Asma' bint 'Omais was first married to Ja'far bin Abi Talib. She had three sons by him 'Abdullah, 'Awn and Muhammad. When he was martyred she married Abu Bakr Siddique. She bore him a son, Muhammad bin Abi Bakr. When Abu Bakr Siddique died, she married for the third time. Her third husband was 'Ali bin Abi Talib, and they had a son named Yahya. Salamah bint 'Omais married Hamzah bin'Abdul Muttalib. And her third sister Salima bint 'Omais married 'Abdullah bin Ka'b.

Thus Hind bint 'Auf had the unique distinction of being the only woman who was the mother-in-law of the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] Muhammad, the first Caliph Abu Bakr Siddique, Hamzah bin'Abdul Muttalib, 'Abbas bin'Abdul Muttalib, Ja'far bin Abi Talib and 'Ali bin Abi Talib.

One of her grandsons was'Abdullah bin 'Abbas, who was the greatest standard bearer of the Muslim army. He was a learned commentator on the Noble Qur'an and well versed in Hadith and Fiqh. Another grandson was the greatest General mentioned above, Sughra's son, Khalid bin Waleed. So, Maimoonah came from a very illustrious family of martyrs, warriors and intellectuals.

She was first married to Mas'ood bin 'Amr bin 'Omair Thaqafi, but they soon separated on grounds of incompatibility. Her second husband was Abu Riliam bin 'Abdul 'Uzzah 'Amri Quraishi. He died shortly after their marriage and Maimooniih was widowed at a very early age.

In the year 711, after hijra the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] went with his Companions to Makkah to perform 'Umrah. It is said that Maimoonah wished to marry him and become one of the honorable Mothers of the Believers. Soon this wish became an absorbing desire. She even mentioned it to her sisters.

She felt her tribe, Banu Hilal should also be connected to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] in the same way that the other tribes like Banu Teem, Banu 'Adi, Banu Umayyah, Banu Makhzoom, Banu Asad and Banu Mustalaq were connected by marriage. UmAlfadl who was married to 'Abbas bin'Abdul Muttalib mentioned her sister's wish to her husband, saying that since he was the uncle and very highly respected by the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] if he requested him, her sister's wish could be fulfilled.

When 'Abbas spoke to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] , he requested Ja'far bin Abi Talib to make the arrangements for the marriage. The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] had finished his 'Umrah and was free, and Maimoonah was on a camel. When she saw him, she involuntarily exclaimed that the camel and its rider were bequeathed to Allah's Messenger. Thus, she gifted herself to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] , and he accepted her very gracefully.

But a more popular tradition says that when he arrived in Makkah for his 'Umrah, he sent ja'far bin Abi TAlib with his proposal of marriage to Maimoonah. She asked her brother-in-law, 'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib to handle matters. When the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] finished his 'Umrah, 'Abbas arranged the ceremony.

Allah said,

"O Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] ! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr, and those (slaves) whom your right hand possesses - whom Allah has given to you, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who migrated with you, and a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] , and the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] wishes to marry her, a privilege for you only, not for the (rest oo the believers. Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and those whom their right hands possess, in order that there should be no difficulty on you. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (33:50)

After his 'Umrah the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] stayed in Makkah for three days. Then, on the fourth morning Hawaitab bin'Abdul 'Uzza came with some of the polytheists and told him that since he had finished his 'Umrah, he ought to leave, according to the terms of the Treaty of Hudaibah. The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] requested that they be allowed to stay for a few more days, and he invited them to attend the dinner he had arranged to celebrate the marriage. Hawaitab answered that they were not interested in any dinner; they just wanted him to go.

The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] left and pitched camp at a place called Saraf, about nine miles from Makkah, and here he celebrated the marriage. His slave, Abu Rafi' brought Maimoonah on a camel to Saraf. It was here that her name was changed from Barah to Mairnoonah. Both had completed the rites of 'Umrah; they changed, their garments of lhram and the marriage could take place according to Shari'ah.

Maimoonah was the last woman that Muhammad married. She was twenty-six years old at the time. When they reached Madinah an apartment, which was built next to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] 's mosque, was given to her. The other wives of the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] it warmly welcomed her. She used to pray in the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] 's mosque because she heard him saying that one prayer in it was the equivalent to a thousand prayers in all other mosques, except in Masjid Haram at Makkah. One prayer in Masjid Haram was equal to a hundred thousand prayers in any other mosques.

One year several delegations came to Al-Madinah; one of them was from the tribe Banu Hilal. One of the members of this delegation was the son of the sister of Maimoonah , Ziyad bin 'Abdullah bin Ma1ik 'Amri. He visited his aunt in her apartment when the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] happened to be out on some task. When he came and saw a stranger seated with her he was nopleased. Maimoonah, sensitive as she was, sensed his displeasure and immediately introduced him as her sister's son and a member of the visiting delegation. He expressed his pleasure and prayed for Allah Almighty's blessings for him.

Maimoonah was valued highly for her traits like God-Fearing and nurturing good relations with all members of the family.

Maimoonah had an excellent memory, and knew by heart many of the Ahadith of Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] . The most Ahadith - two thousand two hundred and ten are attributed to 'Aishah. Next came Umm Salamah with three hundred and seventy-eight Ahadith. Next came Mainoonah seventy-six Ahaddith were attributed to her. 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas, 'Abdullah bin Shaddad, 'Obaid bin Sabaq, Yazid bin Asam, 'AbdurRahman Sa'ib Al-Hilali, 'Obaidullah Khauldni, Sulaiman bin Yasir and 'Ata' bin Yasar have quoted her. In Sahih Al-Bukhdri a Hadith is narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas and attributed to Maimoonah. Someone asked the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] regarding a mouse that had fallen into some clarified butter. He said the mouse and what surrounds it should be thrown out and the rest could be eaten.

Musnad Abu Ya'la, Muslim, Abu Dawood and Nisa'i have quoted another Hadith from Maimoonah This was narrated by the wife of 'Abdullah bin'Abbas.

One morning the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] t looked very worried and he seemed to be in the same mood in the evening. The next day the same mood continued . Maimoonah asked him what was troubling him. He said the Angel Jibril promised to come andvisithim,but he had not turned up. Such a thing never happened before. Then the family noticed there was a puppy sitting under a bed. He was chased out and that part of the floor was washed on the directions of the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam]. Soon after that the Angel Jibril came. Then the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] asked him why he had not come earlier as promised, and he said that this had never happened before. Then the Angel told him that angels do not enter places where there are dogs or pictures.

Maimoonah sometimes used to take loans. Once a member of her family remarked on this and asked her why she did this. She did not quite like this question and replied that the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] t used to say if a Muslim borrowed money and he sincerely believed that Aishah would help him to repay the loan, then Allah would surely arrange things in an unexpected manner.

'Aishah relates that the last fatal illness of the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] started while he was in the apartment of Maimoonah He asked permission of his other wives to spend those days in the apartment of 'Aishah. They all readily agreed. When he passed away he was pleased with all his wives. When his pure soul left his body he was in the apartment of his favourite wife 'Aishah is resting his head in her lap. And he was buried in his favourite place, her apartment. Nine of his wives were alive at the time. They were 'Aishah, Maimoonah, Safiyyah, Juwairiah, Saudah, Zainab, Ramlah, Hind, and Hafsah

It was during the caliphate of Mu'awiyah, in the year 51 after Hijrah, that Maimoonah died. She was in Makkah and she fell ill there. She was very restless and wanted to be taken some place else. Her relatives took her to Saraf, the same place where she had got married to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] . After reaching the exact spot where she spent her wedding night, she passed away. 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas conducted the funeral prayers, and she was buried with great honor.

"O the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord - well pleased and well pleasing. Enter you then among My (honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise." (89:30)