Rayhana bint Zayd

Ibn Sa'd gives her lineage as Rayhana bint Zayd ibn Amr ibn Khunafa ibn Sham'un ibn Zayd and identifies her with Banu al-Nadir; the same entry explains that some associated her with Banu Qurayza because of her first marriage. Ibn Ishaq calls her a woman of Banu Amr ibn Qurayza, while Ibn Abd al-Barr says that the more common affiliation was Qurayza. Al-Baladhuri preserves both affiliations. This is therefore an early tribal-lineage disagreement, not a securely resolved identification.

Before entering the Prophet's household, she was married to a man of Banu Qurayza. One line in Ibn Sa'd gives his name as Hakim, Ibn Hajar gives al-Hakam, and al-Baladhuri records Abd al-Hakam, al-Hakam, or the kunya Abu al-Hakam. After her first husband was killed during the Banu Qurayza events in 5 AH, corresponding to 627 CE, she was among the captives. The name forms are retained as separate early variants rather than reduced to one certain spelling.

The sira reports state that she accepted Islam, but they preserve two basic accounts of her legal status with Prophet Muhammad. The Ibn Ishaq line says that emancipation and marriage were offered, while she preferred to remain in his ownership as the easier arrangement. Ibn Sa'd, through al-Waqidi, transmits a second account that she was emancipated and married in Muharram 6 AH with a dower like that assigned to the Prophet's wives.

The marriage account includes residence in the house of Umm al-Mundhir, veiling, an allotted turn like the wives, a divorce, and reconciliation. Other early reports classify her among the Prophet's concubines or say that she remained in his ownership until his death. Her association with the household is historically clear, but the precise legal classification as wife or concubine is not resolved. For that reason, the title Mother of the Believers is not applied as an unqualified certainty.

Her historical importance lies less in a documented public office than in the source disagreement itself. The early record preserves Banu al-Nadir and Banu Qurayza affiliations, several forms of the first husband's name, and two different descriptions of her household status. This material shows that tribal identity could be described through both descent and marriage and that later legal labels should not be imposed on conflicting early reports without qualification.

The al-Waqidi line in Ibn Sa'd says that she died on the return from the Farewell Pilgrimage in 10 AH, corresponding to 632 CE, and was buried in al-Baqi; Ibn Abd al-Barr likewise places her death in 10 AH. By contrast, the Ibn Ishaq line says that the Prophet died while she remained alive in his ownership, extending her life at least to Rabi I 11 AH. The death sequence therefore remains disputed and al-Baqi burial is a transmitted report, while no separately identified grave is securely established.