Companions & Great WomenAmong the great women

Nusayba bint Ka'b (Umm 'Umara)

نسيبة بنت كعب (أم عمارة)

A woman of the Ansar who fought to defend the Prophet ﷺ at Uhud.

Scholarly opinionSee it in the Atlas
Known as
Umm 'Umara

Life

She was Nusayba bint Ka'b of Banu Mazin of the Ansar, known as Umm 'Umara. At Uhud she came out early carrying water, and when the Muslims' lines broke she moved to the Prophet's ﷺ side and fought to protect him with sword and bow.

In her own account, as Ibn Hisham reports it, Ibn Qami'a struck her a deep wound on the shoulder; she struck him back several times, but he wore two coats of mail. islamweb's fatwa on women in the expeditions gives her as an example of a woman who fought in defence of the Prophet ﷺ.

Evidence

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