Hazrat Umme Sulaim — Page 2
2 However, her husband was adamant on his old religion. ra would take up every opportunity to preach Islam to him but Maalik found her new beliefs so offensive that he moved to Syria and remained there till his death. After Maalik’s death, she received a proposal of marriage from her fellow tribesman and the wealthiest man in Madinah, Abu Talhah Ansaari ra. ra turned down his proposal because Abu Talhah ra had not yet accepted Islam. With great regard for the honour of Islam, she said she could never marry an idolater. 2 ra urged Abu Talhah ra to consider the beautiful message of Islam in quite a wise manner. He belonged to a tribe that worshipped trees. Umme Sulaim ra asked him, ‘Don’t you know that the God you worship grows from earth?’ He replied, ‘Yes, indeed!’ Umme Sulaim ra replied, ‘Then don’t you feel embarrassed worshipping a mere tree?’ ra further explained to him that although she couldn’t possibly refuse a proposal from a well-re- spected man such as himself, a marriage between a Muslim and an Idolater was simply unlawful. However, she proposed that if he accepted Islam, she would not demand any dowry from him. She said that his acceptance of Islam would be her true dowry. After a while, through ’s ra preaching, Abu Talhah ra accepted Islam. Fulfilling her promise, Umme Sulaim ra married him under the guardianship of her son Anas. 3