Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

فاطمة بنت قيس

رضي الله عنها

Fatimah bint Qays

Fatimah bint Qays al-Fihriyyah al-Qurashiyyah

A Qurashi woman among the early emigrants, known for her hadith on the Dajjal and for asking the Prophet directly about her rights.

  • Among the first women to emigrate
A day in her footsteps
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Fihr)
  • BornBefore the Hijrah (exact year unknown)
  • DiedUnknown (lived into the Umayyad era)
  • Counted amongMuhajirun, Scholars and narrators

Introduction

Fatimah bint Qays was the sister of al-Dahhak ibn Qays and belonged to the Banu Fihr of Quraysh. A narrator describes her as one of the first emigrant women, and scholars of hadith preserved several narrations from her.

She was widowed when her first husband was killed in the early campaigns, then married Abu Amr ibn Hafs. When he divorced her, she took her question about maintenance and where to spend her waiting period directly to the Prophet, who advised her to stay with Ibn Umm Maktum. After her waiting period, the Prophet advised her on marriage proposals and recommended Usama ibn Zayd, and she later said that Allah blessed that marriage.

She is also the transmitter of the longest report on Tamim al-Dari's account of the island and the Dajjal, which she heard when the Prophet addressed the Muslims after prayer. 'Amir al-Sha'bi asked her specifically for a hadith she had heard directly from the Prophet, and she gave it.

The story

  1. Early Madinah period

    Married a young Qurashi man who was martyred in an early campaign.

    Read the wording
    Sahih Muslim 2942Sahih
    Arabic text

    … قَيْسٍ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرَاتِ الأُوَلِ فَقَالَ حَدِّثِينِي حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتِيهِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ تُسْنِدِيهِ إِلَى أَحَدٍ غَيْرِهِ فَقَالَتْ لَئِنْ شِئْتَ لأَفْعَلَنَّ فَقَالَ لَهَا أَجَلْ حَدِّثِينِي. فَقَالَتْ نَكَحْتُ ابْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ وَهُوَ مِنْ خِيَارِ شَبَابِ قُرَيْشٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَأُصِيبَ فِي أَوَّلِ الْجِهَادِ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه …

    “he fell as a martyr in the first Jihad (fighting) on the side of Allah's Messenger”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  2. Madinah period

    Divorced by Abu Amr ibn Hafs and asked the Prophet about her rights and where to stay.

    Read the wording
    Sahih Muslim 1480Sahih
    Arabic text

    … فَقَالَ" لَيْسَ لَكِ عَلَيْهِ نَفَقَةٌ". فَأَمَرَهَا أَنْ تَعْتَدَّ فِي بَيْتِ أُمِّ شَرِيكٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ" تِلْكَ امْرَأَةٌ يَغْشَاهَا أَصْحَابِي اعْتَدِّي عِنْدَ ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَإِنَّهُ رَجُلٌ أَعْمَى تَضَعِينَ ثِيَابَكِ فَإِذَا حَلَلْتِ فَآذِنِينِي". قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا حَلَلْتُ ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَأَبَا جَهْمٍ خَطَبَانِي. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى …

    “he commanded her to spend the 'Idda in the house of Umm Sharik”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  3. After her waiting period

    Advised by the Prophet to marry Usama ibn Zayd; the marriage was blessed.

    Read the wording
    Sahih Muslim 1480Sahih
    Arabic text

    … قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا حَلَلْتُ ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَأَبَا جَهْمٍ خَطَبَانِي. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" أَمَّا أَبُو جَهْمٍ فَلاَ يَضَعُ عَصَاهُ عَنْ عَاتَقِهِ وَأَمَّا مُعَاوِيَةُ فَصُعْلُوكٌ لاَ مَالَ لَهُ انْكِحِي أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ". فَكَرِهْتُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ" انْكِحِي أُسَامَةَ". فَنَكَحْتُهُ فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا وَاغْتَبَطْتُ …

    “Marry Usama; so I married him. Allah blessed there in and I was envied”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  4. Later life

    Transmitted hadith, including the report of Tamim al-Dari on the Dajjal.

A day in their footsteps

4 small, repeatable practices from Fatimah bint Qays's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Asking the Prophet directly about her situation

    When her husband divorced her and refused to pay her more, she said she would go to the Messenger of Allah and, if there was maintenance due, she would accept it. She went to him and listened to the ruling.

    Try this today

    When in doubt about a right or duty, ask a qualified person and accept the ruling.

    Sit with this

    Is there a right or duty in your life you have never asked a scholar about?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 1480Sahih

    … فِي عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ أَنْفَقَ عَلَيْهَا نَفَقَةَ دُونٍ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ ذَلِكَ قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لأُعْلِمَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِذَا كَانَ لِي نَفَقَةٌ أَخَذْتُ الَّذِي يُصْلِحُنِي وَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لِي نَفَقَةٌ لَمْ آخُذْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا قَالَتْ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " لاَ نَفَقَةَ لَكِ وَلاَ …

    “By Allah, I will inform Allah's Messenger”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  2. Seeking advice on marriage

    When several men proposed to her, she took the matter to the Prophet, who advised her on the qualities of each and told her to marry Usama. She said she hesitated but accepted, and Allah placed good in it.

    Try this today

    Seek counsel from the wise before a major life decision, then trust the outcome to Allah.

    Sit with this

    Whose counsel do you seek before the big decisions of your life?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 1480Sahih

    … قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا حَلَلْتُ ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَأَبَا جَهْمٍ خَطَبَانِي. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" أَمَّا أَبُو جَهْمٍ فَلاَ يَضَعُ عَصَاهُ عَنْ عَاتَقِهِ وَأَمَّا مُعَاوِيَةُ فَصُعْلُوكٌ لاَ مَالَ لَهُ انْكِحِي أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ". فَكَرِهْتُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ" انْكِحِي أُسَامَةَ". فَنَكَحْتُهُ فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا وَاغْتَبَطْتُ …

    “Marry Usama; so I married him. Allah blessed there in and I was envied”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  3. Attending congregational prayer in the Prophet's mosque

    When the call went out for prayer in the congregational mosque, she went and prayed behind the Prophet in the women's row near the men's row.

    Try this today

    Make an effort to attend the mosque when you can, and sit with the community.

    Sit with this

    When did you last pray in congregation and sit with your community after?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 2942Sahih

    … نِدَاءَ الْمُنَادِي مُنَادِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُنَادِي الصَّلاَةَ جَامِعَةً. فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّيْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكُنْتُ فِي صَفِّ النِّسَاءِ الَّتِي تَلِي ظُهُورَ الْقَوْمِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَتَهُ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ فَقَالَ" لِيَلْزَمْ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ مُصَلاَّهُ". ثُمَّ …

    “I was in the row of the women which was near the row of men”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  4. Carrying knowledge faithfully

    After the prayer, the Prophet told the people to stay seated, and then told them what Tamim al-Dari had narrated about the island and the Dajjal. Fatimah heard it and passed it on exactly as it was said.

    Try this today

    If you hear something worth knowing, listen carefully and pass it on accurately.

    Sit with this

    When you pass on what you heard, how careful are you with the exact words?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 2942Sahih

    … اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكُنْتُ فِي صَفِّ النِّسَاءِ الَّتِي تَلِي ظُهُورَ الْقَوْمِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَتَهُ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ فَقَالَ" لِيَلْزَمْ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ مُصَلاَّهُ". ثُمَّ قَالَ" أَتَدْرُونَ لِمَ جَمَعْتُكُمْ". قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ" إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ مَا جَمَعْتُكُمْ لِرَغْبَةٍ وَلاَ لِرَهْبَةٍ …

    “Every worshipper should keep sitting at his place”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

Virtues

  • A narrator described her as the first among the emigrant women.

    “she was the first amongst the emigrant women”

    Arabic text

    … عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ، وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، بْنِ ذَكْوَانَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي عَامِرُ بْنُ شَرَاحِيلَ الشَّعْبِيُّ، شَعْبُ هَمْدَانَ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ قَيْسٍ أُخْتَ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ …

    Sahih Muslim 2942Sahih

  • The Prophet advised her carefully about where she should spend her waiting period, for her modesty and comfort.

    “So better spend this period in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum”

    Arabic text

    … قَالَ" تِلْكَ امْرَأَةٌ يَغْشَاهَا أَصْحَابِي اعْتَدِّي عِنْدَ ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَإِنَّهُ رَجُلٌ أَعْمَى تَضَعِينَ ثِيَابَكِ فَإِذَا حَلَلْتِ فَآذِنِينِي". قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا حَلَلْتُ ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَأَبَا جَهْمٍ خَطَبَانِي. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" أَمَّا أَبُو جَهْمٍ فَلاَ يَضَعُ عَصَاهُ عَنْ عَاتَقِهِ وَأَمَّا مُعَاوِيَةُ …

    Sahih Muslim 1480Sahih

Words on this page

Hadithحديث
A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
Qurayshقريش
The leading tribe of Makkah, to which the Prophet ﷺ belonged, and which opposed him for most of his mission.

The full glossary

Sources and review

Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.

This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.

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