A Tradition Invented 35 Abu Bakr and then ‘Umar proposed to her, but she refused them both. The Prophet followed with his own proposal. Her hesitation in accepting is elaborated upon in her biographies as well as in traditions narrated on her authority. The triple obstacles of native jealousy, old age, and the responsibilities of raising four children from her previous marriage prevented Umm Salama from embracing Muhammad’s invitation. However, after some persuasion, she joined the ranks of his co-wives. Umm Salama’s position in Muhammad’s household also contributes to her prestige as a source for reports. She was the leader of one “camp” of co-wives comprising Zaynab bint Jahsh, Ramla bint Abl Sufyan, Juwayriya bint al-Harith, and Maymuna bint al-Harith. In this capacity, she carried a complaint to the Prophet regarding the preferential treatment of ‘A’isha. In the various versions of this tradition, the wives were offended that the Ansar always sent their gifts to Muhammad on ‘A’isha’s allotted day. They too were fond of presents and wanted gifts to be sent on a more equitable basis. While these efforts to persuade Muhammad were to no avail as he defended his relationship with ‘A’isha, it is telling that Umm Salama was chosen to represent the disheartened wives.56 They clearly viewed her as an assertive wife who had some influence with the Prophet. Taken together, biographical sources, hadith narratives, and accounts from the sira portray Umm Salama as an influential woman who offset ‘A’isha in her temperament and her position in the Prophet’s household. In a similar vein, ShI‘Is view Umm Salama, and not ‘A’isha, as the most revered wife after Khadlja, Muhammad’s first and only wife until her death. 5 54 This division of ranks is referred to in Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 6:333, #26505-6. ATHasam explains this divide between the wives in greater detail (see al-Hasanl, Umm Salama , 142-63). 55 Other versions of this tradition have Fatima or Zaynab beseeching the Prophet on behalf of the wives (see al-Bukharl, Sahib [Beirut: Dar al-Qalam, 1987], 3-4:316-17). In this edition of Bukhari’s Sahib , different volumes are bound together, and their pages numbered sequentially. 56 The theme of Umm Salama as a representative of women’s concerns is taken up again in traditions that specify her inquiries as the cause for revelation of Qur’anic verses pertaining to the equality of male and female believers before God (Qur’an, 33:35). See, for example, Ibn Hanbal, Musnad , 6:346, #26595. For other versions of this tradition, see al-Musnad al-Jami‘, 20:680-82, #17638-40. 57 There are many ShI‘I biographies extolling the virtues of Umm Salama, particularly in comparison with ‘A’isha. A contemporary Twelver ShTI view of Umm Salama is given in Sayyid Muhsin al-Amln al-‘AmilI, A'yan al-ShVa (Beirut: Dar al-Ta‘aruf, 1986), 10:272. Spellberg explores the ShTI representations of ‘A’isha in greater detail throughout her work Politics, Gender, and the Islamic Past.