People › Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib

Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib

Historical figure

Birth date unknown · d. c. 636 CE · Makkah

Overview

Aunt of Muhammad ﷺ, remembered in accounts about her son Tulayb and her poetry.

Category: Historical figure
Period: Birth date unknown · d. c. 636 CE

An aunt and a poet

Arwa was a sister of Abdullah, the father of Muhammad ﷺ. She was the mother of Tulayb ibn Umayr. Poems mourning Abd al-Muttalib and Muhammad ﷺ are attributed to her.

Sources:

TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam

Support and differing reports

Some early accounts describe Arwa accepting Islam after her son Tulayb and defending his support for Muhammad ﷺ. Other accounts say only Safiyya among the paternal aunts accepted Islam. Her religious status therefore requires this qualification.

Sources:

TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam

Sources

We wrote this short biography using the sources below. We explain uncertain dates and differing accounts.

TDV Encyclopaedia of IslamAunt of Muhammad ﷺ, remembered in accounts about her son Tulayb and her poetry.