The Story of Zainab bint Jahsh and Zaid ibn Haritha

Zainab bint Jahsh was prophet Mohammad’s seventh wife. She was one of prophet Mohammad’s cousins. Therefore, she was a noble Qurashi lady. Zainab was married to Zaid ibn Haritha. Zaid was prophet Mohammad's personal servant. Zainab did not like the fact of being the wife of “a slave”. However, Zaid was more like a son to prophet Mohammed than a slave. People used to call him Zaid ibn Mohammad, rather than Zaid ibn Haritha. Nevertheless, Islam has come to fight both slavery and adoption.

. Surprisingly, Zaid chose to stay and live in the company of prophet Mohammad. When Zaid grew up, Zaid married Zainab bint Jahsh. Nevertheless, Zainab did not like living with Zaid as a wife. Zaid complained a lot to prophet Mohammad who always advised him to be more patient. 

A Free Child Made a Slave:

At the age of eight, Zaid lived with his family and tribe as a free Arab. One day, Zaid’s mother took him to visit her relatives in another village. While they were traveling, another tribe raided Zaid and his mother. They kidnapped the eight year old child. The raiders sold the boy as a slave on one of the markets. Hakim ibn Hizam, the cousin of lady Khadija, bought the boy. Khadija was visiting her cousin when she saw the kid. Seeing that his cousin loved the boy, Hakim gave Khadija Zaid as a gift. On his turn, prophet Mohammad married Khadija; and Zaid served prophet Mohammad who adopted Zaid.

Living with prophet mohammad:

Adoption was accepted before Islam. Zaid accompanied prophet Mohammad. People everywhere began to call Zaid as the son of Mohammad. Zaid’s natural father knew his whereabouts. He went to prophet Mohammad and asked him to return Zaid to his father. Prophet Mohammad gave Zaid the option to go home or stay with prophet Mohammad. Surprisingly, zaid chose to stay and live in the company of prophet mohammad. When Zaid grew up, Zaid married Zainab bint Jahsh. Nevertheless, Zainab did not like living with Zaid as a wife. Zaid complained a lot of times  to prophet Mohammad who always advised Zaid to be more patient. 

Zaid-Zainab’s marital life grew impossible:

Zainab bint Jahsh went on treating her husband Zaid badly. Prophet Mohammad went on putting pressure on both spouses to maintain their marital life. However, Allah commanded his prophet to leave matters to take their natural course. Eventually, Zaid divorced Zainab. Allah commanded prophet Mohammad to marry Zainab bint Jahsh. This divine legislation put an end to adoption. Therefore, prophet Mohammad married Zainab bint Jahsh who became the seventh wife of prophet Mohammad. Zainab was about thirty years old when she married prophet Mohammad. Aisha bint Abu Bakr used to boast that she was the only virgin whom prophet Mohammad married. 

Zainab bint Jahsh in the prophet’s house:

Bint Jahsh boasted that prophet Mohammad married Zainab bint Jahsh with the command of Allah. Zainab was beautiful. Therefore, Aisha felt jealous of Zainab a lot. It was the natural jealousy of the wives of the same man, prophet Mohammad. On the other hand, Zainab bint Jahsh was a true and charitable Muslim and believer. When Aisha experienced the crisis of being unjustly accused of being an unchaste wife, Zainab witnessed and gave her testimony that Aisha was a chaste virtuous woman and wife. Zainab proved that she was a virtuous and a true believer who deserved to be one of the prophet’s wives and a mother of the believers.

Zainab bint Jahsh’s final days:

Prophet Mohammad predicted that Zainab bint Jahsh would soon die after him. Once prophet Mohammad told his wives that the most charitable wife would be the first to die after his death. Zainab was really charitable. She spent most of her money and income on charity. Zainab bint Jahsh died in the year twenty after the prophet’s migration to al-Madina. Before she died, Khalifa Omar ibn al-Khattab had sent her a coffin. She said she had already bought one. She gave that coffin to charity. After Zainab bint Jahsh had died, Khalifa Omar led the funeral prayer over Zainab’s dead body. She was eventually buried at al-Baqi’ graveyard .