Before the birth of Islam in Arabia, women were regarded very lowly. A daughter was a stain on a family’s honour, and some baby girls were buried alive; those who were not grew up to be sex objects to be bought and sold. This all changed when Islam appeared—Muslim women were treated equally to men, and sometimes, in the case of mothers, even took precedence.
Islam allowed women to have independent identities and for a woman’s successes or failures to rest entirely on her. This is no better demonstrated than in the case of Nusaybah bint Ka’ab, Islam’s first woman warrior.
Also known as Umm ‘Umarah (spelling varies), Nusaybah was one of just two women who accompanied 73 men to Makkah to pledge allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet agreed to let them swear their bayat, though he did not take their hands as he did with the men. Following this, Umm ‘Umarah returned to Medina where her tribe lived and began teaching Islam to the women of the city. She was an intelligent woman and was well learned in the Quran and Hadith.
What she is most remembered for, however, is her courage and her skill as a warrior. In March 625 (AH 3 in the Islamic lunar calendar), the Muslims of Medina and the Quraish of Mecca fought the Battle of Uhud. Umm ‘Umarah journeyed with her husband and two sons, Habeeb and ‘Abdullaah to join the fighters; at first, she tended to the wounded like several other women.
However, the battle began to turn against the Muslims—it was the first and only battle in the Muslim-Quraysh War that the Muslims did not win. Some began to flee, leaving the Prophet unprotected; seeing this, Umm ‘Umarah cut her way to the Prophet’s side, taking a shield from a deserter and brandishing her sword. Her ferocity and skill was astonishing, and she stood firm despite receiving several major wounds, including one to her shoulder that took an entire year to heal.
The Prophet himself said: “Wherever I turned, to the left or the right, I saw her fighting for me.”
Due to her whole family’s bravery in the battle, he also said that they were a great family, and he prayed that they should be his friends in Paradise.
“From where can anyone get courage like you, O Umm ‘Umarah?”
The Prophet Muhammad, about Umm ‘Umarah
Uhud was not the only battle Umm ‘Umarah fought in. She was also present at the Battle of Hunayn, the Battle of Yamama, and the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, and she was among those who took the pledge of Ar-Ridhwaan to fight until martyrdom.
Umm ‘Umarah also experienced personal tragedy in her two sons. Around the year 630, Muhammad chose her younger son, Habeeb, as one of his envoys to Musaylimah, a false prophet. When he delivered the message, Habeeb was asked by Musaylimah, “Do you believe that I am a Messenger of Allah?” to which he responded, “My ears have been blocked against hearing what you claim.”
Musaylimah ordered one of Habeeb’s limbs to be cut off, then repeated the question. Every time Habeeb denied he was a prophet, another of his limbs was cut off, until eventually he died, his body unable to withstand the torture.
Habeeb was dear to his mother’s heart, and when she received the news of his death, she swore revenge on Musaylimah. Her chance came after the death of the Prophet, when some Arab tribes apostatised, led by Musaylimah. Khaleefah Abu Bakr rallied the Muslim troops and, aged around 60 at the time, Umm ‘Umarah asked to join the battle at Yamama.
“We knew your bravery during the war,” he replied. “Come on in the name of Allah.”
Joined by her remaining son, Umm ‘Umarah fought bravely, sustaining more than twelve wounds as well as losing one of her arms. She was granted her revenge during this battle; her son ‘Abdullaah was among the men who finally killed Musaylimah. Some accounts suggest that Umm ‘Umarah herself delivered the final blows, but others say that he was already dead when she got to him.
‘Abudullaah was later martyred in the Battle of Hurrat, which Umm ‘Umarah was unable to participate in due to her still-healing wounds.
Like her early life, very little is known about Umm ‘Umarah’s later years. What we do know is that she was widely revered, and there was an incident during the rule of Umar ibn al-Khattab when he received a gift of fine silk. Several women were suggested to pass the gift to, including Umar’s own daughter and daughter-in-law. But he said he knew of a woman who deserved it more than any other, and so he sent it to Nusaybah bint Ka’ab.
She died around the year AH 13, a hero to all Islam.
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