The Bridge of Umm Hakeem

Umm Hakeem Bint Al-Haarith Ibn Hishaam was married to ‘Ikrimah Ibn Abee Jahl, who was killed during one of the battles of Syria. She observed her ‘iddah of four months and ten days, then Yazeed Ibn Abee Sufiyaan proposed to her, but Khaalid Ibn Sa’eed had sent word to her hinting at marriage. She got engaged to Khaalid Ibn Sa’eed and he married her.


During the battle in Syria, when the Muslims camped in Marj As-Sufr, he wanted to spend the wedding night with Umm Hakeem. She said, “Why don’t you delay it until this battle is over?”


But Khaalid said, “I have a feeling that I will be killed.”


She said, “It is up to you.”


So he spent the wedding night with her at the bridge in As-Safr, hence the bridge became known as the Bridge of Umm Hakeem. And he gave a wedding feast for her and invited his companions to come and eat. When they had finished eating, the Byzantines drew up ranks and Khaalid Ibn Sa’eed went out for single combat and he was killed.


Umm Hakeem tied up her garments and went out ready to fight, still with traces of perfume on her. They fought a fierce battle at the river and both sides endured with patience, exchanging blows with their swords.


On that day Umm Hakeem killed seven men with the pole of the tent in which she had spent her wedding night with Khaalid.


['Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, His Life And Times, by 'Alee Muhammad As-Sallaabee, p.300]