Some people enter Islam through dawah, others discover it through deep reflection. And some, like Lady Juwairiyah bint al-Harith, enter through the collapse of everything they once knew. She was captured in war, stripped of her royal title, and placed into unfamiliar surroundings. Any individual in her situation would instantly become bitter but, instead, her story became one of grace, faith, and remarkable influence both spiritual and political. Her name is not always mentioned among the better known Mothers of the Believers but, just like them, her life and her story have changed the fate of hundreds through dignity instead of power.
Lady Juwairiyah bint al-Harith was born into a family of nobility. Her father, al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar, was the chief of Banu al-Mustaliq, a powerful tribe allied with Quraysh. Proud, strategic, and independent, the Banu al-Mustaliq had long resisted Islam.
In the fifth or sixth year after Hijrah, tensions escalated when intelligence reached the Prophet (SAW) that the tribe was preparing an attack. What followed was the Battle of al-Mustaliq, a swift and decisive encounter. The Muslims were victorious. The tribe was defeated, and Lady Juwairiyah bint al-Harith, daughter of the defeated chief, was among the captives. She was taken by Thabit ibn Qays, a companion of the Prophet (SAW). It was in this vulnerable position, as a captive and as a widow, that she approached the Prophet (SAW), seeking to negotiate her freedom.
What happened next would not only change her own life, but it would alter the fate of her entire tribe.
When she stood before the Prophet (SAW), Lady Juwairiyah bint al-Harith didn’t plead, she spoke with dignity. She requested assistance in paying her ransom which is a request that is Islamically valid and morally powerful. The Prophet (SAW) responded with something unexpected. He offered to pay her ransom himself and then marry her. She agreed. When the companions learned of this marriage, they reacted with a spontaneous act of mercy.
They said, “These are now the Prophet (SAW)’s in-laws, we cannot hold his relatives as captives.”
And so they freed over a hundred families from Banu al-Mustaliq. Later, Lady Ayesha bint Abu Bakr would reflect, “I do not know of a woman who brought more blessing to her people than Juwairiyah.” (Sunan Abi Dawud)
Lady Juwairyah bint al-Harith was not a woman of ideal ease. She was known for her devotion, her fasting and, especially, her dhikr. The Prophet (SAW) once passed by her as she sat in the masjid after Fajr. Hours later, around midday, he returned and found her still seated in the same place. He approached her and asked, “Have you been sitting here all this time?” She replied, “Yes.” He then taught her a brief dua to say three times that would exceed in reward all the time she had spent in dhikr that morning. That supplication was, “SubhanAllahi wa bi hamdih, ‘adada khalqih, wa rida nafsih, wa zinata arshih, wa midada kalimatih.”
This moment between them is telling. It shows the relationship the Prophet (SAW) and Lady Jawairiyah bint al-Harith had which was rooted in spiritual growth, sincere worship, and mutual respect.
Though we don’t have as many narrations from Lady Juwairyah bint a-Harith compared to Lady Ayesha bint Abu Bakr or Lady Umm Salamah, she is listed among those who transmitted hadith. She was known in her time for her worship and quiet intelligence. She was also part of a house that carried the burden of leadership. The Prophet (SAW)’s home wasn’t just a family home, it was the center of revelation, the embassy of the Ummah, and the space where mercy and judgement often intersected.
Living in that space, especially coming from royalty, captivity and reconciliation would have required humility and transformation. Lady Juwairyah bint al-Harith rose to it.
After the Prophet (SAW) passed away, Lady Juwairyah bint al-Harith remained in Madinah. She lived a life of worship and remembrance, away from the spotlight. She passed away during the caliphate of Mu’awiyah bint Abu Sufyan, around the year 50 AH. She was buried in Jannat ul Baqee alongside the other Mothers of the Believers, which is a quiet resting place for the people who brought mercy to hundreds of people.
From Lady Juwairiyah bint al-Harith, we learn that:
- Dignity does not depend on circumstances. She was a captive but never humiliated. She held her voice and honored herself.
- One righteous choice can give you more freedom than you’d ever expect. Her acceptance of marriage led to the manumission of over 100 people.
- Women are agents of change. Her marriage had political, spiritual, and social consequences.
- Real transformation is always inward. She moved from the life of a tribal princess to a woman of fasting and dhikr.
Lady Juwairiyah bint al-Harith’s story is not loud. It’s not filled with long speeches or public moments. But it is layered with courage, stillness, and barakah. She entered Islam in a moment of loss, but she lived it with conviction. May Allah (SWT) be pleased with her, elevate her rank, and allow us to carry even a fraction of her dignity and devotion. Ameen!
