Hafsa

Hafsa, daughter of the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, was a wife of the Prophet ﷺ known for her piety and learning. It was to her that the first complete and official copy of the Quran — compiled after the Prophet's ﷺ death — was entrusted.

Hafsa was the daughter of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the future second Caliph. Widowed from a Companion who died from wounds suffered at Badr, she married the Prophet ﷺ. She could read and write, which was rare at the time, and belonged to the literate elite.

Her role in the history of the Quran is pivotal. After the Battle of Yamama, in which many memorisers of the Quran were killed, Abu Bakr had the text compiled into a single, complete copy. It was to Hafsa that this first official Mushaf was entrusted for safekeeping. Later, under the Caliph Uthman, this copy served as the reference for establishing the copies sent across the Muslim world.

She was known for her dedication to fasting and prayer, and also transmitted hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ.

On the number of wives: contrary to a common misconception, Islam does not permit an unlimited number of wives. For believers, the Quran sets a maximum of four, subject to the condition of equal treatment, and recommends taking only one if there is fear of injustice (Surah an-Nisa, 4:3). The Prophet ﷺ held a special status (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:50); God then forbade him from marrying additional women (33:52), thus fixing the number of his wives.

Hafsa shows the importance of education: because she could read and write, she was able to play a key role in the preservation of the Quran. Her life reminds us that knowledge entrusted to a trustworthy person can serve the whole community for centuries.