How the Female Companions Strove to Attain 'Ilm

Amongst the most admirable and noble traits of our female predecessors was their deep connection, love, and striving for ʿilm. These were qualities that led them to establish the best of virtues within themselves and within each other, and helped maintain a constant environment of benefit all around them. The means in which they strove to attain ʿilm came in many forms, some of the most prominent being:

• hastiness to not miss out on any opportunities of learning,

• maintaining a consistent connection with ʿilm,

• making the effort to go and seek ʿilm from the Companions (radi Allahu ʿanhum),

• and the way they handled shyness when it came to asking/learning about the Dīn  

Hastiness Towards Seeking Knowledge

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal has narrated from Abdullah ibn Rafiʿ that he said: Umm Salamah narrated that while she was combing her hair, she heard the Prophet (sālla l-lāhu alay-hi wa-sallam) saying on the pulpit: "O people!" She said to her hairdresser: "Wrap my hair." She said: "May I be sacrificed for you, he is only saying, 'O people'" Umm Salamah said: I said to her: "Woe to you! Are we not from the people?" Then she wrapped her hair and stood in a place in her room from where she could hear the Prophet (sālla l-lāhu alay-hi wa-sallam).

Maintaining a Constant Connection With 'Ilm

For a great number of women, interest in knowledge of the Dīn was deeply personal, without anybody prompting them or paving the way for them. Thābit has narrated from Anas that Abū Bakr called ʿUmar to go with him to visit Umm Ayman since the Prophet (sālla l-lāhu alay-hi wa-sallam) used to visit her. They found her crying, and asked her why, reminding her that whatever is with Allah is better for His Messenger. She said: "I am not crying because I did not know that what is with Allah is better for His Messenger, rather, I am crying because the revelation from heaven has been cut off." [Saying that as she did] she made them weep also.

Ensuring That Shyness Was Not An Obstacle in Their Path of Knowledge 

Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh wanted to know if, after her regular monthly period, the bleeding continued, she should leave the prayer. The Prophet (sālla l-lāhu alay-hi wa-sallam) distinguished regular menstrual bleeding, the duration of which varies between individuals and which prohibits from prayer, from bleeding from a vein, which must be washed away and does not affect the duty to pray. The women did not allow shyness to prevent them from seeking the knowledge that would strengthen their faith and practice and prepare them for the hereafter.

Extracted from Al-Muhaddithat: The Women Scholars in Islam by Mohammed Akram Nadwi pages 46-51.