By: Nafisa Siddiqui, Miracle Media
Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (Umm Ammarah )
Mother’s Day is often celebrated as a tribute to mothers for their love, tenderness, sacrifice, and care for their children—these are the qualities universally associated with motherhood. Across cultures and societies, mothers are honored for their humble soft touch always used to heal the child’s wounds. Her warm hugs and unconditional love always work best to feel better. This humble soft delicate figure of mother turns into a roaring lioness when somebody hurts her child. Mothers are never short of gentle words to guide and advise to deal with tough situations. Her love acts as a fortress and her guidance as a GPS, for nurturing lives, healing emotions, and her unconditional love becomes a source of emotional security throughout the life of child.
Yet motherhood is not defined only by gentleness. History repeatedly demonstrates that the same nurturing figure can become a fierce protector when faith, family, dignity, or justice are threatened. True motherhood shows both mercy, resilience, and tenderness in times of peace and courage, and in times of crisis.
On this Mother’s Day, I am looking beyond our conventional narratives and going to honor and give tribute to a mother from early Islamic history who exemplifies this profound balance with extraordinary grace and strength; who was a sahabiya, and a true muslima. Her faith was like a rock, her resilient belief in Allah was unmatched, she carried the strength of a lioness and the tenderness of a nurturer. Her name was Nusaybah bint Ka’ab, famously known as Umm ‘Ammarah. She is one of the two women who personally pledge to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). She returned to Medina and started teaching Islam to the women of the city.
This Mother’s Day, it is worth reflecting upon a woman from early Islamic history who embodied this profound balance with extraordinary grace and strength.
She occupies a distinguished place in Islamic tradition not merely because she participated in historical events, but because she redefined the intellectual and moral dimensions of womanhood, faith, and social responsibility.
Umm Ammarah was among the women of Madinah who pledged allegiance to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) during the Second Pledge of Aqabah — a defining moment that laid the political and spiritual foundations of the first Muslim community. This pledge represented conscious ideological commitment, political loyalty, and moral responsibility.
After embracing Islam, she became involved in educating the women of Madinah, to understand religious and communal ethics.
However, it was during the Battle of Uhad that her extraordinary courage became immortalized in Islamic history.
The Battle of Uhud was the most critical moments in early Islamic history . Initially, the Muslim forces appeared victorious against the Quraish of Makkah. Yet the battle dramatically shifted when a group of archers abandoned their assigned positions in pursuit of war spoils, despite explicit instructions from the Prophet to remain stationed. The resulting military vulnerability allowed the Quraish soldiers to attack from behind, transforming victory into chaos.
Within this atmosphere of confusion and fear, many experienced warriors retreated. Umm Ammarah, who had initially been attending the wounded and supplying water to soldiers, immediately recognized the danger facing the Prophet (pbuh). Without hesitation, she entered the battlefield snatched a sword and shield from flying soldier and positioned herself directly in defense of the Prophet.
What makes her role intellectually significant is not only her bravery, but the ethical consciousness, her intervention was not impulsive heroism rather than it reflected an understanding of duty, loyalty, and moral responsibility. In moments when collective morale collapsed, she showed psychological steadiness and strategic awareness, with her husband and her both sons.
Historical narrations describe her fighting intensely around the Prophet while sustaining multiple wounds herself. Her son was injured during the battle, yet even in that moment of maternal anguish she encouraged him to continue defending the truth. This extraordinary scene captures the synthesis of maternal compassion and principled commitment. Her motherhood did not weaken her resolve; rather, it strengthened her moral clarity.
Umm Ammarah reportedly sustained thirteen wounds during Uhud, including a severe neck injury, inspite of all these odds her commitment to Islam remained unwavering throughout her life. She got the heart breaking news of brutal murder of her beloved son Habib bin zaid by Musailamah Kaththab she showed tremendous patience but inside of her fire of revenge is burning she wanted to kill this man with her hand. Years later, during the Battle of Yamaha against the false claimant Musaylimah, she again participated despite her age and physical injuries, eventually with the help of her son Abdullah finally killed this man which also costed her arm. Khalid bin walid boiled some oil to cure her wounded arm but for umm Ammarah her happiness at the death Musailamah was greater than grief of loosing her arm, her heart was filled with peace.
Her sacrifices deeply moved the Prophet who prayed that she and her family would be his companions in paradise. This spiritual recognition reflected the immense status she attained through faith, sincerity, and service.
The legacy of Nusaybah bint Ka’ab carries enduring intellect. She was nurturing without being passive, courageous without abandoning compassion, and spiritually devoted without withdrawing from social responsibility.
In modern discourse, motherhood is often confined to emotional labor and domestic sacrifice alone. Umm Ammarah’s life broadens this understanding. She demonstrates that motherhood also includes cultivating moral courage, intellectual conviction, ethical leadership, and resilience within future generations.
Her story challenges the misconception that women in Islamic history occupied merely secondary roles. On the contrary, women such as Umm Ammarah actively contributed to the political, educational, spiritual, and social formation of the Muslim community.
For modern mothers, her life offers timeless lessons,that raising children involve shaping character, courage, ethics, and spiritual awareness.
Faith is not merely ritual devotion but active commitment to justice, truth, and responsibility. Honouring this mother’s day to Nusaybah bint Ka’ab is not only remembering a historical figure. It is a salute to a timeless paradigm of ethical motherhood, spiritual courage, and moral leadership — a woman whose life continues to inspire generations seeking dignity, faith, and purpose. Her name is carved in muslim history as a brave mother, a worrier and a shield who protected our beloved messenger Hazrat Mohammad (pbuh).
