Imam Aḥmad relates—
(1) “Hashim—that is, Ibn al-Qāsim Abū al-Naḍr—narrated to us; Sulaymān ibn al-Mughīrah narrated to us, from Thābit, from Anas, who said:

When Zaynab’s waiting period was over, the Prophet ﷺ said to Zayd,
‘Go and mention me to her.’

So he set off and reached her while she was leavening her dough. He said, ‘The moment I saw her she loomed large in my heart, to the point that I could not look directly at her, knowing that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had spoken of her. I turned my back to her and stepped away, saying, “O Zaynab, rejoice! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has sent me to make mention of you.”’

She replied, ‘I will do nothing until I consult my Lord—Exalted is He.’ She then went to her place of prayer. Thereupon Qur’ānic revelation came down, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon her without asking permission.

Anas continues: ‘I saw us, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon her, serving bread and meat to the guests. The people ate and withdrew, but some men remained in the house conversing after the meal. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stepped outside and I followed him. He began to visit the chambers of his other wives, greeting them, and they would ask, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how did you find your bride?” I am not sure whether it was I who told him the people had gone out, or he was informed by someone else.

He then returned and entered the house. I tried to go in with him, but he let the curtain fall between me and himself, and the verse of the veil was revealed. The people were admonished with the words: “Do not enter the Prophet’s houses unless permission has been granted to you” (al-Aḥzāb 33:53).’

Muslim and al-Nasāʾī have transmitted the same report through several chains from Sulaymān ibn al-Mughīrah.

The veil was revealed on the morning of her wedding—
a marriage whose contract Allah Himself ratified.

It was thus fitting that the ruling of the veil should descend on that very wedding, safeguarding her and her sisters among the Mothers of the Believers, in accordance with ʿUmar’s well-known view.

Al-Bukhārī states—
(5) ‘Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd-Allāh al-Raqāshī informed us; Muʿtamir ibn Sulaymān narrated to us, saying, “My father related to me; Abū Mijlaz related to us, from Anas ibn Mālik, who said:

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ married Zaynab bint Jahsh, he invited the people, who ate and then sat chatting. He appeared to be preparing to rise, but they did not move. When he actually stood, some stood with him while three men remained seated. The Prophet ﷺ came back to enter [the house] and found them still sitting. Eventually they rose and left, so I went and told the Prophet ﷺ that they had…"