybar
to meet him.
