Yitzhak, Ronen2019-09-252019-09-252011-07-2620071522-5658http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/180342During his life, the Prophet Muhammad (570-632) married 12 different wives among whom were two Jewish women: Rayhana bint Zayd and Safiya bint Huyayy. These two women were widows whose husbands had been killed in wars with Muslims in Arabia. While Rayhana refused to convert to Islam at first and did so only after massive pressure, Safiya converted to Islam immediately after being asked. Rayhana died a few years before Muhammad, but Safiya lived on after his death. Classic Islamic sources claim that the Muslims did not like Rayhana because of her beauty and so made an issue of her Jewish origin, with Muhammad being the only one to treat her well. After Muhammad’s death, Safiya lived among his other wives in Mecca, but did not take part in the political intrigues at the beginning of Islam, in contrast to the other wives, especially the most dominant and favorite wife, Aisha.engCreative Commons Copyright (CC 2.5)Islamic ethicsIntercultural and contextual theologiesMiddle East theologiesComparative religion and interreligious dialogueTheology of religionsHistory of religionFounders, leaders of religionsArticle