Islam_in_Focus_text

Here, aeain, Muhammad carried his share and took some re-
sponsibilities by marrying two of those captives,
4. The Prophet contracted some of his marriages for so-
ciopolitical reasons. His principal concern was the future of
Islam. He was most interested in strengthening the Muslims
by all bonds. That is why he married the minor daughter of
Abu Bakr, his First Successor, and the daughter of TJmar,
his Second Successor. It was by his marriage to Juwairiah
that he gained the support for Islam of the whole clan of
Bani al-Mustaliq and their allied tribes, It was through mar-
riage to Safiyah that he neutralized a great section of the
hostile Jews of Arabia. By accepting Mary the Copt from
Egypt as his wife, he formed a political alliance with a king
of great magnitude. 1 1 was also a gesture of friendship with a
neighboring king that Muhammad married Zaynab who was
presented to him by the Negus of Abyssinia in whose territo-
ry the early Muslims found safe refuge.
5. By contracting most of these marriages, the Prophet
meant to eliminate the caste system, the racial and national
vanities, and the religious prejudices. He married some of
the humblest and poorest women. He married a Coptic giri
from Egypt, a Jewess of a different religion and race, a ne-
gro giri from Abyssinia. He was not satisfied by merely
teaching brotherhood and equality but he meant what he
taught and put it into practice.