Radio Islam Newsletter

Umme Habibah Ramlah Bint Abi Sufyan Radiyallahu Anhaa

The incidents leading to her marriage with Nabi Sallallahu alaihi Wa Sallam

Abu Sufyan ibn Harb could not conceive of anyone among the Quraysh who would dare challenge his authority or go against his orders. He was after all, the chief of Makkah who had to be obeyed and followed. His daughter, Ramlah, known as Umm Habibah, however dared to challenge his authority when she rejected the deities of the Quraysh and their idolatrous ways. Together with her husband, Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh, she put her faith in Allah alone and accepted the message of His prophet, Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi Wa Sallam.

Abu Sufyan tried with all the power and force at his disposal to bring back his daughter and her husband to his religion and the religion of their forefathers. But he did not succeed. Abu Sufyan remained deeply worried and concerned by his daughter's acceptance of Islam. He did not know how to face the Quraysh after she had gone against his will and he was clearly powerless to prevent her from following Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihiu Wa Sallam.

When the Quraysh realized though that Abu Sufyan himself was enraged by Ramlah and her husband, they were emboldened to treat them harshly. They unleashed the full fury of their persecution against them to such a degree that life in Makkah became unbearable. In the fifth year of his mission, the Prophet, peace be on him, gave permission to the Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia. Ramlah, her little daughter Habibah, and her husband were among those who left.

Abu Sufyan and the Quraysh leaders found it difficult to accept that a group of Muslims had slipped out of their net of persecution and was enjoying the freedom to hold their beliefs and practice their religion in the land of Negus (The king of Abyssinia). They therefore send messengers to Negus to seek their extradition. The messengers tried to poison the mind of Negus against the Muslims but after examining the Muslims beliefs and listening to the Quran being recited, Negus concluded: "What has been revealed to your Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and what Jesus the son of Mary preached came from the same source."

Negus himself announced his faith in the one true Allah and his acceptance of the prophethood of Muhammad, peace be on him. He also announced his determination to protect the Muslim muhajirin (Those Muslims that came to Abyysinia). After some time, Umme Habibah Radiyallahu anhaa was to be put through a test of the most severe and harrowing kind.

One night, it is related, as Umm Habibah was asleep she had a vision in which she saw her husband in the midst of a fathomless ocean covered by wave upon wave of darkness. He was in a most perilous situation. She woke up, frightened. But she did not wish to tell her husband or anyone else what she had seen.

The day after that ominous night was not yet through when Ubaydallah ibn Jahsh announced his rejection of Islam and his acceptance of Christianity. What a terrible blow! Ramlah's sense of peace was shattered. Umme Habibah had three options before her. She could either remain with her husband and accept his call to become a Christian. Or, she could return to her father's house in Makkah - but she knew he remained a citadel of shirk and she would be forced to live under him, subdued and suppressing her faith. Or, she could stay alone in the land of Negus as a displaced fugitive - without country, without family and without a supporter. She made up her mind to stay in Abyssinia until such time as Allah granted her relief. She divorced her husband who lived only a short while after becoming a Christian. He got involved with alcohol, the "mother of evils". This undoubtedly helped to destroy him.

Umm Habibah stayed in Abyssinia for about ten years. Towards the end of this time, relief and happiness came. It came from an unexpected quarter. One morning bright and early, there was a loud knocking on her door. It was Abrahah, the special maidservant of Negus. Abrahah was beaming with joy as she greeted Umme Habibah and said: " Negus sends his greetings and says to you that Muhammad(Sallallahu alaihi Wa Sallam), the Messenger of Allah, wants to marry you. If you agree, you are to appoint a wakil to act on your behalf."

Umm Habibah was in the clouds with happiness. She shouted to herself: "Allah has given you glad tidings. Allah has given you glad tidings." She took off her jewelry- her necklace, rings and bracelets - and gave them to Abrahah. She appointed Khalid ibn Said to act as wakil on her behalf for he was the closest person to her." In the palace of Negus, set in the midst of beautiful gardens, the group of Muslims living in Abyssinia gathered to witness the conclusion of the marriage contract between Umm Habibah and Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi Wa Sallam. When the marriage was finalized, Negus addressed the gathering: "I praise Allah, the Holy, and I declare that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Servant and His Messenger and that He gave the good tidings to Jesus the son of Mary. The Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, has requested me to conclude the marriage contract between him and Umm Habibah the daughter of Abu Sufyan. I agreed to do what he requested and on his behalf I give her a mahr or dowry of four hundred gold dinars."

After the Nikah, the Sahabah Radiyallahu anhum thereupon got up and prepared to leave but Negus said to them: "Sit down for it is the practice of the Prophets to serve food at marriages." Umm Habibah especially could hardly believe her good fortune and later said that when I received the money as mahr, I sent fifty mithqals of gold to Abrahah who had brought me the good news. "Shortly afterwards, Abrahah came to me and returned the gold. She also produced a case which contained the necklace I had given to her. She returned that to me and said: 'The King has instructed me not to take anything from you and he commanded the women in his household to present you with gifts of perfume.'

"On the following day, she brought me ambergris, safron and aloes and said: 'I have a favor to ask of you.' 'What is it?' I asked. 'I have accepted Islam ,' she said, 'and now follow the religion of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi Wa Sallam). Convey to him my salutation of peace and let him know that I believe in Allah and His Prophet. Please don't forget.' "When I met the Prophet, peace be on him. I told him that Abrahah had become a Muslim and conveyed to him her greetings of peace. He was filled with joy at the news and said: 'Wa alayha as-salam wa rahmatullahi was barakatuhu and on her be peace and the mercy and blessings of Allah."