Umm Ayman (Barakah)

Introduction

Umm Ayman, whose name was Barakah, served in the household of the Prophet's parents and cared for him as a child after his mother died. He later freed her and honoured her for the rest of her life.

She was an early Muslim and migrated to Madinah. Her son Usamah ibn Zayd was dear to the Prophet, who used to visit her.

After his death, Abu Bakr and Umar visited her as the Prophet used to, and she wept because the revelation had ceased.

The story

1. Before 570 CE

   Served in the household of the Prophet's parents (per biographical works).

2. After 11 AH

   Visited by Abu Bakr and Umar, as the Prophet had done.

3. 11 AH or later

   Died, with reports differing on the date.

A day in their footsteps

3 small, repeatable practices from Umm Ayman (Barakah)'s life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

1. 1

   Weeping for the loss of revelation

   • The Quran
   • Gratitude

   Asked why she wept after the Prophet's death, she said she knew what Allah had for him was better, but she wept because revelation from heaven had stopped. Abu Bakr and Umar wept with her.

   Try this today

   Value the guidance you have and grieve when it is lost.

   Sit with this

   Do you value the guidance you have as something that could be lost?

   Sources

   … صلى الله عليه وسلم يَزُورُهَا. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَيْهَا بَكَتْ فَقَالاَ لَهَا مَا يُبْكِيكِ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَقَالَتْ مَا أَبْكِي أَنْ لاَ أَكُونَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَكِنْ أَبْكِي أَنَّ الْوَحْىَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ. فَهَيَّجَتْهُمَا عَلَى الْبُكَاءِ فَجَعَلاَ يَبْكِيَانِ …

   “but I weep because the revelation which came from the Heaven has ceased to”

   Grade: Sahih

   • Read on sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
   • Read on HadithUnlocked (opens in a new tab)

   … عليه وسلم ـ لِعُمَرَ انْطَلِقْ بِنَا إِلَى أُمِّ أَيْمَنَ نَزُورُهَا كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَزُورُهَا. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَيْهَا بَكَتْ فَقَالاَ لَهَا: مَا يُبْكِيكِ؟ فَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ. قَالَتْ: إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ وَلَكِنْ أَبْكِي أَنَّ الْوَحْىَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ. قَالَ: …

   “Let us go and visit Umm Ayman as”

   Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

   • Read on sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
   • Read on HadithUnlocked (opens in a new tab)

2. 2

   Making a gift of her own food

   • Family
   • Character

   She made a loaf of bread from the flour of her homeland and offered it to the Prophet, who accepted it and gave practical advice.

   Try this today

   Share a food from your own tradition with those you love.

   Sit with this

   What food from your own tradition could you share with someone you love?

   Source

   أَنَّهَا غَرْبَلَتْ دَقِيقًا فَصَنَعَتْهُ لِلنَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ رَغِيفًا فَقَالَ" مَا هَذَا". قَالَتْ طَعَامٌ نَصْنَعُهُ بِأَرْضِنَا فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَصْنَعَ مِنْهُ لَكَ رَغِيفًا. فَقَالَ" رُدِّيهِ فِيهِ ثُمَّ اعْجِنِيهِ".

   “It is food that we make in our land, and I wanted to make a loaf of it”

   Grade: Hasan Isnaad (al-Albani)

   • Read on sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
   • Read on HadithUnlocked (opens in a new tab)

3. 3

   Grieving without losing faith

   • Patience
   • Gratitude

   When a child of the Prophet's family died, Umm Ayman wept. The Prophet told her his own tears were compassion, and that the believer is well in every condition.

   Try this today

   Grieve honestly and keep praising Allah.

   Sit with this

   Can you grieve honestly and still say alhamdulillah?

   Source

   … أَتَبْكِينَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِنْدَكِ". فَقَالَتْ مَا لِي لاَ أَبْكِي وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَبْكِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" إِنِّي لَسْتُ أَبْكِي وَلَكِنَّهَا رَحْمَةٌ". ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" الْمُؤْمِنُ بِخَيْرٍ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ تُنْزَعُ نَفْسُهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ جَنْبَيْهِ وَهُوَ يَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ …

   “Verily, I am not weeping. Rather it is compassion.'”

   Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

   • Read on sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
   • Read on HadithUnlocked (opens in a new tab)

Sayings and moments

• She said she wept because the revelation from the heaven had ceased to come.

  “but I weep because the revelation which came from the Heaven has ceased to”

  Arabic text

  … صلى الله عليه وسلم يَزُورُهَا. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَيْهَا بَكَتْ فَقَالاَ لَهَا مَا يُبْكِيكِ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَقَالَتْ مَا أَبْكِي أَنْ لاَ أَكُونَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَكِنْ أَبْكِي أَنَّ الْوَحْىَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ. فَهَيَّجَتْهُمَا عَلَى الْبُكَاءِ فَجَعَلاَ يَبْكِيَانِ …

  Sahih Muslim 2454Sahih

  • Read on sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
  • Read on HadithUnlocked (opens in a new tab)

Words on this page

Madinahالمدينة

The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.

The full glossary

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• سودة بنت زمعةSawda bint Zam'ahEarly Muslim and the Prophet's wife after Khadijah, remembered for giving her day to Aisha to please him.
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• أنس بن مالكAnas ibn MalikThe Prophet's young attendant for ten years, who reported his conduct with remarkable patience and detail.