Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3252
أَخْبَرَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الصُّوفِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ طَهْمَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ كَانَتْ زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ تَفْخَرُ عَلَى نِسَاءِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْكَحَنِي مِنَ السَّمَاءِ . وَفِيهَا نَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الْحِجَابِ .
Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Sufi informed me; he said: Abu Nuaym narrated to us; he said: Isa ibn Tahman, Abu Bakr, narrated to us: I heard Anas ibn Malik say: Zaynab bint Jahsh used to boast to the other wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), saying: ‘Allah, Mighty and Majestic, married me to him from above the heavens.’ The verse of the veil was revealed concerning her.
Translation notes
Zaynab’s statement refers to her marriage being ordained by divine revelation; the report also associates the verse of the veil with her.
يَقُولُ كَانَتْ زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ تَفْخَرُ عَلَى نِسَاءِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْكَحَنِي مِنَ السَّمَاءِ .
أَنْكَحَنِي مِنَ السَّمَاءِ literally says “married me from heaven,” a figurative reference to the divine decree or revelation arranging the marriage.
Does “married me to him from above the heavens” preserve her phrasing without over-explaining it?