Umm Salama sought out equality and autonomy for Muslim women and never hesitated to posit political questions to the prophet. This verse initiated when Umm Salama asked Muhammad, "why are men mentioned in the Koran and why are we not?" She is quoted narrating, "I had asked the Prophet why the Koran did not speak of us as it did of men. And what was my surprise one afternoon, when I was combing my hair, to hear his voice from the minbar. I hastily did up my hair and ran to one of the apartments from where I could hear better" It is there that Umm Salama heard the verse.