Um 'Umarah (Radi Allahu anha)

One of the most distinguished women who took part in the battle of Uhud was Nusaybah bint Ka'b al-Maziniyyah (May Allah be pleased with her). She was known as Um'Umarah.

At the beginning of the battle, she was bringing water and tending the wounded, as the other women were doing. When the battle was going in the favor of the Muslims, the archers disobeyed the command of Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] which immediately became a source of defeat, as Allah subhana wa ta'ala said;

"Behold! You were climbing up the high ground, without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger in your rear was calling you back ..." (3: 153)

It was at this moment when Nusaybah went forward, with her sword unsheathed and her bow in her hand, to join the small group of archers as they were standing firm with Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam], acting as a human shield to protect him from the arrows of the idolaters. Every time danger approached Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] she was there to protect him.

Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] later said, "Wherever I turned, to the left or the right, I saw her fighting for me."

Her son 'Umarah also described what happened on that day: "On that day, I was wounded in my left hand. A man who seemed to be as tall as a palm-tree struck me, then went away without pursuing me to finish me off. The blood began to flow copiously, so Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] told me, 'Bind up your wound.'

My mother came to me, and she was wearing a waist-wrapper, which she had brought, for the purpose of wrapping wounds. She dressed my wound, whilst Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] was looking on. Then she told me, 'Get up, my son, and fight the people.'

Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said, 'Who could bear what you are putting up with, 0 Umm 'Umarah?' She said: The man who had struck my son came by, and Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said, 'This is the one who struck your son.' I intercepted him and hit him in the thigh, and he collapsed. I saw Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam smiling so widely that I could see his back teeth. He said, 'You have taken your revenge, 0 Umm 'Umarah!' Then we struck him with our weapons until we killed him, and Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said: 'Praise be to Allah who granted you victory over him, gave you the satisfaction of taking revenge on your enemy, and let you see the vengeance for yourself."

On this day, Nusaybah herself received many wounds while she was fighting the people and striking their chests. Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] saw her, and called to her son, "Your mother! Your mother! See to her wounds, may Allah subhana wa ta'ala bless you and your household! Your mother has fought better than so-and-so." When his mother heard what Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said, she said, "Pray to Allah that we may accompany you in Paradise." He said, "O Allah make them my companions in Paradise."

She said, "I do not care what befalls me in this world."'

Umm 'Umarah's success was not confined to the battle of Uhud. She was also present on a number of other occasions, namely the treaty of 'Aqabah, Al-Hudaybiyah, Khaybar and Hunayn. Her heroic conduct at Hunayn was no less marvellous than her heroic conduct at Uhud. At the time of Abu Bakr's khilafah, she was present at Al-Yamamah where she fought brilliantly and received eleven wounds as well as losing her hand.

It is no surprise that Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] gave her the good news that she would enter Paradise, and that she was later held in high esteem by the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, his commander Khalid ibn al-Walid and subsequently by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, radi Allahu anhum.

[from the seerah ibn hisham]