International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent

Sahabiyyat RA of African Descent

Quick Recap

This UN-recognized day celebrates the achievements and resilience of women and girls of African descent worldwide, highlighting their struggles against racism, sexism, and marginalization.

Why It’s Important to Learn About Sahabiyyat RA (Female Companions) of African Descent

Restoring Representation: Women like Umm Ayman and Sumayyah RA were African women who played key roles in early Islam. Their stories highlight Islam’s core values of equality, dignity, and anti-racism.

Empowering Youth: Learning about these women inspires African-descended Muslim girls to take pride in their faith and heritage.

Reclaiming Forgotten Heroines: It challenges the erasure of Black Muslim women from Islamic history and affirms their vital contributions.

Connecting Faith and Identity: It reminds us that African identity and Islamic spirituality have been deeply connected since the beginning of Islam.

Honouring the Sahabiyyat RA of African descent on this day allows us to celebrate a powerful legacy of faith, resilience, and leadership — one that deserves to be remembered, shared, and uplifted.

Umme Ayman رضي الله عنها

In keeping with this theme for this week, we are going to take a deeper look at the life of an amazing women, Umme Ayman رضي الله عنها

A foreigner in Makkah, Barakah bint Tha’labah رضي الله عنها, commonly known as Umm Ayman, hailed from Abyssinia and lived as a slave in Makkah. She was taken captive from the army of Abrahah ― who planned to destroy the Ka’bah ― after the army was pelted with stones from above, by the pure decree and plan of Allah, the Almighty. [Munasarat al Sahabah al Afariqah, pg. 42.]

Even her date of birth is not recorded because no one considered her worthy of it. But Allah ﷻ divinely selected her to become the nursemaid of the greatest of all his creation, the beloved Rasulullah ﷺ.

She lived the initial stages of her life as the servant girl of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib, Rasulullah’s ﷺ father. [Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 4375]. ‘Abdullah passed away at a young age, prior to the birth of Rasulullah ﷺ so she was inherited by his unborn son. Barakah was thus fortunate to become part of the inheritance of Rasulullah ﷺ.

Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها served as Rasulullah’s ﷺ nurse maid in his infancy. [Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 4375; Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 3737] She would foster Rasulullah ﷺ with great love and affection. [Tabaqat al Kubra, Hadith: 10345]. After the demise of his beloved mother Aaminah, she played the role of his mother, caring for him and nurturing him. Lucky she was to raise and care for the greatest of all mankind, nay the greatest of all creation.

Rasulullah ﷺ would say affectionately, “Umm Ayman is my mother after my biological mother.” [‘Umdat al Qari, vol. 16 pg. 323, Hadith: 3737; al Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 359]

Rasulullah’s ﷺ love and respect for Sayyidah Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها can be well imagined. She was his mother figure throughout his life. He would even address her as his mother. Looking at her with admiration, he would comment, “She is the remnant of my household.” [Al Isabah, vol. 8 pg. 359].