Umm Salamah bint Abī Umayyah (RA)

Umm Salamah (RA), whose personal name was Hind bint Abī Umayyah al-Makhzūmiyyah, was among the most distinguished wives of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and is revered in Islamic tradition as one of the “Mothers of the Believers.” She belonged to the noble Banū Makhzūm clan of Quraysh and was renowned for her intelligence, wisdom, eloquence, and steadfast faith. Alongside her first husband, Abū Salamah (RA), she embraced Islam during its earliest phase in Makkah and endured severe persecution for her beliefs. She participated in the migration to Abyssinia and later in the Hijrah to Madīnah, where her family suffered separation and hardship before being reunited.

After the death of Abū Salamah (RA) from wounds sustained after the Battle of Uḥud, Umm Salamah (RA) became a widow with children. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ later married her in 4 AH/625 CE. Initially hesitant because of her age, jealousy, and responsibilities as a mother, she eventually accepted the marriage after the Prophet ﷺ reassured her compassionately. Her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ elevated her role within the Muslim community, where she became known for her sound judgment and political insight. During the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, her wise counsel to the Prophet ﷺ helped calm the Companions and avert unrest, demonstrating her remarkable prudence and leadership.

Umm Salamah (RA) also occupies a prominent place in Islamic scholarship and ḥadīth transmission. She narrated approximately 378 aḥādīth and became an important authority on matters relating to worship, family life, and the Prophet’s household (Ahl al-Bayt). Islamic tradition frequently portrays her as deeply devoted to the Prophet’s family and as a woman of profound piety and learning. She survived long after the Prophet’s death and passed away around 61 AH/680 CE in Madīnah, where she was buried in Jannat al-Baqīʿ.