Outline
- Introduction
- The Beginning
- Who Was Ummu Salamah
- Ummu Salamah Embraces Islam
- Ummu Salamah’s Migrations
- Umm Salamah Marries the Prophet
- 4 Qualities that Made Umm Salamah Stand Out
- Umm Salamah’s Children
- Ummu Salamah’s Narration of Hadith
- Ummu Salamah’s Passing
- 7 Things to Remember About Umm Salamah
- The Takeaway…
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent
Introduction
Her household was the first to migrate to Madinah. And she was the woman, whose wise advice saved the companions from Allah’s punishment on the al-Hudaybiyah.
In addition to being among the firsts to embrace Islam, she was one of the wisest women in the life of the Prophet, and among the most knowledgeable of the companions raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum.
Her questions were so relevant, that revelations came down to address them.
Yes… She’s none other than Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā. Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah is our Shining Star of this episode of The Shining Stars Series brought to you by GSalam.Net and Al-Bushra by GSalam.
The Beginning
After revelation descended upon the Prophet with the message of Islam, majority of the firsts who accepted Islam were men. All of these men who were married among them did seize the opportunity to invite their households. Among them was Sayyidunā Abū Salamah, who succeeded in inviting his wife, Umm Salamah to Islam. With that, Sayyidah Umm Salamah was among the first women to embrace Islam. In the category of women, she comes after
Who was Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā?
Who Was Ummu Salamah
Popular known by her nickname, Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah’s real name was Hind. And her long name goes as:
هِنْد بِنت أبي أُمَيَّة بن المُغيرة بن عبدِ الله بن عُمَر بن مخزوم
Hind bint Abī Umayyah ibn al-Mughīrah ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn ‘Umar ibn Makhzūm.
Her mother was
عاتكة بنت عامر بن ربيعة بن عبد المطلب
‘Ātikah bint ‘Āmir ibn Rabī’ah ibn ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib.
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a cousin to Sayyidunā Khālid ibn al-Walīd and Abu Jahl, ‘Amr ibn Hishām.
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was born 24 before hijrah. That was 11 years before Islam. In other words, when Islam arrived, Umm Salamah was 11 years-old, and was married to her then husband, Sayyidunā Abū Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu.
Ummu Salamah Embraces Islam
Among the first batch of people who embraced Islam by the invitation of Sayyidina Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu was Sayyidunā Abū Salamah. After he embraced Islam, he succeeded in inviting his wife too, to Islam. And his wife was Umm Salamah.
With that, Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah became among the second 10 to accept Islam. She had thus, underwent the types of mistreatment in the hands of Quraysh.
Ummu Salamah’s Migrations
In the company of her first husband, Sayyidunā Abū Salamah, Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah migrated to Abyssinia.
After their return to Makkah, her husband’s plan for him and his household to migrate as a family to Madinah was blocked by her family who denied her the right to go with her husband to Madinah. They denied her the right to travel with her husband to wherever they chose to.
With them was their child, Salamah. So when Umm Salamah’s family disallowed her to go, Abū Salamah migrated alone, leaving behind his wife and child. The husband’s family then came and took her child from her. In the process, when both parties (Umm Salamah’s family versus Abū Salamah’s family) were pulling the child, the child’s arm was separated from his body.
Not only was she refused the right to be with her husband, she was also heartbroken with a permanent injury they’ve caused to her son. Not only was her son hurt right in front of her, but he was also taken away from her.
Umm Salamah remained in that state for a year, before her family allowed her to join her husband in Madinah. It was only then, that Abū Salamah’s family released her son, Salamah to her. On her way to Madīnah with her son, they met with ‘Uthmān ibn Ṭalḥah who volunteered and sent them to Madinah.
Umm Salamah Marries the Prophet
Umm Salamah’s first husband, Sayyidunā Abū Salamah died from injuries that he sustained from the Battle of Uḥud. After her ‘Iddah, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr proposed to her and she rejected him. Then Sayyidunā ‘Umar followed suit, and she rejected him too. Afterwards, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam proposed to her and she gave in.
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah relates, that Abū Salamah once returned home and shared with her a ḥadīth he learnt from the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam and was pleased with it. In the ḥadīth, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam says: “None is tested with a calamity and he says the following du’a unless Allah grants it for him.
The du’a says:
اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي، وَاخْلُفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا. إِلاَّ فُعِلَ ذَلِكَ بِهِ”.ـ
O Allah, reward me in my calamity, and grant me a better replacement [to what I have lost].”
Umm Salamah says, she memorized that du’a from her husband. Sadly, not long after that, Abū Salamah passed on. She remembered the du’a, but said to herself, “where can I get someone better than Abū Salamah.” However, she still said the du’a.
Upon finishing her ‘iddah, both Sayyidunā Abū Bakr and ‘Umar proposed to her, but she rejected them. And she was proposed by the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
Although she agreed to marry the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, she shared with the him some fears she had. She said:
- She was extremely a jealous, and was afraid that would affect her relationship with the Prophet and his other wives.
- She was aged (27 years!).
- She had little kids.
Upon hearing that, the Prophet said to her:
- As for your jealousy, Allah will take it away from you. (He prayed for her and her heart was cleansed from jealousy.)
- As for your age, we’re both aged.
- As for your children, they’re like my children.
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā confirms that Allah had, indeed granted her better than Abu Salamah.
With that Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah became one of the wives of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. She was the six wife the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam married.
She was 27 when she Prophet married her. It’s worth noting that, she was not even 30, but she rightly thought she was old, and not desirable for marriage. That was 1400 years ago.
4 Qualities that Made Umm Salamah Stand Out
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā was a woman with admirable qualities. Following are four that stood out more, and made Umm Salamah stand out among female personalities in Islam.
#1: Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a Woman with Great Patience
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā was a woman with great patience. This can be seen in the extent of perseverance she showcased after been separated from her husband when they were about the leave Makkah for Madinah together. And she held on, and was ready to migrate to Madinah alone.
This comes after the struggles and the tests they were exposed to when Islam came, something that forced them to first migrate to Abyssinia.
#2: Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a Woman with Matured Personality
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a woman with a well-matured personality. This maturity reflected in some questions she posed to the Prophet, that led to the revelation of some verses in the Qur’an.
She once said to the Prophet, “men go to battles, while we womenfolk don’t get the chance to. And a woman gets half the share of a man in inheritance.” Thereafter the following two verses were revealed.
The first reads:
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّـهُ بِهِۦ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ ۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا ﴿٣٢﴾ـ
“Do not desire the bounties which Allah has bestowed more abundantly on some of you than on others. Men shall be rewarded according to their deeds, and women shall be rewarded according to their deeds. You should rather ask Allah for His bounty. Allah has knowledge of all things” (Sūrah al-Nisā’, 4:32).
And the second read:
إِنَّ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَٱلْمُسْلِمَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلْقَـٰنِتِينَ وَٱلْقَـٰنِتَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرَٰتِ وَٱلْخَـٰشِعِينَ وَٱلْخَـٰشِعَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَٱلْمُتَصَدِّقَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰٓئِمِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰٓئِمَـٰتِ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظَـٰتِ وَٱلذَّٰكِرِينَ ٱللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا وَٱلذَّٰكِرَٰتِ أَعَدَّ ٱللَّـهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٣٥﴾ـ
“Surely, Muslim men and women, believing men and women, obedient men and women, truthful men and women, patient men and women, humble men and women, charitable men and women, fasting men and women, men and women who guard their chastity, men and women who are ever mindful of Allah, for them, Allah has prepared forgiveness and a greater reward (Sūrah al-Aḥzāb, 33:35).
It’s also reported that Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā once said to the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, “We don’t hear Allah mentioning women pertaining to hijrah.” Thereafter, Allah revealed:
فَٱسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ أَنِّى لَآ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَـٰمِلٍ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ ۖ بَعْضُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَأُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمْ وَأُوذُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِى وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ وَقُتِلُوا۟ لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ثَوَابًا مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّـهِ ۗ وَٱللَّـهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسْنُ ٱلثَّوَابِ ﴿١٩﴾ـ
“Their Lord accepted their prayer, saying, “I will deny no man or woman among you the reward of their labours. You are members one of another. I will certainly forgive the sins of those who emigrated and were expelled from their homes, who suffered persecution in My cause, who fought and were killed. I will certainly admit them to Gardens through which rivers flow, as a reward from Allah: with Allah is the best reward” (Sūrah Āl-‘Imrān, 3:195).
#3: Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a Woman with Wisdom
The third quality that made Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah stand out is wisdom. Yes, she was a woman with a big share of wisdom.
One of the instances that testify to this is during al-Ḥudaybiyah when the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam and the companions were denied entry into Makkah for ‘Umrah. In the company of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam was an estimated number of between 1400 and 1500 of the companions raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum. They were extremely demoralized when they knew they were disallowed to enter Makkah.
Even though they were barred from entering Makkah, for the purpose they came, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam ordered them to slaughter their animals and shaved their hair. The companions couldn’t digest the Prophet’s command for them to slaughter their animals and shave their hair.
While the Prophet was weighing all possibilities, Umm Salamah suggested to him to quietly go out and slaughter his animal and get his hair shaved (just as he instructed the companions to do), and then see what his companions would do. True enough, the moment the companions saw the him slaughtered his sheep and got his hair shaved, they started slaughtering their livestock and shaving their hair.
Had Umm Salamah lacked to wisdom to give this wise advice, she would have instigated hatred of the companions in the mind of the Prophet. Mind you, disobeying the Prophet is a major sin, that definitely invites Allah’s wrath and punishment.
#4: Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a Woman with Courage
Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah was a woman with courage who could voice out her opinion whenever she deemed necessary.
It’s reported, that during the caliphate of Sayyidunā ‘Uthmān raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu, not many among the companions were happy with his leadership style. And Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā so happened to be one of them. [You may want to follow The Fitnah series of articles to learn more about that.]
So one day, she approached Sayyidunā ‘Uthmān and reminded him to ensure he follows the Prophet’s way of leadership, as well as that of Abū Bakr and ‘Umar.
Sayyidunā ‘Uthmān humbly acknowledged her input and reassured her to do his best.
Here, I must point out, that whether she was right or otherwise, the point is that, it takes courage for anyone to face the head of state and criticize his leadership style and speak up his mind.
Umm Salamah’s Children
Sayyidatunā ‘Umm Salamah had four children from her first marriage, which was with Sayyidunā Abū Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. These children were:
- Salamah
- ‘Umar
- Zaynab, and
- Durrah
Some reports mention up to six children. However, she didn’t have any children with the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
Ummu Salamah’s Narration of Hadith
Sayyidatunā Ummu Salamah comes second among the wives of the Prophet with the highest number of narrations from the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
She has narrated 378 aḥādīth, 13 of which are agreed upon in Bukhārī and Muslim, 3 solely in Bukhārī, 13 solely in Muslim.
Ummu Salamah’s Passing
Sayyidatunā Ummu Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā was the last among the Prophet’s wives to pass on. She passed on during the Caliphate of Yazid ibn Mu’āwiyah, in her 80s. She was buried in graveyards of al-Baqī’.
7 Things to Remember About Umm Salamah
Here are seven things you may want to remember about Sayyidatunā Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā:
- Umm Salamah was among the first women to embrace Islam.
- She migrated with her husband to Abyssinia.
- She also migrated to Madinah.
- Umm Salamah become one of the wives of the Prophet.
- She was a woman of great patience, maturity, wisdom and courage.
- Verse of the Qur’an descended to answer some of the questions she posed.
- She was the second among the wives of the Prophet with the highest number of narrations of the ḥadīth of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
The Takeaway…
The personality of Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā is the type of Muslim personalities that Muslim parents are ought to teach to their children. Especially daughters. A feminine personality that’s pro-family and not a confused one which ends up identified as feminist. A female personality that preserves the natural feminine nature gifted to her while developing a good share of maturity, wisdom, and above all, patience guided with courage.
That was Umm Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ’anhā. One of the first women among the first batches of Muslims in the history of Islam. The sixth wife of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. And a Shining Star worth your time and attention to look up, for inspirations and role modelling.
Until we meet again in our next episode of the Shining Stars to look up to another Shing Star, for inspirations, I leave you in Allah’s protection.
Wassalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullah.
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