A Beautiful Marriage

Hazrat Zainab (ra) was injured so severely that she lived only a few years after being wounded. For the rest of her life she suffered great agony due to the severity of her wound.

The knowledge of her ill health grieved the Holy Prophet (sas) deeply and he once said, “She was my best daughter and she was tried due to her love for me.”

The departure of Hazrat Zainab (ra) to Madinah grieved Hazrat Abul-‘As (ra) greatly because they had a beautiful relationship full of love and affection. Any separation from her made him very sorrowful. Once while on a journey to Syria he remembered Hazrat Zainab (ra) with these words full of anguish, “When I went past Iram and I remembered Zainab, a prayer for her naturally came to me that, ‘O Allah! Keep her strong and healthy, she who is residing at a sacred place (Makkah); she who is the daughter of the Trustworthy (Muhammad (sas)); give her the best reward. Surely, a husband praises that which he knows well.” Both husband and wife had to suffer six diflcult years of separation.

Hazrat Abul-‘As (ra) was highly honest and a successful merchant. Once it so happened that he was returning from a business trip to Syria with a caravan of the Quraish. When the Holy Prophet (sas) learned about this caravan he sent Hazrat Zaid (ra) bin Harithah with one hundred and seventy riders to follow it. The Muslims apprehended the disbelievers at the place of ‘Is. Since the Muslims recognized Hazrat Abul-‘As (ra), he was not stopped. When Hazrat Abul-‘As (ra) saw the plight of the caravan he immediately went to Madinah and asked the protection of Hazrat Zainab (ra). It was a custom among the Arabs that if one person extended protection to someone the whole tribe was bound by it.

At the time the Holy Prophet (sas) was offering Fajr Prayer. Hazrat Zainab (ra) called out that she had taken Hazrat Abul-‘As (ra) under her protection. After completing his prayer the Holy Prophet (sas) asked, “O people! Did you hear anything?” They replied saying, “Yes!”

When the Holy Prophet (sas) came home Hazrat Zainab (ra) came to see him and said, “O Prophet of Allah! From the closer of relations Abul-‘Asr a is my first cousin and a more distant relation he is the father of my children. This is why I have extended protection to him.1 Abul-‘As (ra) was the leader of this caravan therefore please kindly return their possessions.”

The Holy Prophet (sas) addressed the people saying “You know Abul-‘As (ra) is my relative. If you choose to favour him by returning his possessions it will make me happy. However, you have the authority to do as you wish.” All the people agreed to return everything.