(Hafsah bintu Seereen [rahimahallah] – Part One)

Hafsah bintu Seereen (rahimahallah) was a Taabi‘iyyah (one who had seen the Sahaabah [radhiyallahu ‘anhum]). Her siblings were Muhammad bin Seereen (the renowned hadeeth scholar and interpreter of dreams), Yahya, Kareemah and Ummu Sulaim (rahimahumullah).

Hafsah (rahimahallah) had memorized the Quraan Majeed at the age of twelve. She would enter the musjid of her home (the portion of her home dedicated to salaah and ‘ibaadah) before the Zuhr Salaah and would remain there, engaged in ‘ibaadah, until she had performed the ‘Asr Salaah, the Maghrib Salaah and even the ‘Esha Salaah. After performing the ‘Esha Salaah, she would further remain in her musjid, engaged in ‘ibaadah, until the Fajr Salaah, after which she would continue her ‘ibaadah until the time of the Dhuha (Chaasht) Salaah. Only on completion of the Dhuha Salaah would she leave her musjid to sleep, see to her needs and perform wudhu. At the time of Zuhr, she would once again enter her musjid for ‘ibaadah. This was her habit for approximately thirty years.

Hafsah (rahimahallah) would recite half the Quraan Majeed every night, and would fast every day, besides the five days of the year in which fasting is prohibited (the two ‘Eids and the days of tashreeq).

When standing to perform her Tahajjud Salaah, Hafsah bintu Seereen (rahimahallah) would light her lamp. Occasionally, while in salaah, the lamp would be extinguished. Despite this, however, her room would miraculously remain illuminated and bright until the morning.

Hafsah (rahimahallah) once purchased an Indian slave girl. When she was asked to describe her mistress, she said, “She is a pious woman. However, it seems that she has committed some grave sin, for she spends the entire night crying and performing salaah!”

Hafsah bintu Seereen (rahimahallah) passed away in the year 101 A.H. at the age of ninety.

(Sifatus Safwah vol. 2, pg. 241-243, Tabaqaat Ibni Sa’d vol. 8, pg. 484 and Tahzeebut Tahzeeb vol. 12, pg. 409)

Lessons:

1. There is one common ingredient in the recipe of all successful people – dedication. They do not lose focus and work committedly and consistently, until they finally achieve their goal. The same trait can be found in the life of Hafsah bintu Seereen (rahimahallah). She did not allow herself to be distracted and remained engaged in her ‘ibaadah until her demise.

Today, there are countless distractions, waiting to ambush and rob us of our precious time. From Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp to ‘meets and eats’ in coffee shops, we squander and ‘kill’ invaluable moments of our time during which we could have been gaining the proximity of Allah Ta‘ala.

Let us conduct a simple experiment for just one day – whenever we have the urge to pick up our phone to pass time, let us pick up and recite the Quraan Majeed, or pick up a tasbeeh and engage in zikr instead. Thereafter, take note of the amount of zikr and tilaawah achieved on that day. We may surprise ourselves and realize that we are nowhere near fulfilling our potential!

2. Engaging in nafl ‘ibaadah is meritorious and virtuous. However, it is necessary for one to fulfil all their obligations before engaging in voluntary deeds. Hence, we should not make the mistake of neglecting our duties and obligations (such as to the children, home and husband) due to engaging in excessive nafl ‘ibaadah. If a person has no responsibilities, or their responsibilities will not be affected, they may tread the path of Hafsah bitu Seereen (rahimahallah).