Commentary ~ The Wife of the Caliph Nurses a Pregnant Woman

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

As was his custom, ‘Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), the Leader of the Believers, went out at night to look after the needs of the people and to make sure that everyone was safe. As he passed by an open area in Al-Madinah, he heard the moans of a woman coming out from a small and shabby house, at the door of which was a man seated. ‘Umar greeted him and asked him how he was. The man said that he was from the desert and had come, seeking to reap some generosity from the Leader of the Believers. ‘Umar asked him about the woman and the moaning noises, and the man, not knowing that he was speaking to the Leader of the Believers, said, “Go away, may Allah have mercy on you, and do not ask about that which does not concern you.”

However ‘Umar persisted in asking the same question, offering to help if he could. And so the man informed him, “Indeed she is my wife, who is about to give birth, yet there is no one here to help her.” ‘Umar left the man, returned to his house in a hurry, entered, and said to his wife, Umm Kulthum (may Allah be pleased with her), “Will you take reward that Allah has brought to you?” She said, “And what is that goodness and reward, O ‘Umar?”

No sooner did he inform her of what happened than she stood and took all that she needed to help the woman deliver her baby and all that the newborn would need as well. Meanwhile, the Leader of the Believers took a pot and with it some fat and grains. He and his wife hurried off together until they reached the same shabby house. While Umm Kulthum went in to help the pregnant woman, the Leader of the Believers remained outside with the husband, and cooked the food that he brought with him.

From inside the house, Umm Kulthum called out, “O Leader of the Believers, give glad tidings to your companion that Allah has provided him with a young boy.” The man was amazed to find out that it was the Leader of the Believers who was seated with him and who was cooking food with him; and the wife was shocked to learn that it was the wife of the Leader of the Believers who came to meet her and help her in her shabby house.

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 110

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