A Gift from Egypt:
Maria the Copt was not a wife of prophet Mohammad. rather, she was his private maid. Islamic and the Holy Quran studies assure us that i t was the custom of men at that time to have their own private maids. They were as legal to men as their wives. So prophet Mohammad treated maria as such. In the year six or seven after the prophet’s migration to al-Madina, prophet Mohammad sent messengers to the neighboring countries’ kings and rulers. Prophet Mohammad asked those rulers to embrace Islam. Some rulers answered the prophet’s messages positively and politely. others were too arrogant. The ruler of Egypt was called al-Muqawqis.
A civilized and good ruler of Egypt:
Al-Muqawqis received the prophet’s messenger well.
The Holy Quran and Islamic studies teach us that though he could not embrace Islam for fear of his people’s anger, al-Muqawqis gave the prophet’s messenger a nice present. Among the things which he sent to prophet Mohammad were two maids. The maids were called Maria and her sister, Sireen. They used to live in the ruler’s palace. On the way home to al-Madina, the prophet’s messenger, Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ told them about Islam and prophet Mohammad. Maria and Sireen embraced Islam on the way home to al-Madina. Eventually, Hatib, Maria and Sireen arrived at al-Madina and met prophet Mohammad.
Maria, Ibrahim’s mother & Hajar Ismaeel’s mother:
When Maria arrived at al-Madina, prophet Mohammad took her as his maid. He sent her sister, Sireen, to his poet, Hassan ibn Thabit as a maid. The prophet’s wives saw how beautiful Maria was. Therefore, they were jealous of her . Their jealousy increased when she bore prophet Mohammad a child. This child was a baby boy. Prophet Mohammad called him Ibrahim. Prophet Mohammad was happy with the baby who lived for about two years. However, the child died in infancy, When he was two years old. On the day when Ibrahim died, it happened that there was a solar eclipse. The prophet’s companions alleged that the eclipse was because of Ibrahim’s death. Prophet Mohammad nullified their allegations.
Maria, the devoted woman:
Maria was sad to leave her mother country, Egypt. However, she was keen on pleasing prophet Mohammad. after Maria gave birth to Ibrahim, prophet Mohammad declared her a free woman. Therefore, Maria was no longer a maid. Maria renewed the story of the Egyptian Hajar, the wife of prophet Ibrahim. Like Maria, Hajar was given to Ibrahim as a gift. Also, Sara, Ibrahim’s first wife didn’t bear children. Hajar bore prophet Ibrahim his son Ismaeel. The similarity between Hajar and Maria was striking. They both strengthened the ties between Arabia and Egypt. They both had a big effect on Islam and the Arabs.
