Umm Darda as Sughra

Umm al Darda as Sughra al Dimashqiyyah or Umm al Darda the Younger, was a 7th-century jurist and scholar of Islam in Damascus and Jerusalem. She is not be confused with Umm al Darda, wife of the sahaba Abu Darda.

Early life

She was an orphan under the guardianship of Abul Darda. As a child, she used to sit with male scholars in the mosque, praying in men's rows and studying Quran with them. She remarked “I’ve tried to worship Allah in every way, but I’ve never found a better one than sitting around debating with other scholars.”

Teaching

She became a teacher of hadith and fiqh and lectured in the men’s section. One of her students was the caliph of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan.

Views

She issued a fatwa, which is still used today, allowing women to pray in the same sitting position (tashahhud) as men.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal related from Zayd ibn Aslam that he said:

Abd al-Malik used to send an invitation to Umm Darda and she would spend as her guest, and he would ask her questions about the Prophet peace be upon him. He said, 'He arose one night and called his maid servant but she came slowly and he cursed her, so she said, "Do not curse, for indeed Abud-Darda related to me that he heard the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him say, "Those who curse will not be witnesses or interceders on the Day of Judgement."

Umm al-Darda was held by Iyas ibn Mu'awiya, an important traditionist of the time and a judge of undisputed ability and merit, to be superior to all the other traditionists of the period, including the celebrated masters of hadith like Hasan al-Basri and Ibn Sirin.

A center for teaching Quran, hifz and tajwid to women has been established in Bahrain in her name.