Umama bint Abi al-As

Umama bint Abi al-As ibn al-Rabi' al-Abshamiyya; her mother Zaynab bint the Messenger of God ¹. Al-Zubayr said in Nasab: Zaynab was under Abu al-As and bore him Umama and Ali ¹.

Her mention is established in the two Sahihs in Abu Qatada's hadith: the Prophet used to carry Umama bint Zaynab on his shoulder — when he prostrated he set her down, and when he rose he lifted her ¹. In Ibn Sa'd's account from Abu Qatada: "while we were at the Messenger of God's door he came out carrying Umama bint Abi al-As ibn al-Rabi' — her mother Zaynab bint the Messenger of God — a small girl, and he prayed with her on his shoulder" ¹.

Ahmad relates from A'isha that the Prophet was given a gift including an agate necklace, and said: "I shall give it to the dearest of my household to me" — the women said: Abu Quhafa's daughter has won it — and he called Umama bint Zaynab and hung it around her neck ¹. In a mursal account at Ibn Sa'd: "I shall give it to the most kin-dutiful of you" ¹. Ahmad relates that the Negus gifted the Prophet jewellery including a gold ring with an Abyssinian stone, and he gave it to Umama ².

Abu Umar said: Ali ibn Abi Talib married her after Fatima; al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam married her to him, her father having entrusted her to al-Zubayr ². After Ali was killed, Ali told al-Mughira ibn Nawfal ibn al-Harith to marry her, and he did; she bore him Yahya — by whom he took his kunya — and she died with al-Mughira ². It has been said she bore children to neither Ali nor al-Mughira ². Al-Zubayr said: Zaynab has no surviving issue ².