Umm Salim bint Malhan

Umm Salim bint Muhayyana al-Khazrajiyah was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. She was one of the first women to convert to Islam in Medina from the Ansar tribe.

Her lineage is as follows: Umm Salim bint Muhayyana bin Khalid bin Zayd bin Harith bin Jundub bin Amir bin Ghunm bin Adi bin al-Najjar, and she belonged to the Khazraj tribe, one of the two main Arab tribes that inhabited Medina before the Prophet Muhammad's migration.

There is disagreement about her name, with some sources suggesting Sahlah, Rumilah, Ramitha, Malykah or Ramlah. Her nickname was either al-Ghamisa or ar-Rumisa, and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani stated that her nickname was al-Ghamisa.

Her father's name is not mentioned in any sources except for the fact that the Prophet Muhammad said something about his death without specifying what it was, as reported by Muslim. Her mother, Malykah or Unayqa bint Malik bin Adi bin Amr bin Malik bin al-Najjar, converted to Islam and became a Muslim.

Umm Salim had several siblings, including Umm Haritha, the wife of Ubada bin al-Samit, who died during the conquest of Cyprus in the caliphate of Uthman. Ibn Sa'd mentioned that she also had another sister named Umm Abdullah bint Muhayyana, who converted to Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad.

Her brothers, Harith and Salim, were present at the Battle of Badr, Uhud, and the expedition to Buir Ma'una, where they suffered casualties.

Umm Salim married Malik bin al-Nadr bin Dimam al-Khazraji before her conversion to Islam, and she gave birth to Anas. She converted to Islam in the early days of the Prophet's call to Medina, which angered her husband Malik, who left for Syria and threatened to kill her if she did not return to polytheism.

After Malik's death, Abu Talha al-Ansari proposed marriage to Umm Salim on condition that she convert to Islam. She accepted his proposal and became a Muslim. They had two sons: Abu Amir, who died young, and Abdullah, who lived until he was killed during the conquest of Persia.

Umm Salim participated in the Battle of Hunayn, where she played a role in encouraging the fighters and treating the wounded.

She died during the caliphate of Uthman bin Affan, around 30 AH (650 CE).

Her personality is described as wise and patient. Her son Anas reported that when his brother Abu Amir died, Umm Salim covered him with a cloth and remained calm. When Abu Talha returned home, he fed her and then she became ill.

She said to him: "I am not sick, but I have been fasting." He replied: "You are not fasting, you are pregnant." She said: "I am not pregnant, but I am going to give birth."

Anas reported that his mother Umm Salim was very respectful of the Prophet Muhammad and would often visit him. One day, the Prophet Muhammad entered her home without her knowledge and slept on her bed. She waited until he woke up and then she cleaned his saliva from the bed and stored it in a container.

The Prophet Muhammad asked her what she was doing, and she replied: "I am storing your saliva to use as medicine." The Prophet Muhammad said: "You are one of the people of Paradise."

Umm Salim reported several hadiths from the Prophet Muhammad, which were also narrated by her son Anas, Abdullah bin Abbas, Zayd bin Thabit, Abu Salmah bin Abd al-Rahman, and others.

References:

* The Woman in Medieval Wars
* Unknown date of death
* Unknown date of birth
* Companions of the Prophet Muhammad
* Arabs in the 7th century
* Female nurses during wars
* Women in war in the Middle East
* Deaths in the 650s
* Arab women in war