The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin Chapter1

The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin

Chapter1

BOOK ID

Author (s): Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi

Translator (s): Jasim al-Rasheed

Publisher (s): Ansariyan Publications - Qum

Category: The 12 Imams

Topic Tags: Life of imams Miscellaneous information:  Title: The Life of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin

Author: Baqir Sharif al- Qarashi

Translator: Jasim al- Rasheed

Printer: Sadr

First Edition 2000-1420

Copies: 2000

Hardcover: 752 pages

ISBN-10: 9644381653

ISBN-13: 978-9644381652

Published by Ansariyan Publications

All Rights Reserved And Recorded For The Publisher

Congress Classification: BP۴۳/ق ۴ح ۹۰۴۹۵۲ ۱۳۷۹

Dewey decimal classification: ۲۹۷ /۹۵۴

National bibliography number: م ۷۹-۱۶۰۹۳

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Tel: [phone] Fax [phone]

Email: ansarian@noornet. net

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The book is a biography of the sixth infallible and fourth Imam Ali Ibn Al-Husayn Zaynu'l-`Abidin known also as Imam As-Sajjad (as). This text, the first comprehensive book on the life of the Imam in English, gives you a brief idea about Imam as-Sajjad along with his supplications and his works.

Featured Category: Introducing the Ahlul Bayt Resources for Further Research

Person Tags: Imam Zain ul Abideen

Publisher’s Preface

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Many years ago, the Professors and Researchers asked us to translate and compose books on the lives of our pure Imams, peace be on them. Of course, these compilations and translations are mere summary of the lives of this Holy Choice from among the Household of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.

Mankind, irrespective of his scientific progress, can never discharge the Imams’ rights against him, nor can he understand them completely. You cannot drink the water in the sea, but whatever you drink will fill you!

By Allah’s grace, and in cooperation with Mr. Jasim al-Rasheed, we have translated and

published several books in this respect. The following titles are some of them:

1. Sulh al-Hasan (The Peace Treaty of al-Hasan) by Murtada Al Yasin.

2. Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq by Shaykh Muhammad Husayn al-Mudaffar.

3. The Life of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir by Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi.

Last but not least, we have issued a fourth book: Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin by Baqir Sharif al- Qarashi.

A great Shi‘ite religious scholar narrated that a great Sunni religious scholar asked ‘Allama al-Amini, author of al-Ghadir: “What is the book or the activity which has made you adopt Zayn al-‘Abidin as an Imam? ”

‘Allama al-Amini answered the religious scholar by sending him a copy of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya. Hence the Scholar answered ‘Allama al- Amini in another letter in which he said: “None is capable of composing this book (i. e. , al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya) except a wise Imam. ”

Anyhow, we thank Allah, the glorified, for giving success to ‘Allama Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi in order to compose this remarkable book. We thank him for giving success to Mr. Jasim al-Rasheed in order to translate this precious book. Moreover, we thank Him for His favors and bounty toward us in helping us print and publish this book. We hope that the book will exalt Islam and Muslims in this world and give them mercy and good pleasure in the next world, Allah willing!

Dedication

I dedicate this study to Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him. For he is the conscience of the Muslim community and pioneer of its dignity and awareness. He is the father of the

free and lord of martyrs. He has occupied a high social position. This study is about his son, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, who has filled the world with his virtues, his knowledge, and his piety.

“Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Amran above the nations. Offspring, one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. ” Qur’an (3: 33 -34)

“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you thoroughly. ” Qur’an (33: 33)

“Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely Allah is Forgiving, Grateful. ” Qur’an (53: 23)

Introduction

In the history of this East, the candle of the Prophetic missions, there was no one like Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, in piety, devotion and intense turning to Allah in repentance except his grandfather, who illuminated the intellectual life with the light of monotheism and true belief.

The life of this great Imam has given an account of the lives of the prophets and the messengers. He was similar to them in all their qualities and trends. Hence he was like Jesus Christ in his asceticism and his turning to Allah in repentance. He was like prophet Job in his tribulation and his patience. He was similar to prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, in

his true resolution and his good manners. His good tendencies and his spiritual abilities are limitless. In the history of this world, it is enough for him that only he has been called Zayn al -‘Abidin. This nick-name has been not given to anyone except him.

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, appeared on the arena of the Islamic life as the most brilliant Muslim politician whom history has ever known. He was ill and captured by the Umayyads, yet spread with his outstanding merits the objectives of the revolution of his father, Imam al- Husayn. The latter was the leader who inspired the victorious Islamic movement. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin showed the original values of the revolution in a brilliant manner full of rationing, originality, and creation.

This great Imam indicated the general thought. He removed the social deception which the community suffered during the days of the black Umayyad regime which intended to paralyze the revolutionary Islamic movement. This regime turned the Muslims into scattering groups without life and feelings. This Imam faced the Umayyad policy with his ideas, where he destroyed their claimed victory and the marks of their haughtiness and might. The Imam, peace be on him, achieved these glorious victories through the wonderful enthusiastic sermons which he delivered before the great masses in Kufa, Damascus, and Medina. These sermons played an important role in enlightening the community and liberating it from the factors of fear and terrorism.

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was the strongest

factor in immortalizing the Husaynid revolution and making it react upon the sentiments and feelings of the community. That was through his wonderful qualities of which history has never known in the world of bravery and heroism. Among these qualities was that he was taken prisoner by bin Marjana (‘Ubayd Allah bin Zyyad) one of the worst terrorists on earth. However, the Imam disdained and reproached him for the great many murder and sins he committed. The tyrant (‘Ubayd Allah) threatened him with death. The Imam was in different to him. He aimed penetrating arrows at ‘Ubayd Allah’s heart through his eloquent words. The Imam’s conversation with him had great influence upon the official and the non-official circles at that time. The Imam went on shedding light upon the objectives of the Husaynid revolution. Thus, he could proclaim these objectives throughout history.

As for the Imam’s speech in Yazid’s palace, it was among the most wonderful documents in Islam. I (i. e. the author) think that there was no political speech more eloquent and influential in educating the masses and enlightening the public opinion than that of the Imam. Through this speech, the Imam confused. So the latter was unable to defend himself or to justify his crime when he killed the master of the youths of Paradise (i. e. Imam Husayn) and destroyed the pure family (of the Prophet). For this reason the people talked with admiration about the Imam’s speech that was among the results of the Husaynid uprising

and its bright stages.

Among the ways through which the Imam immortalized the Husaynid revolution was that he wept very much over the tragedies which befell his father, the members of his House, and his companions at the Battle of Karbala. Indeed the Imam deprived himself of happiness and pleasure. He was overcome with sadness. Thus, he was regarded as among the five tearful persons who represented sorrow throughout history.

I (i. e. the author) think that the Imam wept very much, not because of the great misfortune and the serious adversities which resulted from the tragedies of Karbala. Rather he wept in order to immortalize the revolution which his father led to liberate man from oppression, slavery, and tyranny. His weeping over his father created sorrow in the hearts of the Muslims. Perhaps this phenomenon (of weeping) was among the factors that the Muslim masses used to fight against the Umayyad regime. The first spark started in Medina. The children of the Companions (of the Prophet) declared their armed mutiny against Yazid’s government, who had disdained the values of the community and its fates.

After the tragedy of Karbala, the great Imam, Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, devoted himself to teaching. This is because he thought that spreading knowledge would be the best way to carry out his reformatory message. Besides he thought that it would be the best way to relieve his soul which the tragedies of Karbala melted. Accordingly, the children of the Companions (of the Prophet) , the religious

scholars, and the jurists hurried to benefit from his sea of knowledge. The Imam began teaching them, and they became teachers in the Islamic world. In this book will illustrate their biographies.

The Imam enlightened the Arab and the Islamic thought with various kinds of knowledge. He summoned and urged the Muslim youths to give importance to knowledge. His students lauded and praised his summons to knowledge. His grandfather, the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, planted a tree of knowledge, which grew through his (the Imam’s) blessings. So the people were eager to seek knowledge. Hence, the Imam was the brilliant founder of an intellectual culture in the Islamic world.

As for the scientific and cultural wealth of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, it represented creation, liberty, and development. This wealth was not confined to a particular science. Rather it included many sciences such as jurisprudence, explanation of the Qur’an, theology, philosophy, education, sociology, and the like. The Imam devoted much attention to ethics because he thought that Islamic ethics was liable to collapse. He thought that the people turned away from their religion.

This is because the Umayyad regime intended to destroy all moral values. So the Imam, peace be on him, spared no effort to reform and educate the community. Concerning the Imam, the Shi‘ites said: “When the people yielded to their desires and followed their kings, the Imam cured them with the moral teachings and the holy verses. ” [1]

The Imam, peace be on him,

treated moral and educational matters objectively and inclusively. His studies in this respect are among the most valuable Islamic studies and the most accurate.

Perhaps the most beautiful and the most productive tool used in developing the Islamic thought is his great supplications called al-Sahifa al- Sajjadiya’. The scholars sometimes call it ‘Zabu’r Al Muhammad’, and they sometimes call it ‘Injil Al Muhammad’, may Allah bless him and his family. They regard it as the third important reference after the Qur’an and Nahj al-Balagha. Indeed, it is an ideal Islamic program containing moral values and social rules.

It is worth mentioning that al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya has occupied an important position in the Islamic intellectual circles, where they devoted themselves to study and explain it. The scholars have compiled more than sixty-five commentaries on al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya. [1] They even wrote copies of it in beautiful script which is regarded as among the precious Arabic script. Moreover, some copies have been embellished with precious Arabesque.

We will continue our discussion about al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya’. We say: Its importance is not confined to the Arab and Islamic world, rather its importance has extended to the Western world. It has been translated into English, German, French, and the like. The scholars and people of those nations have devoted themselves to study and ponder its contents carefully. In it they have found a treasure of thought and knowledge. They have also found that it contains moral teachings necessary to educate soul. Indeed, it has added incomparable wealth to the references of the

human thought. It also contains various kinds of high culture which is rarely found in moral and religious books. Besides it is the most important reference in our study on the character of the Imam, peace be on him.

As for the ideas of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and his psychological elements, they bewilder intellects. They move every Muslim and every person who adopts his humanity and yields to its ideals and values to admire the Imam and boast of him.

This Imam was endowed with all good manners. He was adorned with all virtues and honor. He freed himself from all selfishness, and turned away from all the vanities and pleasures of life. Among his prominent qualities was that he turned to Allah in repentance and devoted himself to Him. His love for Allah and his fear of him controlled his intellect, his heart, and his body. His soul shone through the light of conviction in Allah. His heart was full of hope of Allah’s mercy. The historians unanimously agreed that he overexerted himself to worship and obey Allah.

The people of his time did not see anyone who worshipped Allah more than he did. Nor did they see a person who was more pious than he was. Because of his abundant worshipping, he was called the Lord of worshipers and Imam of the pious.

His family felt pity for him because of his abundant worshipping. They were concerned about him because of tiredness and the hardships from which he

suffered. Hence, they went quickly to the great Companion (of the Prophet) , Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari, whom the Imam preferred to the others. They asked Jabir to beg the Imam not to overexert himself in worshipping. Jabir then talked to him and begged him to do that. Some of the words which he said to him are: “You are one of the successors of the Prophet. You are the representative of Allah on the earth. You are among those through whom tribulations are driven away. ” However, the Imam went on worshipping Allah and adhering to obedience. So Jabir said with admiration: “None of the children of the prophets was like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn (i. e. Zayn al-‘Abidin). ”

Indeed no one of the children of the prophets was like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn in asceticism, piety, and intense turning to Allah in repentance.

Another phenomenon of the high ideals by which the Imam, peace be on him, was distinguished was that he treated the slaves kindly. He pitied for them very much. Among what he intended to do during his lifetime was that he wanted to free them from slavery. Indeed, he freed a large group of them. If he had lived for a longer time, he would have freed all the slaves. This is because he wanted to abolish slavery and to make the Muslims know that their religion came to liberate man from abasement and slavery.

It is an act of truthfulness to say that this great inspired Imam was not confined to

a certain group of people nor was he confined to a certain set of Muslims. Rather he was for all people in spite of their different ideas throughout history. This is because the Imam represented human moral values and dignity. Besides he represented what man usually prides himself on, such - Page11 - The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin

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[1]: Nazariyat al-Imama, p. 350.

[1]: Al-Dhari‘a fi Tasanif al-Shi‘a.

as perfection, the rules of conduct, and excellent morals.

Because of the Imam’s high character and his great importance to the Muslims, many Muslim sects claimed that he belonged to them. For example, the Mu‘tazilites, who were the most knowledgeable of all the Muslims in theology, regarded him with pride and honor as one of them. [1] The Sufis claimed that he was among their great figures. As a result, they have written about his life in their encyclopedias. [2]

The Muslims thought that the life of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was the true embodiment of the Islamic values and high noble traits of his grandfather, the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. He followed his method, his life, and his practices. Hence, the Imam possessed the heart and the feelings through his excellent morals. So the people thought that no one except the Imam was worthy of their temporal and spiritual leadership. For this reason they disdained their Umayyad kings who were void of virtues. The event which took place in the Kaaba during the time of the pilgrimage indicates this. The Kaaba was full of people from everywhere. The Imam came to circumambulate the Kaaba, and

it was as if that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, came to them. So they said loudly: “There is no Allah but Allah! Allah is great! ” They crowded around him as they crowded around the Black Stone. Happy was he who touched his clothes or kissed his hand or took some dust from under his feet to see a good omen in it.

In the meantime his opponent, Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik, who was chief of the Umayyad family was among the pilgrims. However, no one paid attention to him. The Syrians hurried to ask him about this great man (i. e. the Imam) whom the people welcomed so warmly. However, the tyrant (i. e. Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik) denied knowing anything about him. He was afraid that the Syrians would renounce him. The poet of the Umayyad royal palace, al-Farazdaq, opposed him. He then made the people aware the Imam through his immortal and wonderful poem which represented clear thought and conscience. The Kaaba then turned into the market of ‘Ukaz (the place where the Arabs recited their poems). From all sides of the mosque, the people repeated loudly the wonderful poem of al-Farazdaq and invoked Allah for the Imam. As a result, Hisham was full of anger.

The Umayyads felt that they were not from the community and that they were not worthy of leading it. Rather they imposed their government on it as a weapon. They knew that ‘Ali b. al-Husayn was the

real leader, so they bore malice against him. Al-Walid indicated that when he said: “I cannot rest as long as ‘Ali b. al-Husayn is in the world. ” [1] They tried to kill him as they had killed the Muslim Imams and the great figures before, because they thought that such figures were dangerous.

It is necessary for us to study the period during which the Imam, peace be on him, lived. This is because studying a certain period has become among methodical affairs which are necessary for the researcher. Such a study represents political tranquillity and disorder. Moreover, it gives a clear picture about social aspects such as creation, progress, stagnancy, decline, and the like. It is natural for us to study this phenomenon to discover the qualities of the Imam.

As for the time of the Imam, peace be on him, I (the author) think that it was the worst time in history. This is because many great events occurred during that time. These events befell the Muslims and caused troubles to them. The most painful one of them was the tragedy of Karbala. It was the most painful of all the world events. The holiness of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was violated during that tragedy. That was when the people attacked his womenfolk and killed his grandsons. They did pay attention his Holiness concerning them. The Imam, peace be on him, witnessed with great sorrow all the tragedies, which are immortal in the world of grief.

Hence, he remembered them at every hour of his life till he joined the Most High Associate (Allah).

Among the sorrowful events from which the Imam, peace be on him, suffered was the Battle of al- Hirra. The Holiness of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was violated at it in his city and the center of his mission. The policemen of Yazid b. Mu‘awiya desecrated Medina. In it they committed all what Allah forbade. They destroyed all values and customs. The revolt of the Repentant and the revolt of the great inspired leader, al-Mukhtar b. Yousif, occurred during the time of the Imam, peace be on him.

These revolts, which we will discuss in this book, resulted from the revolution of the Lord of the martyrs, Imam Husayn, peace be on him. Among the prominent events at that time was the revolt of b. al-Zubayr. This revolt resulted from some political ambitions. I (the author) think that b. al- Zubayr did not intend to free the community from the Umayyads and to save it from their violence. Rather he revolted against them to take the reins of government. Moreover, such a man did not take care of the interests of the community nor did he take care of its independence and its dignity.

There was another difficulty during the time of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The difficulty was that the political parties fought against each other to take the reins of government. As a result,

they filled the country with tribulations and disasters. Surely, the political parties at that time did not intend to achieve any of the community’s objectives nor did they strive to solve any of its fateful affairs. Rather they strove to achieve their ambitions and their material interests.

Among the most prominent parties was the Umayyad party, which the government supported with all its abilities. The Umayyad party included the leaders and the luxurious class of the country. Among those parties was the party of b. al- Zubayr. Many people from Hijaz (Saudi Arabia) joined this party. Their aim was to return the Islamic capital to their country and to take the reins of government. Among those parties was the Kharijites. This party was strong. It was indignant with the Quraysh, for the government was confined to them. However, this party was afflicted by ideological dullness and decline. This is because it mixed the affairs, and followed dangerous ways of error. It believed in such ways because of stupidity and ignorance. An example of its stupidity was that it showed enmity towards the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali) , who was the pioneer of the truth and social justice in the earth. This party regarded shedding the blood of those who did not believe in its ideas as lawful. We will discuss this party when we talk about the political life during the time of the Imam.

Among the important events during the time of the Imam, peace be on him, was that

the Umayyad government forced the people to curse the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali) , peace be on him, and the pure family (of the Prophet). So the people cursed them on the pulpits, in the minarets (of the mosques) , and after Friday sermons. Hence showing enmity toward them was part of the religious life of the Muslims. The Umayyad regime followed the Shi‘ites (followers) of the members of the House (ahl al- Bayt) , peace be on them, punished and killed them. The Shi‘ites during the Umayyad regime were liable to very intense tribulations. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, witnessed this. However, he was unable to protect his Shi‘ites from the Umayyad regime. As a result, his heart was full of pain and sorrow.

It is necessary for me to give a clear picture about the policy of the kings who ruled the community during the time of the Imam, peace be on him. In addition, I must mention their politico - ideological trends, and what the Imam, peace be on him, suffered because of them. This is because I think that such matters will complete the study about the great character of the Imam, peace be on him.

When I mention the affairs of those kings, I will not become fanatic nor will I be partial to any side nor will I be severe towards any party. Rather I will present the sorrowful events of each party. This is because such events have put them before the trial of history.

It is natural that to regard them as right and to justify their deeds means turning away from reason, mutiny against the proofs, remoteness from correctness, and deviation from the truth.

As for our study in this book, it has been based on the most reliable handwritten, photographed, and printed references, which are the sources of historians and narrators. Worth mentioning, I have quoted the events from many books in order to support my purpose. I did my best to review the handwritten and the photographed references from which I have quoted these topics.

In the footnotes of the book, I have mentioned the libraries where these references are found.

At the end of this introduction, I surely declare that this book contains only few things about the life of this great Imam who filled the world with virtues and knowledge. I have read ethics books, tradition books, commentaries, jurisprudence books, and other Islamic books. I have found that these books have mentioned the valuable works of the Imam, his original ideas, his interesting sayings, and so on. Therefore this book, though comprehensive, is a brief page about his life or a faint point about the features of his life and character.

I (the author) have repeated the same words in the introductions of the books which I have written on the lives of the pure Imams. That is, Allah knows, not because of the very intense love for them nor is it because of the sentiment of my grandfathers who followed the members

of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them. Rather, this has resulted from serious studies about their lives. Whoever studies their lives believes that the Imams, peace be on them, represented the lives of the prophets.

It is necessary for me to say that these studies about the lives of the pure Imams, peace be on them, are very important, because we live at the time when people have become ignorant of these Imams. In other words humanity has deviated from the laws of the cosmos which Allah has created. Therefore people are liable to tyranny, persecution, aggression, threat, and causing homelessness.

Indeed people are restless and perplexed. They are Absorbed in material pleasures and dreadful wars. Their hearts are empty of belief. Therefore, they are in need of the guidance of the pure family (of the Prophet) , who were Allah’s favor for people, and like their grandfather, Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, whom Allah sent for people whether they believed in him or not.

Now, I want to end this introduction, but I think that it is an act of truthfulness to acknowledge the creative efforts my brother, shaykh Hadi Sharif al-Qarashi, made in writing this book. He suffered many troubles when he read some of the encyclopedias. Besides he gave me many valuable notes during writing these studies. I am, Allah knows, unable to thank this loyal brother. However, I leave that to Allah, the Most High, to reward him as He rewards His sincere servants.

Baqir

Sharif al-Qarashi,

Holy Najaf

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[1]: Tabaqat al-Mu‘tazila, pp. 15-16.

[2]: Hulyat al-Awliya’, vol. 3, p. 172.

[1]: Hayat al-Imam Mohammed al-Baqir, vol. 1, p. 51.

Chapter 1: Lady Shahzanan

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We are before a noble mistress. The mistress was among the honorable pure women of the Muslims. She was the great mistress, Shahzanan. She was the daughter of the (Iranian) kings and was mother of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. This great mistress occupied an important position in the world of the Muslim woman. Indeed, she was among the great mistresses of her time. She was among the prominent Muslim women and was distinguished by noble qualities. Among them are:

A. She had a very clear lineage. She was the daughter of Choesroe, the just king and pride of the kings of the East. Concerning him, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said with pride: “I was born at the time of the just King, Choesroe. ”

B. She was the wife of the father of the free and lord of martyrs, Imam Husayn, peace be on him.

C. She was the mother of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin and Sayyid al-Sajidin, peace be on him.

D. She was the grandmother of the pure Imams from among the children of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him.

E. She was the holy relationship between the Arabs and the Persians.

Indeed these qualities added honor to her honor and glory to her glory.

Her Psychological Traits

As for her psychological traits, they were chastity, purity, perfection, standard morals, and cleverness. As she had good inclinations and honorable traits, the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali) , peace be on him, hastened to marry her to his

son Imam Husayn, peace be on him. He ordered him to treat her kindly and to do good for her. We will briefly present some of her affairs according to what the references have mentioned.

Reports of her Marriage

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The reports have differed over the time when she married Imam Husayn, peace be on him. The following are some of them:

A. At the Time of ‘Umar

Al-Kulayni reported on the authority of Imam Abu Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him. He said: “When Yazdigird’s daughter came, ‘Umar made the virgins of Medina honor her. When ‘Umar looked at her, she covered her face and said: “Uf biru’jj bada Hurmuz. ” These words meaning the day of Hurmuz has become black because his daughters have become prisoners.

“Is she abusing me? “asked ‘Umar. “That is not for you,” said the Commander of the faithful, “Let her choose a person from the Muslims. ”

She walked till she put her hand on the head of al-Husayn, peace be on him. [1]

Some historians have mentioned a report similar to this account. They said: “Yazdigird had two daughters. They were taken prisoners during the time of ‘Umar. Thus, the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali) , peace be on him, took them. Of these he had given Imam al-Husayn and she bore him Zayn al-‘Abidin. He had given the other to Muhammad b. Abi Bakr and she bore him al-Qasim. [2]

Ibn Kullakan has mentioned a similar report to this. However, he has added that they were three (daughters). So he (the Commander of the faithful) had given the third to ‘Abd Allah

b. ‘Umar. [1]

B. At the Time of ‘Uthman

Al-Sadu’q has reported: “When ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar conquered Khurasan (Iran) during the days of ‘Uthman, he took the two daughters of Yazdigird prisoners. He sent them to ‘Uthman. Of them the latter had given to al-Hasan. He had given the other to al-Husayn. [2] ”

C. At the Time of the Caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful

A group of the historians and the narrators has reported: “When the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali) , peace be on him, had assumed the caliphate, he appointed Hurayth b. Jabir over part of the eastern provinces. The latter had sent him two daughters of Yazdigird b. Sharyyar. Of these he had given his son al-Husayn, peace be on him, Shahzanan and she bore him Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. He had given the other to Muhammad b. Abi Baker and she bore him al-Qasim, the famous jurist. ”

These are the reports which have been mentioned of her marriage to Imam (Husayn) , the Lord of martyrs, peace be on him. Worth mentioning, the last two reports have not mentioned the capture of Mrs. Shahzanan with her two sisters, rather they have mentioned that they were sent to the Caliph. But the first report is clear in mentioning their capture.

Checking the Reports

We must check these different reports. We think that the first report is incorrect for the following reasons:

1. Yazdigird was alive throughout the caliphate of ‘Umar. He died after his death. He was killed in Maru in the year 30 A. H. That was in the sixth year of the caliphate of ‘Uthman. We firmly believe that Shahzanan and

her two sisters disappeared after the murder of their father till the caliphate of the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali). The Commander of the faithful appointed Hurayth b. Jabir over that area. The latter found them and sent them to the Imam, peace be on him.

2. What Abu Hanifa reported indicates that the first report is incorrect. When the daughter of Yazdigird was brought to the Commander of the faithful, he, peace be on him, said to her:

“Choose whomever you want of the Muslims. ”

She answered with awareness and high purpose:

“I want a head over whom there is no head. ”

This indicates the strong awareness of this Princess.

The Imam answered her kindly, saying:

“Indeed ‘Ali is an old man. ”

This means that the Imam was in no need of women, for he was an old man. Besides he was busy treating the general affairs that surrounded him.

But the Princess insisted on her idea, saying:

“I talked completely to you. ”

Some Persian leaders asked the Imam to marry her to them.

The Imam answered, saying: “That is up to her. If she wishes to refuse (marriage) , (she can refuse it). If she wishes to accept (marriage) , (she can accept it). ”

The Imam had no right to impose marriage on her, rather that was up to her psychological wishes. No one had the right to force her to what he wanted. The Mistress refrained from answering him. [1] We firmly believe that it was Mrs. Shahzanan. Her marriage took place during the time of the Commander of the faithful, peace

be on him.

3. The third report is the most famous of the foregoing two reports. Most jurists think that fame makes the report superior to (the other reports). Al-Muqrim, a researcher, believed in this report.

Irregular Ideas

Some historians have mentioned irregular ideas concerning the lineage of Mrs. Shahzanan. They are as follow:

A. She was from the country of al-Sind. [1]

B. She was among those who were taken prisoners in Kabul. [2]

These two ideas oppose what the narrators and the historians have unanimously agreed on, for they said that she was the daughter of Yazdigird, the king of the Persians. That was famous even during the time of the Imam. All the people knew that. In this connection, Abu al-Aswad al- Du’ali, who was contemporary with the Imam, recited:

Indeed there is a son between Kasra and Hashim.

He is more noble than him to whom charms were

entrusted. He is the light. The place of his secret

is the Light of Allah.

He is the source of the fountain of the Imamate. [3]

He is knowledgeable.

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, denoted that when he said: “I am the son of the two good (communities). ” With this he, peace be on him, referred to the well-known tradition: “Allah, the Most High, has two good (communities) among His creatures. His good (community) from the Arabs is Quraysh, and from non-Arabs is Persia. [4] ” Some historians said: “Indeed ‘Ali b. al-Husayn (Zayn al-‘Abidin) gathered prophethood and authority on the side of his grandfathers. ”

--------------------

[1]: Usu`l al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 467. Dala’il al-Imama, p. 370.

[2]: Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104. Nazhat al-Majalis, vol. 2, p. 192. Zahrat al-Maqu`l, p. 6.

[1]: Ibn Khullakan, Wafayat al-A‘yan, vol. 2, p. 429.

[2]: ‘Uyyu`n al-Akhbar wa Funu`n al-Athar, p. 143. Roudat al-Wa‘izin, vol. 1, p. 137. Tuhfat al-Raghib, p. 13. A‘lam al-Wara, p. 151. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad.

[1]: Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal.

[1]: Mir’at al-Jinan, vol. 1, p. 190. Al-Niju`m al-Zahira, vol. 1, p. 229. Al-Munammaq fi Akhbar Quraysh, p. 437.

[2]: Al-Ya‘qu`bi, Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 46.

[3]: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 166.

[4]: Ibn Khullakan, Wafayat al-A‘yan, vol. 2, p. 429. Ibn Tolo`n, al-A’mmia al-Ithna ‘Ashar, P. l75.

Her Holy Name

The mother of the Imam, peace be on him, was known as

Shahzanan. This was not her name. Rather it was her nick-name. It means the queen or the mistress of the women. [1] However, the historians have differed over her name. The following are some of her names:

1. Salama. [2]

2. Salafa. [3]

3. Ghazala. [4]

4. Salama. [5]

5. Sadira. [6]

6. Shaharbanawayh. [7]

These are some of the ideas which we have mentioned concerning her name. It does not concern us which name is correct, for it does not avail readers.

The Holy Relationship

Mrs. Shahzanan was the holy relationship between the Arabs and the Persians. This is because she was the mother of Zayn al-‘Abidin, who was the son of the two good (communities) and father of the pure progeny who filled the world with all the factors of awareness, dignity, and advancement. Sayyid ‘Abid al-‘Aziz Sayyid al-Ahal said: “Zayn al-‘Abidin is a strong relationship between us, we, the Arabs, and the Persians.

Then he is a strong relationship among all people. It is as if he is among the strong causes which the Subtle, the Powerful (Allah) drove to erase division, to strengthen unity, and to bring people close to each other. [8] ” This was the strongest relationship between the Arabs and the Persians because it has spread love, affection, and unity among them.

Pre-Islamic Beliefs

Islam destroyed the pagan beliefs that divided the Muslims and paralyzed their unity. Among those beliefs was that an Arab did not marry a non- Arab (woman). This is because he wanted to preserve Arab blood and lineage. Surely this phenomenon divided the Muslims and destroyed their unity. Islam indeed cast away this

hollow selfishness and these vain titles. It supported the honor and beauty of soul. Hence the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Surely, the most honorable of you with Allah is the most pious of you. ”

Islam has denoted in a positive way the just equality among the Muslims. It has destroyed class differences and all racism. Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, married his relative Zaynab, the daughter of Jahash, who belonged to the chiefs of the Hashimites, to his retainer, Zayd b. Haritha. He, may Allah bless him and his family, wanted the Islamic community to learn a lesson from that and to follow this clear straight path. The Imams of the members of the House (ahl al -Bayt) , peace be on them, followed this Prophetic method. They waged war against racism and resisted pre-Islamic beliefs by marrying female slaves after they had released them.

They sometimes married them with money before they had freed them. This had great influence on the Arabs, and they abandoned their pre- Islamic beliefs. The historians said: “Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, married Mrs. Shahzanan and she bore him the great figure of guidance, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The Arabs saw his perfection and his high self. Hence Quraysh hurried to marry slave-wives. [1] ” Al- Mubarrad has narrated the following on the authority of a man from Quraysh. The man’s mother was a slave-wife. The man said: “One day I sat with Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab,

and he asked me: ‘Who are your maternal uncles? ’ My mother is a slave-wife, I answered. ”

Sa‘id disdained the man. However, the man was clever. He waited for a while. In the meantime Salim b. ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar came. The latter was a Quraysh great figure, but his mother was a slave-wife. Sa‘id talked with Salim. Then the latter went away. So the man asked Sa‘id:

“Uncle, who is this man? ”

Sa‘id became angry. He shouted at the man, saying:

“Glory be to Allah! Do you ignore this man who is from your people? This is Salim b. ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar b. al-Khattab. ”

“Who is his mother? ” asked the man.

“A slave-wife,” replied Sa‘id.

Then al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abi Baker came to Sa‘id. The former’s mother was a slave-wife. A talk took place between them. When al- Qasim went away, the man asked Sa‘id the same question. The man answered him in the same manner. Then Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin came. Sa‘id welcomed him warmly. When the Imam went away, the man asked Sa‘id: “Uncle, who is this man? ”

“This is whom no Muslim can ignore. This is ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib,” replied Sa‘id angrily.

“Who is his mother? ” asked the man.

“A slave-wife,” replied Sa‘id.

“Why did you disdain me when I said that my mother was a slave-wife? Is my mother not similar to theirs? ” asked the man.

Sa‘id confessed his mistake. He admired the man and took care of him. [1]

This bad phenomenon prevailed that time. It resulted from the backgrounds of the pre-Islamic

time that was intellectually and socially backward. One has no shortcoming when his mother is from Rome, Persia, and the like. For this reason the poet said:

Do not curse the person whose mother is from the Romans

Or is black from the non-Arabs.

Indeed the mothers of people are entrusted containers

And the lineage has fathers.

They only thing that increases the importance of the person is his good deeds, his services for his community, and his high self even though his mother is black from non-Arabs. If the person’s deeds are bad, then he is mean even if he is a Sharif from Quraysh. The great Islam has underlined that. It does not hold importance to anything except good deeds, for they are the only criterion in showing the high and low position in it.

--------------------

[1]: Al-Shiblanji, Nu`r al-Abbsar, p. 126.

[2]: Usu`l al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 466. Siyar ‘Alam al-Nubala’, vol. 14, p. 237. Khalifia Khayyat, al-Tabaqat, p. 238. Al-Nisabu`ri, al-Asami wa al-Kuna.

[3]: Al-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 46. Al-Imama fi al-Islam, p. 116. Ansab al-Ashraf, p. 102. Al-Bustani, Da’irat al-Ma‘arif, vol. 9, p. 355. Nu`r al-Abbsar, p. 136. Al-Kamil, vol. 2, p. 464.

[4]: Safwat al-Saffwa, vol. 2, p. 52. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104. Sir al-Silsila al-‘Alawiya, p. 31. Nihayat al-Irab, vol. 21, p. 324. Kulasat al-Dhahab al-Masbu`k, p. 8.

[5]: Al-A’imma al-Ithna ‘Ashar, p. 75.

[6]: Al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf, p. 49.

[7]: Roudat al-Wa‘zin, vol. 1, p. 237. ‘Uyyu`n al-Mu‘jizat, p. 31. Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p. 155.

[8]: Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 7.

[1]: Ibn ‘Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq.

[1]: Al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, vol. 2, p. 462 Nazhat al-Jalis, vol. 2, p. 23. al-A’mmia al-Ithna ‘Ashar, P. l76.

Imam ‘Ali took care of Her

Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, took care of Mrs. Shahzanan, for he was aware of her belief and her perfect intellect. A group of traditions was narrated on his authority. The traditions have praised her outstanding qualities. Some of them are as follows:

A. He recommended his son, Imam Husayn, to treat her kindly, saying: “Treat Sharbanawayh kindly, for she is satisfactory. She will bear you the best of the people of the earth after you. [1] ”

B. He told his family that she would be the pure mother of the pure Imams. He, peace be on him, said: “She is the mother of the trustees (of authority) , the pure progeny. [2] ”

The pure Imams, from whom Allah

kept away the uncleanness and purified thoroughly, branched from this noble Mistress.

Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, took care of Mrs. Shahzanan, for he knew that she had good abilities such as virtues, perfection, and politeness. He, peace be on him, asked her: “What have you memorized from your father after the Event of the Elephant? ”

She answered him with this golden word that denotes her father’s vast intellect and his experience in the affairs of life:

He said: “When Allah overcomes an affair, the ambitions become humble after it. When the period is over, death is in the means. ”

The Imam was astonished at this wise word that indicates the reality of life. Hence he admired her, saying: “What good your father said! All matters are subject to destiny, so much so that sometimes death results from effort. [1] ”

Everything in this existence is subject to Allah’s will. Indeed Allah, the Most High has the power over everything. Man may depend on firm means. He thinks that such means protect him from dangers. However, they do not avail him. This is because they might endanger him. Therefore, his death results from them.

Al-Husayn took care of Her

Imam Husayn, peace be on him, took care of his wife, Mrs. Shahzanan, very much. He preferred her to his wives. As a result this Mistress found respect and honor with the Imam. So she forgot the luxurious life which she led during the rule of her father. The Imam taught her the Islamic spiritual teachings to the extent that she

renounced her royal life. Sayyid ‘Abd al-Aziz Sayyid al-Ahal said: “Al-Husayn, peace be on him, taught her Islamic teachings to the extent that she forgot the palaces of al-Mada’in and the meadows of Kabul. [1] ”

The Historians praised Her

point

Some historians praised this noble Mistress. The following are their words (concerning her):

A. Al-Mubarrad

Concerning this great Mistress, al-Mubarrad said:

“Shahzanan was among the excellent women. [2] ”

Indeed Shahzanan was among the mistresses of the women. She was chaste, and her intellect was perfect. Moreover, her morals were high.

B. Ibn Shadqam

Ibn Shadqam said: “Shahzanan had many outstanding merits. [3] ”

C. Al-Kunji

Imam al-Hafiz, Muhammad b. Yousif al-Kunji, said: “Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, created the rightly-guided Imams, from among the progeny of al-Husayn, from the daughter of Choesroe with the exclusion of the rest of his wives. [4] ” Indeed Allah bestowed His favors and His care on this noble Mistress. He endowed her with great favor. He made her a noble mother for Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin and good pure grandmother for the pure Imams, who raised the Word of Allah high in the earth.

With this we end our talk about the affairs of this great Mistress.

--------------------

[1]: ‘Uyyu`n al-Mu‘jizat. Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 14.

[2]: Basa’ir al-Darajat, p. 96. Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 214. Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 1, p. 13.

[1]: Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 160. Al-Bihar, vol. 46, pp. 11-12-.

[1]: Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 16.

[2]: Al-Kamil, vol. 2, p. 462.

[3]: Zahrat al-Maqu`l, p. 16.

[4]: Kifayat al-Talib, p. 414.

Chapter 2: The Great Baby

point

The world brightened when Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was born, for he would split the fountain of knowledge and wisdom in the earth. He would also show, through his behavior, wonderful examples of self-negation, renouncing the world, and cleaving to Allah. The Prophet’s family was very happy to receive this blessed baby, of whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, gave good news.

All the companions

who had good relations with the members of the house (ahl al-Bayt) were happy to hear of the birth of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin. Some historians said that the Imam was born weak and thin. Sayyid ‘Abid al-‘Aziz Sayyid al-Ahal said: “He (Zayn al-‘Abidin) was born weak and thin. Gleams as faint as dim worry appeared in his eyes. These broken gleams indicated coming grief. [1] ” Misfortunes and pain accompanied him from his childhood. Among them was that his pure mother died while he was still a baby in the cradle.

The Rites of his Birth

Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him or his son Imam Husayn, peace be on him hurried to perform the religious rites of birth for the blessed baby; he said the azan in his right ear and the iqama in his left year. With this he established in his heart a temple beating with the feelings of piety and righteousness. They were active tunes directing him to kindness and good deeds.

The first thing with which Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin was received was the words Allahu Akbar (Allah is Great)! These words were printed in his heart and senses, so they became some of his qualities. On the seventh day of his birth, his father sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of a‘qiqa) , cut his hair and gave silver or gold as equal to its weight as alms to the poor and needy according to the holy Islamic Sunna.

The Place of his Birth

The historians differed over the place where Imam Zayn

al-‘Abidin was born. The following are what they have mentioned:

(A) He was born in Kufa. [1]

(B) He was born in Medina. [2]

I (the author) think that he was born in Kufa. This is because the narrators and the historians mentioned that he was born two years before the death of his grandfather, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him [3] . It is certain that Imam al-Husayn and his family were in Kufa along with Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. None of them lived in Medina throughout his succession (to authority).

The Time of his Birth

The historians differed over the time when Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin was born. The following are what they have mentioned:

(A) He was born on the fifth day of Sha‘ban in the year 38 A. H. [4] That was on Thursday. [5]

(B) He was born on Friday on the ninth of Sha‘ban in the year 38 A. H. [6]

(C) He was born in the half of Jamadi al-’U@la [11] in the year 38 A. H. [7]

(D) He was born on Friday the 26th of Jamadi al-Akhira in the year 38 A. H. [8]

(E) He was born in the months of the year 33 A. H. [9] This idea is irregular and opposes the narrators and the historians who mentioned that the Imam was born in the year 38 A. H.

The Imami Shi‘ites have adopted the first idea, and they hold their public festivals on the fifth of Sha‘ban to celebrate Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s birth.

His Name

The historians and the narrators unanimously agreed that the greatest Prophet, may Allah

bless him and his family, named his grandson ‘Ali b. al-Husayn and gave him the surname of Zayn al-‘Abidin. That was ten years before he was created, and that was among the wonderful signs of his prophecy. The accounts have been frequently reported on his authority. The following are some of them:

The great Companion Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari reported: “While I was sitting with Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, he put al-Husayn on his lap and played with him, and then he, may Allah bless him and his family, said: ‘Jabir, a son will be born for him, and the son will be called ‘Ali. A caller will call out on the Day of Judgment: ‘Let Sayyid al-‘Abidin (the Lord of worshippers) stand up. ’ So his son will stand up. Then a son will be born for him, and the son will be named Muhammad. When you meet him, recite my greetings to him. [1] ’”

Jabir proclaimed this tradition, and he also met Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be on him, and recited these greetings to him, and the latter was delighted with them.

2. Al-Hafiz b. ‘Asakir reported on the authority of Sufyan b. ‘Ayyina, on the authority of b. al-Zubayr, who said: “While we were (sitting) with Jabir, ‘Ali b. al-Husayn came. Jabir said to him: ‘When I was (sitting) with Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, al-Husayn came to him. He (the Prophet) embraced him (al-Husayn) , kissed him, sat him beside him, and

said: ‘A son will be born for this (i. e. , al-Husayn) , and a caller will call out on the Day of Judgment: ‘Let Sayyid al-‘Abidin (the Lord of worshippers) stand up, and he will stand up. ’ [1] ”

3. Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab reported on the authority of b. ‘Abbas, on the authority of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “A caller will call out on the Day of Judgment: ‘Where is ‘Ali b. al-Husayn? ’ I will see my grandson ‘Ali b. al-Husayn appear from among the ranks. [2] ”

These are some of the traditions which were narrated on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. They show that the Prophet named his grandson ‘Ali and gave him the nick name of Zayn al-‘Abidin (the adornment of the worshippers) , and they also show that the Imam has an important position with Allah, the Glorified.

Ibn Taymiya

Ibn Taymiya denied that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, gave this name to his grandson ‘Ali, and he said: “This thing has no source, and the knowledgeable people have not narrated it. [3] ” However, Ibn Taymiya did not want to mention what the main narrators and historians reported, for he deviated from the truth and showed enmity towards the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, whose love Allah has made obligatory, and whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, made life boats and security for mankind. Besides he denied all their outstanding merits and

deeds which the historians have narrated.

His Kunya

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was given the Kunya of:

Abu’ al-Husayn.

Abu’ al-Hasan.

Abu’ Muhammad. [1]

Abu’ ‘Abd Allah. [2]

His Nick Names

point

As for his nick names, they show his good inclinations, his excellent qualities, his noble morals, his obedience and worship to Allah. The following are some of them:

Zayn al-‘Abidin

His grandfather Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, gave him this nick name, namely Zayn al-‘Abidin or the Ornament of the worshippers, as we have already mentioned. The Imam was given this nick name because he worshipped Allah abundantly. [3] He is known and famous for this nick name, which has become his name. No one before or after him has been given this nick name. Indeed he is the ornament of the worshippers and pride of those who obey Allah, the Glorified.

2. Sayyid al-‘Abidin

Among his prominent nick names is Sayyid al-‘Abidin or the Lord of the worshippers, for he yield to Allah and obeyed Him, and no one worshipped Allah as he did except his grandfather, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him.

--------------------

[1]: Al-Imam Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 18.

[1]: Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104.

[2]: Ibn al-Sabbagh, al-Fusu`l al-Muhimma, p. 187.

[3]: Akhbar al-Diwal, p. 109.

[4]: Ibn al-Sabbagh, al-Fusu`l al-Muhimma, p. 212.

[5]: Nu`r al-Abbsar, p. 136.

[6]: Roudat al-Wa‘izin, vol. 1, p. 222.

[7]: Bahr al-Ansab, p. 52.

[8]: Al-Imama fi al-Islam, p. 116.

[9]: Al-Nafha al-‘Anbariya.

[1]: Wasilat al-Mal fi ‘Add Manaqib al-Al, p. 7.

[1]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 142.

[2]: ‘Ilal al-Sharaiya‘, p. 87. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 3.

[3]: Minhajj al-Sunna, vol. 2, p. 123.

[1]: Nu`r al-Abbsar, p. 137.

[2]: Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 66.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 7, p. 306. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104.

3. Dhu’ al-Thafanat

He was given the nick name of Dhu’ al-Thafanat or the one with calluses because something like the calluses of the camel appeared on the parts on which he prostrated. [4] Imam Abu’ Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, said: “My father had prominent marks on the places on which he prostrated, and he cut them twice a year: (He) cut five calluses every time, so he was called Dhu’ al-Thafanat (the one with calluses). [5] ” In another narration

it is said that he collected his calluses in a bag and asked his children to bury them with him.

4. Al-Sajjad

Among his holy nick names for which he is famous is Al-Sajjad [1] or the one who constantly prostrated himself in prayer. He prostrated himself in prayer to Allah and obeyed him more than the people did. Imam Abu’ Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, talked about the constant prostration of his father, saying: “When ‘Ali b. al-Husayn mentioned Allah’s favors toward him, he prostrated himself in prayer. (When he) read a verse with prostration of the Book of Allah, the Great and Almighty, he prostrated himself in prayer. When Allah drove away from him a misfortune which he was afraid of, he prostrated himself in prayer. (When he) finished his obligatory prayers, he prostrated himself in prayer. The marks of prostration were prominent on the parts on which he prostrated, so he was called al-Sajjad. [2] ” Ibn Hammad composed a poem about the constant prostration and worship of the Imam. The following are some lines of the poem:

The monk of ahl al-Bayt was and is still given the nick

name of al-Sajjad because of his worship.

He spent his days fasting, to turn to Allah

in repentance, and he passed his night with night prayer.

Therefore, who is strong enough to perform his knowledge

and his faithfulness, and who is strong enough to perform

his piety and worship? [3]

5. Al-Zaki

He was given the nick name of al-Zaki or the pure one because Allah purified him, as He took away uncleanness

from his grandfathers and purified them completely.

6. Al-Amin

Among his holy nick names for which he is famous is al-Amin or the trusted one. [1] He was ideal for this noble quality, so he, peace be on him, said: “If the killer of my father deposited with me the sword with which he killed him, I would give it to him. ”

7. Ibn al-Khiyaratayn

Another of his holy nick names for which he is famous is Ibn al-Khiyaratayn or the son of the best two. He was proud of this nick name and said: “I am the son of the best two. ” He referred to the words of his grandfather, Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Allah, the Glorified, has the best two from among His servants, so His best one from among the Arabs is Hashim and from among non-Arabs is the Persians. [2] ” Al-Shabbrawi ascribed to him these lines in which he has shown his pride of this nick name:

The choice of Allah among men is my father after my

grandfather, and I am the son of the best two.

Silver was formed from gold, therefore I am the silver,

the son of the two golden ones.

Who has a grandfather like my grandfather or (father) like

my father from mankind? I am the son of the two moons.

Fatima the chaste is my mother, and my father is the one

who destroyed the unbelievers at Badr and Hunayn, and

who took part at the battle of Uhud, which quenched the

thirst of one of the two armies. [3]

I (the author)

firmly believe that these lines do not belong to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, rather they belong to his father, for they are clear in showing this.

These are some of his nick names, other nick names have been mentioned for him. [1] They show his excellent qualities and his great inclinations.

The Death of his Mother

The first misfortune which befell the Imam occurred in the early stages of his childhood with the death of his mother, who suffered from childbed fever. Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, did his best to save her from this dangerous illness but he was unable to do that. The illness destroyed her completely where she lost her vitality and became a lifeless body. She looked with pain and sorrow at her thin son, who was deprived of her affection and love.

The fever attacked her intensely, and she suffered from severe pain for numerous days till her soul ascended to heaven, so it was the most sublime soul that went to heaven. [2] When she died, one of the plain pages of virtue and chastity and modesty ended. It was a sad day for the Prophet’s family when this great lady died, for she represented honor and virtue. Imam Husayn, the prominent Muslim figures, and a large number of Muslims escorted her to her final resting house. They buried her holy body in Kufa. Imam al-Husayn felt pain for the death of this lady, who lived among them for days like the days of flowers, namely she did not live for a long time.

Imam

Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, suffered the death of his mother while he was in the early stage of his childhood. This was the beginning of the adversities and misfortunes which poured on no one else except him.

His Nursemaid

Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, asked a pure lady from his slave-wives to look after his son Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin. This righteous woman took great care of him; she treated him as the affectionate mother treated her own son. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him grew in an atmosphere of intense secrecy. No one told him about the death of his mother till he became a grown-up lest he should be upset and worried. [1]

His Physical Qualities

The historians have mentioned the Imam’s physical features and qualities as follows: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn was brown, short, thin, and gentle. [2] ” When he became old, he became thin and weak. This is because he worshipped Allah constantly. Moreover, the tragedy of Karbala’ drowned him in sorrow and pain, for its terrors accompanied him till he met the Highest Comrade (i. e. Allah).

His Solemnity

The Imam’s face shined with the light of the prophets. Hence the faces and foreheads yielded to his solemnity. Al-Farazdaq, the greatest Arab poet, described his solemnity in his wonderful ode, saying:

When he comes to touch the corner of the wall of the

Kaaba, it almost grasps the palm of his hand.

He takes care to be modest and he is protected from his

terror.

He only speaks when he smiles.

Al-Shaykhani al-Qadiri said: “The beholders were fixed in gaze at the

handsomeness of his face. [1] ” His solemnity was similar to that of his grandfather, the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Muslim b. ‘Aqaba who was criminal, blood-thirsty, violated all Islamic values and manners admired his solemnity. When he saw the Imam, he shook with fear. Hence he received him warmly, treated him kindly, honored him, and said to those around him: “Indeed ‘Ali Zayn al-‘Abidin has the qualities of the prophets. ”

The Inscription of his Ring

As for the inscription of his ring, it showed that the Imam depended on Allah in all his affairs. The inscription of his ring read: “My success is not but by Allah. [2] It was said that the inscription of his ring was: “You have known, therefore do. [3] ”

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[4]: Subh al-A‘sha, vol. 1, p. 452. Bahr al-Ansab, p. 25. Tuhfat al-Raghib, p. 13.

[5]: ‘Ilal al-Sharaiya‘, p. 88. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 6, Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, vol. 4, p. 977.

[1]: ‘Ilal al-Sharaiya‘, p. 88.

[2]: Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, vol. 4, p. 977. ‘Ilal al-Sharaiya‘, p. 88.

[3]: Al-Manaqib.

[1]: Ibn al-Sabbagh, Al-Fusu`l` al-Muhimma, p. 187. Bahr al-Ansab, p. 52. Nu`r al-Abbsar, 137.

[2]: Al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, vol. 1, p. 222. Ibn Khullakan, Wafayat al-A‘yan, vol. 2, p. 429.

[3]: Al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf, p. 49.

[1]: Nasikh al-Tawarikh.

[2]: Al-Mas‘u`di, Ithbat al-Wasiya, p. 143. Imam Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 18.

[1]: Imam Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 19.

[2]: Nu`r al-Abbsar, p. 36. Akhbar al-Diwal, p. 109. Al-Sirat al-Sawi fi Manaqib Al al-Nabi, p. 192.

[1]: Al-Sirat al-Sawi fi Manaqib Al al-Nabi, p. 192.

[2]: Ibn al-Sabbagh, al-Fusu`l al-Muhimma, p. 187. Akhbar al-Diwal, p. 109. Al-Sirat al-Sawi fi Manaqib Al al-Nabi, p. 192.

[3]: Ibn Qutayba, ‘Uyyiun al-Akhbar, vol. 1, p. 302.

Chapter 3: His Childhood and Behavior

point

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, had access to the best education. No one had access to such an education but him. These conditions helped him educate himself and build his character in such a way that he was among the leading generation of the Muslim Imams whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, trusted, and made the leaders of his community and trustees for carrying out his message. Indeed all the elements of good and virtue and perfection were embodied in the childhood and behavior of the Imam. We will briefly explain these two phenomena of the early stages of his life:

His Childhood

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, grew up in the House of Prophethood and Imamate. That was the House which Allah permitted

to be exalted so that His Name might be remembered in it. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, took care of him in the early stage of his childhood. He supplied him with some rays of his spirit, the scent of which covered the whole world. The grandson was indeed a picture of his grandfather; he was similar to him in his psychological elements and qualities.

As for the period of time in which Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin lived under the wing of his grandfather, it was very short. The historians limited it in two years. It was among the critical years which Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, witnessed. During these years the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, suffered from terrible crises and events. Among them was that his army which fought against the falsehood of Mu‘awiya suffered defeat, mutiny, and disobedience. As a result the Imam asked Allah, the Glorified, to cause him die and to save him from that mobbish society which did not understand its objectives.

Hence ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muljim the most wretched person of the community, the terrorist, and criminal attacked and killed him in one of Allah’s houses, where he was standing and praying to Allah. In the last hours of his life, the members of his family and his children surrounded him, including Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin. Then Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, entrusted the Imamate to his two sons

al-Hasan and al-Husayn. In the meantime he designated his little grandson Zayn al-‘Abidin as an Imam. He recited to him the greetings of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and to his son Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, who is the leading figure of this community and pioneer of its scientific and cultural movement.

Imam al-Hasan is the lord of the youth of Heaven and plant of sweet basil of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and his first grandson. He was the pioneer of thought and righteousness in Islam. He was Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s pure uncle. Hence he took care of him, treated him with kindness and affection. He planted in him his great ideals and his excellent inclinations. He accompanied him till he (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) became a grown-up. Accordingly, he had great effect on his inner self.

Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, is the father of the free and lord of martyrs. He was Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s father. He thought that his son’s qualities were similar to those of the Prophet and of the Imam. Hence he took great care of him. He poured in him his noble abilities and values, preferred him to his sons, and accompanied him most of the time. In this respect the historians said: “When Zayn al-‘Abidin became ill, Imam al- Husayn hurried to visit him and made him wish, saying: ‘What do you wish, my little son? ’

He (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) answered him with the answer of those who

turned to Allah in repentance and devoted themselves to Him: ‘I wish I would be among those who did not suggest (anything) to their Lord. (I am satisfied) with what my Lord decides. ’ Imam al-Husayn admired these brilliant words which indicated great knowledge and deep faith, and then he said with admiration: ‘Bravo! You are similar to Ibrahim, the friend (of Allah) when Gabriel asked him: ‘Have you any need? ’ He (Ibrahim) replied: ‘I do not suggest (anything) to my Lord, rather Allah is sufficient for me and the best Agent! [1] ’”

Indeed Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was similar to Ibrahim, the friend of Allah, in his great faith, his turning to Allah in repentance, and his cleaving to Him.

According to his education in his childhood, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was a model for those who were proud of sublime perfection and noble moral traits.

His Behavior

As for the behavior of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, it was similar to that of his grandfathers, who were the source of guidance to mankind. The Imam spared no effort to follow the behavior and guidance of his grandfather Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. The narrators said: “He (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) followed his grandfather’s behavior. When worship made him tired, he sighed deeply and said with regret: ‘I am not strong enough to perform the worship of my grandfather, the Commander of the faithful. ’”

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin carried in his inner self the spirit of his grandfather, the

Commander of the faithful and the Lord of those who were cognizant of Allah. He followed his method and imitated his actions. Now, we will talk about some aspects of this part of his life.

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[1]: Al-Bihar, vol. 46, p. 66. Qutb al-Rawandi, al-Da‘wat.

His Behavior in his House

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was the most merciful of all the people and the kindest of them to the members of his house. He did not distinguish himself from them, rather he was one of them. It was reported on his authority that he said: “To buy meat from the market with the dirhams which are on me for my family when they long for meat is more lovable for me than freeing a slave. [1] ” He went out early in the morning to seek the daily bread of his family. He was asked: “Where do you go? ” He replied: “I go to seek alms for my family by seeking lawful daily bread because it is (the daily bread) is alms from Allah, the Great and Almighty, for them. [2] ” He helped his family in meeting their needs. He did not order anyone of them to carry out his personal affairs; he performed them himself, especially if it concerned the affairs of his worship; he did not ask anyone of them to perform them.

The Imam’s behavior toward his household was unique; he behaved exceptionally with his family. His behavior was full of mercy, cooperation, kindness, and self-negation.

His Kindness to his Nursemaid

When Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, grew up, he found out that his mother died, that his

nursemaid treated him kindly in order to seek nearness to Allah. As a result he treated her with great kindness to the extent that he prevented from eating with her. The people blamed him for that and asked him frequently: “You are the kindest of all the people and the best of them in taking care of your blood relatives, so why do you not eat with your mother? ” He replied to them with great politeness: “I fear that I stretch out my hand for what she stretches out her hand for [1] , then I am disobedient to her. [2] ”

Which humanity is similar to this humanity? Which angelic soul is this soul? It is sufficient for this Imam that he is the son of al-Husayn, who filled the world with his honor and perfection.

A Fabricated Narration

Ibn Kuthayr mentioned a fabricated report when he said that Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin married his mother to one of his retainers, and he freed a slave girl and married her, so ‘Abd al-Malik wrote a letter to him and blamed him in it, saying: “Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much. He (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) freed Safiya and married her, and he married his retainer, Zayd b. Haritha to his cousin, Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh. [3] ”

This narration is fabricated from the beginning to end for the following reasons:

A great number of the historians and narrators mentioned that the lady, the Imam’s mother,

died during her confinement.

Imam Abu’ al-Hasan al-Rida, peace be on him, mentioned that in his conversation with Sahl b. al-Qasim al-Nu’shjani when he said to him: “She (Zayn al-‘Abidin’s mother) died during her confinement, and one of his father’s slave-wives looked after him. The people claimed that she was his mother, while she was his retainer. They claimed that he married his mother (to a retainer of his). I seek refuge in Allah from that, rather he married his nursemaid to a retainer of his. ” Sahl said: “All the students in Khurasan reported this on the authority of al-Rida. [1] ”

The sources of this narration are fabricated. As for that the Imam freed one of his slave girls and married her, it is lawful because it agrees with the Islamic teachings.

His Behavior toward his Parents

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was the kindest of all the people to his parents because he treated them with great love and mercy and obedience. He was so kind to his father that he asked his aunt Zaynab, the heroine of Karbala’, to give the sticks to lean upon and a sword to defend his father at the Battle of al-Taf. This was while he was ill to the extent that he was unable to walk, but his aunt prevented him from doing that lest the progeny of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, should be destroyed. Therefore, which kindness is similar to this kindness? Among the services which he rendered to his father, after his

martyrdom, was that he settled the heavy debts his father spent on the needy and the deprived. Among his acts of kindness to his parents is his supplication for them.

His Supplication for his Parents

As for the supplication of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, for his parents, it concerns one of the most brilliant rules of Islamic education. This rule aims at achieving the reform and happiness of the family, spreading love and respect among its members. It is natural for society to be righteous when the family is righteous, and when it is corrupt, the society is also corrupt. This is because it is the first cell of building and forming society. The following is the masterpiece of his supplication:

“O Allah, bless Muhammad Your servant and Your messenger and his Household, the pure, and single them out for the best of Your blessing, Your mercy, Your benedictions, and Your peace! And single out my parents, O Allah, for honor with You and blessings from You, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

“O Allah, bless Muhammad and His Household, teach me through inspiration, knowledge of everything incumbent upon me toward them, and gather within me knowledge of all that completely! Then make me act in accordance with what You have inspired me and give me success to put into practice the knowledge You have shown to me, lest I fail to act according to something You have taught me or my limbs feel too heavy to perform that with which You have inspired me! ”

These

brilliant words represent the high manners and morals and respect of the Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin toward his parents. He supplicated to Allah to single them out with honor and dignity and to help him perform their rights against him. Now let’s listen to another masterpiece of his supplication for them.

“O Allah, bless Muhammad and His Household, as You have ennobled us through them and bless Muhammad and His Household as You have made incumbent upon us rights toward the creatures because of him.

“O Allah fill me with awe of my parents, the awe one has toward a tyrannical sovereign, and let me be devoted to them, with the devotion of a compassionate mother! Make my obedience and devotion to them more gladdening to my eyes than sleep to the drowsy and more refreshing to my breast than drink to the thirsty, so that I may prefer their inclination to my inclination, set their satisfaction before my satisfaction, make much of their devotion to me though it be little, and make little of my devotion to them though it be great. ” In the world of obedience and kindness to parents, there is nothing like that which the Imam has mentioned in this paragraph.

He asked Allah, the Almighty, to fill him with awe of his parents to obey them and not to disobey them and to be devoted to them with the devotion of a compassionate mother and to prefer their inclination to his inclination and to set their satisfaction to

his satisfaction and to thank them for their kindness to him and to regard as little his devotion to them. It is natural that such children treat their parents in such a manner which agrees with the troubles of life and pains of old age, and which brings about the happiness of family and the prosperity of social life. Now let’s continue mentioning the brilliant paragraphs of his supplication for his parents.

“O Allah lower before them my voice, make agreeable to them my words, make mild before them my temper, make tender toward them my heart, and turn me into their kind companion, their loving friend! O Allah thank them for my upbringing, reward them for honoring me, and guard them as they guarded me in my infancy! O Allah and whatever harm has touched them from me, detested thing has reached them from me, or right of theirs which has been neglected by me, allow it to alleviate their sins, raise them in their degrees, and add to their deeds! O He who changes evil deeds into manifold good deeds! ”

This masterpiece represents the high education and morals of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them. In it, the Imam has added other rights to the parents’ rights he has already mentioned, they are as follows:

The son should lower his voice before his parents.

He should make his temper mild before them.

He should make his heart tender toward them.

He should ask Allah to forgive them and to

be pleased with them for their kindness to him during the days of his infancy.

He should ask Allah to reward them for whatever harm has touched them from him, detested thing has reached them from him or right of their rights which has been neglected by him. In the world of ideal education there is no morals like these morals through which man is sublime and his life is prosperous. Now, let’s listen to another part of the supplication of the Imam, peace be on him.

“O Allah, whatever word through which they have transgressed against me, act through which they have been immoderate with me, right of mine which they have neglected, or obligation toward me in which they have fallen short, I grant it to them and bestow it upon them, and I beseech You to remove from them its ill consequence, for I do not accuse them concerning myself, find them slow in their devotion toward me, or dislike the way they have attended to my affairs, my Lord! They have rights against me which are more incumbent, precedence in beneficence toward me that is greater, and kindness toward me that is mightier than that I should settle accounts with justice or repay them with equivalents.

Where then, my Allah, would be their long occupation with bringing me up? Where is the hardship of their toil in taking care of me? Where is the stinting of themselves to provide me with plenty? What an idea! I can never

discharge their right against me, fulfill my obligations toward them, or accomplish the duty of serving them. So bless Muhammad and his Household and help me, O Best of those whose help we seek! Give me success, O Most Guiding of those whom we beseech! Place me not among the people of disrespect to fathers and mothers on the day when every soul will be repaid for what it has earned; they shall not be wronged. "

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[1]: Al-Bihar, vol. 46, p. 67.

[2]: Ibid.

[1]: Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 105. AL-Mubrrad, al-Kamil, vol. 1, p. 302.

[2]: Ibn Qutayba, ‘Uyyu`n al-Akhbar, vol. 3, p. 97.

[3]: Ibn Kuthayr, al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 108.

[1]: ‘Uyyu`n Akhbar al-Rida, p. 270.

Indeed this ‘Alid education is a breath of Allah’s spirit and is a signpost for peoples and nations to raise the value of man and exalt him to the Kingdom. This pious Imam shows that it is incumbent on children to forgive their parents for whatever word through which they have transgressed against them, act through which they have been immoderate with them, right of theirs which they have neglected, or obligation toward them in which they have fallen short. They must grant it to them and bestow it upon them as a reward to them for their education, their taking care of them, and their blessing toward them. Now, let’s listen to the last part of the Imam’s supplication:

“O Allah, bless Muhammad, his Household, and his progeny and single out my parents for the best which You have singled out for the fathers and mothers of Your faithful servants, O Most Merciful of the merciful! O Allah, let me not forget to remember them after my ritual prayers, at every time throughout my

night, and in each of the hours of my day! O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household, forgive me through my supplication for my parents, forgive them their devotion toward me with unfailing forgiveness, be pleased with them through my intercession for them with resolute good pleasure, and make them reach through Your generosity the abodes of safety!

O Allah, if Your forgiveness reaches them first, make them my intercessors, and if Your forgiveness reaches me first, make me their intercessors, so that we may gather together through Your gentleness in the house of Your generosity and the place of Your forgiveness and mercy! Verily You are Possessor of abounding bounty and ancient kindness, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful! [1] ”

In this last paragraph, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, supplicated for his parents asking Allah to forgive them and to be pleased with them and to forgive him through the blessing of his supplication for them and to forgive them through their kindness to him, so which love and mercy for the parents is like this love and mercy?

His Behavior toward his Children

As for the behavior of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, toward his children, it is distinguished by exalted Islamic education. He planted in his children his good inclinations and great reformatory trends, so they became among the most brilliant men of thought, knowledge, and struggle in Islam. For example, his son Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be on him, is among the most famous Imams of the Muslims

and the most knowledgeable of them.

He was the founder of the greatest jurisprudence school from which the great jurists and religious scholars graduated, such as Aban b. Taghlub, Zarara b. A‘yun, and the like, from among those who enlightened the ideological life in Islam. As for his son ‘Abd Allah al-Bahir, he was among the leading Muslim scholars with excellent qualities and high scientific position, so the people reported that on his authority. [1]

As for his son Zayd, he was among the great Muslim religious scholars, and he was a specialist in many sciences such as jurisprudence, tradition, interpretation of the Qur’an, theology, and the like. It was he who adopted the rights of the oppressed and the persecuted, and he led their movement of struggle. That was when he proclaimed his immortal revolt which spread political awareness in the Islamic society. He also took part in overthrowing the Umayyad rule.

We will mention in brief some parts of the behavior of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, toward his children.

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[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, supplication no. 24.

[1]: Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p. 106.

His Supplication for his Children

As for his supplication for his children, it is very wonderful in showing his behavior toward them and what he hoped for them such as excellent manners and noble morals. Now, let’s listen to this supplication, which is part of the greatest wealth in the Islamic education.

“O Allah, be kind to me through the survival of my children, setting them right for me and allowing me to enjoy them! My Allah, make long their lives for me, increase their terms, bring up the smallest for me, strengthen the weakest for me, rectify for me their bodies, their religious dedication, and their moral traits, make them well in their souls, their limbs, and everything that concerns me of their affairs, and pour out for me and upon my hand their provisions! Make them pious, fearing, insightful, hearing, and obedient toward You, loving and well-disposed toward Your friends, and stubbornly resistant and full of hate toward all Your enemies! Amen! ”

This paragraph represents the great spirituality the Imam, peace be on him, followed to educate his children. He educated them according to the inclusive setting right and the absolute education. He prayed to Allah to be kind to him through:

A. The survival

of his children in order that he might enjoy them.

B. Rectifying their bodies, their religious dedication, and their moral traits.

C. Rectifying their souls through purifying them from vices and sins.

D. Making them well in their limbs lest they should become handicap.

E. Making abundant their provisions lest they should suffer from poverty which was among the most dangerous disasters.

F. Making them pious, fearing, insightful, hearing, and obedient toward Him (Allah).

G. Making them loving and well-disposed toward His (Allah’s) friends, and stubbornly resistant and full of hate toward all His enemies.

This kindness to children strengthens the ties of the members of family. When the child is brought up according to these high moral traits, his parents will enjoy him. Let’s listen to another part of this holy supplication. “O Allah, through them strengthen my arm, straighten my burdened back, multiply my number, adorn my presence, keep alive my name, suffice me when I am away, help me in my needs, and make them loving toward me, affectionate, approaching, upright, obedient, never disobedient, disrespectful, opposed, or offenders! Help me in their education, and my devotion toward them, give me among them from Yourself male children, make that a good for me, and make them a help for me in that which I ask from You!

Give me and my progeny refuge from the accursed Satan, for You have created us, commanded us, prohibited us, and made us desire the reward of what You have commanded, and fear its punishment! You assigned to us

an enemy who schemes against us, gave him an authority over us in a way You did not give us an authority over him, allowed him to dwell in our breasts and let him run in our blood vessels; he is not heedless, though we be heedless, he does not forget, though we forget; he makes us feel secure from Your punishment and fills us with fear toward other than You. If we are about to commit an indecency, he gives us courage to do so, and if we are about to perform a righteous act, he holds us back from it. He opposes us through passions, and sets up for us doubts. If he promises us, he lies, and if he raises our hopes, he fails to fulfill them. If You do not turn his trickery away from us, he will misguide us, and if You do not protect us from his corruption, he will cause us to slip. O Allah, so defeat his authority over us through Your authority such that You hold him back from us through the frequency of our supplication to You and we leave his trickery and rise up among those preserved by You from sin! ”

This wonderful paragraph has two important matters, which are:

First, the Imam asked Allah, the Glorified, to help him achieve what he hoped in respect to his pure children. He hoped that:

1. Allah would strengthen his arm through them, for a good child is strength for his father.

2. He would

straighten his burdened back.

3. He would multiply their number, so that they would be a notable family before the people.

4. He would adorn his presence and keep alive his name, that was through the high standards of his children.

5. He would suffice him when he was away, that was when his children carried out his affairs.

6. He would make his children help him in his needs and not leave him alone.

7. He would make his children loving toward him, affectionate, approaching, upright, obedient, never disobedient, disrespectful, opposed, or offenders!

When children are righteous and obedient to their parents, their parents will enjoy them during the time of their old age which is the center of weakness.

Second, the Imam asked Allah, the Glorified, to protect him and his children from the evil of the accursed Satan, who is the first enemy of man; he tempts man to be disobedient to Allah through committing sins and vices. The Imam has mentioned the authority and domination of Satan over man as follows:

1. Satan tempts man to commit sins, makes easy the punishment Allah has prepared for his disobedient servants, and makes man afraid of those other than Allah, so he makes him afraid of them more than they are afraid of Allah.

2. If man is about to commit an indecency, he gives him courage to do so.

3. If man is about to perform a righteous act, he holds him back from it.

4. Satan opposes man through passions.

5. He sets up doubts for man to

make him far from his Lord.

The Imam mentioned all the ways Satan uses to entice man such as lying and deception, and then he warned all the believers from the trickery of Satan. Now, lets listen to the last paragraph of this holy supplication.

“O Allah, grant me every request, accomplish for me my needs, withhold not from me Your response when You have made Yourself accountable for it to me, veil not my supplication from Yourself, when you have commanded me to make it, and be kind to me through everything that will set me right in this world and the next, in everything that I remember or forget, display or conceal, make public or keep secret! In all of this, place me through my asking You among those who set things right, those who are answered favorably when they request from You and from whom is not withheld when they put their trust in You, those who always seek refuge in You, those who profit through commerce with You, those granted sanctuary through Your might, those given lawful provision in plenty from Your plentiful bounties through Your munificence and generosity, those who reach exaltation after abasement through You, those granted sanctuary from wrong through Your justice, those released from affliction through Your mercy, those delivered from need after poverty through Your riches, those preserved from sins, slips, offenses through reverential fear toward You, those successful in goodness, right conduct, and propriety through obeying You, those walled off from sins

through your power, the refrainers from every act of disobedience toward You, the dwellers in Your neighborhood!

O Allah, give me all of that through Your granting of success and Your mercy, grant us refuge from the chastisement of burning, and to give to all the Muslims, male and female, and all the faithful, male and female, the like of what I have asked for myself and my children, in the immediate of this world and the deferred of the next! Verily You are the Near, the Responder, the All-hearing, the All-knowing, the Pardoner, the Forgiving, the Clement, the Merciful! And give us in this world good, and in the next world good, and protect us from the chastisement of the Fire! [1] ”

Peace be on you, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, you were given wisdom and sound judgment of which no one of the people was given except your children, who created the rules of eloquence in the world of Islam.

In the above-mentioned paragraph, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, showed his great loyalty, his turning to Allah, his obedience, and his cleaving to Allah. He asked Allah, the Almighty, to grant him every request, to accomplish for him his needs, to withhold not from him His response when He has made Himself accountable for it to him, to veil not his supplication from Himself, when He has commanded him to make it, and to be kind to him through everything that will set him right in this world and the

next. He humbly supplicated to Allah, and then he asked Him to give to all the Muslims, male and female, and all the faithful, male and female, the like of what he had asked for himself and his children, in the immediate of this world and the deferred of the next.

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, brought up his children according to these manners, which represented the essence of Islam and true faith, so his children were the most pious of the children of all the Muslims in religion.

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[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, supplication no. 25.

His Behavior toward his Retainers

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, treated his retainers with kindness and mercy; he treated them as he treated his own children. The narrators said that he did not punish any of his retainers for the mistakes they made against him. [1] One day the Imam called a retainer of his twice, but the retainer did not answer him. At the third time he answered, so the Imam asked him kindly:

“Didn’t you hear my voice, my little son? ”

“Yes,” was the reply.

“What was on your mind so that you did not answer me? ” asked the Imam.

“I was safe (from any harm) from you,” answered the retainer.

The Imam praised Allah and went out, saying: “Praise be to Allah, Who has caused my slave to be safe (from any harm) from me. [2] ” The Imam was happy, for he was neither rude nor tyrannical, so the people were not afraid of him nor were they careful of him.

His Behavior toward his Neighbors

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was

the kindest of all the people to his neighbors. He treated them as he treated his family, maintained their weak and poor, visited their sick, escorted their deceased to their final resting place. He did a lot of good for them. He took water to his neighbors in the dark night, as al-Zuhri reported [1] In the history of mankind, there is nothing like this kindness and charity.

His Supplication for his Neighbors

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was not satisfied with the kindness and charity he did for his Neighbors, rather he supplicated for them. He asked Allah to grant them success, good final results, and correctness, as he prayed for himself and the members of his House. This supplication was among his tasks. He singled out his neighbors with one of his holy supplications. The following is the text of this supplication:

“O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household and attend to me with Your best attending in my neighbors and friends who recognize our right and war against our enemies! Give (neighbors and friends) success in performing Your prescriptions and taking on the beauties of Your courtesy through acting gently with their weak, remedying their lacks, visiting their sick, guiding their seeker of right guidance, giving good counsel to their seeker of advice, attending to the one among them who returns from travel, hiding their secrets, covering their shameful things, helping their wronged, sharing kindly with them in goods, turning towards them with wealth and bestowal of bounty, and giving what is due

to them before they ask! ”

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, supplicated for his neighbors with this blessed supplication. He singled out with his supplication the believers and those who knew the right of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, whose love Allah made obligatory, and whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, made life-boats, security for mankind, and the ones who guided men to pleasure and obedience to Allah. In the above-mentioned supplication, the Imam asked Allah:

To grant his neighbors success in performing the sunna of Islam and to enliven its duties and teachings.

To grant his neighbors success in taking on the beauties of Allah’s courtesy, through:

(A) Acting gently with their weak and having mercy on them.

(B) Meeting the needs of their neighbors and helping them with the affairs of this world.

(C) Visiting their ill brothers.

(D) Guiding their seeker of right guidance.

(E) Giving good counsel to their seeker of advice.

(F) Attending to the one among them who returns from travel.

(G) Hiding their secrets.

(H) Covering their shameful things.

(I) Helping their wronged.

(J) Sharing kindly with them in goods.

(K) Turning towards them with wealth and bestowal of bounty.

These are among the most important issues in the social regulation aimed at spreading love, friendship, and cooperation among people, and aimed at ending all kinds of differences that corrupt social life. Now, let’s listen to the last words of this holy supplication.

“Let me, O Allah, repay their evildoer with good doing, turn away from their wrongdoer

with forbearance, have a good opinion of every one of them, attend to all of them with devotion, lower my eyes before them in continence, make mild my side toward them in humility, be tender toward the afflicted among them in mercy, make them happy in absence through affection, love that they continue to receive favor through good will, grant them what I grant my next of kin, and observe for them what I observe for my special friends! O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household, provide me the like of that from them, appoint for them the fullest share of what is with them, increase them in insight toward my right and knowledge of my excellence so that they will be fortunate through me and I fortunate through them! Amen, Lord of the worlds! [1] ”

The most important thing which the Imam wished was that he wanted to do a lot of good for his neighbors. He wanted to:

1. Repay their evildoer with good doing.

2. Turn away from their wrongdoer with forbearance, this was the behavior of his grandfather, Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, who turned away with forbearance from those who wronged him.

3. Have a good opinion of every one of them, for having a good opinion of people spreads love, friendship, and cooperation among them.

4. Attend to all of them with devotion, the weak, the poor, the enemy, and the friend.

5. Make mild his side toward them in humility.

6. Be tender toward the afflicted among

them in mercy.

7. Make them happy in absence through affection and mercy.

8. Receive favor continuously.

9. Treat them kindly as he treated his next of kin.

10. Observe for them what he observed for his special friends.

These exalted morals represent the essence and reality of Islam. They aim at forming a perfect society with united feelings and firm passions.

After the Imam, peace be on him, had made public these noble feelings toward his neighbors, he wanted them to have the same feelings toward him. Then he asked Allah, the Glorified, to provide him the like of that from them, appoint for them the fullest share of what was with them, increase them in insight toward his right and knowledge of his excellence so that they would be fortunate through him and he fortunate through them.

His Behavior toward his Friends

As for the behavior of the Imam, peace be on him, with his friends, it was distinguished by high standards and great Islamic manners. The Imam, peace be on him, respected and honored those who sat with him, thus he said: “I respected and honored those who sat with me. [1] ” One day, Nasr b. Aws al-Ta’i came to the Imam and greeted him, so the Imam returned his greeting and asked him:

“Where are you from? ”

“From Tay,” replied Nasr.

“May Allah greet you! May He greet the people to whom you belong! The best people are your people! ” the Imam said.

Nasr turned to the Imam and asked him: “Who are you? ”

“‘Ali b. al-Husayn. ” was the answer.

“Wasn’t

he killed with his father in Iraq? ” asked Nasr.

The Imam smiled at him and said: “ My little son, if he was killed, you won’t see him. [1] ”

The historians said that Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, did not allow any of his friends to transgress against those who mistreated him. One of his enemies came to him and asked him: “Do you know how to perform the ritual prayers? ” Abu’ Hazim, one of the Imam’s companions, tried to attack him, so the Imam held him back from doing that, saying: “Abu’ Hazim, take it easy! Indeed, religious scholars should be clement and merciful! ” Then the Imam kindly turned to the man and said to him: “Yes, I know how to perform them. ”

The man asked the Imam about the peculiarities of the prayers, and the Imam answered him, so the man became shy of the Imam, apologized to him for that, and said to him: “You have refuted everyone’s proof. [2] ” The Imam treated his friends with high moral standards. In this connection he followed his grandfather, the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who was sent to complete the high moral standards.

His Behavior toward his Shi‘ites

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, wanted his Shi‘ites to be an excellent example for mankind in their piety, devotion, and cleaving to religion, so he did his best to educate them with high Islamic manners. He preached to them, gave them commandments, and urged them to cling 

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[1]: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, vol. 103.

[2]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 155.

[1]: Bahjat al-Abrar.

[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, supplication no. 26.

[1]: Yousif al-Qurtubi, Bahjat al-Majalis wa ’Unis al-Majalis, vol. 1, p. 46.

[1]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 145.

[2]: Bahjat al-Abrar.

to piety and good deeds, so he,

peace be on him, said to one of his Shi‘ites: “Inform our Shi‘ites that nothing will avail them before Allah, and that no one will obtain our intercession but through piety. [1] ”

Indeed, refraining from what Allah has prohibited is among the most important ways that man is saved from the chastisement and punishment of Allah, and it is also among the most successful ways that leads man to obtain the intercession of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, which is one of Allah’s forts.

A group of people came to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and told him that they belonged to his Shi‘ites, so the Imam considered their faces carefully but did not see on them the marks of righteousness, so he said to them: “Where are the marks of the faces? Where are the marks of worship? Where are the marks of prostration (in prayer)? Indeed our Shi‘ites are known by their worship and their shaggy hair. Worship injures the inner corners of their eyes, their foreheads, and their limbs of prostration. Their ‘Abdomens are hollow, and their lips are withered. They glorify Allah when the people keep silent, and they perform the prayers when the people sleep. They are sad when the people are happy. They are known by asceticism. And Paradise distract them (from this world) [2] ”

These qualities which the Imam, peace be on him, concern the special Shi‘ites and the followers of the Imams, peace be on them, such as

‘Ammar b. Yasir, Abu’ Dharr, Salman al-Farisi, Maytham al-Tammar, and the like, whose souls were full of piety and righteousness, and who understood the message of Islam. As for the overwhelming majority of the Shi‘ites, they are the lovers and followers of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them. It is worth mentioning that following the Imams, peace be on them, brings about forgiveness. This can be indicated through the following tradition which has been reported on his authority. When he became ill, a group of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, came to visit him and asked him: “Son of the Apostle of Allah, may our souls be ransom for you, how are you? ” “I am very well,” replied the Imam, “I am grateful to Allah for that, and how are you? ” “We are very well,” they answered, “Son of the Apostle of Allah, we love you and follow you. ” So the Imam gave them good news of Heaven because they loved and followed the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, saying: “Whoever loves us for Allah, Allah will make him dwell in a very shady place on the Day of Resurrection, the day when there will be no shade except His shade. Whoever loves to reward us, Allah will give him Heaven as a reward. Whoever loves us for this world, Allah will give him his livelihood from where he does not expect. [1] ”

A Fabricated Narration

Among the

fabricated narrations is what Ibn ‘Asakir reported when he said that a group of the Iraqis came to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, who said to them: “Love us with love of Islam, and do not love us with the love of idols. You have loved us to the extent that your love has disgraced us. [1] ” This narration was fabricated to defame the Shi‘a, to indicate that they went too far in loving and following the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, and that they raised them to the level of the Almighty Creator. This narration is a baseless accusation, for the love of the Shi‘a for their pure Imams, peace be on them, depends on thought, awareness, the Holy Book of Allah, and the authentic Sunna, in addition to that, there is no defect of exaggeration in such a kind of love. The most important factor in the love of the Shi‘a for the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, is that they take the teachings of their doctrine from them and conform to what was narrated on their authority in respect to religious life. Without doubt, it is enough for someone to put into effect the jurisprudence of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, and to depend on it. Is there in this exaggeration and deviation from the truth?

The same narration was reported in another way in which there was

no slander against the Shi‘a. This narration was reported by Yahya b. Sa’eed, who said: [I was sitting with ‘Ali b. al-Husayn when a number of the Kufans came to him and he said to them: ] “People of Iraq, love us with the love of Islam, for I heard my father say: ‘Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said: ‘O Men, do not raise me more than my right, for Allah, the Glorified, had adopted me as a servant before he adopted me as a prophet. ’ [1] ” There is nothing in this narration to urge us to doubt it.

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[1]: Al-Durr al-Nazim, p. 173.

[2]: Sifat al-Shi‘a.

[1]: Nu`r al-Abbsar, p. 127.

[1]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 157.

[1]: Al-Dhurriya al-Tahira, p. 29.

His enjoining the Shi‘ites to practice

Precautionary Dissimulation

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, made it incumbent on his Shi‘ites to conform to precautionary dissimulation because they witnessed critical conditions during the rule of the Umayyads, who spared no effort to look for the followers of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, and to kill them, thus the Imam enjoined his followers to practice precautionary dissimulation and to conceal their belonging to him. This order of the Imam, peace be on him, agreed with wisdom and the spirituality and essence of Islam. In this connection, he, peace be on him, said: “Allah forgives the believer every sin and purifies him from it in here and the hereafter except two sins, namely leaving precautionary dissimulation and losing his brothers (friends). [2] ”

Indeed precautionary dissimulation prevented the blood of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, from being shed during those

black times when the Umayyads sought them everywhere and killed a great number of them to the extent that they (the Shi‘ites) preferred belonging to the Jews and Christians to belonging to the followers of the Household of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family. Those who have no awareness from among those who harbor malice against the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, condemned the Shi‘a for precautionary dissimulation, for they did not know that it was an important Islamic measure for the Shi‘ites to save themselves from being killed. Were it not for that the Shi‘ites cleaved to precautionary dissimulation, no one would adopt the doctrine of the pure Imams.

His Asking Forgiveness for

the Shi‘ite Sinners

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, loved his Shi‘ites and followers to the extent that he supplicated for them every day, so he, peace be on him, said to Umm Farwa, daughter of al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abu’ Bakr: “I supplicate for the Shi‘ite sinners a hundred times a day, for we are patient toward what we know, and they are patient toward what they do not know. [1] ” This tradition shows that the Imam was kind to his Shi‘ites, for he asked Allah, the Glorified, to forgive the Shi‘ites and to be pleased with them. Therefore which kindness is better than this kindness?

His Behavior toward his Enemies

As for the behavior of the Imam toward his enemies, those who harbored malice against him, and those who wronged him, it was distinguished by kindness

to them. The historians said: “Isma‘il b. Hisham al-Makhzu’mi, the governor of Medina, harbored malice against the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, hurt Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, and cursed his grandfathers on the pulpits in order to seek nearness to the rulers of Damascus. When al-Walid b. ‘Abd al-Malik became caliph, he removed Isma‘il b. Hisham al-Makhzu’mi from office because of a previous enmity between them. He ordered him to be stood up before the people to take their rights from him. Isma‘il b. Hisham al-Makhzu’mi was very afraid of the Imam because he transgressed against him many times and mistreated him, so he said: ‘I fear no one except ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, for he is a righteous man, so the people will listen to his words concerning me. ’ As for the Imam, he asked his companions and followers not to mistreat Isma‘il, and then he hurried to him smiled at him and said to him: ‘Cousin, may Allah make you prosperous, what was done against you has displeased me and urged me to do what you love. ’ Isma‘il b. Hisham was astonished to hear these words of the Imam, thus he said with admiration: ‘Allah knows better where to put His message. ’ [1] ”

Now, let’s carefully listen and consider to his holy supplication for his enemies, and those who wronged him: “O Allah, if any of Your servants should harm me in what You have forbidden or violated me in what You have interdicted, and if he

should pass into death with my complaint or I come to have a complaint against him while he is alive, forgive him what he did to me and pardon him that through which he turned his back on me! Inquire not from him about what he committed toward me and expose him not through what he earned by me! Make my openhandedness in pardoning such servants and my contribution in charity toward them the purest charity of the charitable and the highest gift of those seeking nearness to You! Recompense me for my pardoning them with Your pardon and for my supplicating for them with Your mercy so that each one of us may gain felicity through Your bounty and each may attain deliverance through Your kindness! [1] ”

Indeed, there is no one in the history of mankind similar to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, except his grandfathers. In his behavior he represented a matchless world of honor, nobility, and humanity.

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[2]: Imam Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 202. Quoted from al-Mahasin by al-Barqi.

[1]: Al-Wafi, vol. 2, p. 183. ‘Yyu`n al-Mu‘jizat, p. 76.

[1]: Hayat al-Imam al-Baqir, vol. 1, p. 35. Tabaqat b. Sa‘d, vol. 5, p. 220.

[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, supplication no. 39.

Chapter 4: His Psychological Qualities

point

All the noble virtues and gifts which Allah created to distinguish man were found in the character of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. No one matched him in his inclinations and his psychological qualities such as sublime manners, high moral standards, and adherence to religion. When someone reads his noble behavior, he bows down in respect and admiration for him. The great Muslim figures from among his contemporaries belittled themselves because of the manifold of the Imam’s virtues and abilities. Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, one of the

great religious scholars of Medina, said: “I have never seen a person more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, and when I see him, I hate myself. [1] ” His ideals raised him to the summit of honor and glory which were ascended by his grandfathers, who sacrificed their lives for social reform. Now, we will talk briefly about some of his psychological qualities.

Clemency

As for clemency, it was among the qualities of the prophets and the messengers and is among the greatest and the most distinguished qualities of man, for it means that man controls himself and does not yield to the inclinations of anger and revenge. Al-Jahiz defined clemency, saying: “Clemency means that you leave revenge during intense anger while you are able to do that. [2] ” Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was the greatest of all the people in clemency and the best of them in restraining anger. The narrators and the historians mentioned many examples of his clemency, the following are some of them:

1. A maid-servant of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn began to pour water for him so that he might perform the ritual ablutions for prayer. The maid-servant became faint and the jug dropped from her hand and struck him. He raised his head towards her and the maid-servant said: “Allah, the Most High, says: Those who restrain from anger. ”

“I have restrained my anger,” he said.

“And those who forgive the people,” she went on.

“My Allah forgive you,” he said.

“Allah loves those who do good,” she said.

“Go, you are a

free woman before the face of Allah, the Almighty and High, [1] ” he answered.

2. A mean person received the Imam by abusing and cursing him, nevertheless the Imam treated him kindly, saying: “Boy, there will be an invincible obstacle before us. If I cross it I will pay no attention to what you are saying. If I am perplexed with it, I will be more wicked than what you are saying. [2] ”

The Imam was busy thinking of his sentiments and feelings toward Allah and fear of the terrors of the hereafter from which no one will be safe except the pious, and he was not annoyed by this nonsense, which issued from a person void of morals and manners.

3. When the Imam went out of the mosque, a person abused him, so the people hurried to punish the man, but the Imam prevented them from doing that, saying: “What Allah has concealed from you is more than (this). Shall I help you with your need? ”

The person was ashamed of himself and wished that the earth would swallow him up. When the Imam looked at him, he had mercy on him and gave him a black shirt and a thousand dirhams. With that the Imam was able to uproot from the man the evil inclination of aggression against the people without any right and showed him the path of truth and guidance, so when the person saw the Imam, he said to him: “Surely you are among the children of the prophets. [3] ”

4. An

ignoble person aggressed against the Imam and cursed him, but the Imam turned his face away from him, so the ignoble person became angry and said to him: “I mean you! ” However, the Imam said to him: “Still, I will forgive you! ” Then the Imam left the ignoble person and went away. He did not return the insult, thus the ignoble person burst into anger [1]

5. A mean person slandered the Imam and went too far in cursing him; nevertheless the Imam said to him: “If I have what you say, I will ask Allah to forgive me. If I do not have what you say, I will ask Allah to forgive you. ” The mean person became ashamed of himself and apologized to the Imam for that, saying: “You do not have what I said, so pardon me! ” The Imam received him with smiles of satisfaction and forgiveness, saying: “May Allah forgive you! ” The mean person admired the Imam and said: “Allah knows better where to place his message. [2] ”

6. A person was aggressive against a member of the family of al-Zubayr and cursed him, but the latter did not return in degree. When the person went away, al-Zubayri stood up and began cursing the Imam, but the latter kept silent and did not answer him, so the former asked: “What prevents you from answering me? ” “What prevented you from answering the man,” the Imam answered with kindness. [3]

These are some of the examples the historians mentioned of the clemency of the Imam,

peace be on him. They show an endless ability of outstanding merits which manifested them selves in the Imam and raised him to the highest level of the human perfection.

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[1]: Al-Ya‘qu`bi, Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 46.

[2]: Tahdhib al-Akhlaq, p. 19.

[1]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, vol. 155. Nihayat al-Irab, vol. 21, p. 326.

[2]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 96.

[3]: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 105.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Saffwat al-Saffwa, vol. 2, p. 54.

[3]: Al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, vol. 3, p. 805

Patience

Among the psychological qualities of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him was patience during ordeals and tribulations. It is certain that no one in this world has been afflicted by such ordeals and tribulations as this great Imam was afflicted by them; he was liable to events and misfortunes from the beginning of his life to his death, for he suffered the loss of his mother when he was in the first stage of his childhood, so he did not feel her pure affection and kindness. He witnessed in his bloom of youth the sorrow of his family because of the loss of his grandfather Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, whom ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muljim killed.

He witnessed those days when his uncle, the pure Imam, al-Hasan, peace be on him, was forced to make peace with Mu‘awiya b. Abu’ Sufyan, the Umayyad ruler of Syria. It is worth mentioning that Mu‘awiya brought disgrace on the Arab and Islamic world because of his pre-Islamic inclinations and his malice against Islam and Muslims. When he took the reins of authority, he used all the organs of his government to erase Islam from the map of existence, and took the severest measures against the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them. For example,

he ordered the people to curse them on the pulpits and the minarets (of the mosques) , meanwhile he ordered their followers to be killed everywhere.

When Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, became a young man, he suffered the loss of his uncle Imam al-Hasan, the plant of sweet basil of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, whom the Kasra of the Arabs (i. e. , Mu‘awiya b. Hind) [1] killed with poison. This event saddened the Imam and the Prophet’s Household very much.

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was afflicted by the most sorrowful event when he saw sinful swords cut off the heads of the choice from among the members of the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, in a tragic way which the history of nations and people had never seen. After the murder of that group from among the supporters of justice and truth, the criminal Kufans surrounded Imam Zayn al- ‘Abidin, peace be on him, and then they burnt his tent and the tents of the womenfolk of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. After that they took the Imam as prisoner to the tyrannical governor, b. Marjana, who received the Imam by cursing and abusing him, while the Imam was patient and entrusted his affair to Allah. After that, the Imam was taken to the tyrannical Caliph, Yazid b. Mu‘awiya. There the Imam suffered from various kinds of ordeals and tribulations but he was patient

toward them showing satisfaction with Allah’s decree. Therefore, what a great soul was his soul! What a pure conscience was his conscience! As for his soul, it resorted to the Creator of the world and Giver of life during all those terrible events. As for his conscience, it was purer and stronger than everything.

Patient in the face of ordeals and tribulations was among the psychological qualities of the Imam, peace be on him. It was reported on his authority that he said: “Patience is the source of obedience to Allah. [1] ”

Another example of his patience was that he heard a woman wailing in his house, and there was a group of people with him, so he stood up to see what happened. He was told that one of his children had died, but he returned to his assembly and told his companions about the death of his child and they admired his patience, so he said to them: “We, the members of the House, obey Allah in what we like and praise Him in what we dislike. [2] ” He thought that patience was among bounties and impatience was an act of weakness. [3]

As Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, had a strong character and did not collapse before the terrible events, he is regarded as among the rarest figures throughout history.

Glory and Self-esteem

Among the qualities of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, were glory and self-esteem. He inherited these qualities from his father, the Lord of martyrs, peace be on him, who walked

toward death with longing and desire for his glory and self-esteem. That was when the mean people made him choose between death and abasement, so he chose death and addressed them, saying: “By Allah, I will never give you my hand like a man who has been humiliated; nor will I flee like a slave. ” This noble quality appeared in Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin when he said: “I do not prefer excellent bounties to myself. [1] ” Concerning self-esteem, he said: “Whoever feels that he is respectable, the world is easy for him. [2] ” When he was taken prisoner to Syria, he did not speak to any of those who guarded him to make them feel that he disdained and belittled them.

The historians said: “One of his uncles took some of his rights illegally. He, peace be on him, was in Mecca. Meanwhile al-Walid, the king, was there to perform the ritual hajj, so it was said to him: ‘Ask al-Walid to take you your rights. ’ So he said to them with these words which are immortal in the world of glory and self-esteem: ‘Shall I ask in the House of Allah, the Great and Almighty, other than Allah, Great and Almighty? Indeed, I refuse to ask the Creator of the world for the world, then how shall I ask a creature similar to me for the world? ’ [3] ” Anther example of his self-esteem was that he did not take even a dirham through his nearness to Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his

family. [1] The historians reported many examples of his glory and self-esteem, which showed that he refused all kinds of abasement and oppression.

Bravery

Among his psychological qualities was bravery and courage; he was the bravest of all the people, for he was the son of al-Husayn, who was the most courageous of all the children of Adam. An example of his outstanding bravery was when he was taken prisoner and taken to the tyrannical governor, ‘Ubayd Allah b. Marjana, the latter received him with words of glee at his misfortune. So the Imam answered him with burning words whose effect on him was stronger than the clashing of swords and the lashing of whips. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, paid no attention to ‘Ubayd Allah’s power and invincibility, so b. Marjana (i. e. , ‘Ubayd Allah) became so angry that he ordered the Imam to be killed. However, the Imam was not afraid of death, rather he said to him calmly: “Killing is a custom for us, and our miracle from Allah is martyrdom. ”

When Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was taken to Yazid b. Mu‘awiya, he met him with boldness and reproached him for his great crime and gave him no way to defend himself and to justify his crime.

The Imam inherited bravery from his grandfather ‘Ali and his father al-Husayn, who were the bravest of all the creatures of Allah. There is no one in the world of Islam similar to them in bravery, strong determination, and firmness in

defending the truth.

His Unselfish Nature

Among his prominent qualities was his lack of all kinds of selfishness which had no power over him. The historians mentioned many examples of his lack of selfishness. Such as when he wanted to travel to a certain place, he traveled with people who did not know him, so that he would serve them and rather than they serve him. One day he traveled with some people who did not know him, but one of them looked at him and recognized him and shouted at the people, asking: “Woe unto you! Do you know that man? ”

“No, we don’t,” answered the people.

“That is ‘Ali b. al-Husayn,” explained the man.

The people hurried toward the Imam and began kissing his hands and feet, asking: “Do you want Allah to make us enter the fire of Hell? What made you do that? ”

The Imam answered gently: “I traveled with some people who knew me and they, because of Allah’s Apostle, rendered services for me which I was unworthy of. I was afraid that you would render me the same services, so I preferred concealing my affair to making it public. [1] ”

Another example of his lack of selfishness was that when he walked in a street and saw the passers-by being harmed by things such as stones and clods of mud, he dismounted his mount and took them away from the street with his holy hand. [2] When he mounted his mule and walked in the street, he did not say to anyone: “Make room. ” Moreover,

he said: “The street is for all people, and I have no right to push anyone away from it. [1] ” All the qualities of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, such as high moral standards were embodied in this great soul.

Kindness to People

Another quality of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was kindness to people; his holy heart overflowed with mercy and kindness toward them. The historians said: “When he knew that someone was in debt and loved him, he paid his debt. [2] He hurried to meet the needs of the people lest someone should meet them before him and he would be deprived of reward.

In this respect he said: ‘My enemy sometimes came to me (and ask me) to satisfy his need, so I hasten to satisfy it for fear that someone should satisfy it before me or my enemy should be in no need of it; therefore I would be deprived of the reward for it. [3] ” Al-Zuhri reported the following concerning the kindness of the Imam to the people: “I was with ‘Ali b. al-Husayn when a person came and said him: “I owe four hundred dinars and am unable to pay them and have a family. At that time the Imam had no money on him to pay the person’s debt, so he wept and said: ‘It is difficult for a free and believing person to be unable to satisfy the need of his believing brother. ’ [4] ”

Generosity

point

As for generosity, it was among the qualities of Imam

Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The historians unanimously agreed that the Imam was the most generous of all the people and the kindest of them to the poor and the weak. They mentioned many examples of his generosity. The following are some of them:

--------------------

[1]: The Second Caliph gave him this surname.

[1]: Al-Muqrim, Al-Imam Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 19.

[2]: Huliyat al-Awliya’, vol. 3, p. 138.

[3]: Al-Durr al-Nazim, p. 173.

[1]: Al-Khisal, p. 24.

[2]: Al-Bihar, vol. 78, 135.

[3]: Ibid, vol. 46, p. 64.

[1]: Tha‘lab, al-Majalis, vol. 2, p. 462.

[1]: ‘Uyyu`n Akhbar al-Rida, vol. 2, p. 145. A similar report to this has been mention in al-Kamil by al-Mubarrad, vol. 2, p. 482.

[2]: Al-Imam Zayn ‘al-Abidin, p. 70.

[1]: Siyar ‘Alam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 240. Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 161.

[2]: Abu` Zahra, al-Imam Zayd, p. 24.

[3]: Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. , p. 13.

[4]: Al-Sadu`q, al-Amali.

Muhammad b. Usama

Muhammad b. Usama became ill, so the Imam visited him. When the Imam sat down, Muhammad burst into tears, so the Imam asked him: “What makes you weep? ”

“What makes me weep,” answered Muhammad, “is the fact that I owe fifteen thousand dinars and I have nothing left to fulfill the debt for them. ”

“Do not weep,” the Imam told him, “they are my debts now and you are free of them. ” So he paid them for him. [1]

His giving Food to the People

An example of his abundant generosity was that he gave food to those people who came to his house in Medina at noon every day. [2]

His Maintaining a Hundred Families

The Imam was very generous that he secretly maintained a hundred families in Medina, [3] and each family had a group of people. [4]

The generosity of the Imam showed that he had a soul free from miserliness, that he had mercy on the people, and that he was grateful to Allah for His giving.

His Kindness to the Poor

point

Among his qualities was kindness to the poor, the deprived, and the miserable. We shall mention some examples of his kindness to them:

A. His Honoring the Poor

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, looked after the poor and took care of their feelings and sentiments. When he gave a beggar alms, he kissed him lest he should see the mark

of abasement and need on his face. [1] He greeted the beggars who came to him and said to them: “Welcome to him who carries my provisions to the hereafter. [2] ”

Honoring the poor in this kind and merciful manner strengthens society and spreads love and friendship among its members.

B. His Kindness to the Poor

The Imam, peace be on him, was very kind and affectionate to the poor and the needy. He asked the orphans, the blind, and the needy to eat with him. He gave them food with his hand [3] as well as he carried food on his back and took it to their houses. [4] He took great care of the poor and was so kind to them that he prevented the people from harvesting dates at night lest they should deprive the poor of them. So he said to Qahramana, who reaped dates at night: “Do not do that. Don’t you know that Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, prevented (the people) from reaping at night, and he used to say: ‘You should give a share to those who ask you for it on the day of harvest. [5] ’”

His Preventing the People from Reproaching Beggars

The Imam, peace be on him, prevented the people from reproaching beggars, for that would bring about bad results such as loss of bounties and sudden adversities. In this respect Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab reported: “One day I went to ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. After he had finished performing the noon prayer, there was a beggar at the door, so he, peace be on him, said: ‘Give to

the beggar and do not reproach him. [1] ’”

The Imam, peace be on him, stressed the importance of this duty in many of his traditions. In this connection, Abu’ Hamza al-Thumali reported: “I performed the morning prayer with ‘Ali b. al-Husayn in Medina on Friday. After he had finished performing his prayer, he went to his house. I accompanied him. When he reached his house, he called his maid-servant Sukayna and said to her: ‘When a beggar passes by the door of my house, give him food, for today is Friday. ’ So I (i. e. , Abu’ Hamza) said to him: ‘Not all beggars are worthy of being given food. ’ He, peace be on him said: ‘I am afraid that some of those who beg us are worthy of being given food. If we do not give them food and reproach them, what had befallen Ya‘qu’b and his family will befall us, the members of the House. Give the beggars food! Give them food! Ya‘qu’b sacrificed a ram every day. He gave some of its meat to the poor as alms. He and the members of his family ate the rest of its meat.

At the time of breaking the fast, on Friday, a believing and fasting beggar whose rank was high with Allah and who was worthy of being given food passed by the door of Ya‘qu’b’s house and called out: ‘Give food from the rest of your food to the strange and hungry beggar! ’ Ya‘qu’b and his family heard him but they

neglected his right and did not believe his words. When the beggar despaired of them and the night overtook him, he went away and spent that night hungry complaining his hunger to Allah, while Ya‘qu’b and his family spent that night full and with extra food. In the morning of that night, Allah revealed to Ya‘qu’b, saying: ‘You have abased my servant to the extent that you and your children are worthy of my wrath and my punishment. Ya‘qu’b, the most lovable of my prophets for Me and the most honorable with Me are those who have mercy on the poor from among my servants, draw them near to Me, give them food, and protect them. Ya‘qu’b, why did you not have mercy on my servant, who has devoted his life to worshipping and is secretly content with that which is beyond this material world? Ya‘qu’b, by my might, I will impose my tribulation upon you and make you and your sons a target for misfortunes. ’

“I (i. e. , Abu’ Hamza) asked: May I be ransom for you, when did Yousif saw the vision? [1] The Imam, peace be on him, replied: ‘When Ya‘qu’b and his family spent that night full and the poor beggar spent it hungry. ’ [2] ”

Indeed, depriving the needy and poor person of his right results in the loss of bounties and brings down Allah’s wrath. In this respect many traditions were successively reported on the authority of the Imams of guidance, so those who want Allah’s blessing to continue should

not reproach the poor and deprive them of their rights.

His Alms

point

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, did his best throughout his life to give alms to the poor in order to remove poverty from them. In the meantime he urged the people to help them in order that they might get a great reward from Allah, the Glorified. So he said: “If a person gives alms to a poor person, the poor person will supplicated for him at that hour and he will be answered. [1] ” Now, we will mention some of his alms:

A. He gave his Garments as Alms

The Imam, peace be on him, wore the most luxurious garment. In winter he wore silk-like garments. When summer came, he gave them as alms or sold them and gave their price as alms. In summer he wore two Egyptian garments. When winter came, he gave them as alms. [2] Thus, he said: “I feel shame before my Lord when I take the price of the garment in which I worship Him. [3] ”

B. He gave as Alms what He loved

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, gave as alms what he loved. The narrators said: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn gave almonds and sugar as alms. He was asked about that, and he recited the words of Him, the Exalted: ‘By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love. [4] ’” The historians reported: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn liked eating grapes. One day he was fast, so his maid-servant gave him a bunch of grapes. At the time of breaking fasting, a beggar came

to him, and he ordered the bunch of grapes to be given to the beggar. The maid-servant sent someone to buy a bunch of grapes for the Imam, another beggar knocked on the door, and the Imam ordered the bunch of grapes to be given to the beggar.

Again, the maid-servant sent someone to buy a bunch of grapes for the Imam. When she offered the bunch of grapes to the Imam, another beggar came, and the Imam ordered the bunch of grapes to be given to the beggar. [1] ” In this manner the Imam followed the example of his grandfathers, who gave their food for three days to a poor, an orphan, and a captive, so Allah sent down concerning them the Su’ra of Hal Ata, which will exist as a legion of honor for them throughout time till Allah inherits the earth and what is on it.

C. Dividing his Properties

The Imam divided his properties into two shares. He took one share and gave the other as alms to the poor. [2] In this manner the Imam followed the example of his uncle, Imam al-Hasan, the plant of sweet basil of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, who divided his properties into two or three shares.

His Giving Charity in Secret

The most lovable thing for the Imam, peace be on him, was giving charity in secret. He did not want anyone to recognize him because he wanted to make close relationships with the poor people he helped in order to seek Allah’s good pleasure as well

as urged the Muslims to adopt giving charity secretly, so he said: “Giving charity secretly removes the wrath of Allah. [1] ”

He went out veiled in the darkness and carried gifts to the poor who stood at the doors of their house waiting for him. When they saw him, they gave good news to each other and said to one another: “The owner of the bag has just come. [2] ” The Imam went to his cousin at night and gave him some dinars, but his cousin said to him: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn does not give me anything. ”

--------------------

[1]: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 105. Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 239. Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 266. Hulyat al-Awliya’, vol. 3, p. 141.

[2]: Al-Ya‘qu`bi, Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 6.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Lughat wa al-Asma’, 343.

[4]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 88.

[1]: Hulyat al-Awliya‘, vol. 3, p. 137.

[2]: Safwat al-Safwa, vol. 2, p. 53.

[3]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 62.

[4]: Ibid. A similar narration has been mentioned in Da’irat al-Ma‘arif by al-Bustani, vol. 9, p. 355.

[5]: Wasa‘il al-Shi‘a, vol. 6, p. 15.

[1]: Al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 15.

[1]: It was the night when he saw eleven stars, the sun, and the moon prostrating themselves to him.

[2]: Al-Nu`ri, Dar al-Salam, vol. 2, p. 141.

[1]: Wasa’il al-Shi’a, vol. 6, p. 296.

[2]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 161.

[3]: Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 1, p. 89.

[4]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 89.

[1]: Al-Barqi, al-Mahasin, p. 547. Furu`‘ al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 350.

[2]: Khulasat Tahdhib al-Kamal, p. 231. Hulyat al-Awliya’, vol. 3, p. 140. Jamharat al-Awliya’, vol. 2, p. 72. Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 105. Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat, vol. 5, p. 19.

[1]: Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, vol. 1, p. 75. Akhbar al-Diwal, p. 110. Nihayat al-Irab, vol. 21, p. 326.

[2]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 89.

Moreover, his cousin invoked Allah against him. The Imam, peace be on him, heard that and pardoned his cousin and did not let his cousin recognize him. When the Imam, peace be on him, died, his cousin lost those gifts and knew that it was the Imam who had brought them to him, so he went to the Imam’s grave and wept over him and apologized to him for slandering him. [3] ”

Ibn ‘A’isha said: [I heard the people of Medina say: ] “When ‘Ali b. al-Husayn died, we were deprived of being given charity secretly. [4] ” The historians reported that a group of the people of Medina lived and did not know the person who brought them their livelihood. When ‘Ali b. al- Husayn died, they lost what they were given at night. [5] The Imam, peace be on him, was very serious with hiding his alms, to the extent that he covered his face when he gave some alms. [6] Al-Dhahabi

said: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn gave a lot of secret charity. [1] ”

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, put food in a bag; he carried the bag on his back and divided the food among the poor. The bag made some calluses on his back. Al-Ya‘qu’bi reported: “When the Imam, peace be on him, died, the members of his family washed him and they found on his back calluses similar to those of a camel. They people asked the members of his family about those calluses and they answered: ‘They were made by the bag which he carried on his back at night to divide food among the poor. ’ [2] ”

Anyhow, the Imam’s secret charity was among the greatest deeds and the most rewarded by Allah.

His Seeking Allah’s Pleasure

From his kindness to the poor, the Imam, peace be on him, wanted nothing except Allah’s pleasure and the hereafter. He was the most prominent of those whom Allah concerned with these words of His: “ (As for) those who spend their property in the way of Allah, then do not follow up what they have spent with reproach or injury, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and shall have no fear nor shall they grieve. [3] ”

The gifts and alms of the Imam were for Allah’s pleasure only. They were not mixed with any worldly purposes which would turn into earth sooner or later. Al-Zuhri narrated: “During a cold night, I saw ‘Ali b. al-Husayn carrying flour on his back, so I asked him: ‘Son of Allah’s Apostle,

what is that on your back? ’”

The Imam hurried and said with a faint voice: “I am making preparations for a journey. I am preparing provisions for it and carrying them to a secure place. ”

“Let this boy of mine carry the flour instead of you,” explained al-Zuhri.

The Imam did not answer him. Al-Zuhri begged the Imam to let him carry the flour in stead of him, but the Imam insisted on carrying it and said: “ But I do not disdain what will save me during my journey and makes good my going to Whom I will go. I ask you before Allah to go to your need. ”

So al-Zuhri left the Imam and went away. After some days he met him. He did not understand what the Imam meant. He thought that the Imam would go on a regular journey, so he asked him: “Son of Allah’s Apostle, I do not see any mark of that journey which you ended? ”

The Imam, peace be on him, told him about that journey for which he made preparations: “Zuhri, I think that you did not understand what I meant. I meant death. I made preparations for it through refraining from the prohibited and doing good. [1] ”

The Imam, peace be on him, spent on the poor to seek Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness.

--------------------

[3]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 100.

[4]: Safwat al-Safwa, vol. 2, p. 54. Al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf, p. 49.

[5]: Abu` al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 15, p. 326.

[6]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 62.

[1]: Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, vol. 1, p. 75.

[2]: Al-Ya‘qu`bi, Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 45.

[3]: Qur’an, 2, 262.

[1]: ‘Ilal al-Sharai‘, p. 88. Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, pp. 65-66.

Renouncing Worldly Pleasures

Among the qualities of the Imam was renouncing worldly pleasures. He did not care for worldly vanities. He clung to asceticism and completely renounced the world. The world did not tempt him nor did it

deceive him, for he knew its reality and essence. He knew that man would leave the world no matter what he enjoyed in it, and that he would find nothing before him except his good deeds. The Imam was the most ascetic of the people of his time. This was underlined by al-Zuhri when he was asked about the most ascetic of all the people and he answered: “The most ascetic of all the people is ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [1] ”

The Imam, peace be on him, saw a beggar weeping, so he had mercy on him and said: “If the world was in the hand of this person and then it dropped from it, he had not to weep for it. [2] ” The Imam, peace be on him renounced worldly pleasures, but this does not mean that he yielded to poverty and feebleness, rather he was pious with what Allah prohibited, so he was similar to his father and grandfather, who divorced the world and did not care for its affairs except truth and virtue.

With the Sufis

point

As the Imam, peace be on him, was ascetic and completely turned away from the world, the Sufis regarded him as one of their figures and wrote a full biography about him. [3] Al-Kalabazi regarded him as one of those who talked about their sciences, spread their essays, and described their conditions in word and action after the Companions of the Prophet. [4] I (i. e. , the author) think that this view is not objective, rather it is very shallow, for the

Sufis completely renounced the world, lived in dark caves, wore coarse garments, ate rough food, and other matters which disagree with the reality of the religion and which did not legislate any rule in which there was uneasiness or limitations for men.

As for Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, he led a life completely different from that of the Sufis because he wore the most luxurious garments. The narrators said: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn wore a silk-like long outer garment, a silk-like cloak, and a silk-like turban. ” A researcher in Sufism refuted the view which said that the Imam was among the Sufis, saying: “As for the asceticism of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, it was psychological, rational, and internal. Such asceticism is more useful than that based on hunger and wearing wool, for perception accepts the first kind of asceticism and it is that which deep innate nature of life establishes; as for garment, it is pretense. [1] ”

The behavior of the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, clearly refuted the Sufi methods. The historians said: “When Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, was appointed a successor (to authority) , a Sufi said to him: ‘The Imam should eat rough food and wear coarse garments. ’ The Imam was resting on his elbow, so he sat down and refuted this cheap view, saying: ‘Yousif b. Ya‘qub was a prophet; nevertheless he wore silk-like garments embroidered with gold. Allah did not prohibit clothing nor did he prohibit food.

However, He wanted the Imam to be fair and just. ’ Then he recited these words of Him, the Exalted: ‘Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment and the good provisions which Allah has brought forth for His creatures. [1] ’”

This noble behavior disagrees in all conditions with Sufism which has no Islamic aspects.

He Hated Playing

Another quality of the Imam was that he hated playing. Throughout his life no one saw him playing or laughing, so he, peace be on him, said: “Whenever a man laughs one time he loses a bit of knowledge. ” In Medina there was an unemployed person at whom the people laughed. The unemployed person said: “It is difficult for me to make this man (i. e. , Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) laugh. ” One day the Imam, followed by two retainers, passed by the unemployed person and he took his cloak and ran away. The Imam did not turn to him, but the two retainers chased the unemployed person and took the cloak from him and brought it to the Imam, who asked them: “Who is this person? ” “He is an unemployed person at whom the people of Medina laugh,” replied one of the two retainers. So the Imam, peace be on him, said: “Say to him: Indeed Allah has a day in which the liars will be losers. [2] ”

His Turning to Allah in Repentance

Among the most prominent qualities of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin was his turning in repentance to Allah and his devotion to Him. This appeared in the Imam’s whispered prayers, supplications, and

words which showed his strong dedication to Allah, the Creator of the world and Giver of life.

The Imam dedicated himself to Allah and entrusted all his affairs and tasks to Him, the Exalted. When he faced a certain matter, he rushed to Allah, for he thought that depending on other than Allah would bring about disappointment and loss. The historians reported that the Imam passed by a person sitting at the door of a rich person and asked him: “What has made you sit at the door of this rich, tyrannical person? ”

“Poverty and misery,” replied the person.

“Stand up,” ordered the Imam, “I will lead you to a door better than his door and a Lord better for you than him. ”

The person rose and went with the Imam till they reached the Mosque of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. There the Imam said to the person: “Turn your face to the qibla, perform two ruk‘as, raise your hands and supplicate Allah, the Glorified, (to help you). Ask Him to bless His Prophet, recite the last verses of Surat al-Hashr, six verses from the beginning of Surat al-Haddid, and the first two verses of Surat Al ‘Umran, and then ask Allah, the Glorified, to meet your need. If you ask Allah for a certain thing, He will give it to you. Whoever seeks refuge in Allah seeks refuge in a strong fort. As for seeking refuge in other than Allah, it is useless. [1] ”

Wonderful Examples of his Turning

in Repentance

to Allah

Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, the Gospel of the Household of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, is full of the supplications which show that Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, turned to Allah in repentance and was sincere to Him, and that he clung to Allah and dedicated himself to Him. The following are some examples of his turning to Allah in repentance:

1. His Seeking Asylum with Allah

The Imam, peace be on him, sought asylum with Allah through his heart and feelings toward Him. He entrusted to Him all his small and big affairs. He has mentioned that in the following supplication: “O Allah, if You will, You will pardon us through Your bounty, and if You will, You will chastise us through Your justice. So make our ways smooth to Your pardon through Your kindness and grant us sanctuary from Your chastisement through Your forbearance, for none of us has the endurance for Your justice and none of us can reach deliverance without Your pardon! O Richest of the Rich, here we are, Your servants, before You. I am the neediest of the needy toward You, so redress our neediness through Your abundance and cut us not off from our hopes through Your withholding, lest You make wretched him who seeks felicity through You and deprive him who seeks help from Your bounty! Then to whom would we return after You? Where would we go from Your gate? Glory be to You! We are the distressed, the response to whom You have

made incumbent, the people from whom You have promised to remove the evil. That thing most resembling Your will and that affair most worthy for You in Your mightiness is showing mercy to him who asks You for mercy and helping him who seeks help from You. So show mercy upon our pleading with You and free us from need when we throw ourselves before You! O Allah, Satan will gloat over us if we follow him in disobeying You, so bless Muhammad and his Household and let him not gloat over us after we have renounced him for You and beseeched You against him! [1] ”

In this holy supplication we feel that the Imam, peace be on him, sought asylum with Allah and clung to Him. He, peace be on him, showed that he was poor and in need of Allah’s pardon and bounty. He asked Allah not to deprive him of His bounty and not to cut him off from his hopes through His withholding, lest he (the Imam) should be wretched after his felicity through Him. Besides, the Imam, peace be on him, showed abasement and pleading before the Almighty Creator to the extent that he became among the lords of the pious and those who turned in repentance to Allah, the Glorified.

2. His Fleeing to Allah

The Imam, peace be on him, completely devoted himself to Allah. He thought that Allah was the source of benefit and strength, and that seeking asylum in other than Him was useless. Now let’s listen to his

supplication in this respect: “O Allah, I showed sincerity by cutting myself off from everything but You. I approached You with my whole self. I averted my face from everyone who needs Your support. I ceased to ask from anyone who cannot do without Your bounty. I saw that the needy who seeks from the needy is foolish in his opinion, and misguided in his intellect. How many people have I seen, my Allah, who sought exaltation through other than You and were abased, who wanted wealth from someone else and became poor, who tried to rise high and fell down low! Observing the likes of them corrects a prudent man; his taking heed gives him success; his choosing the best guides him to the path of right. So You, my Master, are the object of my asking to the exclusion of all those who are asked and the patron of my need to the exclusion of all those from whom requests are made. You are singled out for my call before all who are called; none is associated with You in my hope, none comes along with You in my supplication, nor does any join with You within it, for to You is my appeal. To You, my Allah, belongs the Unity of number, the property of eternal power, the excellence of force and strength, the degree of sublimity and elevation. Everyone other than You is the object of compassion in his lifetime, overcome in his affair, overwhelmed in

his situation, diverse in states, constantly changing in attributes. So You are high exalted above likeness and opposites, proudly magnified beyond similitudes and rivals! Glory be to You! There is no Allah but You. [1] ”

In this masterpiece, we feel that the Imam completely dedicated himself to Allah, the Glorified. He approached Him with his feelings and 

 sentiments. He averted his face and heart from other creatures who need Allah’s support, for regarding them in hope and expectation is foolishness in opinion and misguidance in intellect. The Imam, peace be on him, attributed all sources of benefit and strength to Allah, the Glorified. He criticized those who sought glory, wealth and exaltation from other than Allah. He showed that they became poor and fell down low. So those who seek good, exaltation, and dignity should devote themselves to Allah, Who has power over everything. As for those other than Allah, they are the object of compassion in their lifetime, overcome in their affair, overwhelmed in their situation, diverse in states, constantly changing in attributes. This supplication shows pure faith and the essence of the Oneness of Allah.

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[1]: Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 62.

[2]: Al-Fusu`l al-Muhimma, p. 192.

[3]: Jamharat al-Awliya’, vol. 2, p. 71. Hulyat al-Awliya, vol. 3, p. 133.

[4]: Al-Ta‘arruf, p. 11.

[1]: Al-Sila bayna al-Tashayyi‘ wa al-Tasawuif, vol. 1, p. 169.

[1]: ‘Uyyu`n Akhbar al-Rida.

[2]: Al-Sadu`q, al-Amali, p. 220.

[1]: Al-Kaf‘ami, al-Junna al-Waqiya wa al-Junna al-Baqiya, p. 190.

[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, Supplication no. 10.

[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 28.

3. His Seeking Needs from Allah

Another aspect of his turning to Allah in repentance was that he limited seeking needs from Allah, the Almighty, for He is the source of bounty and the fountain of mercy and kindness. The Imam, peace be on him, turned his face to Allah and supplicated to Him with this holy supplication: “O Allah, O ultimate object of my needs! O He through whom requests are

attained! O He whose favors are not bought by prices! O He who does not stain His gifts by the imposition of obligations! O He along with whom nothing is needed and without whom nothing can be done! O He toward whom desire is ever directed and never turned away! O He whose treasuries cannot be exhausted by demands! O He whose wisdom cannot be altered by any means! O He from whom the needs of the needy are never cut off! O He who is not distressed by the supplications of the supplicators! You have lauded Yourself for having no need for Your creatures, and it suits You to have no need for them, and You have attributed to them poverty, and it suits to them to be poor toward You. So he who strives to remedy his lack through what is with You and wishes to turn poverty away from himself through You has sought his need in the most likely place and come to his request from the right quarter. However, he who turns in his need toward one of Your creatures or assigns the cause of its being granted to other than You, has exposed himself to deprivation and deserves to miss Your beneficence.

“ O Allah, I have a need of You: My exertion has fallen short of it and my stratagems have been cut back before reaching it. My soul induced me to present it to him who presents his need to You and can

do nothing without You in his requests, but this is one of the slips of the offenders, one of the stumbles of the sinners! Then through Your reminding me I was aroused from my heedlessness, through Your giving success, I stood up from my slip, and through Your pointing the way, I returned and withdrew from my stumble. I said: Glory to my Lord! How can the needy ask from the needy? How can the destitute beseech the destitute? So I went straight to You, my Lord in beseeching, and I sent You my hope with trust in You. I came to know that the many I request from You are few before Your wealth, the weighty I ask from You is vile before your plenty; Your generosity is not constrained by anyone’s asking. Your hand is higher in bestowing gifts than every hand!

“O Allah, so bless Muhammad and his Household, take me through Your generosity to Your gratuitous bounty and take me not through Your justice to what I deserve! I am not the first beseecher to beseech You and You bestowed upon him while he deserved withholding, nor I am the first to ask from You and You were bounteous toward him while he merited deprivation.

“O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household, respond to my supplication, come near my call, have mercy on my pleading, listen to my voice, cut not short my hope for You, severe not my thread to You, turn not my face in this

my need, and other needs, away from You, attend for my sake to the fulfillment of my request, the granting of my need, and the attainment of what I have asked before I leave this place through Your making easy for me the difficult and Your excellent ordainment for me in all affairs! Bless Muhammad and his Household with a permanent, ever-growing blessing, whose perpetuity has no cutting off and whose term knows no limit, and make that a help to me and a cause for the granting of my request! You are boundless, Generous! [1] ”

After this supplication, the Imam, peace be on him, stated his need, prostrated himself, and said in his supplication: “Your bounty has comforted me and Your beneficence has shown me the way, so I ask You by You and by Muhammad and his Household (Your blessing be upon them) that You send me not back in disappointment! ”

This holy supplication shows the firm clinging of the Imam, peace be on him, to Allah and his great belief in Him. The Imam firmly believed that Allah, the Glorified, was the only ultimate object whom servants asked for their needs, that He bestowed on them His blessings and favors, and that He did not sell these favors to them by prices, nor did He stain them by the imposition of obligations. Man has no need of others through Allah’s gifts. All the creatures are in need of Allah’s generosity while He, the Exalted, is in no need of them.

Indeed, the clever and knowledgeable one is he who turns in his need to Allah only. As for the one who turns in his need to other than Allah, he exposes himself to deprivation and is worthy of missing beneficence. The Imam, peace be on him, asked Allah, the Glorified, for forgiveness and good pleasure, and then he came to know that the many favors he requested from Allah were few before Him, the Exalted. Besides he came to know that Allah had bounteous gifts and His hand was higher in bestowing gifts than every hand.

Indeed this Imam is the lord of those who have knowledge of Allah and Imam of the pious. His supplications and whispered prayers contain many lessons which are necessary for purifying souls of disobedience and wickedness.

4. His Pleading and Humbleness to Allah

The Imam also turned to Allah in repentance in such away that he constantly pleaded and was humble before Him, the Exalted. He supplicated with this holy supplication: “O Allah, I praise You and You are worthy of praise for Your benefaction toward me, the lavishness of Your favors toward me, Your plentiful bestowal upon me, and for showing bounty toward me through Your mercy and lavishing Your favor upon me. You have done well toward me and I am incapable of thanking You. Were it not for Your beneficence toward me and the lavishness of Your favors upon me, I would not have reached the taking of my share nor would my soul have been set right, but You began with

beneficence toward me, provided me sufficiency in all my affairs, turned me away from the toil of affliction, and held back from me the feared decree.

“My Allah, how many a toilsome affliction which You have turned away from me! How many a lavish favor with which You gladdened my eye! How many a generous benefaction of Yours which is present with me! It is You who responded to my supplication at the time of distress, released me from my slip in stumbling, and took my enemies to task for doing wrong to me. My Allah, I did not find You a miser when I asked of You nor a withholder when I desired form You. No, I found You a hearer of my supplication and a bestower of my requests; I found Your favors toward me lavish in my every situation and in my every time. So You are praised by me and Your benefaction honored. My soul, my tongue, and my intelligence praise You, a praise that reaches fulfillment and the reality of thanksgiving, a praise that attains to Your good pleasure with me - so deliver me from Your displeasure! O my cave when the ways thwart me! O He who releases me from my stumble! Were it not for Your covering my shameful defects, I would be one of the disgraced. O my confirmer through help! Were it not for Your helping me, I would be one of the overcome! O He before whom kings place the

yoke of lowliness around their necks, fearing his penalties! O worthy of reverential fear! O He to whom belong the names most beautiful! I ask You to pardon me and to forgive me, for I am not innocent that I should offer excuse, nor a possessor of strength that I should gain victory, nor have I any place of flight that I should flee! I ask You to release me from my stumbles, and before You I disavow my sins, which have laid me waste, encompassed me, and destroyed me! I flee from them to You, my Lord, turning repentantly, so turn toward me, seeking refuge, so grant me refuge, asking sanctuary, so abandon me not, requesting, so deprive me not, holding fast, so leave me not, supplicating, so send me not back disappointed! I have supplicated You, my Lord, as one miserable, abased, apprehensive, fearful, quaking, poor, driven to have recourse to You! I complain to You, my Lord, of my soul- which is too weak to hurry to that which You have promised Your friends or to avoid that against which You have cautioned Your enemies- and of the multitude of my concerns, and of my soul’s confusing thoughts.

“My Allah, You have not disgraced me through my secret thoughts or destroyed me because of my misdeeds! I call upon You, and You respond even if I am slow when You call upon me. I ask You everything I want of my needs, and I deposit with You my

secret wherever I may be. I supplicate to no one besides You, and I hope for no one other than You. At Your service! At Your service! You hear him who complains to You! You receive him who has confidence in You! You save him who holds fast to You! You give relief to him who seeks shelter in You.

“My Allah, so deprive me not of the good of the last world and the first because of the paucity of my thanksgiving and forgive me the sins of mine which You know! If You chastise, I am the wrongdoer, the neglecter, the derelict, the sluggard, the heedless of the share of my soul! And If You forgive- You are the Most merciful of the merciful! [1] ”

This holy supplication is full of pleading, humbleness, and submission to the Almighty Creator. The Imam, peace be on him, praised Allah with the praise that resulted from belief, knowledge, and sincerity. He acknowledged his falling short of thanking Allah for His lavish blessings and favors. After that he asked Allah for pardon and forgiveness, seeking refuge in Him. He, peace be on him, showed great fear and apprehension to the extent that the souls and hearts quiver.

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[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 13.

[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 51.

5. His Humbling himself before Allah

The Imam, peace be on him, melted in love for Allah. He was very loyal to Him and showed pleading, humbleness, and submission to Him. Among the aspects of his humbleness before Allah was that he supplicated with this supplication: “My Lord, my sins have silenced me, and my

words have been cut off. I have no argument, for I am the prisoner of my own affliction, the hostage to my works, the frequenter of my own offense, the confused in my intended way, the thwarted. I have brought myself in a halt in the halting place of the abased sinners, the halting place of the wretched and insolent, those who think lightly of Your promise. Glory be to You! What insolence I have insolently shown toward You! What delusion with which I have deluded myself! My Master, have mercy on my falling flat on my face, the slipping of my foot, grant me my ignorance through Your clemency, and my evildoing through Your beneficence, for I admit my sin and I confess my offense: Here are my hand and my forelock! I am resigned to retaliation against my soul! Have mercy on my white hair, the depletion of my days, the nearing of my term, my frailty, my misery, and the paucity of my stratagems! My Master, and have mercy upon me when my trace is cut off from this world, my name is effaced among the creatures, and I join the forgotten, like the forgotten ones! My Master, and have mercy upon me at the change of my form and state when my body decays, my limbs are scattered, and my joints are dismembered! O my heedlessness toward what was wanted from me! My Master, have mercy upon me at my mustering and uprising and on that

day, appoint my standing place with Your friends, my place of emergence with Your beloved ones, and my dwelling in Your neighborhood! O Lord of the worlds! [1] ”

Faith in Allah embraced the Imam’s heart, natural inclinations, bodily movements, limbs, and behavior. With this tremendous amount of faith, he was appropriate for the Imamate of the pious and mastership over those who turned to Allah in repentance. With this, we will end our talk about some of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s noble qualities.

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[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 54.

Chapter 5: His Imamate

point

The Imamate i’s an important element in forming the civilizational and political thought in Islam. It is an inseparable part of the immortal message of Islam; rather it is the essence and reality of Islam. Without the Imamate, Islam will lose its qualities and activities and will be a lifeless, vague religion. We will briefly talk about the affairs of the Imamate, the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and what was reported on his authority in this respect.

The Meaning of the Imamate

The theologians and others defined the Imamate as follows: “The Imamate is the spiritual and temporal authority of a person who leads the community according to good inclinations and noble qualities such as justice, self-negation, generosity, disobeying one’s passions and all the external effects except that which concerns truth and justice. ”

The Necessity of the Imamate

As for the Imamate in Islam, it is necessary for the Islamic life. It is a basic element in establishing social justice and building the best society in which there is no social injustice nor poverty and deprivation.

The

Imamate in Islam takes care of dividing the bounties of Allah among His servants, securing equal opportunities for them, and protecting them from exploitation and enslavement. It is a developed human thought in the world of government and politics. It fulfills the objectives which Islam has planned for it when it is undertaken by the Allah-fearing Imams from the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who are the equals of the Qur’an and the life-boats of this community. We will explain that in the following study.

The Prophet and the Imamate

It is certain that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, prepared the succession (to authority) and the Imamate after him. He did not leave the community after him to lead a life of chaos, dangers, and crises, rather he nominated his successors, the twelve Imams from the members of his family. The foremost of them was their lord, Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, whom the Prophet appointed as a signpost and an authority for the community regardless of the traditional sentiments. He, may Allah bless him and his family, designated him to undertake this important office because of his (‘Ali’s) qualifications, talents, genius, and firm clinging to religion.

The Muslim scholars, regardless of their inclinations and doctrines, have unanimously agreed that Imam ‘Ali was the most knowledgeable of the people after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, in the affairs of the Islamic law, the precepts of religion,

the affairs of policy, army, and society. The community embraced Islam for the first time. It was, first of all, in need of explaining the beauties of the precepts of the Islamic law and detailing the social matters such as contracts, inheritances, and punishments.

It is natural that if Imam ‘Ali had not been appointed to undertake the office of the Imamate, the community would have been deprived of his outstanding merits. This is rationally impossible for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who took great care of his community and was kind to it, as Allah, the Exalted said: “Certainly an Apostle has come to you from among yourselves, grievous to him is your falling into distress, excessively solicitous respecting you, to the believers (he is) compassionate, merciful. [1] ”

As for the traditions which were reported on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, concerning the Imamate of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, they are numerous. The narrators and the historians have unanimously agreed on them. The most important one of them is the hadith of al-Ghadir in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed Imam ‘Ali as successor after him and ordered the Muslims to pledge allegiance to him, saying: “Whoever I am the master (mawla) of, this man, ‘Ali, is his master. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, be hostile to whoever opposes him, support whoever supports him and desert whoever

deserts him. ” Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was asked about the meaning of this tradition and he replied: “Allah’s Apostle told them about the Imam after him. [1] ”

The Shi‘ite religious scholars and other scholars mentioned in their theological books unquestionable scientific proofs for the Imamate of the twelve Imams, peace be on them. They indicated that the twelve Imams were the trustees of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to authority, that their behavior and laudable deeds indicated their Imamate and their general deputyship on behalf of the Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. Also that they had abundant knowledge, piety, and devotion to religion, so no one before or after them has such outstanding qualities.

The high Position of the Imams

As for the high position of the Imams and their great place with Allah, no one knew it except them. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, talked about it in many places. The following are some of them:

1. He, peace be on him, said: “Allah created from His magnificent light Muhammad, ‘Ali, and eleven (Imams) form his (‘Ali’s) sons. They glorified and sanctified Allah. They were the Imams from among the grandsons of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. [2] ” Abu al-‘Ala’ al-Ma‘arri, the wise man of al-Ma‘arra, mistrusted the people except the Imams of the Household, peace be on them, and believed in their high position. He said:

And the persons whose high rank shined

before the creation of Mars and Scales

before the heavens were created

and their

bodies were ordered to move.

2. He, peace be on him, said: “We are the Imams of the Muslims, the proofs of Allah over mankind, the lords of the believers, the leaders of the luminous ones, and protectors of the believers. We are the safety for the people of the earth as the stars are safety for the people of heaven. With us He (Allah) prevents the heaven from falling on the earth, and with us He prevents the earth from swinging its people (from side to side). The earth has not been void of the proof of Allah publicly acknowledged or secretly since Allah created the earth. The earth will not be void of the proof of Allah till the Hour starts. Were it not for that, Allah would not have been worshipped. ”

A person rose and asked the Imam: “How can the people make use of the hidden one? ”

The Imam answered the person with a convincing proof, saying: “As they make use of the sun when the clouds cover it. [1] ”

Yes, by Allah, the Imams of the Household were the Imams of the Muslims and the proofs of Allah over all the creatures. Were it not for them, no worshipper would have worshipped Allah, no monotheist would have professed His unity, and no sunna of Islam would have been established. The Imams were the stored sign and the door through which the people were tested. Whoever knew and obeyed them was safe, and whoever denied and disobeyed them went astray.

3. He,

peace be on him, said: “My Lord, bless the best of his (the Prophet’s) Household, those whom You have chosen for Your command, appointed the treasurers of Your knowledge, the guardians of Your religion, the vicegerents in Your earth, and the arguments against Your servants, purified from uncleanness and defilement through a purification by Your desire and made the mediation to You and the road to Your Garden!

“My Lord, bless Muhammad and his Household with a blessing which makes plentiful Your gifts and generosity, perfects for them Your bestowals and awards, and fills out their share of Your kindly acts and benefits!

“My Lord, bless him and his Household with a blessing whose first has no term, whose term has no limit, and whose last has no utmost end!

“My Lord, bless them to the weight of Your Throne and below it, the amount that fills the heavens and all above them, the number of Your worlds and all below and between them, a blessing that will bring them near to You in proximity, please You and them, and be joined to its likes forever! [1] ”

Allah chose the Imams of the Household, peace be on them, to carry out His message. He appointed them treasurers of His knowledge, guardians of His religion, vicegerents in His earth, and arguments against His servants. He granted them the highest position with Him and made them the mediation to Him, the road to His Garden, and the doors to His mercy.

4. He, peace be on him, said:

“We are the vicegerents in the earth. We are more appropriate for the position with Allah than the people. We are those who are singled out in the Book of Allah, and we are those to whom Allah has legislated His religion when He said: ‘He has made plain to you of the religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you and that which We enjoined upon Ibrahim and Musa and ‘Isa. ’ We have understood their (the prophet’s) knowledge, stored it, and delivered it. We are the inheritors of the prophets and the progeny of those who had knowledge. Establish the religion through the Household of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, and be not divided therein. [1] ”

As for you, the Imams of the Household, you are the vicegerents of Allah in His earth and more appropriate for the position with Allah than men. Allah legislated His religion for you, chose you to spread it and was satisfied with you to deliver His message. No one denies your outstanding merits except those who are unbelievers or deviated from the religion, and no one loves you but those believers whose hearts Allah tested for faith.

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[1]: Surat al-Tawba, verse 128.

[1]: Al-Sadu`q, Ma‘ani al-Akhbar, p. 65.

[2]: Usu`l al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 530.

[1]: Al-Sadu`q, al-Amali, p. 112. Yanabi‘ al-Mawadda, vol. 3, p. 147. Roudat al-Wa‘izin, p. 170.

[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, Supplication no. 47.

[1]: Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 2, p. 49. Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar.

Referring to the Imams is obligatory

It is obligatory to refer to the Imams of the Household, peace be on them, in obtaining the religious rules because they are more knowledgeable than the people in the affairs of the Islamic law and the rules of the religion. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, underlined this

point when he said: “The religion of Allah, the Great and Almighty, is not attained by incomplete intellects, false opinions, and corrupt measures. It is not attained but through submission. Whoever submits to us is safe, and whoever follows us is guided. Whoever puts into effect analogy and opinion is ruined. Whoever is dissatisfied with what we say and decide is unbeliever in Him who sent down the seven verses of (Surat al-Fatiha) (i. e. , Allah) and the Holy Qur’an while he does know that. [1] ”

Through their jurisprudential and principle researches, the Imami Shi‘ite religious scholars have established that it is incorrect to conform to analogy and application of discretion in the affairs of the Islamic law, and that jurisprudence depends on religious texts. If there is no text or the text is synopsis or it is opposed by a similar text, it is obligatory to depend on the scientific principles to which the doubter should resort at the time of action. As for resorting to other than that such as analogy, it is insufficient, and the one who resorts to it will be punished.

Obeying the Imam is obligatory

Islam takes great care of obeying the Imam, this is because the establishment of the social regime in Islam and the Islamic life depend on it. As disobedience leads to chaos and exposes the community to crises and dangers, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, underlined the importance of obeying the Imam, saying: “O Allah, surely You have confirmed Your religion in all times with an

Imam whom You have set up as a guidepost to Your servants and a lighthouse in Your lands, after his cord has been joined to Your cord! You have appointed him the means to Your good pleasure, made obeying him obligatory, cautioned against disobeying him, and commanded following his commands, abandoning his prohibitions, and that none goes ahead of him or none keeps back from him! So he is the preservation of the shelter-seekers, the cave of the faithful, the handhold of the adherents, and the radiance of the worlds!

“O Allah, so inspire Your guardian to give thanks for that in which You have favored him, inspire us with the like concerning him, grant him an authority from You to help him, open for him an easy opening, aid him with Your mightiest pillar, brace his back, strengthen his arm, guard him with Your eye, defend him with Your safeguarding, help him with Your angels, and assist him with Your most victorious troops!

“Through him, establish Your Book, Your bounds, Your laws, and the norms of Your Messenger’s Sunna (Your blessings, O Allah, be upon him and his Household) , bring to life the guideposts of Your religion, deadened by the wrongdoers, burnish the rust of injustice from Your way, sift the adversity from Your road, eliminate those who deviate from Your path, and erase those who seek crookedness in Your straightness!

“Make his side mild toward Your friends, stretch forth his hand over Your enemies, give us his hearers and obeyers, strivers

toward his good pleasure, assistants in helping him and defending him. Make us seek nearness through that to You and Your Messenger (Your blessings, O Allah, be upon him and his Household). [1] ”

In this masterpiece of his, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, underlined the obligatory obedience to the Imam, prohibited disobedience to him, and commanded following his commands. He, peace be on him, also stressed the high and important position of the Imam, who is the preservation of the shelter-seekers, the cave of the faithful, the handhold of the adherents, and the radiance of the worlds. Then he supplicated for him when he said: “Guard him with Your eye, defend him with Your safeguarding, help him with Your angels, and assist him with Your most victorious troops! Through him, establish Your Book, Your bounds, Your laws, and the norms of Your Messenger’s Sunna (Your blessings, O Allah, be upon him and his Household) , bring to life the guideposts of Your religion, deadened by the wrongdoers. ”

The Infallibility of the Imam

The Imam should have qualities; he should be infallible from inward and outward sins and offenses throughout the stages of his life. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, stressed infallibility of the Imam when he said: “The Imam should be infallible. ” He was asked about the meaning of the infallible Imam and he replied: “It is he who clings to the cord of Allah. The cord of Allah and the Qur’an do not separate from each other till the Day of Resurrection. [2] ”

Those

who have no piety in religion blames the Shi‘ites for their belief in the infallibility of their Imams. They compare the Imams with other people who submit to their inclinations and desires. This comparison results from either harboring malice against the Imams of the Household or from having no knowledge of them. It is certain that whoever carefully considers the behavior of the pure Imams, peace be on them, will firmly believe that they had firm piety and faith which prevented them from committing any sin.

Didn’t the Lord of the family, Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, say: “By Allah, If I was given the seven regions and what was under their havens to disobey Allah in taking a grain of barely from the mouth of a locust, I would not do that. ” Isn’t this infallibility? However, those who criticize the Shi‘ites have put veils over their intellects, so they do not understand infallibility.

His Imamate

point

As we have talked about what has been reported on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, concerning the affairs of the Imamate, we will return to talk about his Imamate, which is among the unquestionable maxims, for he was endowed with noble inclinations and outstanding merits which were not found except in those whose hearts Allah tested for faith. We have mentioned some of them when we talked about his behavior and psychological qualities. The following are some proofs for his Imamate:

His Textual Imamate

The Imami Shi‘ites regard text as

an important proof of designating the Imam and removing doubt from him. Many texts (traditions) were reported concerning the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The following are some of them:

1. The greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed his trustees (of authority) and his twelve successors after him, and he mentioned their names. [1] ”

2. Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, designated his grandson Zayn al-‘Abidin as an Imam when he was about to die. He appointed as an Imam his pure son Imam al-Hasan, peace be on him, and gave him the tablets of the prophets, and he asked his sons Imam al- Husayn and Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya and all his sons as well as the chiefs of his Shi‘ites to bear witness for that, and then he said to al-Husayn: “You are the one who will undertake the office of the Imamate after your brother al-Hasan, and Allah’s Messenger ordered you to give the tablets (of the prophets) to your son Zayn al-‘Abidin, for he will be the proof after you. ” Then he took Zayn al-‘Abidin, who was still a child, by the hand and said to him: “Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, ordered you to designate your son, Muhammad al-Baqir, as an Imam after you, and recite to him the greetings of Allah’s Apostle and that of mine [2] ”

3. Imam al-Husayn appointed his son Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, as an Imam and entrusted

the Imamate to him. Al-Zuhri reported: “I was with al-Husayn b. ‘Ali when ‘Ali b. al-Husayn al-Asghar (i. e. , Zayn al-‘Abidin) came in. So al- Husayn called him, embraced him, and kissed him between his eyes. I (i. e. , al-Zuhri) turned to Imam al-Husayn and asked him: ‘Son of Allah’s Apostle, who will be the Imam after you? ’ Al-Husayn replied: ‘This son of mine, ‘Ali, will be the Imam. He is the father of the Imams. ’ [1] ”

A similar tradition to this was narrated by ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Uttba. [2] The Shi‘ite narrators said: “When Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, wanted to go to Iraq, he entrusted the tablets, which he received from his brother al-Hasan, to Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and ordered her to give them to Zayn al-‘Abidin. When Imam al-Sajjad (Zayn al-‘Abidin) returned to Medina, Umm Salama gave him the tablets, which were among the signs of the Imamate. [3] ” The old Shi‘ite books have mentioned numerous texts (traditions) similar to the above-mentioned text. If there were no texts for his Imamate, his ideals and his outstanding qualities would confirm it.

The Imamate in his Time

point

The ideological frame of the Imamate, according to the Shi‘ite doctrine, did not appear during the lifetime of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, for no one understood or followed it except a few number of the Shi‘ites whose souls the teachings and values of Islam educated. Al-Husayn b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab said: “The Imamate during the time of the Imam was kept

a secret. None followed the Imam except his believing followers. [1] ”

A group of fearful factors surrounded the Imam, so he was unable to show everyone the great aspects of the Imamate and its true principles and branches except a few number of his special friends and followers. [2] ” In the biography of Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, al-Kashi mentioned that al- Fadl b. Shadan said: “During the lifetime of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) , no one knew or followed the Imamate except five persons, who were: Sa‘id b. Jubayr, Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, Muhammad b. Jubayr b. Mutt‘im, Yahya b. Umm al-Tawil, and Abu Khalid al- Kabuli. [3] ”

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin isolated himself form the people for a period of time, as his grandfather, Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, did during the days of the Caliphs and sat in his house. He set up for himself a tent made of hair outside Medina and devoted his life to worshipping and spreading knowledge. [4] With that he was able to spare his life and that of the rest of the Household. He saved them from that black, evil government which exposed the Muslims to the most difficult tribulation.

In that case, the Islamic society did not understood the aims which the Imamate wanted to achieve as well as it did not understood the qualities of the Imam such as infallibility, abundant knowledge, and perfect awareness of the community in policy, economy, and society. This was because the corrupt Umayyad government officially persecuted the Shi‘ites, killed them, imprisoned them in

dark prisons, and prevented them from meeting Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him.

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[1]: Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 1, p. 141. Quoted from Ikmal al-Din.

[1]: Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, Supplication no. 47.

[2]: Tarikh al-Tarbiya ‘inda al-Imamiya, p. 19.

[1]: Kifayat al-Athar, p. 311. Al-Tu`si, al-Ghayba, p. 105. Mukhtasar al-Basa’ir, p. 39. Saleem b. Qays, p. 94.

[2]: Usu`l al-Kafi, Chapter on the Textual Imamate of al-Hasan.

[1]: Roudat al-Jannat, pp. 247-248.

[2]: Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 214.

[3]: Usu`l al-Kafi, Chapter on the Textual Imamate of al-Hasan.

[1]: ‘Uyyu`n al-Mu‘jizat, p. 31.

[2]: Roudat al-Jannat, vol. 4, p. 44.

[3]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[4]: Farhat al-Ghari, p. 33.

The Imamate of Muhammad bin al-Hanafiya

The historians said that Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya was knowledgeable, ascetic, worshipful, and bravery. He was among the most meritorious children of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, after Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn, peace be on them. [1] He was a pious person with abundant knowledge. [2] So the hearts inclined to him. [3] A sect of the Muslims adopted his Imamate and it was called the Kaysaniya, which was among the oldest sects of the Muslims. The Kaysaniya called Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya al-Mahdi (the rightly guided one) , of whom the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, gave good news, who is the Qa’im (the one who will undertake the office of the Imamate) of the Household of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, and who will fill the earth with justice and fairness as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. Among those who believed in the Imamate of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya was Sayyid al-Himyari, a great Muslim poet. He thought that Muhammad was still alive, that he lived in Mount Radawa, and that he had honey and water. In this connection, he composed the following famous lines of poetry:

Indeed the Imams, who are from Quraysh and

are the rulers of right (to authority) , are four

equal ones.

(They are) ‘Ali and his three sons, who are the

grandsons (of the Prophet) , and are

well- known.

One grandson is the grandson of faith and good

deeds. [4]

One

grandson whom Karbala’ took away. [1]

And the grandson [2] who will not taste death till

he leads the horses before which there will be a

standard.

He has concealed himself, not seen among

them for a time, in (Mount) Radawa; he has

honey and water. [3]

The poet al-Sayyid al-Himyari withdrew from his doctrine when he understood the truth. He believed in the Imamate of the pure Imams, peace be on them, when he openly supported the greatest Imam, Ja‘far al-Sadiq, peace be on him, In this respect he said:

I have become a Ja‘fari in the name of Allah

and Allah is greater.

I have become sure that Allah will pardon

and forgive (me). [4]

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin with Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya

It is certain that Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya adopted the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. He did not want the Imamate for himself, rather the people wanted it for him. It was impossible for him to claim what did not belong to him, for he was the most pious of all the people, the most of them in clinging to religion, and was fully aware that the affair of the Imamate did not belong to anyone, rather its affair belonged to Allah, Who granted it to whomever He wanted of His servants. He was sure that the Imam of his time was Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The narrators said: ‘There was a dispute between Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya and Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin over the Imamate, so they agreed on going to the Kaaba to decide (the matter) by the Black Stone. They agreed on

that to prepare the public opinion and to return to the truth those who believed in the Imamate of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya. They traveled to Mecca.

When they reached it, they turned to the Sacred House. As for Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, he stood before the Black Stone and supplicated with this supplication: “O Allah, I ask You by Your name which is written upon the canvas of glory, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of splendor, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of tremendousness, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of majesty, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of might, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of power, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of secrets, (which) is previous, excellent, good, and bright, Oh Lord of the eight angels and of the great Throne, by Your eye which does not sleep, by the biggest, the biggest Name, by the greatest, the greatest, the greatest Name which encompasses the kingdom of heavens and earth, by Your Name through which the sun shines, and through which the moon shines, through which You made the seas subservient, through which You fixed the mountains, by Your Name through which Your Throne and the Chair stood erect, by Your Names (which are) holy, noble, hidden, and stored with You in the world of unseen things, I ask You by all of that to bless Muhammad and his

Household. [1] ”

Allah made the Black Stone speak in a miraculous way as He made ‘Isa b. Maryam speak when infancy in the cradle. He made it say that the Imam was Zayn al-‘Abidin, that he was the proof of Allah over His creatures, and that he was His trustee over His religion. With that the truth became clear. [2] A group of those who had believed in the Imamate of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya returned to the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin. So the great poet al-Sayyid al-Himyari composed poetry about this event, saying:

‘Ali and what occurred through his uncle

on account of returning the Imamate was like

bending the rein.

and his appointing as arbitrator a black stone

and what occurred through his clear speech

when an uncle handed over (the Imamate) ,

without doubt, to (his) cousin, pronouncing

(that) with the tongue.

I truthfully bore witness for that as I truthfully

bore witness for the verses of the Qur’an.

I do not doubt that ‘Ali (Zayn al-‘Abidin) is

my Imam,

and I have abandoned my belief in the

previous views. [3]

Al-Kabuli returns to the Truth

Abu’ Khalid al-Kabuli had confessed the Imamate of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya, but he withdrew from it when the truth manifested itself to him, so he believed in the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The reason for that is according to what the narrators said: “Al-Kabuli asked Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya: ‘May I be ransom for you, if I have sacredness, love, and devotion to you, I ask you by the sacredness of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and that

of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, to tell me: Are you the Imam whose obedience Allah has made incumbent on His creature? ’”

Muhammad answered him with the answer of the believer who sought nothing except the truth, saying: “Abu’ Khalid, you made me swear by (Allah) , the Almighty, ‘Ali b. al-Husayn is the Imam over me, you, and all the Muslims. ”

So Abu’ Khalid hurried to Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn (Zayn al-‘Abidin) and asked permission to meet him. When he was permitted to enter, the Imam received him warmly asking: “Welcome, Kankar! You had not visited us! What was wrong with you? ”

Abu’ Khalid replied with submission and respect: “Praise belongs to Allah, Who did not cause me to die until I knew my Imam. ”

The Imam asked him: “How did you know your Imam? ”

Abu’ Khalid answered: “You called me with my name with which my mother called me. I was blind to see my affairs. I served Muhammad b. al- Hanafiya for a time of my life. I had no doubt that he was the Imam till I asked him by the Sacredness of Allah, the Sacredness of the Messenger, and the Sacredness of the Commander of the faithful, so he guided me to you and said: ‘‘Ali b. al-Husayn is the Imam over me, you, and all the creatures. ’ [1] ”

Al-Sayyid al-Himyari composed poetry about this event, saying:

I wondered at the return of the changes of time,

the affair of Abu’ Khalid with eloquence, and

his returning the Imamate firmly to the

pure

Sayyid, the light of hearts. [1]

--------------------

[1]: ‘Ummdat al-Talib.

[2]: Hulyat al-Awliya’, vol. 3, p. 174.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: He meant the pure Imam, al-Hasan, peace be on him, the plant of sweet basil of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family.

[1]: He meant Imam al-Husayn, the father of the free and lord of martyrs.

[2]: He meant Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya.

[3]: Abu` al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 7, p. 245. In al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, these lines have been attributed to the poet Kuthayr.

[4]: Abu` al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 7, p. 235.

[1]: Al-Fadil al-Muqdad, Supplications, vol. 18.

[2]: Bahr al-Ansab, p. 42. Ithbat al-Wasiya, p. 119.

[3]: Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya, p. 72. Quoted from al-Himyari’s Divan

[1]: Al-Kashi, Rijal, pp. 79-80.

[1]: Mohammed bin al-Hanafiya, p. 72.

Some Signs of his Imamate

point

Among the signs of his (Zayn al-‘Abidin’s) Imamate was that he foretold some events in the future and they occurred after tens of years as he foretold. The Imami Shi‘ites regard this phenomenon as one of the signs of the Imamate because such unseen events are part of the knowledge of Allah, and He does not let anyone foretell them except His prophets and their trustees of authority. What indicates this was that Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, predicted many events and they all occurred on the arena of life. For example, he foresaw the murder of the people at the Battle of al-Nahrwan, the murder of Dhi al-Thiddiya, and the collapse of the state of the Umayyads. Thus, he said to his companions: “Question me before you lose me, for by Him in whose hand is my soul, if you questioned me, I would tell you about everything between you and the Hour. ”

One time he said to his companions: “If I wished, I would inform you of the future events of your time, the misfortunes of your time, the tribulation of your days, and the adversities of your hours. ”

Professor ‘Abd al-Fattah ‘Abd al-Maqsu’d commented on this, saying: “He (Imam ‘Ali) did not depend on opinion, nor did he study the stars, nor did he resort to divination, rather he looked with his own eye at what was behind the known, apparent things to bring them some of the unknown,

concealed things.

“Indeed, he spoke out of the truth in which there was no doubt because he informed them of the knowledge of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family. [1] ”

Allah, the Most High, granted the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, brilliant abilities of knowledge and singled them out with His unseen things to indicate their spiritual and temporal leadership of this community. Among those whom Allah singled out with this favor was Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, who informed his companions of many events and they occurred after him. The following are some of them:

--------------------

[1]: Al-Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, vol. 8, p. 164.

1. His Telling of the Martyrdom of Zayd

Among the events about which the Imam, peace be on him, told his companions was that he told them about the martyrdom of his son Zayd, the great martyr. Abu’ Hamza al-Thumali reported: [I visited ‘Ali b. al-Husayn (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) at the time of the hajj every year. One year I came to him and there was a boy sitting on his thigh. The boy rose and hit himself against the doorstep and blood came out of him, so the Imam hurried to him, dried his blood and said to him: ] “I ask Allah to protect you from crucifying at Kanasa. ”

I (Abu’ Hamza al-Thumali) asked him: “May my father and mother be ransom for you, which Kanasa? ”

“The Kanasa of Kufa,” he replied.

“May I be ransom for you, will that occur? ” I asked.

“Yes,” he answered, “by Him Who sent Muhammad with the Truth, it will happen that you will

live after me until you see this boy at the district of Kufa. There he will be killed, buried, and dug up. He will be crucified at Kanasa, then he will be brought down, burnt, pounded, and scattered in the land. ”

Abu’ Hamza was astonished to hear these words of the Imam, so he asked him about the boy’s name: “May I be ransom for you, what is the name of this boy? ”

“Zayd,” replied the Imam. [1]

All the events about which the Imam told his companions occurred. A few years later and Zayd, the martyr, the most brilliant free revolutionist, revolted against the tyrannical Umayyad government asking it to establish the Islamic justice and to respect human rights, but the oppressive government ordered him to be killed. One of his supporters took him and buried him, but the Umayyad government ordered him to be taken out of his grave and to be crucified at the Kanasa of Kufa, so Zayd remained crucified on the trunk of a date-palm for four years; nevertheless he enlightened for the people the way of freedom, honor, and dignity. Then the Umayyad government ordered him to be brought down, to be burnt, and to be thrown into the water of the Euphrates. In this connection, the Umayyads said: “We scattered some of Zayd’s ashes into the water of the Euphrates to make the people drink them. ”

All the details of the event about which the Imam told his companions occurred. Without doubt this event is among the signs

and proofs of the Imamate.

2. His Telling about the Government of ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz

Among the events about which the Imam, peace be on him, told his companions was that he told them that ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz would undertake the affairs of the Muslims and that he would die quickly after undertaking the Caliphate. [1] This occurred when ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al- ‘Aziz became caliph for a short time, and then he died quickly.

3. His Telling about the Government of the Abbasides

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, told his companions about the collapse of the government of the Abbasides. Through the unseen world he knew that the Abbasides would base their government on oppression, tyranny and corruption, that they would take the Muslims away from their religion, that a group of the followers of Imam ‘Ali would revolt against them asking them to establish justice and fairness among the people, and that this group would attain martyrdom at the hands of those tyrannical ‘Abbasides. The following is the text of his tradition: Imam Abu’ Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his father Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, who said: “In his (Ibn ‘Abbas’s) backbone there are descendants who will (enter) the fire of Hell through taking the people away from the religion of Allah and coloring the land with the blood of the children of the family of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family. Those children will rise sometimes and seek what they will not attain. The believers will take up positions and be patient until Allah decides. [2] ”

A group

of those believing followers of Imam ‘Ali revolted against the tyrannical ‘Abbasides. Among them were Muhammad and Ibrahim who raised the standard of the revolt against al-Mansu’r al-Dawaniqi. Among them was al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, the leader of the Battle of Fakh, who revolted against al-Hadi, the ‘Abbaside. Other children of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, revolted against the oppressive ‘Abbasides. They raised the banner of freedom and dignity demanding the ‘Abbasides to respect the rights of the oppressed and persecuted. Moreover they watered with their blood the tree of Islam which the ‘Abbasides wanted to uproot during their abominable rule.

These are some events about which Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, told his companions and they occurred as he foretold.

Allah endowed Zayn al-‘Abidin with limitless knowledge as He endowed his fathers. The Imam, peace be on him, concealed his knowledge and did not make it public among the people lest the ignorant should accuse him of discord. He showed that when he said:

I conceal the jewels of my knowledge lest the

ignorant should see the truth and accuse me of

discord.

Many a jewel of knowledge which if I

disclosed, it would be said to me: You

are among those who worship idols, and

my blood would be regarded as lawful

by men who regard as good the

ugliest thing they do.

Abu’ Hasan had already offered this

(knowledge) to al-Husayn and had

entrusted it to al-Hasan. [1]

--------------------

[1]: Farhat al-Ghari.

[1]: Dala’il al-Imama, p. 88. Basa’ir al-Darajat.

[2]: Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 241.

[1]: Abu` Hamid al-Ghazali, Minhajj al-‘Abidin, p. 2. Al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf, p. 50. Al-Alu`si, al-Ma‘ani, vol. 6, p. 190. Roudat al-Jinan, vol. 3, p. 133.

Chapter 6: Impressions of His Character

point

The Muslims have agreed that Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was great and meritorious, and that

he was a unique being in this world. None matched him in outstanding qualities, knowledge, and piety. So the Muslims sought blessing through kissing the Imam’s hands and putting them on their eyes. [1] Glorifying the Imam was not confined to those who accompanied and met him, rather it included all historians, regardless of their different inclinations and desires.

They wrote with admiration about his conduct and gave him all noble nick-names and holy qualities. I (the author) think that all those who read about the Imam’s characteristics will admire him, for there is no one similar to him in good inclinations and great qualities. He exists in the mind of all those noble people who adopt ideals and respect their humanity. Now, we will mention the impressions of his contemporaries and of the historians about his character.

The Views of his Contemporaries

point

The religious scholars and all other figures who were contemporary to the Imam stated their impressions of his character. They all glorified and admired him, whether they showed love toward him or harbored malice against him. The following are their thoughts about him:

1. Jabir al-Ansari

Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari, the great companion of the Prophet, devoted himself to the members of the House, peace be on them, and was among their followers. He expressed his great admiration of the Imam, peace be on him, saying: “None of the children of the prophets was like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [2] ”

Indeed none of the children of the prophets was more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn in devotion, piety, and intense

turning to Allah in repentance, and none of them was more liable to ordeals and misfortunes than him.

2. ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas, despite his eminence among the people and his old age, respected Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin and bowed to him in submission and glory. When he saw him, he stood up to glorify him and said at the top of his voice: “Welcome dear and beloved one! [1] ”

- Page134 - The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin

--------------------

[1]: Al-‘Aqd al-Farid, vol. 2, p. 251.

[2]: Hayat al-Imam Mohammed al-Baqir.

[1]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 147.

3. Al-Zuhri

Muhammad b. Muslim al-Qarashi, al-Zuhri, was a jurist, one of the leading Imams and religious scholar of Syria and Saudi Arabia. [2] He was among those who were sincere to the Imam and loved him very much. He said a group of valuable words in which he expressed the noble qualities and the great ideals of the Imam, peace be on him. The following are some of his words:

“I have never seen a Hashimi like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [3] ”

“I have never seen a Qarashi more pious and more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [4] ”

“I have never seen a Qarashi more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [5] ”

“I have never met in Medina a person more meritorious than him. [6] ”

“I have never met among the members of the House a person more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [7] ”

“I sat with ‘Ali b. al-Husayn many times. I have never seen a person more knowledgeable than him in jurisprudence. [8] ”

“‘Ali b. al-Husayn was the most meritorious of the people of his time and the best of them in obedience. [9] ”

“A caller will call out on the Day of Judgment: Let the Lord of the worshippers of his

time stand up, so ‘Ali b. al-Husayn will stand up. [1] ” He meant the famous prophetic tradition: “When the Day of Judgment takes place, a caller will call out from inside the Throne: Let the Lord of the worshippers stand up, so he will stand up. [2] ”

Al-Zuhri was asked about the most ascetic one of all the people in the world and he replied: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [3] ”

Sufyan b. ‘Ayyina said: “I asked al-Zuhri: Have you met ‘Ali b. al-Husayn? ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I have met him. I have never met a person more meritorious than him. By Allah, I have never known that he had a friend in secret or an enemy in public. ’ I asked him: ‘Why was that? ’ He answered: ‘Because all those who loved him envied him out of their abundant knowledge of his outstanding merits, and all those who hated him took care of him because he took great care of them. ’ [4] ”

It is certain that al-Zuhri said these words concerning the Imam because there was a close relationship between the former and the latter. Al- Zuhri had perfect knowledge of the Imam’s ideals and noble values. He admired him to the extent that he wept and said: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn! [5] ”

4. Sa‘id bin al-Musayyab

Sa‘id bin al-Musayyab was among the prominent jurists in Medina. The narrators said: “None of the next generation was more knowledgeable than Sa‘id. [6] ” He made friends with Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin and knew of his piety and his firm devotion to religion. He admired the Imam, so he

said the following words concerning him:

“I have never seen a person more pious than him, namely ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [1] ”

“I have never seen a person more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. When I saw him, I hated myself. I never saw him laugh. [2] ”

A person said to Sa‘id: “I have never seen a person more pious than so-and-so. ” Sa‘id asked him: “Have you seen ‘Ali b. al-Husayn? ” “No,” replied the person. “You have never seen a person more pious than him, [3] ” explained Sa‘id.

Sa‘id was sitting and there was a young man from Quraysh beside him. When Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin appeared, the Qarashi asked Sa‘id about him, and Sa‘id replied: “That is the Lord of worshippers, ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [4] ”

“I have never seen a person gentler and more pious than Zayn al-‘Abidin, ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [5] ”

These words, which this jurist said, have included some of the Imam’s qualities such as piety, obedience to Allah, and gentle conduct toward the people.

5. Zayd bin Aslam

Zayd bin Aslam was among the leading jurists of Medina as well as he was among the interpreters of the Holy Qur’an. [6] He devoted himself to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. He admired the Imam’s outstanding qualities such as, piety, Allah-fearingness, ideals, and values. He said many words concerning him. The following are some of them:

“There is no one among the people of the Qibla like him, namely like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [7] ”

“I have never seen a person like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn among them, namely among the members of the House. [8] ”

“I have never seen a

person better than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn in understanding and memorizing (the Qur’an). [1] ”

This means that the Imam was the best Muslim and the best Hashimi of his time and that Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab had never seen a person better then him in understanding and memorizing (the Qur’an). Hence, the Shi‘ites emphasize that the Imam should be the best of his time in merits and gifts.

6. Hammad bin Zayd

As for Hammad bin Zayd al-Jahdi, he was among the most prominent jurists in Basrah and was one of the Imams of the Muslims. [2] He made friends with Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and admired him, saying: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn was the most meritorious Hashimi I met. [3] ”

Indeed the Imam was the best of the Hashimis of his time in high moral standards.

7. Yahya bin Sa‘id

As for Yahya bin Sa‘id b. Qays al-Ansari al-Madani, he was among the great figures of the next generation and among the most meritorious jurists and religious scholars. [4] He made friends with the Imam and knew of his outstanding merits, so he said these valuable words concerning him: “I heard ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, and he was the best Hashimi I met. [5] ”

The Imam, peace be on him, became the lord of all the Hashimis through his faith, his fear of Allah, his abundant knowledge, and other outstanding qualities.

8. Malik

Malik said: “There was no person among the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [6] ”

9. Abu’ Bakr bin al-Barqi

Abu’ Bakr bin al-Barqi said: “‘Ali b. al-Husayn was the most meritorious one of his time. [7] ”

10. Abu’ Zar‘a

Abu’ Zar‘a said: “I have never

seen a person more knowledgeable in jurisprudence than him, meaning ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [1] ”

11. Abu’ Hazim

Abu’ Hazim said: “I have never seen a Hashimi more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [2] ” He also said: “I have never seen a person more knowledgeable than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn in jurisprudence. [3] ”

12. Abu’ Hatam al-A‘raji

Abu’ Hatam al-A‘raji said: “I have never seen a Hashimi more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [4] ”

--------------------

[2]: Tadhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 9, p. 445.

[3]: Khulasat Tahdhib al-Kamal, M 7/Q/2. Abu` al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 15, p. 325.

[4]: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 104.

[5]: Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 37. Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 266. Al-Kashif, vol. 2, p. 282. Tabaqat al-Fuqaha’, vol. 10, p. 34.

[6]: Tahdhib al-Lughat wa al-Asma’, part 1, p. 343.

[7]: Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil, vol. 3, part 1, p. 178.

[8]: Khulasat Tahdhib al-Kamal, M 7/Q2, p. 336. Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, vol. 1, p. 75. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 105. Al-‘Ibar fi Akhbar men Ghabar, vol. 1, p. 111.

[9]: Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 238. Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 12, p. 19.

[1]: Roudat al-Jinan, vol. 7, p. 248. Kashf al-Ghumma.

[2]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 140.

[3]: Bihar al-Anwar.

[4]: ‘Ilal al-Sharai‘, p. 88. Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, vol. 5, p. 541. Bihar Al-Anwar, vol. 46. p. 64.

[5]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 12, p. 19. Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 2, p. 288. Roudat al-Jinan, vol. 7, p. 246.

[6]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 85.

[1]: Al-‘Ibar fi Tarikh men Ghabar, vol. 1, p. 111. Kulasat Tahdhib al-Kamal, p. 231.

[2]: Tarikh al-Ya‘qu`bi, vol. 3, p. 46.

[3]: Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 38. Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 3, p. 392.

[4]: Al-Fusu`l al-Muhimma, p. 189.

[5]: Jammharat al-Awliya’, vol. 2, p. 74.

[6]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 3, p. 395.

[7]: Tarikh Dimashq, 12/Q1/, p. 19.

[8]: Ibid.

[1]: Tabaqat al-Fuqaha’, vol. 2, p. 34.

[2]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 3, p. 9.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Lughat wa al-Asma’, part 1, p. 343.

[4]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 81, p. 222.

[5]: Tahdhib al-Kamal, M7/Q2, p. 336. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, part 1, p. 343. Al-Tarikh al-Kabir, vol. 3, part 2, p. 266. Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat, vol. 1, p. 214. Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil, Q/1, vol. 3, p. 178.

[6]: Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 238. In Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 7, p. 305: “There was no person among the Household of Allah’s Apostle like ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. ”

[7]: Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 238.

[1]: Tarikh Dimashq, 12/Q1/p. 18.

[2]: Ibid. , p. 19.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Kamal, M7/Q2/p. 336. Kashf al-Gumma.

[4]: Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, vol. 1, p. 75. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 105. Al-‘Ibar fi Khabar men Ghabar, vol. 1, p. 111. Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 16.

13. Abu’ Hamza al-Thumali

Thabit b. Safiya known as Abu’ Hamza, the trustworthy and trusted one, said: “I have never heard that there is a person more ascetic than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn except ‘Ali b. Abi Talib. [5] ” He said once: “I have never heard that there is a person more ascetic than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, who caused to weep all those who were in his presence when he talked about asceticism and preaching. [6] ”

14. Imam al-Sadiq

His (Zayn al-‘Abidin’s) grandson said: “None of ‘Ali’s children or his family was more like and nearer to him in manner of dress and understanding than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [7] ” Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin was the most similar of all the people to his grandfather, Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, in worshipping, knowledge, and all other characteristics. He was a picture of that great figure who enlightened the world with his knowledge.

15. ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz

‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz was among those who respected Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and knew of his high position. The Imam, peace be on him, met ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, and when he left him, he (‘Umar) turned to his companions and asked them: “Who is

the noblest of all the people? ”

A mercenary from among his companions answered: “You are the noblest of all the people. ”

However, he told them the truth, saying: “No, the noblest of all the people is the person who has just left me, meaning Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, who wants the people to be with him and does want to be with any of them. [1] ”

This means that the Imam, peace be on him, attained a position of which none of the people attained. The people liked making ties or relations with the Imam because of his high social rank. For example, when the Imam died, ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz praised him with these words: “The lamp of this world, the beauty of Islam, and the adornment of the worshippers (Zayn al-‘Abidin) passed away. [2] ”

16. Yazid bin Mu‘awiya

Acknowledging the excellent traits of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was not confined to his followers, rather it included his enemies and those who harbored malice against him. For example, Yazid b. Mu‘awiya, who was the mortal enemy of the members of the House (ahl al- Bayt) , peace be on them, confessed the Imam’s outstanding characteristics. This was when the Syrians asked him to let him deliver a speech, so Yazid, the tyrannical one, fearfully said: “He (Zayn al-‘Abidin) is among the members of the House who were provided with abundant knowledge. He will not come down (from the pulpit) until he exposes me and the family of Abi Sufyan. ”

With these words of his, Yazid b. Mu‘awiya demonstrated that the

Imam was a knowledgeable man and eloquent speaker, and that he had strong explanations and wonderful deductions through which he would be able to change the attitude against the Umayyad government.

17. ‘Abd al-Malik bin Marw’an

‘Abd al-Malik bin Marw’an was another enemy from among the enemies of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them; nevertheless he admitted the outstanding merits of the Imam. This was when he met him and saw his weakness due to excessive worshipping. So he said to him with astonishment: “Exertion has appeared on your face while Allah has already promised to grant you good, you are part of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, your lineage is close to him, your means is certain, you have outstanding merits over the people of your House and time, and you are endowed with virtues, knowledge, religion, and piety with which none before or after you has ever been endowed with except your previous ancestors. [1] ”

18. Mansu’r al-Dawaniqi

Mansu’r al-Dawaniqi was another enemy from among the enemies of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them; nevertheless he admitted to the outstanding qualities of the Imam. This was when he sent a letter to Dhi al-Nafs al-Zakiya. In the letter he said: “None like him (Zayn al-‘Abidin) was born among you (‘Ali’s grandsons) after the death of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. [2] ”

19. Al-Farazdaq

Al-Farazdaq, the Arab great poet, was among those who admired the values of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and believed

in his high and holy character. He composed his immortal ode to show Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s outstanding qualities and inclinations. This was when Hisham denied recognizing the Imam before the Syrians lest they should admire him. So al-Farazdaq introduced the Imam to them, saying:

This is he whose ability the valley (of Mecca)

recognizes, and whom the (Sacred) House

recognizes (as do) the sanctuary and the area

outside the sanctuary (al-hill).

This is the son of the best of all Allah’s

servants. This is the pure pious man, the pure

eminent man.

When he comes to touch the corner of the wall

of the Kaaba, it almost grasps the palm of his

hand.

He takes care to be modest and he is protected

from his error. He only speaks when he smiles.

None of mankind has within their souls such

primacy as he does nor such grace as he does.

Whoever knows Allah, knows His friend (wali)

Religion is from the House of this man.

When Quraysh saw him, their spokesmen told

of the outstanding qualities of this man which

indicate (his) nobility.

The Imam was the greatest picture al-Farazdaq saw in the world of honor and virtues, so he admired and adored him.

20. Al-Himyari

As for al-Himyari, he dedicated his talents to the members of the House, who were the source of mercy and virtue on the earth. So he composed poetry about their laudable deeds and outstanding merits, for example, he praised Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, in this line of poetry:

The fourth of them is ‘Ali, the possessor of

efforts, through whom the religion and the

world

are established. [1]

21. Ibn Shahab

Ibn Shahab said: “I have never seen a Qarashi more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [2] ”

22. Ibn Zayd

Ibn Zayd said: [My father said: ] “I have never seen a person greater than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [3] ”

These are some contemporaries of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, whether they loved him or harbored malice against him. They unanimously agreed that the Imam was a man with piety and knowledge of Islam