The Story of Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiallahu anha)

Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiyallahu anha) is one of those Ansar who embraced Islam in the very beginning. She was among the group that vowed allegiance to the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as Al-Aqabah. Al-Aqabah in Arabic means a narrow Mountain Pass. In the early days of Islam, the new Muslims were persecuted by Quraysh very badly. They would put all hurdles in the way of Da’wah. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) therefore carried on his mission quietly and secretly. People embraced Islam secretly in a mountain pass near Mina, so that Quraysh might not see them. She was in the third such group from Madinah. She participated in most of the battles that were fought after immigration. She took prominent part in Uhud, Hudeybaiah, Umratul Qadha, Huneyn and Yamamah.

In the battle of Uhud, she was 43. Her husband and two sons were also fighting in the battle. She took a leather bottle full of water and headed for Uhud. In the beginning, the Muslims had an upper hand, but the tables were turned in another moment and the enemy were in the winning position. She had reached the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), when wave after wave of enemy troops rushed to attack and kill him. She shielded the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) whenever anybody approached him. She had a cloth-belt round her waist full of pieces of lint. She tended the wounded. She herself got about twelve wounds, one of which was very serious.

Hadhrat Umme Sa'eed (Radhiyallahu anha) says: "I once saw a very deep cut on the shoulder of Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiyallahu anha). I inquired how she had got that. She said, 'I got it in Uhud. When people were running about in confusion, I saw Ibn Qumiah coming towards us and shouting, 'where is Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Let some-body tell me his whereabouts. If he is saved today, I am no more.' I, Hadhrat Mus'ab bin Umair (Radhiyallahu anhu) and some others intercepted him. He gave me this deep cut on my shoulder. I also attacked him, but he escaped on account of the double coat of mail that he was wearing."

In spite of a year's treatment, the wound would not heal. In the meantime, the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) de-cided about the expedition to Hamra-ul-Asad. Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiyallahu anha) also got ready to join the expedition. But as her wound was still unhealed, she could not participate. When the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) returned from the expedition, he straight away went to visit Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiyallahu anha.) He was very happy to find her better.

She says: "In fact, we were very much handicapped in Uhud. The enemy had very strong cavalry, while we fought on foot. There would have been a fair fight if they too had been on foot. When somebody came riding on his horse to attack me, I stopped his sword on my shield and when he turned about, I attacked his horse from the rear and cut its leg. This caused the horse as well as the rider to fall on the ground. As soon as this happened, the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would shout to my son, who would run to my help and we both finished the man in no time."

Her son Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zaid (Radhiyallahu says: "I had a wound on my left arm, which would not stop bleeding. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to my mother, 'Put a bandage over it.' My mother took out a bandage from her belt and after bandaging my wound, said, 'Now, son! go and fight again with the idolaters.' The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was watching us. He said, 'O, Umme Ammarah, who can have courage like yours?"

The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) at that time prayed again and again for Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiyallahu anha) and her family. Hadhrat Umme Ammarah (Radhiyallahu anha) says:
"I was standing with the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi was sallam), when one of the enemy passed in front of me. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to me. Umme Ammarah! He is the man who wounded your son.' I jumped at him and hit his leg. It made him fall down. We then went forward and finished him. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) smiled and said 'Umme Ammarah has avenged her son.' When the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was praying for us, I said to him, 'O, Prophet of Allah! Pray for my company with you in Paradise.' He favoured me with this prayer too, and after that I cared little for what happened to me in this life."

As has already been said, she also participated in many other battles with the same zeal and spirit. After the death of the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), she took part in the fierce battle of Yamamah, which was fought with the renegades. She lost one of her arms and received eleven other wounds in this battle. She was forty-three in Uhud and fifty-two in Yamamah. Her heroism in these battles at that age was really miraculous.