It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that once Sayyiduna Abu Salamah narrated this hadith before her: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: When any of you is afflicted by a calamity, he should say "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" and then supplicate: "O Allah, I endure this calamity before You seeking reward, so grant me reward for it and grant me a better substitute for it." Then, when Sayyiduna Abu Salamah passed away, Allah granted me someone better than him in family—the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

It is narrated from Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that one day Abu Salamah returned to me from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, "I heard something from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) which made me very happy." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whenever any Muslim is afflicted with a calamity and he says 'Inna lillahi' and makes this supplication: 'O Allah, reward me for my affliction and grant me something better in exchange for it,' then Allah will grant him both these things." Sayyidah Umm Salamah says, "I memorized this supplication. When my husband passed away, that is, Abu Salamah, I recited 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un' and made this supplication. Then I thought to myself, 'Who could be better for me than Abu Salamah?' But after my waiting period was completed, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to me and sought permission to enter. At that time, I was tanning the skin of an animal. I wiped and washed my hands with the leaves of a Salam tree and gave the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) permission to enter. I placed a leather pillow filled with palm fibers, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) leaned against it and sat down, and conveyed to me the proposal of marriage from himself. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) finished speaking, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I cannot turn away from you, but I have a strong sense of jealousy, and I fear that you may see something in me for which Allah may punish me. Then, I have reached old age, and I also have children.' The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'As for the jealousy you mentioned, Allah will remove it from you. As for the old age you mentioned, that is also my condition. And as for the children you mentioned, your children are my children.' Upon this, I entrusted myself to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married her. She says, 'In this way, Allah granted me someone better than Abu Salamah in the form of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).'"