Introduction
Zaynab bint Khuzaymah belonged to the Banu Hilal. Classical biographies describe her as so kind to poor people that she was called Umm al-Masakin, Mother of the Poor. She was widowed when her husband Ubaydah ibn al-Harith was martyred at Badr.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) married her around 3-4 AH. She lived only a few months as his wife, and she died in Madinah, where the Prophet led her funeral prayer and she was buried in al-Baqi. She was among the first of his wives to die, apart from Khadijah.
Very little detailed information has survived about her, and none of the major hadith collections narrates anything specifically about her life that we could verify. For that reason this page is intentionally brief and cites only what biographical sources agree on.
The story
Before Islam
Known among her people for her kindness to the poor, earning the name Umm al-Masakin (biographical reports).
2 AH
Her husband Ubaydah ibn al-Harith was martyred at Badr (biographical reports).
3-4 AH
Married the Prophet and became a Mother of the Believers.
Read the wording
Quran 33:6Quran Arabic text
ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مَسْطُورًا
“his wives are (as) their mothers”
c. 4 AH
Died in Madinah within months of the marriage and was buried in al-Baqi (biographical reports; the year and number of months are reported differently).
A day in their footsteps
No hadith in Bukhari, Muslim or the four Sunan names Zaynab bint Khuzaymah or describes her practices. Practices are therefore left empty rather than invented.
Virtues
Her care for the poor and orphans is the reason for her title, Umm al-Masakin.
As a wife of the Prophet she is a Mother of the Believers.
“his wives are (as) their mothers”
Arabic text
ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مَسْطُورًا
Quran 33:6Quran
Words on this page
- Badrبدر
- The first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh, in 2 AH. Those who fought there hold a special rank among the Companions.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Related companions
- أم سلمةUmm SalamahUmm Salamah (Hind bint Abi Umayyah), an early emigrant to Abyssinia and Madinah, then Mother of the Believers…
- خديجة بنت خويلدKhadijah bint KhuwaylidKhadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first Mother of the Believers: her steadying support of the Prophet and her loya…
- ميمونة بنت الحارثMaymunah bint al-HarithMaymunah bint al-Harith, the last wife of the Prophet, a freer of slaves and narrator of ghusl, night prayer…
Sources and review
- Wikipedia: Zaynab bint Khuzayma (dates and biography) (opens in a new tab)
- Quran.com / Pickthall translation (33:6) (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.