Zaid Ibn Haarithah (May Allah be pleased with him)

Zaid ibn Haarithah (May Allah be pleased with him) was the freed slave of the Prophet peace be upon him. He was originally owned by Khadeejah but she gave him to the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him. Zaid was very dear to the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him so when the Prophet freed him he decided to stay with the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him.

 

In an authentic hadith narrated upon the authority of Saalim ibn Abd-Allah who said that his father said:

 

"We never used to call Zaid ibn Haarithah anything except Zaid ibn Muhammad until (Allah) revealed the verse: (Call them (i.e. adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers that is more just with Allah)."

 

Zaid ibn Haarithah was really from the Kalb tribe and he had been enslaved as a small boy after a war between his tribe and another tribe. One day, some people from his tribe came to Mecca in order to perform Hajj. When they saw Zaid, they recognized him as one of their own and he recognized them. Upon their return they informed Zaid's father where Zaid was and who he was living with.

 

Zaid's father and uncle set out at once for Mecca hoping to free Zaid and return him to his people. The two of them met with the Prophet peace be upon him and said: "O ibn Abd-Al-Muttalib, O ibn Haashim, O son of the chief of his people we have come to you about our son who is with you so please be trustworthy and good with us in the matter of freeing him." The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: "Who is (your son)?" They replied: "Zaid ibn Haarithah." The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: "Do you not want something other than that?" They replied: "And what might that be?" The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: "Call (Zaid) and ask him to choose (between us), if he chooses (to go with) you then he is yours, but if he chooses me then by Allah I will never choose (to part with) anyone who chooses (to stay with) me." They said: "You have met us more than half way and you have been good (to us)." The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him called Zaid and said: "Do you know these people?" Zaid replied: "Yes. This is my father and this is my uncle." The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: "And I am one who you have come to know during my companionship with you, so choose between me and these two." Zaid said: "I do not want (to go with) these two, nor am I one to choose anyone over you. You have taken the place of (my) father and (my) uncle." They said: "Woe to you! Have you chosen slavery over freedom and over your father and the rest of your family?" Zaid said: "Yes. (Because) I have seen from this man something for which I will never choose anyone else over him." When the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him saw that, he took Zaid to the Black Stone and said: "Whoever is present here should bear witness that Zaid is my son! He will inherit from me and I from him." When Zaid's father and uncle saw that they gladly agreed (to renounce their claim) and the two of them departed.

 

The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him later married Zaid to Umm Ayman and she bore him Usaamah ibn Zaid. He also married Zainab bint Jahsh who was the cousin of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him however they were divorced and she later married the Prophet peace be upon him.

 

Al-Waaqidee said that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him put Zaid ibn Haarithah in front of the Muslim army on the day of the Battle of Muettah. When the two armies met, Zaid picked up the flag of the Muslim army and fought until he was killed with a spear (May Allah be pleased with him).