Umme Sulaim (r.a.) was the mother of Hadhrat Anas (r.a.). After the death of her husband, she remained a widow for some time with a view to devoting herself to the proper upbringing of her son. She was then married to Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.) and got a son named Abu Umair from him. The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to go to her house and play with the child.
One day, Abu Umair was ill and Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.) was fasting. While Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.) was out on his job, the child died. She washed and enshrouded the dead body and laid it on the cot. She then herself took a bath changed her clothes and made her toilet. When the husband returned home and had his Iftar he asked her: "How is the child?"
'She replied: "He is now in peace." He was satisfied. The couple shared the bed for the night. When they got up in the morning, they had the following conversation:
Hadhrat Umme Sulaim (r.a.): "I have a question to ask you."
Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.): "What is that?"
Hadhrat Umme Sulaim (r.a.): "Suppose a person is entrusted with something. Should he deliver up on demand that which is entrusted to him or not?"
Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.): "He must deliver up. He has no right to hold it back".
Hadhrat Umme Sulaim (r.a.): "Abu Umair was entrusted to us by Allah. He has taken him back."
Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.) was filled with grief. He simply said: "But why did you not inform me before?"
He went to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and narrated the story to him. He prayed for him and said: "Allah is likely to bless your sharing the bed with your wife last night."
One of the Sahabah says: "I lived to see the effect of the Prophet's blessing. As a result of his union with his wife on that night, Hadhrat Abu Talhah (r.a.) got a son named Abdullah. This Abdullah had nine sons, all of whom were Qaris."
It needs much courage and patience to do what Hadhrat Umme Sulaim (r.a.) did at the death of her son. She did not like her husband to know about the death of the child while he was fasting and while he needed food and rest.
Hadhrat Safiyyah (r.a.)
Hadhrat Safiyyah (r.a.) was the aunt of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and a real sister of Hadhrat Hamzah (r.a.). She took part in the battle of Uhud. When the Muslims were defeated and some of them began to flee from the battle, she would smite their faces with her spear and excite them to go back and fight.
In the war of the Khandaq (Trench), the Prophet (s.a.w.) had collected all the Muslim women in a fortress and had deputed Hadhrat Hassaan bin Thabit (r.a.) to look after them. The Jews surrounded the place and sent one of them to find out if there were any men with the ladies. Hadhrat Safiyyah (r.a.) happened to see the Jew approaching the fort. She said to Hadhrat Hassaan (r.a.): "There is a Jew coming to spy on us. You go out and kill him."
Hadhrat Hassaan (r.a.) did not make bold to do the job. Safiyyah (r.a.) got hold of a tent peg and went outside the fortress and gave a blow on the head of the Jew that killed him on the spot. She came back and said to Hassaan:
"The man is dead. I have not removed the clothes and arms from his body for reasons of modesty. Now you go and remove everything from his body. Also bring his head after severing it from the body."
Hadhrat Hassaan (r.a.) was too weakhearted to do that even. She herself went again and brought his head, and threw it over the wall amidst the Jews. When they saw this, they said:
"We were wondering how Muhammad (s.a.w.) could keep the womenfolk alone in this fort. Surely, there are men inside to guard the ladies."
Safiyyah died in 20 A.H. at the age of seventy three. The war of the Trench was fought in 5 A.H. She was, therefore, 58 then.
(From the book 'Stories of Sahaba' by Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhlawi)
