Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) (1/2)

Early Life

 Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) was the eldest daughter of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam). Some scholars have also mentioned that actually she was the first child of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) and Qasim was born afterwards. This is being reported by Ibne AI-Kalbi.  But   ALibin Abdul Aziz Al-Jarjani has reported that Qasim was older than Zainab (razi allahu anhaa). Anyhow, everyone agrees   to one point that   Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) was the eldest amongst the daughters of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam).

Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) was born during the 30th birthday of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam).  [Al-Estiyab]

Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) was bestowed upon the Prophethood at the age of forty. It shows  that  Zainab (razi allahu  anhaa)  spent  at  least ten years In ignorant   period before the Prophethood  was  being bestowed   upon  her  father  and   later on the family of the Prophet  (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) spent thirteen years in Makkah. The pagans of Makkah tortured the family of the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) and even they put them to a solitude camp at Sh'ab Abi Talib with a strict social boycott of his family and the tribe. Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) along with other members of the family faced all these atrocities. It was the seventh year of the Prophethood when the pagans of Makkah enforced a social  and economic  boycott of the  entire  tribe  of  the  Prophet (sallallahu alayhe  wasallam) and imprisoned  them  at a place  called  Sh'ab  Abi  Talib where the men, women and children  of his  tribe  faced atrocities  and even starvation  Zainab was amongst them.                                       

Marriage

The holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) married Zainab (razi allahu anhaa)   to Abul A'as bin Al-Rabi, Abul A'as was his kuniyyat.  There is difference of opinion regarding his name, some scholars have given his name as Laqeet, some Zubain, and Hasheem has also been reported by some of them.

Abul A'as was the son of Hala binte Khawailad who was the sister of Khadija which means that Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) and Abul A'as had been the cousins to each other. He enjoyed a high status in the community of the traders of Makkah. He had quite a loving for the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) even before his declaration of the Prophethood.  Some scholars have also mentioned   that Abul A'as had in social circles declared Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) as his brother.  

The nikah (marriage)  ceremony  of Zainab (razi allahu  anhaa) was performed   in  Makkah  during  the  life  time  of  Khadija (razi allahu  anhaa).  But Abul  A'as  did   not embrace Islam while  he  was  in  Makkah,   he  rather  refused to accept it. But he did not divorce Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) despite the pressure from the infidels of Makkah.  The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) likes his such a nice attitude and praised him saying, "Abul A'as has proved an excellent son-in-law."

All  these  incidents are  related  to  a very early period of Islam  and  no  divine  order had descended  that a Muslim woman  cannot  remain in a marriage  bond with her infidel husband. But when the holy  Prophet  (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) migrated to Madina and managed to bring his family members,  Sauda (razi allahu anhaa), Fatima (razi allahu anhaa) and Umme Kalthoom  (razi allahu anhaa) back to Madina, he left  Zainab (razi allahu  anhaa) at Makkah to live with her husband.

Migration

Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) migrated to Madina during Hijra 2, after the battle of Badr leaving behind her husband who did not embrace Islam. Abul A'as took part in the battle of Badr on behalf of the infidels of Makkah against the Muslims.  The Muslims won this war. Abul A'as was brought to Madina as a prisoner of war along with other infidels of Makkah. He was taken prisoner by Abdullah bin   Jabair bin Al-Noman Ansari. After facing a defeat the infidels returned to Makkah and according to the prevailing custom of the days sent a lot of wealth to Madina to get their prisoners of war released.  Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) sent Amr bin Al-Rabi who was his real brother, to get her husband released and a necklace which was given to her in dowry by her mother Khadija. Looking at the necklace the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) had a sudden flash back in his mind the memories of his late wife, Khadija. He could not hold his tears   and wept bitterly. He then asked his companions, "If you people agree, the husband of Zainab may be released without charging him anything and his money be returned to him."

The companions agreed and Abul A'as was freed. Prophet Muhammad    (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) however, put one condition; as soon as you reach Makkah send Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) to Madina. Abul A'as agreed to it and abide by the promise. On this occasion, the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) said, "Abul A'as talked to me and proved it true he had promise me and fulfilled the promise."                      

And thus Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) reached Madina. But before committing the migration journey a mishap took place. Habbar bin Al-Aswad and his accomplice   tried to torture Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) before she could actually start her Journey. He pushed Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) mischievously to one side; she fell on rock and got some internal injuries as she was pregnant at that time. She   could   not   recover from these   injuries and she died in Madina because of these fatal injuries. It is also reported that Abul A'as allowed Zainab to migrate to Madina but he himself left Makkah for Madina before she could resume her   journey.  When she wanted to migrate and came out of her house prepared for    traveling, Habbar and his accomplice stopped her and forced her back to her house. And later on Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) sent someone from Madina to bring her.  The injuries which Zainab (razi allahu anhaa)   received, shocked the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) as well, and he used to say. "Zainab was my very sweet child who was being tortured just because she loved one."