Arabic name (رَمْلَة) means - "sand".
Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (c.594-666) was one of the thirteen Prophet Muhammad`s wives: (Khadija, Sawda, Aisha, Hafsa, Zaynab (bint Khuzayma), Hind (Umm), Zaynab (bint Jahsh), Juwayriyya, Safiyya, Ramla, Maymuna, Mariyah, Rayhana). Her first husband was Ubayd-Allah ibn Jahsh a brother of Zaynab bint Jahsh, whom Muhammad married in 627.
Ubayd-Allah and Ramla were among the first people to accept Islam. In 615, in order to avoid hostilities from Quraish, they both emigrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), where she gave birth to her daughter, Habibah bint Ubayd-Allah.
Ubayd-Allah later converted to Christianity. He tried to persuade Ramla to do the same, but she held on to Islam. His conversion led to their separation. They all continued to live in Abyssinia until Ubayd-Allah's death in 627.
Muhammad sent Ramla a proposal of marriage, which arrived on the day she completed her idda (widow's waiting period). The Negus of Abyssinia sent his wardrobe-mistress, Abraha, to carry the message. Ramla gladly accepted the proposal, and gave her silver bangles and rings as a gift to the messenger.
The marriage ceremony took place in Abyssinia even though Muhammad was not present. Ramla chose Khalid ibn Said as her legal guardian at the ceremony. The Negus read out the Khutba himself, and Khalid ibn Said made a speech in reply. The Negus gave Khalid a dower of 400 dinars and hosted a huge wedding feast after the ceremony. He also sent musk and ambergris to the bride through the slave Abraha. Muhammad did not give a dower larger than this to any of his other wives.
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