Umm Salamah

Her real name was Hind; while her title was Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her. She may Allah be pleased with her came from the family of Makhzoom, which belongs to the Quraysh tribe. Her father’s name was Abu Mugheerah Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar Ibn Makhzoom and her mother was 'Aatikah Bint 'Aamir who belonged to the family of Faraas.

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, was first married to her cousin Abu Salamah Ibn 'Abdul-Asad. He was a young man with exceptionally good nature and unblemished conduct. It was improbable for this young man of exceptionally lofty morals to remain unmoved by the noble and life-giving message of the Noble Prophet, Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

Defying his tribesmen, Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, embraced the new faith and entered the fold of Islam. Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, followed suit.

Thus, the couple joined the rank of those noble souls, who had won the unique distinction of embracing the new faith in its early phase.

These noble souls suffered all kinds of hardships and harassment in the cause of Islam, but they did not budge even an inch from the right path. As the number of the people who had embraced the new life-giving faith increased, the persecution and torture meted out to them also increased in intensity.

When this persecution reached intolerable levels, the Noble Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, gave permission to his followers to migrate to Abyssinia, which was ruled at that time by a kind-hearted king, in order to protect their lives and preserve their religion. According to an authentic narration, Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, and Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, who has already entered the fold of Islam, also migrated to Abyssinia. They may Allah be pleased with them came back to Makkah after spending some time in exile. From Makkah, they, may Allah be pleased with them, left for Madeenah on their second migration. Those days, Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him had only one camel with him. He they may Allah be pleased with him, seated Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, and his young son, Salamah, at the saddle. Holding the reins of his camel, he may Allah be pleased with him started his long journey on foot.

When her family came to know about the couple’s planned destination, they intercepted the camel and told Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he could proceed, but they would not allow their daughter (Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her). They took away the reins of the camel from Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, and forced Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, to dismount. In the meantime, Banu 'Abdul-Asad, the members of Abu Salamah’s clan, appeared on the scene and snatched Umm Salamah’s child from his mother and threatened Banu Mugheerah that if they did not allow their daughter to accompany her husband, they would also not allow the child to accompany his mother. As for Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, they said that he was free to go anywhere liked.

By this time, the Noble Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, had given permission to his Companions may Allah be pleased with them to migrate to Madeenah, where they could live in peace and safety from the torture of Quraysh. Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, left for Madeenah, leaving his wife and child behind. Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, was staying with Banu Mugheerah while her child was in the custody of Banu 'Abdul-Asad. Thus, the three of them – the father, the mother and the child – were undergoing the pain of living separately.

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, was grief-stricken due the separation from her child and husband. Everyday she may Allah be pleased with her would go and sit forlorn on a hillock, crying and longing to join her husband and son. A whole one year passed like this.

One day, a kind-hearted and influential man from the clan of Banu Mugheerah saw her pathetic condition and was moved by her agony. He called out the people of his tribe and said: “This woman is our own flesh and blood, how long will we keep her away from her husband and child? By Allah! Our tribe is very brave and honorable; we can’t tolerate persecution of innocent people.”

Hearing this, her tribesmen gave permission to Umm Salamah they may Allah be pleased with her to join her husband in Madeenah. When Banu 'Abdul-Asad heard of this, they also took pity and sent her child, Salamah, to her. She may Allah be pleased with her took the child and a camel to ride alone to Madeenah. At At-Tan'eem (in the outskirts of Makkah), she met 'Uthmaan Ibn Talhah Ibn Abu Talhah may Allah be pleased with him, a chivalrous and decent man of Makkah. When he saw Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, traveling alone with a small baby, he thought: “How unbecoming of me, if I did not escort this lonely woman traveler of Quraysh to Madeenah!”

He, may Allah be pleased with him, took the reins of Umm Salamah’s camel and started for Madeenah. Whenever they stopped on the way, 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, would withdraw to rest under the shade of a tree. When they reached Qubaa', where Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, was staying, 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, returned to Makkah and Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, rejoined her husband, who thanked Allah for once again reuniting his family.

Umm Salmah, may Allah be pleased with her, always remained grateful to 'Uthmaan ,may Allah be pleased with him, for his thoughtful and kind gesture. She, may Allah be pleased with her, used to say: “I have never seen a more gallant and compassionate man than 'Uthmaan Ibn Talhah.”

Her widowhood and marriage to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam

In the third year of Hijrah (Migration of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, from Makkah to Madeenah), Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, fought in the Battle of Uhud. In that historic and crucial battle, his arm was wounded by a poisoned arrow shot by the enemy. He, may Allah be pleased with him, later recovered after treatment, but could survive only for a few months. His wound relapsed and ultimately he, may Allah be pleased with him, died.

Umm Salamah. may Allah be pleased with her, was immensely grief-stricken at the demise of her loving husband. When the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, heard about this, he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, went to offer condolences to her may Allah be pleased with her and asked her to have patience and bear the calamity with fortitude.

According to one narration, when the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, paid a condolence visit to Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, after the death of her husband, he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, asked her to pray Allah to grant Abu Salamah the lofty rank of the righteous and grant her a better husband than him.

At this, Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, wondered who could be a better husband for her than Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him. Seeing the forlorn state of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, after she was widowed, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, sent her a proposal for marriage, which Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, declined.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was greatly impressed with the courage, which Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, displayed in facing the misfortunes and adversities of life. He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was also highly moved for her tragic situation and sent the proposal for marriage to her through 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him. Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, consented, and in Shawwal, the 4th year of Hijrah, sher marriage to the Noble Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, took place.


A Historical example of her wisdom

In the 6th Hijrah year, the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, accompanied by his 1,400 companions, may Allah be pleased with them, decided to perform 'Umrah (minor Pilgrimage). When Quraysh learned about this, they decided to stop the Muslims from performing the pilgrimage; but when the Muslims decided to fight them they feared and signed a treaty with the Muslims, which consisted of several terms and conditions which appeared to be unfair for the Muslims as it prevented them from performing 'Umrah that year.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, accepted these conditions in adherence to the Divine Command instructing him, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, to do so. Then the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, ordered the Muslims to slaughter animals in sacrifice (indicating the end of the 'Umrah rites). But the Muslims hesitated in offering the sacrifice, which grieved the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was with the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, on this journey, heard this and suggested to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, to offer the sacrifice, shave his head and take off the Ihraam. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, did so acting on her advice. When the companions, may Alla\ah be pleased with, them saw that the Prophet’s command was irrevocable, they at once sacrificed their animals and shaved their heads.


Her character:

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, led a very simple and austere life. She may Allah be pleased with her was a devout worshiper. Every month, she may Allah be pleased with her, fasted for three days (other than the fasting of Ramadhaan). Once she, may Allah be pleased with her wore a necklace, which had a little amount of gold in it. The Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam did not like her wearing even this little amount of gold. So Umm Salamah may All ah be pleased with her, immediately took it out.

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, was very generous. She may Allah be pleased with her implored others also to give away in the cause of Allah. Whatever she, may Allah be pleased with her, had, she, may Allah be pleased with her, would readily give away to a beggar or a needy person.

Once, a few destitute people came to her begging for charity importunately. Umm Salamah may Allah be pleased with her ordered her maid not to send them back empty-handed, and if there was nothing in the houses, she should give them just a few dates.

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, has narrated 378 Hadeeths of the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. In moral excellence and nobility of conduct, she ranks, among the Prophet’s wives, next only to 'A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her. She, may Allah be pleased with her, was an excellent reciter of the Qur'an, and her style was much similar to the Prophet’s.

She may Allah be pleased with her was endowed with exceptionally beautiful countenance, deep knowledge, intelligence and sound judgment.


Her death:

After a life filled with faith and righteous deeds, the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah may Allah be pleased with her, died in the year 61 A.H., aged 84 and the venerable Companion, Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him, led the people in her funeral prayer, after which she may Allah be pleased with her, was buried in Al-Baqee' Cemetery in Madeenah.