Dhat an-Nitaqayn — She of the Two Belts
Asma bint Abi Bakr أَسْمَاء بِنْت أَبِي بَكْر
Daughter of Abu Bakr, wife of az-Zubayr, who risked her life to carry provisions to the Prophet ﷺ and her father in the Cave of Thawr, tearing her belt in two to bind the supplies — earning the title 'She of the Two Belts'. She lived to a great age, fearless to the end.
She of the Two Belts
On the night of the Hijrah, the young Asma secretly brought food and water to the Prophet ﷺ and her father hiding in the Cave of Thawr. Having nothing to tie the provisions, she tore her waist-belt in two — one piece to bind the bundle, one to keep — and the Prophet ﷺ gave her the title Dhat an-Nitaqayn, 'She of the Two Belts'.
Defiant Before Abu Jahl
After her father left, Abu Jahl came demanding to know where he was and struck her so hard her earring flew off, but she would not betray them. Her courage as a young woman under threat became part of the proud heritage of the early Muslims.
Hardship and Endurance
Married to the poor but noble az-Zubayr, she ground grain, carried date-stones on her head across long distances, and tended the horse and household with her own hands, all without complaint. She bore Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, the first child born to the emigrants in Madinah, to the community's great joy.
Fearless in Old Age
Living to about a hundred and losing her sight, Asma remained unbroken. When her son Abdullah faced death at the hands of the tyrant al-Hajjaj, she urged him to die upon the truth rather than yield, and faced his killers without fear. She died shortly after, in 73 AH, a model of courage and faith across a long life.
Lessons
- Faith inspires ingenuity and courage in the face of danger.
- Hard, humble work is no shame for the noblest of believers.
- Stand upon the truth to the end, whatever the cost.
Quran references
16:97