# Na'ila bint al-Furafisa

Na'ila bint al-Furafisa (Arabic: نائلة بنت الفرافصة, romanized: Nāʾila bint al-Furāfiṣa) was the wife of the third caliph Uthman (r. 644–656). She narrated many Hadith including eye witness accounts of the assassination of Uthman.

## Biography

Naila bint al-Furafisa was born into a Christian family in Kufa but was converted to Islam by Aisha. In 28 AH (649 CE), she married Uthman, She gave birth to several children of Uthman; Anbasa, Maryam al-Sughra, Umm Aban al-Sughra, Umm Khalid, Arwa, Umm al-Banin.
After the death of second caliph Umar, her husband Uthman was elected to the Caliphate and succeeded to the Caliphate in 644. Naila always supported her husband in household duties.
Her husband ruled the Caliphate for twelve years, his reign was peaceful and prosperous however in the last year of his reign 656, after growing discontent with his rule, rebels besieged Uthman in his home in Medina. Ali ibn Abi Talib had earlier rescued Uthman from similar situation on his promise to address complaints made by public. The Caliph, now about 80 years old, sent away any help for fear of blood being shed in his name. After 49 days, the rebels broke in with the intention of killing Uthman. Naila attempted to save her husband, but in raising her left hand to stop a sword falling on him, had her fingers cut off. Uthman was martyred as he read the Qur'an, supposedly while reading the verse (2:137) "And Allah will suffice you for defense against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower."
After the body of Uthman had been in the house for three days, Naila approached some of his supporters to assist in his burial, but only about a dozen people responded, including Marwan, Zayd ibn Thabit, 'Huwatib bin Alfarah, Jubayr ibn Mut'im, Abu Jahm bin Hudaifa, Hakim bin Hazam and Niyar bin Mukarram. The body was lifted at dusk, and because of the blockade, no shroud could be procured. The body was not washed. Thus, Uthman was carried to his grave in the clothes that he was wearing at the time of his assassination. Again, because of the blockade and the tense situation caused by the rebels, his body was not even buried in the graveyard but behind the graveyard. That is why today when we visit his grave, we will find it very far away from the graves of the other Companions.
Naila followed the funeral with a lamp, but, in order to maintain secrecy, the lamp had to be extinguished. Naila was accompanied by some women, including Uthman's daughter.$^{:247,248}$
The funeral prayers were led by Jabir bin Muta'am, and the dead body was lowered into the grave with little ceremony. After burial, Naila and Aisha wanted to speak, but were discouraged from doing so due to possible danger from the rioters.$^{:247}$
Later, after Uthman's death, she remained a widow and did not marry again. Mu'awiya asked her to marry him twice (it was common for Arabs to marry widows). For the first time she refused verbally and on the second, in reply to his letter she sent along two front teeth of hers which she had broken deliberately signaling that she was no longer beautiful and Muawiya should not ask of her again.

## Family

The children of Uthman and Na'ila were; Maryam al-Sughra who married to Amr ibn al-Walid ibn Uqba and then married to Sa'id ibn al-As after the death of her half-sister Umm 'Amr bint Uthman, they had a son named Sa'id. Umm Khalid bint Uthman married Abdallah ibn Khalid ibn Asid after the death of her sister Umm Sa'id bint Uthman (Umm Uthman). Arwa bint Uthman married Khalid ibn al-Walid ibn Uqba.