History of Bibi Umm-ul-Baneen (S.A)

History of
Umm-ul-Baneen) – the wife of Imam Ali(a.s.) and mother of Hazrat Abbas(a.s.)

In the Name of Allah, the Most High, the beneficient , the merciful.

the death anniversary of Hazrat Fatima bint-e-Hazm bin Khalid (also known as Umm-ul-Baneen) – the wife of Imam Ali(a.s.) and mother of Hazrat Abbas(a.s.)


Hazrat Fatima binte Hazam bin Khalid Ibn-e-Rabi'e Ibn-e-Amer Kalbi belonged to the clan of Banu Kilah, which was one the noblest families amongst the Hashimites and famous for the bravery and valour of its warriors.


She was born in 5 A.H. Some years after the martyrdom of Hazrat Fatima Zahra(s.a.), Imam Ali(a.s.) expressed his desire to his brother Aqil bin Abi Talib(a.s.) to marry a women of a brave and warrior tribe. Hazrat Aqeel was a very knowledgeable in tribe genealogy and he immediately proposed the name of Hazrat Fatima binte Hazam bin Khalid and the marriage took place soon after.


Much earlier during 8 A.H., Imam Ali(a.s.) had been given the prophecy by Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) of a brave son who would be martyred alongside with his brother Imam Hussain(a.s.) on the day of Ashura. Eversince then, Imam Ali(a.s.) had been waiting for the birth of that son which came in the person of Hazrat Abbas(a.s.).


Hazrat Umm-ul-Baneen came to the house of Imam Ali(a.s.) knowing very well that before her the chief of the women of paradise, Hazrat Fatima Zahra(s.a.) was living in that house. She served Imam Ali(a.s.) in the same manner as Hazrat Umm-e-Salma had served the Holy Prophet(sawaw) after the demise of Hazrat Khadija(a.s.). Immediately stepping in the house, she vowed herself to act as a slave of the children of Hazrat Fatima(s.a.). Her sincerity was much respected by the children of Hazrat Fatima(s.a.) that they always gave her a high status and respect.


Fatima Binte Hazam was an accomplished and cultured lady, and bore Hazrat Ali's four sons, Abbas, Abdullah, Jafer and Usman. The meaning of 'Ummul Baneen' is 'Mother of Sons'. All of her sons were martyred along with Imam Husain. After their martyrdom, she requested people not to call her 'Ummul Baneen' ever again.

When Imam Husain(A.S.) was leaving Madinah for Iraq Hadrat Ummul Baneen asked her four sons, Hadrat Abbas(A.S.), Abdulla, Ja'far and Usman to sacrifice their lives in the sacred cause of Imam Husain(A.S.).


Imam Ali(A.S.) weds Hadrat Ummul Baneen

The world around the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) witnessed and history has vouched the fact that the gap in the domestic life and the happiness of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.), created by the demise of Hadrat Khadija(A.S.) doubtlessly proved as irreparable for no other woman fittingly filled it up to give the Apostle of God the happiness at home or the harmony in his domestic life, and it is only about the good Hadrat Umme Salamah that the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) said: Ante ala! Khair,' i.e., Thou art on goodness, which the good Lady proved true by not leaving the house of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) even after his departure from this world, and remaining as attached to his Ahlul Bayt(A.S.) as she was during his lifetime.


The same was the case with Hadrat Ali(A.S.) the First Imam, the Vicegerent of God on earth, succeeding the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.). After the martyrdom of the Holy Hadrat Fatima Zahra(A.S.), there was none in the world to take her holy place in the house of Imam Ali(A.S.) and the good Lady Ummul-Baneen served Hadrat Ali(A.S.) after Holy Hadrat Fatima Zahra(A.S.) as did Umme Salamah to the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) after the demise of Hadrat Khadija(A.S.).


The Alliance for a Holy Cause

The prophecy from the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) about the impending Zibhe Azeem' or the Great Martyrdom of Husain(A.S.), had gained so much currency and had become a matter of such a conviction and concern to the Ahlul Bayt(A.S.) that after the martyrdom of Holy Hadrat Fatima Zahra(A.S.), Imam A1i(A.S.) called his brother Aqeel who was known for his knowledge about the tribal genealogies and told him to find out a respectable lady of a noble family, known for its bravery, for him to wed for he wanted to have a brave son from her to be his own representative there at Karbala to serve Husain(A.S.) the son of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) and help him in the calamitous situation against his enemies and lay his life defending Husain(A.S.) on his own behalf, for Hasan(A.S.) and Husain(A.S.) were hailed as the sons of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) and each one was addressed as Ibne Rasoolullah' (son of the Holy Prophet).


All expressly and particularly stressed when he told Aqeel for the selection of a lady, that he wanted the determined issue from the lady to be the bravest one in the world, to serve Husain(A.S.) at Karbala on his own behalf. Aqeel said: "Marry thou, Ummul-Baneen-e-Kalbi, the daughter of Hazm bin Khalid-e-Kalbi, for braver than her father, there was none in the tribes.


Fatima Binte Hazam was an accomplished and cultured lady, and bore Hazrat Ali's four sons, Abbas, Abdulla, Ja'far and Usman. The meaning of 'Ummul Baneen' is 'Mother of Sons'. All of her sons were martyred along with Imam Husain. After their martyrdom, she requested people not to call her 'Ummul Baneen' ever again.


The day she entered the household of Hazrat Ali, she made it very plain to Imam Hasan(A.S.) and Imam Husain(A.S.) that she considered herself their slave, and she hoped and prayed that they would accept her as one. Her respect and affection for there was soon reciprocated by the two brothers, and even after her children were born, Imam Hasan(A.S.) and Imam Husain(A.S.) occupied a foremost place in her heart.


Ummul Baneen had such sincerity toward the Holy Prophet's progeny that she loved Imam Hussain (A.S.) more than her own children. A feeling which was from the bottom of her heart. It was to the extent that when she received the news stating the martyrdom of her four children, she said: "Tell me about Hussain (A.S.)" and when she received the news of Imam Hussain (A.S.)'s martyrdom she said: "All of the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of my children and what ever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain (A.S.)

On 10th Muharram 61 A.H.,the day of martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.) and his 72 faithful companions at the battlefield of Karbala when Hadrat Umme Salamah witnessed that the earth in the bottle given to her by the Holy Prophet(sawaw) had turned into blood she raised the cry of "Ya Husain" Ya Husain" and declared that Imam Husain(a.s.) has been martyred according to the prophecy foretold to her by the Holy Prophet(phuh&hf) about the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.).


Then Ummul Baneen gathered women of Madinah in her house and all cried for the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.).This was the first ever Majlis conducted after the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.).

Ummul Baneen had such sincerity toward the Holy Prophet's progeny that she loved Imam Hussain(a.s.) more than her own children. A feeling which was from the bottom of her heart. It was to the extent that when she received the news stating the martyrdom of her four children, she said: "Tell me about Hussain (A.S.)" and when she received the news of Imam Hussain (A.S.)'s martyrdom she said: "All of the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of my children and what ever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain (a.s.).

A dua of ummul baneen:- May all of my children and what ever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain (a.s).


Ummul Baneen conducted first ever Majlis after Imam Husain (a.s.) martyrdom:

Then Ummul Baneen gathered women of Madinah in her house and all cried for the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.).This was the first ever Majlis conducted after the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.). Ummul Baneen had such sincerity toward the Holy Prophet's progeny that she loved Imam Hussain (a.s.) more than her own children. A feeling which was from the bottom of her heart - It was to the extent that when she received the news stating the martyrdom of her four children, she said: "Tell me about Hussain (A.S.)" and when she received the news of Imam Hussain (A.S.)'s martyrdom she said: "All of the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of my children and what ever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain (a.s.).


The First Noha Recitor of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a.s.):

After the arrival of Imam Sajjad (a.s.) and Hazrat Zainab (s.a.) in Madinah Hadrat Ummul Baneen used to gather women in her house and used to narrate them how Imam Husain (a.s.) and his companions were martyred by Yazidi forces.


Hadrat Ummul Baneen was a great poetess and she is considered as the first Noha (lamentation poetry) reciter for the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.).She used to visit regularly the famous Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery in Madinah and recite her Nohas in a very sad and pathetic voice that everybody present there used to weep bitterly.


She transformed the Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery in Madinah as "the Centre of Azadari of Imam Husain (a.s.)". The Nohas recited by Hadrat Ummul Baneen for the martyrdom of Imam Husian (a.s.) are recorded in history and are considered as masterpieces in Arabic literature.


ummul baneen always used to insist hazrat abbass your my son so beware imam hussain is not your brother , he is your lord keep your head down and follow him till u die , one of the incident happened in when imam hussain was about to bury his brother in madinah near prophet so the khalif decided not to and imam husssain told abbass that take this taboot back and abbass replies me r u sure i will take the body back the son of ummul baneen maula i am your slave and second incident happened when hazrat zainab was walking on the road and behind abbass used to rub the foot marks of zainab on the road wa abbassa wa wafa this shows here that the adaptation of abbass was wonderful and eloquent . it is been said when ummul baneen heard that the shimr took the scarf of zainab ummul baneen couldn believe and he said where is abbass he is not my son , what he was doing in the karbala after sometime a person told ummul baneen that abbass was also martryed then she was sure yes i believe now on this.


the character of this noble lady was such that all of the imam has payed tribute to this wonderful brave lady who gave four sons in karbala and abbass was the elder one and he ordered his brother go into battle field .


the role of hazrat abbass in karbala was such that imam told abbass can you delay the yazid's army for this night so that we can pray.


The ziyarat of ummul baneen.


ASSALAAMO A'LAYKE YAA ZAWJATA WALIYYIL LAAHE ASSALAAMO A'LAYKE YAA ZAWJATA AMEERIL MOA-MENEENA ASSALAAMO A'LAYKE YAA UMMAL BANEENA ASSALAAMO A'LAYKE YAA UMMAL A'BBAASIBNE AMEERIL MOA-MENEENA A'LIYYIBNE ABEE TAALEBIN RAZEYAL LAAHO TA-A'ALAA A'NKE WA JA-A'LAL JANNATA MANZELAKE WA MAAWAAKE WA RAHMATUL LAAHE WA BARAKAATOHU.


Every Imam has praised this lady for her wonderful contribution to islam and to the house of Holy Prophet (saw)


From Imam Hassan till the MASTER OF TIME HAS PRAISED THIS LADY.