A Prominent Sahabiya
(Female Companion of the Prophet
Mohammad (SAW)
Talking about Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA)
is multidimensional. Incidences relating to her being around the Prophet (SAW)
are many. But all revolved around one thing: her love for Allah and His
Messenger (SAW).
It is in the context of this great
love that it can be easy for us to discuss the personality of Hazrat Umm Sulaym
(RA) and cast light on her qualities. While we are presenting her history with
- due humility and respect - we beseech Allah to inspire our Muslim women with
the pure spirit of Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) so that they can arise from the abyss
of stagnation and indolence to a high ground, a place of rest, security and
flowing streams. Then the women, who are the half of the society, will no
longer remain a captive who indulge in blind imitation and follow desire.
Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) was an Ansari
woman from Madinah. She embraced Islam with the earliest Muslims. The
historians greatly disagree on her real name. Some said her name is Sahlah,
some said it is Rumaylah, some said it is Rumaythah, some said it Maleekah and
some said it is Ghumaysah or Rumaysah. Perhaps, this great difference in her
name was caused by the popularity of her nickname.
When Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) embraced
Islam she was married to Malik ibn Naqr who disagreed with her and continued in
his polytheism, having blocked his own heart from guidance and his eyes from
the light of Islam. This led to their separation.
That was the first stand of Hazrat Umm
Sulaym (RA) after she embraced Islam. The love of Allah and His Messenger was
more precious than the love for marital and family relations, even if the
person concerned was a closest relative and the father of the only son, Anas.
Malik did not only divorce his wife, Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA). He also left Madinah.
It was unbearable for him to continue living in Madinah with the Messenger of
Allah So he headed for Syria where he died after a short while, as a lonely
refugee. He was not only exiled from his homeland, but also from Allah's mercy.
This stand of Malik reminds me of a
saying of Allah's Messenger (SAW), "Indeed, Madinah expels (bad) persons
as a furnace removes the impurities of iron [Bukhari] The Messenger of Allah (SAW)
said the truth.
And Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) proceeded
in her way to Allah. If every step she took and every progress she made
indicated anything, it is no more than her overwhelming love for Allah and her
attainment of the highest degree in that. After her divorce from Malik and his
departure for exile, Abu-Talhah al-Ansari came to ask for her hand in marriage.
He was then still on his polytheism and paganism. What was the response of Hazrat
Umm Sulaym (RA) who preferred the love of Allah and His Messenger above the
love of husband and the father of the only child? She said in the peak of
conditions of faith and certainty, "Abu-Talhah, didn't you know that your
deity that you worship grow from the earth?" He answered in the
affirmative. She said, "Are you then not ashamed of worshipping a
tree?"
After this severe rebuke and outright
disparaging of the wooden deity, without fearing Abu-Ta1hah who was known for
his bravery, strength and position among his people, Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA)
then spoke gently and said, "I have embraced Islam and I do not want any
sadaq (bridal gift) more than your acceptance of Islam."
Abu Talhah said, "Let me think
over it." He came back after a while and said, "I testify that there
is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and I testify that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah!"
Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) then told her
son Anas who had not yet reached puberty, "Anas, give (me) in marriage to
Abu Talhah." And the marriage took place. Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) was the
first Muslim woman to accept a suitor's embrace of Islam as Maher (bridal
money). This was a new memorable and commendable trend, and it is one of
stances recorded in Hazrat Umm Sulaym's great and glorious record. It is
undoubtedly a manifestation of the great love she had for Allah and His
Messenger (SAW).
The spring of pure love continued to
gush out copiously, glowingly and cleanly. She brought her son, Anas who was
only a ten-year old boy to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and said, "O
Allah's Messenger! This is Anas, I brought him to serve you!" The
Messenger of Allah (SAW) excellently received him and accepted him into his
household. Anas remained with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) serving him for the
ten years the Prophet spent in Madinah, after he migrated there until he died.
Never did he leave his company whether he was at home or on a journey. No
wonder that he was able to grasp many hadiths about the Prophet's situations,
deeds and sayings. He was in fact, an authority and a treasure of this great
knowledge. This also was a manifestation of the great love for Allah and his
Messenger (SAW) that overwhelmed the life of this eminent woman ever since she
accepted Islam until she died.
Milhan's house which was the home of
Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) and Hazrat Umm
Haram (RA) was the only house that the Prophet (SAW) used to enter besides the
apartments of his wives. That may have a reason. Anas gave this reason when he
said, "The Prophet (peace be upon him) would visit Hazrat Umm Sulaym
(RA) who would present him with something she specially made for him." He
added, "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) did not use to enter any house
except that of Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) and of course, those of his wives. When
he was asked of that he said, "Her brother was killed while he was
fighting on my side."
It is reported that a son of hers born
to Abu Talhah died. He had being sick and under a treatment. When Abu Talhah
came she requested from members of the household that none of them should
inform him of death of his son until she herself had done so. When Abu Talhah
came and he asked of the boy, she told him, "He has never been as relaxed
and quiet as he is now." So Abu-Talhah stood up and eat his food.
After that, Umm Sulaym decorated herself
for her husband and wore perfume. They went to bed and he cohabited with her.
When it was in the morning, she told him, "Seek your reward from Allah.
Your son is now with Allah!"
In other narrations, her husband asked
her about his son when he came back. She told him that their son is in a better
situation. Then she asked her husband: "O Abu-Talha, if someone borrow
something from another, and the latter asked the first to give him that thing
back, can the borrower refuse?" Abu Talhah answered: "No! the
borrower don't have the right to refuse, he should return this thing to its owner"
Then she answered wisely: "We had borrowed our sons from Allah, and now he
took him, so be patient" His husband answered: "Inna lilah wa inna
Ilayhi raji'on (we are belong to Allah and to him we will return)". This
is how clever and wise she was in delivering such a big sad news to his
husband.
Hazrat Abu Talhah (RA) went to the
Messenger of Allah (SAW) while sorrow was visible on him. He informed him of
what had happened. Upon that, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "May
Allah bless your night for you both!" Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) then became
pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy named Abdullah ibn Abu Talhah. Abdullah
was blessed with many children, ten of whom memorized the Qur'an completely.
The historians and writers of Seerah
and biographies are unanimous that Hazrat Umm Sulaym used to go out with the
Messenger of Allah (SAW ) in his battles, fighting in the way of Allah within
the limits her feminity and capability would permit her. She was been
encouraged with all this by the great love she had for Allah and His Messenger
(SAW). This reflected in a number of battles but it manifested more in the
Battle of Hunayn. The Battle of Hunayn chronologically took place after the
Conquest of Makkah and before the Battle of Ta'if. Hazrat Umm Sulaym (RA) was
amongst the Muslim army throughout the battle and hard journey.
Ibn Sa'd narrated that Hazrat Umm
Sulaym (RA) took a dagger on the day of the Battle of Hunayn. When Hazrat Abu
Talhah (RA) saw her he went to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and told him,
"Allah's Messenger, here is Umm Sulaym holding a dagger!" But she
retorted, "I take it so that I can rip the belly of one of the polytheists
with it!"
The stances of Umm Sulaym conclude
with her narration of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). A number of
the Prophet's Companions related these hadiths from her. Among these Companions
are: her son Anas, Ibn 'Abbas, Zayd ibn Thabit, Abu Salamah ibn 'Abdur-Ral,unan
and others.
May Allah be pleased with
her!
