THE LEGACY OF UMM QAYS

 

FAJR REMINDER: THE LEGACY OF UMM QAYS

Rabī‘ Al-Akhīr 21, 1448 AH | 3-October-2026

Some individuals embraced Islām when the journey was difficult, sacrifices were significant, and remaining firm upon faith required courage. Umm Qays (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anha) was among those early believers.

Her early acceptance of Islām signifies more than simply being among the first. It reminds us of the importance of responding to the truth promptly, rather than waiting until the path becomes easier or more popular. When the truth becomes clear, do not hesitate to act simply because others have not yet followed.

This morning, we feature Umm Qays, a Ṣaḥābiyyah who is not often discussed. She is commonly identified as Āminah Bint Miḥṣan As-Sa‘diyyah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anha). She was the sister of the distinguished Companion ‘Ukāshah Ibn Miḥṣan (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu) and was among the early women who migrated and pledged allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ).

Umm Qays's biography is a beautiful reminder that we may never know which seemingly ordinary moments in our lives Allāh may use to benefit generations who come after us.

She brought her young child to the Prophet (ﷺ), and through that ordinary household incident, an important ruling concerning purification was preserved.

Umm Qays, daughter of Miḥṣan, reported:

“I brought my young son, who had not started eating (ordinary food), to Allāh's Messenger (ﷺ), who took him and made him sit in his lap. The child urinated on the garment of the Prophet, so he asked for water and poured it over the soiled area and did not wash it.”

[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 287; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 223]

Several lessons can be drawn from this incident.

First, observe the Prophet's (ﷺ) kindness towards children. He did not become angry with the child or humiliate him. Instead, he dealt with the situation calmly and taught his Companions a ruling.

Second, Umm Qays's experience became a means through which important knowledge was preserved for the Ummah. What could have been regarded as an ordinary incident in a household became part of the Sunnah and has continued to guide Muslims in matters of purification for centuries.

WHEN YOU ASK, KNOWLEDGE LIVES

Another remarkable narration concerns menstrual blood on clothing.

Umm Qays asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about this practical matter, and her question became part of the Sunnah preserved for the Ummah.

It was narrated that Umm Qays Bint Miḥṣan said:

“I asked the Messenger of Allāh about menstrual blood that gets on clothing. He said, ‘Wash it with water and lote leaves, and rub it, even with a piece of stick.’”

[Sunan Ibn Mājah 628; Sunan An-Nasā’ī 292 and 395]

This teaches us another important lesson: the women of the first generation did not shy away from asking practical questions about purification and worship.

They approached the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) about matters that affected their daily lives, and through their sincere questions, the Ummah received valuable guidance.

We should therefore never feel too embarrassed to ask sincere questions, particularly when they concern our faith and our worship. A question that may seem ordinary to us today can become a source of knowledge and benefit for generations to come.

THE MOTHER WHO SOUGHT GUIDANCE

Another fascinating narration appears in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. Umm Qays brought one of her sons to the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) after she had pressed his palate and tonsils because of a throat problem.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Why do you pain your children by getting the palate pressed like that? Use al-‘ūd al-Hindī (identified as al-qusṭ, a certain Indian costus) for it cures seven diseases, one of which is pleurisy.”

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5715]

This narration adds another dimension to her story. It portrays Umm Qays as a devoted mother who was concerned about the well-being of her children and sought guidance when they experienced difficulties.

She brought her children to the Prophet (ﷺ)—one seeking blessings and another seeking treatment and guidance.

It is important, however, not to misunderstand this Ḥadīth as a blanket endorsement of using costus to treat every modern illness. The narration records a specific Prophetic medical recommendation in its historical context. Modern medical claims about treating particular diseases should not be made from this narration alone without appropriate medical evidence.

Umm Qays (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anha) asked questions that might have seemed ordinary or even embarrassing—questions concerning a child's impurity, menstrual blood, and the health of her children.

Yet those questions became part of the preserved Sunnah.

We can never predict which sincere question we ask, which lesson we teach, or which piece of beneficial knowledge we preserve today may continue benefiting people long after our voices have gone silent.

So, do not underestimate the value of sincere questions, beneficial knowledge, or ordinary acts done for the sake of Allāh.

Perhaps something that seems small to us today may become a source of benefit for generations tomorrow.

I beseech Allāh (ﷻ) to be especially Merciful to Umm Qays Āminah Bint Miḥṣan As-Sa‘diyyah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anha), and to grant us the ability to follow the example of the Ṣaḥābah in seeking, preserving, teaching, and acting upon beneficial knowledge.

Aameen.