Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib "Aunt of the Prophet"

Who is Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib?

Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusay, the mother of Abdullah, was born in Mecca. She was the fourth paternal aunt of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Her mother was Fatimah bint Amr ibn A’id ibn Makhzum. It is worth noting that the date of her death was never mentioned.

Qualities of Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib

Umayma was known for her beauty, eloquence, and articulate speech. She excelled in poetry and prose and was renowned for her intelligence and generosity.

Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib Marriage and Children

She was married during the pre-Islamic era to Jahsh ibn Ri’ab al-Asadi, an ally of Quraysh. They had six children:

• Abdullah
• Ubaydullah, also known as Abu Ahmad
• Hamnah
• Habibah, known as Umm Habib
• Zaynab bint Jahsh, Mother of the Believers and wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Umayma’s Sisters

Umayma, the aunt of the Prophet ﷺ, had five sisters:

• Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib
• Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib
• Atikah bint Abd al-Muttalib
• Umm Hakim (also known as al-Bayda’) bint Abd al-Muttalib
• Barrah bint Abd al-Muttalib

Did Umayma Witness the Prophethood?

There is a difference of opinion about whether Umayma witnessed the Prophet’s mission. Some say she did, while others deny it. Ibn Hajar, a scholar of prophetic biography, stated that she did witness it, evidenced by the Prophet ﷺ giving her a load of dates from Khaybar.

However, Al-Dhahabi argued that the one who received the dates was Umayma bint Rabi’ah ibn al-Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s cousin. This implies that Umayma bint Rabi’ah was the one who accepted Islam and was given the Khaybar dates.

Umayma’s Embrace of Islam

There is also a scholarly disagreement over whether Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib accepted Islam. Some denied it, while others, such as Ibn Hibban, Al-Dhahabi, and Ibn Hajar, mentioned it.

Biographers like Ibn Sa’d and Al-Waqidi also touched on it. Ibn Hibban stated that only Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib among the Prophet’s aunts had embraced Islam. Therefore, there is no clear evidence that Umayma witnessed the Prophethood, embraced Islam, or migrated. Allah knows best.

Poetry of Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib

Before his death, her father gathered her and her siblings and asked her to recite elegiac poetry for him, as if mourning him in anticipation. Umayma recited:

Alas, the clan's shepherd has perished, lost is he,

The water-bearer for God's pilgrims, defender of nobility.

Who now will host the foreign guest in his place,

When the skies of people hold back thunder’s grace?

You earned, O young man, the best of youthful prize,

Ever growing in virtue, O Shaybah of praise so wise.

Abu al-Harith the generous has left his space,

Gone not far—every soul shall reach that place.

I’ll mourn you always, my heart in pain and dread,

You deserved every honor, in sorrow I’ve bled.

May your grave be showered with rain from the Lord,

And I shall mourn you still, even in my own grave interred.

A pride you were to all your kin, a brilliant flame,

Honored wherever you were, uplifted in name.

Death of Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib

The exact date and circumstances of Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib’s death are unknown. Historical sources do not provide definitive information regarding whether she passed away before or after the advent of Islam.

Due to the lack of concrete evidence, scholars remain uncertain about the timing of her death or whether she accepted Islam before passing. Allah knows best.