Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, Loved One

Zaid Ibn Hârithah

May Allah be pleased with him

Zaid’s father composes verses about his lost son saying (In meaning):

I cry upon Zaid, for I do not know

if he is dead or alive…

Even if he has died, I do not know if he died on land or on a high mountain…

If only my poem would bring back time,

and bring back Zaid…

That would mean the world to me…

I remember Zaid whenever the sun shines,

and whenever it sets…

With the blowing wind, I remember Zaid also…

I feel my sadness and my fear towards him…

I will keep looking for Zaid,

riding my camels and horses…

Neither I, nor they will give up…

This life is ending for everyone…

For we shall all die,

even if we hope to be everlasting…

After I die, I ask my other sons,

Qays, ‘Amr, Yazîd and Jabal…

To be good to him, if they find him…

These sorrowful lines take us back to the day when Su‘dah Bint Taghlubah went out with her young boy Zaid to visit her family… Su‘dah arrives safely to her family’s homeland with her son Zaid, who is growing up safely amongst his mother’s family… But an evil tribe attacks them one day, and they snatch Zaid away… They sell him in ‘Ukâz market… A man called Hakîm Ibn Huzâm buys him, and sells him to his cousin Khadîjah Bint Khuwaylid and she -in turns- gives him as a gift to her husband Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullah…

Su‘dah Bint Taghlubah returns to her husband Hârithah Ibn Sharâhîl feeling very sad, and weeps for her son… The father’s grief increases… He takes off, looking for his lost son who has not even become eight yet… He is in deep longing for his son… He spreads out his sad poems everywhere until some caravans spread it in Makkah… Zaid hears it, and understands it concerns him… He tells the people who relate the verses: If you return to your homes, return with my verses too… He says in his verses (meaning):

I do miss my people as I am far away from them…

But I am living in a special place,

I live in Holy land…

So, do stop this sorrow that has affected you…

There is no reason for your sadness…

Thanks be to Allah, I live amongst a worthy family…

Who has been known through

the generations for their good roots…

The tribe hears the words of Zaid Ibn  Hârithah, and they memorise them… They return to his people with it… When Zaid’s father hears it, he is so overwhelmed… He heads to Makkah with his brother Ka‘b Ibn Sharâhîl… For it is time to meet his lost, dearly beloved… The brothers reach Makkah, they inquire about Zaid’s location… They learn that he is staying with the truthful and honest Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullah… They go to him and tell him: O son of ‘Abdul Muttalib, son of Banî Hâshim, son of the masters of the tribe… You are the people of the House of Allah; you help the distressed, and you feed the captive… We have come to you for our son who stays with you, so be kind to us, and ask what you want (as ransom) for him.. Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “May I suggest otherwise?”.. They said: And what is that?!.. The Prophet Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “ Call him and let him choose; if he chooses you, then he is yours with nothing in return (ransom)… But if he chooses me, let his choice be done and not mine”.. They said: You have spoken well, and you are more generous to us in your offer than what we asked for.. The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, called upon Zaid and said: “ Do you know these people?!”.. Zaid said: Yes, that is my father, and that is my uncle.. The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “And I am the man you have known, and you have lived my companionship to you… Therefore, choose me, or choose them”.. -The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, had not been declared yet as a Prophet- Zaid said:  I am not the one to prefer anyone to you… To me, you are father and uncle.. His father and uncle said: Waihaka O Zaid… Do you choose slavery over freedom, and over your own father and family?!.. Zaid said: Yes, I could never prefer anyone to him.. When the prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, saw Zaid’s action and his words, he took him by his hand to the Ka’bah where the elite people of Quraish gathered, and announced: “To who is present here, witness that I declare Zaid as my son, he inherits me, and I inherit him”…When his father and uncle heard that, they felt reassured, and so returned to their country…

Since then, Zaid had been called upon as Zaid Ibn Muhammad (Zaid, son of Muhammad)… For adopting was allowed in Jâhiliya, until Allah’s, Praise and Glory be to Him, words in Islam revealed:

(Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers: that is more just with Allâh. But if you know not their father’s (names, call them) your brothers in faith and Mawâlîkum (your freed slaves). And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful]. (Al-Ahzâb “The Confederates”,5).

Once more Zaid’s name was changed to Zaid Ibn Hârithah, but amongst Sahabah (Companions), he was known as (Zaid, the loved one)… Zaid was the first to become a Muslim, after the honourable Khadîjah, may Allah be pleased with her,… In most references, it is mentioned that he became a Muslim even before ’Abû Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him,… He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the most beloved of men to Allah’s Prophet Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and the nearest to his heart… ‘Â’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, says: Whenever Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, sent Zaid in a squadron, he appointed him as its leader… Had he lived, the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, would have even nominated him as kaliphah (Caliph) after him…

Zaid, knowing how much he meant to the Prophet Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, longed to become an in-law with the Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, family… Zaid asked Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, if he could marry his honourable and precious cousin  Zainab Bint Jahsh…She was most pious and respected amongst Quraish girls.. The Prophet Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, goes to Zainab to fulfil the wish of his beloved Zaid… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, tells her about the proposal.. She replies: O Prophet of Allah… Are you ordering or asking me!!.. He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “ I am asking you”.. She refuses this marriage… Her brother ‘Abdullah Ibn Jahsh also refuses…For they were totally incompatible… For how could that noble, high classed lady marry one who had been a slave!!…

Before the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, announces to Zaid that Zainab has refused him, Jibrîl comes down with these Divine verses:

(It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allâh and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision…). (Al-Ahzâb “The Confederates”,36).

Zainab hears the verses and says: I obey Allah and His Prophet… For it is clarified later that Zaid is not only loved by Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, but he is also loved by Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, for his name alone has been mentioned in the Qur’ân, whilst the rest of the companions were not mentioned by name… And even the names of the different Messengers’ companions were not mentioned… His name; every letter of it has become a part of Allah’s words in the Qur’ân, only to be touched by the pure…

(…So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage,…). (Al-Ahzâb “The Confederates”,37).        

Time passes, and Zaid wants to end this marriage, he goes to the Prophet Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, asking him the permission to divorce Zainab … The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, tells him: “Behold your wife”… Until Allah’s word reveals to allow divorce, and that Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, would marry Zainab, and she would become one of the mothers of the believers, may Allah be pleased with her,.. By that, Islam  through Allah’s word- allowed that a man would marry his adopted son’s previous wife… For that was prohibited in Jâhiliya…

Zaid Ibn  Hârithah was a monk at night and a knight during the day… He never stayed back in any of Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, conquests… Before the battle of Mu’tah near Shâ’m, the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, got to know that Hercules had prepared an army to invade the Muslim lands… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, wanted to send an army to meet Hercules in Mu’tah… That was during the eighth year of Al Hijrah… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, appointed Zaid Ibn Hârithah as the leader of the army and said: “If Zayd is killed, then the leader is Ja‘far Ibn ’Abî Tâlib… If Ja‘far is killed, then the leader is ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawâhah”[1]… The army goes out, fighting for Islam, and for stopping the enemy in their own land, before they dare approach or invade the Muslim’s land…       

During the battle, Zaid Ibn Hârithah is killed as a martyr… Ja‘far leads the army, but is also killed as a martyr… ‘Abdullah Ibn Rawâhah leads the army, but he dies as a martyr also… Jibrîl comes down to inform the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, about his three companions being killed as martyrs, and that Khâlid Ibn Al Walîd has taken over, and Allah has granted him victory…

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, goes out to his companions; his eyes filled with tears, saying: “My brothers, my intimate companions, the men I enjoyed talking to”[2]… Meaning Zaid Ibn Hârithah and Ja‘far Ibn ’Abî Tâlib,

May Allah be pleased with them.

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