Tamadur bint Amr [Khansa] (r.anha)

Hz. Khansa, who was honored to see the Prophet and listen to his talk, knew that children were entrusted to people by Allah. She believed that it was necessary to return the entrusted things to their owner. She grew up her four children with this thought. Her children, whom she took care of and brought up very sensitively, became old enough to fight in the way of Allah.  

• The mujahids of Islam gained victory after victory. 

The Muslims reached the border of Iran. During the caliphate of Hz. Umar, an army was being prepared to conquer Iran. When Hz. Khansa heard this news, she joined the army of mujahids with her four sons voluntarily. The army was sent from Madinah with prayers and salawat. After a tiring expedition, the mujahids confronted the Iranian army. It was nighttime. A vehement battle was going to start in the morning.

• As a mother, Hz. Khansa, whose real name was “Tamadur bint  Amr” loved her children very much. 

However, her love toward Allah and His Messenger was superior to anything. Nothing could prevent her surrendering and loyalty to her Lord. She was ready to sacrifice her life, property and children for the sake of Allah. Besides, she brought them up for such days. Could there have been happiness greater than being a mother of martyrs for a woman? She summoned her children. She wanted to talk to them and encourage them.

• Hz. Khansa was a poet. 

She took part in various poetry contests in the Era of Ignorance and got several awards. She was even appreciated by the poet Jariri and the poet Nabigha, who was nicknamed as “the leader of the poets”. Therefore, her rhetoric was very strong. After looking at her children’s faces, she addressed them as follows:

“My sons! Nobody forced you to become Muslims. You embraced Islam willingly. You joined the army of mujahids and came here of your own accord. I swear by Allah, besides whom there is no other deity, that you are all sons of one man as you are sons of one woman. I have never cheated on your father. Never have I brought disgrace upon your maternal uncle, disparaged your esteem or altered your lineage.
You know the great and abundant reward that your Lord has set aside for the Muslims who fight in the way of Allah. Know that the everlasting abode is better than this transient one. Allah Almighty says, (Persevere in patience and constancy: vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other.’( Aal-i Imran, 200. )
My beloved sons! When you wake up tomorrow morning, Allah willing sound and healthy, go and fight against your enemy with conviction and seek only Allah’s help over His enemies. When you see that the war has become tense, go to the heart of the enemy. Fight their leaders. If you gain victory, you will attain treasures; if you are martyred, you will enter Paradise and be entertained there.”

When the morning came, Hz. Khansa’s sons could not sit still. They wanted to be martyrs and to rejoice their mother. The battle started very intensely. Khansa’s sons and the other mujahids fought bravely. They showed examples of heroism. Finally,   they were martyred.

After a while, the battle ended and the Muslims were victorious. All four sons of Hz. Khansa were among martyrs. Those who went to her to tell the news were very sad. How were they going to give her this sad news? They told her that all of her sons had been martyred. When they saw that she was very calm though they expected that she would cry and scream, they were surprised. They were even more surprised when they saw that Hz. Khansa welcomed this news, which they hesitated to give her, as glad tiding. Yes, could there have been a greater glad tiding than this for a mother who believed in and surrendered to qadar, who listened to the talk of the Messenger of Allah and who brought up her children for a day like this? As a matter of fact, she expressed her joy saying the following prayer:

“All praise is due to Allah who honored me with the martyrdom of my children. And I hope that my Lord will make me join them in the Abode of His Mercy.”( Istiab, 4: 297; Isaba, 4: 288; Usdu’l-Ghaba, 5: 443. )

Glad tidings to the mothers who are conscious of the fact that life, wealth and children are things entrusted by Allah and who do not hesitate to return them to their real owner when necessary!