Hadrat Zainab hailed from a famous Arab tribe of those days namely ‘Banu-Hilalia’.

People know her as Ummul-Masakeen (Mother of the needy and poor). She was very
kind hearted and always helped poor and needy people. Anybody looking for help
never returned disappointed after meeting her. This characteristic of helping others
was overwhelming in her personality hence every body called her Ummul-Masakeen.
This name was more popular than her real name.

Hadrat Zainab was the fifth wife of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Prior to this marriage all
his marriages had taken place within his ancestral tribe i.e. the Quraish. She was the
first one to join the sacred house of the Holy Prophet (SAW) as a non-Quraish. Hadrat
Zainab Bint-e-Khuzaima was married to the Holy Prophet (SAW) in the 4th year of
Hijra. At that time she was thirty-one years old. According to some other reports, she
was forty-eight years old.

All the marriages of the Holy Prophet (SAW) with various women has some strong
reason behind time. Some were intended to foster fraternity with a certain tribe,
some were aimed to guide others that marriage with widows is a welcome step etc;
etc. The logic for marrying Hadrat Zainab was to set a precedent that widows who
become a socio-economic burden should be rehabilitated. Without harming their self-
respect, they should be given help and shelter. Hadrat Zainab was first married to
Tufail bin Harith. Tufail died after a few years of his marriage. Then she was married
to her deceased husband’s brother Hadrat Ubaida bin Harith. Hadrat Ubaida was
martyred during the battle of Badar. Tufail bin Harith and Ubaida bin Harith, were
cousins to the Holy Prophet Hadrat Mohammad (SAW). After Hadrat Ubaida, Hadrat
Zainab was married to her cousin Hadrat Abdullah bin Jahash Hadrat Abdullah too was
martyred in the battle of Uhad. The battles of Badar and Uhad, both left Hadrat
Zainab as a widow. This was a great sacrifice by Hadrat Zainab when Islam was in its
developing stage. Within a short span of time, Hadrat Zainab had three husbands and
all of them died one by one. Now there was hardly any chance for her for another
marriage.

In the battle of Uhad, the Muslims lost seventy soldiers. This battle left thirty women
of Madina, as widows. This was half of the married female Muslim population. These
widows, now had no home or help. Third husband of Hadrat Zainab had also lost his
life in the battle of Uhad. Islam did not leave these widows lone and neglected.
Muslims married all these widows and provided them with due respect and honor. As

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usual during those days men were more interested in virgins than widows. So the
widows became a socio-economic burden on themselves and the society. The situation
has not much improved even today. Materialistic and selfish approach has almost put
an end to traditional values of courtesy, sacrifice and love. Islam’s teachings are just
opposite to the materialistic trends of today. It stands for mutual love, sacrifice and
care for others. In this system money does not beget respect and honour; rather
character and integrity of person counts for more than all else.

After the battle of Uhad, the Holy Prophet (SAW) took cognizance of the situation and
ordered his followers to marry the widows left alone by this battle. Every body
followed the order and married the widows. Now, they were not homeless.

To set an example the Holy Prophet took the initiative himself and married many
widows at different occasions in his life. Others followed the precedent set by the
Holy Prophet (SAW) and the tradition of marrying widows or divorcees became a part
and parcel of the social customs of the society. The relatives of Ummul-Masakeen i.e.
Hadrat Zainab were financially too weak to help her and there was no place where
she could have spent the rest of her life. As she was in the habit of giving alms and
charity to the poor, she had no savings with her. Her first husband died in Badar and
the other in Uhad, and that too within a span of three years. Both of her dead
husbands were refugees in Madina from Makkah, having no immovable or much of
movable property. By way of this calculation, she was most deserving to be helped.
Allah gave her the best compensation. The Holy Prophet (SAW) married her in the
fourth year of Hijra.

The duration of Hadrat Zainab’s stay with the Prophet (SAW) was very short. After
only three months of married life with the Holy Prophet (SAW), she died. The Holy
Prophet (SAW) led her funeral prayers and laid her to rest in the grave himself. There
are only two wives who died during the life of the Holy Prophet (SAW) namely Hadrat
Khadijah and Hadrat Zainab binte Khuzaima.

She was beautiful and generous in nature. She was very pious and kind hearted.
May God rest her soul in peace.

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