Chief of the Prophets

Chief of the Prophets — Page 145

Chapter Seven 145 same to the Muslims. 1 Therefore, Muḥammad sa , after traveling for 15 or 16 days, reached Dummatul-Jandal, close to Syria, with 1,000 Companions, but found out that the bandits had dispersed on learning about the arrival of the Muslims’ army. Marriage of Zainab bint Jaḥsh, 5 A. H. Zainab bint Jaḥsh was the daughter of an aunt of Muḥammad sa and in spite of being righteous and pious, still was conscious of the high status of her family. Muḥammad sa , who only considered one’s personal character, righteousness, and piety as measures of greatness, married her to his freed slave and adopted son, Zaid bin Ḥārithah ra. Though Zainab ra treated Zaid ra kindly, Zaid ra felt that Zainab ra , because of the status of her family, did not like him. Therefore, he appeared before Muḥammad sa and requested permission to divorce Zainab ra since they were not getting along. 2 Muḥammad sa felt bad about it since he had personally arranged this marriage. Muḥammad sa therefore advised Zaid ra : (Al-Aḥzāb 33:38) Keep thy wife to thyself, and fear Allah. But since it was decreed in the heavens, after some time their differences grew and Zaid ra divorced Zainab ra. Muḥammad sa married her because of a Divine revelation. The dowry was set at 400 dirhams and Abū Aḥmad bin Jaḥsh, the brother of Zainab ra , acted as her guardian for the marriage. 3 1 Ibni Sa‘d. 2 Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tauhīd (Book of Unity of God). 3 Ibni Hishām (Account of Wives. )