Umm Sulaym bint Milhan

Umm Sulaym was one of the first women of Madinah to accept Islam. Her first husband Malik ibn an-Nadr (father of Anas) opposed her faith and left, later dying. When Abu Talhah al-Ansari, one of the wealthiest men of Madinah, proposed to her while still a polytheist, she told him: 'A man like you is not to be refused, but you are a disbeliever and I am a Muslim woman. If you accept Islam, that will be my mahr — I will ask nothing else.' He accepted Islam, and their marriage became celebrated for having the 'most honourable mahr ever heard of' — the mahr of Islam itself. She dedicated her son Anas to serve the Prophet from the age of ten. Anas served the Prophet for ten years and said: 'He never said to me "uff" (an expression of annoyance), nor did he ever say "Why did you do that?" or "Why didn't you do that?"' The Prophet would visit Umm Sulaym's home and nap there. She would collect his sweat in a bottle because of its beautiful scent. When the Prophet saw this, she said she would use it as perfume and seek blessings from it, and the Prophet did not object. She displayed extraordinary patience when her son Abu Umayr died. She did not tell her husband Abu Talhah until he had eaten and rested. Then she said: 'If someone lent something to a people, then asked for it back, should they refuse?' He said: 'No.' She said: 'Then seek your reward for your son from Allah.' Abu Talhah was amazed by her composure. The Prophet said: 'May Allah bless the night you spent together,' and she became pregnant that night with a son, Abdullah.