The Bravery of Umm Ma’bad

It is written, “On the one hand, the Holy Prophet (sa) and his exceptionally devoted companion who was with him on the journey, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), were journeying with divine help and in the shade of protective angels, while on the other hand, the Meccans had not given up in their search. They continued in their pursuit of the Holy Prophet (sa). It so happened that the pursuit of a search party from the Quraish led them to the tent of Umm Ma‘bad. As soon as they disembarked from their horses, they began to enquire about the Holy Prophet (sa). Umm Ma‘bad realised what was happening and said, ‘You are saying things that I have never heard of, nor do I understand what you people are after.’ As soon as the search party became more aggressive in their questioning, this brave and astute woman said, ‘If you do not leave from here at once, I will call upon the people of my tribe.’ They recognised the status of this woman and thus realised that it would be better for them to leave.”

(Abdul Hameed Jaudah al-Sahhar, Muhammad (sa) Rasul Allah wa alladhina ma‘ahu, Vol. 3, al-Hijrah [Egypt: Maktabat Misr], p. 67)