UMM WARAQAH BINT ABDULLAH BIN HARITH ANSARIAH R.A.

The Prophet ﷺsaid: “Umm Waraqah! Dwell in your House, Allah will give you the death as a martyr.”

Umm Waraqah Bint Abdillah bin Harith bin Uwaimir bin Nawfal al-Anshariyah or better known as Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. was among the first to convert to Islam, Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. converted to Islam when she first heard it sincerely and without hesitation. During her life, she also collected the Qur’an and narrated many hadiths. Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. is good at reading, understanding, and memorizing the Qur’an well so that she becomes an imam for Muslim women in her house which is also used as a mosque. Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. is not only good at reading it, but also understands and memorizes it well. More than that, Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. also tried to collect and write it on bones, skin, palm fronds, and others. She managed to collect the verses of Allah that came down in her house at that time. After Rasulullah ﷺ demised, and Abu Bakr As Siddiq r.a. planned to compile the Qur’an, Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. was appointed assistant to be one of the important references for Zaid bin Thabit r.a. as the executor of the project.

Rasulullah ﷺ had great respect for Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. Rasulullah ﷺ regularly visited her home as a form of respect. Rasulullah ﷺ also appointed an elderly muadhdhin specifically for her. On the advice of Rasulullah ﷺ who really understood the cleanliness and clarity of his heart, Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. made her house a mosque. And she is a special imam for Muslim women.

Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. is a woman who so hopes for glory in the Hereafter. When the Muslims were preparing for the Battle of Badr, Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. asked permission from Rasulullah ﷺ to participate in the war.

“O Messenger of Allah, allow me to go with you so that I can take care of the sick and treat the injured. Hopefully, with that, Allah ﷻ will grant me martyrdom,” she asked.

“Stay in your house! Indeed, Allah will grant you martyrdom in your home,” replied the Rasulullah ﷺ. Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. also obeyed the command of Rasulullah ﷺ. During the Caliphate of Umar r.a., Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a., as usual, always led her family members in prayer. But one night, the recitation of the Qur’an was not heard in prayer. Therefore, in the morning, the Commander of the Faithful commented in surprise, “By Allah, last night I did not hear the recitation of my aunt, Umm Waraqah.”

The Commander of the Faithful did not remain silent. Umar ibn Khattab r.a. immediately found out about Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal’s condition. Umar ibn Khattab r.a. entered Umm Waraqah’s house, but no one was seen there. The Commander of the Faithful continued to walk towards the room. On one side of the room, Ummu Waraqah’s body lay stiffly covered with a blanket. Apparently, that night Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. was killed by a pair of her slaves by covering her with a blanket until Umm Waraqah Binti Nawfal r.a. breathed her last. In fact, Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. always educated them both and was kind to both of them. Just because they couldn’t wait to breathe a sigh of freedom as promised by the master if she had died, they had the courage to do so to this pious woman. After killing Umm Waraqah Bint Nawfal r.a. the two slaves escaped. Knowing the incident, Umar ibn Khattab r.a. said, “Allah and His Messenger have been true!”

Prepared by Shomurodova M.

The teacher of Joybori Kalon women’s

secondary specialized Islamic college