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Zaynab used to boast in front of her co-wives: “Your marriages were contracted by your families, but mine was contracted by Allah in the seven Heavens. I am closer kin to the Prophet than any of you, and my clan is the noblest of all the Quraysh.”<ref>Bukhari 93:516, 517; Tabari 39:182.</ref> | Zaynab used to boast in front of her co-wives: “Your marriages were contracted by your families, but mine was contracted by Allah in the seven Heavens. I am closer kin to the Prophet than any of you, and my clan is the noblest of all the Quraysh.”<ref>Bukhari 93:516, 517; Tabari 39:182.</ref> | ||
Hind’s stepmother was Zaynab’s aunt.<ref>Tabari 39 | Hind’s stepmother was Zaynab’s aunt.<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 112}}.</ref> | ||
Ayesha, Hafsa and Sawda were a team, and so were Hind and Zaynab.<ref>Bukhari 47 | Ayesha, Hafsa and Sawda were a team, and so were Hind and Zaynab.<ref>{{Bukhari|3|47|755}}; {{Muslim|31|5984}}; {{Abudawud|41|4880}}.</ref> | ||
When the Muslims wanted to give a gift of luxury food to their Prophet, they would wait until Ayesha’s rostered day and bring the present to her room. In a condition of scarcity, this favouritism was resented, and the wives sent Hind to plead that such gifts be shared out equally among all of them. Muhammad told Hind not to bother him about it, and she had to apologise for offending him. The wives then sent in Fatima, to whom Muhammad frankly admitted that Ayesha was his favourite, so she ought to love Ayesha too. Next the wives sent Zaynab, who spoke bluntly and directly before launching a barrage of verbal abuse at Ayesha. Ayesha retaliated with such deadly malice that in the end Zaynab was utterly silenced. Muhammad was proud of Ayesha and declared: “She is truly the daughter of Abu Bakr!”<ref>Bukhari 47:755; Muslim 31:5984; Abu Dawud 41:4880.</ref> | When the Muslims wanted to give a gift of luxury food to their Prophet, they would wait until Ayesha’s rostered day and bring the present to her room. In a condition of scarcity, this favouritism was resented, and the wives sent Hind to plead that such gifts be shared out equally among all of them. Muhammad told Hind not to bother him about it, and she had to apologise for offending him. The wives then sent in Fatima, to whom Muhammad frankly admitted that Ayesha was his favourite, so she ought to love Ayesha too. Next the wives sent Zaynab, who spoke bluntly and directly before launching a barrage of verbal abuse at Ayesha. Ayesha retaliated with such deadly malice that in the end Zaynab was utterly silenced. Muhammad was proud of Ayesha and declared: “She is truly the daughter of Abu Bakr!”<ref>Bukhari 47:755; Muslim 31:5984; Abu Dawud 41:4880.</ref> | ||
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Muhammad did not believe that "equity" meant equal distributions of material goods. He made no attempt to distribute the food equally. | Muhammad did not believe that "equity" meant equal distributions of material goods. He made no attempt to distribute the food equally. | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari| | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|47|755}}.|Narrated Urwa from Aisha: The wives of Allah’s Apostle were in two groups. One group consisted of Aisha, Hafsah, Safiyah and Sawdah; and the other group consisted of Umm Salamah and the other wives of Allah’s Apostle. The Muslims knew that Allah’s Apostle loved Aisha, 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 Aisha’s home and then he would send his gift to Allah’s Apostle in her home. The group of Umm Salamah discussed the matter together and decided that Umm Salamah should request Allah’s Apostle to tell the people to send their gifts to him in whatever wife’s house he was. Umm Salamah told Allah’s Apostle of what they had said, but he did not reply. Then [the wives] asked Umm Salamah 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 Aisha, as the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Ayesha.” On that Umm Salamah said, “I repent to Allah for hurting you.” Then the group of Umm Salamah 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 Abu Quhafa’s son [Abu Bakr] on equal terms.” On that she raised her voice and abused Aisha to her face, so much so that Allah’s Apostle looked at Aisha to see whether she would retort. Aisha started replying to Zaynab till she silenced her. The Prophet then looked at Aisha and said, “She is truly the daughter of Abu Bakr.”}} | ||
''This is what we learn from the Perfect Example for Humanity.'' | ''This is what we learn from the Perfect Example for Humanity.'' |