The African Mother of the Prophet ﷺ: Barakah bint Tha’labah (رضي الله عنها)

Photo by Mari Potter on Unsplash

 “…this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem.” - Malcolm X

“I believe that Islam and the Holy Quran offer all men and women the opportunity to understand how to live a decent, disciplined and meaningful life." - Sister Souljah

“I try not to live my life…in reaction to racism.” - Sister Souljah 

“The very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do.

Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.” - Tony Morrison

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It is Allah who shows us how to honor people, not by the color of their skin or status or place of birth but by their character and goodness. Those whom Allah attached to the Messenger ﷺ are the ones who receive nobility in character and deed. Thus we remember and venerate Barakah bint Tha'labah (رضي الله عنها), who was also known as Umm Ayman.

She was an enslaved Abyssinian when she was taken captive from the army of Abrahah and became the servant of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib, the father of the blessed Prophet ﷺ. She thereafter became part of the Prophet’s ﷺ inheritance, serving his blessed mother Aminah  (رضي الله عنها). After her demise, she took on the role of the Prophet's ﷺ mother on Lady Aminah's behalf.

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