Fatwa No. (1623) Q: What is the story of Zayd ibn Harithah and his marriage to Zaynab, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married after him, and how did their marriage begin?
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Fatwa No. ( 1623 )
Q: What is the story of Zayd ibn Harithah and his marriage to Zaynab , whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married after him, and how did their marriage begin and how did it end? We have heard from some people in some Arab countries that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fell in love with Zaynab and other such things, and my soul does not allow me to write to you what I have heard, so please inform us.
A: Zayd is the son of Harithah ibn Sharahil al-Kilabi, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he freed him and adopted him, so he was called Zayd ibn Muhammad, until Allah revealed His saying: So call him Zayd ibn Harithah . As for Zaynab, she is the daughter of Riyyab al-Asadi, and her mother is Umaymah bint 'Abd al-Muttalib, the aunt of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the story of the marriage of Zayd to Zaynab, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the one who took charge of it for him; because he was his freed slave and his adopted son, so he proposed her to herself on behalf of Zayd, but she was proud and said: I am better than him in status. It is narrated that Allah revealed in that regard His saying: [Al-Ahzab 33:36] So she responded in obedience to Allah and to fulfill the desire of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). She lived with Zayd for a year, then what happens between a man and his wife happened between them, so Zayd complained about her to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) because of their status with him, for he was his freed slave and adopted son, and Zaynab was the daughter of his aunt Umaymah, and Zayd had hinted at divorcing her, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to keep her and be patient with her, while knowing (peace and blessings be upon him) through revelation from Allah that he would divorce her and she would become his wife
(peace and blessings be upon him), but he feared that people would mock him for marrying his son's wife, and that was forbidden in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. So Allah the Exalted reproached His Prophet in that regard by saying:[Al-Ahzab 33:37] Meaning - and Allah knows best -: You conceal in your heart what Allah has informed you of regarding the divorce of Zayd from his wife Zaynab and your marriage to her; in execution of His command and to fulfill His wisdom, and you fear the talk of people and their mocking you for it, but Allah is more worthy of being feared, so you should declare what He has revealed to you regarding the details of your matter and the matter of Zayd and his wife Zaynab without caring about the talk of people and their mocking you for it. As for the marriage of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Zaynab , the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) proposed her after the completion of her waiting period from the divorce of Zayd , and Allah married her to him without a guardian or witnesses, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) is the guardian of all the believers, and indeed he is more worthy of them than themselves. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab 33:6] And by that, Allah abolished the custom of adoption in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and He made it permissible for Muslims to marry the wives of those they had adopted after parting with them by death or divorce; as a mercy from Him the Exalted to the believers, and to remove
the difficulty from them. As for what is narrated in that regard about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) seeing Zaynab from behind the curtain, and that she took a profound place in his heart, so he was tempted by her and fell in love with her, and Zayd knew that and disliked her and preferred the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to her, so he divorced her so that he could marry her after him - all of this has not been established through a sound path. The prophets are greater in status, more chaste in soul, more noble in character, and higher in rank and honor than for any of that to occur from them. Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the one who proposed her to Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), and she was the daughter of his aunt. If his heart had been attached to her, he would have kept her for himself from the beginning, especially since she was proud to marry Zayd and did not accept him until the verse was revealed, then she accepted. Rather, this is a decree from Allah and a plan from Him the Exalted; to abolish pre-Islamic customs, and for the mercy of people and the alleviation of their burden, as He the Exalted said:[Al-Ahzab 33:37-40]
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: What is the story of Zayd ibn Harithah and his marriage to Zaynab , whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married after him, and how did their marriage begin and how did it end? We have heard from some people in some Arab countries that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fell in love with Zaynab and other such things, and my soul does not allow me to write to you what I have heard, so please inform us.
A: Zayd is the son of Harithah ibn Sharahil al-Kilabi, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he freed him and adopted him, so he was called Zayd ibn Muhammad, until Allah revealed His saying:
Call them by their fathers
ادْعُوهُمْ لآبَائِهِمْIt is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلاَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلالا مُبِينًا(peace and blessings be upon him), but he feared that people would mock him for marrying his son's wife, and that was forbidden in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. So Allah the Exalted reproached His Prophet in that regard by saying:
And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor and you bestowed favor, "Keep your wife and fear Allah," while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him.
وَإِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِي أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَتُخْفِي فِي نَفْسِكَ مَا اللَّهُ مُبْدِيهِ وَتَخْشَى النَّاسَ وَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْشَاهُThe Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves
النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْthe difficulty from them. As for what is narrated in that regard about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) seeing Zaynab from behind the curtain, and that she took a profound place in his heart, so he was tempted by her and fell in love with her, and Zayd knew that and disliked her and preferred the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to her, so he divorced her so that he could marry her after him - all of this has not been established through a sound path. The prophets are greater in status, more chaste in soul, more noble in character, and higher in rank and honor than for any of that to occur from them. Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the one who proposed her to Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), and she was the daughter of his aunt. If his heart had been attached to her, he would have kept her for himself from the beginning, especially since she was proud to marry Zayd and did not accept him until the verse was revealed, then she accepted. Rather, this is a decree from Allah and a plan from Him the Exalted; to abolish pre-Islamic customs, and for the mercy of people and the alleviation of their burden, as He the Exalted said:
So when Zayd had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they no longer have need of them. And ever is the command of Allah accomplished. (38) There is not to be upon the Prophet any discomfort concerning that which Allah has imposed upon him. [This is] the established way of Allah with those [prophets] who have passed on before. And ever is the command of Allah a destiny decreed. (39) [Allah praises] those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and do not fear anyone but Allah. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant. (40) Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.
فَلَمَّا قَضَى زَيْدٌ مِنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَاكَهَا لِكَيْ لاَ يَكُونَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِي أَزْوَاجِ أَدْعِيَائِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولا (37) مَا كَانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مِنْ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا (38) الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلاَ يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلا اللَّهَ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا (39) مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًاAnd success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.