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Zaynab bint Jahsh

Muhammad did not believe that "equity" meant equal distributions of material goods. He made no attempt to distribute the food equally.

Bukhari 47:755. Narrated Urwa from Ayesha: The wives of Allah’s Apostle were in two groups. One group consisted of Ayesha, Hafsa, Safiya and Sawda; and the other group consisted of Umm Salama and the other wives of Allah’s Apostle.

The Muslims knew that Allah’s Apostle loved Ayesha, so if any of them had a gift and wished to give to Allah’s Apostle, he would delay it, till Allah’s Apostle had come to Ayesha’s home and then he would send his gift to Allah’s Apostle in her home.

The group of Umm Salama discussed the matter together and decided that Umm Salama should request Allah’s Apostle to tell the people to send their gifts to him in whatever wife’s house he was. Umm Salama told Allah’s Apostle of what they had said, but he did not reply. Then [the wives] asked Umm Salama about it. She said, “He did not say anything to me.” They asked her to talk to him again. She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, “Talk to him till he gives you a reply.” When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, “Do not hurt me regarding Ayesha, as the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Ayesha.” On that Umm Salama said, “I repent to Allah for hurting you.”

Then the group of Umm Salama called Fatima, the daughter of Allah’s Apostle, and sent her to Allah’s Apostle to say to him, “Your wives request to treat them and the daughter of Abu Bakr on equal terms.” Then Fatima conveyed the message to him. The Prophet said, “O my daughter! Don’t you love whom I love?” She replied in the affirmative and returned and told them of the situation. They requested her to go to him again but she refused.

They then sent Zaynab bint Jahsh, who went to him and used harsh words saying, “Your wives request you to treat them and the daughter of Ibn Abu Quhafa [Abu Bakr] on equal terms.” On that she raised her voice and abused Ayesha to her face, so much so that Allah’s Apostle looked at Ayesha to see whether she would retort.

Ayesha started replying to Zaynab till she silenced her. The Prophet then looked at Ayesha and said, “She is truly the daughter of Abu Bakr.”

This is what we learn from the Perfect Example for Humanity.

1. It was all right to love one wife more than the others.

2. It was all right to give one wife more food than the others.

3. It was all right for the wives to divide into two factions and compete against one another. (Umm Salama and Zaynab were first cousins and would have been friends from childhood. Ayesha chose her allies for their low-threat factor: she knew that Muhammad did not love Sawda and that Safiya did not love Muhammad.)

4. It was not all right for Umm Salama to ask Muhammad to use his scales and treat them fairly. She had to apologise for suggesting it.

5. It was all right for Fatima to be part of the domestic politics in terms of female/female relationships.

6. It was not all right for Fatima to disagree with her father. Once he was involved, she had to agree with him.

7. It was all right for the wives to abuse one another verbally. Muhammad cheered when Ayesha won.1234567 (talk) 03:23, 14 June 2012 (PDT)