Umm Salama: Difference between revisions

Umm Salama whose name was "Hind" was a wife of the Prophet (s) and one of the persons who were called Umm al-Mu’minin. She immigrated to Ethiopia together with Muslims and was the first person who immigrated to Medina.

She loved Imam Husayn (a) very much and after his martyrdom, mourned for him. She accepted Islam in the first years of the Prophet’s (s) mission and immigrated to Ethiopia with a group of Muslims led by Ja‘far b. Abi Talib following the order of the Prophet (s). In 4 AH, after her husband died, she married the Prophet (s). Most historians have mentioned that she passed away after the event of ‘Ashura.

The name of her father was Abu Umayya b. Mughayra and the name of her mother was ‘Atikih. Some sources have said that her mother was a daughter of Abd al-Muttalib, but most historians believe that she was a daughter of ‘Amir b. Rabi‘ah Kinani.

Before marrying the Prophet (s), Umm Salama was the wife of the Prophet’s (s) step brother, Abu Salama b. Abd al-Asad Makhzumi. She became Muslim together with her husband in Mecca.

Umm Salama and her husband joined the group of Muslims who immigrated to Ethiopia. All hadiths related to Quraysh delegates in Ethiopia and their debates with Ja‘far b. Abi Talib in the presence of Negus of Ethiopia are narrated by Umm Salama.

Following the Prophet’s (s) order for immigration of Muslims to Medina, the first person who immigrated was Abu Salama who went to Medina with his son and his wife but Bani Mughayra, who were relatives of Umm Salama prevented them from going to Medina. Umm Salama narrated her story of separating from her son and husband that, "I used to cry days and nights for one year and went and stood on the way to Medina and asked about them from anyone coming from Medina. When my relatives saw my distress, they let me travel to Medina and I travelled to Medina after one year."

Umm Salama participated in many battles and Siryas such as Muraysi’, Khaybar, Hudaybiyya, Khandaq, Conquering Mecca and Hunayn. Later, she went to the battlefield of Uhud every month and sent Slaam upon the martyrs.

Umm Salama always tried to be with the Ahl al-Bayt (a). According to reports, after the Prophet (s) passed away, Umm Salama was one of the defenders of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), so that she defended Lady Fatima (s) against Abu Bakr regarding the Prophet’s (s) inheritance for Lady Fatima (s) and that year she was deprived of ‘Ata’.

After killimg ‘Uthman, when Talha and Zubayr went to Mecca and encouraged ‘Ayisha to war with Ali (a), ‘Ayisha too wanted to incite Umm Salama to participate in such a war too but she did not accept it and prohibited ‘Ayisha from that either.

When she was disappointed from stopping ‘Ayisha, informed Imam Ali (a) about the intentions of the Companions of Jamal and sent her son Umar b. Abi Salama to him. Later, Imam Ali (a) appointed this man as the governor of Bahrain, then the governor of Fars, and in another account, as the governor of Halwan, Mah and Masbadhan.

Before traveling to Karbala, Imam Husayn (a) trusted the Prophet’s (s) standard and weapon as the Signs of Imams (a) to her to keep them safe. This shows her special position for the Ahl al-Bayt (a). According to some reports, the Prophet (s) had given a little of the soil of Karbala and she kept it in a glass. The Prophet (s) had told her that, "when you saw that this soil turned to blood, my son Husayn (a) is martyred. One day, she dreamt the Prophet (s) with a sad face and wearing dusty clothes and he (s) told her, "we are coming from the burial of the martyrs." She just woke up and went to that glass and found it bloody and learned that Husayn (a) was martyred. Then, she began crying and mourning and when neighbors came, she told them the story. This story is known as the hadith of Qarura.

== Her Opposition with Mu’awiyah ==

After Imam Hasan (a) accepted peace with Mu’awiyah, Umm Salama advised her nephew, Jabir b. Abd Allah Ansari to accept allegiance with Mu’awiyah in order to keep their lives.

But Jabir would not keep silent and after Mu’awiyah issued an order that speakers had to curse Imam Ali (a) on pulpits in mosques, Jabir wrote a letter to Mu’awiyah and severely admonished him.

It has been reported by her son, Umar that she was 84 years old when she passed away. Her grave is located in Baqi’ cemetery beside the graves of other noble Muslims of the beginning of Islam.

# Hadith Kisa’

# The Prophet’s (s) hadith regarding the events of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a)

When Imam Husayn (a) went out of Medina towards Mecca, he (a) trusted the Signs of Imams (a) to Umm Salama. After Imam al-Sajjad (a) returned from Karbala, Umm Salama gave Imam Ali’s (a) books of knowledge, Signs and possessions of Imams (a) trusted to her to Imam al-Sajjad (a) and this is a good proof of her trustworthiness of Umm Salama before Imams (a).