One of the earliest converts to Islam, she was the daughter of a very wealthy and generous man who was famous throughout the Arab world for his public services and charity, his bearing all the expense of his fellow travellers being one of the reasons for his fame.
Our Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) married our Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) at the age of 29, after her first husband was martyred from the wounds he received while fighting in the Battle of Uhud.
Her life was filled with patience in the face of trials and tribulations. She and her husband were among the first to migrate to Abyssinia and then later on leave to Makkah bound for Madinah when she was forced to endure the separation from her husband and son.
One of the atrocities that the kuffar of Quraysh had committed, was when Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) along with his family decided to migrate to Madinah, the family members of Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) caught the bridles of the camel and told him that he could go wherever he wanted to, but he would have to leave their daughter i.e. Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her). On hearing this, the family of Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) got enraged and took away her son, thus the family became split and separated.
Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) attached to her beloved husband would visit the same spot and weep every day, when once a member from her tribe saw this he pitied her and spoke to her family members, after which they agreed to let her go.
By the Grace of Allah, she was soon reunited with her much- loved husband.
Think about it my friends, separation and in such a manner, yet she bore it patiently.
Another of the heart touching incidents that occurred in her life was the passing away of Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him), but she braved it and read this dua, a dua to obtain a better recompense, even though her thoughts kept lingering as to who could be better than her husband, Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him).
This renowned dua is:
`Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji`un. Allahumma ujurni fi musibati, wakhluf li khairan minha’
(We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. O Allah! Compensate me in my affliction, recompense my loss and give me something better in exchange for it)
And then imagine dear friends, she was gifted with the best husband that anyone could possibly yearn for, the best man to walk on the face of Earth, our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed what an honour, what a prestige!
Dear friends I appeal you to bear patience when the throngs of hardship strikes and recite this superb supplication and do keep in mind that with hardship comes ease.
Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated more than 300 ahadith and accompanied the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) on many of his expeditions. She outlived all the other wives and died at the age of 84.
May Allah bless us with her company in Jannatul Firdaus Al A’ala
Ameen
Bint Hasan
Writer, AAT