Nusaybah bint Ka'ab
an early woman to convert to Islam
Naseebah bint Ka'ab (Arabic: نَسِيْبَةُ بِنْتُ كَعْب; also ʾUmm ʿAmmarah, Umm Umara), commonly known as Nusaybah bint Ka'ab. Her name is Naseebah bint Kaʿab ibn ʿAmr ibn ʿAwf ibn Mabdhul ibn ʿAmr ibn Ghanm ibn Māzin ibn al-Najjār, and she is the mother of Ḥabīb and ʿAbdullāh, the two sons of Zayd ibn ʿĀṣim.
She was one of the early women to convert to Islam, a sahabiyyah (known in Arabic as Sahaba or companions) of Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a warrior who participated in the battles of Uhud, Hunain, and Yamamah.
When 74 leaders, warriors, and statesmen of Medina descended on al-Aqabah to swear an oath of allegiance to Islam following the teaching of the new religion by Mus`ab ibn `Umair in the city, Naseebah and Umm Munee Asma bint ʿAmr bin 'Adi were the only two women to personally pledge directly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The latter's husband, Ghazyah bin ʿAmr, informed Muhammad that the women also wanted to give them their bayʿah in person, and he agreed. She returned to Medina and began teaching Islam to the women of the city. This bayʿah or pledge was in fact handing over power to Muhammad over the city, by its key figures.
Her most prominent role came in the Battle of Uhud, where she defended the prophet. She also participated in the battle of Hunain, Yamamah and the Treaty of Hudaybia.
Two of her sons, both later martyrs in battle, were from her first marriage to Zaid bin ʿAsim Mazni.
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