Question:
Is it true that the companion of the Prophet PBUH, al-Zubair bin al-‘Awwam divorced his wife Asma’ binti Abu Bakr? Hope for an explanation.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Al-Zubair bin al-‘Awwam RA is one of the companions of the Prophet PBUH who is promised with paradise, while Asma’ binti Abu Bakr R.Anhuma is the daughter of the first caliphate, Abu Bakar al-Siddiq RA. Besides being one of the companions who is promised with paradise by the Prophet PBUH himself, al-Zubair bin al-‘Awwam is also known as the al-Hawariy which means the disciple of the Prophet PBUH like the al-Hawariyyun of the Prophet Jesus (Isa) AS. The Prophet PBUH said:
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ حَوَارِيًّا، وَإِنَّ حَوَارِيَّ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ
"Every prophet used to have a Hawari (i.e. disciple), and my Hawari is Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam."
Sahih al-Bukhari (3719)
Regarding the story of divorce between al-Zubair bin al-‘Awwam and Asma’ binti Abu Bakar, it is recorded mainly in the books of tabaqat for the companions. We cite here as recorded in the book of Usdu al-Ghabah fi Ma’rifah al-Sahabah written by Ibn al-Athir rahimahullah.
Ibn Athir Rahimahullah stated that al-Zubair bin al-‘Awwam RA divorced his wife Asma’ binti Abu Bakar R.Anhuma and during that time, Abdullah bin al-Zubair was with them. Nonetheless, the scholars differ in stating the reasons of the divorce. Some said that it was due to the words of Abdullah bin al-Zubair R.Anhuma who said to his dad: “A man like me, his mother shall not have coitus”, then al-Zubair bin al-‘Awwam divorced her. Another opinion states that Asma’ had become old and gave birth to Abdullah, ‘Urwah and al-Munzir for al-Zubair. Next, another opinion states that al-Zubair once beat Asma’ binti Abu Bakr, then Asma’ called for his son, Abdullah. Looking that Abdullah is approaching him, al-Zubair then said: “If you enter, then one talak will be upon your mother’s shoulder”. Then, Abdullah said, “Are you making my mother the place of your curse?”. Abdullah then entered and made Asma’ binti Abu Bakar become divorced by talak ba’in. [1]
Asma’ binti Abu Bakar is among sahabiah that lived long. She passed away several days after the death of her son, Abdullah bin al-Zubair R.Anhuma, and it is recorded that her age reached 100 years old during her death. She narrated 56 hadith from the Prophet PBUH. Wallahua’lam.
End notes:
See Usdu al-Ghabah fi Ma`rifah al-Sahabah. Dar al-Fikr, (6/9-10) & Tahzib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat by al-Imam al-Nawawi. Dar al-Kutub al-`Ilmiyyah, (2/330)