When Umme Salamah...

When Umme Salamah, the Prophet’s widow, was informed about this, she decided to go there and reproach “Ayesha and the gathering women. Lady Zaynab (a.s.) asked to do this instead of Umme Salamah since she knew these women very well. Hence, she disguised herself and her bondmaids and left towards these children and women. When she reached there, she noticed their vainness and futility. She then showed her reality to Ayesha and said, “It is not strange from you and your companion (i.e.

Hafsah) to help each other against Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), since it was both of you who helped each other against his brother, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), until you were reproached by the Holy Qur’an.”[^82] Ayesha felt ashamed and excused that these women had done this out of their ignorance. This tradition gives a clear idea about the sagacity and wisdom of Lady Zaynab (a.s.) who participated in the defense of Islam with her father and brothers.

The following tradition is recorded in al-Tiraz al-Muzahhab as quoted from Nasikh al-Tawarikh: One of the miracles of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was that he used to put his tongue in the mouths of Fatimah’s suckling children and they were satiated. Zaynab and UmmeKulsum were engaged in this virtue besides al-Hasan (a.s.) and al-Husain (a.s.). This is in fact a sufficient honor for Lady Zaynab (a.s.).

The following is recorded in Bihar al-Anwar, as quoted from Ma‘ani al-Akhbar: Muhammad ibn Imran asked Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) whether it is true that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had said that because Fatimah guarded her chastity, Allah (s.w.t.) shall forbid Hell to take her progeny. Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “Yet, it is. Her progeny are al-Hasan, al-Husain, Zaynab, and UmmeKulsum (a.s.).” The previous are only small excerpts of the traditions in which Lady Zaynab (a.s.) is mentioned.

It has been already mentioned that she herself was a trustworthy narrator of prophetic traditions and incidents that she lived or heard from her mother. Traditions Of Lady Zaynab (a.s.) The most famous narration of Lady Zaynab (a.s.) was her mother’s address of Fadak. Ibn Abu al-Hadid, in Shark Nahj al-Balaghah, reports the address from a series of narrators all relate to Lady Zaynab (a.s.) in more than one way of narration.

Abdullah ibn Abbas also relates the address to Lady Zaynab (a.s.).[^83] She also narrated her father’s last words to her two brothers and his instructions how to wash his dead body and where to bury him.