Umm Hani was the daughter of Abu Talib Ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, also known as 'Abd-Manaf. Her name is said to have been Fakhitah or Hind, but she is known by her epithet Umm Hani. Her mother was Fatimah Bint Asad. She was the sister of Imam 'Ali ('a), the paternal cousin of the Holy Prophet (S) and the mother of Talib, 'Aqil, Ja'far and Jumanah.

Ibn Sa'd, relying on his own sources and quoting Ibn 'Abbas, narrates that before the advent of Islam, the Holy Prophet (S) and Hubayrah asked for Umm Hani's hand in marriage from her father, Abu Talib. Umm Hani chose Hubayrah. Her husband was thus Hubayrah Ibn 'Amr Ibn 'A'idh al-Makhzumi. When Umm Hani became Muslim, the two got separated. Hubayrah fled Makkah the year that the Muslims conquered it, and never became a Muslim.1

Her Merits

Al-Kulayni, relying on his own sources and quoting Abu Basir, relates from either Imam al-Baqir ('a) or Imam al-Sadiq ('a) that he said, "(After Umm­Hani became Muslim, and Hubayrah fled Makkah) the Holy Prophet (S) asked for the hand of Umm Hani Bint Abi Talib in marriage.

She answered, 'O Messenger of God, I am a woman who has been tormented, and I have several orphans to raise. I am afraid I will not be able to do my duty towards you.'

The Holy Prophet said, 'The women of Quraysh are unequalled in their ability to ride a camel, their tenderness towards their children, and their being careful of their husbands' property. "'2 Ibn Sa'd transmits similar traditions with three different chains of transmitters.3

Ibn al-Athir, relying on his own sources and through several chains of transmissions, quotes 'Abd al-Raman Ibn Abi Layla as relating from Umm­Hani as saying that on the day of the conquest of Makkah, the Holy Prophet (S) came to her house and prayed eight units of prayer (the Noon and Afternoon Prayers) there.4 This shows Umm Hani's high station that the Holy Prophet (S) entered her house and prayed there.

Sulayman Ibn al-A'mash narrates that the Holy Prophet (S) said, 'Shall I tell you who is the best person based on their paternal uncle and aunt?'

The companions answered: 'Yes, O Messenger of God.'

The Holy Prophet said, 'Al­Hasan and al-Husayn. Their paternal uncle is Ja'far al-Tayyar, who flies alongside the angels; and, their paternal aunt is Umm Hani, who is in Paradise.'5 According to this tradition, Umm Hani is among the inhabitants of paradise, and it shows the high degree of her righteousness and faith.

Al-Barqi and Shaykh al-Tusi count her among the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and a transmitter of his traditions.6

'Allamah Mamqani writes, "The (above-mentioned) tradition narrated by Sulayman Ibn al-A'mash, which can be found in Sunni and Shi'ah sources alike, shows Umm Hani's excellence of character and lofty position. It also proves her extreme trustworthiness and just character.7

'Umar Ridha Kahhalah writes, "She was one of the most excellent women of her time."8

Shaykh Mahallati says, "Umm Hani was one of the excellent and well-known women of Islam."9

She related traditions from the Messenger of God (S). The people who have related from her include: Ju'dah (her son, that is Ju'dah Ibn Hubayrah Ibn Abi­Wahab al-Makhzumi), Abu Murrah (her servant), Abu Salih Badham, Ju'dah's son (her grandson), the son of Yahya Ibn Ja'far (her grandson), the son of Harun (her grandson), Abdullah Ibn Ayyash, 'Abdullah Ibn Harith Ibn Nawfal, Abdullah (the son of 'Abdullah Ibn al-Harith), al-Shi'bi, 'Abd al­Rahman Ibn Abi Layla, 'Ata', Kurayb, Mujahid, 'Urwah Ibn al-Zubayr, and Muhammad Ibn 'Uqbah Ibn Abi Malik.

Ibn Sa'd, relying on his own sources and quoting Abu Salih, transmits that Umm Hani said, "The Holy Prophet (S) asked me to marry him, and I excused myself. Then, the following verse was revealed and, I was not lawful to him because I had not migrated with him."

يَآ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَاجَكَ اللاَّتِي ءَاتَيْتَ اُجُورَهُنَ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمّـِك َوَبَنَاتِ عَمَّاتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالاَتِكَ اللاَّتِي هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ

“O’ Prophet! Verily We have made lawful to you the wives whom you have paid their dowries, and those whom your right hand possesses of those whom Allah has assigned to you, and (marriage with) the daughters of your paternal uncle, and the daughters of your paternal aunts, and daughters of your maternal uncle, and the daughters of your maternal aunts who have emigrated with you,………..” (Surah Al-‘Ahzab, 33:50).

Umm Hani was one of the transmitters of Hadith al-Thaqalayn "The Tradition of two Valuable Legacies", which reports that the Holy Prophet (S) said, "It seems that I have been called (to leave this world), and I obey this call. I leave amongst you two valuable (heavy) legacies: the book of God (the Qur'an) and my household..."

She also is one of the transmitters of the "Tradition of Ghadir", which says that the Holy Prophet (S) said, "He who considers me his master, 'Ali is his master (after me)..."10

Al-Tabarani transmits 109 traditions from Umm Hani, most of them concerning praying and fasting.11

The al-Sahih al-Sittah books' have also mentioned traditions from her.12

• 1. Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 151.
• 2. Al-Kafi, vol. 5, p. 326.
• 3. Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 152.
• 4. Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 624; A'lam Siyar al-Nubala', vol. 2, p. 312; al-Mu'jam al­ Kabir, vol. 24, p. 407.
• 5. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 74, (chapter on women).
• 6. Rijal al-Barqi, p. 61; Rijal al-Tusi, p. 33; Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 23, p. 181.
• 7. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 74, (chapter on women).
• 8. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 4, p. 14.
• 9. Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 3, p. 449.
• 10. Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, p. 40.
• 11. Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, pp. 406 to 446.
• 12. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 12, p. 481.