Umm Salamah

Umm Salamah (596-680 CE), whose real name was Hind bint Abi Umayyah, was one of the Mothers of the Believers and among the earliest converts to Islam. She and her first husband Abu Salamah were among those who migrated to Abyssinia to escape Qurayshi persecution, and later migrated to Medina. When Abu Salamah died from wounds sustained at Uhud, the Prophet married her, recognizing her piety, intelligence, and the needs of her children.

Umm Salamah was known for her sharp intellect and sound counsel. Her most famous advice came during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 628 CE, when the companions were reluctant to comply with the Prophet's order to shave their heads and sacrifice their animals without completing the pilgrimage. She suggested that the Prophet perform the acts himself without saying a word, and when he did, the companions immediately followed. This wisdom helped avert a potential crisis. She also narrated approximately 378 hadith, making her one of the most prolific female narrators.

Umm Salamah was the last of the Prophet's wives to pass away, dying in 61 AH (680 CE) in Medina. She lived through the caliphates of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Muawiyah, and into the reign of Yazid. She is remembered as one of the wisest and most learned women among the companions, and her hadith narrations cover matters of worship, family law, and social conduct.