Alsiraj Official Website
Prophethood House
Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her
Her Birth:
She was born ten years before the Prophet's messenger ship. Her mother was Khadija bint khuwailid, may Allah be pleased with her. She was brought up in the house of prophethood.
Her marriage:
She was married to her cousin Abul-Aas-bin-Rabi ibn abd eluzza ibn abd shams ibn kussai. His mother was Hala daughter of khuwailid (she was the sister of Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her).
Abul-As was known by his generosity and honesty that they called him the honest. They had a son called Abu-AlAs and a daughter called Umama.
Embracing Islam
No sooner did she hear of her father's Prophethood than she embraced Islam. At that time her husband was traveling and did not know yet of Muhammad's Prophethood.
When he returned his wife told him about her father's Prophethood and her embracing Islam. He refused to embrace Islam. He justified his refusal by saying, " By Allah, I trust your father but I fear that they might say that I left my father's religion to please my wife"
Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her in Mecca
When Muslims emigrated to Medina, Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, stayed in Mecca. Her husband fought against the Muslims in the battle of Badr. She was happy that Muslims won the battle but she knew that her husband was in captivity.
Her husband, Abu Al-As was a rich man from a rich family, they were ready to pay any ransom to free him. When Quraish was paying ransom to secure release of their prisoners, Zainab, may Allah be pleased with her, gave over as ransom for her husband the necklace which she had received in dowry from her mother Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her.
When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw the necklace the memories of Khadijah come to his mind and tears in his eyes. After consultation with his companions he returned the necklace to Zainab, may Allah be pleased with her, and released her husband without ransom.
Before the release of Abu Al-As the noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and spoke to him privately and Abu Al-As nodded his head in agreement with what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then praised his son in law in front of all his companions. They agreed that on he would send Zainab to Medina on his return to Mecca. Two men were sent to stay outside Mecca and bring , may Allah be pleased with her, safely to Medina when she was made over to them.
On his return to Mecca, people from Mecca advised Abu Al-As to divorce his wife and marry any other woman, but her refused.
Emigration to Medina
And so Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, emigrated to Medina. She was pregnant in her fourth month. She was led by Kinana, Abu Al-As's brother. Some men from Quraish tried to attack her to avenge their defeat in Badr but Kinana faced them bravely.
Unfortunately, Habbar ibn AlAswad hit her with an arrow and a man called Nafe Ibn Kais kicked her horse so she fell on a rock. Kinana defended her bravely and the attackers were gone.
Kinana returned her to Mecca for treatment and her husband Abu Al-As stayed beside her for days until she got better and she traveled to Medina again led by Kinana who delivered her to Zaid Ibn Haritha.
The attitude of attacking an unarmed woman was regarded as a shameful attitude in the Arabic environment. That is why no one attacked her at that time because a woman called Hend bint Utba mocked the attackers and said: "A war with an unarmed woman..? Would it be better to show this bravery in the battle of Badr..?". The attackers felt so ashamed and were the mockery of Quraish.
When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, heard the news of the attack he ordered Muslims to kill Habar and Nafe if anyone saw them.
Abu Al-As embraces Islam
Days passed and Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, never stopped praying that her husband would embrace Islam until one day he came to her in Medina. He told her that he did not come as a warrior but as a merchant and that a squad of Muslims attacked them and took their goods as spoils of war. He told her that he came asking for her help.
After Muslims finished their dawn prayer they heard a voice shouting, "O people I patronize Al-As Ibn Al-Rabie". At that moment the noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said: "O people, did you hear what I heard?" They answered: "Yes, Messenger of Allah", then he said, "By whom in Whose hands is Muhammad's soul I had not known anything about that before I heard what you heard. Muslims are one party against others. They permit the patronage of any one of them, however lower. Thus, we patronize whoever she patronized".
Then the noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him went to his daughter's home and told her to be hospitable towards Abu Al-As but not to be alone with him since he can not be a lawful husband to her as long as he is still a disbeliever.
Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, told her father, peace and blessings be upon him, that Abu'l-As was worried about the loss of the merchandise which he himself had accuired by barter on behalf of Quraysh who had entrusted their goods to him, for he was considered one of the most trustworthy men in Mekkah.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went to his companions and said: " You know this man, whose property you took. I would like to give him back his property, but if you do not like to do that, it will be your booty given to you by Allah.". They all agreed to give him back all his property.
He took the goods to Mecca and gave them to their owners. He then shouted: "O people of Quraish, is there any one who indebts me ?"
They replied: "No"
He said: "I testify that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. By Allah, I was about to embrace Islam before that time, but I feared that you might say that I wanted to misappropriate your property but, when Allah helped me give it back to you I embraced Islam."
Abu Al-As then emigrated to Medina. There the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned Zaynab to him.
Her death
A year later, Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, died affected by the fall when she was leaving Mecca.
She died at 8 A.H.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told the women to wash her three or five times and let the last wash be mixed with camphor.
When they finished, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, buried her. He was so sad but, after burying her he was better and he explained this by saying that he remembered how weak Zaynab was so he prayed to Allah to ease the tightness and hardships of the grave on her and Allah Almighty granted him that.
She was buried in AlBaki, may Allah have mercy on her.
|
|
|