The marriage of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Zaynab bint Jahsh was ordered by God Almighty. It was the angel Gabriel who conveyed the order. Hence, Zaynab used to be proud of this, stressing it when there was an element of rivalry or competition between the Prophet’s wives. Yet Zaynab was not a woman who laid much store by personal, family or lineage considerations. She was a devout woman who steered away from controversy and did not engage in idle talk. She was a role model for pious women. This is confirmed by none other than Ayesha, who always tried to be the Prophet’s favorite. Ayesha said: “I have never seen a more deeply religious person than Zaynab. She exceeded all others in being most devout, truthful in what she said, kind to relatives, charitable, and willing to do any work, menial as it might be, if it was dedicated to God and in pursuit of His pleasure.”
The Prophet confirmed this, stating to Umar ibn Al-Khattab that Zaynab was “very tender hearted,” and he added that she was very devout. Another wife of the Prophet, Umm Salamah, gave a similar testimony: “Zaynab was very devout, often offering voluntary night worship, and often fasting voluntarily. She was also skilful, making things with her own hands so as to sell them and give the proceeds to poor people.”
Her generosity was limitless. The Arabs used to describe any generous person as having a “long hand”, meaning that their charity stretched far. One day, the Prophet’s wives asked him which of them would be the first to die after him. He said: “The one with the longest hand.” They took it literally and measured their hands to determine who had the longest hand. However, it was Zaynab who was the first to die. They realized that he meant the most generous and charitable among them.
An authentic report mentions that during Umar’s reign, her dues from the state amounted to 12,000 dirhams, which was a large amount of money. She felt that it was too much. Therefore, she prayed to God that she would not live to have such an amount again, “because it is a hard test.” What hard test for a charitable woman? She distributed it all to her relatives and to poor people. Umar was informed of her deed. So, he knocked at her door and said to her: “I have learned of what you did. I am sending you 1,000 dirhams to keep for your needs.” When she received the new amount, she gave it all to charity.
It was in year 20 that she died, nine years after the Prophet. When she realized that she was soon to die, she said: “I have prepared my burial shrouds, but I realize that Umar, the Caliph, will be sending another set of shrouds for me to be wrapped in. So give one set to charity. Please give away whatever you can of my belongings.” Her funeral was attended by most people of Madinah. Her blind brother, Abu Ahmad, joined those lifting her coffin. Umar advised him to move away, lest he should fall down. He said: “She was the one who brought our family every good thing we have. It lightens my grief a little if I join in carrying her to her resting place.”
It should be said finally that her original name was Barrah, but the Prophet changed it to Zaynab, as he did with Umm Salamah’s daughter whose name was also Barrah and he called her Zaynab. Barrah means “devout and dutiful.” He said: “You do not know who of you is truly devout and dutiful. So, do not make such a claim.” Zaynab means “a source of pride for her father.”