Umm Salama, Hind bint Abi Umayya
Umm Salama was born into a noble family in Makkah. Her first husband was Abu Salama, and both of them embraced Islam during the early Makkan period. As persecution intensified, they migrated to Abyssinia and later made the second migration to Madinah.
Abu Salama, her first husband, participated in the Battles of Badr and Uhud. He was wounded during one of these battles. Although his wound initially healed after treatment, it later reopened, and he passed away in 4 AH.
Umm Salama narrates that one day her husband, Abu Salama, came home and said, “Today I heard a hadith from the Prophet of Islam (SAW), which is more beloved to me than the world and everything in it.” The hadith was: “When a person is afflicted by a calamity and recites, ‘Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return,’ and then prays, ‘O Allah, I seek Your reward for this loss. Reward me for it and replace it with something better,’ Allah will surely reward him and replace it with something better.” (Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No. 3119)
Ahmad bin Ishaq relates that Umm Salama had a very close bond with her husband, Abu Salama. Once, Umm Salama said to Abu Salama, “I have heard that if a woman’s husband is among the people of Paradise and she does not remarry after his death, Allah grants her a place in Paradise with him. The same applies to men.” She then suggested, “Let us make an agreement… neither of us will remarry after the other’s death.” Abu Salama replied, “Will you obey me?” Umm Salama responded, “What would make me happier than obeying you?” Abu Salama then said, “If I pass away, you may marry after me.” He then made a supplication: “O Allah, after my death, grant Umm Salama a companion better than me.”
Umm Salama says, “When Abu Salama passed away, I thought to myself, ‘Who could be better than Abu Salama?’ A few days later, she was married to the Prophet of Islam (SAW).” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 26697)
When the Prophet (SAW) married Umm Salama, he gave her two hand mills, two water skins, and a leather cushion filled with date fibres. This was the same kind of gift he gave to his other wives as well.
Umm Salama was the daughter of a leader from the Quraysh tribe. After embracing Islam, her life became one of simplicity and contentment. She narrated 378 hadiths and had a strong desire to listen to the words of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). On one occasion, while she was combing her hair in her chamber, she heard the Prophet’s voice as he was delivering a sermon in the mosque. She immediately stopped what she was doing, quickly tied her hair, and went to listen to the entire sermon.
Umm Salama used to recite the Quran in the manner of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). When she was asked how the Prophet recited the Quran, she explained that he would recite each verse distinctly, and then she demonstrated the same style of recitation.
Umm Salama was an intelligent woman who could quickly get to the heart of a matter. One such instance occurred at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. The Prophet (SAW) had intended to go to Makkah for Umrah, but due to the refusal of the Quraysh, he decided to return to Madinah from Hudaybiyyah. The Prophet and his companions had brought sacrificial animals with them, and it was decided that these animals would be sacrificed at Hudaybiyyah.
An event recorded in Sahih Bukhari demonstrates Umm Salama’s remarkable insight:
When the writing of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah was concluded, the Prophet said to his companions, “Stand up, slaughter your sacrificial animals, and shave your heads.” The narrators mention that, by God, not one of them stood up. The Prophet (SAW) repeated the instruction three times, but still no one moved. He then went to Umm Salama, who was in her tent, and informed her of the situation. Umm Salama replied, “O Prophet of Islam, if you wish, you may go ahead and do it without speaking to anyone. Sacrifice your animal and call your barber to shave your head.” The Prophet (SAW) then went out, spoke to no one, and acted exactly as she had advised. He sacrificed his animal and called the barber to shave his head. When the people saw this, they also stood up, slaughtered their animals, and began shaving one another’s heads. In their deep sadness and frustration, it seemed as though they might harm one another while shaving. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 2732)
This incident shows that Umm Salama was a wise woman with deep religious understanding. She had proved herself worthy of being a true companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Such incidents do not occur suddenly in a person’s life; they happen only when a person has fully devoted herself to the mission of Islam.
Throughout history, there have been many remarkable women who may be regarded as exemplary. A brief account of a few of them has been given above. Each of these women lived in different circumstances, and their lives offer diverse examples of how to live with truth and purpose. Each remained committed to truth according to her circumstances and may be regarded as a model woman.
