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

Sahabiyyat of African Descent

Umme Ayman رضي الله عنها

Quick Recap – Marriage

Rasulullah ﷺ freed Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها when he married Sayyidah Khadijah رضي الله عنها.

She first married ‘Ubaid ibn Zaid, from the Banu al Harith ibn al Khazraj, and gave birth to their son, Ayman RA.

After the passing of her first husband, Rasulullah ﷺ announced, “Whoever desires to marry a woman from the dwellers of Jannat should marry Umm Ayman.”

Rasulullah’s ﷺ adopted son, Sayyidina Zaid ibn Harithah رضي الله عنها married her. They had a child whom they named Usamah رضي الله عنه

This was a family who were indeed very beloved to Rasulullah ﷺ.

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. Abyssinia was her home land. She emigrated there with Rasulullah’s ﷺ daughter, Sayyidah Ruqayyah رضي الله عنها. [Munasarat al Sahabah al Afariqah, pg. 43.]

While Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها was making Hijrah to Madinah Munawwarah, she passed the night at Munsarif, before Rawha’. Make a mental note of the fact that she traversed the distance on foot, with no conveyance and no companion. She was extremely thirsty and had no water with her and to top it all, she was fasting. The thirst became unbearable for her, and she was about to die of thirst. Her immigration was towards Allah ﷻ for the pleasure of Allah ﷻ so her attention was turned in His direction. And Allah ﷻ responded instantaneously to the plea of the one in distress:

أَمَّنْ يُّجِيْبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوْٓءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ الْأَرْضِ أَإِلٰهٌ مَّعَ اللّٰهِ قَلِيْلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُوْنَ

Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember. [al Naml: 62]

As soon as the sun set and it was time to open her fast, she heard a noise from above her head and when she looked up, she saw a water-skin filled with water hanging above her head. A miracle! Divine water arranged for an exceptional woman.

She drank from the water until she was satiated. The divine water did not only quench her thirst for that day. It extinguished her thirst for the remainder of her life. She comments, “Thirst never gripped me thereafter.” After this incident, she would fast on an extremely scorching day and walk in the heat so that she could experience thirst, but she would not.” [Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 8 pg. 179; al Isabah, vol. 14 pg. 292.] A rare reward for a substantial sacrifice!

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. [Al Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 361]. Her son, Sayyidina Ayman رضي الله عنه, was martyred in this campaign. [Al Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 359]

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. The odds were heavy against the Muslims. They were only 3000 in number while the enemy numbered 150 000 strong. Despite the heavy odds, Sayyidina Zaid ibn Harithah رضي الله عنه fought bravely as the army general to his coveted end. Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها thus has the fortune of being the wife of a martyr and inhabitant of Jannat. [Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah, vol. 4 pg. 270 – 280; Sahih al Bukhari, Book 52, Hadith: 298]

One year later, she accompanied Rasulullah ﷺ to Makkah for the Conquest of Makkah and she participated in the Battle of Hunayn as well. [Al Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 361.] During the tough battle, confusion broke out and it was a difficult test from Allah ﷻ for the Muslims. However, Rasulullah ﷺ and the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم who surrounded him remained firm. Among those to remain steadfast alongside Rasulullah ﷺ was her son, Sayyidina Usamah رضي الله عنه.