Fatima bint Qays al-Fihriyya

فاطمة بنت قيس الفهرية

A sister of al-Dahhak ibn Qays and one of the first emigrants, known for beauty and intelligence; divorced by Abu Bakr ibn Hafs al-Makhzumi, she married Usama ibn Zayd (may God be pleased with him) on the Prophet ﷺ's advice, narrated the story of the Jassasa, and the council of the Shura met in her house after Umar's killing.

Depth

At a glance

Roles
Companion
Counted among
Sunni
Era
The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate
Region
Arabia
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

Women

Place in the story

  • CompanionTradition

Sunni (transmitted)

Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.

Summary

Fatima bint Qays ibn Khalid al-Qurashiyya al-Fihriyya, sister of al-Dahhak ibn Qays and elder than he; her mother Umayma bint Rabi'a of Banu Kinana 1.

Her hijra and marriage

Abu Umar said she was among the first emigrants, a woman of beauty and sense; she was under Abu Bakr ibn Hafs al-Makhzumi, who divorced her, and after him she married Usama ibn Zayd 1.

The maintenance affair

Ibn Hajar notes her account in the Sahih: when she sought maintenance from her husband's agent, the Prophet said "observe your waiting-period at Umm Sharik (may God be pleased with her)'s", then "at Ibn Umm Maktum's"; when she was sought he counselled her toward Usama ibn Zayd — a famous story 1.

The Jassasa

She is the one who related the story of the Jassasa at length, alone with its long form; al-Sha'bi related it from her when she came to Kufa to her brother, its governor 1.

Her house and the shura

Abu Umar said: in her house the men of the shura gathered when Umar was killed. It is said she was ten years older than al-Dahhak 1.

Confusion with another namesake

Ibn Hajar gives a short entry for another "Fatima bint Qays", said to be a daughter of Abu Hubaysh — Abu Hubaysh's name being Qays 1.

Connections

Explore the connections

Sibling of
al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Fihri
Spouse of
Usama ibn Zayd
Mentioned in
Muslim 2942 — The Jassasah story· Muwatta 1693· Muwatta 1697

People and things also explored

Divorce (talaq)· Muwatta, Book of Divorce (talaq)· Muwatta 1697· Usama ibn Zayd· Aisha bint Abi Bakr· Umm Ayman (Baraka bint Tha'laba)· Umm Sharik· Signs of the Hour

Sources

  1. al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-sahaba — Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani , p. 1938
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Fatima bint Qays al-Fihriyya”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/fatima-bint-qays/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Wing

People

Prophets, companions, scholars, rulers, scientists, poets, travelers: women and men who shaped the story.
Related

Divorce (talaq)

In his commentary on al-Baqara 2:228-232, Sha'rawi reads divorce in stages, once and then twice, as giving the couple room to mend; he holds that returning to a wife after the waiting period needs a new contract and a new dower and the woman's consent, and that relatives may not block the return when the spouses agree.