Eldest Daughter of Exalted Parents

Hazrat Zainab (ra) was the eldest daughter of our beloved Master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) and his first wife, Hazrat Khadijah (ra). She was the daughter of the most exalted parents in the entire history of the world. Before the advent of the Holy Prophet (sas) people in Arabia used to bury their daughters alive. Even if the girls were allowed to live, they were not given any love or affection. They were not given any rights as human beings and were treated like animals. Allah sent the Holy Prophet (sas) as a mercy for the whole world. The Holy Prophet (sas) came and established great honour and respect for women. He taught people that daughters should be cherished. In fact, he said that anyone who raises two or more daughters with love and kindness would be as close to him in paradise as his two fingers are close to each other.

Hazrat Zainab (ra) was born several years before the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (sas). The age of the Holy Prophet (sas) was thirty years at the time of her birth. Her family tree from her exalted father’s side was like this; Hazrat Zainab (ra) was the daughter of Muhammad (sas), who was the son of ‘Abdullah, who was the son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib, who was the son of Hashim, who was the son of Manaf, who was the son of Qusaiyy. Her family tree from the side of her honoured mother, Hazrat Khadijah (ra) was like this; Hazrat Zainab (ra) was the daughter of Hazrat Khadijah (ra), who was the daughter of Khuwailid, who was the son of Asad, who was the son of ‘Abdul-‘Uzza, who was the son of Qusaiyy.1

Her mother Hazrat Khadijah (ra) educated Hazrat Zainab (ra) with a lot of care. Hazrat Khadijah (ra) was a highly intelligent, well-mannered, and refined lady. She was a very beloved and caring wife of the Holy Prophet (sas). Hazrat Khadijah (ra) stood shoulder to shoulder with the Holy Prophet (sas) in all his sorrows and diflculties. As the beloved firstborn child Hazrat Zainab (ra) received a lot of love and inherited a wealth of noble traits from her parents.