The Real Love Story of Zaynab and Abul-Aas

Zaynab was the oldest Muhammad's daughter

Zaynab and Abul-Aas were cousins.

Abul-Aas went to Muhammad and said to him: I want to marry Zaynab.

Muhammad said to him: I have to take her permission first.

Muhammad went to Zaynab and said: O my daughter, your cousin Abul-Aas wants to marry you, would you like him to be your husband?

Zaynab's face became shyly red; she smiled and said nothing.

Muhammad knew her answer; he smiled too and went out.

Abul-Aas married Zaynab; and a powerful love story began.

This marriage happened before Muhammad Prophethood.

They were very happily married and Zaynab gave birth to two children.

At this time, the Arabs were idolaters; they used to worship many statues made of stones.

Then all of a sudden, something unique happened.

Zaynab's father announced that he is the last Prophet sent by Allah.

Muhammad's wife Khadija, all of his daughters including Zaynab and his cousin Ali believed in him and embraced Islam without any hesitation; because they knew that Muhammad never ever said but the truth.

Then a serious problem began between the two happily married couple.

Abul-Aas was traveling, and when he returned back home, the leaders of his tribe (his father was one of them) met him and told him that his wife Zaynab belied their gods and she changed her religion and they warned him not to follow her; because it is shameful for a man to follow a woman.  A man of his tribe screamed at him: Divorce her; she was contaminated with a mental disorder and a disgrace to the tribe.

Upon entering his house, Zaynab met him smiling as usual and said to him:

I have great news for you.

Very sad looking, he kept silent.

Zaynab was amazed, why he is sad.

She said to him: my father is the last prophet sent by God; I believed in him and became a Muslim and so did my mother and my sisters and…

Abul-Aas interrupted her and said: why you did not tell me that you are going to change your faith?

She said: you know my father, was he a liar? Are not your people used to call him the honest and trustworthy man? Also, I am not alone.  I have my mother, your aunt, embraced Islam and so did my sisters. Also my cousin Ali and….. (She mentioned some names of his relatives and friends) followed my father too.

He said: I know your father, he is not a liar, and he is not accused. But I do not like people to say that I belied my tribe and left my gods because of a woman. I am not going to change the faith of my forefathers. Do you understand my reason?

She said: certainly I do; you are not obliged to follow my faith although I wish you do. I will always be your sincere wife forever; I will stand beside you and will help you trustfully for all of my life.

Abul-Aas kept his faith.

Zaynab kept her faith and observed Islam.

And they both tolerated their faith's contradiction and lived together as a happily married couple.

The Religious boycott

The pagans of Mecca boycotted the Muslims from engaging in any contracts with their non-Muslim tribes. For three years the early Muslims lost their wealth to the non-Muslims as they were unable to trade. Their health deteriorated as they were unable to purchase sustenance. They became outcasts of society, traitors to the proud pagan way.

By the time the ban was over, there was little time for Zaynab to rejoice.

Her beloved mother passed away

The Migration

The pagans of Mecca increased their violence against the Muslims day by day, and it was unbearable for the Muslims to live in Mecca under the pagans' transgression and extreme violence.

The Prophet Muhammad ordered the Muslims to leave Mecca and to escape and immigrate to Al-Madina which is about 400 kilometers at the North of Mecca.

Upon hearing that, Zaynab went to her father and said: "O Messenger of Allah, Will you allow me to stay with my husband."

The Prophet said: Stay with your husband and your children.

Zaynab stayed in Mecca with her family.

Another big emotional Problem

Then the Battle of Badr happened between the Muslims and the pagans of Mecca.

Abul-Aas decided to go with his tribe to fight the Muslims.

Zaynab was afraid and sad.

The result of the war, whatever it is, will be sad for her.

Her husband is against her father!

She kept crying and praying: O Allah, please do not let the outcome of this war hurting me! I am afraid of a day I lose my father or my children will be orphans!

Although the pagan Arabs were some1000 soldiers and the Muslims were some 300; however, the Muslims won the war.

Muslims captured Abul-Aas; he was one among many of the captives.

The Battle of Badr is over

Muhammad put all the captives in a prison; he treated all of them kindly and sent a message to Mecca that he would release the captives for ransoms.

Looking eagerly for the news of the war, Zaynab asked: what about my father?

They said: he won the war.

Zaynab thanked Allah from her heart, she was hiding her feeling because the people around her, the pagans, were hurt because of the war, many of them lost their fathers, brothers, relatives or friends or they had them captives and need ransoms for their release.

Zaynab then asked: what about Abul-Aas?

They said: he is a captive, send a ransom to the Muslims to release him.

Zaynab had nothing more valuable than her necklace.

The story of her blessed necklace

In her wedding, Khadija, her rich mother, gave her a great present. It was a valuable necklace. When Zaynab took off her necklace to give it to her husband's brother, she remembered her died mother and her wedding!

She said to her brother in law: go give them my necklace to release Abul-Aas.

The Prophet was sitting collecting the ransoms and the prisoners were released one by one.

Then the Prophet saw the necklace.

The Prophet paled, this necklace belonged to his beloved wife, Khadija. The Prophet remembered the day she had given it to Zaynab.

He remembered his died wife, Khadija, and how was she very happy at the wedding of Zaynab.

The Prophet said: for who is this ransom?

They said: for Abul-Aas

The Prophet kept silent, his eyes were tearing, he was thinking about his daughter, Zaynab, and how much she suffered because of her faith.

The Muslims said: O Messenger of Allah! What is the matter?

The Prophet said: this necklace is my daughter wedding gift, I know what it represents for her, and it is the memorization of her beloved mother. She sent it as a ransom for her husband who is an honest man; he loves her, takes care of her and is very kind to her.

The Prophet then said: if you people want to take the necklace and release Abul-Aas, it is up to you.  If you release Abul-Aas and send the necklace to her, it is up to you.  O people! What do you think?

The Prophet's companions said: O Messenger of Allah! We release Abul-Aas and send with him the necklace of your beloved daughter.

The Prophet Muhammad smiled, his eyes were tearing and he thanked his followers.

The freedom and Separation

The Prophet Muhammad said to Abul-Aas: here is Zaynab necklace, give it to her and tell her to keep her mother gift and never give it away again.

The Prophet spoke gently with Abul-Aas, to free Zaynab from her marriage, as by then, a revelation directed that she could no longer be married to a non-Muslim man:

"O Abul-Aas, Allah has revealed unto me that the marriage of a Muslim woman and a non Muslim man is unlawful. Would you let her to come here?"

Abul-Aas said: yes.

On the other hand, Zaynab knew that Abul-Aas is on his way to Mecca; she was very happy to see him again.

She said to him: Thanks to Allah to see you and to have you again; I have news for you, I am pregnant!

He was very sad. He told her what the Prophet said to him.

She said: then I will go to my father

He said: Yes, I promised him

She said: can not you change your faith and come with me

He was nervous and said: No

Her departure was heartbreaking.

As she left for Al-Madina, the men of her husband's tribe became outraged that a woman of their clan was being transported to the Muslims. They had barely recovered from the vile defeat in Badr.

They mobilized a small troop to stop her from moving to her father. A pagan man galloped viciously and pointed in front of her carriage brandishing a spear upon Zaynab and her young kids. Zaynab fell from her camel and she had abortion of the baby that was budding within her.

Her brother-in-law, who was her lead reasoned with the men and turned the carriage to head back to Mecca.

Later on, her brother-in-law transported Zaynab and her kids by night where they safely arrived at Al-Madina to be reunited with her father.

Zaynab was finally able to live her life as a liberated Muslim, attending prayers with her family and working towards the betterment of a progressive society.

In Al-Madina, many Muslims wanted to marry her.

But she refused all of them.

Was she still in love with Abul-Aas?

The Second Reunion

After 6 years

The Muslims were instructed to sabotage trade caravans from Mecca that were travelling past Al-Madina. A caravan returning from Syria was captured. The merchandise and employees were captured; however, one man, among the captives escaped.

He made his way carefully to Al-Madina in the middle of the night, and there, He asked where the home of Zaynab is.

He knocked on the door. Zaynab let him in.

In all of his despair, he knew he could trust her.

She was very happy to see him again.

She thought that he finally embraced Islam and came to marry her and live with her.

He told her that he was troubled by the confiscation of many goods that were held in his trust as a result from barter trades in Syria. The people of Mecca trusted him and he needed to return the goods to their purchasers. He also feared for his safety.

She said: anyway you are welcome as the father of my kids. You are welcome as my cousin. Do not be afraid, I will protect you. Sit here and I will be back.

Zaynab left quietly for dawn prayers with her family members. She stood amongst the female congregation, in the front row, with her sisters. As she saw her father with a congregation of men, Zaynab waited for a moment of silence and cried out with all her heart, "O people, I give protection to Abul-Aas."

In respect to her situation, that she is no longer his wife, her father hurried over to Zaynab. She repeated her message to the Prophet and he calmly reminded her "Receive him with all honor, but let him not come to you as a husband, for you are not his by law."

The Prophet Muhammad then turned to his followers and beseeched them to have mercy upon his former son-in-law who was also his late wife's nephew.

On the way to Mecca

Abul-Aas took back the goods that he possessed. Then he went to Mecca.

On his way to Mecca Abul-Aas said to himself:

What I am doing? For how long I will be stubborn? I know that Muhammad is trustful; for how long I will worship statues made of stones? Etc.

After returning the goods to Mecca, Abul-Aas said to the pagans of Mecca: Am I a debtor to anyone?  They said: No

He said: then I want to tell you that I am a witness that there no god but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger; I embraced Islam!

Abul-Aas made his way back to Al-Madina

He went directly to the Prophet Muhammad and said:

O Messenger of Allah! Now I am a Muslim.

The Prophet Muhammad was very happy to hear that.

Then Abul-Aas said: Would you allow me to have Zaynab again as a wife?

The Prophet Muhammad said to him: I have to take her permission first.

And Muhammad went to Zaynab and said to her: O my daughter, Abul-Aas wants to marry you.

Zaynab's face became shyly red; she smiled and said nothing.

Muhammad knew her answer; he smiled too and went out.

They married and live together again.

They were an example of a very happily married couple.

Then one year later, Zaynab died.

The Prophet said at the time of her death: "She was my best daughter for she has suffered much in the path of Allah."

For every moment after her death, Abul-Aas missed her a lot, and then he died after her death by one year.