زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ خُزَيْمَة
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا
Zaynab bint Khuzaymah
Umm al-Masakin · Known before Islam for feeding the poor · A brief marriage
may Allah be pleased with her
Banu Hilal ibn Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah · Makkah and Madinah, in the early years after the Hijrah
She was known for giving to those who had nothing, a reputation the reports trace back before Islam. She married the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah after being widowed, and died only a few months later — one of only two of his wives, with Khadijah, to die during his lifetime.
Known for
She was known, from before Islam, for feeding those in need
The title Umm al-Masakin — Mother of the Poor — is reported of her for this. Reports differ on whether the title was already hers before Islam or took hold afterwards; the reason given for it, her generosity to the poor, is agreed.
Before marrying the Prophet ﷺ, she had been married and widowed
The sources do not agree on who her previous husband was. Some name Abdullah ibn Jahsh, who was killed at Uhud; others name Ubaydah ibn al-Harith, killed at Badr.
She died a few months after marrying the Prophet ﷺ
She and Khadijah are the only two of his wives who died during his lifetime; his other wives all survived him.
Her story in moments
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Life & legacy
What is recorded of her
Zaynab was of Banu Hilal ibn Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah, a tribe outside Quraysh. She was known — the reports differ on whether this began before Islam or after — as Umm al-Masakin, for her generosity to those who had nothing.
She had been married before, and widowed; the sources do not agree on who her first husband was. She married the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah and died a few months later — one of only two of his wives, with Khadijah, to die during his lifetime.
Beyond this, very little is recorded of her individually in the classical biographical dictionaries.
How the sources describe her
Beyond her generosity and the brief span of her marriage, little else about her is recorded individually
Connect
People around her
Family
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺSpouse
He married her in Madinah after she was widowed; she died a few months later.
Full timeline
- The early Madinan years reports differThe exact year depends on the disputed identity of her previous husband and when he died in battle.
Marries the Prophet ﷺ
- A few months after her marriage, in Madinah
Dies, a few months after the marriage
Part of
Sources & review
In reviewBased on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.
As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
References follow the citation detail available in the source material.
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