Sayyidah Hind Bintu ‘Utbah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was the wife of Sayyiduna Abu Sufyaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and the mother of Sayyiduna Mu‘aawiyah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).
Prior to accepting Islam, she was among the most bitter enemies of Islam, as her father, ‘Utbah bin Rabee‘ah, her uncle, Shaibah bin Rabee‘ah, and her brother, Waleed bin ‘Utbah, were killed by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. Hence, when Sayyiduna Hamzah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) mutilated his body, as he was responsible for the death of Shaibah and had also played a role in the death of ‘Utbah. (Seerah Ibni Hishaam vol. 2, pg. 709 and Fat-hul Baari vol. 9, pg. 508)
Nevertheless, on the occasion of the Conquest of Makkah Mukarramah, Sayyiduna Abu Sufyaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) accepted Islam, and the following night, his wife, Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha), also accepted Islam. When she informed her husband of her intention to accept Islam and pledge allegiance to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he remarked in surprise, “But I saw you rejecting the message of Islam just yesterday!” Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) explained, “By Allah! Until last night, I never saw Allah Ta‘ala being worshipped in this masjid (Masjidul Haraam), as He ought to be worshipped. By Allah, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) spent the entire night awake, standing in salaah!” (Usdul Ghaabah vol. 5, pg. 416)
Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) thereafter proceeded to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) where she proclaimed her imaan and took the bay‘ah (pledge of allegiance).
On one occasion, she said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! (Prior to accepting Islam,) there was no household on the surface of the earth which I wished should suffer disgrace more than your household. However, today there is no household on the surface of this earth which I wish should enjoy honour more than your household.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “and it will increase (i.e. as your imaan becomes stronger, your love for me and for my household will continue increasing). (Saheeh Bukhaari #3825 and ‘Umdatul Qaari)
It is reported that after accepting Islam, Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) seized a trowel and used it to strike the idols in her home until she had broken them into pieces. Doing this, she addressed the idols saying, “We were in a state of deception regarding you.” (Tabaqaat Ibni Sa’d vol. 8, pg. 237)
Lessons:
1. Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was once a bitter enemy of Islam. However, when she saw the manner in which the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) devoted themselves to the worship of Allah Ta‘ala by standing in salaah, her heart softened and she accepted Islam. From this, we can gauge how beautiful and perfect the salaah of the Sahabaah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) must have been, that merely watching them in salaah inspired Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) to bring imaan!
2. A person cannot be a perfect believer until and unless his love for Allah Ta‘ala and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is more than his love for everything else. Hence, after accepting Islam, Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) expressed that from every household on earth, the most beloved household in her heart was the blessed household of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then explained to her that his love is linked to imaan. Hence, as a person’s imaan strengthens, his love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) increases and intensifies. Thus, with every passing day, if a person is not growing more attached to the sunnah, and becoming more averse to the ways of the disbelievers, then it is a sign that his imaan is retrogressing.
3. After bringing imaan, Sayyidah Hind (radhiyallahu ‘anha) destroyed the idols in her home, smashing them into pieces. In this manner, she completely repented from her past life of disbelief and completely disassociated from all elements of disbelief. In the same way, when we repent from a sin, then for our repentance to be complete we must completely cut off from the sin and all that is associated with it. For example, if one was involved in an illicit relationship, then when making taubah, one will completely cut off from that person and will not communicate with them in any way at all.