Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

سودة بنت زمعة

رضي الله عنها

Sawda bint Zam'ah

Sawda bint Zam'ah ibn Qays al-Amiriyyah al-Qurashiyyah

Early Muslim and the Prophet's wife after Khadijah, remembered for giving her day to Aisha to please him.

  • Mother of the Believers
A day in her footsteps
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Amir ibn Luayy)
  • BornUnknown, Makkah
  • DiedDisputed: c. 54 AH / c. 674 CE (Bukhari places it in Muawiya's caliphate) or 22 AH / c. 644 CE, Madinah
  • Resting placeAl-Baqi cemetery, Madinah
  • Counted amongMothers of the Believers, Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajirun

Introduction

Sawda was among the earliest Muslim women. According to biographical works, she and her husband al-Sakran ibn Amr emigrated to Abyssinia to escape persecution.

The Prophet married her in the period after Khadijah's death, and she was among the wives who accompanied him on Hajj.

Later she gave her allotted day to Aisha to please the Prophet and keep the household at peace. Bukhari places her death in the caliphate of Muawiya, while other sources give an earlier date.

The story

  1. Before 619 CE

    Accepted Islam and emigrated to Abyssinia with her husband (per biographical works).

  2. c. 619-620 CE

    Married the Prophet after Khadijah's death.

  3. During the Prophet's life

    Performed Hajj with the Prophet's household.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 1681Sahih
    Arabic text

    قَالَتْ نَزَلْنَا الْمُزْدَلِفَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَوْدَةُ أَنْ تَدْفَعَ قَبْلَ حَطْمَةِ النَّاسِ، وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَةً بَطِيئَةً، فَأَذِنَ لَهَا، فَدَفَعَتْ قَبْلَ حَطْمَةِ النَّاسِ، وَأَقَمْنَا حَتَّى أَصْبَحْنَا نَحْنُ، ثُمَّ دَفَعْنَا بِدَفْعِهِ، فَلأَنْ أَكُونَ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَمَا اسْتَأْذَنَتْ سَوْدَةُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ …

    “Sauda asked the permission of the Prophet (ﷺ) to leave (early) before the rush of the”

    Grade: Sahih

  4. c. 54 AH or 22 AH

    Died in Madinah. Bukhari notes she died later, in the caliphate of Muawiya; other sources give 22 AH.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 1420Sahih
    Arabic text

    أَنَّ بَعْضَ، أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْنَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَيُّنَا أَسْرَعُ بِكَ لُحُوقًا قَالَ " أَطْوَلُكُنَّ يَدًا". فَأَخَذُوا قَصَبَةً يَذْرَعُونَهَا، فَكَانَتْ سَوْدَةُ أَطْوَلَهُنَّ يَدًا، فَعَلِمْنَا بَعْدُ أَنَّمَا كَانَتْ طُولَ يَدِهَا الصَّدَقَةُ، وَكَانَتْ أَسْرَعَنَا لُحُوقًا بِهِ وَكَانَتْ تُحِبُّ الصَّدَقَةَ.

    “(Sauda died later in the caliphate of Muawiya)”

    Grade: Sahih

A day in their footsteps

3 small, repeatable practices from Sawda bint Zam'ah's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Giving up her own turn for the sake of harmony

    Sawda gave her day and night to Aisha, to please the Prophet. The Prophet kept her as his wife and Aisha received both days.

    Try this today

    Give up a personal right when it keeps the home calm.

    Sit with this

    Is there a personal right you could give up to keep the peace at home?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 2688Sahih

    … كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، وَكَانَ يَقْسِمُ لِكُلِّ امْرَأَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ يَوْمَهَا وَلَيْلَتَهَا، غَيْرَ أَنَّ سَوْدَةَ بِنْتَ زَمْعَةَ وَهَبَتْ يَوْمَهَا وَلَيْلَتَهَا لِعَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، تَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ رِضَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه …

    “Sauda bint Zam`a gave her day and night to `Aisha, the wife of the”

    Grade: Sahih

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5212Sahih

    أَنَّ سَوْدَةَ بِنْتَ زَمْعَةَ، وَهَبَتْ، يَوْمَهَا لِعَائِشَةَ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْسِمُ لِعَائِشَةَ بِيَوْمِهَا وَيَوْمِ سَوْدَةَ.

    “Sauda bint Zam`a gave up her turn to me (`Aisha),”

    Grade: Sahih

  2. Taking a concern straight to the Prophet

    After Umar remarked that she could be recognised when she went out at night, Sawda went to the Prophet and told him. Revelation came, and he told her women were allowed to go out for their needs.

    Try this today

    Bring your worry to the right person at once and trust the answer.

    Sit with this

    What worry could you bring straight to the right person today?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4795Sahih

    … فَانْكَفَأَتْ رَاجِعَةً، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَيْتِي، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَتَعَشَّى. وَفِي يَدِهِ عَرْقٌ فَدَخَلَتْ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي خَرَجْتُ لِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِي فَقَالَ لِي عُمَرُ كَذَا وَكَذَا. قَالَتْ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رُفِعَ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّ الْعَرْقَ فِي يَدِهِ مَا وَضَعَهُ فَقَالَ " إِنَّهُ قَدْ أُذِنَ لَكُنَّ أَنْ تَخْرُجْنَ …

    “You (women) have been allowed to go out for your needs”

    Grade: Sahih

  3. Asking permission and using the concession

    At Muzdalifah she asked the Prophet's leave to depart early because of her heavy build and slow pace. He gave it, and Aisha said she wished she had asked too.

    Try this today

    Use a religious concession when you truly need it, and ask first.

    Sit with this

    Is there a concession you need but have not asked about?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1681Sahih

    قَالَتْ نَزَلْنَا الْمُزْدَلِفَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَوْدَةُ أَنْ تَدْفَعَ قَبْلَ حَطْمَةِ النَّاسِ، وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَةً بَطِيئَةً، فَأَذِنَ لَهَا، فَدَفَعَتْ قَبْلَ حَطْمَةِ النَّاسِ، وَأَقَمْنَا حَتَّى أَصْبَحْنَا نَحْنُ، ثُمَّ دَفَعْنَا بِدَفْعِهِ، فَلأَنْ أَكُونَ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَمَا اسْتَأْذَنَتْ سَوْدَةُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ …

    “Sauda asked the permission of the Prophet (ﷺ) to leave (early) before the rush of the people. She was a slow woman and he”

    Grade: Sahih

Virtues

  • Her gift of her day to Aisha is recorded as done to please the Prophet.

    “in order to seek the pleasure of Allah's Messenger”

    Arabic text

    … كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَرًا أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ نِسَائِهِ، فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ خَرَجَ سَهْمُهَا خَرَجَ بِهَا مَعَهُ، وَكَانَ يَقْسِمُ لِكُلِّ امْرَأَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ يَوْمَهَا وَلَيْلَتَهَا، غَيْرَ أَنَّ سَوْدَةَ بِنْتَ زَمْعَةَ وَهَبَتْ يَوْمَهَا وَلَيْلَتَهَا، لِعَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ رِضَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 2593Sahih

Words on this page

Hajjالحج
The pilgrimage to Makkah in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, required once in a lifetime of every adult Muslim who is able.
Madinahالمدينة
The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Muzdalifahمزدلفة
An open area between Arafah and Mina where pilgrims spend the night after the day of Arafah.

The full glossary

Sources and review

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.

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