Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

صفية بنت حيي

رضي الله عنها

Safiyyah bint Huyayy

Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab, of Banu Nadir

A noblewoman of Banu al-Nadir who accepted Islam after Khaybar, was freed and married by the Prophet, and became a Mother of the Believers.

  • Mother of the Believers
A day in her footsteps
  • KunyaUmm al-Mu'minin
  • Family and tribeBanu al-Nadir (descendant of the Prophet Harun, peace be upon him)
  • Bornc. 610-614 CE (approx.)
  • Diedc. 670 CE (reports vary, 664-672 CE / c. 50 AH)
  • Resting placeal-Baqi Cemetery, Medina
  • Counted amongMothers of the Believers

Introduction

Safiyyah bint Huyayy was born in Medina into the Jewish tribe of Banu al-Nadir, daughter of its chief and of a line she traced back to the Prophet Harun. Her father and her first husband were killed in the conflict that followed the breaking of treaties, and she was among those taken after the Muslims won at Khaybar.

The Prophet freed her, and her freedom served as her marriage gift (mahr); she accepted Islam and became one of his wives. In the household she had to face prejudice because of her background, and the Prophet reassured her openly, reminding her of her noble line of prophets.

She is remembered for her patience, her dignity and her loyalty. She narrated hadith from the Prophet (notably about his i'tikaf), supported the household, and lived on after him until her death in Medina.

The story

  1. 7 AH / 628 CE, Khaybar

    Taken among the captives after Khaybar; the Prophet freed her and married her, her freedom being her mahr.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 4201Sahih
    Arabic text

    قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ سَبَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَفِيَّةَ، فَأَعْتَقَهَا وَتَزَوَّجَهَا. فَقَالَ ثَابِتٌ لأَنَسٍ مَا أَصْدَقَهَا قَالَ أَصْدَقَهَا نَفْسَهَا فَأَعْتَقَهَا.

    “He manumitted her and married her”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  2. On the way back from Khaybar

    The wedding feast was held at a halting-place, with a simple meal of dates, dried yoghurt and butter spread on leather sheets.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 5085Sahih
    Arabic text

    … النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ خَيْبَرَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ ثَلاَثًا يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِصَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ حُيَىٍّ فَدَعَوْتُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى وَلِيمَتِهِ فَمَا كَانَ فِيهَا مِنْ خُبْزٍ وَلاَ لَحْمٍ، أُمِرَ بِالأَنْطَاعِ فَأَلْقَى فِيهَا مِنَ التَّمْرِ وَالأَقِطِ وَالسَّمْنِ فَكَانَتْ وَلِيمَتَهُ، فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِحْدَى أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُهُ، …

    “consummated his marriage to Safiyya bint Huyai”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  3. 10 AH / 632 CE

    Performed the Farewell Pilgrimage with the Prophet and his wives.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 1757Sahih
    Arabic text

    أَنَّ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتَ حُيَىٍّ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَاضَتْ، فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ" أَحَابِسَتُنَا هِيَ". قَالُوا إِنَّهَا قَدْ أَفَاضَتْ. قَالَ" فَلاَ إِذًا".

    “Safiya bint Huyay, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) got her menses”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  4. c. 50 AH / 670 CE (disputed)

    Died in Medina and was buried in al-Baqi.

A day in their footsteps

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

  1. Visiting the one in i'tikaf and sitting with them

    In the last ten nights of Ramadan she went to the mosque to visit the Prophet in i'tikaf. She spoke with him for a while and then returned home, with the Prophet walking her to the door. She later reported the event herself.

    Try this today

    Spend a little time with a family member who is in worship or retreat in the last ten nights; support their ibadah.

    Sit with this

    Whose worship could you support simply by being present for a while?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 2035Sahih

    … زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا جَاءَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزُورُهُ فِي اعْتِكَافِهِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، فَتَحَدَّثَتْ عِنْدَهُ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ قَامَتْ تَنْقَلِبُ، فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَهَا يَقْلِبُهَا، حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتْ باب الْمَسْجِدِ عِنْدَ باب أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ مَرَّ رَجُلاَنِ مِنَ …

    “she went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to visit him in the mosque while he was in I`tikaf”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  2. Completing the Hajj obligations before departing

    On the Farewell Hajj, when she began her period after having already done the tawaf al-ifada, the Prophet said she need not delay the group. Her care for the sequence of Hajj rites is part of what the narration preserves.

    Try this today

    Learn the order and requirements of your acts of worship so you complete them properly.

    Sit with this

    Do you know the order and requirements of the worship you are about to do?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1757Sahih

    أَنَّ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتَ حُيَىٍّ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَاضَتْ، فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ" أَحَابِسَتُنَا هِيَ". قَالُوا إِنَّهَا قَدْ أَفَاضَتْ. قَالَ" فَلاَ إِذًا".

    “She has already performed Tawaf-al-Ifada”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

    Sunan Abi Dawud 2003Sahih

    أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرَ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتَ حُيَىٍّ فَقِيلَ إِنَّهَا قَدْ حَاضَتْ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" لَعَلَّهَا حَابِسَتُنَا". فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهَا قَدْ أَفَاضَتْ. فَقَالَ" فَلاَ إِذًا".

    “She has performed the obligatory circumambulation”

    Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani); Sahih (Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid)

  3. Taking hurt to the Prophet rather than answering back

    When she heard that Hafsah had called her 'the daughter of a Jew', she wept. The Prophet found her crying, asked what was wrong, and reminded her that she was the daughter of a prophet, the niece of a prophet and the wife of a prophet.

    Try this today

    When someone wounds you, take it to a trusted person and to Allah. Do not let it harden your heart.

    Sit with this

    When words wound you, where do you take the hurt?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3894Sahih

    … النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهِيَ تَبْكِي فَقَالَ" مَا يُبْكِيكِ". فَقَالَتْ قَالَتْ لِي حَفْصَةُ إِنِّي بِنْتُ يَهُودِيٍّ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" إِنَّكِ لاَبْنَةُ نَبِيٍّ وَإِنَّ عَمَّكِ لَنَبِيٌّ وَإِنَّكِ لَتَحْتَ نَبِيٍّ فَفِيمَ تَفْخَرُ عَلَيْكِ". ثُمَّ قَالَ" اتَّقِي اللَّهَ يَا حَفْصَةُ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا …

    “you are the daughter of a Prophet, and your uncle is a Prophet”

    Grade: Sahih (Ahmad Muhammad Shakir); Sahih (Al-Albani)

  4. Keeping weddings and gatherings simple

    Her wedding feast was a modest meal of dates, dried yoghurt, butter and sawiq, rather than a lavish one, and the Companions were happily invited to share it.

    Try this today

    Celebrate without extravagance, and share what you have with others.

    Sit with this

    Could your next celebration be simpler, and shared more widely?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5085Sahih

    … النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ خَيْبَرَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ ثَلاَثًا يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِصَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ حُيَىٍّ فَدَعَوْتُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى وَلِيمَتِهِ فَمَا كَانَ فِيهَا مِنْ خُبْزٍ وَلاَ لَحْمٍ، أُمِرَ بِالأَنْطَاعِ فَأَلْقَى فِيهَا مِنَ التَّمْرِ وَالأَقِطِ وَالسَّمْنِ فَكَانَتْ وَلِيمَتَهُ، فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِحْدَى أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُهُ، …

    “consummated his marriage to Safiyya bint Huyai”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 1095Sahih

    أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْلَمَ عَلَى صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ حُيَىٍّ بِسَوِيقٍ وَتَمْرٍ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ.

    “The Prophet had a banquet for Safiyyah bint Huyayy with Sawiq and dates”

    Grade: Sahih (Ahmad Muhammad Shakir); Sahih (Al-Albani)

Virtues

  • The Prophet reminded her that she was a descendant of prophets and the wife of the Prophet, and told Hafsah to fear Allah.

    “what is she boasting to you about”

    Arabic text

    … النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهِيَ تَبْكِي فَقَالَ" مَا يُبْكِيكِ". فَقَالَتْ قَالَتْ لِي حَفْصَةُ إِنِّي بِنْتُ يَهُودِيٍّ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" إِنَّكِ لاَبْنَةُ نَبِيٍّ وَإِنَّ عَمَّكِ لَنَبِيٌّ وَإِنَّكِ لَتَحْتَ نَبِيٍّ فَفِيمَ تَفْخَرُ عَلَيْكِ". ثُمَّ قَالَ" اتَّقِي اللَّهَ يَا حَفْصَةُ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا …

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3894Sahih

  • Her freedom was her marriage gift, showing the Prophet's honouring of her.

    “manumitted Safiyya and regarded her manumission as her Mahr”

    Arabic text

    أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَعْتَقَ صَفِيَّةَ، وَجَعَلَ عِتْقَهَا صَدَاقَهَا.

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5086Sahih

Words on this page

Hadithحديث
A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
Hajjالحج
The pilgrimage to Makkah in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, required once in a lifetime of every adult Muslim who is able.
I'tikafاعتكاف
A retreat in the mosque for worship, especially in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Madinahالمدينة
The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Ramadanرمضان
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, in which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
Tawafطواف
Walking seven times around the Ka'bah as an act of worship.

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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