that they should date the years as the Persians do with their kings: whenever a ruler died, the reckoning would begin anew from the accession of his successor. This, however, was rejected.
Others said: “Date the calendar by the Roman era that began in the time of Alexander,” but they disliked that as well—not least because of its great distance in time.
Still others proposed: “Begin from the birth of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him”; and some said: “Rather, from the start of his prophetic mission.”
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, together with a number of Companions, suggested that the dating begin from the Prophet’s migration (hijrah) from Mecca to Madinah, for that event was publicly known to everyone and more conspicuous than either his birth or his commissioning. ʿUmar and the rest of the Companions approved this view, so ʿUmar ordered that the calendar be reckoned from the Hijrah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and that the count start with the first month of that same year, Muḥarram.
According to Mālik (may Allah have mercy on him), as reported by al-Suhaylī ⦗1⦘ and others, the first month of the year was Rabīʿ al-Awwal, corresponding to the Prophet’s arrival in Madinah—may Allah have mercy on them all. The majority, however, hold that the year begins with Muḥarram, for that is more orderly and avoids confusion in the months; Muḥarram is, after all, the opening month of the Arab lunar year.
In this same year—meaning the year 16 AH—Maria, the mother of Ibrāhīm, the son of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away. According to al-Wāqidī, Ibn Jarīr ⦗2⦘, and others, her death occurred in Muḥarram. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb led the funeral prayer for her, summoning the people to attend, and she was laid to rest in al-Baqīʿ—may Allah’s peace be upon her and His good pleasure.
She was Maria the Copt, whom the ruler of Alexandria—Jirj ibn Mīnā—had sent to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, among other gifts and presents. The Prophet accepted her, and with her came her sister Sirīn ⦗3⦘, whom the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gave to Ḥassān ibn Thābit; she bore him his son ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ḥassān. It is also said that al-Muqawqis sent two additional slave-girls with them ⦗4⦘, who may have served Maria and Sirīn. Along with them he sent a eunuch named Mābūr, a dapple-gray mule called al-Duldul, and a silk robe woven in Alexandria. These gifts arrived in the eighth year AH.
Maria conceived by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and bore him Ibrāhīm, peace be upon him, who lived for twenty months and died one full year before his father. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, grieved deeply for him, wept, and said: “The eye sheds tears, the heart feels sorrow, and we say only what pleases our Lord. O Ibrāhīm, indeed we are grieved for you.” ⦗5⦘ This has been mentioned previously under the events of year ten.
Maria was among the righteous, virtuous, and beautiful women. She held a cherished place with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who admired her greatly. She was fair and comely—millāḥah, that is, sweet-looking. Her story resembles that of Hājar, the bond-woman of the Friend of Allah (Khalīlullāh), for both of them came from the land of Egypt and were taken as concubines by noble prophets and illustrious friends of Allah—may He have mercy on them all.