MUHAMMAD AND HIS ADOPTED SON WIFE.
Muhammad, Zayd Ibn Harithah and Zaynab Bint Jash
Muhammad’s marriage to the former wife of his adopted son stands as one of the most debated episodes in early Islamic history, not because of later misunderstanding, but because of how the event is presented in Islam’s own sacred texts. This incident forces a serious moral and theological question: does revelation guide human behavior, or does it sometimes appear to follow and justify personal desire? The Bible insists that God’s holiness restrains human impulse, even in His chosen servants. When this episode is examined by that standard, significant concerns arise.
According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad had an adopted son named Zayd ibn Ḥārithah, who was widely known as Zayd ibn Muhammad before later Qur’anic correction. Zayd was not merely a follower; he was publicly treated as Muhammad’s son, loved and honored. This relationship is well documented in early sources such as Tarik or Sirah Al Tabari and in hadith collections. Muhammad arranged Zayd’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jaḥsh, a woman of noble Quraysh lineage and Muhammad’s cousin. The marriage itself was reportedly difficult, and tensions arose between Zayd and Zaynab.
The critical moment occurs when Muhammad visits Zayd’s house. Early sīrah sources record that Muhammad saw Zaynab and was struck by her beauty. Classical commentators do not deny that something changed in Muhammad’s heart at this moment. Shortly afterward, Zayd came to Muhammad and expressed his desire to divorce Zaynab. Muhammad responded by telling Zayd to keep his wife and fear God. This statement is preserved in the Qur’an itself, which makes the episode even more significant.
The Qur’an addresses this event directly in Qur’an 33:37. The verse states that Muhammad told Zayd to keep his wife, while at the same time concealing within himself something that God would later reveal, and fearing people rather than God. After Zayd divorced Zaynab, the verse says that God married her to Muhammad so that there would be no restriction on believers marrying the former wives of their adopted sons. The Qur’an explicitly presents this marriage as divinely ordained and as a legal precedent.
This raises immediate moral and theological concerns. First, the Qur’an itself admits internal conflict within Muhammad. It states plainly that he concealed something in his heart and feared people. Biblical prophets are sometimes afraid, but Scripture never portrays God endorsing a prophet’s hidden desire by turning it into law. When David desired another man’s wife and took her, God condemned him openly and severely (2 Samuel 11–12). God did not change moral law to accommodate David’s desire; He judged it.
Second, the episode leads directly to a change in Islamic law regarding adoption. Shortly after this event, the Qur’an declares that adopted sons are no longer to be called by their adoptive fathers’ names (Qur’an 33:4–5). Zayd is no longer called “son,” and adoption as it previously existed is effectively dissolved. The timing is impossible to ignore. A personal situation becomes the occasion for permanent legal and social change.
In the Bible, adoption is honored, not abolished. God describes Himself as a Father who adopts believers as His children (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5). Adoption is used as a picture of love, not as a problem to be undone. The biblical God does not erase family bonds to resolve moral tension; He calls His people to self-control and holiness.
Third, the justification given in Qur’an 33:37 is deeply troubling from a biblical perspective. The verse teaches that God arranged the marriage in order to remove social discomfort for believers. In other words, a personal and controversial marriage becomes the basis for divine legislation. Revelation appears to follow circumstance, not restrain it. By contrast, biblical revelation often confronts cultural norms rather than adjusting to personal needs. John the Baptist openly condemned Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, even though it cost John his life (Mark 6:17–29). God’s truth did not bend to authority or desire.
WHO IS ZAYD B. HARITHAH?
According to Al tabari volume 8 page 2. Zayd b. Harithah was brought to Mecca as a slave by a nephew of Muhammad’s first wife, Khadijah. The nephew sold Zayd to Khadijah, who gave him to Muhammad before the beginning of his calling as a prophet . Although Zayd’s father later came to Mecca to free his son, Zayd refused to leave Muhammad, who subsequently freed him and adopted him. Zayd came to be known thereafter as Zayd b. Muhammad. He was a very early convert to Islam and emigrant to Medina, fought at Badr, Uhud, and the Trench, was present at al-Hudaybiyah, and commanded several expeditions. He died as one of the commanders of the expedition to Mu’tah in A.H. 8.
Even hadith Sahih Bukhari 4000 confirm it that he was Adopted son of Muhammad. Narrated `Aisha:
(the wife of the Prophet) Abu Hudhaifa, one of those who fought the battle of Badr, with Allah’s Apostle adopted Salim as his son and married his niece Hind bint Al-Wahd bin `Utba to him’ and Salim was a freed slave of an Ansari woman. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) also adopted Zaid as his son. In the Prelslamic period of ignorance the custom was that, if one adopted a son, the people would call him by the name of the adopted-father whom he would inherit as well, till Allah revealed: “Call them (adopted sons) By (the names of) their fathers.” (33.5)
Before Muhammad begin to conceal what is called adopting of child. It happen that Muhammad married a lady called Zaynab bint Jash to him. Quran 33:36 was reveal concerning them when this lady discover that muhammad his proposing her on behalf of his adopted son for this reason she want to reject the propose. But Muhammad said Allah reveal to him that “It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path”
TAFSIR JALALYN.
And it is not [fitting] for any believing man or believing woman, when God and His Messenger have decided on a matter, to have (read takūna or yakūna) a choice in their matter, in contravention of the decision of God and His Messenger. This [verse] was revealed regarding ‘Abd Allāh b. Jahsh and his sister Zaynab, whose hand the Prophet had asked for in marriage, but meaning on behalf of Zayd b. Hāritha. They were loathe to this [proposal] when they found out [that it was on the latter’s behalf], for they had thought that the Prophet (s) wanted to marry her himself. But afterwards they consented because of the [following part of the] verse: And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has certainly strayed into manifest error. Thus the Prophet (s) gave her in marriage to Zayd. Then on one occasion he [the Prophet] caught sight of her and felt love for her, whereafter [when he realised that] Zayd lost his affection for her and so said to the Prophet (s), ‘I want to part with her’. But the Prophet said to him, ‘Retain your wife for yourself’, as God, exalted be He, says:
Can you see what the Tafsir say.
Muhammad was the one that help the man to proposed Zaynab and also use a revelation to make sure that she married Zayd.
In another occasion he the Muhammad felt in love with her. And this lead to a situation where Zayd begin to lost his affection for her wife.
Let go to verse 37 where we will be exposing a lot of hidden secret about this issue and main reason why Zayd decided to stay away from Zaynab.
Quran 33:37
Arabic
وَإِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِىٓ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَتُخْفِى فِى نَفْسِكَ مَا ٱللَّهُ مُبْدِيهِ وَتَخْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَىٰهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيْدٌ مِّنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَٰكَهَا لِكَىْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِ أَدْعِيَآئِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا۟ مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا
Yusuf Ali
Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favour: “Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife, and fear Allah.” But thou didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And Allah’s command must be fulfilled.
Even without quoting the Tafsir you will see it clearly that it has been in Muhammad thought to take this lady as wife but he is just try to do as if nothing is happening. To make it more clear let me quote Tafsir and Sirah that has to do with this verse. It will be the one wo expose the truth more.
TAFSIR IBN KATHIR VOLUME 7 PAGE 695-697
Allah’s rebuke to His Messenger and the Story of Zayd and Zaynab
Allah tells what His Prophet said to his freed slave Zayd bin Harithah, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the one on whom Allah had bestowed grace, i.e., through Islam and following the Messenger.
وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ
(and you have done a favor to him) means, by freeing him from slavery. And he was a great leader, held in high esteem and beloved by the Prophet. He was known as the beloved, and his son Usamah was known as the beloved son of the beloved. `A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The Messenger of Allah never sent him on a campaign but he appointed him as its commander, and if he had lived after him he would have appointed him as his Khalifah.” This was recorded by Imam Ahmad. The Messenger of Allah had given him in marriage to the daughter of his paternal aunt, Zaynab bint Jahsh Al-Asadiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, whose mother was Umaymah bint `Abd Al-Muttalib. For her dowery he gave her ten Dinars, sixty Dirhams, a veil, a cloak and a shirt, fifty Mudds of food and ten Mudds of dates. This was stated by Muqatil bin Hayyan. She stayed with him for a year, more or less, then problems arose between them. Zayd complained about her to the Messenger of Allah, who told him, “Stay with your wife and have Taqwa of Allah.” Allah says:
(But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the people whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him.) Ibn Jarir narrated that `A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “If Muhammad were to have concealed anything that was revealed to him of the Book of Allah, he would have concealed this Ayah:
(But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the people whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him.)”
(So, when Zayd had completed his aim with her, We gave her to you in marriage,) meaning, `when her marriage to Zayd was over and he had separated from her, We married her to you,’ and the One Who was her Wali (guardian) in this marriage was Allah Himself, in the sense that He revealed to the Prophet that he should go in unto her without any Wali, contractual agreement, dowery or witnesses among mankind. Imam Ahmad recorded that Thabit said that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “When Zaynab’s `Iddah finished, may Allah be pleased with her, the Messenger of Allah said to Zayd bin Harithah,
(Go to her and tell her about me (that I want to marry her).) So, he went to her and found her kneading dough. He (Zayd) said, `When I saw her I felt such respect for her that I could not even look at her and tell her what the Messenger of Allah had said, so I turned my back to her and stepped aside, and said, `O Zaynab! Rejoice, for the Messenger of Allah has sent me to propose marriage to you on his behalf.’ She said, `I will not do anything until I pray to my Lord, may He be glorified.’ So she went to the place where she usually prayed. Then Qur’an was revealed and the Messenger of Allah came and entered without permission. We were there when she entered upon the Messenger of Allah, and for the wedding feast we offered bread and meat. Then the people left, and some men stayed behind conversing in the house after they had eaten. The Messenger of Allah went out and I followed him. He started to go around all the apartments of his wives, greeting them, and they said, `O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your (new) wife’ I do not know whether I or someone else told him that those people had left, so he went and entered the house, and I went to enter after him, but he drew the curtain between himself and I. The ruling of Hijab was revealed and he exhorted the people as Allah had exhorted them:
SOME POINT IN TAFSIR IBN KATHIR
Can you see where it is written that Muhammad was the one that help this man to pay the bride price or dawry. This was recorded by Imam Ahmad. The Messenger of Allah had given him in marriage to the daughter of his paternal aunt, Zaynab bint Jahsh Al-Asadiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, whose mother was Umaymah bint `Abd Al-Muttalib. For her dowery he gave her ten Dinars, sixty Dirhams, a veil, a cloak and a shirt, fifty Mudds of food and ten Mudds of dates.
It also stated that She stayed with him for a year, more or less, then problems arose between them. Zayd complained about her to the Messenger of Allah, who told him, “Stay with your wife and have Taqwa of Allah. Here they didn’t tell us the foundation of the problem that started between them. But you will see it I sirah Al Tabari which I will quote below.
After Zayd separated from Zaynab and the awaiting period is over see what Muhammad asked Zayd to do to his wife.
Ahmad recorded that Thabit said that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “When Zaynab’s `Iddah finished, may Allah be pleased with her, the Messenger of Allah said to Zayd bin Harithah,
(Go to her and tell her about me (that I want to marry her).) So, he went to her and found her kneading dough. He (Zayd) said, `When I saw her I felt such respect for her that I could not even look at her and tell her what the Messenger of Allah had said, so I turned my back to her and stepped aside, and said, `O Zaynab! Rejoice, for the Messenger of Allah has sent me to propose marriage to you on his behalf.
How can you send a man who divorces his wife because you develop a feelings for her to proposed her on your behalf?
SIRAH AL TABARI VOLUME 8 PAGE 1-3
Muhammad’s Marriage to Zaynab bt. Jahsh In this year the Messenger of God married Zaynab bt. Jahsh
According to Muhammad b. ‘Umar [al-Wagidi]2_ ‘Abdallah b. ‘Amir a1-Aslami3-Muhammad b. Yahya b. Ilabban,4 who said:
The Messenger of God came to the house of Zayd b. Harithah.5 (Zayd was always called Zayd b. Muhammad. Perhaps the Messenger of God missed him at that moment, so as to ask, “Where is Zayd?” He came to his residence to look for him but did not find him. Zaynab bt. Jahsh, Zayd’s wife, rose to meet him. Because she was dressed only in a shift, the Messenger of God turned away from her. She said: “He is not here, Messenger of God. Come in, you who are as dear to me as my father and mother!” The Messenger of God refused to enter. Zaynab had dressed in haste when she was told “the Messenger of God is at the door.” She jumped up in haste and excited the admiration of the Messenger of God, so that he turned away murmuring something that could scarcely be understood. However, he did say overtly: “Glory be to God the Almighty! Glory be to God, who causes hearts to turn!” When Zayd came home, his wife told him that the Messenger of God had come to his house. Zayd said, “Why didn’t you ask him to come in?” She replied, “I asked him, but he refused.” “Did you hear him say anything?” he asked. She replied, “As he turned away, I heard him say: ‘Glory be to God the Almighty! Glory be to God, who causes hearts to turn!”‘ So Zayd left, and, having come to the Messenger of God, he said: “Messenger of God, I have heard that you came to my house. Why didn’t you go in, you who are as dear to me as my father and mother? Messenger of God, perhaps Zaynab has excited your admiration, and so I will separate myself from her.” The Messenger of God said, “Keep your wife to yourself.” Zayd could find no possible way to [approach] her after that day. He would come to the Messenger of God and tell him so, but the Messenger of God would say to him, “Keep your wife.” Zayd separated from her and left her, and she became free . While the Messenger of God was talking with ‘A’ishah, a faintings overcame him. When he was released from it, he smiled and said, “Who will go to Zaynab to tell her the good news, saying that God has married her to me? ” Then the Messenger of God recited: “And when you said unto him on whom God has conferred favor and you have conferred favor, ‘Keep your wife to yourself …’ and the entire passage.
POINTS IN TABARI.
In Sirah Al Tabari we can see that this couples are happily married without any issue until Muhammad went to their house and Zaynab Beauty and admired it. This is where the problem of that family started. The Messenger of God came to the house of Zayd b. Harithah.5 (Zayd was always called Zayd b. Muhammad. Perhaps the Messenger of God missed him at that moment, so as to ask, “Where is Zayd?” He came to his residence to look for him but did not find him. Zaynab bt. Jahsh, Zayd’s wife, rose to meet him. Because she was dressed only in a shift, the Messenger of God turned away from her. She said: “He is not here, Messenger of God. Come in, you who are as dear to me as my father and mother!” The Messenger of God refused to enter. Zaynab had dressed in haste when she was told “the Messenger of God is at the door.” She jumped up in haste and excited the admiration of the Messenger of God, so that he turned away murmuring something that could scarcely be understood. However, he did say overtly: “Glory be to God the Almighty! Glory be to God, who causes hearts to turn.
Did you notice that when Zayd asked his wife what did Muhammad say and she told him. This man went straight to Muhammad and said he heard what Muhammad has said and he want to separate from her. “Did you hear him say anything?” he asked. She replied, “As he turned away, I heard him say: ‘Glory be to God the Almighty! Glory be to God, who causes hearts to turn!”‘ So Zayd left, and, having come to the Messenger of God, he said: “Messenger of God, I have heard that you came to my house. Why didn’t you go in, you who are as dear to me as my father and mother? Messenger of God, perhaps Zaynab has excited your admiration, and so I will separate myself from her.” The Messenger of God said, “Keep your wife to yourself.
The main reason why Zayd cannot stay in the marriage again is that since the day Muhammad set his eyes own this woman Zayd could no longer had sexual intercouse with her wife again. This is stated in Al Tabari and Tafsir Qurtubi.
Sirah tabari – Zayd could find no possible way to [approach] her after that day. He would come to the Messenger of God and tell him so, but the Messenger of God would say to him, “Keep your wife
Tafsir Al Qurtubi – It is narrated that: Zayd went to bed that evening, and Zaynab said: Zayd could not have intercourse with me, and I could not refuse him except for what God had forbidden me, so he could not have power over me.
This is the narration of Abu ‘Ismah Nuh ibn Abi Maryam, who traced the hadith back to Zaynab, who said that she said this. In some narrations: “Zayd became agitated when he wanted to approach her, and this is close to that.
Muhammad faint because of his adopted son wife. While the Messenger of God was talking with ‘A’ishah, a faintings overcame him. When he was released from it, he smiled and said, “Who will go to Zaynab to tell her the good news, saying that God has married her to me? ” Then the Messenger of God recited: “And when you said unto him on whom God has conferred favor and you have conferred favor, ‘Keep your wife to yourself …’ and the entire passage.
TAFSIR AL QURTUBI
This is the portion that Muslim included in his Sahih, and it is the one that al-Tirmidhi authenticated in his Jami’. In al-Bukhari, on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, it is narrated that this verse: {And you were concealing within yourself that which Allah was to disclose} (3:17) was revealed concerning Zaynab bint Jahsh and Zayd ibn Harithah. Umar, Ibn Mas’ud, Aisha, and al-Hasan said: Allah did not reveal to His Messenger a verse more difficult for him than this verse. Al-Hasan and Aisha said: If the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had concealed any part of the revelation, he would have concealed this verse because of its severity for him. It is narrated that: Zayd went to bed that evening, and Zaynab said: Zayd could not have intercourse with me, and I could not refuse him except for what God had forbidden me, so he could not have power over me. This is the narration of Abu ‘Ismah Nuh ibn Abi Maryam, who traced the hadith back to Zaynab, who said that she said this. In some narrations: “Zayd became agitated when he wanted to approach her, and this is close to that. Zayd came to the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: Zaynab hurts me with her tongue and does such and such! And I want to divorce her.” So he said to him: {Keep your wife and fear God} (Quran 3:17). So Zayd divorced her, and the verse was revealed: {And when you said to him whom God had favored and you had favored} (Quran 3:17)
People differed in their interpretation of this verse. Qatadah, Ibn Zayd, and a group of commentators, including al-Tabari and others, held that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had developed a fondness for Zaynab bint Jahsh, who was married to Zayd. He was eager for Zayd to divorce her so that he could marry her. Then, when Zayd informed him that he wanted to separate from her, complaining of her harsh speech, disobedience, verbal abuse, and arrogance regarding her lineage, the Prophet said to him, “Fear God—in what you say about her—and keep your wife.” He was concealing his desire for Zayd to divorce her. This was what he was hiding in his heart, but he adhered to the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil. Muqatil said: “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, married Zaynab bint Jahsh to Zayd, and she stayed with him for a while. Then one day, he, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Zayd looking for him. He saw Zaynab standing there; she was fair-skinned, beautiful, and well-proportioned, one of the most perfect women of Quraysh. He was captivated by her and said, ‘Glory be to God, the Turner of Hearts!’ Zaynab heard the glorification and mentioned it to Zayd. Zayd realized what he was saying and said, ‘O Messenger of God, permit me to divorce her, for she is arrogant, she is haughty towards me, and she hurts me with her tongue.’ He, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Keep your wife and fear God.’ It was also said that God sent a wind that lifted the curtain while Zaynab was relaxing in her home. He saw Zaynab and was captivated by her. Zaynab then realized that she had captivated the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he came looking for Zayd. When Zayd came, she told him about it, and he decided to divorce her.” Ibn Abbas said, regarding the verse, “And you conceal within yourself…” Love for her. {And you fear the people} meaning you are ashamed before them. It was also said: You fear and dislike the blame of the Muslims if you were to say, “Divorce her,” and they would say, “He ordered a man to divorce his wife and then married her after he divorced her.” {And Allah is more deserving of your fear} in all circumstances. It was also said: Allah is more deserving of your shame, and you should not order Zayd to keep his wife after Allah informed you that she would be your wife, for Allah rebuked him for all of this. It was narrated on the authority of Ali bin Al-Hussein: “The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, had been informed by God Almighty that Zaid would divorce Zainab, and that he would marry her by God’s permission. When Zaid complained to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, about Zainab’s character, and that she did not obey him, and informed him that he wanted to divorce her, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said to him, in the manner of good manners and advice: ‘Fear God in what you say and keep your wife.’ He knew that he would leave her and marry her, and this is what he concealed in his heart, and he did not want to order him to divorce her because he knew that he would marry her, and the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, feared that people would say about him marrying Zainab after Zaid, who was his freed slave, and he had ordered him to divorce her. So God Almighty rebuked him for this degree of fear of people regarding something that God had permitted him by saying: ‘Keep her,’ even though he knew that he would divorce her.”
If you carefully study this narration very well you will discover that Muhammad is the source of the separation of Zayd and Zaynab.
What did Jesus say about this?