The story of our mother Zainab RadiyallahuAnha is told by many with different takeaways.

Was it that she was high-born and was asked to marry the adopted son of the RasulSalallahualayhiwasallam, Zayd bin HarithRadiyallahuAnhu even though she didn’t really want to?

Was it that the marriage didn’t work, as she had predicted for them both?

Or was it that in the long run, she ended up marrying the best of mankind?

Zainab obeyed the Prophet Salallahualayhiwasallam despite the fact it was against her innermost desires, but she trusted him and by extension obeyed Allah. She stuck it out but DID NOT suffer in silence. Despite the continued complaints from both parties to the Messenger Salallahualayhiwasallam, as he urged them to respect and obey him, no one came with a broken head or lip because they couldn’t stand each other.

The Prophet Salallahualayhiwasallam was a man, he had worries, and just like Zainab, he had a message that didn’t sit well with his innermost desires.

In the end, he also chose obedience to His Lord. He married the divorced wife of his adopted son.

Zainab was rewarded with the best of mankind for her patience and obedience. She was responsible for bringing forth the right way to establish laws in this great Deen. Divorce. And remarrying where there are no blood ties.

She had the added honour of having her marriage established by the Noble Quran for us to learn and recite for as long as Allah permits.

Allah’s tapestry can never be fully understood. May we always be the vessel that Allah has ordered us to be, even in pain and against our desires, may we hold dear the rope of Islam (Amin).

Furthermore, through her, the etiquettes of hijab as concerns guests were revealed.

Did you know that you needed permission to visit the one you intended to visit before you could? That you need permission to eat a meal at their place?

And you should leave quickly too, not sit, and make small talk for too long as you may be inconveniencing the people of the home.

It’s the Sharia YaIkhwaan! Alhamdullilah for Islam!

She was the first wife destined to follow the Prophet Salallahualayhiwasallam in death as in the days before his death, he told his family that after he was gone, the wife that would pass next was the one with the ‘longest hands’. Our mother, Zainab (RadiyallahuAnha) worked, just so she could use the proceeds to give to charity!!! Ya Allah, charity is in the length of the hands! Ponder on this.

Her mate and our mother AishaBint Abu BakrRadiyallahuAnha, speaks of Zainab (RadiyallahuAnha), saying she had never met anyone who was:

•    Better in religion

•    Feared Allah more

•    More truthful in speech

•    Strengthened the ties of kinship more

•    More benevolent in Charity…

That was our mother Zainab bin Jahsh (RadiyallahuAnha). Was she not like her husband after all?

Indeed, the lessons are rife, and we know not.

May Allah bless and be pleased with her. Ameen.