Hazrat Umme Haraam Bint Milhaan (ra)

One day the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) went from Madinah to the village of Quba. He stayed at the house of one of his relatives, a lady, who loved him dearly. After sharing a meal, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) laid down to rest and soon fell asleep. A short while after, he woke up smiling.

The lady asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, what made you smile? The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) said, ‘I saw (in my dream) a people from among my Ummah sailing on the surface of the sea looking like kings sitting on thrones.’ The lady replied, ‘Pray to Allah that He may include me among them.’ He said, ‘You will be among them.’ Then he fell asleep again. When he woke up a second time he was smiling again. The lady asked him the reason for his smile and he gave the same reply.

The lady said again, ‘Pray to Allah that He may include me among them.’ To this the Holy Prophet (sas) replied, ‘You are among the first ones’.

This reply of the Holy Prophet (sas) filled her with so much joy that she cried out uncontrollably: ‘Allah-o- Akbar! Allah-o-Akbar!’ [Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest]1.

This lady was Umme Haraam bint Milhaan (ra), a sahaabiyah [companion] and relative of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsas. A sahaabiyah is a Muslim woman who has met or seen the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). The masculine form of sahaabiyah is sahaabi.

Hazrat Umme Haraam (ra) belonged to a family that was very devoted to Islam as we will read in the pages ahead. Her mother’s name was Mulaikah Bint Maalik and her father’s name was Milhaan. Hazrat Umme Haraam (ra) was the distant aunt of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) as well as the maternal aunt of the famous sahaabi Hazrat Anas bin Maalik (ra).

In those days, it was customary in Arabia for people to have names associated with their parents or children. For example, Umme Haraam means the mother of Haraam, whereas bint Milhaan means the daughter of Milhaan. You will see such names mentioned throughout the book.

Hazrat Umme Haraam (ra) is counted among those women who were blessed to receive moral training directly from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). In this way she became an example for the people around her.

A present-day picture of the mountains of Uhud where the Battle of Uhud was fought. Both brothers, husband, and the son of Hazrat Umme Haraam (ra) were martyred in this battle.