Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

صفية بنت عبد المطلب

رضي الله عنها

Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib

Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim al-Hashimiyyah al-Qurashiyyah

The Prophet's paternal aunt, sister of Hamza and mother of al-Zubayr, an early believing woman of Banu Hashim remembered for her steadfastness.

  • Paternal aunt of the Prophet
A day in her footsteps
  • KunyaUmm al-Zubayr
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Hashim)
  • Bornc. 565 CE (approx.)
  • Diedc. 640 CE / 20 AH (approx.)
  • Resting placeal-Baqi', Madinah
  • Counted amongAhl al-Bayt, Muhajirun

Introduction

Safiyyah was the daughter of Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's grandfather, and the sister of Hamza, the lion of Allah. She was the Prophet's paternal aunt, and the mother of al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, one of the ten promised Paradise. She accepted Islam and emigrated to Madinah.

When the verse commanding the Prophet to warn his closest relatives was revealed, he addressed his family one by one, naming his daughter Fatimah and his aunt Safiyyah, and told them that he could not avail them anything before Allah, so they must earn their place through their own deeds. After Hamza was killed and mutilated at Uhud, the Prophet said he would have left Hamza where he lay to be raised from the bellies of beasts had it not been for the grief it would cause Safiyyah.

Authentic hadith about her own daily acts are few. Most of what we know about her character comes from how the Prophet addressed her and cared for her, and from classical biographies, which report her bravery and her loyalty to the Prophet. She is said to have died in the time of Umar, around 20 AH.

The story

  1. Makkan period

    Daughter of Abd al-Muttalib; accepted Islam and later emigrated to Madinah.

  2. Early Makkan period

    Addressed by name by the Prophet when the verse to warn his near kindred was revealed.

    Read the wording
    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3184Sahih
    Arabic text

    … عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَهَكَذَا رَوَى وَكِيعٌ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطُّفَاوِيِّ. رَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ. وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ وَابْنِ …

    “O Safiyyah bint 'Abdul-Muttalib! O Fatimah bint Muhammad!”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  3. 3 AH / 625 CE, Uhud

    Her brother Hamza was killed; the Prophet showed concern for her grief.

    Read the wording
    Jami at-Tirmidhi 1016Sahih
    Arabic text

    … فَدَفَنَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَنَسٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَنَسٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ. النَّمِرَةُ الْكِسَاءُ الْخَلَقُ. وَقَدْ خُولِفَ أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فِي رِوَايَةِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَرَوَى اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ …

    “Had it not been that Safiyyah would be distressed”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  4. c. 20 AH

    Died in Madinah, buried in al-Baqi'.

A day in their footsteps

2 small, repeatable practices from Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Seeking nearness to Allah through deeds, not lineage

    When the verse 'warn your nearest kindred' was revealed, the Prophet called out to his aunt Safiyyah, his daughter Fatimah and the Banu Abd al-Muttalib, telling them he could not help them before Allah and that they should ask him for anything from his wealth.

    Try this today

    Family closeness to good people does not replace your own deeds.

    Sit with this

    Are you relying on whom you know instead of what you do?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3184Sahih

    … عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَهَكَذَا رَوَى وَكِيعٌ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطُّفَاوِيِّ. رَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ. وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ وَابْنِ …

    “I have no power to help you at all before Allah! Ask of me whatever you want from my wealth”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  2. Patience in the face of a family tragedy

    After her brother Hamza was killed and mutilated at Uhud, the Prophet said he would have left Hamza to be raised from the bellies of beasts but for her grief. The narration shows the Prophet's care for her feelings, and her place in his thoughts.

    Try this today

    Be gentle with those who grieve, and expect patience from yourself.

    Sit with this

    How can you be gentle with someone who is grieving?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 1016Sahih

    … فَدَفَنَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَنَسٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَنَسٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ. النَّمِرَةُ الْكِسَاءُ الْخَلَقُ. وَقَدْ خُولِفَ أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فِي رِوَايَةِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَرَوَى اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ …

    “Had it not been that Safiyyah would be distressed”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

Virtues

  • The Prophet addressed her by name in the verse of warning to near relatives.

    “O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! O Safiyyah bint 'Abdul-Muttalib!”

    Arabic text

    قَالَتْ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ{وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ} قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" يَا فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ يَا صَفِيَّةُ بِنْتَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ لاَ أُغْنِي عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا سَلُونِي مِنْ مَالِي مَا شِئْتُمْ".

    Sunan an-Nasa'i 3648Sahih

  • After Khaybar, her relatives were given a recognised share together with her son al-Zubayr.

    “a share for the relatives of Safiyyah bint 'Abdul-Muttalib”

    Arabic text

    … سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ ضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَامَ خَيْبَرَ لِلزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَسْهُمٍ سَهْمًا لِلزُّبَيْرِ وَسَهْمًا لِذِي الْقُرْبَى لِصَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ أُمِّ الزُّبَيْرِ وَسَهْمَيْنِ …

    Sunan an-Nasa'i 3593Hasan Isnaad

Words on this page

Hadithحديث
A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
Madinahالمدينة
The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Uhudأحد
The mountain outside Madinah where the Muslims fought Quraysh in 3 AH, and where Hamzah and many others were martyred.

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.

Suggest a correction

← All companions