أُمُّ حَكِيم
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا
Umm Hakim bint al-Harith
She went after her husband herself · Of Banu Makhzum · Opening of Makkah
may Allah be pleased with her
Quraysh — Banu Makhzum · Makkah, around the opening of the city, 8 AH
She accepted Islam when Makkah was opened, obtained an amnesty for the husband who had fled it, and went after him herself to bring him back.
Known for
She accepted Islam when Makkah was opened
Her husband Ikrimah fled the city rather than accept the amnesty; she did not go with him.
She obtained an amnesty for her husband, who was excluded from the general one
Ikrimah had been named among a small number the general amnesty at the opening of Makkah did not cover.
She went after him herself, and brought him back
Not a messenger — she travelled to the coast and caught him at the water's edge, and persuaded him to turn round.
Her father and her husband's father were brothers
Her father was al-Harith ibn Hisham; her husband Ikrimah's father was Abu Jahl, born Amr ibn Hisham. She and Ikrimah were first cousins.
Story
Her story in moments
Short episodes from her life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
Before his flight
Umm Hakim was of Quraysh, from Banu Makhzum. Her father was al-Harith ibn Hisham, a brother of Abu Jahl, which made her and her husband Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl first cousins as well as a married couple.
When Makkah was opened in 8 AH, a general amnesty was given, and a short list of people were excluded from it. Ikrimah was on that list, and fled towards the coast rather than risk staying.
After his return
Umm Hakim accepted Islam and asked for an amnesty for her husband; it was granted, and she went after him herself to deliver it, which is set out in the moment below.
Ikrimah accepted Islam once he reached the Prophet ﷺ, and went on to fight in the campaigns in Syria, where he was killed. The classical biographical dictionaries record comparatively little about Umm Hakim individually beyond this episode.
How the sources describe her
She acted rather than waited
Her own Islam and her husband's safety were not two separate errands to her
Connect
People around her
Family
Her husband and her first cousin; she obtained his amnesty at the opening of Makkah and went after him herself to bring him back.
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
She brought him the amnesty she had obtained for her husband; he received Ikrimah warmly on his return.
Full timeline
- 8 AH
Accepts Islam at the opening of Makkah, and obtains an amnesty for Ikrimah
- 8 AH
Goes after Ikrimah herself and brings him back
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.
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
Tarikh ar-Rusul wa'l-Mulukتاريخ الرسل والملوك
Classical history · Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Companions of the Prophet
Modern biography · Abdul Wahid Hamid
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
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