Zainab Bint Mohammad

today lesson : Zainab Bint Mohammad

in the name of Allah Her name

Zainab (also spelled as Zainub and Zaynab) ‫محمد زينب بنت‬
Means a fragrant flowering plant, Desert flower or an ornamented tree
Her birth
She was born 10 years before the Prophecy
About 610-10 =600 CE ~ dies 8 AH (630)
Her parents
She was the daughter of Prophet Muhhamad and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
and, some Shia and non-Muslim argue she is the daughter of Khadijah's
assumed previous last husband, but most Sunni Majority and history
recorded her as the daughter of our Prophet.
She was brought up in the Prophet’s house under the patronage of the most
honorable parents, so she became an example of good manner

Her life with her husband

She married to
Abu al-Aas ibn al-Rabiah (‫ )أبو العس بن الربيعة‬was a companion of Prophet
Muhammad belonging to the Banu Abd Shams clan of the Quraish. He was
one of the well respected, wealthy traders of Mekkah, so the Prophet (S)
married him to Zainab.
He was son of Hala bint Khuwaylid, Khadijah's sister. So his maternal aunt
was Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the wife of our Prophet Muhammad. So he was
her cousin. He married her prior to accepting Islam.
Her mother was his mothers sister
Khadija is his Aunt
His disbelief
One day when Abu Al-As was travelling for trade, there happened the
greatest event in the life of the humanity. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was
sent as a Messenger to the entire world. Zaynab, later, responded to the call
of truth which was revealed upon her father and embraced islam. Having
returned from his journey, he knew that his wife had accepted the new faith
unexpectedly, she failed to convience him to embrace the religion of truth.
When prophethood descended upon to Prophet Muhammad Khadijah and her
daughters believed in him and in his message, however Abu'l-As did not
convert. The Quraysh went to him and told him to divorce Zaynab, promising
him any other woman he desired, but he refused saying that he did not want
any other woman of Quraysh.
The Prophet (S), always used to speak warmly of him due to the stand he
took against the Quraysh.
He justified his refusal by saying to her: “By Allah, I trust in your father
but I fear that they might circulate that I left my father’s religion to
please my wife.”
Zainab was shocked by the disbelief of her husband.

Nevertheless, Islam had made a split between Zaynab and her husband, but
little shari'ah, had as yet been revealed. So, Abu'l-As and Zaynab continued
together as muslim and kafir, wife and husband until after the Hijrah.
Battle of Badr
He participated in the Battle of Badr with the Quraish as muslim enemy and
was taken captive by the Muslims.
Zaynab sent her messenger to Al-Medina bearing the ransom to free her
husband which included a necklace her mother, Khadijah, had given to her
before she died. When Muhammad saw the necklace he felt a surge of
tenderness for his daughter and he set a condition on Abu-l Aas's freedom
that his daughter Zaynab is sent to him without delay.

As soon as he reached Makkah, Abu-l Aas ordered his wife to prepare

herself for the journey, telling her that her father's messengers were
waiting. The Quraish pursued Zaynab and Amr until they caught up with
them.
Abu Sufyan explained that they had no need to detain his wife but wished
that she be taken in secret so as to not cause embarrassment to the
recently defeated Quraish. Amr agreed and a few days later he took Zaynab
to Muhammad’s emissaries.

After Abu'l As returned to Mekkah, he informed Zaynab of his promise to

her father, and they agreed that their little daughter Umamah, should go
with her. At the time Zaynab was expecting another child. When all the
preperations had been made for the journey, Abu'l-As's brother, Kinanah,
was sent along as an escort. Their plans had been kept secret, but they set
off in broad daylight, which upset the Quraysh and they decided to bring
Zaynab back to Mekkah. Habar ibn Al-Aswad ibn Abdul Muttalib struck at
her with his spear as she sat in the camel sadan. Kinanah dismounted to
protect her. Then Abu Sufyan and some others asked Kinanah to discuss the
matter calmly with them. Abu Sufyan argued that it was a mistake to bring
Zaynab out of Mekkah publicly.
He said that people would take it as a sign of weakness if they allowed
Zaynab to leave in broad daylight. He said that they didn't want to keep her
from her father, nor did they want revenge. They asked Kinanah to bring
her back to Mekkah, and when people stopped talking about the matter, she
could steal out secretly to join her father.
After the departure of his wife, Abu-l Aas remained in Mecca for several
years.

Kinanah accepted this proposal and they all returned to Mekkah.

Zaynab set out from Makka to Madina but some people from the Quraish
trible obstructed her. They terrified her until she fell off her camel while
she was preganant.
Shortly afterwards Zaynab miscarried due to the fright caused by Habar.
She went back to Makka under the shelter of Abu al-As, When enough time
had elapsed and she had recovered sufficiently, his brother Kinanah Ibn ar-
Rabei took her and little Umamah, under the cover of night and escorted
them as far as a valley on the outskirts of Mekkah. They were met by Zaid
ibn Harithah who escorted them to Madinah and to the Prophet (S).

Caravan capture
Almost 5 (five) months after the battle of the Trench, a rich caravan of the
of Quraysh was returning on its way from Syria, and Zaid was sent to waylay
it with a hundred and seventy men. Zaid and his men captured the entire
caravan and most of the men were taken captive.
Abu'l-As was among them. However, he managed to escape. Nevertheless, as
he passed Madinah he was filled with the desire to visit his former wife and
daughter. So, he entered the city under the cover of night, and some how or
other he found the house of his former wife.
After about 6 years , he knocked Zayab’s door. She did not believe her eyes
when she found him at her door. She was about to approach him for greeting
but she stopped suddenly to check his belief.
All of sudden, he said , I did not come to Madina as a warrior but as a
merchant. Nevertheless, a squad belonging to your father obstructed us and
robbed my caravan as spoil of war. But I managed to escape. I came to you
seeking your intercession on the part of Muslims. Zaynab said , welcome my
cousin , welcome father of Ali and umama. She went forward to the Prophet
(pubh) after he had performed the Fajr prayer.

It was near the time of fajr, and when Bilal made the call to prayer, Zaynab
went into the mosque leaving Abu'l-As with Umamah. After the Prophet (S)
made the takbeer (said "Allahu akbar") and the men repeated it after him,
there was a moment of silence. In this brief moment, Zaynab cried out, "O
people, I give protection to Abu'l As." Then she too said, "Allahu akbar" and
entered the prayer.
When the prophet (S) had pronounced the final "as salam alikum" he rose
and turned to face the muslims and asked, "Did you hear what I heard?"

There was a general assent. He (S) said, "By Him in whose hand is my soul, I
knew nothing of this until I heard what I heard. The least Muslim can grant
protection which shall be binding on all other Muslims."
Then he went to his daughter and said, "Recieve him with honour, but let him
not come to you as a husband, for you are not his by law."
She told her father 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.

So the Prophet (S) sent word to those who had taken part in the expedition
and had taken the property of Abu'l-As that "this man is related to us as
you know, and you have taken this property of his. If you should be so good
as to return it to him, that would please me, but if you will not, it is booty
which Allah has given you, so that you have the better right of it."
They said that they would give it back to him, and everything was returned
without exception. They noticed that there were signs that Abu'l-As had
thoughts of entering into Islam. So, one of the men said, "Why don't you
embrace Islam and take these goods for yourself, for are they not the
property of the idolators?" However, Abu'l-As answered, "It would be a bad
beginning to my Islam if I betrayed trust."

His return to Makkah

He took the goods to Mekkah and gave them to their owners. Then he
returned to Madinah and entered into Islam, pledging his allegiance to the
Prophet (S). So, Zaynab was reunited with her husband, and there was great
rejoicing in the family of the Prophet and throughout the city. This occured
during the 7th year of the Hijrah.
Abu-l Aas returned to Mecca with the caravan and handed over all the
wealth and goods to their rightful owners.

Then Abu-I Aas announced that he was now Muslim and that the only thing
preventing him from declaring his acceptance of Islam while in Medina was
fear that they would assume he did so only to appropriate their wealth. Abu-
l Aas then left for Medina where Muhammad received him hospitably
He returned to Madinah and entered into Islam, pledging his allegiance to
the Prophet . So, Zaynab was reunited with her husband, and there was
great rejoicing in the family of the Prophet and throughout the city. This
occured during the seventh year of the Hijrah.

Her children
Umamah bint Abu al-Aas ibn al-Rabiah
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 25:
Narrated Abu Qatada:
The Prophet came out towards us, while carrying Umamah, the daughter of
Abi Al-As (his grand-daughter) over his shoulder. He prayed, and when he
wanted to bow, he put her down, and when he stood up, he lifted her up.
Ali ibn Abu al-Aas ibn al-Rabiah

Her brothers
First son of Prophet
Qasim ibn Muhammad (‫ )محمد بن قاسم‬was the son of Prophet Muhammad and
Khadija. He died in 605CE, before his second birthday.
2nd son of Prophet
Abd-Allah ibn Muhammad ( ‫ )عبدال بن محمد‬A.K.A Taher ibn Muhammad ("Taher"
= "Clean") was one of the sons Muhammad and Khadija. Abd-Allah died in
childhood in 615 CE.
They both are delievered by Khadijah