Hazrat Umm Hiram Bint Milhan | سیرت حضرت ام حرام بنت ملحان رضی اللہ عنہا

Hazrat Umm Hiram bint Milhan

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once said:

'From among my Ummah (followers) an army will sail on the sea as a king sits on his throne.'

Umm Hiram asked him if she would be one among them. He answered that she would be one of the foremost among them.

Umm Hiram came from a noble family. Her sister was the mother of Anas bin Malik. Her two brothers, Hiram bin Milhan and Salim bin Milhan, took part in the Battles of Badr and Uhud. She was also related by marriage to Abu Talhah, another distinguished Companion. Her husband was 'Amr bin Quays bin Zayd, and her son was Quays bin 'Amr bin Quays - these were two eminent Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who were martyred at the Battle of Badr. After her husband's death she married 'Ubadah bin Samit, a distinguished General of the Muslim army. She had a son by this marriage, Muhammad bin 'Ubadah bin Samit.

Generosity, benevolence and the spirit of sacrifice were an innate part of this noble lady's nature. Her ambition was to be martyred in the cause of Islam, and in pursuit of this consuming desire she left no stone unturned. She lived on the outskirts of Al-Madinah, in the small town of Quba.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated to Al-Madinah, he stopped at Quba to rest before proceeding. She was the first among the Ansar woman to not only accept Islam, but also announce it; and she did so before the migration of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Umm Hiram was a very wise and balanced person, God fearing just and pious. She held a very high position among the women of the Ansar. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would often visit her house and rest there if he was tired. Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped at her place she felt grateful for his presence and she considered serving him to be the greatest of honours.

Anas bin Malik narrated that once he was at his house when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came there. His mother and her sister were also there. He (the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him) bestowed upon them a beautiful gift when he told them to rise and he would lead them in a special prayer; it was not the time for one of the obligatory prayers. After prayers he made a supplication to Allah to bless the family both in this world and the Hereafter.

Her husband 'Ubadah bin Samit was a member of all the three delegations which had the honour of going to Makkah before the migration to personally pledge allegiance to Allah and His Messenger. He was an exemplary husband and father. He was a loving father to 'Abdullah bin 'Amr who had been born to Umm Hiram by her first husband. The same love and care he gave to his own children he gave to his wife's children of the previous marriage. Muhammad bin 'Ubadah was a member of the congregation when the Ayah to change the direction (Qiblah) for prayers to the Ka'bah from Masjid- al-Aqsa was revealed. Thus he had the privilege of facing both the 'Qiblahs' in this one prayer.

Traditions attributed to Umm Hiram have been quoted by such noteworthy Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as 'Ubadah bin Samit, Anas bin Malik, 'Umair bin Aswad, 'Ata bin Yasir and Ya'la bin Shaddad bin Aws. The feelings of love respect and reverence for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), almost reached a peak of perfection in the heart of Umm Hiram. Whenever he visited either her house or the house of her sister Umm Sulaim, their happiness knew no bounds. She would prepare special delicacies for him and arrange a comfortable bed for him to rest. The atmosphere was such that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), too would feel a real sense of peace and joy when he called on her. When he was asked if there was a special reason why he visited her house so often, he replied that he felt a great sense of pity for the family ever since he saw two of her brothers being martyred in the battle of Bi'r Ma'unah, since then, he said that he visited her to see to her needs and to comfort her.