Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) and her husband, Sayyiduna Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma), were among the first people to accept Islam. They also suffered great persecution at the hands of the Quraish, just like many other Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). Thus, to escape the torture and suffering, they participated in both migrations to Abyssinia. (Tabaqaat Ibni Sa’d vol. 3, pg. 239)
Thereafter, Sayyiduna Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) performed hijrah to Madeenah Munawwarah – and this was one of the greatest tests that his household went through, as his wife’s family did not allow her to join him, and his clan did not allow his child to leave them either. Thus, husband, wife and child remained separated for the lengthy period of approximately one year, until they were thereafter reunited in Madeenah Munawwarah. (Seerah Ibni Hishaam vol. 2, pg. 469)
Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) enjoyed an extremely close bond with Sayyiduna Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). In fact, such was their bond that she once told him, “I have heard that when a woman’s husband passes away, and they are both destined to enter Jannah, and she does not remarry after him, then Allah Ta‘ala will reunite them in Jannah. The same applies when the wife passes away and the husband does not remarry. So come, let us make a pact that you will not remarry after me, nor will I remarry after you!” However, such was his consideration for her that he said, “After I pass away, you should remarry.” He then made du‘aa for her saying, “O Allah! After I pass away, provide Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) with a husband who is better than me, who will neither cause her grief nor harm.” (Tabaqaat Ibni Sa’d vol. 8, pg. 88)
After Sayyiduna Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passed away, Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) recited the sunnah du‘aa when afflicted by a calamity. She had heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) say that if a person recites this du‘aa, then Allah Ta‘ala will bless him with something better than that which he lost. She thus recited:
إِنَّا للهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أْجُرْنِيْ فِيْ مُصِيْبَتِيْ وَأَخْلِفْ لِيْ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا
“Indeed, to Allah Ta‘ala alone do we belong and to Him alone is our return. O Allah! Reward me (for adopting sabr) in my calamity, and grant me better than it (that which I lost).”
When Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) reached the final portion of the du‘aa (and grant me better than that which I lost), she thought to herself, “Which one of the Muslims can be better than Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)? He was among the very first people to perform hijrah!” Nevertheless, though she could not think of a person better than him, she still continued and recited the last part of the du‘aa as well, as it was the teaching of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
After the ‘iddah of Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) terminated, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) sent a marriage proposal to her. However, she declined the proposal. Thereafter, Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) sent her a proposal, but she again declined. Finally, the best of all mankind, and the embodiment and pinnacle of perfect character – Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) – himself proposed to her. Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) accepted the proposal, and through the blessing of her husband’s du‘aa, and the sunnah du‘aa that she had recited, Allah Ta‘ala honoured her to become the blessed wife of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the Mother of the Believers. (Saheeh Muslim #2126 & Musnad Ahmad #26669)
Lessons:
1. When a woman wins her husband’s happiness and pleases his heart, she acquires such du‘aa from him that her Jannah is ‘made’. In fact, his du‘aa will not only benefit her in the Hereafter, it will benefit her in this world as well. On the contrary, if a woman does not fulfil her husband’s rights and does not conduct correctly with him, then the disastrous consequence of this will be seen in the Hereafter, and at times, it will be seen in this world as well.
2. The injunctions of Deen and the blessed sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) should never be questioned or doubted. Our salvation lies in us adhering to the sharee‘ah and the sunnah. Whether we understand it or not, and whether we can see it or not – there is only goodness and blessing in us upholding the sharee‘ah and sunnah in our lives. Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) read the sunnah du‘aa when suffering a loss, and as a result of upholding this sunnah, Allah Ta‘ala blessed her with the best husband to ever set foot on the surface of the earth – Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) himself.