بركة بنت ثعلبة (أم أيمن)
Barakah bint Tha'laba (Umm Ayman)
Mother After His Mother
Relationship with the Prophet ﷺ
Umm Ayman was the Prophet's nursemaid and second mother, the one constant female presence from his earliest childhood through his prophetic mission. He honoured her with great love and called her "my mother after my mother."
Key Life Events
Raised the Prophet from infancy after his mother Aminah passed away
Emigrated to Medina on foot in her old age
Wept at the death of the Prophet; died shortly after
Full Biography
Umm Ayman, whose real name was Barakah, was an Abyssinian woman who served in the household of the Prophet's father Abdullah and became the nursemaid who raised the Prophet from infancy. After the death of his mother Aminah, she continued to care for him, earning the title 'my mother after my mother' from the Prophet himself. She emigrated to Medina at an advanced age, walking on foot, and the Prophet honoured her saying anyone wishing to marry a woman of Paradise should marry Umm Ayman.
Famous Quotes
"Whoever wishes to marry a woman of Paradise, let him marry Umm Ayman." — The Prophet ﷺ
Lessons for Your Life
Faithful service to the Prophet is the highest honour.
Age and hardship cannot stop a determined believer.
Emotional bonds of care rival blood in their depth.
How to Be Like Them
Want to walk in the footsteps of Barakah bint Tha'laba (Umm Ayman)? Begin with these practical steps drawn from their life.
- 1
Faithful service to the Prophet is the highest honour.
- 2
Age and hardship cannot stop a determined believer.
- 3
Emotional bonds of care rival blood in their depth.