Introduction
Umm Haram bint Milhan was a woman of Banu an-Najjar in Madinah, sister of Umm Sulaym and aunt of the Prophet's servant Anas ibn Malik, and wife of the companion Ubadah ibn as-Samit. Her house was among those the Prophet used to visit, especially when he went to Quba.
She is best known for a conversation recorded in Bukhari and Muslim. She fed the Prophet, he slept at her house and woke up smiling, and told her of a people of his community sailing on the sea like kings on thrones. She asked him to pray that she be among them, and he told her she was among the first.
Years later she sailed with the first Muslim naval expedition to Cyprus, led by Mu'awiyah in the time of Uthman, and fell from her mount after coming ashore and died there.
The story
Madinah period
Hosts the Prophet in her home on his visits to Quba, offering him food.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 2788Sahih Arabic text
أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتِ مِلْحَانَ، فَتُطْعِمُهُ، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَرَامٍ تَحْتَ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ وَجَعَلَتْ تَفْلِي رَأْسَهُ، فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا يُضْحِكُكَ …
“used to visit Umm Haram bint Milhan, who would offer him meals”
Madinah period
Asks the Prophet to pray that she be among those who sail in Allah's cause and is told she is among the first.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 2788Sahih Arabic text
… فَقُلْتُ وَمَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ" نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَىَّ، غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ". كَمَا قَالَ فِي الأَوَّلِ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ. قَالَ" أَنْتِ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ". فَرَكِبَتِ الْبَحْرَ فِي زَمَانِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، فَصُرِعَتْ عَنْ دَابَّتِهَا حِينَ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ، …
“You are amongst the first ones”
c. 28 AH / 649 CE
Travels to Cyprus with the first Muslim naval expedition and dies there.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 2788Sahih Arabic text
… فَقُلْتُ وَمَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ" نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَىَّ، غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ". كَمَا قَالَ فِي الأَوَّلِ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ. قَالَ" أَنْتِ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ". فَرَكِبَتِ الْبَحْرَ فِي زَمَانِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، فَصُرِعَتْ عَنْ دَابَّتِهَا حِينَ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ، …
“she sailed on the sea during the Caliphate of Mu'awiya bin Abi Sufyan”
Sunan Abi Dawud 2491Sahih Arabic text
أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا ذَهَبَ إِلَى قُبَاءٍ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتِ مِلْحَانَ - وَكَانَتْ تَحْتَ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ - فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا يَوْمًا فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ وَجَلَسَتْ تَفْلِي رَأْسَهُ. وَسَاقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ. قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَمَاتَتْ بِنْتُ مِلْحَانَ بِقُبْرُصَ.
“Daughter of Milhan died in Cyprus”
A day in their footsteps
4 small, repeatable practices from Umm Haram bint Milhan's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Hospitality: feeding the Prophet
Whenever the Prophet visited Quba he called at Umm Haram's house, where she offered him a meal and looked after him.
Try this today
Open your table; a simple meal for a guest is a lasting good.
Sit with this
Whom could you feed at your table this week?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 2788Sahih أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتِ مِلْحَانَ، فَتُطْعِمُهُ، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَرَامٍ تَحْتَ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ وَجَعَلَتْ تَفْلِي رَأْسَهُ، فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا يُضْحِكُكَ …
“used to visit Umm Haram bint Milhan, who would offer him meals”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6282Sahih أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا ذَهَبَ إِلَى قُبَاءٍ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتِ مِلْحَانَ فَتُطْعِمُهُ، وَكَانَتْ تَحْتَ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، فَدَخَلَ يَوْمًا فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ، فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ يَضْحَكُ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ مَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ" نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا …
“he used to visit Um Haram bint Milhan who would offer him meals”
Asking Allah for lofty aims
Hearing of a people sailing in Allah's cause, she did not simply admire them; she asked the Prophet to pray that she be one of them, and repeated the request.
Try this today
Ask for the highest good, and for a role in it.
Sit with this
Are your du'as aiming high enough?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 2788Sahih … قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ. فَدَعَا لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ، ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ" نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَىَّ، غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ". كَمَا قَالَ فِي الأَوَّلِ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ادْعُ اللَّهَ …
“Invoke Allah that he makes me one of them”
Praying with the Prophet in her own home
The Prophet once entered Umm Haram's house, and her household prayed behind him; she stood in the women's line behind Anas and the men.
Try this today
Make your home a place of prayer and bring the family together.
Sit with this
How often does your household pray together at home?
Source
Sunan Abi Dawud 608Sahih أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ فَأَتَوْهُ بِسَمْنٍ وَتَمْرٍ فَقَالَ " رُدُّوا هَذَا فِي وِعَائِهِ وَهَذَا فِي سِقَائِهِ فَإِنِّي صَائِمٌ". ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى بِنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ تَطَوُّعًا فَقَامَتْ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ وَأُمُّ حَرَامٍ خَلْفَنَا. قَالَ ثَابِتٌ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُهُ إِلاَّ قَالَ أَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ عَلَى بِسَاطٍ.
“Then Umm Sulaim and Umm Haram stood behind us”
Passing on what she learned
Umm Haram narrated from the Prophet that one who is seasick on a stormy sea gets a martyr's reward, and the drowned the reward of two martyrs.
Try this today
Share beneficial knowledge you have heard, even if brief.
Sit with this
What beneficial thing have you heard that you could pass on today?
Source
Sunan Abi Dawud 2493Hasan أَنَّهُ قَالَ " الْمَائِدُ فِي الْبَحْرِ الَّذِي يُصِيبُهُ الْقَىْءُ لَهُ أَجْرُ شَهِيدٍ وَالْغَرِقُ لَهُ أَجْرُ شَهِيدَيْنِ".
“He who becomes sick on a stormy sea and vomits will have the reward of a martyr”
Virtues
The Prophet told her she was among the first of the community who would fight at sea.
“You are amongst the first ones”
Arabic text
… فَقُلْتُ وَمَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ" نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَىَّ، غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ". كَمَا قَالَ فِي الأَوَّلِ. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ. قَالَ" أَنْتِ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ". فَرَكِبَتِ الْبَحْرَ فِي زَمَانِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، فَصُرِعَتْ عَنْ دَابَّتِهَا حِينَ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ، …
Sahih al-Bukhari 2788Sahih
Her household was blessed by the Prophet's prayers, including a supplication for Anas for wealth and children.
“He then blessed us, the members of the household with every good of this world and of the Hereafter”
Arabic text
… بِنَا. فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِثَابِتٍ أَيْنَ جَعَلَ أَنَسًا مِنْهُ قَالَ جَعَلَهُ عَلَى يَمِينِهِ. ثُمَّ دَعَا لَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ بِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ مِنْ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ فَقَالَتْ أُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ خُوَيْدِمُكَ ادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُ. قَالَ فَدَعَا لِي بِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَكَانَ فِي آخِرِ مَا دَعَا لِي بِهِ أَنْ قَالَ" اللَّهُمَّ أَكْثِرْ مَالَهُ وَوَلَدَهُ وَبَارِكْ لَهُ …
Sahih Muslim 660Sahih
Words on this page
- Ansarالأنصار
- "The Helpers": the Muslims of Madinah, from the Aws and Khazraj tribes, who welcomed and sheltered the Prophet ﷺ and the emigrants from Makkah.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Halal and haramحلال وحرام
- What is permitted (halal) and what is forbidden (haram) in Islamic law.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Related companions
- أنس بن مالكAnas ibn MalikThe Prophet's young attendant for ten years, who reported his conduct with remarkable patience and detail.
- أم سليم بنت ملحانUmm Sulaym bint MilhanUmm Sulaym bint Milhan, early Ansari convert and mother of Anas: patient, generous, brave and clear in asking…
- عبادة بن الصامتUbadah ibn al-SamitA leader of the Ansar at Aqabah and Badr who taught Quran and fiqh, and later served as a judge in the Levant.
Sources and review
- Umm Haram - Wikipedia (family and death in Cyprus) (opens in a new tab)
- Hadith texts via the open Hadith API mirroring sunnah.com numbering (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.