At a glance
- Roles
- Companion
- Counted among
- Sunni
- Era
- The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate
- Region
- Arabia
- Identifiers
- Wikidata
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
In space
Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph
WomenConverts and those who leave
Place in the story
- Convert to IslamTradition
- Family of the Prophet · c. 628 CE · c. 7 AH† – 632 CE · 11 AH†Tradition
Sunni (transmitted)
Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.
Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan, one of the Mothers of the Believers; she migrated for her faith twice — to Abyssinia then to Medina — and the Prophet ﷺ married her.
Umm Habiba Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan (may God be pleased with her) ibn Harb, one of the Mothers of the Believers. She migrated with her husband Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh to Abyssinia fleeing with her faith; he apostatized and she held firm, and the Negus married her to the Prophet ﷺ in a contract completed in Ja'far ibn Abi Talib's presence in Abyssinia. When her father came to Medina on his failed mission and entered her house, she folded the Prophet's bedding away from him and said: 'It is the Messenger of God's bedding, and you are a polytheist man, unclean' — she did not want him sitting on it.
Storytellers (10–12) read the Explorers text, then cross to the Scholars text.
Umm Habiba Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan (may God be pleased with her) ibn Harb, one of the Mothers of the Believers; she migrated to Abyssinia then to Medina. She migrated with her husband Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh to Abyssinia fleeing with her faith; he apostatized and she held firm, and the Negus married her to the Prophet ﷺ in a contract completed in Ja'far ibn Abi Talib's presence in Abyssinia. When her father Abu Sufyan came to Medina on his failed mission and entered her house, she folded the Prophet's bedding away from him; he said 'Daughter, did you want the bedding or me?' and she said 'It is the Messenger of God's bedding, and you are a polytheist man, unclean — I did not want you sitting on it'.
Summary
Daughter of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and one of the Mothers of the Believers; she emigrated to Abyssinia then to Medina 1. When her father came to Medina on his failed mission she folded up the Prophet's bedding away from him, saying: "it is the Messenger of God's bedding, and you are a polytheist man, unclean" 2.
The emigration to Abyssinia
The bedding scene
When Abu Sufyan came to Medina to renew the pact he entered on his daughter, and she folded the Prophet's bedding away from him. He said: daughter, is it the bedding you begrudge me, or me? She said: it is the Messenger of God's bedding, and you are a polytheist man, unclean — I would not have you sit on it 2.
For young visitors
A woman of Mecca who emigrated for her faith twice — first to Abyssinia, then to Medina — and the Prophet married her. When her father came visiting, she did not let him sit on her husband's bedding, for he was at enmity with him.
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Connections
- Parent of
- Habiba bint Ubaydullah
- Sibling of
- Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan
- Spouse of
- Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh· Muhammad
- Member of
- Banu Umayya ibn Abd Shams· Ahl al-Bayt· Mothers of the Believers
- Child of
- Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
- Participated in
- Abu Sufyan's mission to Medina· Return of the Abyssinian emigrants with Ja'far ibn Abi Talib
- Traveled to
- Aksum
- Mentioned in
- Muwatta 1747
People and things also explored
Umm Salama (Hind bint Abi Umayya)· Return of the Abyssinian emigrants with Ja'far ibn Abi Talib· Abu Sufyan ibn Harb· Muhammad· Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh· Sawda bint Zam'a· Banu Umayya ibn Abd Shams· Habiba bint Ubaydullah
Sources
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936) , 4/38; cite:ibn-sad-tabaqat-bewley
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936) , 4/38
- Ibn Sa'd, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir (Bewley translation, Ta-Ha)
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
- Nisa' Hawl al-Rasul: Tarajim wa Qisas — al-Maktaba al-Asriyya
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Umm Habiba Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/umm-habiba-bint-abi-sufyan/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-26.