Umm Habiba

Ramla, known as Umm Habiba, was the daughter of Abu Sufyan, then leader of the Meccan opposition to Islam. She embraced the faith despite her father's hostility, emigrated to Abyssinia, and became a wife of the Prophet ﷺ.

Umm Habiba was the daughter of Abu Sufyan, who led Quraysh against the Muslims. Yet she believed in Islam early on and emigrated to Abyssinia with her husband to flee persecution. There, her husband apostatised and died; she remained faithful to her faith, alone and far from home.

The Prophet ﷺ married her while she was still in Abyssinia, the Negus (the Christian king of Abyssinia) officiating the union in his name. This marriage also had a strategic dimension: it created a bond with Abu Sufyan's clan, contributing later to reconciliation.

She remains an example of steadfastness: having chosen her faith over her own father, one of the most powerful enemies of Islam.

On the number of wives: contrary to a common misconception, Islam does not permit an unlimited number of wives. For believers, the Quran sets a maximum of four, subject to the condition of equal treatment, and recommends taking only one if there is fear of injustice (Surah an-Nisa, 4:3). The Prophet ﷺ held a special status (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:50); God then forbade him from marrying additional women (33:52), thus fixing the number of his wives.

Umm Habiba teaches that faith can require holding firm even against one's own family. Remaining faithful far from all support, abandoned by her husband, she demonstrates a constancy that owes nothing to her surroundings.