Introduction
Maymunah bint al-Harith belonged to the Banu Hilal and was the maternal aunt of Abdullah ibn Abbas and Khalid ibn al-Walid. The Prophet (peace be upon him) married her on the Umrah of the year after Hudaybiyyah, at Sarif near Makkah. She related that the Prophet married her when he was not in ihram, which scholars cite in settling the question.
Because her house was open to her relatives, Ibn Abbas spent a night there and watched the Prophet's tahajjud, and that account became a main source for how the Prophet prayed at night. She herself narrated how the Prophet performed ghusl, which she prepared for him.
She freed a slave-girl, gave in charity, and kept ties with her family. She died at Sarif, in the same place she had married, and her companions buried her at the site of the tent.
The story
7 AH
Married the Prophet at Sarif after the Umrah of al-Qada, as her sister's son Yazid reports from her.
Read the wording
Sahih Muslim 1411Sahih Arabic text
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهُوَ حَلاَلٌ قَالَ وَكَانَتْ خَالَتِي وَخَالَةَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ.
“Maimuna daughter of al-Harith narrated to me that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married her and he was not in the state of Ihram”
7-11 AH
Lived as his wife; her house hosted Ibn Abbas on the night he watched the Prophet pray.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 117Sahih Arabic text
قَالَ بِتُّ فِي بَيْتِ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِنْدَهَا فِي لَيْلَتِهَا، فَصَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْعِشَاءَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ نَامَ، ثُمَّ قَامَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ " نَامَ الْغُلَيِّمُ". أَوْ كَلِمَةً تُشْبِهُهَا، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ …
“I stayed overnight in the house of my aunt Maimuna bint Al-Harith”
Later in life
Died at Sarif and was buried where the marriage took place.
Read the wording
Jami at-Tirmidhi 845Sahih Arabic text
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهُوَ حَلاَلٌ وَبَنَى بِهَا حَلاَلاً وَمَاتَتْ بِسَرِفَ وَدَفَنَّاهَا فِي الظُّلَّةِ الَّتِي بَنَى بِهَا فِيهَا. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ. وَرَوَى غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ مُرْسَلاً أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزَوَّجَ مَيْمُونَةَ وَهُوَ حَلاَلٌ.
“She died in Sarif, and we buried her at the (site of the) tent”
A day in their footsteps
7 small, repeatable practices from Maymunah bint al-Harith's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Preparing water for the Prophet's ghusl
Maymunah set out water and a screen for the Prophet when he washed after janabah. She then described the whole procedure step by step, so that Muslims learned the exact way of ghusl from her.
Try this today
Learn the sunnah ghusl and teach it to your household.
Sit with this
Does your household know how to do ghusl as the Prophet ﷺ did?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 257Sahih قَالَ قَالَتْ مَيْمُونَةُ وَضَعْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَاءً لِلْغُسْلِ، فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا، ثُمَّ أَفْرَغَ عَلَى شِمَالِهِ فَغَسَلَ مَذَاكِيرَهُ، ثُمَّ مَسَحَ يَدَهُ بِالأَرْضِ، ثُمَّ مَضْمَضَ وَاسْتَنْشَقَ وَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ أَفَاضَ عَلَى جَسَدِهِ، ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلَ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ فَغَسَلَ قَدَمَيْهِ.
“I placed water for the bath of the Prophet”
Sahih al-Bukhari 276Sahih قَالَ قَالَتْ مَيْمُونَةُ وَضَعْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم غُسْلاً، فَسَتَرْتُهُ بِثَوْبٍ، وَصَبَّ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ فَغَسَلَهُمَا، ثُمَّ صَبَّ بِيَمِينِهِ عَلَى شِمَالِهِ، فَغَسَلَ فَرْجَهُ، فَضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ الأَرْضَ فَمَسَحَهَا، ثُمَّ غَسَلَهَا فَمَضْمَضَ، وَاسْتَنْشَقَ، وَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَذِرَاعَيْهِ، ثُمَّ صَبَّ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، وَأَفَاضَ عَلَى جَسَدِهِ، ثُمَّ تَنَحَّى فَغَسَلَ …
“I placed water for the bath of the Prophet (ﷺ) and screened him with a garment”
Opening the home to family for worship
Her nephew Ibn Abbas stayed with her on a night when the Prophet prayed tahajjud there. He saw the Prophet pray and reported it. Her open house let the next generation see worship, not just hear of it.
Try this today
Host family members so the young can watch worship practised.
Sit with this
Could your home be a place where the young see worship practised?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 117Sahih قَالَ بِتُّ فِي بَيْتِ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِنْدَهَا فِي لَيْلَتِهَا، فَصَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْعِشَاءَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ نَامَ، ثُمَّ قَامَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ " نَامَ الْغُلَيِّمُ". أَوْ كَلِمَةً تُشْبِهُهَا، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ …
“I stayed overnight in the house of my aunt Maimuna bint Al-Harith”
Freeing a slave
Maymunah freed her slave-girl and told the Prophet when her turn with him came. He told her she would have gained more reward by giving the girl to her maternal uncles, which kept family ties while still being generous. She took the advice.
Try this today
If you give, give with an eye to relatives who need it most.
Sit with this
Which relative in need should come first in your giving?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 2592Sahih أَنَّ مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتَ الْحَارِثِ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا، أَعْتَقَتْ وَلِيدَةً وَلَمْ تَسْتَأْذِنِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُهَا الَّذِي يَدُورُ عَلَيْهَا فِيهِ قَالَتْ أَشَعَرْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنِّي أَعْتَقْتُ وَلِيدَتِي قَالَ" أَوَفَعَلْتِ". قَالَتْ نَعَمْ. قَالَ" أَمَا إِنَّكِ لَوْ أَعْطَيْتِيهَا أَخْوَالَكِ كَانَ أَعْظَمَ لأَجْرِكِ". …
“Maimuna bint Al-Harith told him that she manumitted a slave-girl”
Giving sadaqah
A sheep given in charity to Maymunah's freed slave-girl died, and the Prophet taught that its hide could be used because only eating the meat was forbidden. It shows that Maymunah's household gave to the poor as a routine.
Try this today
Give sadaqah to the household help or the poor around you and teach them how to use it well.
Sit with this
Who around you could you give to, and help to use it well?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 1492Sahih قَالَ وَجَدَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَاةً مَيِّتَةً أُعْطِيَتْهَا مَوْلاَةٌ لِمَيْمُونَةَ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" هَلاَّ انْتَفَعْتُمْ بِجِلْدِهَا". قَالُوا إِنَّهَا مَيْتَةٌ. قَالَ" إِنَّمَا حَرُمَ أَكْلُهَا".
“The Prophet (ﷺ) saw a dead sheep which had been given in charity to a freed slave-girl of Maimuna”
Removing doubt with a small act
On the day of Arafah some people wondered whether the Prophet was fasting. Maymunah sent a cup of milk to him, and he drank in front of the people. She ended the confusion in the quietest way.
Try this today
Solve a confusing situation with a simple, practical action.
Sit with this
What confusion could you clear up with one simple, practical act?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 1989Sahih أَنَّ النَّاسَ، شَكُّوا فِي صِيَامِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ، فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ بِحِلاَبٍ وَهْوَ وَاقِفٌ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ، فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ، وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ.
“I sent milk while he was standing at `Arafat, he drank it and the people were looking at him”
Sahih Muslim 1124Sahih … أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ، الأَشَجِّ عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ - رضى الله عنهما - عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ إِنَّ النَّاسَ شَكُّوا فِي صِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ مَيْمُونَةُ بِحِلاَبِ اللَّبَنِ وَهُوَ وَاقِفٌ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ …
“Maimuna sent him a cup of milk”
Staying close to the masjid in menses
Maymunah sat on a mat at the edge of the Prophet's prayer space during her menses and did not pray. The Prophet prayed on his own sheet, and she stayed near him. She never separated herself from the place of worship.
Try this today
Even when you cannot pray, stay near worship: listen, make dhikr and dua.
Sit with this
On the days you cannot pray, how do you stay close to worship?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 333Sahih قَالَ سَمِعْتُ خَالَتِي، مَيْمُونَةَ ـ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَكُونُ حَائِضًا لاَ تُصَلِّي، وَهْىَ مُفْتَرِشَةٌ بِحِذَاءِ مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يُصَلِّي عَلَى خُمْرَتِهِ، إِذَا سَجَدَ أَصَابَنِي بَعْضُ ثَوْبِهِ.
“During my menses, I never prayed, but used to sit on the mat beside the mosque of Allah's Messenger”
Telling the truth about her own marriage
Her nephew reports that she told him the Prophet married her while not in ihram. She spoke plainly about a matter that could have been disputed and cleared up the confusion for later generations.
Try this today
Report accurately what you know first-hand.
Sit with this
Do you report what you know first-hand plainly, even when it is disputed?
Source
Sahih Muslim 1411Sahih أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهُوَ حَلاَلٌ قَالَ وَكَانَتْ خَالَتِي وَخَالَةَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ.
“Maimuna daughter of al-Harith narrated to me that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married her and he was not in the state of Ihram”
Virtues
She was a Mother of the Believers.
“his wives are (as) their mothers”
Arabic text
ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مَسْطُورًا
Quran 33:6Quran
Her house was where Ibn Abbas learned the details of the Prophet's night prayer.
“Once I passed the night in the house of my aunt Maimuna”
Arabic text
قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ بِتُّ فِي بَيْتِ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْعِشَاءَ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ ثُمَّ نَامَ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَجِئْتُ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، فَجَعَلَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، فَصَلَّى خَمْسَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى سَمِعْتُ غَطِيطَهُ ـ …
Sahih al-Bukhari 697Sahih
Sayings and moments
She told the Prophet that she had freed her slave-girl.
“she manumitted a slave-girl without taking the permission of the Prophet”
Arabic text
… رضى الله عنها ـ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا، أَعْتَقَتْ وَلِيدَةً وَلَمْ تَسْتَأْذِنِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُهَا الَّذِي يَدُورُ عَلَيْهَا فِيهِ قَالَتْ أَشَعَرْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنِّي أَعْتَقْتُ وَلِيدَتِي قَالَ" أَوَفَعَلْتِ". قَالَتْ نَعَمْ. قَالَ" أَمَا إِنَّكِ لَوْ أَعْطَيْتِيهَا أَخْوَالَكِ كَانَ أَعْظَمَ لأَجْرِكِ". وَقَالَ بَكْرُ بْنُ مُضَرَ عَنْ عَمْرٍو …
Sahih al-Bukhari 2592Sahih
Her own statement on how the Prophet married her.
“Maimuna daughter of al-Harith narrated to me”
Arabic text
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهُوَ حَلاَلٌ قَالَ وَكَانَتْ خَالَتِي وَخَالَةَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ.
Sahih Muslim 1411Sahih
Words on this page
- Arafahعرفة
- The plain outside Makkah where pilgrims stand on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah; also the name of that day, on which those not on Hajj are encouraged to fast.
- Dhikrذكر
- Remembrance of Allah, especially by repeating short phrases of praise and glorification.
- Du'aدعاء
- Supplication: calling on Allah and asking Him, in any language and at any time.
- Ghuslغسل
- A full ritual bath, washing the whole body, required in certain states and recommended before Friday prayer.
- Ihramإحرام
- The sacred state a pilgrim enters for Hajj or Umrah, with its own dress and restrictions.
- Makkahمكة
- The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
- Sadaqahصدقة
- Voluntary charity, of any size, given for the sake of Allah.
- Sunnahالسنة
- The way of the Prophet ﷺ: his words, actions and approvals. Also used for a recommended act.
- Tahajjudتهجد
- Voluntary prayer at night after waking from sleep, especially in the last third of the night.
- Umrahعمرة
- The lesser pilgrimage to Makkah, which can be performed at any time of year.
Related companions
- عبد الله بن عباسAbdullah ibn AbbasThe Prophet's young cousin for whom he prayed for understanding of the Book; the great early interpreter of t…
- خالد بن الوليدKhalid ibn al-WalidBrilliant Qurashi cavalry commander who accepted Islam before the conquest of Makkah and was called a sword a…
- أسماء بنت عميسAsma bint UmaysAsma bint Umays, who migrated twice, to Abyssinia and Madinah, and was the wife of Ja'far, Abu Bakr and Ali…
- أم سلمةUmm SalamahUmm Salamah (Hind bint Abi Umayyah), an early emigrant to Abyssinia and Madinah, then Mother of the Believers…
- زينب بنت خزيمةZaynab bint KhuzaymahZaynab bint Khuzaymah, known as Umm al-Masakin for her care of the poor, a Mother of the Believers who died o…
Sources and review
- Sunnah.com hadith collections (text confirmed via hadith-api mirror) (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia: Maymunah bint al-Harith (dates and biography) (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.