16/15. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1428h — Zainab's Wedding Feast
The Marriage of Zainab Bint Jahsh, The Revelation of (the verse of) Hijab, and confirmation of the importance of the wedding feast.
Zainab Wedding Feast Hadith and Invitation Manners
Sahih Muslim : 1428h
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1428h
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا تَزَوَّجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم زَيْنَبَ أَهْدَتْ لَهُ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ حَيْسًا فِي تَوْرٍ مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ فَقَالَ أَنَسٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اذْهَبْ فَادْعُ لِي مَنْ لَقِيتَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ " . فَدَعَوْتُ لَهُ مَنْ لَقِيتُ فَجَعَلُوا يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِ فَيَأْكُلُونَ وَيَخْرُجُونَ وَوَضَعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ فَدَعَا فِيهِ وَقَالَ فِيهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ وَلَمْ أَدَعْ أَحَدًا لَقِيتُهُ إِلاَّ دَعَوْتُهُ فَأَكَلُوا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا وَخَرَجُوا وَبَقِيَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ فَأَطَالُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدِيثَ فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْتَحْيِي مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُمْ شَيْئًا فَخَرَجَ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَى طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ} قَالَ قَتَادَةُ غَيْرَ مُتَحَيِّنِينَ طَعَامًا وَلَكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا حَتَّى بَلَغَ { ذَلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ}
Anas Narrated from:
When Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) contracted marriage with Zainab (Allah be pleased with bet), Umm Sulaim sent him hats in a vessel of stone as a gift. Anas stated that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Go and invite on my behalf all the Muslims whom you meet. So I invited on his behalf everyone whom I met. They entered (his house) and they ate and went out. And Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had kept his hand on the food, and he invoked blessing on that, and said whatever Allah wished him to say, and none whom I met was left uninvited.They ate to their fill and went out, but a group among them remained there and was engaged in lengthy discussion. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) felt shy of saying them anything. So he went out and left them in his house and Allah the Great and Majestic revealed this verse:" 0 you who believe, enter not the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished."Qatada (instead of using the word Ghaira Nazirina) used the word Ghaira Mutahayyinina (i. e. not waiting for the time of the food). But when you are invited, enter..." up to this verse. This is purer for your hearts and their hearts.
[1] Al-Ahzāb 33:53.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1428hIn-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 111USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3336
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1428h
This Hadith describes the wedding feast of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) with Zainab, where Umm Sulaim sent hais as a gift. Anas was told to invite every Muslim he met, so many people came, ate, and left. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) placed his hand on the food and made supplication over it. The people ate until they were full. A group, however, stayed behind and continued a long discussion. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) felt shy to tell them to leave, so he went out and left them in the house. Then the verse was revealed about entering the houses of the Prophet only with permission, coming when invited, and keeping the hearts pure. The Hadith teaches hospitality with respect, not careless staying.
What we learn from this hadith
- Invitations should be honored when they are given.
- Food can be blessed through supplication and gratitude.
- Guests should leave after the meal instead of staying too long.
- Household privacy should be respected.
