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Asma bint Umays al-Khat'amiyya, Umm Abd Allah, among the first women emigrants; she emigrated to Abyssinia with her husband Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, then married Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him) after him, then Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him).
Asma bint Umays al-Khat'amiyya, Umm Abd Allah, among the first women emigrants. It is said she entered Islam before the Prophet ﷺ entered Dar al-Arqam, and her husband Ja'far ibn Abi Talib emigrated with her to Abyssinia where she bore him Abd Allah, Muhammad and Awn; when she emigrated to Medina in year seven Ja'far had fallen at Mu'ta. She told Umar — when he said 'O Abyssinian, we outdid you in the Hijra' — the sense that the Abyssinia emigrants had been with the Prophet feeding their hungry and teaching their ignorant, and reported it to the Prophet, who said 'the people have one hijra; you have two'. She bore Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr at Dhu al-Hulayfa on the way to the Farewell Pilgrimage, and on the Prophet's ruling was told to bathe and enter ihram. After Ja'far she married Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him) then Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him).
Storytellers (10–12) read the Explorers text, then cross to the Scholars text.
Asma bint Umays al-Khat'amiyya, Umm Abd Allah, among the first women emigrants; it is said she entered Islam before the Prophet ﷺ entered Dar al-Arqam, and her husband Ja'far ibn Abi Talib emigrated with her to Abyssinia where she bore him Abd Allah, Muhammad and Awn, and when she emigrated to Medina in year seven Ja'far had fallen at Mu'ta. She told Umar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him) — when he said 'O Abyssinian, we outdid you in the Hijra' — the sense that the emigrants to Abyssinia had been with the Prophet feeding their hungry and teaching their ignorant, and reported it to the Prophet, who said 'the people have one hijra; you have two'. She bore Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr at Dhu al-Hulayfa while they intended the Farewell Pilgrimage, and Abu Bakr told her to bathe then enter ihram for the Hajj after asking the Prophet, who had so ordered her. After Ja'far she married Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him) then Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him).
Overview
Asma daughter of Umays of the Khath'am, Umm Abd Allah, one of the early women emigrants. She emigrated to Abyssinia with her husband Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, then after him she was married to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, and then to Ali ibn Abi Talib. 1
Emigration to Abyssinia and Medina
What the Prophet said to her
She said to Umar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him), when he said to her: "O Abyssinian woman, we preceded you in the emigration", that the emigrants to Abyssinia had been with the Prophet, feeding his hungry and teaching his ignorant. She told the Prophet this, and he said: "The people have one emigration, and you have two." 3
The birth of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr
She gave birth to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr at Dhu al-Hulayfa when they were setting out for the Farewell Pilgrimage. Abu Bakr told her to wash and then to enter the state of pilgrimage, after asking the Prophet, who ordered her to do so. 4
The death of Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr directed that Asma wash him, and she washed him, being his wife. 4
For young visitors
Asma daughter of Umays was among the early Muslim women. She emigrated with her husband to Abyssinia and then to Medina, and Abu Bakr married her afterwards, and then Ali. When Abu Bakr died she washed him with her own hands.
Notes for researchers
- The primary source here is al-Dhahabi's "Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'" (vol. 2), edited by al-Abyari, of which a photographed copy is in the local repository.
- The statement "it is said that she embraced Islam before the House of al-Arqam" is given by al-Dhahabi in the hedged form; it is recorded as a report.
- Ibn Sa'd, al-Isti'ab and al-Isaba are mentioned in al-Dhahabi's footnote to the entry; their texts have not yet been compared.
- The date of the emigration to Medina as "the seventh year" is given on al-Dhahabi's authority; a second source is needed before it is relied on.
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Connections
- Parent of
- Abdullah ibn Ja'far· Awn ibn Ali
- Member of
- Khath'am
- Spouse of
- Ja'far ibn Abi Talib· Abu Bakr al-Siddiq· Ali ibn Abi Talib
- Sibling of
- Umm al-Fadl Lubaba bint al-Harith
- Participated in
- The Prophet's grief over Ja'far and his instruction to feed his family· The death and burial of Fatima bint Muhammad· The dosing of the Prophet during his illness· Return of the Abyssinian emigrants with Ja'far ibn Abi Talib
- Mentioned in
- Muwatta 593· Muwatta 2418· Muwatta 1150· Muwatta 898· Muwatta 899
People and things also explored
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq· Muhammad· Medina· Abdullah ibn Ja'far· Ali ibn Abi Talib· Ja'far ibn Abi Talib· The Death of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq· The death of the Prophet
Sources
- Siyar a'lam al-nubala' — al-Dhahabi (al-Abyari edition, vol. 2) , p.204-205
- Siyar a'lam al-nubala' — al-Dhahabi (al-Abyari edition, vol. 2) , p.204
- Siyar a'lam al-nubala' — al-Dhahabi (al-Abyari edition, vol. 2) , p.205
- Siyar a'lam al-nubala' — al-Dhahabi (al-Abyari edition, vol. 2) , p.206
- Sirat Ibn Hisham (al-Saqqa, al-Abyari and Shalabi edition)
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936)
- Nisa' Hawl al-Rasul: Tarajim wa Qisas — al-Maktaba al-Asriyya
- Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi
- Asma al-Matalib fi Sirat Ali ibn Abi Talib, vol. 1 — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Asma' bint Umays”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/asma-bint-umays/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-26.