Sahira daughter of Mecca by Nasiruddin Hamid , Qadian , India
Sahira was sitting in the shade of a Palm tree to rest in the midst of the hot weather of Mecca in July. She was a middle-aged woman but not more than 35. She was thin but bosomy, and her slender body reflected her strong physical appearance. Her gloomy eyes and tattered clothes were once shiny and beautiful. She was the daughter of a rich merchant of Mecca. Her father married her into the respected house of Umayyad. She was so happy and cheerful with her husband and her son. She was sitting and dwelling in the thoughts of her beautiful life.
It was 711 CE, a significant historical year in Islamic history (at least in the books and for those who were grand in status) when Tariq bin Ziyad marched to Spain, conquered it, and expanded the Islamic empire under Caliph Al-Walid I. But this year was not good for everyone, especially for the soldiers in Tariq bin Ziyad's army. Zaid, the husband of Sahira, was sitting in his house reading a note that came from a commander. It said that he should get ready in a fortnight as the battalion would be moving towards Spain. It was like a bomb dropped on Zaid's head. He became distressed after reading the note.
Sahira came into the room, baffling and excited, not knowing what had just happened to her dear loving husband. But when she saw Zaid's face, she suddenly recognized the terror that appeared on his countenance. They both clasped each other and gazed into each other's eyes. Sahira asked him, "What will happen to us while you're away in battle, and God forbid, what will become of us if anything happens to you?" "Don't worry, my love. God will not abandon us, and I will come back safely," said Zaid.
The next day, Zaid went to the head of his Qabeela and asked about the safety of his family while he was gone. "Don't worry, Zaid. Your wife is like my daughter. I will look after her and your child too. You go peacefully. God will help you." Zaid came home and comforted his wife. Sahira had firm faith in the caliphate and the head of the Qabeela because they were spiritual and good men, so she became serene.
Zaid left for Spain, and she waited with her son in the empty home. The head of Qabeela, Hassan bin Abd al-Rahman, visited Sahira frequently and helped her in every possible way. It had been almost a year since Zaid left, and his news had been seized for nearly six months. During that time, news of the victory of Islamic forces reached everywhere, with the catastrophe of thousands of human deaths. Hassan bin Abd al-Rahman came and broke the sad news that Zaid had been captured or killed by the Spanish army. Sahira was devastated upon hearing this news. Hassan bin Abd al-Rahman asked her to come to his house and live with him because she was like a daughter to him.
She had no choice now. She went to live with him with the hope of a bright future for her precious child, who was the only person left with her. Her life was shattered and ruined, but she was breathing just for her kid. She believed her life was completely torn apart, but she was not aware that a bigger torment was marching at high speed towards her and her son.
Hassan bin Abd al-Rahman seemed like a good man. He was a tall, strong-built, muscular man of 55 and had been married nine times. He had a reputation as a saint in the whole of Mecca. He was one of the most trusted and beloved companions of the Caliph. One day, he called Sahira and said, "Now that you are a widow, you should choose to accept the life of the Islamic ways." She asked, "What does that mean?" He replied that the Quran says now that your husband is dead, you should live a virtuous life as a Londi (a woman slave). She was terrified by this. She thought she was going to be sold to someone and separated from her only son. She begged him not to sell her. Hassan bin Abd al-Rahman said, "Don't worry. You don't have to leave this house if you accept to become my Londi."
She was puzzled by this. She said to him, "You said I am like your daughter, so how could you ask anything like that of me?" She resisted, but Hassan bin Abd al-Rahman brutally beat and raped her repeatedly. He said, "I am doing you a favor according to Islamic teachings. You should submit yourself to me intentionally and happily." But Sahira said, "This brutality is not Islam, and I will never surrender myself to a monster like you. I will resist till my death and oppose these brutal teachings spread in the name of Islamic teachings." Every day she cried, cuddling her child, but Hassan was an even bigger monster than anyone ever thought. He sold Sahira's son to break her and sold her too to some other home for slavery,they made them concubine for guests.
She wanted to die but could not because she knew where her son was. Occasionally, she kept meeting her son and kept herself alive. She is still hoping to see her husband again, to hug him, praise him, and tell him everything that happened to her and their son while he was away on the battle— a battle for no good.
Sahira clung to the hope that one day her beloved husband, Zaid, would return. Every night, she prayed fervently, her heart aching with the thought of his absence. She dreamed of a future where they could escape the torment that had consumed their lives. Together, she envisioned a life far away from the shadows of oppression, where they would finally be free—free from the cruelty, the slavery, and the endless suffering. In the silence of her lonely home, her prayers echoed, each one carrying a desperate wish for liberation—for herself, her son, and the family she had lost.
