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Sahla bint Suhayl: The Woman Behind One of Islam’s Most Unique Rulings

I looked into the roots of my name, and I came across a woman in history you most likely have never heard about before — Sahla bint Suhayl. Unlike Khadijah, Aisha, or Fatimah, Sahla isn’t one of the companions whose names were often heard in sermons, speeches or stories. She lived with so much courage, faced challenges with faith, and left behind a legacy that deserves to be told and her story brought back to light.

Of course, in the early days of Islam, the names of great men often echo Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, and Uthman. But behind them stood women of equal courage and whose sacrifices and wisdom shaped the Muslim community. Among these women was Sahla bint Suhayl ibn Amr, a companion whose story is both moving and unique, and whose legacy continues to spark conversations among scholars more than fourteen centuries later.

Sahla was the daughter of Suhayl ibn Amr, a leading figure of Quraysh, respected for his eloquence and influence. When Islam spread secretly in Makkah, she embraced the new faith with her husband, Abu Hudhayfa ibn Utbah, one of the earliest Muslims.

Their choice was not without cost. Facing persecution, they joined the small band of believers who migrated to Abyssinia to find refuge under the Christian king, the Negus. In that faraway land, Sahla gave birth to her son, Muhammad. Later, she and her family moved again — this time to Madinah, leaving behind wealth and comfort for faith.

In their household was a freed slave named Salim (mawla Abi Hudhayfa). Though not related by blood, Salim was treated as a son. He grew up with the family, loved and trusted, eventually becoming one of the most knowledgeable Qur’an reciters of his generation. In fact, the Prophet ﷺ himself said, “Take the Qur’an from four: Ibn Mas‘ud, Salim, Mu‘adh, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b” (Sahih al-Bukhari).

But when Qur’anic revelation came abolishing the old system of adoption, stating that adopted sons should be called by their biological fathers’ names (Qur’an 33:5) this created a sensitive issue for Sahla’s family. Salim, though deeply bonded with them, was no longer legally considered their son. This meant he could not freely live in the same way with Sahla as before, because he was now classed as a non-mahram adult male.

Sahla’s situation was painful. Salim had been like her child for years. Could she now cover herself in her own home, estranging him after all that history? With courage, she brought this personal and delicate matter directly to the Prophet ﷺ.
His response was unique. He instructed her to establish a foster relationship with Salim through suckling. By doing so, Salim would become her foster son (ibn al-riḍā‘ah), and the natural closeness of their household could continue. This ruling is preserved in Sahih Muslim, and remains one of the most distinctive episodes in Islamic jurisprudence.

Scholars later debated whether this ruling applied generally or only to Sahla’s case. Most held it was a special exception, highlighting the Prophet’s ﷺ wisdom in balancing law with compassion. What is clear, however, is Sahla’s role: her willingness to ask a question many might have avoided opened the door for guidance that protected her family’s dignity and unity.

The story of Sahla’s household did not end there. Both her husband, Abu Hudhayfa, and her beloved foster son, Salim, fought in the fierce Battle of Yamama against Musaylama the false prophet. Both were martyred, leaving Sahla widowed and bereaved of the two men who had defined her family life.

Yet her name is remembered with honour. Her courage in migration, her devotion to her household and her role in shaping an extraordinary legal precedent make her story shine brightly in the tapestry of early Islam.

Sahla bint Suhayl’s life reflects the timeless virtues that shaped the earliest Muslim community:

Faith over comfort: She left her home twice, first to Abyssinia and then to Madinah, choosing faith over familiarity and ease.
Courage to ask and seek clarity: She brought a deeply personal question to the Prophet ﷺ, reminding us that women among the Companions were active contributors to the understanding and development of Islamic law.
Resilience in loss: She bore the martyrdom of both her husband and her foster son with the steadfast patience of a believer.

In remembering her, we see not a footnote in history, but a woman of conviction, tenderness, and unshakable faith.

Sahla bint Suhayl stands as a reminder that the foundations of Islam were built not only by the renowned names of men, but also through the courage and devotion of women whose stories deserve to be spoken, written, and remembered.

May Allah be pleased with Sahla and her family, and may He unite us with them and all the righteous in the Gardens of everlasting bliss. Aameen.