Humaydah al-Barbariyyah al-Musaffat, was the daughter of Sa'id al-Barbari al­Andalusi. She was nicknamed Lu'lu'ah, and her nickname was Umm­Muhammad. She was the mother of Musa Ibn Ja'far, Ishaq and Muhammad, the children of Imam al-Sadiq.1

Her Merits

Humaydah was the mother of Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far al-Kazim ('a). Al-Kulayni relates how she became familiar with this family which was pure and infallible based on the story from the father of 'Isa Ibn 'Abd al-Rahman. He says, "Ibn 'Ukashah was with Imam al-Baqir ('a) and said, 'Why don't you take a wife for Abu 'Abdullah? There was a bag of money which was sealed in front of the Imam ('a). He said, 'In a short time a slave seller from the barbar will come. With this money we will buy a girl for him.'

The girl was bought and brought before Imam al-Baqir ('a). Imam al-Baqir ('a) praised the Lord and then asked, 'What is your name?' She responded, 'Humaydah (praiseworthy).'

The Imam said, 'May you be praiseworthy in this world and lauded (mahmudah) in the next. Tell me have you ever been married before, or widowed?'

She said, 'I haven't been married.'

Then the Imam ('a) said to his son Ja'far ('a), 'Wed her.'

Subsequently, the best of creation on the earth was born from her, meaning Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a)."2

What has been said shows the purity and chastity of Humaydah, that the Almighty God chose her for bearing and raising such a one as Imam al-Ka'zim ('a).

Imam al-Sadiq ('a) has said about her, "Humaydah is clean of impurity like a bar of gold. Because of God's favor to me and the Imam after me, the angels continually kept her until she reached me."3

Humaydah was from a large non-Arab family. Abu 'Abdullah al-Sadiq ('a) commanded the women to refer to her on practical laws. It's related in the book al-Jawahir from Imam al-Sadiq ('a) that 'Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Hajjaj asked him, "A child has been born here (during the Hajj pilgrimage). What is our duty?" The Imam answered, "Tell a servant to ask Humaydah how she behaves with her sons here. The servant asked Humaydah and she said, "When the day of Tarwiyah (the 8^th of Dhu'l-Hijjah) comes, make intention for him and remove all sewn clothes from him (put clothes for the Ihram on him)."4

Whenever Imam al-Sadiq ('a) wanted to distribute wages between the people of al-Madinah, he would give it to the mother of his son, Humaydah al-Musaffat.5

'Allamah Mamqani has listed this woman among the transmitters of traditions and related the story how she was bought.6 Shaykh Mahallati says about Umm Muhammad, which is the nickname of Humaydah, the mother of Imam Musa al-Kazim ('a), that, "In the book A'yan al-Shi'ah translated by Ishaq Ibn Ja'far Ibn Muhammad ('a) it is written about the woman in charge of the women's sanctuary for Imam Musa al-Kazim ('a). It would appear what is meant is Umm Ahmad, who was mentioned previously."

In the book A'yan al-Shi'ah under the name Ishaq Ibn Ja'far Ibn Muhammad Ibn 'Ali it is written,

"His mother is Humaydah al-Barbariyyah; and, she is the mother of his brothers Imam Musa ('a) and Muhammad al-Dibaj."7

By studying the books on genealogy it may be concluded that Imam al-Sadiq ('a) had no child by the name of Ahmad. Ahmad was the son of Imam al-Kazim ('a). There is a mistake in what Shaykh Mahallati has said. Therefore, Umm­Muhammad is Humaydah al-Barbariyyah, the woman in charge of the women's sanctuary for Imam al-Sadiq ('a) and the mother of Imam al-Kazim ('a).

In the book al-Kafi when descriBintg Umm Ahmad Ibn Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a), it has been said that Umm Ahmad is the wife of Imam al-Kazim ('a).

She has related traditions from Abu 'Abdullah al-Sadiq ('a). Abu Basir has related traditions from her.

Shaykh al-Saduq has related based on his documents from Abu Basir as saying, "I entered upon Humaydah al-Musaffat to give her my condolences on the death of her husband Imam al-Sadiq ('a). I cried and she cried and said, 'O Abu Muhammad, if you had seen Imam al-Sadiq ('a) before his death you would have been surprised at his condition. But, notwithstanding that condition he opened his eyes and said, 'Call my relatives to gather.' We gathered all of his family. He looked at them and said, 'Whoever does not put a great importance on their prayer will not receive our intercession."'8

Humaydah has said about the birth of her son Musa Ibn Ja'far that, "When he was born, he put his hands on the ground and raised his head to the sky and said, 'I witness there is no God but Allah; and I witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

Abu Basir relates, "I was with Imam al-Sadiq ('a) the year when his son Imam Musa ('a) was born. When we reached the area of al-Abwa' he served his companions and us food. While we were busy eating, a messenger from Humaydah informed us that her birth pains had started and that she had been told not to precede you in the matter of naming your child."9

• 1. Rijal al-Najjashi, p. 122.
• 2. Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 477; Ithbat al-Wasiyyah, p.159.
• 3. Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 476.
• 4. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 649.
• 5. Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 3, p. 18.
• 6. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 76.
• 7. A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 3, p. 268.
• 8. Iqab al-A'mal, p. 515.
• 9. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 25, p. 42, tradition no. 17.