Her name and lineage
Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha) was the daughter of Hazrat Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu), the second Caliph of Islam.  She was born four years before the declaration of Prophethood by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).  Her mother’s name was Zainab bint Mazoon, and Hafsah was also the real sister of the famous companion Uthman Bin Mazoon (Radi’Allahu Anhu).

Marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha)’s first marriage was to Khunais Bin Hazafa who belonged to the family of Banu Sahm.  She accepted Islam along with her husband and her parents and migrated to Medina.  In the Battle of Badr, Khunais received injuries and because of these, was eventually martyred.  Hazrat Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu) was very concerned about Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha)’s re-marriage.  At the time, Hazrat Ruqayya (Radi’Allahu Anha) (daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) who was married to Hazrat Uthman (Radi’Allahu Anhu)) also passed away.  Knowing this, Hazrat Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu) met with Hazrat Uthman (Radi’Allahu Anhu) and expressed his wish to give his daughter Hafsah in wedlock to him.  Hazrat Uthman (Radi’Allahu Anhu) promised to consider but declined after a few days.  This disappointed Hazrat Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu).

Hazrat Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu) mentioned the whole episode to Hazrat Abu Bakr (Radi’Allahu Anhu) who remained quite, this further disappointed Hazrat Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu).  After this, he himself proposed the re-marriage to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) which the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) accepted.  After the marriage, Abu Bakr (Radi’Allahu Anhu) met with Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu), and told him that his silence on the proposal was because he wished to keep secret the intention of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) to marry Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha).

Her Knowledge
Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha) had an excellent knowledge base for religious points.  Seeing this eagerness in her, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) took a keen interest in her learning and education.  As many as sixty traditions are reported to be narrated by Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha) on the authority of Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu) and the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).

Once the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said to Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha), that he hoped all the companions who had fought in the Battle of Badr, and all who were associated with the Peace treaty at Hudaibiya never enter the Hell-Fire.  To this Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha) stated, “Allah has declared in the Holy Qur’aan that every one of you shall have to pass over the bridge of Hell.  The next part of the verse reads, ‘Then We shall exonerate and save those who feared God in their earthly life and let those who had been unjust fall in the Hell-fire on their knees’.”

Conduct and Behaviour
Ibn-e-Sa’ad stated, “Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha) was constant and persevering in observing her fasts and in her long prayers at night.  In another narration, it is stated that she observed fasts even up to her last moment when she left this world.

Hafsa (Radi’Allahu Anha) was a little sharp in temperament, at times she argued with the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).  Imam Bukhari has narrated in his Book of Traditions on the authority of Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu), who said, “During the pre-Islamic days of Jahiliyya, we cared not in the least for the women folk.  Islam granted them a social status and verses of the Holy Qur’aan were revealed in favour of their rights which made us (male Muslims) mindful of their dignity and social status.  One day my wife gave her opinion to me on a particular matter.  I said to her, ‘What business do you have in extending views and opinion?’  On this she said to me, ‘Ibn-e-Khattab! You do not tolerate even such slight things from me whereas your daughter enters into argument with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), making him unhappy for the whole day.’

Her Death
Hafsah (Radi’Allahu Anha) died in the month of Sha’ban in the year 45AH.  Marwan, the governor of Medina said her funeral prayer and accompanied her pier for a long distance.  Abu Hurairah (Radi’Allahu Anhu) took the dead body to the precincts of her grave and her brother, Abdullah Bin Umar (Radi’Allahu Anhu), accompanied by his sons, Asim, Salim, Abdullah and Hamzah, laid her to her eternal rest.