HalbeegThe open encyclopediaAf-Soomaali
ArticleTalkReadView history

Children of the Prophet Muhammad

From Halbeeg, the open encyclopedia · Af-Soomaali

1 languages

The children of the Prophet Muhammad were the sons and daughters recorded in early Islamic historical sources—such as the Sira of Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham, the Tabaqat of Ibn Saad, and the history of al-Tabari—as belonging to the Prophet. Most of these sources state that all his children were born to his first wife, Khadija bint Khuwaylid, with the exception of his son Ibrahim, whose mother was Maria.

According to the standard accounts, his sons were Qasim, Abdullah (also called by some sources Tayyib and Tahir), and Ibrahim. His daughters were Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima. All the sons died in infancy. All the daughters survived to adulthood and married, but only Fatima outlived the Prophet.

Sons

Qasim was known as the firstborn; the Prophet's epithet 'Abd al-Qasim derives from him. He died in childhood. Abdullah is given extended names in some sources, such as Tayyib or Tahir, which has led to differing scholarly views on whether this represents one son or three distinct sons. Ibrahim was born in Medina in the later years of the Prophet's life; his mother was Maria al-Qibtiyya. He died in infancy, less than two years old.

Daughters

Zaynab married Abd al-As ibn al-Rabi. Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum both, according to standard sources, were successively married to Uthman ibn Affan, which gave rise to Uthman's epithet Dhu al-Nurayn (the Possessor of Two Lights). Fatima married Ali ibn Abi Talib; their descendants—particularly Hasan and Husayn—became the continuing line of the Prophet, known as ahl al-bayt (the household) or sharifs/sayyids (descendants of the Prophet).

Scholarly disagreement over sources

Scholars and historians differ over the exact number of sons and even the status of the daughters. Some Shia scholars hold that Fatima alone was the Prophet's biological daughter, while Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum are counted as daughters whom Khadija brought with her or stepdaughters. The most widespread Sunni view differs: all four are considered biological daughters.

UncertaintyThe dates of birth and death of the children, the question of whether Tayyib and Tahir are alternative names given to Abdullah or distinct individuals, and related matters are inconsistent across sources. Specific chronological details are not provided here because there is no consensus among sources.
Categories:365 words · 0 sources