Marriages of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): History, Reasons, and Wisdom (Part II)

This article is the second part of a two-part series exploring the marriages of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In Part I, we discussed the earlier wives of the Prophet (PBUH). In this continuation, we will look at the remaining wives — Hazrat Umme Habiba (RA), Hazrat Zainab (RA), Hazrat Safiya (RA), Hazrat Javeria (RA), and Hazrat Maymoona (RA) — with historical context, reasons, and the wisdom behind these marriages.

7. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Marriage to Hazrat Umme Habiba Bint Abi Sufyan (RA):

Previous Marriage:

Hazrat Umme Habiba (RA) stated that when she was in Habsha (today Ethiopia), she had a dream that the face of her husband at that time, Ubaidullah Bin Jahsh, was disfigured. She got worried and told him about her dream. He told her that he had thought a lot about adopting a religion and he couldn’t find any religion better than Christianity. She told him that wellness of human beings lies only in Islam. Yet, he refused and turned back to Christianity. He got into drinking so badly that he died because of it.

Receiving a Divine Message through Dream:

After his death, she had a dream where someone addressed her as “O Mother of Believers!” She got stunned and interpreted the dream as becoming a wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). After the completion of her “Iddat,” the concubine of the King of Habsha, Abraha, came to her as a messenger of King. Abraha told her that King Najashi had received a message from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to get her and him (PBUH) married. She agreed and asked for permission to make her uncle Khalid bin Saeed (RA) as Wakeel. 

In the context of Islamic marriage, Wakeel acts on behalf of the bride or groom to conduct the marriage contract.

Marriage:

The marriage happened in the presence of her uncle from her side, while from the side of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), King Najashi conducted the marriage. He recited Shahadah and afterwards delivered the message of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to Hazrat Umme Habiba and declared the marriage by giving her 400 Dinars as “Meher”. Then he conducted a waleema for all the people present there as per Islamic traditions. Waleema is a wedding feast that announces the marriage to the people.

Reason:

One of the foremost enemies of Islam and the Quraysh leader was Abu Sufyan. The Prophet (ﷺ) alleviated future tensions by marrying off his daughter. After the conquest of Makkah, Abu Sufyan himself eventually became a Muslim.

This union proved that Islamic leadership is based on patience, wisdom, and inclusivity and not individualized or sentimental. It communicated the message that even the families of enemies can be respected in Islam and that forgiveness can be achieved.

8. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Marriage to Hazrat Zainab Bint Jahsh (RA):

Previous Marriage:

Hazrat Zainab(RA) was cousin of Prophet(PBUH) because her mother was His (PBUH) paternal aunt. Hazrat Zainab (RA) was married to Hazrat Zaid bin Harithah (RA), the Prophet’s adopted son and freed slave, prior to her marriage to the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet himself arranged this marriage in order to promote equality and dignity for emancipated slaves and to shatter social barriers of class and ancestry.

Being of a noble family, Hazrat Zainab (RA) was first apprehensive about marrying Hazrat Zaid (RA), but she accepted the Prophet’s (PBUH) advice. Despite having a noble goal, the marriage did not work out. The couple was incompatible and frequently argued.

When Hazrat Zaid (RA) repeatedly asked the Prophet (PBUH) for permission to divorce her, the Prophet (PBUH) told him to wait and keep the marriage intact. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce.

Marriage with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Reason:

Allah gave the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the order to marry Hazrat Zainab (RA) after Hazrat Zaid (RA) divorced her. This divine decree was intended to end a long-standing pre-Islamic tradition: the idea that an adopted son was identical to a biological son in every way, including marital and legal constraints.

According to Surah Al-Ahzab of the Quran:

“Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, We joined her in marriage to you (Prophet), so that there should be no difficulty for the believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons.”

This verse made it clear that marriage to an adopted son’s ex-wife was not prohibited because adopted sons are not subject to the same legal restrictions as biological sons.

• The Prophet (PBUH) showed hesitation in marrying Hazrat Zainab (RA) due to social scrutiny and opinions of the time.
• This marriage was ordered clearly from heaven, and the Prophet (PBUH) showed that Allah’s laws have priority over the norms and emotions of society.
• Irrespective of the customs or disparagement, the marriage would stand for the purity of what Allah allows and beat down such falsehoods of honor.
• It gave Muslims confidence to follow the Shari’ah, even against the tide of established custom.

A Divine Marriage:

Without a Nikah ceremony, Allah Himself performed the divinely mandated marriage between Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Hazrat Zainab (RA). Nobody on either side played the role of Wakeel, and Allah established the Meher (dowry) Himself. This is the only occasion in which a marriage was specifically approved by divine decree and recorded in the Qur’an. The wedding feast included bread and meat.

The First to Follow:

The Prophet (PBUH) once told his wives,

Hazrat Zainab (RA) was the first to die after the Prophet (PBUH), and other wives initially mistook this for physical length before they realized it referred to charity.

Related: Marriages of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)- Part 1

9. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Marriage to Hazrat Safiya Bint Hayye (RA):

Historical Setting:

After Muslims won the Battle of Khayber and brought all the hostages, a companion of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Hazrat Dahiyya Kalbi (RA) came and demanded a concubine from the wealth. He was allowed, so he chose Hazrat Safiya (RA). One man came and told Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that the woman taken by Hazrat Dahiyya Kalbi (RA) is the head of Qurayza and Nazir tribes. She is worth you. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked to bring her and told Hazrat Dahiyya (RA) to choose anyone else from the hostages.

Marriage:

Another narration of Hazrat Anas (RA) stated that when she was brought as a hostage, she was a new widow and was extremely beautiful. So, Prophet (PBUH) married her and consoled her grief by granting her the title of “Mother of Believers.“

Heart Changed by Mercy:

Hazrat Ibn-e-Umar (RA) told that Hazrat Safiya (RA) had a blue spot in her eye. Once Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked her about this. She told that before becoming a hostage, she dreamt that the moon had fallen in her lap. When her husband knew about the interpretation of the dream, he slapped her really hard, accusing her of setting her heart on marrying the king of Yathrib, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Hazrat Safiya (RA) told that before marrying Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), she had the most amount of hatred for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in her heart, for he killed her father and husband. But after marrying Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he kept explaining it to her till all the hatred in her heart was gone.

From Strange Jewish to Prophet’s Wife:

When she reached Medina as Mother of Believers, the women of Ansar all gathered to see a beautiful Jewish woman, who had reached Medina just now, for they did not know that she was now the Mother of Believers.

Reason:

The marriage proved that Islam does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of origin, race, or tribe, and Hazrat Safiya was likewise treated with complete respect because she had been a Jew. It showed the Islamic principle of universal human dignity and broke down social barriers.

10. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Marriage to Hazrat Javeria Bint Al-Haris (RA):

Historical Setting: 

Hazrat Javeria Bint Al-Haris (RA) came to Medina as a hostage of the Banu Mustaliq tribe. She was the daughter of the tribal chief and was given as a concubine to Hazrat Thabit Bin Qais (RA).

Hazrat Javeria’s (RA) Freedom Through Marriage to the Prophet (PBUH):

She negotiated with Hazrat Thabit Bin Qais (RA) and they came to a decision that if Hazrat Javeria gave him a certain amount of money, he would release her. She came to Prophet (PBUH) for the sake of money. Hazrat Ayesha (RA) narrated that as soon as she came to my door, I didn’t like it, for she was very beautiful, and I didn’t like the fact that Prophet (PBUH) must have noticed her beauty. She came inside and requested Prophet (PBUH) about money. Prophet (PBUH) said,

 “What if I offer you better than that? I pay for all your money and marry you.”

She agreed and they got married. When the news of her marriage spread in the city, Muslims released around 100 families of Banu Mustaliq out of respect for the in-laws of Prophet (PBUH).

Reason:

This marriage created an environment of peace between Muslims and Banu Mustaliq. Any chance of future hostilities was ended. Also, Prophet (PBUH) honored her respectable status and ensured the humane treatment of prisoners, promoting peace and harmony.

Hazrat Ayesha (RA) once said, 

“I had never seen a woman so lucky and blessed for her tribe as Javeria (RA).”

11. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Marriage to Hazrat Maymoona (RA):

Historical Setting:

This was the last marriage of Prophet (PBUH). After the truce of Hudaybiyah, Prophet (PBUH) went for an Umrah, and there he proposed marriage to a two-times widow, Hazrat Maymoona (RA), at a place called “Sifra.”

Hazrat Maymoona (RA) once said,

“I offered myself to the Prophet (PBUH), and he accepted me. I considered it the most blessed thing I ever did.”

Reason:

Prophet (PBUH)’s marriage to her strengthened the ties between Muslims and the Quraysh. At those fragile times, the marriage brought a sense of relief to the Muslims and showcased the respect of womanhood at any stage.

Final Thoughts:

Their stories are not just part of Islamic history but living lessons for all generations. Each of these events highlights the wisdom and mercy found in the life of the Prophet (PBUH) and his family. 

   Together with Part I, this article completes the overview of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) marriages. These stories are not only part of Islamic history but also timeless lessons in wisdom, mercy, patience, and social reform. They remind us that the Prophet’s (PBUH) life was guided by divine wisdom and that his family remains a source of inspiration for all generations.

References:

1. The Qur’an

   1. Surah Al-Ahzab (33:6) – Status of the wives of the Prophet as “Mothers of the Believers.”
   1. Surah Al-Ahzab (33:37) – Marriage of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (RA).

2. Hadith Collections

   1. Sahih al-Bukhari – Book of Nikah (Marriage), Hadith nos. 3729, 4793.

   2. Sahih Muslim – Book of Marriage, Hadith nos. 1427–1428.

   3. Sunan Abu Dawood – Kitab al-Nikah, Hadith no. 2107 (marriage of Hazrat Umme Habiba (RA)).

3. Classical Seerah and History Books

   1. Ibn Hisham, As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah.

   2. Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk (History of Prophets and Kings).

   3. Ibn Sa’d, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kubra.

4. Commentaries and Explanations

   1. Tafsir al-Tabari (on Surah Al-Ahzab 33:37).

   2. Tafsir Ibn Kathir (on the marriages of the Prophet ﷺ).