, which is the best-known account. The Negus conducted her marriage contract, for he had embraced Islam and was therefore her guardian there. He gave her a dowry of four thousand dirhams, sent the money to Shurahbīl ibn Hasanah, and provided her bridal preparations at his own expense. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent her nothing. The dowries of all his other wives were four hundred dirhams. According to another account, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent word to the Negus concerning her, the Negus sought her hand on his behalf and paid her a dowry of four thousand dirhams for him, while Khālid ibn Sa‘īd ibn al-Ās concluded the marriage contract on her behalf. According to the account cited, he married her in 6 AH. She died—may Allah have mercy on her—in 44 AH.

Then came Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith ibn Abī Dirār, of Banū al-Mustaliq. He took her captive on the day of al-Muraysī‘, had her observe the veil, and allotted her a turn among his wives. This was stated by Ibn Shihāb. Abū Ubaydah said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, married her in 5 AH. She died in Rabī‘ al-Awwal, 56 AH. Her name had been Barrah, but the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, renamed her Juwayriyah. It is related that she had fallen to the share of Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās, or a cousin of his, and had entered into a contract with him to purchase her freedom. She was a beautiful woman.

Ā’ishah said: “Juwayriyah was a woman of such sweetness and charm that scarcely anyone saw her without being captivated by her. She came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to seek his help in paying for her freedom. By Allah, the moment I saw her at the door of the chamber, I disliked her, knowing that he would see in her what I had seen. She said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I am Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith ibn Abī Dirār, the chief of his people. What has befallen me is no secret to you. I fell to the share of Thābit ibn Qays, or a cousin of his, and entered into a contract with him to purchase my freedom. I have come to seek your help.’ He said to her, ‘Would you like something better than that?’ She asked, ‘What is it, Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘I will pay the sum due under your contract and marry you.’ She said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Then I have done so.’ News spread among the people that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had married Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith. They said, ‘These are the Messenger of Allah’s relatives by marriage!’ So they released the captives of Banū al-Mustaliq whom they held.” Ā’ishah said: “We knew of no woman who brought greater blessings upon her people than she did.”

Then came Safiyyah, daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, a Jew descended from Aaron, peace be upon him. She was among the captives of Khaybar and fell to the allotted share of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He freed her and married her in 7 AH,