Habit Doesn't Die Easily*[--2nd Show--]

 *Habit Doesn't Die Easily*[--2nd Show--]

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Zainab's husband -“Abu Al’As ibn Rabi”. - remained an unbeliever, and then came the migration.

Zainab went to her father and asked him for the permission to stay with her husband. The Prophet (pbuh) replied, “Stay with your husband and children”.So Zainab stayed in Makkah, until the battle of Badr occurred. Her husband was to fight in the army of Quraish against the Muslims. For Zainab, it meant that her husband will be fighting her father, a time Zainab had always feared. She kept crying out: “O Allah, I fear one day the sun may rise and my children become orphans or I lose my father”. So the battle started, and ended in victory for the Muslims. Abu al-‘As ibn Rabi’ was captured by the Muslims. Zainab asked, “What did my father do?” They told her, “The Muslims won”. So she prayed to Allah, thanking Him. Then she asked: “What did my husband do?” They said: “He was captured”. She said, “I’ll send a payment to release him”. She didn’t own anything of much value, so she took off her mother’s necklace, and sent it with her husbands brother to the Prophet (pbuh). While the Prophet was sitting, taking payments and releasing captives, he saw Khadeeja’s necklace. He held it up and asked: “Whose payment is this?” They said: “Abu Al’As ibn Rabi”. He cried and said “This is Khadeeja’s necklace”. As soon as the Messenger of Allah saw that necklace, he had a feeling of extreme compassion. The Companions who were present there gazed in amazement of the situation. After a long silence, the Prophet stood up and said “People, this man is my in-law, should I release him? And do you accept the return of this necklace to my daughter?” They answered in unison “Yes, Messenger of Allah”.

The Prophet (pbuh) gave the necklace to Abu Al’As and said to him: “Tell Zainab not to give away Khadeeja’s necklace”. Then he (pbuh) said, “Abu Al’As, Can we speak privately?” He took him aside and said, “Allah has ordered me to separate between a Muslim and a disbeliever, so could you return my daughter to me?” Abu El’Ass reluctantly agreed.

Zainab stood on the gates of Makkah waiting for the arrival of Abu Al’As. When he finally came he said, “I am going away”. She asked, “Where to?” He replied, “It is not me who is going, it is you. You are going to your father. We must separate because you are a Muslim”. She implored him, “Will you become a Muslim and come with me?” But he refused.

So Zainab took her son and daughter and traveled to Madinah, and for 6 years she refused to remarry, hoping that one day Abu Al’As would come. After 6 years, he was traveling in a caravan from Makkah to Syria. During the journey, he was intercepted by some of the Prophet’s companions. He escaped and asked for Zainab’s home. He knocked on her door shortly before the dawn prayer. She opened the door and asked him “Did you become a Muslim?” He whispered “No, I come as a fugitive”. She implored him once more “Can you become a Muslim?” Again his answer was a negative. “Do not worry.” She said, Welcome the father of my children.

After the Prophet (pbuh) prayed the dawn prayer in congregation with the people, they heard a voice from the back of the Masjid, “I have freed Abu Al’As ibn Rabi”. Zainab had granted his freedom. The Prophet (pbuh) asked, “Have you heard what I heard?” They all said, “Yes, Messenger of Allah”. Zainab said, “He is the father of my children and I have freed him”.

The Prophet(pbuh) stood up and said, “O people, I declare that this man was a very good son-in-law, he never broke his promise, and neither did he tell lies. So if you accept, I will return his money back and let him go. If you refuse it’s your decision and I will not blame you for it.” The companions agreed, “We will give him his money”.

So the Prophet (pbuh) said to Zainab, “We have freed the one you have freed, O Zainab.” Then...

TO BE CONTINUED

Allah alone knows best