Shifa bint Abdullah
Question
Assalam aleikum,
I have heard that Umar raa appointed a woman, Al Shifa bint Abdullah, to be the overseer/administrator of the market, and I have also heard that it was her son who was appointed. Can you please clarify who Umar appointed to this position and provide the evidence for it. Jazak Allah khairan
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Some scholars have mentioned that Umar (mave mentioned that Umar (mar (May Allah be pleased with him) appointed Shifa (may Allah be pleased with her) over some affairs of the market.[1] The illustrious Maliki scholar, Ibnul Arabi (may Allah have mercy on him), has declared this to be baseless.[2] Others have mentioned that her son, Suleiman (May Allah have mercy on him), was appointed to manage the marketplace.[3]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Tahmid Chowdhury
Student Darul Iftaa
New York, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
[1]
الآحاد والمثاني لابن أبي عاصم (6/ 4)
حَدَّثَنَا دُحَيْمٌ , عَنْ رَجُلٍ , سَمَّاهُ عَنِ ابْنِ لَهِيعَةَ , عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ , أَنَّ عُمَرَ , رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ اسْتَعْمَلَ الشِّفَاءَ عَلَى السُّوقِ قَالَ: وَلَا نَعْلَمُ امْرَأَةً اسْتَعْمَلَهَا غَيْرَ هَذِهِ
الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة (8/ 202)
وكان عمر يقدمها في الرأي ويرعاها ويفضلها، وربما ولّاها شيئا من أمر السوق
[2]
أحكام القرآن لابن العربي (3/ 482)
وَقَدْ رُوِيَ أَنَّ عُمَرَ قَدَّمَ امْرَأَةً عَلَى حِسْبَةِ السُّوقِ، وَلَمْ يَصِحَّ؛ فَلَا تَلْتَفِتُوا إلَيْهِ؛ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ مِنْ دَسَائِسِ الْمُبْتَدِعَةِ فِي الْأَحَادِيثِ
[3]
الاستيعاب في معرفة الأصحاب (2/ 649)
وكان من فضلاء المسلمين وصالحيهم، واستعمله عمر على السوق، وجمع عليه وعلى أبي بن كعب الناس ليصليا بهم في شهر رمضان، وهو معدود في كبار التابعين
- Answered by
- Tahmid Chowdhury
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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