Umm Haram1 was the daughter of Milhan Ibn Khalid Ibn... Ibn al-Najjar al­Ansari al-Khazraji, and her mother was Malikah Bint Malik Ibn 'Adi from the Banu 'l-Najjar tribe. Umm Salim (No. 16) was her sister; and her husband was 'Abadah Ibn al-Samit. Her name was also mentioned as al-Rumaysa' or al­Ghumaysa',2 but her real name has not been transmitted. She was the maternal aunt of Malik Ibn Anas.

Umm Haram drowned in 27 A.H. during the reign of 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan, when the ship she was sailing on sank in the Cyprus Sea. She was buried in Cyprus and her grave is known as 'the grave of the righteous woman.'3

Her Merits

Umm Haram embraced Islam, swore allegiance to the Holy Prophet (S), and migrated to al-Madinah. She is among the transmitters of traditions from the Holy Prophet (S) and has narrated five traditions from him.4 The Holy Prophet (S) respected and honored her. He used to visit her in her home and talk to her, and he gave her the glad tidings that she is going to become a martyr.

Umm Haram 's husband, 'Ubadah Ibn al-Samit, was one of the first people to swear allegiance to Imam 'Ali ('a) after the Holy Prophet's passing away. Shaykh al-Saduq relates a tradition about him in his book al-lthna 'Ashar that the Holy Prophet (S), following Jibra’il's order, chose twelve men to be the leaders of his army after him, and 'Ubadah Ibn al-Samit was one of them.5

Shaykh al-Tusi, Ayatullah Khu'i, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Ibn Hajar and Ibn Sa'd count Umm Haram among the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and narrators of his traditions. Mamqani has said she is a transmitter of traditions and reliable.6

She has related traditions from the Holy Prophet (S), and Bint Umm Hakim (Bint al-Zubayr), Anas Ibn Malik (her nephew), 'Umayr Ibn al-Aswad al-'Ansi, Ya'la Ibn Shaddad Ibn Aws, 'Ata Ibn Yasar and 'Ubadah Ibn al-Samit have related traditions from her.

Ibn Sa'd, Ibn al-Athir and al-Tabarani relate a tradition from Anas Ibn Malik according to which Umm Haram said, "The Holy Prophet (S) was taking a nap in my house before noon, and laughed in his sleep.

I said, 'O Prophet of God, may my father and my mother be sacrificed for you. Why are you laughing?'

He replied, ‘A group of my followers will ride upon the sea as if they were kings sitting upon their thrones.’

I said, ‘O Prophet of God, please pray to God that I may be one of them.’

He replied, 'You are one of them...'."7

Al-Tabarani, relying on his sources, quotes Ya'la Ibn Shaddad who narrated that Umm Haram said, "The Prophet of God (S) recounted (his dream) of the warriors of the sea and said, 'He who returns to his homeland will receive the reward of a martyr, and he who drowns in the sea will receive the reward of two martyrs.' Umm Haram said, 'O Prophet of God, pray to God that he may make me one of them.' The Prophet said, 'O my Lord, make her one of them.'"8

Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Nassa'i and Ibn Majah have quoted from Umm Haram in their works.9

• 1. In the book Usd al-Ghabah and others, she is named Umm-Haram, but in Rijal al­Tusi, she is referred to as Umm-Hizam Bint Malhan.
• 2. Tahdhib al-Kamal, p.339.
• 3. Al-'Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 318; Al-A'lam, vol. 2, p. 172.
• 4. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 1, p. 253.
• 5. Al-Khisal, vol. 2, p. 492.
• 6. Rijal al-'Tusi, p. 33; Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 23, p. 175; Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 71; Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 574; Al-Isti’ab, vol. 4, p. 1931; al-Isabah, vol. 4, p. 423; al-'Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 434, where it says, 'Narrated by Ibn Hanbal, al­Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i.'
• 7. Al-'Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 435; Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 574; al-Mu'jam al­Kabir, vol. 25, p. 131, where it says, 'Narrated by Ibn Hanbal, al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i.'
• 8. Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, vol. 25, p. 134.
• 9. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 12, p. 462.