Wife of the Prophet
Zainab bint Jahsh ibn Rayyab
One of the wives of Prophet Muhammad SAW who left a good example is Zainab bint Jahsy. His loving and generous attitude is a fragrant example to this day.
In various Islamic literature, Zainab bint Jahsy is known as a Muslimah who is very pro with the preaching of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. His long name was Zainab bint Jahsy bin Ri’ab al-Asadiyyah, and he was born in Makkah in the year 33 before Hijri and died in Medina in the 20th year of Hijri.
Zainab bint Jahsy is also a cousin of the Prophet PBUH. He had converted to Islam since Makkah and emigrated to Medina with other Muslims. His marriage to the Prophet was a direct order from Allah SWT.
Zainab is the former wife of the Prophet's adopted son, Zaid bin Harithah. But unfortunately, Zainab's marriage with Zaid was not accompanied by harmony so Zaid often consulted the Prophet to divorce his wife.
Although the Prophet forbade it, the Prophet allowed Zaid to divorce him after Allah's revelation of divorce was at once legal for an adoptive father to take the wife of his son's ex-wife.
After divorcing Zaid, the Prophet ordered Zaid to propose to Zainab for himself. Therefore, the marriage by the command of Allah took place by giving alms from the Messenger of Allah to Zainab of 400 dirhams.
In daily activities, Zainab is a person who is good at producing things. Like tanning the skin or doing production in the field of handicrafts. From the production of his hands, he got sustenance and then often set aside the sustenance to the poor.
During the reign of Sayyidina Umar bin Khattab for example, Zainab bint Jahsh get rations from Baitul Mal which is managed by the Caliph Umar government. But unlike most humans in general, Zainab apparently has an attitude of zuhud from property and often makes his property as a field of charity to share.
This generous attitude from Zainab is also often told by relatives and women around him. Barzah bint Rafi said that when the distribution of property came out, Sayyidina Umar sent the property to Zainab bint Jahsh who was his right.
Finally, Zainab took a piece of cloth and bagged his property and gave it to Barzah bint Rafi a bag of dirhams.
He then ordered Barzah bint Rafi to distribute the property to his relatives, orphans, and the dhuafa in the vicinity of his residence.
Not only property for the dhuafa and orphans, Barzah bint Rafi was not spared from the granting of Zainab's property. The generous attitude of Zainab who refused to accept the rights of his hard-earned property was also heard by Caliph Umar bin Khattab and he prayed for it.
Not only that, so his benefactor Zainab bint Jahsy, during the life of the Prophet gave the nickname for his wife as a man of Long Hands. That is, his hands and heart are very easily moved to give.
Zainab bint Jahsh died in Medina at the age of 53. She was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad who died after the death of Prophet Muhammad SAW. Zainab bint Jahsy was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
During his life, the generosity of Zainab bint Jahsy often brings praise from various groups. Even unmitigated rows of wives of the Prophet did not hesitate to praise the generosity of the woman. Thanks to his generosity, not a few among the poor, orphans, and dhuafa who feel helped and helped by his helping hand.
The attitude and example given from him is still very relevant to imitate Muslims today. That the wealth that God gives to every servant, is actually a deposit and also a field to continue to cultivate charity and faith.