How did our Prophet (PBUH) marry Umm Salama ? What was the reason for that marriage?

Umm Salama, whose real name was Hind, was the daughter of Umayya b. Mughira from Bani Makhzum tribe. Her husband Abd Allah b. Abd al-Asad, migrated to Abyssinia when he was subjected to the oppression and torment by mushriks (idolaters) because of his acceptance of Islam. He returned to Makkah upon the rumor that a lot of people from Quraish became Muslims; however, when he learned that the rumor was wrong, this time he migrated to Madinah undergoing a lot of difficult times. Hazrat Umm Salama was with her husband in both of the migrations to Abyssinia.

Hazrat Umm Salama was widowed with her four children when her husband died at the end of the month Jumada al-Ukhra (the sixth month of the Arabic lunar months), in the forth year of the Hijrah as a result of his injuries in the Battle of Uhud.

Umm Salama told her husband just before his death, As I heard, if a woman deserving heaven, whose husband deserving heaven died, does not marry to someone else later, Allah certainly will bring her with her husband together in the heaven.

In the same way, if a man deserving heaven, whose wife deserving heaven died, does not marry to someone else later, Allah certainly will bring him with his wife together in the heaven. Then she made the following offer to her husband: Then, let us promise to each other. Neither you will get married after me, nor shall I get married after you!

However, Abu Salama did not accept that offer and he said: You listen to what I tell you, get married after my death.

Then, he made the following prayer: O my Allah! Grant Umm Salama a husband, who is better than me, who will not look down on her and who will not hurt her after me! (1)

The Conversation Of Our Prophet (pbuh) With Umm Salama

Umm Salama, had not accepted the marriage offers of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar previously. Later on, Our Prophet (pbuh) made an offer of marriage to Umm Salama in order to take her and her orphan children under his protection. Umm Salama required being excused of that and said. I am both an old and a jealous woman. I also have children and I have none of my elders with me as a witness.

Our Prophet (pbuh) went to Umm Salama, who had given him that answer, and repeated his marriage offer himself. Then he said:

You say that you are an old woman. It is not a shame for an old woman to marry an older man than her.
You said that you were the mother of the orphan children. Know that their livelihoods belong to Allah and His messenger.
You say that you are a jealous woman. I will also pray Allah to eliminate it from you.
You say that there are none of your elders beside you. There are none among them whether they are present here or not that will not consent to me.

Thereupon, Umm Salama turned to his son who was present there and said, O Umar, stand up and join me in marriage to Allahs Messenger. (2)

In this way, the Almighty Allah accepted Abu Salamas prayer, O my Allah! Grant Umm Salama a husband, who is better than me, who will not look down on her and who will not hurt her after me! (3) he made before his death, and had granted Umm Salama to be a wife of the one who is the best of the human beings.

Umm Salama, who was 44 years old when she got married to Allahs Most Nobel Messenger, died in the 59th year of the Hijrah at the age of 84. Abu Hurayra leaded her salatul-janaza (the funeral prayer) and she was buried in the Baqee Graveyard. (4)

Umm Salama, who could read but not write, was among the ones who knew the Fiqh (Islamic Laws) well. The number of the hadiths she had related from Allahs Most Noble Messenger is 378.

1. Tabaqat, 8:88.
2. Tabaqat, 8:89–90.
3. Tabaqat, 8:88.
4. Tabaqat, 8:96.