Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when we were about to leave Makkah, the daughter of Sayyiduna Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) started following us, calling out,“Uncle! Uncle!”I took her by the hand and entrusted her to Sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), and said to her,“Take care of your cousin.”(When we reached Madinah), there was a dispute between myself, Sayyiduna Ja’far, and Sayyiduna Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the guardianship of this girl. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“I brought her and she is my uncle’s daughter.”Sayyiduna Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“She is my uncle’s daughter and her maternal aunt, Sayyidah Asma bint Umays (may Allah be pleased with her), is my wife, so I have more right to her guardianship.”Sayyiduna Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“She is my niece.”The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) decided the matter, saying:“Ja’far! You resemble me in appearance and character. Ali! You are from me and I am from you. And Zayd! You are our brother and our freed slave. The girl will stay with her maternal aunt, for the maternal aunt is like the mother in status.”I said,“O Messenger of Allah! Why don’t you marry her?”He replied,“Because she is my foster niece.”