Umm Hakim bint al-Harith bint Hisham al-Makhzumiyyah was a
noble female companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Her mother was Fatimah bint
al-Walid, sister of Khalid ibn al-Walid, the Sword of God (Khalid ibn
al-Walid). Her uncle was Abu Jahl, Amr ibn Hisham, and her brothers were Malik
ibn al-Harith and Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith. Her nephew was the Tabi'i
(successor of the Companions), Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahman.
She and her husband, Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, were among the
fiercest opponents of Islam. They fought in many battles against Islam. She
participated in the Battle of Uhud against the Muslims, supporting the
polytheists.
After the conquest of Mecca, she and her father embraced
Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him). Her husband, however, remained an unbeliever and fled to Yemen. But
the faithful wife went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his
family) to ask for protection for her husband if he returned as a Muslim. The
Prophet granted her protection and told her that he had forgiven him.
Her face lit up, and she rushed to find her husband. When
she reached him, she told him what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him
and his family) had said and informed him of the good news.
He returned and sat before the Prophet and declared his
Islam. She participated in many battles of Islam and played a prominent role in
the Battle of Yarmouk, tending to the wounded behind the lines and urging those
who had retreated from the fight. Her husband, Ikrimah, was martyred in this
battle.
After her husband's martyrdom, and after she had completed
her waiting period of four months and ten days, two prominent Muslim
commanders, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan and Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-'As (may God be
pleased with them all), proposed to her. She chose to marry Khalid ibn Sa'id
ibn al-'As (may God be pleased with him), who had participated in the battles
of Ajnadayn, Fihl, and Marj al-Saffar.
When the Muslims encamped at Marj al-Saffar, Khalid intended
to consummate the marriage with Umm Hakim. She said, "If only you would
postpone the consummation until God disperses these armies." Khalid
replied, "My heart tells me I will be killed among them." She said,
"Then go ahead."
So he consummated the marriage at the bridge in al-Saffar,
and the bridge became known as Umm Hakim's Bridge. He held a wedding feast and
invited his companions to a meal.
Before they had finished eating, the Romans had formed their
ranks, row upon row. A man from among them, a man of high standing, called for
single combat. Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl ibn Amr stepped forward to meet him, but
Abu Ubaydah stopped him. Then Habib ibn Maslamah stepped forward and killed
him, returning to his position. Khalid ibn Saeed stepped forward and fought
until he was killed.
When Umm Hakim learned of her husband's martyrdom at the
hands of the Romans, she removed the pole of her tent, the one in which she had
married the day before, and tied her clothes around it (and she was wearing
perfume [a fragrance made from saffron and other types of perfume]) and went
out to fight the Romans with bravery and courage, killing seven of them with
her tent pole (Imam al-Dhahabi in his book "Siyar A'lam al-Nubala").
When Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-'As was martyred, she married
Umar ibn al-Khattab. She lived with him for a short time and died after giving
birth to her daughter, Fatima bint Umar ibn al-Khattab. She attained the rank
of a martyr because she died during childbirth.
She is known to have been the wife of three martyrs:
Ikrimah, Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-'As, and Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be
pleased with them all.
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