Skip to content
Rasulullah.org

Seerah / Madinah

Reviewed

Umm Sulaym's patience when her son died

Date
Madinan period · date unknown
Location
Madinah
People
Umm Sulaym (RA), Abu Talha (RA)

Anas (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari how Umm Sulaym (RA) received her child's death with calm, broke the news gently to her husband Abu Talha (RA), and how the Prophet ﷺ made dua for blessing in their night.

As it was narrated

The story, in the words of those who were there

Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.

Hadith
Hadith collection

حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ اشْتَكَى ابْنٌ لأَبِي طَلْحَةَ ـ قَالَ ـ فَمَاتَ وَأَبُو طَلْحَةَ خَارِجٌ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ هَيَّأَتْ شَيْئًا وَنَحَّتْهُ فِي جَانِبِ الْبَيْتِ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ قَالَ كَيْفَ الْغُلا…

Narrated Anas bin Malik:One of the sons of Abu Talha became sick and died and Abu Talha at that time was not at home. When his wife saw that he was dead, she prepared him (washed and shrouded him) and placed him somewhere in the house. When Abu Talha came, he asked, "How is the boy?" She said, "The child is quiet and I hope he is in peace." Abu Talha thought that she had spoken the truth. Abu Talha passed the night and in the morning took a bath and when he intended to go out, she told him that his son had died, Abu Talha offered the (morning) prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed the Prophet (ﷺ) of what happened to them. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bless you concerning your ni…

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 1301 · Funerals (Al-Janaa'iz)
Translation: Sahih al-Bukhari — English. Hadith data: fawazahmed0/hadith-api (numbering and gradings as published there).

Grading information unavailable in source data · from a collection regarded as sahih

Open source

Lessons

  • Wisdom in delivering hard news protects the people we love.
  • What is taken can be replaced by Allah with blessing.

Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.

Pause for a moment

Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.

Send salawat ﷺ

Bibliography

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 1301 (Anas) · primary source
  • Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)

Related events