the 'Asr (afternoon) prayer, so he forbade him. Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any choice about their affair" (1).

17689 - From Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: Al-'Abbas and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, we have come to you so that you may inform us which of your family is most beloved to you?" He said: "The most beloved of my family to me is Fatimah." They said: "We are not asking you about Fatimah." He said: "Then Usamah ibn Zayd, whom Allah has favored and whom I have favored." 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Then who, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Then you, then al-'Abbas." Al-'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, you made your uncle last?" He said: "'Ali has preceded you in the Hijrah (emigration)" (2).

[His saying, the Almighty: "And you were concealing within yourself that which Allah was to disclose"]

17690 - From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that this verse, "And you were concealing within yourself that which Allah was to disclose," was revealed regarding the matter of Zaynab bint Jahsh and Zayd ibn Harithah (3).

17691 - My father narrated to us, [saying] 'Ali ibn Hashim ibn Marzuq narrated to us, Ibn 'Uyaynah narrated to us from 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud'an, who said: 'Ali ibn al-Husayn asked me: "What does al-Hasan say regarding His saying: 'And you were concealing within yourself that which Allah was to disclose'?" I mentioned it to him, and he said: "No, rather Allah had informed His Prophet that she would be one of his wives before he married her. When Zayd came to him to complain about her, he said: 'Fear Allah, and keep your wife to yourself.' He said: 'I have already told you that I am marrying her to you, and you were concealing within yourself that which Allah was to disclose'" (4).

17692 - From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: When the waiting period ('iddah) of Zaynab ended, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to Zayd: "Go and propose her for me." He said: "When I saw her, she grew in my estimation. I said: 'O Zaynab, rejoice! The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has sent me to propose for you.' She said: 'I will not do anything until I consult my Lord.' She stood up to her place of prayer. Then the Qur'an was revealed, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came. He fed us bread and meat. The people left, but some men remained talking in the house after the meal. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) went out and I followed him. He began to go around to the chambers of his wives, greeting them, and they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your family?' I do not know if I informed him that the people had left, or if he was informed. When he went in, I tried to go in with him, but he cast the curtain between me and him. Then the Hijab (veil) was revealed, and he exhorted the people with what he exhorted them: 'Do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted'" (1).