It was the sound of a cough that first made me notice her.
Every morning, I swept the street outside my father’s shop in Madinah — the blessed city where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lived. I was just a boy then, eager to begin the day and maybe hear a kind word from the Prophet ﷺ as he passed. But that day, all I heard was the raspy cough of an old woman.
She lived across from us. I only knew her as Umm Safwan. She was not Muslim. In fact, she often frowned when the Prophet ﷺ walked by. Some days, she muttered things I didn’t understand under her breath. Others said she disliked the Muslims. But I had never seen her do anything more than glare and shut her door.
That morning, I watched as she stepped outside holding a small basket. She wobbled as she bent down to place it on her doorstep. Then she went inside and didn’t return.
Later in the day, the Prophet ﷺ walked down our street. His steps were calm, as always, and children greeted him with joy. But when he reached her door, he stopped.
He looked down at the empty spot where the road dust was usually swept aside — a sign that Umm Safwan had placed food there for the poor, even if it was just dry bread or dates. But today, there was nothing.
He paused, then turned to me. “Did Umm Safwan not come out today?” he asked gently.
I shook my head. “She was coughing this morning, ya Rasul Allah — O Messenger of Allah.”
He nodded, then continued walking. I thought that was the end of it.
But it wasn’t.
The next morning, before I could even open the shop, I saw him again — standing at her doorstep with fresh bread in hand. Then he knocked.
I held my breath. Would she answer? Would she slam the door?
She opened it slowly. Her eyes were sunken, her voice weak. She was surprised to see him. But what happened next froze me in place.
He gave her the bread.
And then… he smiled.
I didn’t hear what he said, but I saw her face change. The tightness in her brow softened. She looked at the bread, then at him. Her mouth trembled.
From that day on, she never shut her door on him again.
Later, my father told me, “Our Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be kind to their neighbor.’” That included Umm Safwan — even though she wasn’t Muslim, even though she’d never been friendly.
I had thought faith meant only praying and fasting. But that day — that simple act — showed me something deeper.
It showed me that kindness can melt hard hearts.
And that our Prophet ﷺ treated everyone with respect, not just those who believed.
I never forgot the look in her eyes that morning. I think, maybe for the first time in her life, she had seen true mercy.
And so had I.
—
Story Note: Inspired by Hadith in Sahih Bukhari 6013 about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s advice and kindness toward neighbors, including non-Muslims.
It was the sound of a cough that first made me notice her.
Every morning, I swept the street outside my father’s shop in Madinah — the blessed city where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lived. I was just a boy then, eager to begin the day and maybe hear a kind word from the Prophet ﷺ as he passed. But that day, all I heard was the raspy cough of an old woman.
She lived across from us. I only knew her as Umm Safwan. She was not Muslim. In fact, she often frowned when the Prophet ﷺ walked by. Some days, she muttered things I didn’t understand under her breath. Others said she disliked the Muslims. But I had never seen her do anything more than glare and shut her door.
That morning, I watched as she stepped outside holding a small basket. She wobbled as she bent down to place it on her doorstep. Then she went inside and didn’t return.
Later in the day, the Prophet ﷺ walked down our street. His steps were calm, as always, and children greeted him with joy. But when he reached her door, he stopped.
He looked down at the empty spot where the road dust was usually swept aside — a sign that Umm Safwan had placed food there for the poor, even if it was just dry bread or dates. But today, there was nothing.
He paused, then turned to me. “Did Umm Safwan not come out today?” he asked gently.
I shook my head. “She was coughing this morning, ya Rasul Allah — O Messenger of Allah.”
He nodded, then continued walking. I thought that was the end of it.
But it wasn’t.
The next morning, before I could even open the shop, I saw him again — standing at her doorstep with fresh bread in hand. Then he knocked.
I held my breath. Would she answer? Would she slam the door?
She opened it slowly. Her eyes were sunken, her voice weak. She was surprised to see him. But what happened next froze me in place.
He gave her the bread.
And then… he smiled.
I didn’t hear what he said, but I saw her face change. The tightness in her brow softened. She looked at the bread, then at him. Her mouth trembled.
From that day on, she never shut her door on him again.
Later, my father told me, “Our Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be kind to their neighbor.’” That included Umm Safwan — even though she wasn’t Muslim, even though she’d never been friendly.
I had thought faith meant only praying and fasting. But that day — that simple act — showed me something deeper.
It showed me that kindness can melt hard hearts.
And that our Prophet ﷺ treated everyone with respect, not just those who believed.
I never forgot the look in her eyes that morning. I think, maybe for the first time in her life, she had seen true mercy.
And so had I.
—
Story Note: Inspired by Hadith in Sahih Bukhari 6013 about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s advice and kindness toward neighbors, including non-Muslims.
