Sayyidah Barakah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), more famously known as Ummu Ayman, was a slave-woman of Abyssinian origin belonging to the father of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). When he passed away, Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) came into the share of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) who in turn freed her when he married Sayyidah Khadeejah (radhiyallahu ‘anha).
Her first husband was ‘Ubaid bin Zaid with whom she had a son, Sayyiduna Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), who was martyred in the Battle of Hunain. Her rank in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala was so great that after her husband’s demise, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) proclaimed, “Whoever would like to marry a woman from the inhabitants of Jannah, should marry Ummu Ayman.” Therefore, Sayyiduna Zaid bin Haarithah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) married her and Allah Ta‘ala blessed this union with a son, Sayyiduna Usaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), who was very dear to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was six years old, his mother, Aaminah, took him to Madeenah Munawwarah to visit his relatives. Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha), who used to take care of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), also accompanied them on this journey. On their return, at a place called “Abwaa”, the mother of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) passed away. Hence, Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) brought Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) back to Makkah Mukarramah on the two camels that they were travelling on. Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) continued taking care of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) after his mother’s demise until he grew older, just as she had been doing before.
Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) thus shared a very close bond with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as she served as a mother figure to him. In fact, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would say regarding her, “Ummu Ayman is my mother after my (actual) mother.” Even when addressing her, he would use the title, “my mother”, and when he would see her, he would remark, “This is who is left from my household (since both his parents had passed away, and he did not have any siblings).” Furthermore, out of appreciation for all that she had done for him, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would frequently visit her at her home as well.
When Allah Ta‘ala ordered the Muslims to migrate to Madeenah Munawwarah, Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) set out on this blessed journey of hijrah by foot whilst fasting and without any provisions. Eventually, she was overcome with extreme thirst when she stopped in the evening at a place called “Munsarif”. While she was in this state of anguish, a bucket of water was miraculously cast down from the sky with a white rope. She thus took it and drank until her thirst was quenched. The blessing of this miraculous water was such that she would say, “After that (day), I have never become thirsty, although I have even exposed myself to the midday heat while fasting.”
Eventually, the saddest day in the lives of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) came to pass – the day when Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was veiled from this temporary abode. Subsequent to his demise, once, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) suggested to Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “Come with me to visit Ummu Ayman just as Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used to visit her.” When they entered, she began crying. They consoled her saying, “What makes you cry, for what is by Allah (i.e. the bounties of Jannah) is better for His Messenger (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).” Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) responded, “By Allah, I definitely knew that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was bound to pass away. But (the reason) I am crying (is) because (the series of) wahi (revelation) from the sky has been terminated from us.” This statement caused them both to burst into tears as well. As per the habit of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) would frequently visit her as well.
When Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was martyred, Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) cried and remarked, “Today Islam has become weak.” Twenty days thereafter, Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) also left this temporary abode in the beginning of the khilaafat of Sayyiduna ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).
(Tabaqaat Ibni Sa’d vol. 1, pg. 116 & vol. 8, pg. 223, Usdul Ghaabah vol. 5, pg. 424, Al-Isaabah vol. 8, pg. 358, and Sharhuz Zurqaani vol. 1, pg. 308)
Lessons:
1. A person’s position in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala is not dependant on his social standing or family background, rather it is based upon his loyalty and obedience to Allah Ta‘ala. Hence, despite Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) being a freed Abyssinian slave-woman, she enjoyed such a relationship with Allah Ta‘ala, that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) described her as an inhabitant of Jannah.
2. Throughout his life, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would never forget the kindness that people showed to him. With regard to Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) as well, although she took care of him during his childhood, he (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) never forgot her favour upon him but would rather visit her and even address her with the title of ‘mother’. If this was the respect that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) showed to an Abyssinian slave-woman who took care of him during his childhood, how much more respect, regard and appreciation we ought to show to our real mothers, who make the greatest sacrifices for us throughout their lives!
3. An outstanding feature of our pious predecessors was their concern for Deen. This was as a result of the great importance and value which they attached to it. It was this very concern for Deen that made Sayyidah Ummu Ayman (radhiyallahu ‘anha) cry over the fact that wahi had terminated with the demise of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and also caused her to weep on the occasion of the martyrdom of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). If we have true concern for Deen, we would also become restless at the degeneration and decline in Deen that has become so widespread in our time.