It's #MothersDay so thought of a thread to remember the beloved lady the Messenger of God (pbuh) fondly called "Mother".

This precious lady was about 13 when the Prophet (pbuh) was born and throughout his life was a loyal mother figure to him. She lived go be 100 years of age finally passing away during the Khilafah of Uthman (rali).

She was the only person in the room while Amina bint Wahab, the actual mother, was giving birth to the Prophet (pbuh), and was the first person to hold him, before handing him to his mother. She cleaned him and told her there was a light around him.

Later, she was one of the women who nursed (breast fed) him. Amina and Halima did also. Halima nursed him later on when he was sent out to the open desert, as was the ritual at the time.

Again only she and the six year old Prophet (pbuh) were present when Amina died. When Amina realized that her fatal sickness was getting worse, she whispered to this woman to console and take care of her son and to treat him like her own son. That was her mission her entire life.

Who was this beautiful loyal woman?

She was none other than Baraka Bint Thalaba (rali) also known by her kunya Um Ayman. She was born 13 years before the Prophet (pbuh) around 557 CE.

She was a black slave from Abyssinia who was purchased in the market by Abdullah ibn Abdul Mutallib, the father of the Prophet (pbuh) during the time of Jahiliya - just before or after he married Aminah. She was the only slave brought into the household and lived with his parents

Soon after marriage, Abdullah set out on a trade journey to Syria in the summer, before he & Amina knew she was pregnant. Amina told Baraka about a dream she had that she saw a light coming from her stomach, lighting up the hills and the valleys of Mecca, all the way to Syria.

Baraka interpreted the dream to mean that she is carrying a blessed child with good news.

Amina sent Baraka out to find out if Abdullah’s caravan had returned from the journey. Time after time, she came back with no news for Amina. The last time she went, she was told that everyone from that caravan had returned except Abdullah.

She was the person who had to tell Amina that her husband had passed away, while she was still pregnant. She consoled her and stayed by her side throughout her entire pregnancy and up until her death.

The Prophet (pbuh) had inherited her but had freed her as an adult. As a free woman she lived her entire life close to the Prophet (pbuh) and chose to serve him as much as she could.

He introduced her to Khadija (rali), his wife, as “she is my mother after my mother”. She lived in their blessed household.

Baraka had never gotten married because she was always focused on taking care of the Prophet (pbuh) instead. After the Prophet (pbuh) and Khadija married, they both
encouraged her to get married as well. She refused at first saying to him (pbuh) “no, never, I’m staying with you”

He replied “you have donated your youth, now it’s time to have your own life"

She finally agreed to get married but said about the Prophet (pbuh) ”I have never left him and he will never leave me”.

Khadija introduced her to her husband, Obaid ibn Zayd, from the Khazraj tribe in Yathrib/ Medina. They were married before Islam. Baraka gave birth to Ayman, who would later die a martyr. Her husband, Obaid died before Islam. Baraka and Ayman moved in with the Prophet and Khadija

When the Prophet (pbuh) received the revelation the first time, he went first to Khadija, then to Baraka. Baraka was the second woman to believe in him (after Khadija) and she did so immediately

The Prophet (pbuh) told the sahaba that whoever wants to marry a woman from Paradise, should marry Umm Ayman. Even though she was from unknown lineage, not wealthy, from Abyssinia,old and a widow. This shows how the Prophet (pbuh) elevated her status, regardless!

Zayd ibn Haritha, who was not previously married and 20 years younger immediately volunteered to marry her after hearing what the Prophet (pbuh) said.

He was also from Abyssinia, bought in the same market, and freed by the Prophet (pbuh).

Inspite of her old age, she was able to give birth to her second son, Usamah ibn Zayd, who would eventually be martyred too as would her husband.

She was tested with the death of many of her loved ones around her but she never once complained of her anguish.

When Hijra time came, she joined it, even though it was difficult at her age, which was now over 70 years old

She was extremely thirsty, almost dying of dehydration, but she told a story thatwhen the sun set, she saw a bucket coming down from the heavens at her head and there was a rope that was holding it and she said ,”wallahi I could not see the top of that rope”.

She said she took the bucket and drank from it, and some was left in it after she satisfied her thirst, so she dumped it over her head and body. She said she never experienced thirst after that incident, even when she was fasting or doing tawaf on very hot days.

When the Prophet (pbuh) saw her upon her arrival in Medina, with her swollen feet and dusty fingers, he said to her “ya Ummi (Oh my Mother), indeed for you is a place in Paradise”

She witnessed every battle of the Prophet (pbuh) and she used to follow him and watch him intently. Anas (rali) says that she would go around the battlefield and she would
keep her eyes on the Prophet (pbuh) like a mother.

>> contd

At the end of battles, she cared for the injured, sometimes using her own clothing as bandaging. She fetched water for the soldiers and sometimes cried out

During the Battle of Uhud, as others fled, she grabbed a sword and swung it around the Prophet (pbuh) to protect and defend him while he was injured.

Her entire life was dedicated to taking care of him. When the Prophet (pbuh ) would say “ This is the entirety of what’s left of my family.” He called her mother,
“Ya Ummi”. He introduced her as “Ummi ba’d Ummi”, my mother after my mother

The Prophet (pbuh) visited her every day. When he asked her “O my mother, how are you”, she replied, “As long as Islam is good, I am good”, showing him her dedication
to his cause. She never complained

She was very motherly towards him always, making sure he ate well, and was known to be the one who could make him laugh more than anyone else. Her Abyssinian accent when speaking Arabic was behind many of the humorous moments they shared.

She couldn't pronounce "assalamu alaikum" properly so the prophet (pbuh) told her that "Salam" was enough.

When the Prophet’s (pbuh) child died in his arms, Umm Ayman saw him crying, she wept as well. He asked her why she was crying, and she said “O Rasulullah, I’m crying because you’re crying”. He said he wasn’t weeping out
of displeasure of Allah but out of mercy and compassion.

When the Prophet (pbuh) passed away, she went completely silent and wouldn’t talk to anyone
She watched the funeral from far as the person who was there before anyone knew about him, now with over 100,000 praying his funeral.

Abu Bakr and Umar (rali) visited her . During one of these visits, she started to cry, they assumed she was crying because she missed the Prophet (pbuh).

However, when asked, she said, “I know that what Allah has given to the Rasullah is better that what he had here, but I’m crying because the revelation has ceased to come from the Heavens”. They all cried together at that thought

She died about 20 days after the assassination of Umar (rali). She was buried in the Baqi’ graveyard right next to the masjid of the Prophet. When they buried her, they made sure that they buried her directly aligned to the grave of the Prophet ,adjacent to him, facing the qibla

Her place in history for being with the Prophet (pbuh) during his entire lifetime is unquestionable.

The Prophet (pbuh) honored her regardless of her ethnicity, tribe, family status, skin color, gender

Her love for the Messenger (pbuh) and Islam was greater than any other hardship in her life and she never complained. Her commitment to Islam made her life purposeful. //

To listen to her story again watch this: