It is narrated from Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the waiting period (‘iddah) of Sayyidah Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) was completed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him): Go and give her my proposal of marriage. He went to her; she was kneading dough at that time. Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) says: When I saw her, I felt such a great status of hers in my heart that I did not have the courage to look at her, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had mentioned her with the intention of making her his wife. So I turned my back towards her and turned around on my heels and said: Zainab! Glad tidings to you, for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has sent me; he remembers you to make you his wife. She replied: I will not say anything until I consult my Lord. After that, she stood in the place designated for prayer in her house. During this time, verses of the Noble Qur’an were revealed, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to her without permission. Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I saw that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) fed us meat and bread. Imam Ahmad’s shaykh, Hashim, narrates that he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave this food, and then I realized that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had given her the proposal of marriage. Hashim also narrates in his hadith that when Sayyidah Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) was sent to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) fed us meat and bread. After the people had eaten, they left, but some people remained in the house, sitting and talking. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went outside and began to visit the chambers of his wives; I was following behind him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would enter each chamber, greet his wives, and they would ask: O Messenger of Allah! How did you find your wife? Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I do not remember whether I informed you or someone else came and informed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that the people had left. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) came into his house. I was about to enter as well, but he (peace and blessings be upon him) hung a curtain between himself and me, and the command of hijab was revealed. And the people were greatly admonished. Imam Ahmad’s shaykh, Hashim, narrated in his hadith that by the command of hijab here, these verses are meant: {لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُیُوتَ النَّبِیِّ إِلَّا أَنْ یُؤْذَنَ لَکُمْ إِلٰی طَعَامٍ غَیْرَ نَاظِرِینَ إِنَاہُ … … وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِینَ لِحَدِیثٍ إِنَّ ذٰلِکُمْ کَانَ یُؤْذِی النَّبِیَّ فَیَسْتَحْیِی مِنْکُمْ وَاللّٰہُ لَا یَسْتَحْیِی مِنَ الْحَقِّ … } … O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet without permission, unless you are invited for a meal, and do not wait for its preparation. But when you are invited, then enter, and when you have eaten, then disperse, and do not linger, engaging in conversation. Indeed, this behavior annoys the Prophet, and he is shy of you, but Allah is not shy of (telling) the truth. And when you ask (his wives) for anything, ask them from behind a curtain. This is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not proper for you to annoy the Messenger of Allah, nor to ever marry his wives after him. Indeed, that would be a great sin in the sight of Allah. (Surah Al-Ahzab: 53)