The Wife Who Asked

Hafsah was one of the few women of her time who could read and write; she is reported to have learned from al-Shifa' bint 'Abdullah, at the Prophet's ﷺ encouragement. And she was her father's daughter: she spoke her mind.

Once the Prophet ﷺ said that none of those who had given the pledge under the tree at al-Hudaybiyah would enter the Fire. Hafsah questioned it, reciting, ﴿وَإِنْ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا﴾ (“There is none of you but will pass over it”) (19:71). He did not rebuke her; he answered with the next verse: ﴿ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا وَنَذَرُ الظَّالِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيًّا﴾ (“Then We will save those who were mindful of Allah, and leave the wrongdoers in it, on their knees”) (19:72) (Sahih Muslim 2496).