Wives and children of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Second wife: Sawdah bint Zam'ah ibn Qays ibn Abdus-Shams (RAH)

Khawlah bint Hakim recommends re-marrying to Muhammad (pbuh)

After Khadijah died, for many months the Prophet was not seen smiling. Such was his sadness. Eventually Khawlah bint Hakim, one of the earliest converts to Islam and the wife of Uthmaan ibn Math'oon, suggested to him to re-marry. She suggested Sawdah "if you wanted an elderly lady", or Aisha "if you want a young lady". So the Prophet (pbuh) married both of them within a month of each other. But he didn't consummate the marriage with Aisha for another 3-and-half years, he just got the nikaah done.

An elderly widow

Sawdah's father is Zam'ah ibn Qays ibn Abdus-Shams the Qurayesh tribe and mother is Ash-Shamoos bint Qays ibn Zayd of Bani Adi ibn An-Najjar from Khazraj tribe. She was married to as-Sakran ibn Amr, the brother of Suhail ibn Amr. Sawdah and as-Sakran were early converts to Islam. They migrated with the second group of emigrants to Abyssinia (which includes modern-day Ethiopia) to escape the persecution of the Quraysh and maintain the faith in Islam. As-Sakran died an early death and passed away either in Abyssinia or soon after their return journey to Makkah. He was one of the few Sahabahs (Companions) who died in the Makkan era.

Since it was the time when Muslims converts were persecuted in Makkah, Sawdah's family had disowned her and she had nobody to look after her. Hearing of her plight, Muhammad (pbuh) had compassion for her and married her. The marriage took place in Makkah, probably, in month of Shawwal in the 10th year of his prophetic mission, six months after Khadijah's passing.

She was the eldest of all the wives of the Prophet (pbuh). There are no dates of her age. She was a large lady who'd walk very slowly.

Voluntarily allocates her portion of time with Prophet to Aishah

In the Madinan era, probably around 6th or 7th A.H., Sawdah began to feel that the Prophet might divorce her. Muhammad (pbuh) had allocated different nights to his wives so each of them were given the same level of attention and love. Sawdah negotiated with the Prophet (pbuh) that he could spend her portion of the night with Aishah instead of her as she wanted to die and be raised as a Prophet's wife. When she voluntarily did this, Allah revealed Surah An-Nisa (The Women) verse 128 which allowed for any spouses to come to a mutual compromise if their relationship is faltering long term.

 

 

Surah 4 An-Nisa (The Women), ayat 128

And if a woman fears from her husband contempt or evasion, there is no sin upon them if they make terms of settlement between them - and settlement is best. And present in [human] souls is stinginess. But if you do good and fear Allah - then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.

Sawdah died relatively early in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab.