Abul A’as Embraces Islam
It is a strange phenomenon that the guidance to the right path comes only from heaven. The example of Abul A’as is quite a touching one. He was the close friend of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) and a son-in-law as well. The daughter of the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) was living with him in his house but he did not accept Islam.
He loved his wife so much that despite a lot of pressure from the pagans of Makkah he did not divorce her. Became prisoner of war during the battle of Badr and on release he sent his wife to her father at Madina but still he did not accept Islam. But when guidance descended from the high heavens, he gladly embraced Islam. The details of his embracing Islam were reported as such.
It is reported that just before the conquest of Makkah he was traveling with his trade caravan to Syria. He took a lot of goods from the people of Makkah at fifty percent partnership. On his return they had an encounter with one battalion of the Muslims; the chief of it was Zaid bin Harith (razi allahu anhu).
They defeated his men and captured all the wealth of the caravan and a few prisoners as well.
Abul A’as however escaped and ran to Madina. He went to Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) at night and asked her to extend asylum to him. She gave her the asylum. Next day early in the morning, when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) and other Muslims had finished their prayers, Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) said loudly:
“Listen O’ people! I have granted asylum to Abul A’as bin Al-Rabi.”
Hearing this holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) turned to the people and asked, “Did you hear what Zainab had said?“
The people present there replied “yes, we have heard it.” Addressing to the people the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) said. “By God even I did not know before hearing the voice of Zainab right now that Abul A’as is in Madina. Zainab had given him an asylum and you know if any Muslim gives refuge to anyone it is bound upon everyone that they should honor it.”
He went straight to Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) and told her, “you should look after Abul A’as with care and affection but you are not.” Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) said, “He has come to take his goods.” Hearing this, the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) gathered the persons who had fought with Abul A’as and said, “You have captured his wealth and riches. But you know the relationship of Abul A’as with me. All his wealth and riches which you have captured from his caravan is a blessing ‘to you from Allah because it is the wealth of an infidel, received after the holy battle. But I wish that you people should do him a favor and return to him whatever you had taken from him. But if you do not want to return it I would not compel you to do so, after all it is your property.”
Hearing this everyone agreed to return his goods.
He took all the wealth and riches to Makkah and distributed it among the people of Makkah in accordance to the agreement. After satisfactory distribution he embraced Islam in Makkah there and then addressing the people of Makkah he said. “I have embraced Islam in Makkah because if I would have accepted it at Madina you people might have said that I have converted to Islam just to dodge you and deprive you of your wealth.”
He came to Madina and the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) performed his nikah with Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) again according to the Islamic laws.
After a separation of six years she again came into the wed lock of Abul A’as. She ruled as a wife of Abul A’as. He died in Hijra 12.
Children
Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) gave birth to one male baby and one female baby. The name of her daughter was Omama and son was named Ali. At the time of conquest of Makkah it was this AIi who was accompanying the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) on his camel. Ali bin Abul A’as died young during the life time of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam). The holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) loved her daughter Omama very much. Once, he received a necklace from the holy war and said, “I will give it to a person to whom I love the most.”
Hearing this the women folk around him guessed that it must be given to Ayesha, daughter of Abu Bakr (razi allahu anhu). But the holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) put it around the neck of Omama, daughter of Zainab.
After the demise of Fatima (razi allahu anhaa), the first wife of Ali (razi allahu anhu), he married Omama. This was written in the last will of Fatima, “Ali may marry Omama after my death.”
After the death of Ali she married Nofal bin Moghaira and she gave birth to a son namely Yahya. But scholars had difference of opinion, some claim that she did not give birth to any child neither form Ali nor from Nofal. The genealogical descendants of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) are recognized only from Fatima.
Death
Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) died in Hijra 8. The holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) himself laid her in the grave with heavy heart. After the burial, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wasallam) said, “I was very much disturbed because of the very weak physique of Zainab (razi allahu anhaa) and I prayed God almighty that He should relieve her from the squeezes of her grave. God has accepted my prayers.”