International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent – 25 July

Sahabiyyat of African Descent

Umme Ayman رضي الله عنها

Quick Recap – Hijrah and the Battlefield

• She embraced Islam in the early stages and pledged allegiance to Rasulullah ﷺ. She has the great fortune of participating in both emigrations, the emigration to Abyssinia and then to Madinah, and is reckoned among the first emigrants.
• Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها was a courageous woman. She participated in the Battle of Uhud, in 3 A.H. She would provide water to the warriors and nurse the injured.
• A few years later in Muharram 7 A.H., she joined in the Campaign to Khaybar.
• In the eighth year after hijrah, the battle of Mu’tah took place, wherein her husband, Sayyidina Zaid ibn Harithah رضي الله عنه was appointed the first of three commanders-in-chief to face the Roman forces and their allies, the Arab Christians. Her husband was martyred during this battle, making her the wife of a martyr and inhabitant of Jannat.
• One year later, she accompanied Rasulullah ﷺ to Makkah for the Conquest of Makkah and she participated in the Battle of Hunayn as well.

A Truly Honoured Lady

When the Muhajirin emigrated from Makkah to Madinah; they came without any worldly assets. The Ansar, owing to their generosity and brotherhood, divided their properties with the Muhajirin. They gave them half of the produce from the orchards every year. Sayyidah Umm Sulaim رضي الله عنها ― the mother of Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه ― gave Rasulullah ﷺ her date-palms. Rasulullah ﷺ bestowed these date palms upon Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها as a token of appreciation for her love and care.

Few years later, the Muhajirin, including Rasulullah ﷺ, obtained land on the outskirts of Madinah, subsequent to the eviction of the Banu Qurayzah and the Banu al Nadir, as well as land in Khaybar after defeating the Jews. Thus, they returned to the Ansar all the fruit gifts which they had received from them. [Bukhari, Hadith: 799; Muslim, Hadith: 4375.] Rasulullah ﷺ intended to return to Sayyidah Umm Sulaim رضي الله عنها her date-palms. The dilemma he faced was that he had already gifted them to Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها.

These date-palms had sentimental value in her heart, since her beloved child, Rasulullah ﷺ gifted them. Moreover, she had a sense of motherly pride over Rasulullah ﷺ for she cared for him as a little child. So when she heard that her date-palms will be taken away, she became upset and said to Anas رضي الله عنه, “No, by Him besides Whom none has the right to be worshipped, he will not return those trees to you as he has given them to me.” Rasulullah ﷺ pleaded with her, “Return those trees and I will give you so much instead.” But she kept on refusing till he gave her ten times the number of her date-palms. [Bukhari, Book 59, Hadith 446.]

Rasulullah ﷺ would visit her very often. He honoured her extensively. At the same time, he enjoyed a jovial relationship with her. She told him once to organise a conveyance for her. Rasulullah ﷺ told her that he will give her a camel’s child to mount. She replied, “It will not bear me and I do not want it.” Rasulullah ﷺ commented wittingly, “I will only mount you on the child of a camel after all.” [Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 225; Munasarat al Sahabah al Afariqah, pg. 43.] She would also make him laugh when he would come to visit her. [Al Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 360. Sahih Ibn al Sakan.]

Rasulullah ﷺ passed away in 11 A.H. She lived with him and cared for him from his birth until his demise. What a fortunate woman indeed!

After the demise of the Nabi ﷺ, Sayyidina Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه told Sayyidina ‘Umar رضي الله عنه “Let us go to visit Umm Ayman just as Rasulullah ﷺ would visit her.” When they entered her presence, she began to weep. “What makes you weep?” they asked. “What is in store in the next world for Rasulullah ﷺ is better than this worldly life,” they told her. She explained, “I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Allah’s Messenger (in the next world) is better than (this world). But I weep because the revelation which came from the Heaven has ceased to come.” This moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her. [Muslim, Hadith: 6009.] Have a look at the astounding wisdom and foresight of this remarkable woman.

She passed away five months after the death of Rasulullah ﷺ. [Muslim, Hadith: 4375.] Some historians, on the contrary, say that she passed away 20 days after the demise of Sayyidina ‘Umar رضي الله عنه, in the early days of the caliphate of Sayyidina ‘Uthman رضي الله عنها. [Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 361, 362. Ibn Sa’d.] She is buried in Madinah Munawwarah.