Abu-l 'As ibn ar-Rabi'

Abu-l 'As ibn ar-Rabi' married Zaynab, the Prophet's ﷺ eldest daughter, before the prophetic mission began. When it began, and Zaynab's family accepted Islam, he did not — and the marriage continued for some years across that difference.

He fought on the Makkan side at Badr and was taken captive. Zaynab, still in Makkah, sent money and goods toward his ransom, and among them, by report, was a necklace that had belonged to her mother Khadijah, given to her at her own wedding.

He was released on condition that Zaynab go to Madinah to join her father. He agreed, and sent her, though the journey itself is reported to have been difficult.

Years later, while Abu-l 'As was travelling with a trade caravan, Muslims intercepted it and took his goods, which belonged partly to other people in Makkah who had entrusted them to him. He made his way to Madinah and sought protection from Zaynab, who announced at the dawn prayer that she had granted it.

The Prophet ﷺ confirmed that her protection stood, on the principle that the protection granted by any Muslim is binding, while noting that he himself had known nothing of it beforehand. He then asked the Muslims to return Abu-l 'As's goods, and they did.

Abu-l 'As went back to Makkah, delivered every item to the people it belonged to, and only then declared that he had accepted Islam himself. He travelled to Madinah afterwards and was reunited with Zaynab. Scholars differ over whether their marriage needed a fresh contract at that point or continued on the original one; the sources do not agree, and this record does not settle it.