Hafsa bint Umar
Hafsa bint Umar was the fourth wife of Muhammad and a daughter of the second caliph Umar. In Islamic writings, her name is thus often prefixed by the title "Mother of the Believers".
Early life
Hafsa was the daughter and eldest child of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Maz'un. She was born "when Quraysh were building the House Kaʿbah, five years before the Prophet was sent," i.e., in 605.Marriage
She was first married to Khunays ibn Hudhafa but became a widow in August 624.As soon as Hafsa had completed her waiting period, her father Umar offered her hand to Uthman ibn 'Affan, and thereafter to Abu Bakr; but they both refused her. Disappointed, Umar went to Muhammad to complain about this, and Muhammad replied, "Hafsa will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsa."
Muhammad married Hafsa in Sha'ban AH 3. This marriage "gave the Prophet the chance of allying himself with this faithful follower", i.e. Umar, who had become his father-in-law.
Surat al-Tahrim
There are two stories related to the revelation of the opening verses of Surat al-Tahrim. One is authentic according to Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim and found in Sahih Muslim 1474, narrated by the Prophet's wife Aisha. In this first narration, the Prophet prevented himself from drinking honey to please his wives.The latter narration is mursal and ḍaʻīf . Its isnad is weaker than that of the first story, however, it is accepted by some tafseer scholars who preferred this explanation, such as in Tafsir Al-Jalalayn and Tafsir at-Tabari. Imam al-Tabarani says "The first opinion is stronger, yet it is not impossible that both matters occurred, and that this came down concerning both stories". In this narration, the Prophet was intimate with Maria al-Qibtiyya while Hafsa was away visiting her father, then asked him "In my home and on my bed?" upon returning and discovering about their act. He then made Maria forbidden upon himself to please Hafsa. Al-Qurtubi states that the first one is authentic and the second is weak.
Ibn Al-Arabi wrote in Ahkam al-Qur'an'' that: "Indeed, the only authentic narration is that it was about honey, that the Prophet drank it with Zainab, and Aisha and Hafsa pretended to be offended by it. There occurred what occurred and the Prophet made an oath never to drink it again. He confided that to his wife and the verse was revealed regarding all of them".
Notable work
Uthman, when he became Caliph, used Hafsa's copy when he standardized the text ofQur'an. She is also said to have narrated sixty hadiths from Muhammad.