Heroic Stands by Shiekh Abu Nizhar Ash Shaami: Nusaybah bint Ka’b Al-Ansaariyyah (Umm ‘Amara) – Mujahid Woman

Our lives are a collection of stands taken. These stands are what will decide our status and value before Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgement. Heroic stands, which changed the course of history, produced events, and greatly influenced all who witnessed them or heard of them. Heroic stands, which we mention while living at a time when most stands, we see are those of humiliation and shame. Heroic stands, we mention them whose heroes are mentioned in the Quran, and the pages of the Seerah and our Ummah's past and recent history are overflowing with them. Heroic stands, which we mention in order to take lessons from. We mention them in order to receive flames of glory, optimism, and expecting good from Allah (swt), and to prove that our Ummah, by the permission of Allah (swt), is capable of bringing back the dignified stands which will fill the world with justice and light after it was filled with injustice and tyranny.

When heroics are mentioned, the mind usually thinks of men. The truth is, my brothers, the heroine of our story today did not leave any heroic stand without recording her name on it alongside the men. Rather, she partook in stands which men fled from. Nusaybah bint Ka'b Al-Ansariyah - Umm 'Amara (ra) participated in giving the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (saw) in the Bay'ah of Aqaba. She made the pledge of Ridwan to him (saw). She participated in Uhud, Hudaibiya, and Yamama and undertook Jihad, losing her hand and achieving many great feats. Today's heroic stand of this great woman was at Uhud during the Uhud disaster when the Messenger (saw) was surrounded, most people around him had fled and the arrows and blows were coming his way. They were looking at him then fleeing. Nusaybah (ra) had come to the battle, but her role was not to fight. Her role was only to provide water for the soldiers. However, she found this crisis unfolding around the Prophet (saw), she took a magnificent heroic stand. She dropped everything, took her two sons, and rushed [to the Prophet (saw)]. She (ra) said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (saw) at Uhud and he (saw) had been surrounded only a few individuals were left with him who may have numbered just under 10. So, I took my two sons and husband, and we stepped up to defend the Messenger of Allah (saw)".

She went to defend the Messenger of Allah (saw) with her husband and her two sons: Abdullah and Habeeb. She stood in front of the Messenger of Allah (saw) without a weapon or a shield, but she was protecting the Prophet (saw) with her body. The Prophet (saw) looked and saw a man running away but had a shield with him. So, He (saw) said to him: "Drop it for someone who will fight" So, Nusaybah (ra) took it and used it to defend the Messenger (saw). Ibn Qamiah squared up to her as he tried to reach the Messenger (saw) so she barricaded herself in front of him without a weapon at hand, as if prepared for what the result will be. He tried to go right so she blocked him. And when he tried to go left, she blocked him, preventing him from reaching the Prophet (saw). So, he struck her on her shoulder which then started to bleed. He then stepped past her and was faced by Mus'ab bin 'Umayr.

Here, my brothers, she (ra) and her sons were in the line of sight of the Prophet (saw). He (saw) looked at her and said: "Who is capable of bearing what you are bearing O Umm 'Amara?" Then He (saw) looked at her wound, her sons and husband, then said: "O Allah make them my companions in Jannah". This, my brothers, was the medal of highest honour received by this heroine. So, she said: "By Allah, nothing that afflicts me in the Dunya any more matters to me." This great heroic stand by this great woman, my brothers, we learn about the Dawah, Jihad and political role of the woman. We learn of the role of the supporting woman to Islam and its people and in participating alongside the man in the gravest of situations and missions. My brothers, the woman carries the Dawah like the man. The woman carries Dawah, raises others, is arrested, gives Bay'ah and sacrifices. Let's not forget that the first martyr in Islam was a woman. In fact, the first Muslim after the Prophet (saw) was the Sayyida Khadeejah (ra).

We learn from this heroic stand about raising children and the whole family in a way that supports Islam. Her son, Habeeb, was tortured and cut to pieces by Musaylama Al-Kadhab who wanted to get a confession out of him but couldn't. And her son, Abdullah, avenged his brother and was the killer of Musaylama Al-Kadhab.

My brothers, we learn from this good believing family to endeavour and not use weakness as an excuse to not support the Deen. Not to say, "but I am woman", or "I am tired", or "I am poor" and so on. Contribute to your capacity and Allah (swt) will bring forth great energy from you.

O women of the Muslims, in the face of the global campaign today that is seeking to destroy the woman, to destroy the family, to destroy nurturing children, to destroy the youth, and seek to deviate the compass of the family which Allah (swt) wishes to be a brick in the fortress of Islam, we want you to raise your children upon supporting the Deen and upon repelling all of those poisonous waves. Your children are well but not when you keep them in your embrace, but rather when you place them in the embrace of this Dawah which Umm 'Amara showed us the most magnificent stand in supporting it. Raise your children on defending Islam so that the Du'a of the Messenger (saw) regarding Umm 'Amara may encompass us all: "O Allah make them my companions in Jannah".

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