From among the ummahatul-mu’minin, Hazrat Ummi Habibah^(ra) was the first to come to the aid of Hazrat ‘Uthman^(ra). Mounted on a mule, she brought a water-skin along with her. However, her real objective was to safeguard all the wills of the orphans and widows that belonged to Banu Umayyah, which were in the possession of Hazrat ‘Uthman^(ra). When she saw that the rebels had stopped the water supply of Hazrat ‘Uthman^(ra), she became fearful that they might destroy these wills as well, and thus desired to somehow safeguard these documents. After all, there were other means by which she could have delivered the water. When Hazrat Ummi Habibah reached the door of Hazrat ‘Uthman^(ra), just as the rebels were about to stop her, the people exclaimed, “This is Ummul-Mu’minin, Ummi Habibah^(ra).” However, the rebels still persisted and started beating her mule. Ummul-Mu’minin, Ummi Habibah^(ra) explained:

“I fear lest the wills of the orphans and widows of the Banu Umayyah should be destroyed. For this reason, I wish to go inside in order to arrange for their safekeeping.”

However, these wretched people replied to the blessed wife of the Holy Prophet^(sa), “You are lying.” The rebels then attacked her mule and cut the straps of its packsaddle. The saddle fell to one side. Hazrat Ummi Habibah^(ra) was on the verge of falling off and being martyred under the feet of the rebels, but a few people of Madinah, who were close by, dashed to her aid and escorted her home.¹

An Example of the Religious Indignation of Hazrat Ummi Habibah

This was the treatment which they meted out to the blessed wife of the Holy Prophet^(sa). Hazrat Ummi Habibah^(ra) possessed such profound loyalty and love for the Holy Prophet^(sa) that after a separation of about fifteen to sixteen years, when her father, who was the chief of Arabia and held the position of a king in Makkah came to Madinah on a special political mission and came to meet her, she pulled away the bedding of the Holy Prophet^(sa) from beneath him. This was because she could not bear to see the pure cloth of the Messenger of Allah touch the impure body of an idolater. It is surprising that in the absence of Muhammad^(sa), the Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Ummi Habibah^(ra) safeguarded the sanctity of even his cloth,² whereas these rebels did not even show veneration to the revered wife of Muhammad^(sa), the Messenger of Allah, in his absence. These foolish people said that the wife of the Holy Prophet^(sa) was a liar, even though she was correct in her statement. Hazrat ‘Uthman^(ra) was the guardian of the orphans of Banu Umayyah. On seeing their growing enmity, her concern that the wealth of the orphans and widows may go to waste was correct. The true liars were those who took up the task of destroying the faith whilst claiming to love Muhammad^(sa), the Messenger of Allah; not Ummi Habibah^(ra), Ummul-Mu’minin.³