Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Umm Haram bint Milhan (may Allah be pleased with her) did not die in hand-to-hand combat. She supported Muslims during battles in the Prophet’s lifetime and later joined a Muslim naval expedition to Cyprus, where she died after falling from her riding animal. Her death fulfilled the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophecy that she would sail in the cause of Allah.
Responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Umm Haram bint Milhan (Allah be pleased with her), a revered figure in Islam, is honored as a martyr, though she did not die in hand-to-hand combat, according to authentic Islamic sources.
During the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) lifetime, Umm Haram, like many noble women of the early Muslim community, supported the Muslim army in battles such as Uhud and Hunayn by caring for the wounded.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) foretold that she would be among the first Muslims to sail in the path of Allah. This prophecy was fulfilled during the caliphate of `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) when she joined a Muslim naval expedition to Cyprus.
Upon landing on the island, she suffered a fatal injury when her riding animal stumbled or reared, causing her to fall. She was buried in Cyprus, where her grave remains well-known.
Although her death was not in direct combat, she passed away during a military expedition in the cause of Allah. Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarded her as a martyr, fulfilling his earlier prophecy.
Lady Aishah: Assertive Jurist and Activist
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Almighty Allah knows best.
