The Warrior Who Stood Beside the Prophet SAS: Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (RA)

Early Life

Umm Umarah Nusaybah bint Ka’ab ibn ‘Amr al-Ansariyyah, belonged to the tribe of Banu Najjar, the maternal clan of the Prophet ﷺ. Her name appears in early sources as both Nusaybah and Nasibah. She was born around 568 CE, though very little is known about her parents, and it is assumed that they passed away before Islam spread in Madinah. What is known is that her household embraced Islam immediately when they heard its message. Her first husband, Zaid ibn ‘Assim, is mentioned in some narrations as someone she married and divorced before Islam, and her second husband was Ghaziyyah ibn ‘Amr, both early companions of the Prophet ﷺ from Madinah. She had two sons with her first husband, Habib ibn Zaid and ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid, and with her second husband she had a son, Tamim, and a daughter, Khawla, about whom little historical information remains.

Her brothers, ‘Abdullah ibn Ka’ab and ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Ka’ab, were also among the early Muslims. Their sincerity in supporting the Prophet ﷺ was a testament to the shared devotion that ran through their family. Once, when illness prevented ‘Abd ar-Rahman and several others from joining the Prophet ﷺ in the Battle of Tabuk, they grieved deeply at being left behind, and Allah rewarded their sincerity by recording the good of their intention as if they had participated.

From the very beginning, Nusaybah’s courage, strength of character, and love for Islam were evident. When the news of Islam first reached Madinah and the Prophet’s young ambassador, Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr, began teaching the Qur’an, Nusaybah embraced the message without hesitation. Soon after, when around seventy men and only two or three women travelled from Madinah to Makkah for the Second Pledge of ‘Aqaba, she was among them. She did not wait for the Prophet ﷺ to come to Madinah, nor did she rely on her husband or brothers to make the pledge on behalf of her family. Instead, she took that long and dangerous journey herself and even brought her young sons with her.

At ‘Aqaba, the group pledged to believe in Allah alone, to abandon idolatry, and to support and defend the Prophet ﷺ in hardship and in ease, in all circumstances. The Prophet ﷺ did not take the hands of the women during the pledge, but he accepted their allegiance through their spoken words alone. This was the first moment Nusaybah stood before the Prophet ﷺ, and it marked the beginning of a life defined by faith, sacrifice, and unwavering loyalty to him and to Islam.

The Lioness of Uhud

She did not participate in the Battle of Badr, for it took place far from Madinah, and neither did her sons, who were still very young at the time. But her brother, her former husband, and her current husband all fought in that first historic battle. The first time Nusaybah herself stepped onto a battlefield was at Uhud, an event that would open the door for her participation in many battles thereafter.

At Uhud, nearly 300 hypocrites withdrew from the army, abandoning the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims on the morning of the battle. From a thousand fighters, the Muslims were suddenly reduced to just 700, facing a force of nearly 3,000 Qurayshi soldiers. When asked if the Qurayshi women participated that day, Nusaybah replied that they only raised their hands to beat their drums. She added that she was not the only woman present; ‘Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Safiyyah, Umm Salamah, and other women from the Prophet’s family were also there, serving the fighters, carrying water, and treating the wounded.

It was on this battlefield that Allah revealed the noble Ayat 23 of Surat Al-Ahzab: "Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge ˹with their lives˺, others are waiting (their turn). They have never changed (their commitment) in the least." Although the verse says “men,” scholars explain that it refers to true believers, men and women alike. Many early scholars included Nusaybah among those mentioned in this ayah, for she fulfilled her pledge with a truthfulness matched by very few.

At first, the Muslims were winning. By Allah’s permission, the Quraysh were pushed back, and victory appeared certain. But when a group of archers left their posts, thinking the battle had ended, despite the Prophet’s ﷺ strict instruction to remain in their position, an opening appeared on the hillside. Khalid ibn al-Walid, still a non-Muslim then and a master tactician, seized the opportunity and charged from behind. The Quraysh regrouped, the Muslim lines broke, and chaos erupted. In moments, the tide of battle turned, and the Prophet ﷺ himself came under direct threat.

Amid the dust and terror stood Nusaybah. She had come to tend to the wounded, carry water, and support the fighters, never expecting to wield a sword. But when she saw men fleeing, throwing away their armor to run faster, she shouted at one of them, “Give your sword to someone who can defend the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!” The man, in his panic, tossed both his sword and shield toward her. Nusaybah picked them up without hesitation and ran toward the Prophet ﷺ, swinging the sword fiercely from right to left. She placed herself between him and the attackers, fighting with such courage that the Prophet ﷺ later said: “Whenever I turned to my right or to my left on the day of Uhud, I saw Nusaybah fighting to defend me.”

When she reached him, only about ten people remained protecting the Prophet ﷺ, among them her husband and her two sons. Nearly her entire family stood there, refusing to abandon him. In the heat of battle, her son ‘Abdullah was struck and deeply wounded. Without a moment’s hesitation, she ran to him, bandaged his wound, and told him to stand up and continue defending the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She herself returned immediately to the fight. The Prophet ﷺ, witnessing her resolve, said: “Who can endure what you endure, O Umm ‘Umarah?”

At one moment, the Prophet ﷺ pointed to a man and told her that he was the one who had wounded her son. Driven by a mother’s instinct, she advanced toward him and struck him repeatedly until he fell, allowing the other Companions to finish him. The Prophet ﷺ praised Allah for allowing Nusaybah to avenge the man who wounded her son. Soon after, a heavily armored fighter on horseback charged toward her. She dodged the horse and struck him down. The Prophet ﷺ would later compare her to the finest warriors and say she surpassed many of them.

Still fighting, Nusaybah witnessed the death of Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr, the ambassador who had first taught her about Islam in Madinah. His killer, thinking he had slain the Prophet ﷺ, was now storming toward the real target. Nusaybah stepped in front of him, fearless, although he shouted that he would not live unless the Prophet ﷺ were dead. She attempted to strike him, but his double armor prevented her blow from reaching his flesh. He retaliated, striking her shoulder so deeply that it took a full year for the wound to heal. She suffered more than a dozen wounds that day.

The attacker then moved toward the Prophet ﷺ. Seeing her bleeding profusely, the Prophet ﷺ shouted, “O son of Umm ‘Umarah — your mother! Your mother!” Her son rushed to her side to treat her wound. Yet even then, she rose again, shielding the Prophet ﷺ with her body and continuing to fight until the battle subsided.

Moved by her courage, The Prophet SAS started to say. ‘‘What family, the family of Umm Umarah! What a household!” Hearing this, she said to the Prophet ﷺ, “O Messenger of Allah, ask Allah to make us your companions in Paradise.” He replied, “O Allah, make them my companions in Jannah.” Nusaybah later said, “After that supplication, I no longer cared what happened to me.”

By Allah’s mercy, she survived the battle. And the Prophet ﷺ never forgot what she had done; the wounds she endured, the enemies she fought, and the loyalty she showed when so many fled. He continued to praise her and pray for blessings upon her household for the rest of his life.

From that day forward, Nusaybah never stayed back from a battle. She fought alongside the Muslims just like the men. She participated in Hudaybiyyah, Khaybar, and ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’. She witnessed the conquest of Makkah and fought in Hunayn and Yamamah as well.

Facing the False Prophet: The Trial of Musaylimah

Not long before the passing of the Prophet ﷺ, a dangerous fitnah rose in the land of Yamamah. A man named Musaylimah, the liar, began claiming prophethood for himself. His tribe, Banu Hanifah, was large and influential, and his lies threatened to mislead thousands.

Musaylimah sent two messengers to Madinah, carrying an arrogant letter addressed to the Prophet ﷺ: “From Musaylimah, the Messenger of Allah, to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. The land is half ours and half yours.” When the Prophet ﷺ heard the letter, he asked the two envoys: “What do you believe?” They said: “We believe as he believes.” He said: “I swear by Allah that were it not that messengers are not killed, I would cut off your heads.” Because they were official envoys, protected under Islamic diplomatic law, the Prophet ﷺ let them return unharmed, despite their belief in Musaylimah.

The Prophet ﷺ replied with a firm and clear letter: “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Musaylimah the Liar. Peace be upon those who follow rightful guidance. The earth belongs to Allah. He will give it to whom He wills. And victory belongs to the pious.” To deliver this letter, the Prophet ﷺ sent two men: Habib ibn Zaid, the courageous son of Nusaybah and another Companion.

When the two messengers reached Yamamah, Musaylimah summoned them before his gathering. He turned to Habib ibn Zaid first. “Do you testify,” he demanded, “that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?” Habib replied: “Yes, I testify.” Musaylimah asked, “Do you testify that I am the messenger of Allah?” Habib said: “I cannot hear you.” (Meaning: I do not acknowledge your falsehood.) Musaylimah exploded with rage. In front of the crowd, he ordered his guards to cut Habib limb by limb. They sliced his body piece by piece, demanding each time that he affirm Musaylimah’s claim; and every time, he refused. Habib died a martyr, steadfast, refusing to utter a single word of falsehood.

As for the second envoy, Musaylimah asked him the same questions. Fear overtook him. He affirmed Muhammad ﷺ, but he also said that Musaylimah was a prophet. So, Musaylimah spared him. When he came before the Prophet ﷺ, ashamed and confessed what he had done, The Prophet ﷺ comforted him, just as he once comforted Ammar ibn Yassir (RA), who had been forced to utter words of disbelief under torture. The Prophet ﷺ had said to him: “If they return to torture you, then say it again if needed.”

When news reached his mother, Nusaybah (RA), she said: “I prepared him for this moment, and I sought my reward from Allah SWT for him. He pledged to the Prophet ﷺ at ‘Aqaba as a boy, and as a man he fulfilled his promise.” She added: “If Allah grants me life long enough, and if He gives me a chance to face Musaylimah, I will make his women weep for him.” She was committed to continuing the fight on the path of Allah.

Meanwhile, Musaylimah’s fitnah grew. His arrogance increased, his methods of torture became more vicious, and day after day, more people slipped into his deception. After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (RA), the first Muslim Caliph, called the Ummah to fight the apostates in the Battle of al-Yamamah.

By now, Nusaybah was over sixty years old, but she had sworn that she would stand on the battlefield the day Allah granted revenge for her son. And she went alongside her son ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid. In the fierce fighting of Yamamah, she was wounded eleven times and even lost one of her arms. Still, she fought on.

The end of Musaylimah came in a striking twist of destiny. Wahshy, the very man who had once killed Hamza (RA) at Uhud, who had since repented, used the same spear to strike Musaylimah down. Then ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid delivered the final blow. Wahshy later said: “I killed the best of people, and I killed the worst of people.” Nusaybah witnessed the scene with her own eyes. She praised Allah for allowing her to live long enough to witness the downfall of Allah’s enemy.

Nusayba As a Narrator of Hadith

She was also among the women who narrated Hadith from the Prophet ﷺ. One of the most beautiful narrations attributed to her is the moment she came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "I do not see but that everything is for the men, and I do not see anything being mentioned for the women." In response to her sincerity and yearning for recognition, Allah revealed one of the most comprehensive verses honoring believing women and placing them side by side with men in reward and virtue: “Indeed the Muslim men and the Muslim women, the believing men and the believing women, the devout men and women, the truthful men and women, the patient men and women, the humble men and women, the charitable men and women, the fasting men and women, men and women who guard their chastity, and men and women who remember Allah often - for all of them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward” (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:35).

She also narrated a hadith about fasting. She said: “Once the Prophet ﷺ visited us and I served him some food. He ﷺ asked me to eat. I replied that I was observing (optional) fast. He ﷺ said, "When people eat by a person observing fast, the angels keep asking Allah's forgiveness for that person until they have had their fill.”

The Final Chapter of Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (RA)

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (RA) never forgot the courage of Umm Umarah Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (RA). Throughout his caliphate he continued to comfort her, honor her, and praise her sacrifice. On one occasion, luxurious garments and valuable gifts were brought to him as the Caliph. He asked his companions, “Who is the most deserving of these?” Many names were mentioned, yet Abu Bakr (RA) chose none of them. Instead, he said Nusaybah’s name and he remembered how she had shielded and defended the Prophet ﷺ with her own body on the day of Uhud, when so many others fled.

Nusaybah (RA) did not die on the battlefield, though she had bled for Islam in more battles than most men of her time. She passed away at the age of 67, in the year 13 AH, from natural causes. She was laid to rest in the blessed cemetery of Jannat al-Baqi’, among the noble companions.

She left this world having fulfilled her pledge and returned to the companionship of those she loved: her family, the believers, the martyrs, and above all, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Conclusion

The life of Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (RA) is a reminder that strength, faith, and responsibility are not limited by gender or circumstance. She stepped forward in moments when others hesitated. She defended the Prophet ﷺ when many fled, stood firm in battles well into her old age, raised children who were loyal to Allah and His Messenger, and remained committed to the truth even when it cost her deeply. Her story also challenges modern assumptions about what Muslim women can or cannot do. She was a mother, a defender, a student of knowledge, a narrator of hadith, a supporter of the oppressed, and a woman who spoke directly to the Prophet ﷺ when she felt something needed to be said.

Nusaybah’s life pushes us to reflect, as Muslim women in the contemporary era:

1. In which areas of life, family, community, knowledge, or service, can we contribute with the same sincerity and responsibility that Nusaybah (RA) showed?

2. What does loyalty to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ look like in our daily decisions, speech, and priorities?

3. In what ways can we raise the next generation to be devoted to truth, as she raised her children?

O Allah, grant us the strength, sincerity, and steadfastness of Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (RA) and allow us to follow the example of the righteous women of this Ummah and to live lives that earn Your pleasure. Make us people of integrity, faith, and service to the Ummah, and gather us with the Prophet ﷺ and his noble companions in Jannah. Ameen!

References

Primary Sources

Abu Dawud, S. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 2761. Retrieved from Sunan Abi Dawud 2761 - Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad) - كتاب الجهاد - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)

Al-Nawawi, Y. (n.d.). Riyad as-Salihin, Hadith 1266. Retrieved from Riyad as-Salihin 1266 - The Book of Virtues - كتاب الفضائل - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)

At-Tirmidhi, M. I. (n.d.). Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3211. Retrieved from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3211 - Chapters on Tafsir - كتاب تفسير القرآن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)

Qur’an 33:23. (n.d.). Quran.com. Retrieved from Surah Al-Ahzab - 23 - Quran.com

Qur’an 33:35. (n.d.). Quran.com. Retrieved from Surah Al-Ahzab - 35 - Quran.com

Secondary Sources

Islam online. (n.d). Umm `Imarah: A Great Model. Retrieved from Umm `Imarah: A Great Model - IslamOnline

Islam web. (2011, November 22). Nusaybah bint Ka'b. Retried from Nusaybah bint Kab

Suleiman, O. (2022, October 19). Nusaybah bint Ka'ab (ra): The Woman Warrior | The Firsts | Dr. Omar Suleiman. Yaqeen Institute. Retrieved from Nusaybah bint Ka'ab (ra): The Woman Warrior | The Firsts | Dr. Omar Suleiman

Academic and Contemporary Studies

Shehata, A. (2022, July 7). Martyrdom in Early Islam: The Role of Martyrs' Mothers. International Journal of Social Science and Education Research Studies. Retrieved from 1ijssers-10.pdf

Note:
All Qur’anic and Hadith references cited in this article are drawn from authentic and widely recognized Islamic sources. Interpretations are based on classical tafsir and contemporary scholarship for educational and reflective purposes.