Hafsa was the daughter of Umar ibn al Khattab. She had been married to someone else, but was widowed when she as still very young, only eighteen. Umar asked both Abu Bakr and Uthman ibn Affan, one after another, if they would like to marry her, but they both declined because they knew that the Prophet had expressed an interest in marrying her. When Umar went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to complain about their behavior, the Prophet smiled, and said, "Hafsa will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsa." Umar was startled and then realized that it was the Prophet was asking for her hand in marriage. He was overcome with delight. They were married just after the battle of Badr, when Hafsa was about twenty years old and the Prophet