Hazrate Barakah (R.A)

Hazrate Barakah (R.A) was a young Abyssinian girl who was captured and brought to the slave market to be sold, along with many like her, boys, girls, Arabs and Non-Arabs alike. She was one of the more fortunate ones as she was saved by Hazrat Abdullah (R.A), the son of Hazrat Abdul al-Muttalib (R.A). She became the only servant in His (R.A) household.

Hazrate Barakah (R.A) nursed Hazrate Aminah (R.A) and looked after her in the day and through the long nights until Hazrate Aminah (R.A) gave birth to the Best of Creation and our Master Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W).

When Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) was six years old, Hazrate Aminah (R.A) decided to visit the grave of her husband, Hazrat Abdullah (R.A), in Yathrib. On the way back to Makkah, she (R.A) became seriously ill with fever. Halfway between Yathrib and Makkah, at a place called al-Abwa, they stopped.

Hazrate Aminah's (R.A) health deteriorated rapidly and she (R.A) called out to Hazrate Barakah (R.A) and said “O Barakah, I shall depart from this world shortly. I entrust my son Muhammad to your care. He lost his father while he was in my abdomen. Here He is now, losing His mother under His very eyes. Be a mother to him, Barakah. And don't ever leave him”.

Hazrate Barakah (R.A) wept and wept. With her own hands, she dug a grave in the sand and buried Hazrate Aminah (R.A), moistening the grave with whatever tears were left in her heart. Hazrate Barakah (R.A) returned with the orphan child to Makkah and placed Him (S.A.W) in the care of his grandfather. She stayed at his house to look after Him. When Hazrat Abdul al-Muttalib (R.A) died two years later, she went with the child to the house of his uncle Hazrat Abu Talib (R.A) and continued to look after His (S.A.W) needs until He was grown up and married to Hazrate Khadija (R.A).

When Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) got married, Hazrate Khadija bint Khwaylid (R.A) freed her to marry Hazrat Ubaid ibn al-Harith al-Khazraji (R.A) by whom she gave birth to Hazrat Ayman (R.A).

Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) used to call upon her by saying, "O Mother" He (S.A.W) would also say "This is the remainder of my household and Umm Ayman is my mother after my mother passed away"

In the battle of Uhud, she (R.A) was amongst the Muslim women who were to carry water to soldiers and treat the wounded. She also did so in the battle of Khaybar.

When the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) departed this world, Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A) said to Hazrat Umar (R.A), "Let us visit Umm Ayman as the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) used to." When seeing them, she wept. They asked her, "Why do you weep? What Allah prepared for His Messenger is better." She replied, I know, but I weep because the heavenly revelation will no longer come. Impressed by her words, they began to weep as well”.(Muslim Shareef)