Umm Ayman

Sahaba

Umm Ayman
Personal Information
Full Name	Baraka bt. Tha'laba b. 'Amr
Well-Known Relatives	Zayd b. al-Haritha, Usama b. Zayd
Muhajir/Ansar	Muhajir
Place(s) of Residence	Mecca, Medina
Religious Information
Presence at Ghazwas	Battle of Uhud and Battle of Khaybar
Migration to	Medina, Abyssinia
Other Activities	Bearing witness that the Prophet (s) has given Fadak to Fatima (a)

Umm Ayman (Arabic: امّ ایمن) -is the kunya of Baraka bt. Tha'laba b. 'Amr- was one of the Companions of the Prophet (s). She was freed by the Prophet (s) and was the mother of Usama b. Zayd. The Prophet (s) counted her among the women of Paradise.

After the demise of the Prophet (s) and confiscation of Fadak by Abu Bakr, she was the only person who bore witness with Imam 'Ali (a) that the Prophet (s) has given Fadak to Fatima (a).

Lineage

Baraka bt. Tha'laba b. 'Amr, known as Umm Ayman, was the Abyssinian female servant of 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd al-Muttalib (the father of the Prophet (s)) or his wife, Amina. After the demise of 'Abd Allah and Amina, the Prophet (s) inherited her from his parents.

Taking Care of Muhammad (s) in His Childhood

After that Amina passed away in Abwa', Umm Ayman looked after Muhammad (s) until he arrived in Mecca. She also took care of him for years until he grew up. 'Abd al-Muttalib told Umm Ayman to take care of his grandson (Muhammad), because the Followers of the Books (Jews and Christians) think that my grandson will be the prophet of this nation.

Marriage and Children

When the Prophet (s) wanted to marry Khadija, he liberated Umm Ayman and she married 'Ubayd b. Zayd al-Khazraji and she gave birth to Ayman. That is why she is called "Umm Ayman" (the mother of Ayman). After a while, 'Ubayd passed away; she married Zayd b. al-Haritha, who was liberated and then adopted by the Prophet (s) as his son. It was after this marriage that she gave birth to Usama b. Zayd.

Immigration

Umm Ayman was among the first people who converted to Islam and later emigrated to Medina. It is said that she was also among the Muslims who emigrated to Abyssinia. 

Participating in Battles

She was present in the Battle of Uhud and gave water to worriers and treated their injuries. She also accompanied the Prophet (s) at the Battle of Khaybar.

Relationship with Ahl al-Bayt (a)

The Prophet (s) liked her very much. It is said that he sometimes called her "mother". There are some narrations about her elite status in the Prophet's (s) eyes. The Prophet (s) went to her house to visit her. Also, Abu Bakr and 'Umar -following the Prophet (s)- did this. In some hadith sources, there is a chapter about Umm Ayman's virtues.

In some Shi'a sources, she was mentioned with honor and respect. The Prophet (s) introduced her as one of the heavenly women. After the demise of the Prophet and confiscation of Fadak by Abu Bakr, she was the only person who bore witness with Imam 'Ali (a) that the Prophet (s) has given Fadak to Fatima (a).

She has narrated some hadiths and narrators such as, Anas b. Malik, Abu Yazid al-Madani and Hanash b. 'Abd Allah al-San'ani have narrated hadiths from her.

Demise

The exact date of Umm Ayman's demise is unknown. Some said that she passed away about 5 months after the demise of the Prophet (s). But according to Ibn Sa'd's report, she was alive until the beginning of the caliphate of 'Uthman in (23/644).