The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 416
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 416 this to mean physical hands, and would often measure our hands with one another. However, when the Holy Prophet sa passed away and Zainab bint Jaḥash ra was the first to leave this world, it was then that the secret revealed itself to us that the word ‘hand’ referred to charity and alms, not a physical hand. ’” As it was apprehended, upon the marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra the hypocrites of Madīnah raised many allegations and openly taunted that ‘Muḥammad [sa] had married the divorcee of his son and had made his own daughter-in-law permissible for himself. ’ 1 However, since the very purpose of this marriage was to erase this ignorant Arabian custom, these objections were also inevitable. At this instance, it is also necessary to mention that Ibni Sa‘d, Ṭabarī, etc. have recorded an absolutely false narration in relation to the marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra. Since this narration furnishes an opportunity to raise an objection against the pristine character of the Holy Prophet sa , various Christian historians have adorned their books with this narration in a most unpleasant manner. The story goes that when the Holy Prophet sa married Zainab bint Jaḥash ra to Zaid ra , one day the Holy Prophet sa came to his home in search of him. At the time Zaid ra , was not at home. Standing outside at the front door, when the Holy Prophet sa called for Zaid ra , Zainab ra responded from inside saying that he was not at home, and recognizing the voice of the Holy Prophet sa she dashed out immediately and submitted, “O Messenger of Allāh! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you, please come in. ” The Holy Prophet sa , however, refused and set back, but since Ḥaḍrat Zainab ra had suddenly stood up flustered, she happened to stand up without a shawl on her body and the door of her home was open. As a result, the Holy Prophet sa happened to catch sight of her, and God-forbid, fell for her beauty and returned humming the words, ِ سُبْحَان َ اللّٰه ِ الْعَظِیْم سُبْحَان َ اللّٰه ِ مُصَرِّف ِ الْقُلُوْب , meaning, “Holy is Allāh, Who is the Possessor of all Greatness, Holy is Allāh, Who turns the hearts of people however He so wills. ” When Zaid ra returned, Zainab ra related the story of the visit made by the Holy Prophet sa. When Zaid further inquired as to what the Holy Prophet sa had said, Zainab ra repeated these words of the Holy Prophet sa and also said, “I submitted to the Holy Prophet sa that if he desired he should come in, but he refused and returned. ” Upon hearing this, Zaid ra presented himself before the Holy Prophet sa 1 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 4, p. 411, Zainab bint Jaḥsh Ummul-Mu’minīn, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)