أَسْمَاءُ بِنْتُ عُمَيْس
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا
Asma bint Umays
Emigrated to Abyssinia with Ja'far · Later married Abu Bakr, then Ali · Narrator
may Allah be pleased with her
Khath'am · Makkah, Abyssinia and Madinah, across three marriages
She emigrated to Abyssinia with her first husband, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, and after he was killed at Mu'tah she married Abu Bakr, and after his death she married Ali. When the Abyssinian emigrants' migration seemed to be ranked beneath the migration to Madinah, she pressed the question and was told by the Prophet ﷺ that they had two migrations to the others' one.
Known for
She emigrated to Abyssinia with her husband Ja'far ibn Abi Talib
The Prophet ﷺ told her that the Abyssinian emigrants had two migrations to their credit, when the Madinan emigrants had one
She had pressed the question after a remark seemed to rank the migration to Madinah above the one to Abyssinia.
After Ja'far was killed at Mu'tah, she married Abu Bakr
After Abu Bakr died, she married Ali ibn Abi Talib
Story
Her story in moments
Short episodes from her life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
Abyssinia
Asma bint Umays was married to Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, and emigrated with him to Abyssinia during the years of persecution in Makkah. They had children there.
The two of them returned to Madinah together, some years later, around the time reports place Ja'far's own return. It was in this period that the exchange over the Abyssinian emigrants' migration is placed, and it is set out in the moment below.
Three marriages
Ja'far was killed at Mu'tah in 8 AH. Asma married Abu Bakr afterward, and had a son with him.
Abu Bakr died as caliph in 13 AH. Asma then married Ali ibn Abi Talib, who later became the fourth caliph.
Her life afterward runs through some of the most contested events in early Islamic history. This record does not narrate them.
How the sources describe her
She spoke up for herself and the group she had emigrated with, rather than letting a comparison stand
Connect
People around her
Family
Her first husband. She emigrated with him to Abyssinia, and he was killed at Mu'tah.
Her second husband, whom she married after Ja'far was killed at Mu'tah.
Her third husband, whom she married after Abu Bakr died.
Her half-sister on their mother's side, and later a wife of the Prophet ﷺ.
Her half-sister on their mother's side, and the wife of al-Abbas.
Full timeline
- The Makkan years, before the Hijrah
Emigrates to Abyssinia with Ja'far ibn Abi Talib
- After the return from Abyssinia
Presses the question of the two migrations, and is answered
- 8 AH to 13 AH approximate
Marries Abu Bakr after Mu'tah, and Ali after Abu Bakr's death
Part of
Sources & review
Draft content — undergoing reviewThis content was written for SahabaMate and has not yet been checked by a reviewer against the works below. Treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
Sahih al-Bukhariصحيح البخاري
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari
As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
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