Hazrat Zaynab bint Khuzayma

The Mother of the Poor

Zaynab bint Khuzayma was of Banu Hilal. So generous was she in feeding and caring for the destitute, even in the days before Islam, that she was given the name Umm al-Masakin — “the mother of the poor.” 1 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 248–249 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Zaynab's generosity to the poor, earning her the title Umm al-Masakin, even before Islam. Reports differ on her earlier marriage — some say to Abdullah ibn Jahsh رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Abdullah ibn Jahshرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُCousin of the Prophet ﷺ; an early leader and martyr of UhudMuhajirun · People of Badr · Early Converts, who was killed at Uhud, others to Ubayda ibn al-Harith رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Ubayda ibn al-Harithرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُCousin of the Prophet ﷺ; a champion of the Badr duel and among its first martyrsMuhajirun · People of Badr · Martyrs, who fell at Badr — but all agree she was a widow when the Prophet ﷺ married her in Ramadan 3 AH. 2 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 248 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — the differing reports of Zaynab's former husband; the Prophet marries her in Ramadan 3 AH.

A Brief Marriage

She lived with the Prophet ﷺ only some eight months, dying in Rabi al-Akhir 4 AH. She and Khadija رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَاHazrat Khadija bint Khuwaylidرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَاFirst wife of the Prophet ﷺ and the first of all people to believeMothers of the Believers · Ahl al-Bayt · Early Converts were the only two of his wives to die during his own lifetime; all the others outlived him. 3 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 248–249 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Zaynab lived with the Prophet about eight months and died in Rabi al-Akhir 4 AH; she and Khadija were the two wives to die in his lifetime.