Umm Waraqa (r. anha)

• Umm Waraqa was a woman who wanted to fight in the way of Allah and to become a martyr. 

While an army was being established for the Battle of Badr, she went to the Prophet (pbuh) and said,

“O Messenger of Allah! Will you allow me to take part in the army? I will cure the wounded soldiers and look after the patients. Maybe Allah will allow me to become a martyr.“ 

However, the Prophet (pbuh) did not allow any women to take part in the Battle of Badr. Nevertheless, he said to Umm Waraqa,

“Allah will allow you to become a martyr. 

After that incident, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) addressed her as “martyr” whenever he saw her.

The Prophet visited Umm Waraqa from time to time and asked her how she was. The Companions showed respect to her.

• Umm Waraqa had a great deal of knowledge about religious issues. 

She tried to practice Islam in the best way. She helped her family about it.

She had a male and a female slave. She told her inheritors to free them after her death. The slaves wanted to be free at once. With the delusion of Satan, they martyred her in order to be set free.

This incident took place during the caliphate of Hz. Umar. As soon as Hz. Umar heard about it, he said,

“The Messenger of Allah told the truth.” 

He understood that the martyrdom of Umm Waraqa took place as the Messenger of Allah had foreseen.

This incident distressed the Muslims a lot. Hz. Umar wanted the killers to be caught at once. They were caught and executed. The first people to be hanged in Madinah were those two slaves.

Hz. Umar said to his friends from time to time,

“Let us go and visit the grave of that martyr.” 

Then, they would go and visit her grave.