The Great Companions – Umm Salama R.A

A Glimpse in to the life, merits and qualities of a great companion of our beloved Nabi ﷺ, Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها

Listen to  “Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها” by Mawlana Junayd Makda Sahib

Who is Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها ?

  • Name: Hind Bint Abee Ummayaah رضي الله عنها
  • Title: Umm Salamah
  • Born: 14 years after our beloved Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam (26 BH)
  • Demise: 50 years after our beloved Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam (61 AH)

● Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها was the daughter of Abu Ummayyah.

● She was one of the female companions of our beloved Nabi ﷺ and was very well known for her generosity, piety, beauty, intelligence and far-sightedness.

● Her name was Hind, but she is better known as Umm Salamah due to her son ‘Salamah’.

● She first married Abdullah ibn Abdul Asad al-Makhzoomi who is better known as Sayyiduna Abu Salamah رضي الله عنه

● Both husband and wife were among the early people to accept Islam.

● When the command to migrate to Madeenah came, Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها was among the first female companions to migrate.

● After the demise of her husband Sayyiduna Abu Salamah رضي الله عنه, she felt a great loss as she loved him a lot and felt there was no husband like him. Many proposals came but she declined. However, she was then given the privilege to come into the nikah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ and earned the title of Ummul mu’mineen (mother of the believers)

● She lived with our beloved nabi ﷺ for 7 years and had the opportunity to accompany our beloved Nabi ﷺ on his journeys.

● During this time she gained much knowledge from our beloved Nabi ﷺ and she narrated a total of 378 ahadeeth.

● After our beloved Nabi ﷺ passed away she lived for many years. During this time she became an important figure. Many great companions, the likes of Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbas and Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنهما benefitted from her knowledge and many other companions would consult her in matters of deen too.

● She was the last from the beloved wives of our beloved Nabi ﷺ to pass away.

● Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها passed away in Madinah at the age of 84. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه led her Janazah salah and she is buried in Jannatul Baqi.

May Allah grant her lofty status in Jannah and may Allah Ta’ala accept all of her services to deen and reward her on our behalf

Qualities:

1) Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها was brave in matters of deen and was not fearful of acting upon Allah Ta’ala’s commands. 

2) She was very knowledgable and learnt many teachings from our beloved nabi ﷺ  and conveyed them to others.

3) She was known for her generosity and encouraged others to do the same.

4) She was very particular in enjoining good and forbidding evil.

5) She was a very wise woman and her wisdom showed at the time of Hudaybiyyah when she gave an advice to our beloved Nabi ﷺ.

Merits:

1) She was among the first to carry out the great task of hijrah (migration) from Makkah to Madeenah

2) She was amongst the few companions who carried out two Hijrah. (To Abyssinia and also to Madeenah)

3) Mahmud Ibn Labid رحمه الله says: The beloved wives of our beloved nabi ﷺ used to memorise many ahadeeth. But none could compare with Sayyidah Aishah and Sayyidah Umme Salamah رضي الله عنها (They both memorized and narrated the most. Sayyidah Aisha رضي الله عنها narrating 2,210 Ahadeeth and Sayyidah Umme Salama رضي الله عنها narrating 378 Ahadeeth )

4) She was very particular with regards to the commandments of Allah Ta’ala and she also paid great attention to nurturing her children.

Did you know? She was the last of the beloved wives of our beloved nabi ﷺ to pass away.

The Dua of Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها

When Sayyidah Umm Salamah’s رضي الله عنها husband passed away she read the following dua:

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ، اَللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِيْ فِيْ مُصِيْبَتِيْ وَأَخْلِفْ لِيْ خَيْرًا مِنْهَا

‘Innaa lillaahi wa ‘innaa ‘ilayhi raaji’oon, Allaahumma’-jurni fee museebatee wa ‘akhliflee khayran minhaa
 

She believed she would never find a better husband than Sayyidah Abu Salamah رضي الله عنه. 

But through this dua, Allah Ta’ala gave her a far better husband. Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها married our beloved Nabi ﷺ! Obviously, no husband could have been better than Our Beloved Nabi ﷺ!

Story of her wisdom and intelligence 

Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها was a very intelligent and wise companion.  On the occasion of the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Muslims were upset at not being allowed to perform Umrah and could not see the wisdom in returning without performing umrah after being so close to Makkah.

For this reason, the companions refused to remove their ihram and wanted to continue with their umrah.

Our beloved Nabi ﷺ consulted Sayyidah Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها regarding this dilemma and she said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Go out of your tent, sacrifice your animal, shave your head and come out of your Ihram’.

Our beloved Nabi ﷺ did just this and the companions copied our beloved Nabi ﷺ and they all too come out of their Ihram!

Why not take our quiz on this great companion!


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