Umm Ayman: The Prophet's Second Mother
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
Umm Ayman was the ultimate mother figure to the Prophet ﷺ. She cared for him after the passing of his mother and remained by his side through many of the hardships and trials he faced. This article explores Umm Ayman's service to Islam, her unwavering devotion to the Prophetic mission, and her remarkable story of resilience, motherly affection, and steadfast faith.
Early Life and Serving the Family of the Prophet ﷺ
Barakah bint Thalabah was born around 557 - thirteen years before the Prophet ﷺ. Her lineage is unknown. She was a slave from Abyssinia. Barakah was purchased from the slave market by Abdullah ibn Abdul Mutalib and was the only servant in their household. She lived with Abdullah and his wife Aminah bint Wahab in Makkah. Two weeks after their marriage, Abdullah was instructed by his father to travel to Syria on a summer trade route.
According to an account related by Abdul Wāḥid Ḥāmid, Aminah was deeply saddened by her husband's departure. She lamented:
“How strange! How strange! How can my husband go on a trading journey to Syria while I am yet a bride and the traces of henna are still on my hands.”
A few months after Abdullah left for his trade journey, Aminah had a dream. She saw a light coming from her stomach lighting up the hills and valleys going all the way to Ash Sham. She called Barakah and told her:
"O Barakah! I have seen a strange dream."
"Something good, my lady?"
"I saw lights coming from my abdomen lighting up the mountains, the hills and the valleys around Makkah."
"Do you feel pregnant, my lady?"
"Yes, Barakah," she replied. "But I do not feel any discomfort as other women feel."
"You shall give birth to a blessed child who will bring goodness."
Aminah waited for her husband’s return. She used to send Barakah to see if there was any news regarding Abdullah’s whereabouts. In between she would keep Aminah company, and care for her when she was sick.
From Abdullah's Passing to Aminah's Death
One day Barakah went out and was told Abdullah had not made it back with the caravan, meaning he'd died during the journey. She was tasked with giving the news to Aminah that her husband had passed away. Barakah consoled the mother of the Prophet ﷺ and stayed with her throughout her pregnancy. When Aminah went into labour, the only person with her was young Barakah, who was the first one to hold her child – Muhammad. She cleaned the child and handed him back to his mother. She was one of the women to nurse the Prophet ﷺ.
(Ḥāmid, 1995, 1-2)
When the Prophet turned six, Aminah decided to visit the grave of her husband in Yathrib.
She left with Barakah and her child Muhammad ﷺ on a camel. The caravan reached Yathrib in ten days. She left her son with his uncles in Banu Najjar.
On the journey back Aminah became seriously ill with a fever - stopping at al-Abwa.
Barakah was with the Prophet ﷺ when his mother passed, and had to console the young child. This established Barakah as a new mother figure.
The Prophet ﷺ then came under the care of his grandfather, Abdul Muṭṭalib. Two years later, when the Prophet was around eight years old, his grandfather also passed away.
Marriages and Children
When the Prophet ﷺ married Lady Khadijah رضي الله عنها, he freed Umm Ayman, who continued to live with them. Barakah had remained single in her youth due to caring for the Prophet ﷺ. As a result he encouraged her to get married. She was later wed to Ubayd ibn Zaud from the Khazraj tribe. Barakah had a son from him named Ayman – from then on she was referred to as Umm Ayman.
However, Ubayd died early into the marriage, and Barakah moved with Ayman back to the home of the Prophet ﷺ. This was after prophethood. The second woman to believe in the Prophet was Umm Ayman, رضي الله عنها,.
When the Prophet saw that Umm Ayman was growing older with a child and no husband, he arranged for her to marry again. This was during the time the Muslims would meet at Dar Al Arqam to learn about Islam, around six years after Prophethood.
It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Whoever wishes to marry a woman from among the people of Paradise should marry Umm Ayman.’
Zayd ibn Harithah married her. Umm Ayman gave birth to Usama ibn Zayd, who became the beloved one of the Prophet.
Relationship with the Prophet ﷺ
Umm Ayman's devotion to the Prophet ﷺ throughout his childhood was never forgotten. Even after reaching adulthood, he retained a profound affection for the woman who cared for him after losing his mother. Umm Ayman would love him like a mother loved her son.
Ibn Saʿd relates that he would affectionately address Umm Ayman as “O my mother,” and, upon seeing her, would say, “This is what remains of my household.”
When Hijrah took place, Umm Ayman was nearly 70 years old. She decided to make the hijrah from Makkah to Madinah on foot. After arriving in Madinah, her feet were swollen and she was covered in dust. The Prophet saw her, wiped her face and said:
"Ya Umm Ayman! Ya Ummi! Indeed for you is a place in Paradise!”
Umm Ayman accompanied the Prophet ﷺ on a number of military campaigns. At Uḥud, she provided water to the fighters and tended to the wounded, remaining close to the Prophet ﷺ even as the battle turned against the Muslims.At Uhud, Umm Ayman grabbed a sword and started to swing around the Prophet ﷺ, to protect him from the polytheists.
The Prophet ﷺ shared a warm and affectionate relationship with Umm Ayman. He would laugh and joke with her, and their conversations were often filled with light-hearted moments. As an Abyssinian, Umm Ayman was not fully fluent in Arabic, and her occasional slips in pronunciation or expression would unintentionally lead to amusing exchanges.
Qubaysah ibn Uqbah told us. Sufyan told us, on the authority of Ja`far, on the authority of his father, who said:
When Umm Ayman entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), she would say, “Peace, no greetings to you.” So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted her to say, Peace.”
In one incident in the battlefield in Hunayn, she would call out messages of support which at times had no meaning. [So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Be quiet, Umm Ayman, for you have a difficult tongue.”
(Ibn Saʿd, vol. 8, 225)
Life after the Death of the Prophet ﷺ
When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Umm Ayman was filled with grief, keeping a distance from the people. She had endured many hardships. Among the greatest of her trials were the deaths of her son Ayman at the Battle of Ḥunayn, her husband Zayd ibn Ḥārithah at the Battle of Muʾtah, and the Prophet ﷺ. She also outlived her second son, Usāmah ibn Zayd, who passed away during the reign of Muʿāwiyah.
Anas reported that after the death of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Abu Bakr said to 'Umar:
Let us visit Umm Aiman as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to visit her. As we came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and Umar) said to her: What makes you weep? What is in store (in the next world) for Allah's-Messenger (ﷺ) is better than (this worldly life).
She said: I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (in the next world) is better than (this world), but I weep because the revelation which came from the Heaven has ceased to come. This moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her.
Umm Ayman lived until the caliphate of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān رضي الله عنه, witnessing the remarkable rise of Islam from its earliest days to its establishment across the Arabian Peninsula. She spent her final years in Madinah, where she passed away after a lifetime of faith, sacrifice and unwavering devotion to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
Conclusion
Umm Ayman was a unique figure in the life of the Prophet ﷺ. She was a devoted, motherly presence who remained close by his side from his early years. Her love for the Prophet, and sacrifices for his sake were made with complete devotion and faith. She is known for her steadfast service to the Prophet and his household. Her faith, resilience and sacrifice stands as a legacy to be remembered.
May Allah be pleased with Umm Ayman, richly reward her for her sacrifices, elevate her rank among the righteous, and grant her the highest place in Paradise.
Research Resources
JazakAllahu khair for reading. Please benefit the ummah by sharing this knowledge. Feel free to download this article for offline reading or consult the bibliography below.
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Hamid, A.W. (1998) Companions of the Prophet. New rev. edn. Leicester: Muslim Education and Literary Services (MELS).
Ibn Saʿd, M. (n.d.) Al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā. Ahlulbayt Library. Available at: Ahlulbayt Library – al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā (Accessed: 27 July 2026).
Al-Azhari, S. (2025) ‘The story of Umm Ayman (RA)’, Islamic Relief UK, 21 October. Available at: Islamic Relief UK – The story of Umm Ayman (Accessed: 27 July 2026).
Dorar al-Saniyyah (n.d.) Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ would say to Umm Ayman, “O my mother”. Available at: Dorar al-Saniyyah – Umm Ayman report (Accessed: 27 July 2026).
Sahih Muslim 2454, Book 44, Hadith 148. Sunnah.com. Available at: Sahih Muslim 2454 (Accessed: 27 July 2026).
