Zaynab bint Jahsh
Background:
Zaynab bint Jahsh was the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Zaynab’s mother was Umaymah bint Abdul-Muttalib, who was the Prophet’s paternal aunt.
At first, she was referred to as Barrah but when she married the Prophet ﷺ, he gave her the name of Zaynab.
Marriage Proposal to Zayd ibn Al-Haritha:
As mentioned in the Seerah, Zayd ibn al-Haritha was originally a slave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Eventually, the Prophet freed him and adopted Zayd as his son.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ loved Zayd ibn al-Haritha very much and was very impressed with his character, and because of this, he proposed marriage on Zayd’s behalf to Zaynab bint Jahsh.
However, at first, Zaynab and her family did not agree to this because Zayd ibn al-Haritha was a slave.
The Prophet told Zaynab: I have chosen him for you.
Zaynab bint Jahsh replied: I do not accept him for myself, O Messenger of Allah! I am a previously married woman among my people and the daughter of your aunt, so I will not do it.
Quranic Revelation:
Allah SWT then revealed: ‘It is not for a believing man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter, to have any other choice in that matter. Indeed, whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone (far) astray’. (Quran, 33:36)
Marriage to Zayd ibn Al-Haritha:
After these verses from Surah Al-Ahzab were revealed, Zaynab asked: Do you choose him as a husband for me, O Messenger of Allah?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied: Yes.
Zaynab responded: Then, I will not disobey the Messenger of Allah and I have taken him as my husband.
The Divorce:
Not long after their marriage was official, Zaynab and Zayd had some disagreements between them and their marriage did not work out.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ wanted the marriage to last and even acted as a counsellor for them.
Zayd ibn al-Haritha then went to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, asking for permission to divorce Zaynab.
The Prophet replied: Hold onto your wife and fear Allah.
Some time after this, Zayd returned once again, wanting to divorce Zaynab bint Jahsh.
Once more, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told Zayd: Hold onto your wife and fear Allah.
Fear of the Prophet:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had this fear that if Zayd ibn Al-Haritha divorces Zaynab, Allah would command him to marry his cousin.
At this point, the disbelievers considered Zayd to be the Prophet’s son, so he was afraid that people would say: Muhammad married the wife of his son.
Another Quranic Revelation:
Allah SWT then revealed: ‘And (remember), O Prophet, when you said to him on whom Allah has done a favour and you (O Muhammad too) have done a favour, “Keep your wife and fear Allah,” while concealing within yourself what Allah was going to reveal. And (so) you were considering the people, whereas Allah was more worthy of your consideration. So when Zayd totally lost interest in (keeping) his wife, We gave her to you in marriage, so that there would be no blame on the believers for marrying the ex-wives of their adopted sons after their divorce. And Allah’s command is totally binding. (Quran, 33:37)
Marriage to the Prophet:
After receiving this revelation, the Prophet ﷺ smiled and said: Who will go to the house of Zaynab and give her the glad tidings that Allah has given her to me in marriage from heaven?
The servant of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Salma then went to Zaynab and informed her about this revelation.
Zaynab bint Jahsh was very happy with this news as she became one of the ‘Mothers of the Believers.’
Zaynab’s Status:
Zaynab bint Jahsh would say to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: I am not like any of your other wives, for all of them were betrothed (formally engaged) to you by their fathers, their brothers, or their families. Was any of them besides me betrothed to you by Allah from the heaven?
As mentioned in the Quran, Allah SWT performed her marriage to the Prophet.
Zaynab’s Character:
Zaynab bint Jahsh was well-renowned for being a righteous and pious woman.
Aisha bint Abi Bakr said about her: I have never seen anyone better in religion, more God-fearing, more honest in speech, nor better in maintaining the ties of kinship, nor more generous in giving charity, nor more self-sacrificing in the performance of charitable deeds and those deeds which bring one closer to Allah, than Zaynab.
Distribution of Wealth:
During the Caliph of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the money which she received from the Bayt-al-mal (Muslim treasury) was twelve thousand dirhams.
However, she only took this money one year, where she said: O Allah! Do not let me receive this money next year.
After making this supplication, she distributed all of the money for the sake of Allah SWT.
Hadith on Zaynab bint Jahsh:
It was reported by Aisha that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: She among you who will be first to meet me is she with the longest hand. (Muslim)
Aisha continued: After the death of the Messenger of Allah, we measured our hands to see which of us had the longest. It was Zaynab who had the longest hands, because she used to work with her hands and give the proceeds in charity.
Zaynab’s Death:
Zaynab bint Jahsh passed away in the year 20 AH, during the Caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab.
Zaynab was the first of the ‘Mothers of the Believers’ to leave this world after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Towards the end of her life, she said: I have already prepared my shroud, but Umar will send me a shroud, so give one of them in charity.
Umar ibn al-Khattab sent five garments for Zaynab to choose from, and she was wrapped in one of them.
Her sister, Hamnah bint Jahsh took her previous shroud that she had prepared, and gave it to charity.
Funeral:
Umar ibn al-Khattab led the funeral prayer of Zaynab bint Jahsh and she was buried in the Al-Baqi graveyard.