Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 6926

Through Muhammad bin Umar (al-Waqidi), Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates: I saw in a dream my husband Ubaydullah bin Jahsh in the worst and most hideous form. I was alarmed and said: By Allah, his state has changed. Then, when morning came, he said to me: O Umm Habibah, I have reflected on the religions and found no religion better than Christianity. I followed it before, then I entered the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and now I am returning to Christianity. I said to him: By Allah, there is no good in it for you. I also told him the dream I had seen, but he paid it no heed and gave himself over to drinking wine until he died in that state. Then I saw in a dream as if someone was coming and saying to me: "O Mother of the Believers." I was alarmed, and I interpreted it to mean that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would marry me. Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: My waiting period ('iddah) had only just ended when I came to know that the Negus's messenger was at my door asking permission to enter. It was a slave-girl of his called "Abrahah", who looked after the king's clothes and perfume. She came in to me and said: The king says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has written to him to marry you to him. I said: May Allah give you glad tidings of good. She said: The king says that you should appoint someone as your agent to conduct your marriage. So I sent for Khalid bin Sa'id bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) and appointed him my agent, and in joy at this good news I gave Abrahah a silver bracelet, my two anklets, and the silver rings that were on the toes of my feet. When evening came, the Negus summoned Ja'far bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) and the other Muslims who were there, and the Negus delivered a sermon: 'Al-hamdu lillahil-malikil-quddusis-salamil-mu'minil-muhayminil-azizil-jabbar' (All praise is for Allah, the King, the Most Holy, the Source of Peace, the Giver of Security, the Guardian, the Almighty, the Compeller). I praise Allah as He deserves to be praised, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger, and that he is the one of whom Isa son of Maryam (peace be upon him) gave glad tidings. To proceed: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has written to me to marry him to Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan. I have accepted this call of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and I have fixed her dowry (mahr) at four hundred dinars. Then he poured out the dinars before the people. After that Khalid bin Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke and said: 'Al-hamdu lillahi ahmaduhu wa asta'inuhu wa astansiruh' (All praise is for Allah; I praise Him, seek His help and seek His support), and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger, whom Allah sent with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions, even though the polytheists dislike it. To proceed: I have accepted this call of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and have married Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan to him. May Allah Almighty bless it for His Messenger. He handed the dinars to Khalid bin Sa'id, and he received them. Then, when the people intended to rise, the Negus said: Sit down, for it is the practice (sunnah) of the prophets (peace be upon them) that when they marry, food is served on the occasion. So he called for food, and they all ate, then they departed. Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: When that wealth reached me, I sent for Abrahah, who had given me the glad tidings, and said to her: What I gave you that day, I gave when I had no wealth; now here are fifty mithqals (of gold), take them and meet your needs. She brought out a small box containing everything I had given her, returned it all to me and said: The king has strictly instructed me not to take anything from you. I am the one who looks after his clothes and perfume, and I have followed the religion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and have submitted to Allah in Islam. The king has ordered all his wives to send you whatever perfumes they have. So the next day she came to me with aloeswood ('ud), wars, ambergris and a large quantity of civet (zabad, a perfume). I took all of it with me when I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) would see that perfume on me and would not object. Then Abrahah said: My need from you is that you convey my greetings of peace to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and tell him that I have followed his religion. She kept treating me with great kindness, and it was she who prepared my belongings; whenever she came to me she would say: Do not forget my need (the greeting). Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: When we reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I told him (peace and blessings be upon him) all the details of the marriage proposal and of Abrahah's kindness, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled. I conveyed her greeting to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "And upon her be peace and the mercy of Allah."