Zayd bin Harithah
From ilmpedia
Zayd bin Harithah al-Kalabi was a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace from Allah be upon him. Zayd's mother was Sawdah bint Tha’labah. She belonged to the famous tribe of Tayy.
Zayd was captured in a plunder and sold as a slave. Hakim ibn Hazam ibn Khuwaylid bought him for four hundred dirhams. It was a lot of money at that time. Hakim gave Zayd as a gift to his aunt Khadijah bint Khuwaylid [ra], the Prophet’s [s] wife. Zayd was happy in the house of Khadijah because she was a very kind lady. When Khadijah married the Prophet [s], she gave him the gift of Zayd ibn Harithah.
When Zayd’s father Harithah and his uncle Ka’b came to know that Zayd lived with a man in Makkah as his slave, both of them came to Makkah and requested the Prophet [s] to set Zayd free. He [s] accepted their request at once. He [s] said that Zayd was free to go with them if he so desired.
Zayd was sent for. The Prophet [s] asked him, ‘Do you know these two?’ Zayd replied, ‘yes! They are my father and uncle.’ He [s] then said, ‘they have come to take you with them. I give you permission to go with them.’
Zayd replied, ‘I do not want to part with you.’ Thereupon Zayd’s father scolded him and said, ‘Do you prefer slavery to freedom?’ Zayd replied, ‘I have seen in Muhammad [s] such things that I prefer no one in the world.’
Having heard this reply of Zayd, the Prophet [s] got up, took Zayd with him and entering Ka’bah said in a loud voice, ‘O people! Be witness to it that today I set Zayd free and take him as my son.’ This delighted both the father and uncle of Zayd and they went away leaving their son in the company of the Prophet [s].
From that day the boy came to be called Zayd bin Muhammad instead of Zayd bin Harithah until Allah’s Command came to the contrary. Thus he returned to the name Zayd bin Harithah. But he enjoyed the love and affection of the Prophet [s].
Zayd was the one who accompanied the Prophet, pbuh during the visit to Taif, where the Prophet, pbuh invited people to accept Islam but was refused.
Notes
This ilmpedia.net article/entry/page has be contributed by Sister Rukaiah Maulvi. Her books have been published by Dar-us-Salam Publications
