ZAYNAB BINT JAHSH'S TOMB- BY ABU QAANIT

Hmmmm, alright. To the yet to marry and married, I'll like to take you through this write up to the marital life of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), sincerely, there's no issues surrounding marriage then and now that was not experienced by he prophet himself, apart from him being a prophet, he displayed humanly character towards his wives and his wives were unable to hide the circumstances behind polygamous family. Among them (his wives), they believed the prophet loved Aisha (r.a) more than others. After Aisha is *Zaynab bint Jahsh*. 

Who is this zaynab and why was her loved filled the prophet's heart?

Zaynab bint Jahsh was born into a noble and respected family in the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. She belonged to the Banu Hashim clan, the same clan to which Prophet Muhammad belonged. Zaynab's mother was Umayma bint Abdul-Muttalib, making her the Prophet's paternal cousin.

So Around 625, Muhammad proposed Zaynab to marry his adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah. Zayd had been born into the Kalb tribe but as a child he had been kidnapped by slave-traders. He had been sold to a nephew of Khadija bint Khuwaylid, who in her turn had given him as a wedding present to her husband Muhammad. After some years, Muhammad had manumitted Zayd and had adopted him as his son.

Zaynab, supported by her brother Abdullah, at first refused the proposal on the grounds that, "I am a widow of the Quraysh." She presumably implied that her social status was too high to allow her to marry an ex-slave (most sisters are naturally characterized with this thought 😒). It has been asserted that these social differences were precisely the reason why Muhammad wanted to arrange the marriage

Zaynab acquiesced and married Zayd. Muhammad personally paid the dower of 160 dirhams in cash, a cloak and veil, a coat of armour, 50 mudd of grain and 10 mudd of dates.

Not quite long, around 2 years of their marriage, an incident lead to their divorce, 

There was an Islamic historical accounts that talked of a visit that Muhammad paid to Zayd's house. The hairskin curtain that served as Zayd’s front door was blown aside, accidentally revealing Zaynab dressed only in her shift. Zaynab arose to dress herself, informing him that Zayd was not at home but he was welcome to visit. However, he did not enter. He exclaimed to himself, "Praise be to Allah, who turns hearts around!" and then departed.

When Zayd came home, Zaynab told him what had happened. Zayd went to Muhammad, saying: "Prophet I have heard about your visit. Perhaps you admire Zaynab, so I will divorce her." Muhammad replied, "No, fear Allah and keep your wife."

After this, there was conflict between the couple, and Zaynab shut Zayd out of the bedroom.

Some commentators have found it absurd that Muhammad would suddenly become aware of Zaynab's beauty one day after having known her all her life. If her beauty had been the reason for Muhammad to marry her, he would have married her himself in the first place rather than arranging her marriage to Zayd.

HER MARRIAGE TO THE PROPHET

Prophet Muhammad expected criticism if he married Zaynab. Pre-Islamic custom disapproved of marriage between a man and his adopted son's former wife. Arab society would have viewed this union as profoundly wrong, because it was considered an adopted son was truly a "son". Therefore, for a man to marry his adopted son's wife - even if she was divorced - was considered incestuous. As a result, he "hid in his heart" the idea that he might marry her.

Muhammad proceeded to reject the existing Arabian norms. Thereafter the legal status of adoption was not recognised under Islam. Zayd reverted to being known by his original name of "Zayd ibn Harithah" instead of "Zayd ibn Muhammad".

In Pre-Islamic Era the Arabs used to consider an adopted person similarly to a blood relative as far as rights including right to inheritance and sanctities are concerned.

After marriage the sponsored children lost their inheritance rights and were known as the children of biological parents. The sponsored children after attaining puberty could not live with the sponsor family. The sponsored children were funded after puberty. The purpose was to reduce enmity of biological children towards sponsored children and to prevent mingling of a male sponsor with an adult sponsored female. 

Some Muslim historians have understood the discrepancy between Muhammad's private thoughts and his expressed words to refer, not to a desire to marry Zaynab, but only to a prophetic foreknowledge that the marriage was going to happen.

Medinese Hypocrites, a term that refers to those who convert to Islam while working against it, spread many rumours against the marriage.

Muhammad married Zaynab as soon as her waiting-period from her divorce was complete, on 27 March 627. He went into her house when she did not expect him and without knocking. She asked him: "Is it going to be like this, without any witnesses or trustee (wali) for our union?" Muhammad replied: "Allah is the witness and Gabriel is the trustee."

Muhammad gave Zaynab a dower of 400 dirhams. Later he held a wedding banquet for her and slaughtered a sheep. 

Anas ibn Malik said there were over seventy guests, and that none of Muhammad's other wives was given such a large banquet.

Aisha believed that Muhammad's favourite wives, after herself, were Zaynab and Umm Salama. She said: "Zaynab was my equal in beauty and in the Prophet's love for her." Umm Salama said of Zaynab: "The Messenger of Allah liked her and he also used to become vexed with her." On two occasions, when Muhammad divided a gift of food among all his wives, Zaynab was displeased with her portion and sent it back to him.

Several traditions indicate conflict between Zaynab and her co-wives. She used to boast to them: "You were given in marriage by your families, while I was married (to the Prophet) by Allah from over seven Heavens." In one quarrel, Zaynab shouted insults at Aisha while Muhammad was present. Aisha retaliated with "hot words until I made her quiet." Muhammad only commented that Aisha was "really the daughter of Abu Bakr." Another time Zaynab refused to lend her spare camel to Safiyya; Muhammad was so angry that he did not speak to Zaynab for over two months. Aisha related that the wives were divided into two factions, one led by herself and the other by Umm Salama. Zaynab was allied to Umm Salama, together with Umm Habiba, Juwayriyya and Maymunah.

Yet it was Zaynab who defended Aisha when the latter was accused of adultery. Muhammad asked her if she knew anything about it, and Zaynab replied: "O Allah's Messenger! I refrain to claim hearing or seeing what I have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except goodness about Aisha." Aisha conceded: "I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zaynab, more God-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more close to God, the Exalted, than she was."

Zaynab had a reputation for being prayerful. She prayed so much by night that she hung a rope between two pillars in the mosque and held onto it when she became too tired to stand. When Muhammad discovered the rope, he removed it and told her that when she became tired, she should stop praying and sit down.

Zaynab bint Jahsh holds a significant place in Islamic history, not only as the wife of Prophet Muhammad but also for her personal qualities and contributions to the early Muslim community. Her marriage to the Prophet highlighted the importance of consent, challenged societal norms, and emphasized the equality and unity of all believers in the sight of Allah.

AWESU JAMIU OLUWADAMILARE

(Abu Qaanit)

- Nigeria