Women In Islam

[amma]

Salam brothers and sisters


I have started this thread because i want everyone to think about women in islam. How they have had an impact on our religion? What women have gone through for our religion?


So lets see how many women you can post that have done something for Islam. This could be any women of any age and from any time.

[amma]

Let me start this off.


Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood


Ruqaiyyah is the author of around forty books on Islam and other subjects. She gained her Honours degree in Theology in 1963 and Post Graduate Teaching Certificate in 1964, with distinctions in theory and practice.


Her professional life was spent as Head of Religious Studies at various UK inner city secondary schools, until she retired in 1996 to concentrate on writing and lecturing.


Ruqaiyyah grew up a devout Christian, but converted to Islam in 1986. Already established by then as an author of books on Christian and educational topics, she has since devoted her time to writing on Islam and doing dawah work to both Christian and Muslim audiences.

[amma]

STORY OF ASMA BINT ABI BAKR





Asmaa bint Abu Bakr belonged to a distinguished Muslim family. Her father, Abu Bakr, was a close friend of the Prophet and the first Khalifah after his death. Her half- sister, A'ishah, was a wife of the Prophet and one of the Ummahat al-Mu 'm ineen. Her husband, Zubayr ibn al- Awwam, was one of the special personal aides of the Prophet. Her son, Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, became well- known for his incorruptibility and his unswerving devotion to Truth.



Asmaa herself was one of the first persons to accept Islam. Only about seventeen persons including both men and women became Muslims before her. She was later given the nickname Dhat an-Nitaqayn (the One with the Two Waistbands) because of an incident connected with the departure of the Prophet and her father from Makkah on the historic hijrah to Madinah.


Asmaa was one of the few persons who knew of the Prophet's plan to leave for Madinah. The utmost secrecy had to be maintained because of the Quraysh plans to murder the Prophet. On the night of their departure, Asmaa was the one who prepared a bag of food and a water container for their journey. She did not find anything though with which to tie the containers and decided to use her waistband or nitaq. Abu Bakr suggested that she tear it into two. This she did and the Prophet commended her action. From then on she became known as "the One with the Two Waistbands".





When the final emigration from Makkah to Madinah took place soon after the departure of the Prophet, Asmaa was pregnant. She did not let her pregnancy or the prospect of a long and arduous journey deter her from leaving. As soon as she reached Quba on the outskirts of Madinah, she gave birth to a son, Abdullah. The Muslims shouted AllaXu Akbar (God is the Greatest) and Laa ilaaha illa Allah (There is no God but Allah) in happiness and thanksgiving because this was the first child to be born to the muhajireen in Madinah.


Asmaa became known for her fine and noble qualities and for the keenness of her intelligence. She was an extremely generous person. Her son Abdullah once said of her, "I have not seen two women more generous than my aunt A'ishah and my mother Asmaa. But their generosity was expressed in different ways. My aunt would accumulate one thing after another until she had gathered what she felt was sufficient and then distributed it all to those in need. My mother, on the other hand, would not keep anything even for the morrow."


Asmaa's presence of mind in difficult circumstances was remarkable. When her father left Makkah, he took all his wealth, amounting to some six thousand dirhams, with him and did not leave any for his family. When Abu Bakr's father, Abu Quhafah (he was still a mushrik) heard of his departure he went to his house and said to Asmaa:



"I understand that he has left you bereft of money after he himself has abandoned you."


"No, grandfather," replied Asmaa, "in fact he has left us much money." She took some pebbles and put them in a small recess in the wall where they used to put money. She threw a cloth over the heap and took the hand of her grandfather --he was blind--and said, "See how much money he has left us".


Through this strategem, Asmaa wanted to allay the fears of the old man and to forestall him from giving them anything of his own wealth. This was because she disliked receiving any assistance from a mushrik even if it was her own grandfather.


She had a similar attitude to her mother and was not inclined to compromise her honour and her faith. Her mother, Qutaylah, once came to visit her in Madinah. She was not a Muslim and was divorced from her father in preIslamic times. Her mother brought her gifts of raisins, clarified butter and qaraz (pods of a species of sant tree). Asmaa at first refused to admit her into her house or accept the gifts. She sent someone to A'ishah to ask the Prophet, peace be upon him, about her attitude to her mother and he replied that she should certainly admit her to her house and accept the gifts. On this occasion, the following revelation came to the Prophet:


"God forbids you not, with regard to those who do not fight you because of your faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them. God loves those who are just. God only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for your Faith, and drive you from your homes, and support others in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances) that do wrong."


(Surah al-Mumtahanah 60: 8-9).


For Asmaa and indeed for many other Muslims, life in Madinah was rather difficult at first. Her husband was quite poor and his only major possession to begin with was a horse he had bought. Asmaa herself described these early days:


"I used to provide fodder for the horse, give it water and groom it. I would grind grain and make dough but I could not bake well. The women of the Ansar used to bake for me. They were truly good women. I used to carry the grain on my head from az-Zubayr's plot which the Prophet had allocated to him to cultivate. It was about three farsakh (about eight kilometres) from the town's centre. One day I was on the road carrying the grain on my head when I met the Prophet and a group of Sahabah. He called out to me and stopped his camel so that I could ride behind him. I felt embarrassed to travel with the Prophet and also remembered az-Zubayr's jealousy--he was the most jealous of men. The Prophet realised that I was embarrassed and rode on."


Later, Asmaa related to az-Zubayr exactly what had happened and he said, "By God, that you should have to carry grain is far more distressing to me than your riding with (the Prophet)".


Asmaa obviously then was a person of great sensitivity and devotion. She and her husband worked extremely hard together until their situation of poverty gradually changed. At times, however, az-Zubayr treated her harshly. Once she went to her father and complained to him about this. His reply to her was: "My daughter, have sabr for if a woman has a righteous husband and he dies and she does not marry after him, they will be brought together again in Paradise."



Az-Zubayr eventually became one of the richest men among the Sahabah but Asmaa did not allow this to corrupt her principles. Her son, al-Mundhir once sent her an elegant dress from Iraq made of fine and costly material. Asmaa by this time was blind. She felt the material and said, "It's awful. Take it back to him".


Al-Mundhir was upset and said, "Mother, it was not transparent."


"It may not be transparent," she retorted, "but it is too tight-fitting and shows the contours of the body."


Al-Mundhir bought another dress that met with her approval and she accepted it.


If the above incidents and aspects of Asmaa's life may easily be forgotten, then her final meeting with her son, Abdullah, must remain one of the most unforgettable moments in early Muslim history. At that meeting she demonstrated the keenness of her intelligence, her resoluteness and the strength of her faith.





Abdullah was in the running for the Caliphate after the death of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah. The Hijaz, Egypt, Iraq, Khurasan and much of Syria were favourable to him and acknowledged him as the Caliph. The Ummayyads however continued to contest the Caliphate and to field a massive army under the command of Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi. Relentless battles were fought between the two sides during which Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr displayed great acts of courage and heroism. Many of his supporters however could not withstand the continuous strain of battle and gradually began to desert him. Finally he sought refuge in the Sacred Mosque at Makkah. It was then that he went to his mother, now an old blind woman, and said:


"Peace be on you, Mother, and the mercy and blessings of God."


"Unto you be peace, Abdullah," she replied. "What is it that brings you here at this hour while boulders from Hajjaj's catapults are raining down on your soldiers in the Haram and shaking the houses of Makkah?" "I came to seek your advice," he said.


"To seek my advice?" she asked in astonishment. "About what?"


"The people have deserted me out of fear of Hajjaj or being tempted by what he has to offer. Even my children and my family have left me. There is only a small group of men with me now and however strong and steadfast they are they can only resist for an hour or two more. Messengers of the Banu Umayyah (the Umayyads) are now negotiating with me, offering to give me whatever wordly possessions I want, should I lay down my arms and swear allegiance to Abdul Malik ibn Marwan. What do you think?"


Raising her voice, she replied:



"It's your affair, Abdullah, and you know yourself better. If however you think that you are right and that you are standing up for the Truth, then persevere and fight on as your companions who were killed under your flag had shown perseverance. If however you desire the world, what a miserable wretch you are. You would have destroyed yourself and you would have destroyed your men."


"But I will be killed today, there is no doubt about it."


"That is better for you than that you should surrender yourself to Hajjaj voluntarily and that some minions of Banu Umayyah should play with your head."


"I do not fear death. I am only afraid that they will mutilate me."


"There is nothing after death that man should be afraid of. Skinning does not cause any pain to the slaughtered sheep."


Abdullah's face beamed as he said:


"What a blessed mother! Blessed be your noble qualities! I have come to you at this hour to hear what I have heard. God knows that I have not weakened or despaired. He is witness over me that I have not stood up for what I have out of love for this world and its attractions but only out of anger for the sake of God. His limits have been transgressed. Here am I, going to what is pleasing to you. So if I am killed, do not grieve for me and commend me to God."


"I shall grieve for you," said the ageing but resolute Asmaa, "only if you are killed in a vain and unjust cause."


"Be assured that your son has not supported an unjust cause, nor committed any detestable deed, nor done any injustice to a Muslim or a Dhimmi and that there is nothing better in his sight than the pleasure of God, the Mighty, the Great. I do not say this to exonerate myself. God knows that I have only said it to make your heart firm and steadfast. "


"Praise be to God who has made you act according to what He likes and according fo what I like. Come close to me, my son, that I may smell and feel your body for this might be the last meeting with you."


Abdullah knelt before her. She hugged him and smothered his head, his face and his neck with kisses. Her hands began to squeeze his body when suddenly she withdrew them and asked:


"What is this you are wearing, Abdullah?"


"This is my armour plate."


"This, my son, ls not the dress of one who desires martyrdom. Take it off. That will make your movements lighter and quicker. Wear instead the sirwal (a long under garment) so that if you are killed your 'awrah will not be exposed.


Abdullah took off his armour plate and put on the sirwal. As he left for the Haram to join the fighting he said:


"My mother, don't deprive me of your dada (prayer)."


Raising her hands to heaven, she prayed:


"O Lord, have mercy on his staying up for long hours and his loud crying in the darkness of the night while people slept . . .


"O Lord, have mercy on his hunger and his thirst on his journeys from Madinah and Makkah while he fasted . . .


"O Lord, bless his righteousness to his mother and his father . . .


"O Lord, I commend him to Your cause and I am pleased with whatever You decree for him. And grant me for his sake the reward of those who are patient and who persevere."


By sunset, Abdullah was dead. Just over ten days later, his mother joined him. She was a hundred years old. Age had not made her infirm nor blunted the keenness of her mind.

[amma]

STORY OF UMMU AMMARAH (radhiallaho anha)





Ummu Ammarah (radhiallaho anha) is one of those Ansar who embraced Islam in the very beginning. She was among the group that vowed allegiance to the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam)at ' Al-Aqabah.' 'Aqabah' in Arabic means ' Mountain pass.' In the early days of Islam the new Muslims were persecuted by Quraish very badly. They would put all hurdles in the way of Tabligh. The Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam), therefore, carried on his mission quietly and secretly. People from Medina who used to come to Mecca for Hajj usually embraced Islam secretly in mountain pass near Mina so that Quraish might not see time. She was in the third such group from Medina. She participated in most of the battle that were fought after emigration. She took prominent part in Uhud, Hudybiah, Khaiber, Umratulqadha, Huneyn and Yamamah.


In the battle of Uhud she was forty-three. Heer husband and two son were also fighting on the battle. She took a leather bag full fo water and headed for Uhud. In the beginning the Muslims had an upper hand but the tables were turned in another moment and the enemy were in the winning position. She had reached the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) when wave after wave of enemy troops rushed to attack and kill him. She shielded the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) if anybody approached him. she had cloth belt round her waist full of pieces of lint. She tended the wounded. She herself got about twelve wounds one of which was very serious. Ummu Said (radhiallaho anha) says: " I once saw a very deep cut on the shoulder of Ummu Ammarah. I inquired how she had got that. She said, ' I got in Uhud. When people were running about in confusion I saw Ibn Quraish coming towards us and shouting 'where in Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wallalam). Let somebody tell me his whereabouts. If he is saved today I am no more.' I, Musab0bin-Umair and some others intercepted him. He gave me this deep cut on my shoulder. I also attacked him but he escaped on account of the double coat of arms that he was wearing."


In spite of a year's treatment the wound would not heal. In the meantime the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) decided about the expedition to Hamra-ul-Asad. Ummu Ammarh also got ready to join the expedition. But as her wound was still unhealed she could not participate.


When the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) returned from the expedition he straight away went to visit Ummu Ahhamrah (radhialllaho anha). He was very happy to find her better.


she says: " In fact we were very much handicapped in Uhud. The enemy had very strong cavalry while we fought on foot. There would have been a fair fight of they too had been on foot. When somebody came riding on his horse to attack me I took his sword on my shield and when he turned about I attacked his horse from the rear and cut its leg. This caused the horse as well as the rider to fall on the ground. As soon as this happened the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) would shout to my son who would run to my help and then we both finished the man in no time."


Her son Abdullah-bin- Zaid (radhiallaho anho) says: " I had a wound on my left arm whish would not stop bleeding. The Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) said to my mother, ' Put a bandage over it.' My mother took out a bandage from her belt and after bandaging my wound, said, ' Now, son ! go and fight with the idilators.' the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) was watching us. He said. ' O, Ummu Ammarah who can have a heart like yours?'


The Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) at the time prayed again and again for Ummu Ammarah and her family. Ummu Ammarah says:--" I was standing with the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) when a person of the enemy passed sin front of me. The prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) said to me, ' Ummu Ammarah ! He is the man who wounded your son.' I jumped at him and hit his leg. It made him fall down. We then went forward and finished him The Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) smiled and said, ' Ummu Ammarah has avenged her son.' When the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) was praying for us I said to him, ' O, Prophet of Allah ! Pray for my company with you in Paradise. He favored me with this prayer too and after that I cared little for what happened to me in this life."


As has already been said she also participated in may other battles with the same zeal and spirit. After the death of the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) she took part in the fierce battle of Yamamah which was fought with the renegades. She lost one of her arms and received eleven other wounds in this battle. She was forty-three in Uhud and fifty-two in Yamamah. The stories of her heroism in these battles are really wonderful.

[amma]

UMMU HAKIM (radhiallaho anha)


Ummu Hakim ( radhiallaho anha) was the wife of Akrimah-bin-abi-Jahl. She had participated in "Uhud" in the enemy side. She embraced Islam on the fall of Mecca. She loved her husband very much who would not become a Muslim in account of his father who was the worst enemy of Islam. After the fall of Mecca her husband fled to Yemen. She secured pardon for him form the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) and went to Yemen. and induced her husband to return to his home. She told him:


" You can be safe from the sword of Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) only when you put yourself in his lap."


She returned with him to Median where Akrimah embraced Islam and the couple began to live together happily. They both participated in the Syrian war during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (radhiallaho anho). Akrimah was killed in a battle. She was then married to another Mujahid Khalid-bin-Said (radhiallaho anho). It was at a place called Marja-us-Safr that her husband wanted to meet her. She said:


" We have enemy concentrating on all fronts. We shall meet after they are done away with."


Khalid-bin-Said said: " I am sure I shall not survive this battle."


They then shared the bed for the first time in a tent at that place. Next day Khalid-bin-said (radhiallaho anho) was arranging for the Walimah when the enemy attacked with full force and he was killed in the battle. Ummu Kakim (radhiallaho naha) packed up her tent and other luggage and with a tent pin in her hand fought the enemy till she had killed seven of them.

[amma]

SAFIYYAH KILLS A JAW





Safiyyah (radhiallaho anha) was the aunt of the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) and a real sister of Hamza (radhiallaho anha). She took part in battle of "Uhud". When the Muslims were defeated and some of them began to flee from the battle she would smite them with her spear and excite them to go back and fight.


In the war of the Treanch the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) had collected all the Muslim ladies in a fortress and had deputed Hassan-bin-Thabit (radhiallaho anho) to look after them. The Jews who were always in the look-out for such opportunities for doing mischief surrounded the place and sent one of them to find out if there were any men with the ladies. Safiyyah happened to see the Jew approaching the fort. She said to Hassan:


" There is a Jew coming to spy on us. You go out and Kill him."


Hassan (radhiallaho anha) was a weak person. He did not make bold to do the job. Safiyyah got hold of a tent pin and went outside the fortress and gave a blow on the head of the Jew and killed him on the spot. She back and said to Hassan:


" The man is dead. I have not removed the clothes and arms from his body for reasons of modesty. Now you go and remove everything from his body. Also bring his head after severing it from the body."


Hassan was too weak-hearted to do that even. She herself went again and brought his head and threw it over the wall amidst the Jews. When they was this they said:


" We are wondering how Muhammad could keep the ladies alone in this fort. Surely, There are men inside to guard the ladies."


Safiyyah died in 20 A.H. at the age of seventy-three. The was of Trench was fought in 5 A.H. She was therefore 58 then. These days a lady of that age is hardly able to do her domestic work. But look how Safiyyah (radhiallaho anha) goes and kills a Jew all alone.

[amma]

KHANSA EXHORTS HER SONS


Khansa (radhiallaho anho) is a famour poetess. She embraced Islam in Medina along with some other of her clan. Ibn-Athir writes:


" All masters of literature are unanimous in declaring Khansa as the best women poet in Arabic. No women in history has ever written such fine poetry as Khansa."


During the time if U'mar in 16 A.H. the famous battle of "Qadsiah" was fought between the Muslims and the Persians. Khansah along with her four sons took part in the battle. On the ever of the battle she exhorted all her four sons saying:


" O, My sons ! You embrace Islam and emigrated with your own free will. By Allah, beside whom there is no God, you all are the sons of the same father as you are the sons of the same mother. I never betrayed your father nor defamed you maternal uncle. I never allowed a blot to come on your high birth nor polluted your pedigree. You know what rewards Allah has promised for those who fight with the disbelievers in His path. You must remember that the everlasting life of the hereafter is far better than the transitory life of this world. Allah has said in his Holy Qur'an.


" O. ye who believe ! Endure, outdo in endurance, be ready and observe your duty to Allah in order that Ye may succeed. (III : 200) When you get up to-morrow morning be prepared to cintribute your best in the battle. Go ahead into the enemy lines seeking help for Allah. When you see the flames of war rising high you get right in to the center and face the enemy chiefs. Inshallah you will get your abode in paradise with honour and success."


Next day when the battle was in full swing all the four sons advanced toward the enemy lines. One by one they attacked the enemy reciting the words of their mother in verses and fought till all of them were slain. When the mother got the news she said:


" Alhamdulillah ! Glory to Allah will unite me with them under the shade of His Mercy."


Here is a mother of that time. She exhorts her sons to hump into the flames of battle and when all the sons are killed in quick succession she glorifies Allah and thanks Him.


look at her marriage in the battle-field and her fight with the enemy ! Insted of mourning the loss of her husband on the day of his death she rushes into the battle-field and kill seven of the enemy soldiers single-handed. Is this not enough to show the wonderful strength of Iman of ladies of that time?

[amma]

MARTYRDOM OF SUMIYYA





Sumiyyah (radhiallaho anha) is the mother if Ammar (radhiallaho anho). just like Ammar her son and Yasir her husband, she patiently bore the hardships in different forms in the cause of Islam, She would not dwindle in her love for and devotion to Islam in spite of all these afflictions. One day Sumiyah (radhiallaho anha) was standing when Abu- Jahl passed that way. He flung all sorts of dirty words at her and then put his spear through her private parts. She died on account of the wound. She is the first to meet martyrdom for the cause of Islam.


Patience, perseverance and sacrifice of these ladies are really enviable. No affliction is too much when a person blessed with the spirit of Islam is determined to bear it. We hear about hundreds of persons dying for one cause of the other. It is only dying for the cause of Allah that brings eternal happiness and comfort in the life to come. Persons losing their lives for material gains lose twice, i.e., in this world as well as in the hereafter.

[amma]

STORY OF UMMU SULAIM


Ummu Sulaim (radhiallaho anho) was the mother of Anas (radhiallaho anho). After the death of her husband she remained a widow for some time with a view to devoting herself to the proper upbringing for her son. She was then married to Abu Talhah (radhiallaho anho) and got a son named Abu Umair from him. The Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam0 used to go to her house and play with the child.


One day Abu Umair was ill and Abu Talhah was fasting. While Abu Talhah was out on his job the child died. She washed and enshrouded the dead body and laid it on the cot. She then herself took bath, changed her clothes and made her toilet. When the husband returned home and had his Iftar he asked her:" How is the child ?"


She replied: " He is now in peace."


He was satisfied. The couple shared the bed for the night. When they got up in the morning they had the following conversation.:


Ummu sulaim: " I have a question to ask you"


Abu Tahalha: " What is that ?"


Ummu Sulaim: " Suppose a person is enterusted with something. Should he deliver up on demand that which is entrusted to him or not."


Abu Talhah: " He Must deliver up. He has no right to hold back."


Ummu Sulaim: " Abu Umair was entrusted to us by Allah. He has taken him back."


Abu Talhah was filled with grief. He simply said: " But why did you not inform me before ?"


He went to the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) and narrated the story to him. He prayed for him and said: " Allah is likely to bless your sharing the bed with your wife last night."


Once the Sahabah says: " I lived to see the effect of the Prophet's blessing. As a result of his union with his wife on that night Abu Talhah got a son named Abdullah. This Abdullah had nine sons, all of whom were Oaris."


It needs much courage and patience to do what Ummu Sulaim (radhiallaho anho) did at the death of her son. She did not like her husband to know about the death of the child while he was fasting and while he needed food and rest.

[muslimah_min_fhalesteen]

She Fought at the Side of the Prophet compiled by Alia Amer


<b>Nusaybah Bint Ka'b's </b> life and example as a Muslimah, wife and mother can be surpassed only by a few other women in the history of Islam.


She was one of only two women who traveled with seventy-three men to Makkah, and pledged allegiance to the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, to believe in Allah alone and not to associate others with Him. They also pledged themselves to jihad in complete obedience to the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, in ease and hardship and harsh circumstances. That historical meeting is known as the second pledge of al-Aqabah.


NuSaybah, known as Um Imarah, was a rare kind of Muslim. A pious and noble woman, Um Imarah was also a daring courageous fighter in the cause of Allah, and she proved more than once to be truthful to her pledge.


Hearing that the Makkan pagans were preparing for a great battle to take revenge for their heavy losses during the battle of Badr, and that they were moving towards Uhud, the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, mobilized the Muslim men in Madinah. Um Imarah went out with her husband and her two sons, `Abdullah and Habib, to join the fighters.


In the beginning she brought water to the wounded and tended to their needs, but as the battle raged, and the Muslims were being defeated, she saw that some were fleeing the enemy leaving the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam without protection. She tied her belt around her waist so that she would not trip, brandishing a sword at times and throwing arrows at others, she cut through the ranks of the enemy and took sides with the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam.


She fought fiercely that day, striking fatal blows to her opponents until she suffered many wounds, one of them left a deep gash in her shoulder, which took a whole year to heal. She herself related some of what had happened during that battle. "I realized that people fled leaving the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, exposed," she said, "So less than ten men remained to protect him, while the others were passing by, defeated. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, saw me without a shield and saw a man leaving the battlefield carrying his shield, he said, 'Surrender your shield to the one who is fighting.’ He surrendered it and I picked it up and used it to shield the Messenger of Allah. But those who gave us the hardest time were the horsemen, if they were on foot like us; we would have defeated them, insha'Allah. A cavalier came towards me, but he was unable to strike at me because I protected myself with the shield. As he was turning back I dealt a blow to his horse's hamstring and he fell on his back. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, cried out, 'O son of Um Imarah, your mother, your mother!' So he helped me kill the horseman."


Her own son related later more of her heroic behavior during the battle. He said, "I was wounded during the battle of Uhud, and the blood would not stop. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, 'Bandage your wound.' My mother was busy fighting the enemy, but when she heard the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, she came toward me carrying bandages tied to her side, she bandaged my wound while the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, was standing by. She then told me, 'Get up my son, and fight’ The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, 'Who can endure what you are enduring, Um Imarah!' A short time later, the man who hit me was coming our way, so the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, 'Here is the man who hit your son, O Um Imarah.' She went up to him and hit him in the leg; she left him kneeling on the ground. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, smiled at what she has done so broadly that his molar teeth were showing and said, 'You avenged yourself, Um Imarah.' Then more men came and struck the man and killed him. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said to her, 'Praise is due to Allah Who gave you victory over your enemy and satisfied you by showing you his death.'"


A few months later when the call was announced to prepare for the battle of Hamra-ul-Asad, Um Imarah got ready but she was not able to continue in her way because her wound got worse and she was bleeding profusely.


The battle of Uhud was not the only occasion when Um Imarah showed her bravery. She was among those who gave the pledge of ar-Ridhwan, to fight until martyrdom. She also witnessed the battle of Hunayn.


When the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam passed away, some of the Arab tribes apostatized, at their head was Musaylimah The Liar. Khalifah Abu Bakr rallied the Muslims to fight the renegades. Um Imarah asked permission from Abu Bakr to join the army, accompanied by her two sons. "We knew your bravery during the war," he said, "Come on in the name of Allah."


This battle was a great test for Um Imarah. The fight was hard and the two parties adamantly set to win it. She held her grounds, always advancing. Now she heard that her son Habib fell prisoner to Musaylimah the liar. He asked him, "Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?" When he said that he did, he went on, "And do you testify that I am the messenger of Allah?" he answered, "I do not hear." So Musaylimah began to cut him to pieces, organ by organ until he died. He asked him the same questions over and over, but he could not get a different answer.


Um Imarah went to al-Yamamah with the Muslims and took part in the war against Musaylimah. She was eager to see the end of Musaylimah, and it was the will of Allah that he be slain by her other son `Abdullah, and another companion. Um Imarah returned from the war having suffered twelve wounds inflicted by spear and sword, and having lost an arm, and her beloved son.


Um Imarah, Nusaybah bint Ka'b, was a woman who was true to her words, a woman who occupies a special place in the history of Islam.


Taken from Al-Jumuah Magazine