There is nothing that can be compared to the birth of a new child to bring about joy and a renewed sense of love amongst a family - and the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is no exception. It was on the 5th of Jamadiul Awwal, some 5 years after the migration to Madinah that a girl was born into the family of Amirul Mumineen Ali ibne Abi Talib and Fatima az-Zahra (peace be upon them both).
Just like their other children, this one too would have the good fortune of being named by her grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). Upon returning from his trip, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) took the new born baby in his arms, and at the command of Allah through the Angel Jibraeel, he proceeded to grace her with the name of Zaynab – which literally means the one who is a source of beauty for her father.
This granddaughter of the Prophet grew up in the city of Madinah under the love and care of her parents, two brothers – Hasan and Husain – and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). However around the age of 7, she would lose two of the dearest people to her – her grandfather the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and her mother, Fatima az-Zahra (peace be upon her).
This upright and noble woman of pure ancestry has been described by scholars in the following words: “In her character she reflected the best attributes of those who raised her. In sobriety and serenity she was likened to Ummul Muminin Khadijah binte Khuwaylid (peace be upon her), her grandmother; in chastity and modesty, to her mother Fatima az-Zahra (peace be upon her); in eloquence, to her father Ali ibne Abi Talib (peace be upon him); in forbearance and patience to her brother Imam Hasan (peace be upon him); in bravery and tranquility of the heart to Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) and her face reflected her father's awe and her grandfather's reverence.”
One of the things she was best known for while in Madinah was her knowledge of the faith of Islam and her zeal of imparting it to other women around her. Her discussions on Islamic beliefs and her lectures on the exegesis (Tafsir) of the Noble Qur`an earned her much recognition in the still new and growing Muslim community. Truly the title which her nephew attributed to her by stating that she was “A teacher who had no formal teacher” is one which would stick with her for her lifetime.
As we prepare to commemorate her birth anniversary, we should recall her noble traits and characteristics – and this is something that the women of our community should especially keep in mind – that they too should seek to rise above the rest of the society and to be model examples for their families and the greater community through their modesty, humility, piety and knowledge.