THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 047 LADY ZAYNAB, DAUGHTER OF JAHSH by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem Lady Zaynab, Daughter of Jahsh Zayd and Zaynab Many years before, when Zayd, Haritha’s son and his mother from the Syrian tribe of Kalb were visiting his maternal grandparents from the tribe of Tayy, the village had been attacked by marauders and Zayd, who was young, had been seized and taken to Mecca to be sold. Upon the arrival of the tribesmen in Mecca the marauders proceeded to auction the boy off to the highest bidder. When Lady Khadijah saw him, she took pity on him and paid the price. Upon her wedding day, she gave Zayd to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) as part of her wedding gift to him. Zayd, like other members of the household, was never treated or thought of as being a slave, as he would have been in other households. He grew to love his new family dearly and had chosen to remain with the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) in preference to returning with his father who, when he learned of his son's whereabouts, traveled to Medina to ransom him. But money wasn't the issue, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told Zayd's father that if Zayd desired he was free to return with him as he did not want any compensation. However, to the astonishment of Zayd's father, Zayd told him he was very happy and did not wish to return. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) had been greatly touched by Zayd's reaction and took him to the Ka’bah where he not only announced that from that moment onward Zayd was free, but that he had taken him to be his son. When Zayd's father realized just how happy his son was, he accepted the matter and returned home happy in the knowledge that his son was not only free but loved and well cared for. It was later on that Allah sent down the verse: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men.” 33:40 When the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) received this Revelation he took Zayd to be his foster son rather than his adopted son. Zayd had been amongst those who had converted to Islam in its very early days and now that he had come of age, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) suggested he might like to marry Zaynab, a relative of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). Zayd was agreeable however, Zaynab was not sure if she wanted to marry him, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) did not press the matter any further. After some time, Zaynab decided to accept Zayd's proposal and so the young couple were married. Incompatibility Not long after their marriage, problems arose between them. For a year or so they tried to resolve these differences but they remained unresolved and their lives were not in harmony with one another. One day Zayd became very upset and went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to tell him of their problems and asked his permission to divorce his wife, but the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) advised him not to do so and to fear Allah. However, their circumstances did not improve and he went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) on several other occasions, but each time the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) gave him the same advice. Matters deteriorated further between them to the extent that Zayd went yet again to the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) but this time he entreated him to let him divorce her, whereupon the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) finally gave Zayd permission. The waiting period of four months had elapsed and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) contemplated upon marrying Zaynab. Then Allah sent down the following verse: "And when you said to he (Zayd) whom Allah had favored and yourself have favored: 'Keep your wife and fear Allah,' and you sought to hide in yourself what Allah was to reveal, fearing people: although Allah has a better right for you to fear Him. And when Zayd had accomplished what he would of her (divorce), We gave her to you (Prophet Muhammad) in marriage, so that there is no fault in believers concerning (marriage to) the former spouse of their foster children if they divorced them. The decree of Allah must be done." Koran, 33:37 The Koran wanted to annul adoption and to make known that a person is free to marry the divorced wife of a son who had before the prohibition of adoption been adopted. The Marriage of the Prophet to Lady Zaynab And so, in the month of Dhul-Qa’dah 5H, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) took Lady Zaynab to be his wife. To celebrate the Prophet’s marriage, Anas’ mother, Umm Sulaim prepared some dates and flour and put them in an earthenware container then asked her son to take it with her greetings to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and Lady Zaynab were touched by the kind gesture and the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked Anas to go out and invite everyone he met to come and partake of the food. Later, when Anas was asked how many guests there were, he replied that there had been about three hundred people and all miraculously ate their fill, yet after they had departed, the earthenware container remained full. Lady Zaynab had many fine qualities, she was known for her piety and fasting. Lady Zaynab, Daughter of Jahsh 047 Back Cover Subtitles Zayd and Zaynab Incompatibility The Marriage of the Prophet to Lady Zaynab