I had never seen anything grow as fast as the message of Islam. My name isn’t written in any of the early books, but I was there in Medina when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ arrived after leaving Mecca — that sacred city where the Kaaba stands. I was only thirteen then, running food between homes and helping my mother sew garments for our neighbors.
But what I remember most isn’t the excitement of new people or teachings. It was the women.
In those first years in Medina, it felt like everyone had a role to play. Some men went to battle. Others gave their homes or shared their wealth. But the women — their contributions were quieter, sometimes hidden, but no less powerful.
Take Umm Salamah, for example. She was one of the early Muslims who faced violence in Mecca. After her husband’s death, the Prophet ﷺ married her — but not because she was young or beautiful. She was a mother, a widow, and a wise woman. She would give advice, and the Prophet ﷺ listened. I remember hearing one of the older boys say, “Even the Prophet ﷺ values her thoughts.”
My own neighbor, Fatimah — not the Prophet's daughter, but a woman of the Ansar (the Helpers of Medina) — once told me something I’ll never forget. I was upset that the boys my age were learning Qur’an from the Prophet ﷺ directly, while we girls were told to learn from our mothers or the older women.
She gently placed a jar of water in front of me. “Do you see this?” she asked. “Water doesn’t shout, child. But without it, crops never grow.”
It was in that same season that I began to hear stories of Nusaybah bint Ka'ab, also called Umm Ammarah. She was a woman from Medina who actually stood and fought beside the Prophet ﷺ during the Battle of Uhud. “She shielded him with her own body,” my uncle whispered, eyes wide. “When many fled, she stayed.”
I didn’t understand how it was possible. A woman in armor? Bleeding and brave, like the men? But the Prophet ﷺ later said, “Whenever I turned to my left or right, I saw her fighting beside me."
I asked my mother, “Why don’t people speak of her more?”
“Because people forget,” she said. “But Allah never does.”
I couldn’t stop thinking of all the ways women were shaping Islam: Khadijah — the first believer and the Prophet’s wife who gave her wealth to support the mission; Aisha — who narrated so many hadith, the sayings and actions of the Prophet ﷺ; and all the others who taught, healed, stood firm, and raised children on truth.
Later, I learned a verse from the Qur’an that gave me even more peace. In Surah Al-Ahzab (33:40), Allah says: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets.” That meant his mission was complete. And the foundation of that mission — that final message — was built not just by men, but also by women of strength and insight.
I grew up knowing that in the eyes of Allah, our roles mattered just as much. None of it was forgotten.
Ever.
Story Note: Inspired by Surah Al-Ahzab (33:40) and authentic traditions from the seerah (biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) regarding women like Umm Salamah, Nusaybah bint Ka’ab, and other early Muslim women.
I had never seen anything grow as fast as the message of Islam. My name isn’t written in any of the early books, but I was there in Medina when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ arrived after leaving Mecca — that sacred city where the Kaaba stands. I was only thirteen then, running food between homes and helping my mother sew garments for our neighbors.
But what I remember most isn’t the excitement of new people or teachings. It was the women.
In those first years in Medina, it felt like everyone had a role to play. Some men went to battle. Others gave their homes or shared their wealth. But the women — their contributions were quieter, sometimes hidden, but no less powerful.
Take Umm Salamah, for example. She was one of the early Muslims who faced violence in Mecca. After her husband’s death, the Prophet ﷺ married her — but not because she was young or beautiful. She was a mother, a widow, and a wise woman. She would give advice, and the Prophet ﷺ listened. I remember hearing one of the older boys say, “Even the Prophet ﷺ values her thoughts.”
My own neighbor, Fatimah — not the Prophet's daughter, but a woman of the Ansar (the Helpers of Medina) — once told me something I’ll never forget. I was upset that the boys my age were learning Qur’an from the Prophet ﷺ directly, while we girls were told to learn from our mothers or the older women.
She gently placed a jar of water in front of me. “Do you see this?” she asked. “Water doesn’t shout, child. But without it, crops never grow.”
It was in that same season that I began to hear stories of Nusaybah bint Ka'ab, also called Umm Ammarah. She was a woman from Medina who actually stood and fought beside the Prophet ﷺ during the Battle of Uhud. “She shielded him with her own body,” my uncle whispered, eyes wide. “When many fled, she stayed.”
I didn’t understand how it was possible. A woman in armor? Bleeding and brave, like the men? But the Prophet ﷺ later said, “Whenever I turned to my left or right, I saw her fighting beside me."
I asked my mother, “Why don’t people speak of her more?”
“Because people forget,” she said. “But Allah never does.”
I couldn’t stop thinking of all the ways women were shaping Islam: Khadijah — the first believer and the Prophet’s wife who gave her wealth to support the mission; Aisha — who narrated so many hadith, the sayings and actions of the Prophet ﷺ; and all the others who taught, healed, stood firm, and raised children on truth.
Later, I learned a verse from the Qur’an that gave me even more peace. In Surah Al-Ahzab (33:40), Allah says: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets.” That meant his mission was complete. And the foundation of that mission — that final message — was built not just by men, but also by women of strength and insight.
I grew up knowing that in the eyes of Allah, our roles mattered just as much. None of it was forgotten.
Ever.
Story Note: Inspired by Surah Al-Ahzab (33:40) and authentic traditions from the seerah (biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) regarding women like Umm Salamah, Nusaybah bint Ka’ab, and other early Muslim women.
