that simpleton said, 'I take refuge with God from
thee.' As soon as that Excellency heard her say this
word, he rose up from her side, saying, 'Thou hast taken
refuge in a safe place: arise and go back to thy father.'
Then the Prophet sent her back to her tribe by the same
man who had fetched her. When the Apostle of God afterwards
became aware of the trick his wives had played to Asma,
he said, 'They are like Joseph, and their cunning is
great.'
Another was LeilaBint Khatim. Once when the
Prophet was sunning his back, she went behind him, giving
him a blow with her fist. On his turning round and asking
for an explanation, she said, 'I am come to thee, in
order to give myself up to thee, and that thou mayest
marry me.' His Excellency replied, 'I accept thee for
a wife.' But when she returned to her people and told
them what had happened, they said to her, 'Thou hast
not acted well; for thou art a jealous lady; but that
Excellency has many wives, so thou wilt be sure to say
to them what will make him angry and will lead him to
curse thee. It will therefore be the best thing for
thee to go to that prince and ask him to annul the marriage.'
This was accordingly done, and Leila married some one
else, by whom she had children. But one day, when she
was taking a bath in one of the gardens of Medina, a
wolf came and tore her in pieces.
Of those whom the Prophet asked in marriage, but did
not obtain, was Om Hani or Fakhta Bint
Abu Talib. He had asked for her already in the time
of ignorance; but her father, his uncle, gave her to
Habira, on the plea that he himself had taken a wife
from their family. Afterwards she embraced Islam and
became separated from Habira. Then his Excellency asked
again for her, but she answered, 'O Apostle of God,
by Allah, I loved thee even in the time of ignorance,
and now since I am a Mussulman, why should I not love
thee still? By Allah! I love thee more than my eyes
and my ears; but I am a lady with orphan children. I
fear that when I look after them, I cannot properly
attend to thy service. If thou wert to come to my bed,
thou wouldst find one child by my side and another on
my bosom.'
Another was Jumra Bint Harith, whom the Prophet
asked of her father. The latter replied, 'O Apostle
of God, she has a disease,' although this was not the
case. But when her father came home, he found her covered
with leprosy.
That prince had also Female Slaves. The first
of these was Mary Bint Simeon, a Copt, whom the
King of Alexandria sent to |
