ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Portraits of Youths in Quran and the History of Islam Usamah Ibn Zaid Commander-In-Chief Of The Largest Army Of Islam Haritha was a Syrian who followed the Christian faith. He belonged to an affluent family. Zaid was his son. He had just entered his youth when one day he accompanied his mother on a journey to visit some relatives. On the way they were waylaid by some bandits who kidnapped him and sold him as a slave in the market of Ukaz.

Hakim ibn Hazm purchased him for Khadijah, his paternal aunt. When Khadijah married the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) she gifted Zaid to him. According to historians Zaid was the second person after Ali (a.s) to accept the Islamic faith. On the other hand Haritha was in search for his son when someone informed him that Zaid was in Mecca . When Haritha came to Mecca to take away his son, Zaid, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) also did not object and he said that Zaid could go with him if he so liked.

However, Zaid was not prepared to go with his father. Haritha also permitted him to remain with the Prophet and himself returned to Syria . Later, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) proposed the marriage of Zaid with the daughter of his paternal aunt, Zainab. The two were married in the due course. But this marriage did not last long, because Zainab considered herself from the nobility of Mecca and she was since day one not agreeable to marry Zaid who was a mere slave.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), time and again urged them to mend their differences and lead a peaceful married life but all this did not have much effect on Zainab. At last Zaid could not bear the sharp tongue of Zainab anymore and came to the Prophet and requested him to effect their divorce so that he could attain some peace. Thus, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) had them divorced and after the stipulated waiting period married Zainab himself.

This was so because the Prophet himself was the initiator of the marriage of Zaid and Zainab. Secondly it was a sort of recompense for Zainab. Also, since the Prophet was the son of the maternal uncle of Zainab the relationship between the families also survived the crisis. Zainab’s objection was also addressed since the Prophet belonged to the nobility of Mecca . After that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) married Zaid to Umme Aiman, one of his maidservants.

Umme Aiman was an understanding and an accomplished lady.