Umm Salama

Who was Umm Salama?

Umm Salama, whose name was Hind bint Abi Umayyah, was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and thus a Mother of the Believers (Umm al-Muminin). She is especially remembered for her keen intelligence, her knowledge, and the wise counsel she gave the Prophet ﷺ at a critical moment in Islamic history.

Her Story

Before her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ, Umm Salama was married to Abu Salama, with whom she had endured the early persecution and migrations. After Abu Salama died of wounds, she was grief-stricken; she recited the supplication the Prophet ﷺ had taught — "Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return; O Allah, reward me in my affliction and replace it for me with something better" — and Allah replaced her loss by joining her to the household of the Prophet ﷺ himself. As his wife, she became known for transmitting many hadith and for her sound judgement. Her most celebrated moment came at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah: when the Companions, distressed by the treaty's terms, hesitated to carry out the Prophet's ﷺ instruction to shave their heads and slaughter their sacrifices, Umm Salama advised him to simply go out and do it himself without speaking. When he did, the Companions rushed to follow — her wisdom resolving the tension.

Her Virtues

• She was a Mother of the Believers and a major narrator of hadith, especially on family and worship.
• Her advice at Hudaybiyyah is celebrated as an example of a woman's wise counsel shaping a pivotal event.

Her Legacy

Umm Salama is honoured as a model of patience in grief, wisdom, and scholarship. The supplication she made after her loss — and the better that Allah gave her in return — is a comfort to believers facing hardship. Her counsel at Hudaybiyyah is cited across the centuries as proof of the value of women's wisdom and the Prophet's ﷺ readiness to heed it. She lived a long life and was one of the last of the Prophet's ﷺ wives to pass away.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Umm Salama's role at Hudaybiyyah?

When the Companions hesitated after the treaty, the Prophet ﷺ was distressed. Umm Salama advised him to go out without addressing anyone, slaughter his sacrificial animal, and shave his head. When he did so, the Companions immediately followed his example — a striking instance of wise counsel resolving a crisis.

What supplication is associated with Umm Salama?

After her first husband died, she recited the du'a the Prophet ﷺ had taught for affliction: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and give me something better in its place." She later said Allah indeed gave her better — marriage to the Prophet ﷺ himself.