The death of As’ad ibn Zurara, the birth of Abdallah ibn az-Zoubayr and the marriage with Aïcha

There died in those months Abou Oumama As’ad ibn Zurara ibn Odas, one of the twelve leaders of the night of al-Aqaba, over his people the Banu an-Najjar, who had witnessed all three Aqabas and was the first to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allah on the night of the second Aqaba, according to some: he was a young man, and the first to gather in Medina at Naqi’ al-Khadimat in the rout of the Banu an-Nabit. Ibn Ishaq reports that he died while the mosque was being built, seized by a pain in the side or a colic. Ibn Jarir reports in his History, from Ma’mar, from az-Zouhri, from Anas, that the Messenger of Allah had him cauterised on the side: his reporters are trustworthy. Ibn Ishaq reports that the Messenger of Allah said of him: "Evil is the death of Abou Oumama for the Jews and the hypocrites of the Arabs: they say, were he a prophet, his companion would not have died!

I hold for myself, and for my companion, nothing against Allah." That implies he was the first to die after the Prophet’s arrival. Abou l-Hasan Ibn al-Athir claims in Ousd al-Ghabe that he died in Shawwal, seven months after the arrival of the Prophet: Allah is most knowing. Moussa ibn Oqba reports from Asim ibn Omar ibn Qatada that the Banu an-Najjar asked the Messenger of Allah to appoint a chief over them after Abou Oumama As’ad ibn Zurara, and he said:

"You are my maternal uncles, and I am of what you are: I myself am your chief." He disliked favouring one of them over the others. That was the distinction of the Banu an-Najjar, of which they boast before their people: the Messenger of Allah was their chief. Ibn al-Athir says this refutes the claim of Abou Nouaym and Ibn Mandah that As’ad ibn Zurara was leader of the Banu Sa’ida: he was leader of the Banu an-Najjar, and Ibn al-Athir spoke truly.

Abou Ja’far Ibn Jarir says in his History: the first to die after the Prophet’s arrival in Medina was, as mentioned, his host Koulthoum ibn Hidm, who survived but a little after his arrival; then died As’ad ibn Zurara, within the year of his arrival, before the building of the mosque was finished, of a pain in the side or a colic. Koulthoum ibn Hidm was a very old man who had embraced Islam before the coming of the Messenger of Allah: when the Prophet came to Medina and stopped at Qouba, he lodged by night in this man’s dwelling, and by day conversed with his companions in the house of Sa’d ibn ar-Rabi’, until he moved to the house of the Banu an-Najjar. Ibn al-Athir says it has been said that he was the first of the Muslims to die after the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, then As’ad ibn Zurara after him: at-Tabari mentions it.

There was born in Shawwal of this year of the Hijra Abdallah ibn az-Zoubayr: he was the first child born in Islam among the emigrants, just as Nou’man ibn Bachir was the first child born to the Ansar after the emigration. Some claim he was born twenty months after the Hijra: that is the view of Abou l-Aswad, related by the Waqidi; and others claim Nou’man was born six months before az-Zoubayr, near the fourteenth month of the Hijra. The correct is what we have advanced. The Boukhari reports through Hicham ibn Urwa, from his father, from Asma: I became pregnant with Abdallah ibn az-Zoubayr, and went out near my full term, came to Medina and stopped at Qouba, and gave birth to him there. Then I carried him to the Messenger of Allah, who set him in his lap, called for a date, chewed it, then put his saliva into his mouth: it was the first thing that entered his stomach, the saliva of the Messenger of Allah; then he rubbed his palate with a date, supplicated for him and blessed him. He was the first child born in Islam.

Khalid ibn Makhlad corroborated it through Ali ibn Moussir, from Hicham, from his father, from Asma: she emigrated to the Prophet while pregnant. Qutayba reports, through Abou Ousama, from Hicham, from his father, from Aïcha: the first child born in Islam was Abdallah ibn az-Zoubayr; he was brought to the Prophet, who took a date, chewed it and put it in his mouth: the first thing to enter his belly was the saliva of the Prophet. This is proof against the Waqidi and his like: for he says the Prophet, when Abdallah ibn Ourayqit returned to Mecca, sent Zayd ibn Haritha and Abou Rafi’ to bring back his children and those of Abou Bakr, who arrived shortly after the Prophet’s emigration, with Asma pregnant to her full term, near delivery. When she gave birth, the Muslims proclaimed Allah is great with a great proclamation, rejoicing at his birth: for the Jews had bewitched their ears, claiming that after their emigration no child would be born to them, and Allah belied the Jews in what they claimed.

The Messenger of Allah entered with Aïcha in Shawwal of this year. Imam Ahmad reports through Sufyan ath-Thawri, from Isma’il ibn Oumayya, from Abdallah ibn Urwa, from his father, from Aïcha: the Messenger of Allah married me in Shawwal and entered upon me in Shawwal: which of his wives had greater fortune with him than I? Aïcha loved to have her women married in Shawwal. The Tirmidhi, Mouslim, an-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah reported it, and the Tirmidhi declared it good and authentic, known only through Sufyan ath-Thawri. On this reckoning, the Prophet’s consummation with her took place seven or eight months after the emigration. Ibn Jarir related both views. It has already been mentioned, in the account of his marriage with Sawda, how he married and how he entered with Aïcha after they came to Medina, and that he entered with her at the Sanh, by day:

contrary to what people customarily do today. His entering in Shawwal refutes what some people imagine today, namely that it is disliked to consummate marriage between the two feasts, for fear of separation between the two spouses. Aïcha said, refuting those who imagined it in her time: he married me in Shawwal and entered upon me in Shawwal: which of his wives had greater fortune than I? She had thus understood from the Prophet that she was the most beloved of his wives to him, and her understanding is correct, according to the clear proofs that establish it, were it only the hadith established in the Sahih of the Boukhari, from Amr ibn al-As: I said: O Messenger of Allah, who is the person most beloved to you? He said: "Aïcha." I said: among men? He said: "Her father."