Zainab bint Muhammad

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a sahaba of Muhammad

While Sunnis and some Shi'a view Zainab as the daughter of Muhammad and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, some Shia and non-Muslim argue she is the daughter of Khadijah's assumed previous husband, see Genealogy of Khadijas daughters.

Married to Abu al-Aas ibn al-Rabiah prior to his accepting Islam, she became the mother of Ali ibn Zainab and Umamah bint Zainab.

Her other sisters were Ruqayah bint Muhammad, Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad and Fatima bint Muhammad.

When the Prophet abandoned Mecca for Medina, his daughter Zaynab could not bear to leave her non-Muslim husband Abu al-'Aas, and was not required to do so until years later under other circumstances. The Prophet did not automatically divorce them. [1]

One source states:

Zainab, the eldest of the three, was married to one Abul-'As ibn er-Rabi' of Makkah. This man fought against the Prophet in the battle of Badr, and was captured by the Muslims. To ransom his freedom, his wife sent to the Prophet, a necklace which at one time had belonged to Khadija, and she had given it to her as a present on her marriage. Abul-'As was set free; he returned to Makkah, and sent Zainab to Medina as he had promised to do. Zainab, however, died soon after her arrival in Medina. Later, Abul-'As also went to Medina, accepted Islam, and lived with the Muslims. ^[1]