Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib
أروى بنت عبد المطلب
An aunt of the Prophet; she was married to Umayr ibn Wahb and bore Tulayb, then to Kalda ibn Abd Manaf and bore Arwa; Ibn Ishaq says none of the Prophet's aunts embraced Islam except Safiyya, and Ibn Hajar answers with Arwa's story, her embracing Islam after her son Tulayb did.
At a glance
- Roles
- Companion
- Counted among
- Sunni
- Era
- The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
Place in the story
- CompanionTradition
Sunni (transmitted)
Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.
Summary
Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib al-Hashimiyya, aunt of the Messenger of God 1. Abu Umar said she was under Umayr ibn Wahb ibn Abd ibn Qusayy and bore him Tulayb; then Kulda ibn Abd Manaf ibn Abd al-Dar ibn Qusayy succeeded him over her and she bore him Arwa 1.
Did she become Muslim?
Her stand the day Abu Jahl assaulted the Prophet
Ibn Sa'd records from al-Waqidi with his chain to Barra bint Abi Tajra: Abu Jahl and several with him fell upon the Prophet and hurt him, whereupon Tulayb ibn Umayr went for Abu Jahl, struck him and gashed him — they seized him, and Abu Lahab rose to his aid. Word reached Arwa and she said: "his best day is the day he aided his aunt's son." Abu Lahab was told "Arwa has turned to the new faith"; he went in to her reproaching her, and she said: "rise for your nephew's sake — if he prevails you will have the choice, and if not you will have your excuse in your nephew." Abu Lahab said: "do we have strength against all the Arabs? He has come with a new religion" 1.
Her elegy for the Prophet
Ibn Sa'd mentions that this Arwa elegised the Prophet, and verses of hers are recited 1.
Opinions on the question
The question: Did Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib embrace Islam?
First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
More opinions (3)
Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
Connections
People and things also explored
Abu Talib ibn Abd al-MuttalibAbd al-Muttalib ibn HashimBanu Hashimal-Abbas ibn Abd al-MuttalibSafiyya bint Abd al-MuttalibMeccaHamza ibn Abd al-MuttalibThe Battle of Uhud
Sources
- al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-sahaba — Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, p. 1807
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/arwa-bint-abd-al-muttalib/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.