16. The Book of Marriage
١٦۔ كتاب النكاح
The Prophet ﷺ did not give a better wedding banquet on the occasion of marrying any of his wives than the one he gave on marrying Zainab, and that banquet was with (consisted of) one sheep.
مَا أَوْلَمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَى شَىْءٍ مِنْ نِسَائِهِ مَا أَوْلَمَ عَلَى زَيْنَبَ أَوْلَمَ بِشَاةٍ
When Messenger of Allah ﷺ married Zainab bint Jahsh, he invited the people to a meal. They took the meal and remained sitting and talking. Then the Prophet (showed them) as if he is ready to get up, yet they did not get up. When he noticed that (there was no response to his movement), he got up, and the others too, got up except three persons who kept on sitting. The Prophet ﷺ came back in order to enter his house, but he went away again. Then they left, whereupon I set out and went to the Prophet ﷺ to tell him that they had departed, so he came and entered his house. I wanted to enter along with him, but he put a screen between me and him. Then Allah revealed: 'O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet...' (33.53)
لَمَّا تَزَوَّجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ جَحْشٍ دَعَا الْقَوْمَ فَطَعِمُوا ثُمَّ جَلَسُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ وَإِذَا هُوَ كَأَنَّهُ يَتَهَيَّأُ لِلْقِيَامِ فَلَمْ يَقُومُوا فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ قَامَ فَلَمَّا قَامَ قَامَ مَنْ قَامَ وَقَعَدَ ثَلاَثَةُ نَفَرٍ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لِيَدْخُلَ فَإِذَا الْقَوْمُ جُلُوسٌ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ قَامُوا فَانْطَلَقْتُ فَجِئْتُ فَأَخْبَرْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ قَدِ انْطَلَقُوا فَجَاءَ حَتَّى دَخَلَ فَذَهَبْتُ أَدْخُلُ فَأَلْقَى الْحِجَابَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ} الآيَةَ
I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubai bin Kaʿb used to ask me about it. Messenger of Allah ﷺ became the bridegroom of Zainab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet ﷺ invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of ʿAisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of ʿAisha's room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet ﷺ hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed.
أَنَا أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ بِالْحِجَابِ كَانَ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يَسْأَلُنِي عَنْهُ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَرُوسًا بِزَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ جَحْشٍ وَكَانَ تَزَوَّجَهَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَدَعَا النَّاسَ لِلطَّعَامِ بَعْدَ ارْتِفَاعِ النَّهَارِ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَلَسَ مَعَهُ رِجَالٌ بَعْدَ مَا قَامَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَشَى وَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ باب حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ ثُمَّ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ خَرَجُوا فَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ مَكَانَهُمْ فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ باب حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْتُ مَعَهُ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَامُوا فَضَرَبَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ سِتْرًا وَأُنْزِلَ الْحِجَابُ
"Whenever the Prophet ﷺ passed by (my mother Um-Sulaim) he used to enter her and greet her. Anas further said: Once the Prophet ﷺ way a bridegroom during his marriage with Zainab, Um Sulaim said to me, "Let us give a gift to Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." I said to her, "Do it." So she prepared Haisa (a sweet dish) made from dates, butter and dried yoghurt and she sent it with me to him. I took it to him and he said, "Put it down," and ordered me to call some men whom he named, and to invite whomever I would meet. I did what he ordered me to do, and when I returned, I found the house crowded with people and saw the Prophet ﷺ keeping his hand over the Haisa and saying over it whatever Allah wished (him to say). Then he called the men in batches of ten to eat of it, and he said to them, "Mention the Name of Allah, and each man should eat of the dish the nearest to him." When all of them had finished their meals, some of them left and a few remained there talking, over which I felt unhappy. Then the Prophet ﷺ went out towards the dwelling places (of his wives) and I too, went out after him and told him that those people had left. Then he returned and entered his dwelling place and let the curtains fall while I was in (his) dwelling place, and he was reciting the Verses:-- 'O you who believe! Enter not the Prophet's house until leave is given you for a meal, (and then) not (as early as) to what for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken your meals, disperse without sitting for a talk. Verily such (behavior) annoys the Prophet; and he would be shy of (asking) you (to go), but Allah is not shy of (telling you) the Truth.' (33-53) Abu Uthman said: Anas said, "I served the Prophet for ten years."
مَرَّ بِنَا فِي مَسْجِدِ بَنِي رِفَاعَةَ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا مَرَّ بِجَنَبَاتِ أُمِّ سُلَيْمٍ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَرُوسًا بِزَيْنَبَ فَقَالَتْ لِي أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ لَوْ أَهْدَيْنَا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَدِيَّةً فَقُلْتُ لَهَا افْعَلِي فَعَمَدَتْ إِلَى تَمْرٍ وَسَمْنٍ وَأَقِطٍ فَاتَّخَذَتْ حَيْسَةً فِي بُرْمَةٍ فَأَرْسَلَتْ بِهَا مَعِي إِلَيْهِ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهَا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِي ضَعْهَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَنِي فَقَالَ ادْعُ لِي رِجَالاً سَمَّاهُمْ وَادْعُ لِي مَنْ لَقِيتَ قَالَ فَفَعَلْتُ الَّذِي أَمَرَنِي فَرَجَعْتُ فَإِذَا الْبَيْتُ غَاصٌّ بِأَهْلِهِ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَيْسَةِ وَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَدْعُو عَشَرَةً عَشَرَةً يَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَقُولُ لَهُمُ اذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ وَلْيَأْكُلْ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِمَّا يَلِيهِ قَالَ حَتَّى تَصَدَّعُوا كُلُّهُمْ عَنْهَا فَخَرَجَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ خَرَجَ وَبَقِيَ نَفَرٌ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ قَالَ وَجَعَلْتُ أَغْتَمُّ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ نَحْوَ الْحُجُرَاتِ وَخَرَجْتُ فِي إِثْرِهِ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ ذَهَبُوا فَرَجَعَ فَدَخَلَ الْبَيْتَ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ وَإِنِّي لَفِي الْحُجْرَةِ وَهْوَ يَقُولُ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَى طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانْتَشِرُوا وَلاَ مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنْكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ} قَالَ أَبُو عُثْمَانَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ إِنَّهُ خَدَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ