Zunairah al-Rumiya

Zunairah al-Rumiya (Arabic: زنيرة الرومية‎, Zaneerah the Roman) (other transliterations include Zaneera, Zannirah, Zanira or in some sources Zinra or Zinnirah) was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. She was among the slaves freed by Abu Bakr.

Zunairah al-Rumiya
Born
Harithah bint al-Muammil[1]
NationalityMiddle East, originally from Europe
RelativesUmm Ubays (sister)

Biography

Zunairah was a concubine of the Banu Makhzum[2] and a slave of Umar ibn al-Khattab.

She was amongst the first to embrace Islam in Mecca.[3] After her conversion, she was asked to renounce her new religion but remained steadfast.[4] When Abu Jahl knew of her conversion, he beat her.[2]

Abu Bakr bought and freed her, along with her companion in slavery Lubaynah.[3]

After being manumitted, Zunairah lost her eyesight. The Quraysh claimed, "Al-lāt and Al-‘Uzzá are the ones that have taken away her sight."[5][3] But she replied, "No, by the house of Allah, you are lying. Al-Lat and Al-Uzza can neither harm nor heal and they have not afflicted me. This is from Allah."[3][5]

Later she recovered her eyesight, a healing that the Muslims attributed to Allah.[3][5] However, the Quraysh then said, "This is some of Muhammad's magic."[3]

See also

References
  1. "Zunaira, Haritha bint Al-Muammil". www.eslam.de (in German). Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  2. "The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets(saw) – Part 9". .
  3. Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). The Women of Madina, pp. 180-181. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
  4. "Khalifa Abu Bakr - Witness to Truth".,
  5. Muhammad ibn Ishaq. Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad, p. 144. Oxford: Oxford University Press.


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