The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 209
VI - All Races Invited to Islām 209 a follower of the Christian faith. 1 By the manner of his speech, it seems that although he took an interest in religious matters, he did not possess the serious nature that was required in this respect. For this reason, apparently, even though he acted respectfully, he dismissed the invitation of the Holy Prophet sa. The two girls sent by Maqauqis were named Māriyyah and Sīrīn and they were both sisters. As Maqauqis stated in his letter, they were both from the Coptic nation, which was the same nation to which Maqauqis belonged. These girls were not ordinary people, rather, according to the letter of Maqauqis, they were, “held in high esteem by the Copts. ” In actuality, it seems that an ancient practice among the Egyptians was that they would present girls who belonged to their own families or were nobles of the nation to such revered guests with whom they desired to foster stronger ties. As such, when Abraham as went to Egypt, the Chief of Egypt presented a noble girl (i. e. , Hagar) to him as well for marriage, who gave birth to Ishmael as , and through him, became the mother of many other Arabian tribes. 2 In any case, when the two girls sent by Maqauqis arrived in Madīnah, the Holy Prophet sa married Māriyyah, the Copt, himself, and gave her sister Sirin to the renowned poet, Ḥassān bin Thābit ra in marriage. 3 Māriyyah is the same blessed lady who gave birth to Ḥaḍrat Ibrāhīm, the son of the Holy Prophet sa , 4 who was the only child born to him during his era of prophethood. It is also worthy of mention that due to the preaching of Ḥāṭib bin Abī Balta‘ah, both these girls had become Muslim even before reaching Madīnah. 5 The mule which was sent to the Holy Prophet sa on this occasion as a gift was white in colour. It was named Duldul. The Holy Prophet sa would often ride on it and in the Battle of Ḥunain, the very 1 Tārīkhul-Khamīs Fī Aḥwāli Anfasi Nafīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan, Volume 2, pp. 37-38, Kitābun-Nabiyyi sa Ilā Kisrā, Mu’assasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut 2 Please refer to Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīn sa , Volume 1 3 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 4, pp. 460-461, Dhikru Sarārihi sa , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Usdul-Ghābah Fī Ma‘rifatiṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By ‘Izzuddīn Ibnul-Athīr Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad, Volume 6, p. 264, Māriyatul-Qibṭiyyah, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon (2003) * Usdul-Ghābah Fī Ma‘rifatiṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By ‘Izzuddīn Ibnul-Athīr Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad, Volume 6, p. 163, Sīrīn Ukhtu Māriyatul-Qibṭiyyah, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon (2003) 4 Usdul-Ghābah Fī Ma‘rifatiṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By ‘Izzuddīn Ibnul-Athīr Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad, Volume 6, p. 264, Māriyatul-Qibṭiyyah, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon (2003) 5 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 4, p. 460, Dhikru Sarārihi sa , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)