When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left Mecca, migrating to Madinah, he was accompanied by Abu Bakr, Abu Bakr's servant Amir b. Fuhayrah, and their guide Abdullah b. Urayqit. They passed by the two tents of Umm Mabad al-Khuzaiyyah. She was a strong woman who would sit in front of her tent and provide water and food to travelers.

They asked her for some meat and dates to purchase, but found nothing with her as the people were facing a severe famine. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ noticed a sheep in the corner of the tent and asked, "What is this sheep, O Umm Mabad?" She replied, "This sheep has been left behind by weakness." He asked, "Does it have any milk?" She replied, "It is too weak for that." He ﷺ asked, “Would you allow me to milk it?” She replied, "Yes, may my parents be sacrificed for you, if you see any milk in it, then milk it."

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called for the sheep, put his hand on its udder, and invoked the name of Allah. Suddenly, milk started flowing abundantly. He ﷺ called for a large container which could satisfy the thirst of many people. He milked it until it filled the container, then gave her to drink until she was satisfied, and then he gave to his companions to drink until they were satisfied. Finally, he ﷺ drank. Then he repeated the milking to fill the container again, leaving it with her.

Shortly after they left, Umm Mabad's husband, Abu Mabad, returned driving some lean goats whose udders were dry. When he saw the milk, he was astonished and asked, "From where did you get this milk, O Umm Mabad, as the sheep is dry and there's no milking goat in the house?" She replied, "No, by Allah, a blessed man passed by us." He asked, "Describe him to me, O Umm Mabad."

She replied, "I saw a man of radiant appearance, with a bright face, beautiful in form. Neither too thin nor deficient in physique. He was handsome and well-proportioned, with large dark eyes, long eyelashes, and a deep, slightly hoarse voice. His neck was well-defined, and his beard was thick. His eyebrows were long and arched, and if he remained silent, he was enveloped in dignity, but when he spoke, he was adorned with grace and majesty. From a distance, he was the most beautiful of people, and up close, he was the most pleasant and delightful. His speech was sweet, distinct, neither too brief nor excessive, as if his words were strung pearls flowing down. He was neither too tall to intimidate nor too short to be disregarded, but perfectly proportioned, like a branch between two other branches, the most striking and noble of the three. He was surrounded by companions who were attentive to him. When he spoke, they listened intently, and when he commanded, they hastened to fulfill his command. He was well-attended, always surrounded by people, yet never frowning nor disregarded.”

Abu Mabad said, "By Allah, he is the companion of Quraysh whom we were informed about. I have decided to accompany him, and if I find a way to do so, I will surely do it." Later, there was a loud voice in Mecca heard from the sky, saying...  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ حِينَ خَرَجَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ وَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَهُوَ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ وَمَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَامِرُ بْنُ فُهَيْرَةَ ؓ ودَلِيلُهُمَا اللَّيْثِيُّ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنِ الْأُرَيْقِطِ مَرُّوا عَلَى خَيْمَتَيْ أُمِّ مَعْبَدٍ الْخُزَاعِيَّةِ وَكَانَتْ بَرْزَةً جَلْدَةً تَحْتَبِي بِفِنَاءِ الْقُبَّةِ ثُمَّ تَسْقِي وَتُطْعِمُ

فَسَأَلُوهَا لَحْمًا وَتَمْرًا لِيَشْتَرُوهُ مِنْهَا فَلَمْ يُصِيبُوا عِنْدَهَا شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَكَانَ الْقَوْمُ مُرْمِلِينَ مُسْنِتِينَ فَنَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِلَى شَاةٍ فِي كِسْرِ الْخَيْمَةِ فَقَالَ «مَا هَذِهِ الشَّاةُ يَا أُمَّ مَعْبَدٍ؟» قَالَتْ خَلَّفَهَا الْجَهْدُ عَنِ الْغَنَمِ قَالَ «فَهَلْ بِهَا مِنْ لَبَنٍ؟» قَالَتْ هِي أَجْهَدُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «أَتَأْذَنِينَ أَنْ أَحْلُبَهَا؟» قَالَتْ بَلَى بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي نَعَمْ إِنْ رَأَيْتَ بِهَا حَلْبًا فَاحْلُبْهَا

فَدَعَا بِهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَمَسَحَ بِيَدِهِ ضَرْعَهَا وَسَمَّى اللهَ ﷻ وَدَعَا لَهَا فِي شَاتِها فَتَفَاحَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَدَرَّتْ واجْتَرَّتْ وَدَعَا بِإِنَاءٍ يُرْبِضُ الرَّهْطَ فَحَلَبَ فِيهَا ثَجًّا حَتَّى عَلَاهُ الْبَهَاءُ ثُمَّ سَقَاهَا حَتَّى رُوِيَتْ وَسَقَى أَصْحَابَهُ حَتَّى رَوَوْا وَشَرِبَ آخِرَهُمْ ﷺ ثُمَّ أَرَاضُوا ثُمَّ حَلَبَ فِيهَا ثَانِيًا بَعْدَ بَدْءٍ حَتَّى مَلَأَ الْإِنَاءَ ثُمَّ غَادَرَهُ عِنْدَهَا ثُمَّ بَايَعَهَا وارْتَحَلُوا عَنْهَا فَقَلَّمَا لَبِثَتْ

حَتَّى جَاءَ زَوْجُهَا أَبُو مَعْبَدٍ يَسُوقُ أَعْنُزًا عِجَافًا يَتَسَاوَكْنَ هُزْلًا ضُحًى مُخُّهُنَّ قَلِيلٌ فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَبُو مَعْبَدٍ اللَّبَنَ عَجِبَ وَقَالَ مِنْ أَيْنَ لَكَ هَذَا اللَّبَنُ يَا أُمَّ مَعْبَدٍ؟ وَالشَّاةُ عَازِبٌ حِيَالٌ وَلَا حَلُوبةَ فِي الْبَيْتِ؟

قَالَتْ: (لَا وَاللهِ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ مَرَّ بِنَا رَجُلٌ مُبَارَكٌ مِنْ حَالِهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا) قَالَ: صِفِيهِ لِي يَا أُمَّ مَعْبَدٍ۔ قَالَتْ: (رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا ظَاهَرَ الْوَضَاءَةِ أَبْلَجَ الْوَجْهِ حَسَنَ الْخَلْقِ لَمْ تَعِبْهُ ثُحْلَةٌ وَلَمْ تُزْرِ بِهِ صَعْلَةٌ وَسِيمٌ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ دَعَجٌ وَفِي أَشْفَارِهِ وَطَفٌ وَفِي صَوْتِهِ صَهَلٌ وَفِي عُنُقِهِ سَطَعٌ وَفِي لِحْيَتِهِ كَثَاثَةٌ أَزَجُّ أَقْرَنُ إِنْ صَمَتَ فَعَلَيْهِ الْوَقَارُ وَإِنْ تَكَلَّمَ سَمَاهُ وَعَلَاهُ الْبَهَاءُ أَجْمَلُ النَّاسِ وَأَبْهَاهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ وأَحْلَاهُ وَأَحْسَنُهُ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ حُلْوُ الْمِنْطَقِ فَصْلٌ لَا هَذِرٌ وَلَا تَزِرٌ كَأَنَّ مَنْطِقَهُ خَرَزَاتٌ نَظْمٌ يَتَحَدَّرْنَ رَبْعٌ لَا يَأْسَ مِنْ طُولٍ وَلَا تَقْتَحِمُهُ عَيْنٌ مِنْ قِصَرٍ غُصْنٌ بَيْنَ غُصْنَيْنِ فَهُوَ أَنْضَرُ الثَّلَاثَةِ مَنْظَرًا وَأَحْسَنُهُمْ قَدْرًا لَهُ رُفَقَاءُ يَحُفُّونَ بِهِ إِنْ قَالَ أَنْصَتُوا لِقَوْلِهِ وَإِنْ أَمَرَ تَبَادَرُوا إِلَى أَمْرِهِ مَحْفُودٌ مَحْشُودٌ لَا عَابِسٌ وَلَا مُفَنَّدٌ)

قَالَ أَبُو مَعْبَدٍ: هُوَ وَاللهِ صَاحِبُ قُرَيْشٍ الَّذِي ذُكِرَ لَنَا أَمْرُهُ مَا ذُكِرُ بِمَكَّةَ وَلَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَصْحَبَهُ وَلَأَفْعَلَنَّ إِنْ وَجَدْتُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ سَبِيلًا فَأَصْبَحَ صَوْتٌ بِمَكَّةَ عَلِيًّا يَسْمَعُونَ الصَّوْتَ وَلَا يَدْرُونَ مَنْ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ