Relationship with the Prophet ﷺ
Sawda was the first woman the Prophet married after the death of Khadijah. He showed her great care and loyalty. He accepted her selfless gift of her allocated time with gratitude and allowed her to remain among his wives. She loved him with quiet, unconditional devotion until the end of her life.
Key Life Events
Born in Makkah, early convert to Islam
Migrated to Abyssinia with her husband al-Sakran
Husband died in Abyssinia; she returned to Makkah as a widow
Married the Prophet as his first wife after Khadijah
Gave her allocated night to Aisha to remain the Prophet's wife eternally
Died in Madinah and buried in al-Baqi'
Full Biography
Sawda bint Zamaa was born around 575 CE in Makkah, from the Quraysh tribe. She was one of the earliest converts to Islam and made great sacrifices for her faith. Her first husband was al-Sakran ibn Amr, and together they made the migration to Abyssinia — the first hijra — as part of the early Muslim community fleeing Meccan persecution.
In Abyssinia, her husband al-Sakran died, leaving Sawda widowed in a foreign land, far from her family. She returned to Makkah after his death, where she was a poor widow without strong tribal protection, having left it all behind for Islam. It was in this vulnerable state that the Prophet proposed to her — the first proposal he made after the death of Khadijah.
The marriage of the Prophet to Sawda had both a practical and a deeply human dimension. Practically, someone needed to care for the Prophet's young daughters and his household, and Sawda was a mature, capable, experienced woman. But on a human level, it was also an act of profound kindness — the Prophet took into his care a woman who had given everything for Islam and was now alone and unprotected.
Sawda had a warm, generous, and often humorous personality. She was older and larger in frame, and many narrations about her show her sense of humor and her easy laughter. The Prophet is reported to have laughed with her often. She was known for her genuine love of the Prophet — when he later considered giving her a formal divorce while keeping her as a nominal wife (due to the revelation about treating wives equally in time), she proposed to give up her "night" (her allocated time with the Prophet) to Aisha, purely so she could remain his wife and be resurrected as his wife on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet accepted this arrangement and was deeply moved by it.
She was known for her generosity — she gave away leather goods she crafted herself to those in need. She narrated 5 hadiths. She lived until approximately 674 CE and is buried in al-Baqi'. Her story is a testament to loyalty, love without condition, and the dignity of a woman who chose faith over security.
Famous Quotes
"I give my day to Aisha — I only want to be resurrected as the wife of the Prophet on the Day of Judgment."
Lessons for Your Life
Love that asks nothing in return is the most enduring kind.
A woman who has given everything for faith deserves protection and honor.
Laughter and warmth in a household of faith are themselves acts of worship.
How to Be Like Them
Want to walk in the footsteps of Sawda bint Zamaa? Begin with these practical steps drawn from their life.
- 1
Love that asks nothing in return is the most enduring kind.
- 2
A woman who has given everything for faith deserves protection and honor.
- 3
Laughter and warmth in a household of faith are themselves acts of worship.