Sawdah

Sawdah bint Zam'ah, commonly referred to as Umm al-Mu'minin Sawdah, was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad and is counted among the Mothers of the Believers in Islamic tradition. Her status as a wife of the Prophet places her within the household that guided the early Muslim community.

She is described in Islamic sources as an early convert to Islam in Mecca. After the death of Khadijah, Muhammad married Sawdah to provide for a widow and to help support the welfare of the Muslim community during a difficult period of consolidation. This marriage is framed within the broader social and political context of the early Islamic community, where widows and vulnerable members received attention from the Prophet and his household.

Sawdah lived in Medina as Muhammad’s wife after the migration there. She is remembered for her piety and devotion, and she participated in the life of the early Muslim community during the Prophet’s lifetime. After Muhammad’s death, she continued to be spoken of with respect as one of the Prophet’s wives and a maternal figure within the community.

She is believed to have died in Medina during the mid-7th century. Sawdah’s legacy, within Islamic tradition, rests on her status as a Wife of the Prophet and a prominent early Muslim woman who supported the community through her faith and service.