al-Shifa bint Abdullah

Honoured by Umar

al-Shifa bint Abdullah was of Banu Adi, Umar’s own clan, and the mother of the Companion Sulayman ibn Abi Hathma. Passing her house on his way to the market, Umar once asked why he had not seen her son at the Fajr in congregation. She told him Sulayman had spent the night in prayer and been overtaken by sleep; Umar answered, “I prefer the Fajr in congregation to a night of standing in voluntary prayer.” A similar exchange took place over her husband, with the same reply, marking the rank Umar gave to the prayer in jama’a. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 3 · pp. 164–165 — Kandhlawi — Umar and al-Shifa's dialogues on the worth of Fajr in congregation over voluntary night prayer.