Zaynab bint Khuzayma
Muhammad's fifth wife
About Zaynab bint Khuzayma
Lived 595 – 625 (aged 29–30).
Zaynab bint Khuzayma ( 596 – 625), also known as Umm al-Masākīn (, "Mother of the Poor"), was the fifth wife of Muhammad. As a result of her early death, less is known about her than about his other wives.
Early life Zaynab was the first of Muhammad’s wives who was not from the Quraysh tribe. Her father, Khuzayma ibn al-Harith, was from the Hilal tribe. Her mother is sometimes said to have been Hind bint Awf, but this tradition is weak.
Her first husband was her cousin, Jahm ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Harith. she acquired a reputation for extreme generosity. "She was called 'Mother of the Beggars' because of her kindness to them and her pity for them." and she is not listed among the people whom he took to Medina in 622.
Zaynab's next husband was Tufayl ibn al-Harith, a Muslim from the Muttalib clan;
Afterwards Zaynab married Tufayl's brother, Ubayda, However, in February 625 her cousin Qubaysa (brother of her first husband) arranged for her to marry Muhammad, who gave her a dower of either 400 dirhams
It has been suggested that Muhammad proposed or agreed to the match in order to provide for a deserving widow who would otherwise have been reduced to poverty. It was said the marriage was meant to reassure his followers that their deaths in battle would not mean their families would starve and be neglected. An alternative suggestion is that the marriage was politically motivated, "cultivating good relations with her own tribe of ‘Amir b. Sa’sa’ah."
One story about their married life tells how a poor man came to Zaynab’s house to beg for some flour. She gave him the last of what she had and had no food for herself that night. Moved by her compassion, Muhammad told his other wives about it, saying: "If you have faith in Allah ... he will provide for your sustenance even as he does for the birds, who leave their nest hungry in the morning but return full at night".
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Important facts
People in Zaynab bint Khuzayma's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Zaynab bint Khuzayma's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zaynab bint Khuzayma?
Muhammad's fifth wife (c. 596–625)
When was Zaynab bint Khuzayma born?
Zaynab bint Khuzayma was born in 595 in Mecca.
When did Zaynab bint Khuzayma die?
Zaynab bint Khuzayma died in 625 in Medina.
What was Zaynab bint Khuzayma known for?
Zaynab bint Khuzayma was known for Mother of the Believers and Wife.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Zaynab bint Khuzayma
· DBpedia: Zaynab bint Khuzayma
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Zaynab bint Khuzayma. https://biography.guide/zaynab-bint-khuzayma/
MLA: "Zaynab bint Khuzayma." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/zaynab-bint-khuzayma/.
Chicago: "Zaynab bint Khuzayma." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/zaynab-bint-khuzayma/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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