Making decisions for Islam: The story of Zainab binti Muhammad [peace be upon him]
Source : Maria Zain | Harakah
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Everyone comes into this world with predicaments. Some find it difficult to reach decisions while others have simple choices to make. Nevertheless, decisions need to be made in order to move overcome such obstacles and sometimes even the easiest decision can become an obstacle especially when made with the wrong intentions. Muslims today do not face the challenges as the Sahabah Nabi (Companions of the Prophet), but it pays to understand their underlying motives when looking at predicaments. One good story is told of Zainab, the eldest daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and her plight to make the hardest decisions of a woman’s life.
When Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation, Zainab was already married to Abul-Aas ibn Rabi. Upon learning of her father’s appointment as the last Prophet, Zainab along with her mother Khadijah, and her sisters Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah were the first women and young girls who embraced Islam.
Their reversion in silence, along with other Muslims, was suddenly shattered when the Prophet received revelation to announce to Makkah that there was only one God worthy of worship, and he, Prophet Muhammad, was the final Messenger. Families began to divide. Brothers lost brothers to this new faith. Parents lost children; and some children lost their parents. Husbands and wives disagreed and fought. Family heads were appalled at changes in religious beliefs of their son-in-laws and daughter-in-laws. Many were expelled from the family home.
There was Zainab. In the clamor of confusion and a strong resistance to acceptance of Islam by the heavyweights of the Quraish, Zainab and Abul-Aas’ marriage remained intact. Yet amidst the pressure and insult that fell upon Abul-Aas and his wife, they remained married amongst the controversies that surrounded their union. He remained “tolerant,” as many scholars described. Yet, tolerance was a feeble excuse for the proud pagan Arabs – tolerance did not exist – especially in a society that had suddenly been condemned by a man named Muhammad, who previously to his submission to One God, had been trusted by his community.
When the Muslims emigrated to Madinah, to start the first civilization known to mankind, Zainab was alone again – within the sea of non-believers – married to a man who did not share her love for Islam. Soon, a huge battle ensued between the Muslims and the pagan Arabs of Makkah - the Battle of Badr. Sources narrate that there were tears in the Muslims’ eyes as they fought against their brothers, cousins, uncles, neighbors, friends and former colleagues. It must have been no less teary for Zainab.
The outcome of Badr was also bittersweet for her. When her husband did not return from the battlefield, she knew he was being held captive by the Muslims, and her father was alive and safe. Back in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad was collecting blood money for the captives. One by one he freed the captives as the blood money trickled in. When it came to Abul-Aas’ package, the Prophet paled, as attached to the money was an onyx necklace – one that belonged to Khadijah. He ordered for the money and the necklace to be returned to his estranged daughter, along with her husband. However, he spoke gently with Abul-Aas, to free Zainab from her marriage, as by then, a revelation directed that she could no longer be married to a non-Muslim man.
Her departure was heartbreaking. She left to live her life as a Muslim without barriers, but Abul-Aas was still using Islam as a barrier for their relationship. He was still unable to forsake the beliefs of his fore-fathers. As she left for Madinah, the men of the Abd Shams tribe became outraged that a woman of their clan was being transported to the Muslims. They had barely recovered from the vile defeat in Badr and stopped her from leaving Makkah.
An escort later transported Zainab and her daughter, Umamah, by night where they safely arrived at Madinah to be reunited with her family. Zainab was finally able to live her life as a liberated Muslim, attending prayers with her family and working towards the betterment of a progressive society. During her time at Madinah, she also experienced a perilous siege upon the Muslim community. The people of Makkah were back to attack the Muslims in Madinah. Her father along with his consultative panel strategized to play on the defensive, digging a trench around the vulnerable border of Madinah. “The Battle of the Trench,” as it was called, marked an unfavourable turning point for the army from Makkah.
Months followed and the Muslims were instructed to counter trade caravans from Makkah that were travelling past Madinah. A caravan returning from Syria was captured and the merchandise and employees were brought to Madinah. However, one man, amongst a few, escaped. He made his way carefully to Madinah in the middle of the night, and by some miracle he knocked on the right door.
Zainab left quietly for dawn prayers with her family members. She stood amongst the female congregation, in the front row, with her sisters and the Mothers of Believers (the Prophet’s wives). As she saw her father with a congregation of men, Zainab waited for a moment of silence and cried out with all her heart, “O people, I give protection to Abul-Aas, the son of Rabi.” Concerned by her situation, her father hurried over to Zainab and reminded, “Receive him with all honour, but let him not come to you as a husband, for you are not his by law.” He then turned to his followers and beseeched them to have mercy upon his former son-in-law who was also his late wife’s nephew. After his last transaction, Abul-Aas embraced Islam. The Prophet reinstated his marriage to Zainab. It was one of the happiest days of his family and the city of Madinah rejoiced at their reunion.
Choosing her husband over her family and later her religion over her husband makes Zainab’s predicaments the most compelling decisions in a believing Muslimah’s life. Yet she chose again and again between two impossible alternatives, with a single guiding light – Allah and His Messenger. She was abandoned several times, forcing herself to live amongst non-Muslims who despised her father. She feared her father’s life as she did for her husband’s on several occasions and sometimes at the same time.
There were times when her own life was threatened and her divorce took a toll on her mental and physical self. She was torn between two loves time and time again; yet she chose each time – and chose wisely – one man above the other man, both whom she loved dearly.
The driving force behind Zainab’s steadfastness could only be one thing – her faith – her undying love for the one religion that saved her life on many occasions, her father’s life and her husband’s life – it was the choice of Islam.
