44/20. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2144d — Umm Sulaim's Patience
The Virtues Of Abu Talhah Al-Ansari (RA)
Umm Sulaim Son Death Hadith and Patient Strength
Sahih Muslim : 2144d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2144d
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ مَاتَ ابْنٌ لأَبِي طَلْحَةَ مِنْ أُمِّ سُلَيْمٍ فَقَالَتْ لأَهْلِهَا لاَ تُحَدِّثُوا أَبَا طَلْحَةَ بِابْنِهِ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَنَا أُحَدِّثُهُ - قَالَ - فَجَاءَ فَقَرَّبَتْ إِلَيْهِ عَشَاءً فَأَكَلَ وَشَرِبَ - فَقَالَ - ثُمَّ تَصَنَّعَتْ لَهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانَ تَصَنَّعُ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَوَقَعَ بِهَا فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ أَنَّهُ قَدْ شَبِعَ وَأَصَابَ مِنْهَا قَالَتْ يَا أَبَا طَلْحَةَ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ قَوْمًا أَعَارُوا عَارِيَتَهُمْ أَهْلَ بَيْتٍ فَطَلَبُوا عَارِيَتَهُمْ أَلَهُمْ أَنْ يَمْنَعُوهُمْ قَالَ لاَ . قَالَتْ فَاحْتَسِبِ ابْنَكَ . قَالَ فَغَضِبَ وَقَالَ تَرَكْتِنِي حَتَّى تَلَطَّخْتُ ثُمَّ أَخْبَرْتِنِي بِابْنِي . فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا كَانَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكُمَا فِي غَابِرِ لَيْلَتِكُمَا " . قَالَ فَحَمَلَتْ - قَالَ - فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ وَهِيَ مَعَهُ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَتَى الْمَدِينَةَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ لاَ يَطْرُقُهَا طُرُوقًا فَدَنَوْا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَضَرَبَهَا الْمَخَاضُ فَاحْتُبِسَ عَلَيْهَا أَبُو طَلْحَةَ وَانْطَلَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم - قَالَ - يَقُولُ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ إِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّهُ يُعْجِبُنِي أَنْ أَخْرُجَ مَعَ رَسُولِكَ إِذَا خَرَجَ وَأَدْخُلَ مَعَهُ إِذَا دَخَلَ وَقَدِ احْتُبِسْتُ بِمَا تَرَى - قَالَ - تَقُولُ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ يَا أَبَا طَلْحَةَ مَا أَجِدُ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَجِدُ انْطَلِقْ . فَانْطَلَقْنَا - قَالَ - وَضَرَبَهَا الْمَخَاضُ حِينَ قَدِمَا فَوَلَدَتْ غُلاَمًا فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمِّي يَا أَنَسُ لاَ يُرْضِعُهُ أَحَدٌ حَتَّى تَغْدُوَ بِهِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ احْتَمَلْتُهُ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم - قَالَ - فَصَادَفْتُهُ وَمَعَهُ مِيسَمٌ فَلَمَّا رَآنِي قَالَ " لَعَلَّ أُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ وَلَدَتْ " . قُلْتُ نَعَمْ . فَوَضَعَ الْمِيسَمَ - قَالَ - وَجِئْتُ بِهِ فَوَضَعْتُهُ فِي حَجْرِهِ وَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعَجْوَةٍ مِنْ عَجْوَةِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلاَكَهَا فِي فِيهِ حَتَّى ذَابَتْ ثُمَّ قَذَفَهَا فِي فِي الصَّبِيِّ فَجَعَلَ الصَّبِيُّ يَتَلَمَّظُهَا - قَالَ - فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " انْظُرُوا إِلَى حُبِّ الأَنْصَارِ التَّمْرَ " . قَالَ فَمَسَحَ وَجْهَهُ وَسَمَّاهُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ .
Anas Narrated from:
The son of Abu Talba who was born of Umm Sulaim died. She (Umm Sulaim) said to the members of her family: Do not narrate to Abu Talha about his son until I narrate it to him. Abu Talha came (home); she presented to him the supper. He took it and drank water. She then embellished herself which she did not do before.He (Abu Talha) had a sexual intercourse with her and when she saw that he was satisfied after sexual intercourse with her, she said: Abu Talha, if some people borrow something from another family and then (the members of the family) ask for its return, would they resist its return? He said: No. She said: I inform you about the death of your son.He was annoyed, and said: You did not inform me until I had a sexual intercourse with you and you later on gave me information about my son. He went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him what had happened. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: May Allah bless both of you in the night spent by you! He (the narrator) said: She became pregnant.Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) was in the course of a journey and she was along with him and when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came back to Medina from the journey he did not enter (his house) (during the night). When the people came near Medina, she felt the pangs of delivery. He (Abu Talha) remained with her and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) proceeded on.Abu Talha said: O Lord, you know that I love to go along with Allah's Messenger when he goes out and enter along with him when he enters and I have been detained as Thou seest. Umm Sulaim said: Abu Talha, I do not feel (so much pain) as I was feeling formerly, so better proceed on. So we proceeded on and she felt the pangs of delivery as they reached (Medina) and a child was born and my mother said to me: Anas, none should suckle him until you go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) tomorrow morning. And when it was morning I carried him (the child) and went along with him to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).He said: I saw that he had in his hand the instrument for the cauterisation of the camels. When he saw me. he said: This is, perhaps, what Umm Sulaim has given birth to. I said: Yes. He laid down that instrument on the ground. I brought that child to him and placed it in his lap and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked Ajwa dates of Medina to be brought and softened them in his month. When these had become palatable he placed them in the mouth of that child. The child began to taste them. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: See what love the Ansar have for dates. He then wiped his face and named him 'Abdullah.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2144dIn-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 152USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 31, Hadith 6013
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2144d
This Umm Sulaim son death hadith shows patience, careful speech, and blessing in a painful family moment. When the son of Abu Talha and Umm Sulaim died, she told the family not to inform Abu Talha until she did. After he came home, ate, drank, and rested with her, she gave him an example: if something borrowed is asked back, should it be refused? When he said no, she told him to seek reward for his son. Abu Talha was upset and later told the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), who prayed for blessing in their night. The narration then mentions her pregnancy, the birth of a boy, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) softening dates, placing them in the child's mouth, wiping his face, and naming him Abdullah.
What we learn from this hadith
- Umm Sulaim used a gentle example before telling Abu Talha painful news.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed for blessing after hearing what happened.
- The narration shows patience during the death of a child.
- The newborn was brought to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), who named him Abdullah.
