The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 415
IX - Repeated Treachery of the Jews, Compilation and Sequence of the Holy Qur ’ā n, Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra , the Great Calumny and Mischief of the Hypocrites 415 future. This is such a sensitive, vast and magnificent task that if a lady is to fulfil this very responsibility alone with skill and merit, and make herself capable in this respect, it is enough to fully engage her concentration. It is in this very manner that she can become a most excellent benefactor for the entire country and nation; it is obvious that the Islāmic Pardah does not oppose this cause, rather, it only supports it. Remaining Events Relevant to the Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra At the time of her marriage, Zainab bint Jaḥash ra was thirty-five years of age 1 and in light of the circumstances of Arabia at the time, this was middle- age. Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra was a very righteous, pious and affluent lady. Despite the fact that from among all the wives of the Holy Prophet sa , Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra was contested and rivaled by Zainab ra alone, Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra still highly praised the inherent virtue and purity of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra , 2 and would often say: “I have not seen a more pious lady than Zainab ra. She was very righteous and truthful, she was very kind towards relatives, she would give a great amount of charity and alms, and worked tirelessly for goodness and to attain divine nearness. The only thing was that she was a bit heated in temper, but immediately thereafter, she would feel remorse herself. ” 3 The degree to which she would give charity and alms was such that Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra relates: “On one occasion, the Holy Prophet sa said to us: اَسْرَعُكُن َّ لِحَاقًا بِی ْ اَطْوَلُكُن َّ یَدًا ‘ The one from among you who has the longest hands, shall be the first to pass away after my demise and join me. ’ 4 Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra states that, ‘We inferred 1 Al-Iṣābah Fī Tamīziṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By Aḥmad bin ‘Alī bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 8, p. 155, Zainab bint Jaḥsh, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2005) 2 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratin-Nūr, Bābu Lau Lā Sami‘tumūhu. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 4750 3 Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābu Faḍā’iliṣ-Ṣaḥābah, Bābu Faḍli ‘Ā’ishah Raḍiyallāhu Ta‘ālā ‘Anhā, Ḥadīth No. 6290 4 Al-Iṣābah Fī Tamīziṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By Aḥmad bin ‘Alī bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 8, p. 154, Zainab bint Jaḥsh, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2005)