Zainab - Eldest Daughter of Muhammad Quiz

Answer: Khadija

Khadija was both the first follower, and the first wife of Muhammad. She was also the first woman to convert to Islam. Muhammad did not take any other wives, during his marriage of over 20 years to Khadija.

Answer: Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi'

Zainab married her maternal cousin, a wealthy merchant from Mecca, Abu al-As, before the year 610, and was given an onyx necklace as a wedding present, which would later prove significant regarding the life of her husband.

Answer: False

Zainab believed her father Muhammad was the final Messenger of Allah, immediately. Her husband, however, found it more difficult to come to terms with. It was not easy for him to leave behind the religion of his ancestors, in order to follow the religion of his wife. The Quraysh, Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi's tribe, also put pressure on him to divorce Zainab, although he refused, saying that he did not want any other woman they could offer him. This loyalty certainly did not go unnoticed by Muhammad, who appreciated his honor.

Zainab did everything in her power to convince her husband to come to her way of thinking, and although he did not do this, she remained a loving wife, and the couple had two children.

Answer: Umamah

Muhammad loved his granddaughter Umamah very much. He once exclaimed that he was going to give an onyx necklace to "her whom I love best," and those around him assumed he meant his wife, Aisha. Instead, he gave the gift to his granddaughter, Umamah.

Answer: Ali

Ali rode in the saddle with Muhammad on the day of the Conquest of Makkah (Mecca). Sadly, Ali died during his childhood.

Answer: Battle of Badr

When Zainab learned of her husband's capture, she not only sent the ransom money, but the onyx necklace that her mother had given her as a wedding present. This had a profound effect on Muhammad when he saw it, touched when he saw it was Khadija's necklace. He did not accept the ransom money, and had Abu al-As released - on the condition that Zainab be sent to Medina.

Abu al-As accepted these terms. He and Zainab did not see each other for four years (although some sources say they were separated for six years).

Answer: She suffered a miscarriage

Zainab's adopted brother Zayn came to escort her to Medina, as instructed by their father Muhammad, after the battle in 624. This angered the Quraysh tribe, who saw this as unnecessarily taunting them with Muhammad's victory at the Battle of Badr. Zainab was riding a hawdaj (a carriage intended for the backs of camels or elephants) in broad daylight.

A group of men pursued them, and one pushed her from the hawdaj, onto a rock. Zainab later attributed to this the miscarriage she sadly had to suffer.

Answer: True

Abu al-As finally converted to Islam, declaring, "I testify that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger."

Sadly, a year after he had converted, Zainab died, possibly due to complications of the miscarriage she suffered.

Answer: Juwayriya

Juwayriya bint al-Harith was a wife of Muhammad. She was daughter of the chief of an Arab tribe, Banu Mustaliq.

Zainab had three sisters, and three brothers. Her brothers were called Ibrahim, Abdullah and Qasim.

Answer: about a year

The exact date and place of the death of Zainab bint Muhammed is unclear, but it is estimated she died in around the year 10 AH. What is clear is that her death took its toll on Abu al-As, reducing others to tears with the intensity of his grief. It is not surprising he died about a year later.

Her grave has been disputed as to where it is, usually between Syria and Cairo is the estimated location.