After the blessed demise of Umm-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyidatuna Khadija-tul-Kubra رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent a marriage proposal to an honourable family of Makkah Mukarramah for their beloved daughter through Sayyidatuna Khawlah Bint-e-Hakeem رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا, the blessed wife of Sayyiduna ‘Usman Bin Maz’oon رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ. Sayyidatuna Khawlah Bint-e-Hakeem رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا said to the daughter’s mother, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has bestowed a blessing upon you.’ The blessed mother humbly asked, ‘Which blessing?’ Upon this, Sayyidatuna Khawlah Bint-e-Hakeem رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا said, ‘The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has sent the marriage proposal for your daughter.’ To which, the fortunate mother, after consulting her blessed husband, agreed to this marriage proposal. So, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم got married to the blessed daughter of that fortunate woman. (Tareekh Tabari, vol. 3, pp. 162; summarised)
The fortunate woman who had accepted the proposal of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for her daughter was ‘Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا’, the blessed wife of the first caliph Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ and the blessed mother of Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا. So she رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا also had the privilege of being the mother-in-law of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.
Introduction
The real name of Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا was Zainab Bint-e-Amir or Zainab Bint-e-‘Abd. She رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا first got married to Haris Bin Sakhbarah. The blessed son ‘Sayyiduna Tufail رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ’ was born to him. Sayyiduna Tufail رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ was the maternal half-brother of Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا as well as he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was the blessed companion of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Due to some reason, these people migrated to Makkah Mukarramah from ‘Sarah’ [سَرَاۃ]. (Derived from: Al-Asabah, vol. 8, pp. 391; Tahzeeb-ul-Kamal, vol. 5, pp. 60)
In the era of ignorance, Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ was the Haleef[1] of Haris Bin Sakhbarah. After the demise of Haris Bin Sakhbarah, Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ got married to Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا and Sayyiduna ‘Abdur Rahman and Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا were born to her. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, pp. 216; summarised)
A glimpse into the biography of Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman
Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا was amongst the blessed Sahabiyyat of the early days of Islam. She رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا was an ascetic and pious woman. She made great sacrifices for the sake of Islam. She رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا had the privilege of migrating along with the family of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; moreover, she رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا was also amongst those blessed women who had the privilege of pledging allegiance to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, pp. 216; summarised)
By dint of being beautiful and possessing excellent habits and traits, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would say, ‘Umm-e-Ruman is like a maiden of Jannah’ (in terms of beauty and good conduct). (Jannati Zaywar, pp. 524; summarised)
Blessed demise
Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا passed away on 6th Zul-Hijja-til-Haraam in Madinah Munawwarah. As per one source, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself descended into the blessed grave of Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, pp. 216)
The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made Du’a of forgiveness for Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Ruman رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا and said while appreciating her sacrifices, ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! You know that Umm-e-Ruman has suffered many troubles in Your and Your Rasool’s path.’ (Al-Asabah, vol. 8, pp. 392)
May Allah Almighty have mercy on her and forgive us for her sake!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
[1] Haleef refers to ‘Maula Mawalaat’ [مولیٰ موالات], in which a deceased person makes a deal with someone in his lifetime that he would be his heir in case he passes away first and that person would be his heir if he passes away first; so, in some cases one receives inheritance if the deceased person does not have heirs.
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