Must read islamic short stories

Pure Love Story Zainab Bint Muhammad

QOFD: "No matter the distance,  if it's khayr for them, Allah(SWT)  will unite two longing souls, at the right time, for the right reason. Until then, sabr is the perfect cure."   

Chapter 41: Pure Love Story Zainab Bint Muhammad (The Prophet's Daughter)

This is a must read story of Zainab bint Muhammad, the eldest daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). The story shows the importance of having a great Patience in Islam, Sincerity towards Allah and Loving him above everything.

Abu al-‘As ibn Rabi’ was the husband of Zainab and was loved by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) very much. One day Abu al-‘As ibn Rabi’ went to the Prophet (pbuh) before he had received his mission of Prophethood and said: “I want to marry your eldest daughter”. So the Prophet(pbuh) replied: “I must ask her first”. He went to Zainab and asked her: “Your cousin came to me and he wishes to marry you, do you accept him as your husband?” Her face turned red with bashfulness and she smiled.

So Zainab married him, the beginning of a great love story! They had two children; Ali and Omama. Then Muhammad ibn Abdullahi became a Prophet of Allah while Abu al-‘As ibn Rabi’ was away from Makkah. When he returned he saw Zainab had become a Muslim. When he first came back, his wife said “I have great news for you”. He stood up and left her. Zainab was surprised and followed him as she said, “My father became a Prophet (pbuh) and I have become a Muslim”.

He replied, “Why didn’t you tell me first?” Hence a big problem began between the two; a problem of religion and belief. She told him, “I wasn’t going to disbelieve in my father and his message, he is not a liar, and he is “The Honest and Trustworthy”. I’m not the only believer; my mother and my sisters became Muslims, my cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib became a Muslim, your cousin Uthman ibn Affan became a Muslim, and your friend, Abu Bakr, became a Muslim”.

He replied, “Well, as for me, I don’t want people to say, ‘he let down his people and his forefathers to please his wife’. And I am not accusing your father of anything”. Then he said, “So will you excuse me and understand?” She replied, “Who will excuse and understand you if I don’t? I will stay beside you and help you until you reach the truth.” And she kept her word for 20 years.

He remained an unbeliever, and then came the migration. Zainab went to her father and asked him for the permission to stay with her husband. The Prophet (SAW) replied, “Stay with your husband and children”.

So Zainab stayed in Makkah, until the battle of Badr occurred. Her husband was to fight in the army of Quraish against the Muslims. For Zainab, it meant that her husband will be fighting her father, a time Zainab had always feared. She kept crying out: “O Allah, I fear one day the sun may rise and my children become orphans or I lose my father”. So the battle started, and ended in victory for the Muslims. Abu al-‘As ibn Rabi’ was captured by the Muslims, and news of this reached Makkah.

Zainab asked, “What did my father do?” They told her, “The Muslims won”. So she prayed to Allah, thanking Him. Then she asked: “What did my husband do?” They said: “He was captured”. She said, “I’ll send a payment to release him”. She didn’t own anything of much value, so she took off her mother’s necklace, and sent it with her huusbands brother to the Prophet (pbuh). While the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting, taking payments and releasing captives, he saw Khadeeja’s necklace. He held it up and asked: “Whose payment is this?”