The Age of Bliss was one of the most intense periods of calling to Islam. After the prophethood that came to our Prophet (pbuh), the anger of the polytheists intensified even more after the invitations to religion. For this reason, there were frequent situations where Muslims and polytheists came face to face. The two groups that came face to face most often in wars fought fiercely with swords and horses. We had seen and read that women were not in the background in wars, that they went to help and healed the wounds there, and provided spiritual support. The female companion, who is also the subject of this article, was someone who fought with her family and used the sword she held in her hand to make her body a human shield in front of our Prophet. Let’s look at the life of this heroic lady Hz. Nasiba (ra) and learn a lesson.
Who is Umm Umara (Nasiba)?
She is a Muslim from Medina and belongs to the Khazraj tribe. Also known by the surname Umm Umara, Hz. Nasiba (ra) was one of the first two female companions from Medina to pledge allegiance to our Prophet (pbuh) in Aqaba. Her first marriage was to Zayd bin Asim, one of the distinguished young men in Yathrib. She had two sons named Abdullah and Habib from this marriage.
The news of the last awaited prophet had been heard in Medina. While the skies of Mecca were illuminated with the light of Islam, this light had also begun to spread to Yathrib . Hz. Nasiba (ra) reached this light through her husband, Zayd bin Asim, and Musab bin Umayr, and became Muslims. They became soldiers to spread our religion.
A group of Muslims from Yathrib invited the Prophet to their hometown. Among the 72 people of Medina, led by Mus’ab bin Umayr (ra), were Hazrat Nasiba and her husband. The people of Medina, who met with the Prophet again in Aqaba, promised to protect the Prophet as if they were their own lives and property. When they returned, they eagerly awaited the Prophet (pbuh) and made efforts to spread the religion both in their families and in their circles. When the Prophet (pbuh) came to Yathrib, he made it the center of religion in the Hijaz. The Muslims of Medina were very pleased with the spread of the light of Islam from there.
A Heroic Lady
The Muslims who were escaping from persecution had joined forces in Medina and had won their first victory against the Meccan polytheists in the Battle of Badr . Nasiba’s son Abdullah was also a young man who fought in this battle. The events that took place during the Battle of Uhud and what Nasiba’s family did became legendary. Nasiba (ra) went to Uhud with five water sacks and saw how the Muslims were doing and noticed that they were surrounded by archers while they were winning. She started fighting in front of the Prophet (pbuh) and with the polytheists so that no harm would come to him. She was injured while trying to protect the Prophet (pbuh) from the polytheists with the sword she had in her hand.
During the battle, she, her son and husband, acted as human shields for our Prophet (pbuh) , shielding them with their bodies. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw that Hz. Nasiba did not have a shield in his hand, he said to one of the companions, “O holder of the shield, leave your shield to the one who is fighting.” While Hz. Nasiba (ra) was continuing to fight by taking this shield, she saw a horseman coming and swung her sword at the horse’s feet, causing the enemy to fall. Seeing this, Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) called out to Nasiba’s son Abdullah: “O son of Umm Umara! Look at your mother… Run to help your mother!” Abdullah came to his mother and helped her kill the enemy. When Abdullah was wounded in the shoulder, our Prophet (pbuh) this time ordered Ummu Umara (Nasiba): “Bandage your wound!” The mother Hz. Nesiba, who bandaged her son’s wound, said to her son: “Get up, my son! Continue to fight the polytheists!” Hearing these self-sacrificing words of a mother during the battle, Hz. The Prophet (pbuh) complimented her by saying: “O Umm Umara! Can anyone else endure what you have endured?”
While the battle was going on, when the polytheist who had wounded Hz. Nasiba’s son passed by, our Prophet said, “Here is the one who shot your son!” Smiling at Ummu Umara, who had attacked the enemy and knocked him to the ground, the Messenger of Allah said the following:
Oh Umm Umara! You have destroyed the man! Praise be to Allah, who made you victorious over your enemy and made your eyes happy. He showed you with your eyes how to take revenge.
Hazrat Nasiba (ra) also participated in the Battle of Hunayn and the Battle of Khaybar . She not only went to the battlefield, but also helped and fought in the war herself. She has always been known for her heroic spirit. She protected our Prophet and raised a child like herself. Together with her family, they became a shield of flesh and protected our Prophet. We too, just like Hazrat Nasiba, should fight heroically in the wars we encounter at every moment of life without fear . We should raise our children in the religion and ensure that they remain steadfast in our religion. We should train them like soldiers and ensure that they know how to fight in the difficult conditions of life. After the incident, Hazrat Nasiba (ra) and her family asked our Prophet for a heavenly neighborhood, and our Prophet (pbuh) prayed for their wishes. May Allah be pleased with her and may her life be an example to us.