– Farzana. K
Are today’s women really courageous? Courage in today’s life means having strength, standing up for yourself, or taking personal risks like facing your fears or speaking up for others. Does this really mean courage? The woman who stepped forward, shielding the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with her sword and shield. At that moment, she did not think of children, family, or any other priorities. Her only motive was to save the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and fight for the sake of Allah. This really means courage.
She was Nusaybah bint Kaab رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا. A mother, a believer and the only woman who fought with a sword in the Battle of Uhud for the sake of Allah.
Nusaybah bint Ka’ab, also known as Umm Ammarah, was a female companion (sahabiyyah) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and a courageous woman warrior. A resident of Madinah, she was a member of the Banu Najjar tribe. She accepted Islam with her husband, Zaid Ibn Asim, and her two sons.
She was one of only two women who participated in the second Pledge of Aqabah in Makkah, an event that happened before the way for the migration to Madinah. This pledge had 75 members.
She continued teaching the knowledge of Islam to other women and she was also a great scholar.
Battle of Uhud: Her most famous display of bravery came during the Battle of Uhud. She was present there to provide water and tend to the wounded soldiers, but when the Muslims were pushed back and left their battlefields, they thought it was a victory before the war ended. As there was nobody to defend Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, she picked up a sword and shield to defend the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “Wherever I turned, left or right, on the Day of Uhud, I saw her fighting for me.”
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ held her in high regard and prayed for her and her family to be with him in the Paradise.
During the Battle of Uhud, she sustained approximately 12 to 13 wounds from swords and arrows, including a deep gash on her shoulder that took a year to heal. In the Battle of Yamama, Nusaybah bint Ka’ab fought despite being 60 years old, sustained a severe hand injury that she had lost her hand, and lost her son, but remained resolute.
She bandaged her wounded son, Abdullah, on the battlefield of Badr and urged him to continue fighting. She and her other son, Habib, later helped kill the man who had struck Abdullah.
She also participated in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Conquest of Makkah, the Battle of Hunayn, and the Battle of Yamamah, where she lost a hand.
Allah Mentions in the Qur’an: Nusaybah bint Ka’ab advocated for women’s rights and once asked the Prophet
Muhammad why the Qur’an often addressed men specifically but not women.
In response to her question, Allah revealed a verse in Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:35:
اِنَّ الۡمُسۡلِمِيۡنَ وَالۡمُسۡلِمٰتِ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ وَالۡقٰنِتِيۡنَ وَالۡقٰنِتٰتِ وَالصّٰدِقِيۡنَ وَالصّٰدِقٰتِ وَالصّٰبِرِيۡنَ وَالصّٰبِرٰتِ وَالۡخٰشِعِيۡنَ وَالۡخٰشِعٰتِ وَالۡمُتَصَدِّقِيۡنَ وَ الۡمُتَصَدِّقٰتِ وَالصَّآئِمِيۡنَ وَالصّٰٓـئِمٰتِ وَالۡحٰفِظِيۡنَ فُرُوۡجَهُمۡ وَالۡحٰـفِظٰتِ وَالذّٰكِرِيۡنَ اللّٰهَ كَثِيۡرًا وَّ الذّٰكِرٰتِ ۙ اَعَدَّ اللّٰهُ لَهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةً وَّاَجۡرًا عَظِيۡمًا
“Surely the men who submit (to Allah) and the women who submit (to Allah), the men who have faith and the women who have faith, the men who are obedient and the women who are obedient, the men who are truthful and the women who are truthful; the men who are steadfast and the women who are steadfast, the men who humble themselves (to Allah) and the women who humble themselves (to Allah), the men who give alms and the women who give alms, the men who fast and the women who fast, the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity, the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah much: for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and a mighty reward.”
Her life is considered an example of courage, faith, and dedication for all Muslim women. May we carry her flame. She was not remembered because how she looked, but for what she stood for. May we raise daughters with her fire, and sons who honour women like her.
[The writer is associated with GIO Villivakkam, Chennai]
