She was at every battle.

Not as a spectator. Umm Ayman (RA) would scan the battlefield with her eyes locked on one person: the Prophet (ﷺ). Watching him like a mother watches her child.

When the fighting ended, she cared for the wounded. She tore pieces from her own clothes to bandage the injured.

At Uhud, when the Muslims scattered and arrows rained down, she grabbed a sword and stood beside the Prophet (ﷺ) while others fled.

She was in her seventies.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he saw her: "This is all that's left of my family."

She took whatever role was hardest, whatever role was necessary.

He said she was the entirety of what remained of his household.

She was the only mother the Prophet (ﷺ) ever truly knew.

He visited her every single day. And she treated him exactly like a mother would.

Anas (RA) narrates in Sahih Muslim that when the Prophet (ﷺ) would visit her home, her son Ayman would bring out the food. If the Prophet (ﷺ) declined to eat or said he was not hungry , she would literally put the food in his mouth and say: "Kul! Eat! Eat!"

On one of those visits, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked her: "Ya Ummah, How are you?"

Listen to what she said.

"As long as Islam is good, I'm good."

Umm Ayman RA stood beside the Prophet ﷺ when others scattered.

She asked only one thing:

“As long as Islam is protected, I am fine.”

Today, protecting Islam looks different.

It looks like building places where prayer is established.

Where children learn.

Where community gathers around the message she defended.

We are completing a masjid that will serve generations.

If you want to stand guard in your own way help us complete the masjid.

Reflect on this:

What small act of loyalty can I commit to this week for the sake of Allah?

^{Share your reflections in the poll at the end of the email.}