Ṣuwar min Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābiyyāt - Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha - (99)

She replied, “By Allah, a man of your standing, Abū Ṭalḥah, should not be turned away. But you are a disbeliever and I am a Muslim woman; it is unlawful for me to marry you. If you embrace Islam, that shall be my bridal gift— I ask no dowry from you other than Islam itself.”

He said, “Give me time to think about the matter,” and left …

The next day he came back and declared, “I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”

She replied, “Now that you have embraced Islam, I am pleased to take you as my husband …” People began to say, “We have never heard of a woman whose bridal gift was nobler than that of Umm Sulaym, for her mahr was Islam.”

Abū Ṭalḥah reveled in the fine manners (1) and noble qualities with which Umm Sulaym was endowed, and his happiness with her increased when she bore him a son who became the delight of his eyes and the joy of his heart.

(1) Kareem al-Shama'il: one possessing noble, commendable attributes.

فقالت: والله ما مثلك يردُّ يا أبا طلحة، ولكنَّك رجلٌ كافرٌ وأنا امرأةٌ مسلمةٌ، ولا يحل لي أن أتزوَّجك، فإن تسلم فذاك مهري ولا أريد منك صداقًا غير الإسلام. فقال: دعيني حتَّى أنظر في أمري. ومضى ... ولمَّا كان الغد عاد إليها وقال: أشهد أن لا إله إلاَّ الله، وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أنَّ محمَّدًا عبده ورسوله. فقالت: أما وإنَّك قد أسلمت، فقد رضيتك زوجاً ... فجعل النَّاس يقولون: ما سمعنا بامرأة قط كانت أكرم مهراً من أمٍّ سليم إذ كان مهرها الإسلام. **** نعم أبو طلحة بما كانت تتحلَّى به أمُّ سليمٍ من كريم الشَّمائل (١)، ونبيل الخصائل، ثمَّ زاده سعادةً بها أنَّها وضعت له غلامًا غدا قرَّة عينه، وفرحة قلبه.

(١) كريم الشَّمائل: ذو خصال كريمة حميدة.