Download PDF: [S] Four Ladies mentioned in the Holy Qur’an (Islamic story)

  1. Waahilah – This was the wife of Nabi Nuh – peace be upon him. It is tragic that she spent her entire life with a Prophet but her ill fortune is something which is very strange. She never accepted Imaan but remained an ardent enemy of Nabi Nuh – peace be upon him – and because of her disrespect to a Prophet, she died in this state of Kufr. It is also reported that whenever she used to meet people, she used to say to them that Ma’azallah, Nabi Nuh – peace be upon him – was insane and a mad person and that he should not be listened to.

 

  1. Wa’ilah – This was the wife of Nabi Lut – peace be upon him. She also, in spite of being the wife of a Prophet, she never brought Imaan. In her entire life, she remained a Munaafiq and used to hide this hypocrisy. When the Divine Punishment came to the people of this city, Nabi Lut – peace be upon him, with the other believers, left the city. Besides his wife, other members of his family were also with him with the other believers. Nabi Lut – peace be upon him – also advised everyone not to look back as the punishment that was raining down on the city or else they would also suffer the same punishment. None of the people with him looked back and because of this, they were protected from this punishment. However, Wa’ila could not hide her Munaafiqat any longer and she decided to turn around and see that was happening to the city. When she saw what was happening to the people, she cried, “O my people”. The moment she said this, a large rock also fell on her and she was also instantly killed.

 

  1. Aasiyah binte Mazaahim – This was the wife of Pharaoh. Everyone is aware that Pharaoh was an ardent enemy of Nabi Moosa – peace be upon him, however, when she saw the magicians being defeated by Nabi Moosa – peace be upon him, the Nur of Imaan was created in her heart. She then brought Imaan on Nabi Moosa – peace be upon him. When Pharaoh came to know of this, he started to prosecute her. He nailed her to four corners and placed nails into her hands and feet so that she could not move. He placed heavy rocks on her chest in the hot burning sun and also closed off all water and food for her. However, in spite of all of these torments, she remained firm and steadfast on her Imaan. She continued to seek Divine Protection in Allah Almighty and always asked to be blessed with Jannah. She passed away in this manner. In this way, she entered Jannah. Ibn Kaysaan narrates that she was actually taken alive to Jannah!

 

  1. Hadrat Sayyidah Maryam binte Imraan – This was the mother of Nabi ‘Isa – peace be upon him. Obviously, since Nabi ‘Isa – peace be upon him – was born without a father, her nation tormented her about this. They also carried out many persecutions against her but she remained steadfast and firm in her Imaan. Such was the state of her Imaan and certainty in Allah Almighty that this noble character of hers is mentioned many times in the Qur’an.

 

These four females are also mentioned in Surah Tahreem verses 10,11.12:

 

ضَرَبَ اللہُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوا امْرَاَتَ نُوۡحٍ وَّ امْرَاَتَ لُوۡطٍ ؕ کَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَیۡنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صٰلِحَیۡنِ فَخَانَتَاہُمَا فَلَمْ یُغْنِیَا عَنْہُمَا مِنَ اللہِ شَیْـًٔا وَّ قِیۡلَ ادْ خُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدّٰخِلِیۡنَ ﴿۱۰﴾ وَ ضَرَبَ اللہُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوا امْرَاَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ ۘ اِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِیۡ عِنۡدَکَ بَیۡتًا فِی الْجَنَّۃِ وَ نَجِّنِیۡ مِنۡ فِرْعَوْنَ وَ عَمَلِہٖ وَ نَجِّنِیۡ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۱۱﴾ وَ مَرْیَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرٰنَ الَّتِیۡۤ اَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَہَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِیۡہِ مِنۡ رُّوۡحِنَا وَ صَدَّقَتْ بِکَلِمٰتِ رَبِّہَا وَکُتُبِہٖ وَ کَانَتْ مِنَ الْقٰنِتِیۡنَ ﴿٪۱۲﴾

 

“Allah illustrates the example of the disbelievers – the wife of Nooh and the wife of Lut; they were bonded in marriage to two of Our bondsmen deserving Our proximity – they then betrayed them so they did not benefit them the least against Allah and it was declared, “Both of you women enter the fire, along with others who enter.” And Allah illustrates an example of the Muslims – the wife of Firaun; when she prayed, “My Lord! Build a house for me near You, in Paradise, and deliver me from Firaun and his works, and rescue me from the unjust people.” And the example of Maryam the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity – We therefore breathed into her a Spirit from Ourselves – and she testified for the Words of her Lord and His Books, and was among the obedient.”

 

Waahilah and Wa’ilah, in spite of the fact that they were wives of the Prophets, they remained adamant in their Kufr and Munaafiqat and went straight into the Fire of Hell. And yet, the wife of a Kaafir such as Pharaoh was able to accept Imaan and enter Jannah. We can see from the example of Hadrat Sayyidah Aasiyah – may Allah be pleased with her – that she gave up all luxuries and comforts for the sake of the Allah Almighty. There is no doubt that the lives of all of these women are indeed lessons for people in this world.