Amrah bint Abdul Rahman
Amrah bint Abdul Rahman was an early Islamic mufti and scholar.
Biography
Rahman was a member of the tabieen who followed the generation of the Prophet’s companions. Her grandfather As’ad ibn Zurara was the first chief in Medina to become a Muslim convert. She grew up under the care of the Prophet Muhammad's third wife, Aisha bint Abu Bakr, and may have acted as Aisha’s personal secretary.Rahman became an early Islamic scholar who was an expert in Islamic theology and jurisprudence. She was among the most authoritative and reliable narrators of the hadith of Aisha, Umm Salama, Rafi' ibn Khadij, and Umm Hisham bint Harithah.
When the Judge of Medina Muhammad bin Abī Bakr bin Hazm ruled in a case involving a Christian thief from Syria who had stolen something, he wrote to Rahman for advice. She informed him that he could not order the severing of the man's hand, as the hand of a thief could only be cut off for stolen amounts over one-quarter of a dīnār, so he ordered that the man be released. He did not question her judgement or seek out other scholars.
Umar bin Abdul Aziz, caliph and scholar, would advise people that if they wanted to learn prophetic sayings, they should go to Rahman, as none knew more of the hadith than her. Ahmad bin Hanbal described Rahman as "an eminent theologian and great scholar." Her knowledge and piety attracted students who she transmitted her knowledge to, including Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, who called her a "sea of knowledge."
Rahman died in 98 AH in Medina, aged 77. Her son was Abu al-Rijal Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman and her nephew was the judge Abu Bakr ibn Hazm.