Zayd ibn Harithah (Zayd ibn Muhammad or Zaid mawla Muhammad) (c. 578-627 CE) was a prominent figure in the early Islamic community. As an adopted son of Muhammad, he was an early convert to Islam and later, a military leader. He died c. 627 CE at the Battle of Mu'tah. Note: Mawla word has two meanings. ... Muhammad, (Arabic محمد, also transliterated Mohammad, Mohammed, Mohamed, Muhammed, Mahommed, Mehmed, Mehmet, and Mahomet (Latin Mahometus), c. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Muhammad (Arabic ; also Mohammed, Mohamet, and other variants[1] [2] [3]), 570-632 C.E.,[4] [5] was an Arab religious and political leader who established Islam and the Muslim community (Ummah, Arabic: أمة) to whom he preached. ... Events April 11 - Paulinus, a Roman missionary, baptizes King Edwin of Deira December 12 - Battle of Nineveh: Byzantine Emperor Heraclius defeats the Persians Births Deaths November 10 - Justus, Archbishop of Canterbury Categories: 627 ... Combatants Muslims Byzantine (Roman) Empire[1] and Ghassanids Commanders Zayd ibn Harithah Jafar ibn Abu Talib Abdullah ibn Rawahah[2] Khalid ibn al-Walid Theodorus Strength 3,000 [2] Unknown but in many reliable sources the count was(100,000sassinad-100,000easteren roman) Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of...

Early life

He was the natural son of a man named Harithah -- not the Harith of the Banu Hashim, Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib. Little is known of Zayd's natural father. Some sources say that Harithah was descended from the Arab poet Imri'el-Qays. One or more of his ancestors may have been of African descent, as he is said to have had very dark skin ^[1] (Other prominent African early Muslims include Bilal ibn Ribah). Banu Hashim (Arabic: بنو هاشم) is a clan in the Quraish tribe. ... This article lacks information on the subject matters importance. ... Bilal redirects here. ...

Zayd is said to have been captured in an inter-tribal war and sold as a slave. He was given as a present to Muhammad's wife Khadijah. The couple freed him and treated him as a son; he was then known as Zayd ibn Muhammad, Zayd the son of Muhammad. He lived with Muhammad and Khadijah in their household in the city of Mecca, in the Hijaz region of western Arabia. ^{[citation needed]} Khadija (Arabic: خديجه ) was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad and the first female convert to Islam, the new religion he had begun to preach. ... Mecca IPA: or Makkah IPA: (in full: Makkah al-Mukarramah; Arabic: ‎, Turkish: Mekke) is the capital city of Saudi Arabias Makkah province, in the historic Hejaz region. ... Hejaz (also Hijaz, Hedjaz) is a region in the northwest of present-day Saudi Arabia; its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better-known for the holy city of Mecca. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a mainly desert peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia and an important part of the greater Middle East. ...

Conversion to Islam

When Muhammad reported that he had received a revelation from the angel Gabriel, his wife Khadijah believed and thus became the first convert, and the first female convert, to Islam. It is not clear who was the first male convert. Early sources mention three names: Zayd, Ali (Muhammad's younger cousin, who also lived in his household), and Abu Bakr, Muhammad's friend. See Identity of first male Muslim for further discussion. For other uses, see Ali (disambiguation). ... Abu Bakr As Siddiq (Arabic ابو بكر الصديق, alternative spellings, Abubakar, Abi Bakr, Abu Bakar) (c. ... There is some disagreement among Muslims, and among historians of Islam, as to the identity of the first male convert to Islam (Muhammad excluded). ...

Whoever was the first, Zayd was definitely one of the first Muslims. As Muhammad's adopted son he was an important figure in the small community of the first Muslims.

The Hijra

In 622, the small Muslim community fled persecution in Mecca and established itself in the oasis of Yathrib, later called Medina. Zayd emigrated with the rest of Muhammad's household. Hijra may refer to: Hijra (Hegira/Hijrah/Hejira) is an Arabic term referring to the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622. ... Oasis in the Libyan part of the Sahara For other uses, see Oasis (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Saudi city of Medina. ... Medina (Arabic: ‎ or المدينة ; also transliterated into English as Madinah) is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. ...

The Muslims had no land and had to live by day labor and by raiding. They considered themselves to be at war with Mecca, and saw no wrong in raiding Meccan caravans.^{[citation needed]} Zayd became a warrior and at times a leader of expeditions.

Marriage

It seems to have been after the Hijra that Zayd married Zaynab bint Jahsh, Muhammad's cousin. The marriage was made at the urging of Muhammad; Zaynab resisted marriage to an ex-slave of dubious lineage, but this marriage demonstrated that lineage was of no account in Islam, and that all were equal before God. The marriage seems to have been unhappy and Zayd ultimately divorced Zaynab. Zaynab is said to have set her heart upon marrying Muhammad, however, as she had married his adopted son, he was considered her father by the prevalent traditional standards and would have been scandalous. However, a revelation absolved such kind of thinking and enforced the concept that only real blood ties, rather than adoption would be considered in determining parentage and kinship (Qur'an 33:5). Zayd changed his name from Zayd ibn Muhammad to Zayd ibn Harithah, and Zaynab was allowed to marry Muhammad. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Zayd is the only one of the companions of Muhammad to be mentioned by name in the Qur'an.

Death

Zayd took part in an expedition in 630 CE. A Muslim force of 3000 men set out to raid the Byzantine city of Busra. They were intercepted at a place called Muta'h. The Battle of Mu'tah was a rare reverse for the Muslims. Zayd was killed as he held the standard, as were two other leaders, Jafar bin Abu Talib and Abdullah bin Rawahhah. He was the first Muslim to be martyred on foreign soil. Bosra (alternative Bostra, Busrana, Bozrah, Bozra, Busra Eski Sham, Busra ash-Sham, Nova Trojana Bostra) is an ancient city in southern modern-day Syria. ... Combatants Muslims Byzantine (Roman) Empire[1] and Ghassanids Commanders Zayd ibn Harithah Jafar ibn Abu Talib Abdullah ibn Rawahah[2] Khalid ibn al-Walid Theodorus Strength 3,000 [2] Unknown but in many reliable sources the count was(100,000sassinad-100,000easteren roman) Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Abd-Allah ibn Rawahah was one of the companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. ...

Legacy

Zaid was the father of Usama ibn Zayd ibn Harithah, whom one time commanded over Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman ^[2]. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Hadith of Usamas dispatchment is a Hadith in Islam about an event during Muhammads last days alive. ...

See also

• Sahaba
• Identity of first male Muslim
• Islamic adoption

In Islam, the Ṣaḥābah (Arabic: ‎ companions) were the companions of Muhammad. ... There is some disagreement among Muslims, and among historians of Islam, as to the identity of the first male convert to Islam (Muhammad excluded). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2] [3]

also:

• Watt, Montgomery, Muhammad at Mecca, Oxford University Press, 1953
• Watt, Montgomery, Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press, 1956