Rufayda
al-Aslamiya was a skilled traditional healer and distinguished nurse. The
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) chose her to work in a mobile tent during
battles. Some sources believe her father was the physician Sa'd al-Aslami (see
Zuhair Hamdan's "Prominent Figures of Arab-Islamic Civilization").
Other sources believe her father, Sa'd al-Aslami, was the priest, soothsayer,
and physician of his people in Yathrib (Medina) and was skilled and experienced
in practical nursing (see Salah Abdel-Ghani Muhammad's "General Rights of
Women"). It is believed that before her conversion to Islam, she assisted
her father, Sa'd al-Aslami, who practiced traditional medicine in Medina.
Rufayda
was most likely born in Medina to the Aslam tribe and lived there until the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions migrated to Medina. She
embraced Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) after the migration. Some sources mention that she was among the women who
welcomed the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) upon his
arrival in Medina.
Rufayda
participated in the battles during the Prophet's time. Her first notable role
was during the Battle of the Trench, where a tent was erected for her in the
Prophet's Mosque. When Sa'd ibn Mu'adh was wounded by an arrow during the
Battle of the Trench, the Prophet ordered the Companions to move him to Rufayda's
tent. The Prophet would pass by her tent to check on the wounded and inquire
about Sa'd's condition. Her work was not limited to battles and campaigns; she
also treated the sick in Medina. Rufayda witnessed the Battle of Khaybar, and
the Prophet allocated her a share of the spoils equal to that of a man.
Rufayda
al-Aslamiyya was known as a nurse through her medical practices during times of
war and peace. It is believed that she trained other women, including some of
the Mothers of the Believers, such as Aisha bint Abi Bakr, to become healers of
the wounded. There is historical disagreement regarding the first female
physician and nurse in history. Western cultures attribute this title to
Florence Nightingale, known as the pioneer of modern nursing. However, others
assert that Rufaida was the first female physician and nurse in history,
practicing nursing and surgery in battles in 620 CE. They maintain that she
introduced nursing to the Islamic world 1,200 years before Florence Nightingale
and is considered the founder of nursing in the Islamic world.
The
name Rufaida al-Aslamiya is given to a number of schools, streets, and
educational and institutional buildings in several countries of the Islamic
world. Her name was also given to a college in Jordan, the "Rufayda
Al-Aslamiya College of Nursing and Midwifery," located in the city of
Al-Rusayfa. The Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization awards the
"Rufayda Al-Aslamiya Medal," and the Royal College of Surgeons in
Ireland, in cooperation with the University of Bahrain, awards the
"Rufayda Al-Aslamiya Prize" to a distinguished student each year.
There are also numerous other awards and honors bearing her name worldwide.
Muslim
scholars derived several legal rulings from accounts of Rufayda's treatment of
the wounded and sick, as well as other Muslim women. These rulings include: the
permissibility of a woman treating a man, and the permissibility of converting
a mosque into a hospital in times of necessity.
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