Asma (rah) is a well-known figure in Islamic history; not only was she the daughter of Abu Bakr (ra) and the sister of Aishah (rah) but she was the obedient wife of the Sahabi Zubayr ibn al ’Awwaam (ra).

Her role in supporting the Prophet (saws) and her examples of sacrifice and forbearance are ever-alive in the annals of Islamic History. She was named ‘Dhat an-Nitaqayn’ (the One with the Two Waistbands) due to an incident in which she used two waistbands in order to tie food for the Prophet (saws) and her father Abu Bakr (ra). They had left Makkah for Madinah and were being pursued by the enemy. It was Asma (rah)’s duty to deliver this food to them with the utmost secrecy. For this reason, late into her pregnancy she climbed up Mount Thawr. For those who are unacquainted with this Mount it should suffice for you to know that even the youth are caught gasping for breath when climbing its rocky tracks.

What drove Asma (rah), with her unborn, to undertake such a dangerous journey? It was no other than the deep love she had for the Prophet (saws) and her father. Later, when Abu Jahl came to the house of Abu Bakr (ra), full of rage and anger he asked Asma (rah) the whereabouts of her father and the Noble Messenger (saws). Standing strong, with eemaan flowing through every inch of her being, she replied that she did not know. He slapped her across her face; she stood strong and unyieldingly with a heart full of love for this deen.

Her love did not end with the demise of Rasoolullah (saws); on the contrary, she ignited this deep love into the hearts of her children and grandchildren. One such grandchild that benefited greatly from her company was no other than Fatimah bint al Mundhir (rahmahaAllah). Allah chose Fatimah to be a light whose name would shine - even today -in the books of Ahaadeeth.

Fatimah bint al Mundhir (rahmahaAllah) is respected as one of the leading tabi'aat of her time. She was a great scholar and was renowned as a Faqeehah (Jurist) and was married to her cousin Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (rahmahullah). Hishaam (rahmahullah) was also a great scholar and narrator. Some of his leading students included: Imam Abu Hanifah (rahmahullah), Imam Malik (rahmahullah), Shu’bah (rahmahullah) and Sufyan al-Thawri (rahmahullah).

Although they were both cousins, Hishaam (rahmahullah) had not acquired from Asma (rah)  the many ahaadeeth of the Prophet (saws)  that Fatimah (rahmahaAllah) had acquired from Asma (rah). Hence, he would ask his wife and learn from her the words of the Prophet (saws), memorising them and in turn informing his companions and students of what is wife had taught him. Many have narrated from Fatimah (rahmahaAllah), such as Muhammad ibn Ishaaq (rahmahullah), (the author of one very famous book of Seerah) and others, yet her husband Hishaam (rahmahullah) comes as one of the leading figures narrating directly from Fatimah (rahmahaAllah).

Below are just a few examples from the major and unanimously accepted books of ahaadeeth, in which Hishaam (rahmahullah) narrated directly from his wife Fatimah.

‘O Messenger of Allah (saws) – I have a daughter who is a bride: she has a disease (hasbah) that has thinned her hair. Can I join [another’s hair] to it?

This hadeeth is narrated in:

• Saheeh al Bukhari
• Muslim
• Al-Nas’ai
• Ibn Majah

2. Hishaam says: ‘Fatimah narrated to me from Asma’ that she said:

‘We ate meat of one of our horses in the time of the Prophet (saws).’

This hadeeth is narrated in:

•  Saheeh al Bukhari
• Muslim
• Al-Nas’ai
• Ibn Majah

3. Hishaam narrates from Fatimah from Asma’ that she said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to me: "Give [of your wealth], spend [from it] and pay out; do not cling to it, otherwise Allah will hold it over you; do not count [it] otherwise Allah will count it over you."

This hadeeth is narrated in:
• Saheeh al Bukhari
• Muslim
• Al-Nas’ai

4. Hishaam also narrated from her the long hadeeth found in the Saheehs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, about the prayer on the occasion of the solar eclipse.

For some of the most leading scholars of Islaam, the likes of Imam Bukhari (rahmahullah) and Imam Muslim (rahmahullah), to record these Ahaadeeth, in which:

1. Women have narrated the hadeeth

2. A man has narrated from his wife.

This holds great lessons for those who claim that the Scholars of Islaam were misogynist and andocentric. On the contrary, the very books that are considered the most reliable sources of Islaamic knowledge contain ahaadeeth that contain chains which bear the names of women. Further, these examples bear sufficient proof that men would, without embarrassment, narrate from their wives openly.

Was it not for Hishaam (rahmahullah), who learnt from Fatimah (rahmahaAllah), who learnt from Asma (rah), we may have been bereft of these beautiful pearls of wisdom that were extracted from the sea of Prophethood.

Source: Muslim Women Who Taught Their Husbands