The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin chapter5

The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin

Chapter5

His Supplication in Fear

He, peace be on him, would supplicate with great supplication in fear:

“O Allah, You created me without fault, nurtured me when small, and provided me with sufficiency. O Allah, I found in the Book which You sent down and through

which You gave good news to Your servants, that You said, O My servants who have been prodigal against yourselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy, surely Allah forgives all sins, but there has gone ahead from me what You know (and of which You know more than I)! O the shame of what Your Book has counted against me! Were it not for the places where I expectantly hope for Your pardon, which enfolds all things, I would have thrown myself down (in despair)! Were anyone able to flee from his Lord, I would be the most obligated to flee from You! But not a secret in earth and heaven is concealed from You, except that You bring it. You suffice as a recompenser! You suffice as a reckoner! O Allah, surely You would seek me if I flee and catch me if I run. So here I am before You, abject, lowly, abased. If You chastise me, I am worthy of that, and it would be, my Lord, an act of justice from You.

But if You pardon me, anciently has Your pardon enfolded me and Your well-being garmented me! So I ask You, O Allah, by the names stored in Your treasury and Your splendor masked by the veils! If You have no mercy upon this anxious soul and these uneasy, decaying bones he cannot endure the heat of Your sun, so how can he endure the heat of Your Fire? He cannot endure the sound of

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Your thunder, so how can he endure the sound of Your wrath? So have mercy upon me, O Allah, for I am a vile man and my worth is little. Chastising me will not add the weight of a dust mote of Your kingdom. Were chastising me something that would add to Your kingdom, I would ask You for patience to bear it and would love for it to belong to You; but Your authority, my Allah, is mightier, and Your kingdom more lasting, than that the obedience of the obeyers should increase it or the disobedience of the sinners diminish it! So have mercy upon me, O Most Merciful of the merciful! Show me forbearance, O Possessor of majesty and munificence! And turn toward me, surely You are Ever-turning, All- compassionate! [1] ”

In this great supplication the Imam, peace be on him, pleaded to Allah, the Exalted, and asked Him to have mercy on him and to forgive him. He also showed his fright and fear of Allah’s chastisement. This soul cannot resist the sun’s heat, so how can it resist and endure the fire and terrors of Hell?

His Supplication in Pleading to Allah

“My Allah, I praise You and You are worth of praise for Your benefaction toward me, the lavishness of Your favor toward me, and 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,

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and the lavishness of Your favors upon me, I would not have 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 away from me 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 have 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 from 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 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

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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 reverent fear! O He to whom belong names most beautiful! I ask You to pardon me and to forgive me, for I am not innocent that I should offer excuses, 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 my 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 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 secret thoughts or destroyed me because of my misdeeds! I call upon me, and You respond, even if I

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am slow when You call upon me. I ask You everything I want of my need, and I deposit with You my secret wherever I may be. I supplicate no one besides You, and 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 negligent, the sinner, the derelict, the sluggard, the heedless of the share of my soul! And if You forgive me You are the Most Merciful of the merciful! [1] ”

This holy supplication contains the Imam’s pleading to the Almighty Creator and his submission to Him confessing His great favors and lavish boons, and asking Him for pardon, forgiveness, and repentance.

His Supplication in Imploring Allah

He, peace be on him, used to implore Allah with this supplication:

“O Allah, from whom nothing is concealed in earth or heaven! How should what You have created, my Allah, be concealed from You? How should You not number what You have made? How should what You govern be absent from You? How should one who has no life except through Your provision have the ability to flee from You? How

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should one who has no road except in Your kingdom escape from You? Glory be to You! He among Your creatures who fears You most knows You best, he among them most bent in humility is most active in obeying You, and he among them whom You provide while he worships another is most contemptible before You! Glory be to You! He who associates others with You and denies Your messengers diminishes not Your authority.

He who dislikes Your decree cannot reject Your command. He who denies Your power keeps himself not away from You. He who worships other than You escapes You not. He who dislikes meeting You will not be given endless life in this world. Glory be to You! How mighty is Your station, overpowering is Your authority, intense Your strength, penetrating Your command! Glory be to You! You have decreed death for all creatures, both him who professes Your Unity and him who disbelieves in You; each one will taste death, each one will come home to You. Blessed are You and high exalted! There is no god but You, You alone, who have no associate. I have faith in You, I attest to Your messengers, I accept Your Book, I disbelieved in every object of worship other than You, I am quiet of anyone who worships another!

“O Allah, I rise in the morning and enter the evening making little of my good works, confessing my sins, admitting my offenses; I am abased because of my

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prodigality against myself. My works have destroyed me, my caprice has ruined me, my passions have deprived me. So I ask You, my Master, the asking of him whose soul is diverted by his drawn out expectations, whose body is heedless because of the stillness of his veins, whose heart is entranced by the multitude of favors done for him, whose reflection is little concerning that to which is coming home; the asking of him whom false expectation has overcome, caprice has entranced, and this world has mastered, and over whom death has cast its shadow; the asking of him who makes much of his sins and confesses his offense; the asking of him who has no Lord but You, no friend besides You, no one to deliver him from You, and no asylum from You except You.

“My Allah, I ask You by Your right incumbent upon all Your creatures, by Your mighty name with which You commanded Your messengers to glorify You, and by the majesty of Your generous face, which ages not, nor changes, nor alters, nor passes away, that You bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, that You free me from need for all things through worshipping You, that You distract my soul from this world through fear of You, and that You turn back toward Your abundant generosity through Your mercy! To You I flee, You I fear, from You I seek aid, in You I hope, You I supplicate, in You I seek asylum,

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in You I trust, from You I ask help, in You I have faith, in You I have placed my confidence, and upon Your munificence and Your generosity I rely. [1] ”

This supplication gives an account of the perfect knowledge of the Imam, peace be on him, his great faith in Allah. The following are some of its contents:

1. The knowledge of Allah, the Most High, is boundless; it encompasses all things, and no weight of a dust mote in the earth or the heaven escapes it.

2. All the creatures are in need of Allah, the Exalted; they cannot be free from need to Him for a moment, for they are in His Kingdom, His grasp, and His authority.

3. Those who know Allah, especially the scholars, fear Him, the Most High, obey Him, worship Him more than the other creatures, hence Allah, the Exalted, said: “The scholars from among His servants fear Allah. ”

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[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 50.

[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 51.

[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 52.

4. Those who serve other than Allah, associate others with Him, and deny His messengers are the lowliest of all the people, most of them in loss, and least of them in understanding and awareness.

5 Allah, the Exalted, has decreed death for all creatures, each one will come home to Him, that He may repay those who do good with goodness, and repay the unbelievers with what their hands have done.

6. In this supplication the Imam has declared his absolute faith in Allah, the Most High, attest to His messengers and prophets, and renunciation from any god other than Allah.

7.

The Imam expressed his absolute submission to Allah, the Exalted, and his humbleness before Him, asking Him for dignity and pardon.

His Supplication in Abasing himself before Allah

The following is his supplication in abasing himself before Allah, the Great and Almighty:

“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 to 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 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 mention is effaced among the creatures, and I join the forgotten, like the forgotten ones! My Master, and have mercy upon me at the change

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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 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] ” In this supplication the Imam, peace be on him, has announced his turning, devotion, and clinging to Allah. He asked Him for mercy and forgiveness when he left this world for the next.

His Supplication for the Removal of Worries

His great supplication for the removal of worries is as follows:

“O Reliever of worry! O Remover of grief! O Merciful in this world and the next and Compassionate in both! Bless Muhammad and his Household, relieve my worry, and remove my grief! O One, O Unique, O Eternal Refuge! O He who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not any one! Preserve me, and take away my affliction! ”

Here you should recite the Throne Verse (2: 255) , the two Suras of Taking Refuge (113-114) , and Unity (112). Then say:

“O Allah, I ask You with the asking of him whose neediness is intense, whose strength is frail, whose sins are many, the asking of one who finds no helper in his neediness, no strengthener in his frailty, no forgiver of his sin other than You, O Possessor of majesty and munificence! I ask of You a

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work through which You will love him who works it and a certainty by which You will profit him who is certain with the truth of certainty concerning the execution of Your command!

“O Allah, bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, take my soul while it is firm in sincerity, cut off my need for this world, make my desire for what is with You become a yearning to meet You, and give me true confidence in You! I ask of You the good of the writ that has been made and I seek refuge with You from the evil of the writ that has been made. I ask of You the fear of the worshippers, the worship of those humbly fearful of You, the certainty of those who have confidence in You, and the confidence of those who have faith in You. O Allah, make my desire in my asking like the desire of Your friends in their asking, and my fear like the fear of Your friends! Employ me in Your good pleasure through works in which I will not leave aside anything of Your religion fearing any of Your creatures!

“O Allah, this is my need, so make my desire for it great, within it make manifest my excuse, through it instill me with my argument, and by means of it make well my body! O Allah, some rise in the morning having trust or hope in other than You. I rise in the morning and You are

my trust and hope in all affairs, so decree for me those which are best in outcome and deliver me from misguiding trials, O Most Merciful of the merciful! And Allah bless our chief, Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, the chosen, and his Household, the pure! [1] ”

With this we will end our speech about al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, which is one of the most important sources in Islam.

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[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 53.

[1]: Ibid, Supplication no. 54.

2. Fifteen Whispered Prayers

point

One of the valuable works of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, is the Fifteen Whispered Prayers, which is among the spiritual sources in the world of Islam. With them the Imam treated many psychological problems as well as he opened with them brilliant horizons to communicate with Allah, the Exalted. He supplicated Him with a heart full of hope and expectation, pleaded to Him humbly, melted before His mightiness, hoped Him with the hope of the sincere and those who turned to Him in repentance, and turned his heart and feelings toward Him, hence he saw none other than Him. He supplicated Him with lowliness and humbleness asking Him for pardon and forgiveness. His whispered prayers moved the hearts of the Allah-fearing and the righteous from among the followers of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, so they supplicated Allah in the sacred places at dark night and besought His care and favors.

Ascribing these whispered prayers to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, has become famous. For example, al-Majjlisi, a researcher, has written them in his

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book ‘Bihar al-Anwar’. The scholars who wrote about the supplementary supplications regarded them as some items of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, a researcher, has mentioned them in his book ‘Mafatih al-Jinan. The scholars took great care of them, and ordered them to be translated into foreign languages, for instance, they were translated into Persian by Sartib Rushdiya. They have been written in decorated, golden scripts, and printed in Tehran. They are found in great number in the Islamic world. A wonderful copy of them is in the Library of Imam Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be on him, holding number (2098). These whispered prayers are as follows:

The First Whispered Prayer

This whispered Prayer is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Repenters. In it the Imam turned to Allah in repentance asking Him for mercy and forgiveness. This is its text:

“O Allah, offenses have clothed me in the garment of my lowliness, separation from You has wrapped me in the clothing of my misery! My dreadful crimes have deadened my heart, so bring it to life by a repentance from You! O my hope and my aim! O my wish and my want! By Your might, I find no one but You to forgive my sins and I see none but You to mend my brokenness! I have subjected myself to You in repeated turning, I have humbled myself to You in abasement. If You cast me out from Your door, in whom shall I take shelter? If You repel me from Your side,

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in whom shall I seek refuge? O my grief at my ignominy and disgrace! O my sorrow at my evil works and what I have committed! I ask You, O Forgiver of great sins, O Mender of broken bones, to overlook my ruinous misdeeds and cover my disgraceful secret thoughts!

At the witnessing place of the Resurrection, empty me not of the coolness of Your pardon and forgiveness, and strip me not of Your beautiful forbearance and covering! My Allah, let the clouds of Your mercy cast its shadow upon my sins and send the billow of Your clemency flowing over my faults! My Allah, if remorse for sins is a repentance, I by Your might am one of the remorseful! If praying forgiveness for offenses is an alleviation, I am one of those who pray forgiveness! To You I return that You may be well pleased! My Allah, through Your power over me, turned toward me, through Your clemency toward me, pardon me, and through Your knowledge of me, be gentle toward me! My Allah, You are He who have opened a door to Your pardon and named it ‘repentance’, for You said, Repent to Allah with unswerving repentance.

What is the excuse of him who remains heedless of entering the door after its opening? My Allah, though the sins of Your servant are ugly, Your pardon is beautiful. My Allah, I am not the first to have disobeyed You, and You turned toward him, or to have sought to

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attain Your favor, and You were munificent toward him. O Responder to the distressed! O Remover of injury! O Knower of everything secret! O Beautiful through covering over! I seek Your munificence and Your generosity to intercede with You, I seek Your side and Your showing mercy to mediate with You, so grant my supplication, disappoint not my hope in You, accept my repentance, and hide my offense, through Your kindness and mercy, o Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

It is certain that Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, obeyed Allah throughout his lifetime and did not commit any sin before Him. He was among the leading members of this community in guidance, piety, and reverential fear. He whispered to Allah with these whispered prayers and others to teach the community and show it the way to good and righteousness. He summoned it to repentance, that it might purify itself from crimes and sins, and obtain Allah’s forgiveness and good pleasure.

The Second Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Complainers. In it the Imam, peace be on him, complained to Allah of himself asking Him to set it right completely. This is its text:

“My Allah, to You I complain of a soul commanding to evil, rushing to offenses, eager to disobey You, and exposing itself to Your anger. It takes me on the roads of disasters, it makes me the easiest of perishers before You; many its pretexts, drawn out its expectations, when evil touches it, it is anxious,

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when good touches it, grudging; inclining to sport and diversion, full of heedlessness and inattention, it hurries me to misdeeds and makes me delay repentance.

“My Allah, I complain to You of an enemy who misguides me and a satan who leads me astray. He has filled my breast with tempting thoughts, and his suggestions have encompassed my heart. He supports caprice against me, embellishes for me the love of this world, and separates me from obedience and proximity!

“My Allah, to You I complain of a heart that is hard, turned this way and that by tempting thoughts, clothed in rust and the seal, and of an eye too indifferent to weep in fear of You and eagerly seeking that which gladdens it! My Allah, there is no force and no strength except in Your power, and no deliverance for me from the detested things of this world save through Your preservation. So I ask You by Your far-reaching wisdom and Your penetrating will not to let me expose myself to other than Your munificence and not to turn me into a target for trials! Be for me a helper against enemies, a coverer of shameful things and faults, a protector against afflictions, a preserver against acts of disobedience! By Your clemency and mercy, O Most merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, spoke about man’s soul. He took about the diseases and evil inclinations which turned man away from remembering Allah and throw him into great evil.

The following is an example of these dangerous diseases:

A. Rushing to sins and offenses.

B. Exposing to Allah’s displeasure and anger.

C. Drawn out expectations.

D. Inclining to sport and diversion.

E. Heedlessness of remembering Allah.

F. Delaying repentance.

G. The hardness of heart, tempting thoughts, and craving.

These diseases make man walk on the path of inclinations and obey the accursed Satan, we seek refuge in Allah from him.

The Third Whispered Prayer

This whispered prayer is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Fearful. In it the Imam, peace be on him, showed his great fear of Allah. It is as follows:

“My Allah, what think You? Will You chastise me after faith in You, drive me far away after my love for You, deprive me while I hope for Your mercy and forgiveness, forsake me while I seek sanctuary in Your pardon? How could Your generous face disappoint me?! Would that I knew Did my mother bear me for wretchedness? Did she nurture me for suffering? Would then that she had not borne me and had not nurtured me! Would that I had knowledge Have You appointed me one of the people of felicity? Have You singled me out for Your nearness and neighborhood? Then would my eyes be gladdened, and in that my soul reach serenity.

“My Allah, do You blacken faces which fall down in prostration before Your mightiness? Do You strike dumb tongues which speak in laudation of Your glory and majesty? Do You seal hearts which harbor Your love? Do You deafen ears which take pleasure in hearing

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Your remembrance according to Your will? Do You manacle hands which expectations have raised to You in hope of Your clemency? Do You punish bodies which worked to obey You until they grew thin in struggling for You? Do You chastise legs which ran to worship You? My Allah, lock not toward those who profess Your Unity the doors of Your mercy, and veil not those who yearn for You from looking upon the vision of You beauty!

“My Allah, a soul which You have exalted by its professing Your Unity how will You burn it in the heat of Your fires? My Allah, give me sanctuary from Your painful wrath and Your mighty anger! O All-loving, O All-kind! O Compassionate, O Merciful! O Compeller, O Subduer! O All-forgiver, O All-covering! Deliver me through Your mercy from the chastisement of the Fire and the disgrace of shame when the good are sent apart from the evil, forms are transformed, terrors terrify, the good-doers are brought near, the evildoers taken far, and every soul is paid in full what it has earned, and they shall not be wronged! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, opened a door to conversation with Allah, the Exalted. He conversed with Him politely and humbly, asking Him not to chastise the believers and the monotheists and not to let the Fire touch their bodies. It is impossible for Allah to chastise the faces which prostrate in prayer for His mightiness, the tongues which always praise

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Him, the ears which enjoy remembering Him, and the hands which are raised for supplicating Him, hoping for His affection and mercy. Surely Allah will chastise His criminal, disobedient enemies.

The Forth Whispered Prayer

This whispered Prayer is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Hopeful. In it the Imam, peace be on him, hoped for Allah’s munificence and His bestowals upon him. It reads as follows:

“O He who gives to a servant who asks from Him, takes him to his wish when he expectantly hopes for what is with Him, brings him near and close when he approaches Him, covers over his sin and cloaks it when he shows it openly, and satisfies and suffices him when he has confidence in Him!

“My Allah, who is the one who has come before You seeking hospitality, and whom You have not received hospitably? Who is the one who has dismounted at Your door hoping for magnanimity, and to whom You have not shown it? Is it good that I come back from You door, turned away in disappointment, while I know of no patron qualified by beneficence but You? How should I have hope in other than You, when the good all of it is in Your hand? How should I expect from others, when Yours are the creation and the command? Should I cut off my hope for You, when You have shown me of Your bounty that for which I have not asked? Would You make me have need for my like? But I hold

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fast to Your cord! O He through whose mercy the strivers reach felicity and through whose vengeance the seekers of forgiveness are not made wretched! How should I forget You, while You never cease remembering me? How should I be diverted from You while You are my constant watcher?

“My Allah, I have fastened my hand to the skirt of Your generosity, I have stretched forth my expectation toward reaching Your gifts, so render me pure through the purest profession of Your Unity, and appoint me one of Your choice servants! O He who is the asylum of every fleer, the hope of every seeker! O Best Object of hope! O Most Generous Object of supplication! O He who does not reject His asker or disappoint the expectant! O He whose door is open to His supplicators and whose veil lifted for those who hope in Him! I ask You by Your generosity to show kindness toward me through Your gifts, with that which will gladden my eye, through hope in You with that which will give serenity to my soul, and through certainty with that which will make easy for me the afflictions of this world and lift from my insight the veils of blindness! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, expressed his great hope in Allah’s pardon and his firm faith in His ample mercy which includes all those who beseech Him, the Imam and others are

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the same.

The great Imam devoted himself to Allah. In all of his affairs he did not hope any creature, for he thought that hoping what was in their hands was a mirage and expecting what was with them was a mere play and loss.

The Fifth Whispered Prayer

This whispered prayer is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Beseechers. In it the Imam beseeched what was with Allah and renounced what was with other than Him.

“O Allah, though my stores for traveling to You are few, my confidence in You has given me a good opinion. Though my sin has made me fear Your punishment, my hope has let me feel secure from vengeance. Though my misdeed has exposed me to Your penalty, my excellent trust has apprised me of Your reward. Though heedlessness has put to sleep my readiness to meet You, knowledge has awakened me to Your generosity and boons. Though excessive disobedience and rebellion have estranged me from You, the glad tidings of forgiveness and good pleasure have made me feel intimate with You.

I ask You by the splendors of Your face and the lights of Your holiness, and I implore You by the tenderness of Your mercy and the gentleness of Your goodness, to verify my opinion in expecting Your great generosity and You beautiful favor through nearness to You, proximity to You, and enjoyment of gazing at You! Here am I, addressing myself to the breezes of Your freshness and tenderness, having recourse to the rain of

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Your generosity and gentleness, fleeing from Your displeasure to Your good pleasure and from You to You, hoping for the best of what is with You, relying upon Your gifts, utterly poor toward Your guarding!

“My Allah, Your bounty which You have begun complete it! Your generosity which You have given me strip it not away! Your cover over me through Your clemency tear it not away! My ugly acts which You have come to know forgive them! My Allah, I seek intercession from You with You, and I seek sanctuary in You from You! I have come to You craving Your beneficence, desiring Your kindness, seeking water from the deluge of Your graciousness, begging rain from the clouds of Your bounty, requesting Your good pleasure, going straight to Your side, arriving at the water-place of Your support, seeking exalted good things from Your quarter, reaching for the presence of Your beauty, wanting Your face, knocking at Your door, abasing myself before Your mightiness and majesty! So act toward me with the forgiveness and mercy of which You are worthy! Act not toward me with the chastisement and vengeance of which I am worthy! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, showed his good opinion in Allah’s pardon, his great hope in His generosity, his faith in His plentiful boons. He clung to Him and dictated himself to Him, asking Him for mercy and pity. He pleaded to Allah and showed humbleness and submission

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to Him.

The Sixth Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Thankful. In it the Imam showed gratitude to Allah, the Exalted, for His plentiful good and excellent boons. After the basmala (in the Name of Allah, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate) , he said:

“My Allah, uninterrupted flow of Your graciousness has distracted me from thanking You! The flood of Your bounty has rendered me incapable of counting Your praises! The succession of Your kind acts has diverted me from mentioning You in laudation! The continuous rush of Your benefits has thwarted me from spreading the news of Your gentle favors! This is the station of him who confesses to the lavishness of favors, meets them with shortcomings, and witnesses to his own disregard and negligence. You are the Clement, the Compassionate, the Good, the Generous, who does not disappoint those who aim for him, nor cast out from His courtyard those who expect from Him! In Your yard are put down the saddlebags of the hopeful and in Your plain stand the hopes of the hope-seekers! So meet not our hopes by disappointing and disheartening and clothe us not in the shirt of despair and despondency!

“My Allah, my thanksgiving is small before Your great boons, and my praise and news-spreading shrink beside Your generosity toward me! Your favors have wrapped me in the ropes of the lights of faith, and the gentleness of Your goodness have let down over me delicate curtains of might! Your kindnesses have collared me with collars

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not to be moved and adorned me with neck-rings not to be broken! Your boons are abundant my tongue is too weak to count them! Your favors are many my understanding falls short of grasping them, not to speak of exhausting them! So how can I achieve thanksgiving? For my thanking You requires thanksgiving. Whenever I say, ‘To You belongs praise! ’, it becomes thereby incumbent upon me to say, ‘To You belongs praise’!

“My Allah, as You have fed us through Your gentleness and nurtured us through Your benefaction, so also complete for us lavish favors, repel from us detested acts of vengeance, and of the shares of the two abodes, give us their most elevated and their greatest, both the immediate and the deferred! To You belongs praise for Your good trial and the lavishness of Your favors, a praise conforming to Your good pleasure and attracting Your great goodness and magnanimity. O All-mighty, O All-generous! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, teaches us how to thank Allah, the Most High, for His lavish boons, and great favors. Indeed whatever man thanks Allah he falls short of thanking Him.

The Seventh Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Obedient Toward Allah. This is its text:

“O Allah, inspire us to obey You, turn us aside from disobeying You, make it easy for us to reach the seeking of Your good pleasure which we wish, set us down in the mist of

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Your Gardens, dispel from our insights the clouds of misgiving, uncover from our hearts the wrappings of doubt and the veil, make falsehood vanish from our innermost minds, and fix the truth in our secret thoughts, for doubts and opinions fertilize temptations and muddy the purity of gifts and kindnesses! O Allah, carry us in the ships of Your deliverance, give us to enjoin the pleasure of whispered prayer to Your, make us drink at the pools of Your love, let us taste the sweetness of Your affection and nearness, all as to struggle in You, and purify our intentions in devoting works to You, for we exist through You and belong to You, and we have no one to mediate with You but You! My Allah, place me among the chosen, the good, join me to the righteous, the pious, the first to reach generous gifts, the swift to come upon good things, the workers of the abiding acts of righteousness, the strivers after elevated degrees! You are powerful over everything and disposed to respond! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

The Imam, peace be on him, implored Allah to turn him aside from disobeying Him, to make it easy for him to reach the seeking of His good pleasure and nearness to Him, to purify his intention in devoting works to Him, and to place him among those who were swift to come upon good things, the workers of the abiding acts of righteousness.

The Eighth Whispered Prayer

It is better

known as the Whispered Prayer of the Devotees to Allah. It is among his outstanding whispered prayers. It is as follows:

“Glory be to You! How narrow are the paths for him whom You have not guided! How plain the truth for him whom You have guided on his way! My Allah, so make us travel on the roads that arrive at You and set us into motion on the paths nearest to reaching You! Make near for us the far, and make easy for us the hard and difficult! Join us to Your servants, those who hurry to You swiftly, knock constantly at Your door, and worship You by night and by day, while they remain apprehensive in awe of You! You have purified their drinking places, taken them to the objects of their desire, granted their requests, accomplished their wishes through Your bounty, filled their minds with Your love, and quenched their thirst with Your pure drink. Through You have they reached the pleasure of whispered prayer to You, and in You have they achieved their furthest goals.

O He who comes toward those who come toward Him and grants gifts and bestows bounty upon them through tenderness! He is compassionate and clement toward those heedless of His remembrance and loving and tender in drawing them to His door! I ask You to place me among those of them who have the fullest share from You, the highest station with You, the most plentiful portion of Your love, and

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the most excellent allotment of Your knowledge, for my aspiration has been cut off from everything but You and my desire has turned away toward You alone. You are my object, none other; to You alone belongs my waking and my sleeplessness. Meeting You is the gladness of my eye, joining You the wish of my soul. Toward You is my yearning, in love for You my passionate longing, in clinging toward You my fervent craving.

Your good pleasure is the aim I seek, vision of You my need, Your neighborhood my request, nearness to You the utmost object of my asking. In whispered prayer to You I find my repose and my ease. With You lies the remedy of my illness, the cure for my burning thirst, the coolness of my ardor, the removal of my distress. Be my intimate in my loneliness, the releaser of my stumble, the forgiver of my slip, the acceptor of my repentance, the responder to my supplication, the patron of preserving me from sin, the one who frees me from my neediness! Cut me not off from You! and keep me not far from You! O my bliss and my garden! O my this world and my hereafter! O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, devoted himself to Allah. Hence he saw none other than Him. He sincerely asked Him to make him travel on the roads which arrived at Him, to set him into

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motion on the paths nearest to reaching Him, and to join him to His righteous servants, who did not speak before Him and worked according to His commands.

The Ninth Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Lovers, and it is as follows:

“My Allah, who can have tested the sweetness of Your love, then wanted another in place of You? Who can have become intimate with You nearness, then sought removal from You? My Allah, place us with him whom You have chosen for Your nearness and Your friendship, purified through Your affection and Your love, given yearning for the meeting with You, made pleased with Your decree, granted gazing upon Your face, shown the favor of Your good pleasure, given refuge from separation from You and Your loathing, settled in a sure sitting place in Your neighborhood, singled out for true knowledge of You, made worthy for worship of You, whose heart You have captivated with Your will, whom You have picked for contemplating You, whose look You have made empty for You, whose breast You have freed for Your love, whom You have made desirous of what is with You, inspired with Your remembrance, allotted thanksgiving to You, occupied with obeying You, turned into one of Your righteous creatures, chosen for whispered prayer to You, and from whom You have cut off all things which cut him off from You!

O Allah, place us among those whose habit is rejoicing in You and yearning for You, whose time

is spent in sighing and moaning! Their foreheads are bowed down before Your mightiness, their eyes wakeful in Your service, their tears flowing in dread of You, their hearts fixed upon Your love, their cores shaken with awe of You. O He the lights of those holiness induce wonder in the eyes of His lovers, the glories of whose face arouse the longing of the hearts of His knowers! O Furthest Wish of the hearts of the yearners! O Utmost Limit of the hopes of the lovers! I ask from You love for You, love for those who love You, love for every work which will join me to Your nearness, and that You make Yourself more beloved to me than anything other than You and make my love for You lead to Your good pleasure, and my yearning for You protect against disobeying You! Oblige me by allowing me to gaze upon You, gaze upon You with the eye of affection and tenderness, turn not Your face away from me, and make me one of the people of happiness with You and favored position! O Responder, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, expressed his sincere love and affection for Allah, the Exalted, asking Him to place him with those whom He had chosen for His nearness and given yearning for the meeting with Him, to free his breast for His love, and to make him love every work that would

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draw him nigh to Him.

The Tenth Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of those Asking for Mediation. In it the Imam, peace be on him, asked Allah, the Exalted, for mercy and good pleasure. It is as follows:

“O Allah, I have no mediation with You but the tender acts of Your clemency, nor any way to come to You but the gentle favors of Your mercy, and the intercession of Your Prophet, the prophet of mercy, who rescued the community from confusion. Make these two my tie to attaining Your forgiveness and let them take me to triumph through Your good pleasure! My hope has dismounted in the sacred precinct of Your generosity, my craving has alighted in the courtyard of Your munificence. So actualize my expectation from You, seal my works with good, and place me among Your selected friends, those whom You have sent down in the midst of Your Garden, and settled in the abode of Your honor, whose eyes You have gladdened by gazing upon You on the day of meeting You, and whom You have made heirs to the sure stations in Your neighborhood! O He none more generous than whom is reached by the reachers and none more merciful than whom is found by the aimers! O Best of those with whom the lonely are alone, O Tenderest of those with whom outcasts seek haven! Toward the expanse of Your pardon have I extended my hand, upon the skirt of Your generosity have I

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fastened my grasp! Show me no deprivation and afflict me not with disappointment and loss! O Hearer of supplications! O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, pleaded to Allah to provide him with the tender acts of His clemency, and the intercession of His Prophet, (Allah bless him and his Household) , to make these two his tie to attaining His forgiveness and good pleasure, to seal his life with good, to settle him in the abode of His honor, and to place him among His chosen servants.

The Eleventh Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Utterly Poor. In it the Imam showed his poverty and neediness before Allah, saying:

“My Allah, nothing will mend my fracture but Your gentleness and loving care, free me of my poverty but Your affection and beneficence, still my fright but Your security, exalt my abasement but Your sovereignty, take me to my hope but Your bounty, remedy my lack but Your graciousness, accomplish my need other than You, relieve my distress other than Your mercy, remove my injury other than Your clemency, cool my burning thirst but reaching You, quench my ardor but meeting You, damp my yearning but gazing upon Your face, settle my settling place without closeness to You, allay my worry but Your repose, cure my illness but Your medicine, eliminate my grief but Your nearness, heal my wound but Your forgiveness, remove the rust on my heart but Your pardon, banish the

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confusing thoughts from my breast but Your command! O Utmost Hope of the hopers! O Ultimate Demand of the askers! O Furthest Request of the requesters! O Highest desire of the desirers! O Patron of the righteous! O Security of the fearful! O Responder to the supplication of the distressed! O Storehouse of the destitute! O Treasure of the pitiful! O Helper of the help-seeker! O Accomplisher of the needs of the poor and the miserable! O Most Generous of the most generous! O Most Merciful of the merciful! To You is my humble subjection and request, to You my pleading and imploring! I ask You to let me attain the repose of Your good pleasure, and to make constant toward me the favors of Your kindness! Here am I, standing before the gate of Your generosity, opening myself up to the breezes of Your goodness, holding fast to Your strong cord, clinging to Your firm handle!

“My Allah, have mercy upon Your lowly slave of silent tongue and few good works, obligate him through Your plentiful graciousness, shelter him under Your plenteous shade! O Generous, O Beautiful, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

The Imam, peace be on him, adored His Lord, the Creator of the universe and Giver of life. He set all his hopes on Him, asking Him to accomplish all his affairs.

The Twelfth Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Knowers, and it is as follows:

“My Allah, tongues fall shorting of attaining praise of You proper to

Your majesty, intellects are incapable of grasping the core of Your beauty, eyes fail before gazing upon the glories of Your face, and You have assigned to Your creatures no way to know You save incapacity to know You!

“My Allah, place us among those within the gardens of whose breasts the trees of yearning for You have taken firm root and the assemblies of whose hearts have been seized by the ardor of Your love! They seek shelter in the nests of mediation, feed upon the gardens of nearness and disclosure, drinks from the pools of love with the cup of gentle favor, and enter into the watering-places of warm affection. The covering has been lifted from their eyes, the darkness of disquiet has been dispelled from their beliefs and their innermost minds, the contention of doubt has been negated from their hearts and their secret thoughts, their breasts have expanded the verification of true knowledge, their aspirations have ascended through precedent good fortune in renunciation, their drinking is sweet from the spring of devotion to good works, their secret thoughts are delicious in the sitting place of intimacy, their minds are secure in the place of terror, their souls are serene through the return to the Lord of the worlds, their spirits have reached certitude through triumph and prosperity, their eyes have been gladdened through gazing upon their Beloved, their settling place has been settled through reaching the request and attaining the expectation, and their commerce has profited through

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the sale of this world for the next!

My Allah, how agreeable for hearts are the thoughts inspiring Your remembrance, how sweet traveling to You through imagination upon the roads of the unseen worlds, how pleasant the taste of Your love, how delightful the drink of Your nearness! So give us refuge from Your casting out and Your sending far, and place us among the most elect of Your knowers, the most righteous of Your servants, the most truthful of Your obeyers, the most sincere of Your worshipers! O All-mighty, O Majestic, O Generous, O Endower! By Your mercy and kindness, O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

Indeed Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin is the lord of the monotheists and leader of those who know Allah. His worship to Allah was not traditional; rather it resulted from his perfect knowledge of Him, the Most High.

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, expressed that tongues fell shorting of attaining praise of Allah proper to His majesty, and intellects were incapable of grasping the core of His beauty. How can the possible being, limited in understanding, encompass the knowledge of the Necessary Being, Who is the Originator of the universe?

The Thirteenth Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Rememberers. In it the Imam showed perfect submission to Allah, the Exalted.

“My Allah, were it not incumbent to accept Your command, I would declare You far too exalted for me to remember You, for I remember You in my measure, not in Your

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measure, and my scope can hardly reach the point where I may be a locus for calling You holy! Among You greatest favors to us is the running of Your remembrance across our tongues and Your permission to us to supplicate You, declare You exalted, and call You holy!

“My Allah, inspire us with Your remembrance alone and in assemblies, by night and day, publicly and secretly, in prosperity and adversity! Make us intimate with silent remembrance, employ us in purified works and effort pleasing to You, and reward us with the full balance.

“My Allah, love-mad hearts are enraptured by You, disparate intellects are brought together by knowing You, hearts find no serenity except in remembering You, souls find no rest except in seeing You. You are the glorified in every place, the worshipped at every time, the found at every moment, the called by every tongue, the magnified in every heart! I pray forgiveness from You for every pleasure but remembering You, every ease but intimacy with You, every happiness but nearness to You, every occupation but obeying You!

“My Allah, You have said and Your word is true O you who have faith, remember Allah with much remembrance and glorify Him at dawn and in the evening! You have said and Your word is true Remember me, and I will remember you! You have commanded us to remember You, and promised us that You will remember us thereby, in order to ennoble, respect, and honor us. Here we are, remembering You as You

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have commanded us! So accomplish what You have promised, O Remember of the rememberers! O Most Merciful of the merciful! ”

We shake all over and become astonished when we recite the whispered prayers of the Imam, peace be on him, for he has given in them a clear, distinguished picture of his pleading to Allah, the Exalted, Who knows everything in the heaven and the earth. This great Imam thought that his great obedience to Allah was not enough, hence he humbly asked Him to accept his worship.

The Fourteenth Whispered Prayer

It is better known as the Whispered Prayer of those who Hold Fast. In it the Imam, peace be on him, showed his holding fast and clinging to Allah, the Exalted:

“O Allah, O Shelter of the shelter-seekers! O Refuge of the refuge-seekers! O Deliverer of the perishing! O Preserver of the pitiful! O Merciful toward the miserable! O Responder to the distressed! O Treasure of the utterly poor! O Mender of the broken! O Haven of the cut off! O Helper of the abased! O Granter of sanctuary to the fearful! O Aider of the troubled! O Fortress of the refugees! If I seek not refuge in Your might, in whom shall I seek refuge? If I seek no shelter in Your power, in whom shall I seek shelter? Sins have made me seek asylum in laying hold on the skirts of Your pardon, offenses have compelled me to beg the opening of the doors of Your forgiveness, evildoing has summoned me to dismount

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in the courtyard of Your might, fear of Your vengeance has prompted me to clinging to the handhold of Your tenderness! It is not right for him who holds fast to Your cord to be abandoned, nor proper for him who seeks the sanctuary of Your might to be surrendered or disregarded.

“My Allah, empty us not of Your defending, strip us not of Your guarding, and protect us from the roads of destruction, for we are in Your eye and under Your wing! I ask You by those whom You have singled out, Your angels and the righteous among Your creatures, to assign over us a protector through which You will deliver us from destruction, turn aside from us blights, and hide us from the striking of great afflictions, to send down upon us some of Your tranquillity, to wrap our faces in the lights of love for You, to give us haven in Your strong pillar, and to gather us under the wings of Your preservation! By Your clemency and Your mercy, O Most merciful of the merciful! ”

In this whispered prayer the Imam, peace be on him, teaches us how to supplicate Allah during hardships and afflictions and how to ask Him in order to accomplish our needs. It is certain that we have no means except pleading to Him sincerely and asking Him politely. We must believe that we have neither force nor strength except in Him, and that all creatures all needy to Him, the Exalted.

The Fifteenth Whispered Prayer

It is

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better known as the Whispered Prayer of the Abstainers. It is among the Imam’s outstanding whispered prayers.

“My Allah, You have settled us in abode which has dug for us pits of deception, and You have fastened us by the hands of death in the snares of that abode’s treachery! In You we seek asylum from the tricks of its guile, and to You we hold fast, lest we be deluded by the glitter of its ornaments! It destroys its pursuers and ruins its settlers, it is stuffed with blights and loaded with calamities.

“My Allah, induce us to renounce is and keep us safe from it by Your giving success and Your preservation from sin. Strip from us the ropes of opposing You, attend to our affairs through Your good sufficiency, amplify our increase from the boundless plenty of Your mercy, be liberal in our gifts from the overflow of Your grants, plant in our hearts the trees of Your love, complete for us the lights of Your knowledge, give us to taste the sweetness of Your pardon and the pleasure of Your forgiveness, gladden our eyes on the day of meeting You with the vision of You, dislodge the love of this world from our spirits, just as You have done for the righteous, Your selected friends, and for the pious, those whom You have singled out! O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Most Generous of the most generous! ”

With this we will end our speech about the whispered prayers

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of the Imam, peace be on him, to the Great Creator. They represent the spirituality of the Imam and his firm clinging to Allah.

Poetic Whispered Prayers

point

In the Fourth Sahifa of al-Sajjad, al-Sayyid Husayn al-Nu’ri has ascribed two poetic whispered prayers to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. He mentioned that he found them written by a religious scholar.

The First Poetic Whispered Prayer

Do You not hear, O my Hopes, through Your bounty

the supplication of one weak, afflicted, drowning in the

see of grief, sad, and captive in sins and errors? [1]

I call (You) through pleading every day,

diligent at imploring and supplicating.

All the earth has become narrow before me,

for the people of the earth have not known my medicine.

So help me, surely I seek sanctuary

in Your pardon. O Great! O my Hope!

I have come to You weeping, so have mercy upon my

weeping. My shame of You is more than my errors.

I have a worry, and You are the Remover of my worry.

I have an illness, and You are the Medicine for my

illness.

Hope has woken me, so I said: My Lord, my expectation

is that You accomplish my expectation.

Be kind, my Master, through pardoning me, for I am

(facing) a great affliction.

The Second Poetic Whispered Prayer

To You, O my Lord, I have directed my requests, and

I have come to Your door, O my Lord, along with my requests.

You are knowledgeable of what the mind holds,

O He who knows secrets and hidden things.

Accomplish the requests for me, my Lord, for I see that none

will accomplish my requests but You.

This poem, and in this manner, is like the

previous one in the weakness and disorder of meter. I firmly believe that both the poetic whispered prayers have been fabricated against the Imam, peace be on him. For, how are such disorderly lines, which have no sign of literature, ascribed to the Imam, who is the author of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya, which is unique in purity and eloquence?

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

[1]: It has been mentioned in this manner. The weakness of composition is manifest in it, so it is impossible that it is attributed to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him.

3. The Treatise On Rights, Risalat Al-Huquq

point

Among the most important works in the world of Islam is the ‘Treatise on Rights’ by the greatest Imam, Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. In it the Imam has mentioned all the methods necessary for man’s conduct, developing his life, and building his civilization on foundations which lead to tranquillity and protection from anxiety, disorder, and the like. The wise Imam carefully and inclusively considered man, studied all the dimensions of his life, his relationships with his Creator, his soul, his family, his society, his government, his teacher, and so on. He wrote for man these rights and duties and made it incumbent on him to conform to them. Hence man is able to establish an Islamic society which believes in social justice and has strong ties such as mutual confidence, love, and other means necessary for social development and progress.

I (the author) think that the great Imam legislated man’s rights, his social links, his moral origins, and his educational foundations in a manner which is different from that of politicians and social scientists.

Anyhow, the Imam, peace be on him, wrote this brilliant treatise and presented it to some of

his companions. [1] Then it was narrated by the great religious scholar, the trustworthy Muslim, Thabit b. Abi Saffiya, better known as Abu Hamza al-Thumali [2] , the student of the Imam, peace be on him. Then it was reported on his authority by the very truthful traditionalist, Hujjat al-Islam, Muhammad b. Ya‘qu’b al-Kulayni [3] , and al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. Shu‘ba al-Harrani in (his book) ‘Tuhaf al-‘Uqu’l’. I (the author) have narrated it on his (al-Hasan’s) authority as follows:

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

[1]: Al-Khisal.

[2]: Al-Kashi, al-Khisal.

[3]: Men la Yahdarahu al-Faqih. Al-Khisal.

A Brief Introduction to Rights

Before the Imam, peace be on him, explained the rights, he wrote a brief introduction to them, saying:

“Know may Allah have mercy upon You that Allah has rights against you and that these encompass you in every movement through which you move, every rest through which you rest, every way station in which you reside, every limb which you employ, and every instrument which you put to work. Some of these rights are greater and some less.

“The greatest of Allah’s rights against you is the right which He has made incumbent upon you for Himself and which is the root of all rights, then those which He has made incumbent upon you in yourself, from your crown to your feet, in keeping with the diversity of your organs. He has given your tongue a right against you, your hearing a right against you, your sight a right against you, your hand a right against you, your leg a right against you, your stomach a right against you, and your private part a right against you. These

are the seven organs through which acts (af‘al) take place.

“Then He gave your acts rights against you: He gave your ritual prayer a right against you, fasting a right against you, your charity a right against you, your offering a right against you, and your acts a right against you.

“Then these rights extend out from you to others who have rights against you. The most incumbent of them against you are the rights toward your Imams, then the rights toward your subjects (ra‘iyya) , then the rights toward your womb [relatives] (rahim).

“From these rights branch out other rights. The rights of your Imams are three: The most incumbent upon you is the right of him who trains you through authority, then of him who trains you through knowledge, then of him who trains through property.

“The rights of your subjects are three: The most incumbent upon you is the right of those who are your subjects through authority, then the right of those who are your subjects through knowledge for the man of ignorance is the subject of man of knowledge then the right of those who are subjects through property, such as wives and what is owned by your right hand.

“The rights of your womb relatives are many; they are connected to you in the measure of the connection of the womb relations. The most incumbent upon you is the right of your mother, then the right of your father, then the right of your child, then the right of your brother, then

the next nearest, then the next nearest the most worth, then the next most worthy.

“Then there is the right of your master who favors you (by freeing you from slavery) , then the right of the slave whose favors reach you (by the fact that your free him) , then the right of him who does a kindly act toward you, then the right of the mu’azzin who calls you to the ritual prayer, then the right of the Imam who leads the prayer, then the right of your sitting companion, then the right of your neighbor, then the right of your companion, then the right of your partner, then the right of your property, then the right of him who has a debt he must pay back to you, then the right of him to whom you owe a debt, then the right of your associate, then the right of your adversary who has a claim against you, then the right of your adversary against whom you have a claim, then the right of him who asks you for advice, then the right of him who asks your counsel, then the right of him who counsels you, then the right of him who is older than you, then the right of him who is younger than you, then the right of him who asks from you, then the right of him from whom you ask, then the right of him who does something evil to you through word or deed, or him

who makes you happy through word or deed, intentionally or unintentionally, then the right of the people of your creed, then the right of the people under your protection, than all the rights in the measure of the causes of the states and the occurrence of events.

“Therefore happy is he whom Allah aids in the rights which He has made incumbent upon him and whom He gives success therein and points in the proper direction! ”

These brilliant paragraphs of the Imam’s words contain a brief display of the original rights which he, peace be on him, legislated for the Muslims.

Let us now listen to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, to tell us in detail about these wonderful rights:

The Rights of Allah against oneself

1. Rights of Allah

“The greatest right of Allah against you is that you worship Him without associating anything with Him. When you do that with sincerity (ikhlas) , He has made it biding upon Himself to give you sufficiency in the affair of this world and the next, and to preserve for you what you love of them. ” The greatest right of Allah against His servants is that they should worship Him sincerely and should not associate anyone in worshipping Him, for this will purify their hearts from deviation and free their intellects from enslavement and dependence on other than Him. As for worshipping other than Allah, such as idols, is abasement and enslavement, destroys man’s dignity and honor, and throws him into low places, while Allah, the Exalted, has guaranteed those who worship Him sincerely

through making it biding upon Himself to give them sufficiency in the affair of this world and the next.

2. Rights of Self

“The right of your (nafs) against you is that you employ it in obeying Allah; then you deliver to your tongue its right, to your hearing its right, to your sight its right, to your hand its right, to your leg its right, to your stomach its right, to your private part its right, and you seek help from Allah in all that. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, has mentioned the rights of self against man. The self has right against man. The most important of them is that he should employ it in obeying Allah and works which please Him, and should not make it walk on the path of Satan. With this man can rescue his soul from dangers and destruction, and save it from great evil. The Imam has mentioned that each limb has a right against man, so let’s listen to his detailed speech about these rights.

3. Rights of Tongue

“The right of the tongue is that you consider it too noble for obscenity, accustom it to good, force it to politeness, silence it except for the situation of an argument and interest of the religion and the world, refrain from any meddling in which there is nothing to be gained, express kindness to the people, and speak well concerning them. There is no strength save in Allah, the Most High, the Almighty”

The tongue is the most important limb in man’s body

and is the most dangerous of them in his life. Man should confess men’s rights and possessions, hence the jurists said: “Man’s confessing against himself is permissible. ” Man is honored or abused through his words. People respect him when he does good and look down upon him when he does evil, hence the Imam, peace be on him, summoned him to:

A. Consider his tongue too noble for obscenity, lest he should be low and insulted.

C. Accustom it to good words and what profits people and does not harm them.

D. Force it to speak politely and say good words which are raised to Allah.

E. Silence it except for accomplishing a need of the religious and worldly affairs.

G. Prevent it from any meddling in which there is nothing to be gained.

These are some affairs to which the Muslim person should accustom his tongue. It is certain that they raise his importance and strengthen his position.

4. Rights of Hearing

“The right of hearing is to keep it pure from listening to backbiting (ghiba) and listening to that to which it is unlawful to listen. There is no strength save in Allah. ”

The ear plays an important role in forming man’s character and conduct, for it carries various words to his mind, hence he should use it as means to carry noble moral traits and good qualities.

5. Rights of Sight

“The right of sight is that you lower it before everything which is unlawful to you and that you take heed whenever you look at anything. ” The eye has rights against man. Among

them is that he should prevent it from looking at what Allah has prohibited as well as he should use it in useful things such as knowledge, that he may with it educate himself and profit his society.

6. Rights of the two Legs

“The right of your two legs is that you walk not with them toward that which is unlawful to you. You have no escape from standing upon the narrow bridge (al-sirat [over hell]) , so you should see to it that your legs do not slip and cause you to fall into the Fire. There is no strength save in Allah. ” Allah has created for man the two legs to walk with them toward the places of provision, hence their right against him is that he should walk with them toward the path of good and righteousness; he has no right to walk with them toward the unlawful things such as betraying man and stealing his possessions.

7. Rights of Hand

“The right of your hand is that you stretch it not toward that which is unlawful to you. ” The Imam, peace be on him, mentioned the right of hand against man; its right is that he should not stretch it toward what Allah has made unlawful such as stealing men’s possessions, aggression against them, and helping a wrong-doer, hence he is worthy of punishment in the next world and men’s blame in this world.

8. Rights of Stomach

“The right of your stomach is that you make it into a container for that which is unlawful to you and you eat no more

than your fill. ” The Imam, peace be on him, expressed the rights of stomach against man, of which are the following:

A. He should not eat unlawful food, for it results in bad qualities such as the cruelty of the heart and negligence which deviates him from the straight path.

B. He should be moderate in having lawful foods and drinks.

C. He should not eat more than his fill, lest he should be afflicted by indigestion which causes laziness, turning away from kindness and generosity and noble moral traits. Besides it stops all the mental abilities and leads to bodily diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, and plumpness.

9. Rights of Private Part

“The right of your private part is that you protect it from that which is unlawful to you and seek help against it through lowering your sight, for it is the most useful helper, remembering death very much, threatening yourself with Allah, and frighten it with Him. Protection and support (come) through Allah, there is neither force nor strength save in Him. ”

The sexual life in Islam depends on chastity, virtue, and refraining from committing fornication. As for the protective ways which prevent man from committing this crime, they are as the Imam mentioned:

A. Prevent your eye from looking at the unlawful, for sight plays an important role in falling into the unlawful; in some traditions it has been mentioned: “The fornication of the eye. ”

B. Increase remembering death, for it puts an end to the agitation of sexual desire.

C. Threaten your soul with Allah, the Almighty,

and frighten it with His punishment, for this plays an important role in destroying the crime of fornication.

Rights of Acts

10. Rights of Ritual Prayer

“The right of your ritual prayer (salat) is that you know that it is an arrival before Allah and that through it you are standing before Him. When you know that, then you will stand in the station of him who is lowly, vile, beseeching, trembling, hopeful, fearful, and abased, and you will magnify Him who is before you through stillness and dignity. You will approach the prayer with your heart and you will perform it according to its bounds and rights. There is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the prayer, it is the greatest of all the religious rites, and the most important of them in Islam. It is the sacrifice of those who have reverential fear, as it has been mentioned in the tradition, and is an arrival before Allah. Its right against the Muslim is that he knows that he is standing before the Almighty King, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and Giver of life. He should turn all his feelings and sentiments toward Allah. He should stand before Him in the station of him who is lowly, vile, beseeching that which is with Allah, fearful of His punishment, hopeful for His forgiveness and good pleasure. He should perform the prayers with stillness, dignity, humble limbs, and good whispered prayers. He should not occupy his mind with any of the world’s affairs. He should ask Allah

to forgive him his sins and offenses, and to release his neck from the Fire.

11. Rights of Fasting

“The right of fasting is that you know it is a veil which Allah has set up over your tongue, your hearing, your sight, your stomach, and your private part to protect you from the Fire. If you abandon the fast, you will have torn Allah’s protective covering away from yourself. There is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for fasting, it is among the most important beliefs in Islam. It has been mentioned in the tradition that it is protection from the Fire. Many psychological, moral, economic, social, and health profits result from it. Among them is that it strengthens the activity of will through which man achieves his important objectives in life. The Muslim researchers have mentioned the profits which result from fasting and written books about them.

Anyhow, in his words, the Imam has mentioned what the fasting should do during their fast. He has mentioned that they should not confine their fasting to refraining from food and drink; rather they should withhold their tongues from telling lies and falsehood, their ears from backbiting, their private parts from the unlawful, and their stomachs from the forbidden, that they may save themselves from Allah’s chastisement and punishment.

12. Rights of Sadaqa

“The right of alms (sadaqa) is that you know it is a storing away with your Lord and a deposit for which you will have no need for witness. If you deposit it in secret, you will be more confident

of it than if you deposit it in public. You should know that it repels afflictions and illnesses from you in this world and it will repel the Fire from you in the next world. There is no strength save in Allah. ” The Imam, peace be on him, underlined the importance of alms and regarded it as a storing away for the alms-giver with Allah. One gives alms for himself, for he will find it present with Allah on the day when neither property nor children profit him. Also the Imam, peace be on him, stressed the importance of giving alms in secret, and that it should be free from reminding someone of it, for it is, in fact, belongs to him, so how does he remind the others of it? As secret alms was important, the Imam maintained a hundred families in Medina (Yathrib) , while they did not recognize him who maintained them. We mentioned this in the previous chapters.

13. Rights of Hady

“The right of animals for immolation (hady) is that through it you desire Allah and you not desire His creation; through it you desire only the exposure of your soul to Allah’s mercy and the deliverance of your spirit on the day you encounter Him. There is no strength save in Allah. ”

In this paragraph, the Imam, peace be on him, has mentioned the rights of al-hady or the animals which the pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah sacrifice at Mina, in Mecca. The Imam highlighted that one should desire

Allah through al-hady; he should not mix it with any corrupt intention such as dissimulation and seeking reputation, for Allah, the Exalted, does not accept such a sacrifice. Then the Imam, peace be on him, mentioned that one could approach Allah through doing easy works, not difficult ones, for He did not legislate any difficult obligation.

Rights of Leaders

14. Rights of Imams

“The right of the possessor of authority (sultan) is that you know that you have been made as a trial for him. Allah is testing him through the authority He has given him over you. You should give him a sincere counsel, and should not quarrel with him. You should not expose yourself to his displeasure, for thereby you cast yourself by your hands into destruction and become his partner in his sin when he brings evil down upon you. And there is no strength save in Allah”

In these words the Imam, peace be on him, had highlighted the political affairs before he spoke about the rights. He mentioned the rights of the Imams and rulers against subjects. He thought that kings, rulers, and governors were tried through their subjects. This is because of authority, which is among the most important factors of trial and seduction. As for the rights of kings and rulers against their subjects, they are:

A. They should be loyal to the legal authority and give it more counsel, that it may offer them more services such as construction, spreading security and welfare, and developing the country in all fields. It is

natural that when the authority leads a life full of anxieties, disorders, and discords, it will be unable to carry out its duties.

B. They should not quarrel with the authority, for such quarrel brings about an inclusive destruction.

C. They should be mild toward the authority and respect it in a manner which does not oppose the religion.

D. They should not oppose and disobey the authority, for such an opposition and disobedience bring about serious damages for government and people.

These are some rights of the authority against its subjects, which are necessary for the unity between people and their government.

15. Rights of Teacher

“The right of the one who trains you (sa’is) through knowledge is magnifying him, respecting his sessions, listening well to him, and attending to him with devotion. You should not rise your voice toward him. You should never answer anyone who asks him about something, in order that he may be the one who answers. You should not speak to anyone in his session nor speak ill of anyone with him. If anyone ever speaks ill of him in your presence, you should defend him. You should conceal his faults and manifest his virtues. You should not sit with him in enmity or show hostility toward him in friendship. If you do all of this, Allah’s angels will give witness for you that you went straight to him and learned his knowledge for Allah’s sake, not for the sake of the people. And there is neither force nor strength save in Allah. ”

Surely,

the teacher is the maker of thought and civilization and does favor for all mankind, and especially as it concerns the learner, hence the Imam, peace be on him, praised his position and asked the learner to:

A. Magnify and honor him with all kinds of magnification and honoring, for he does him great favor.

B. Respect his sessions and to be polite during them.

C. Listen carefully to his lectures, and attend to them with devotion.

D. Empty his intellect to understand his lessons. It is natural that the student who does not devote himself to his teacher does not make of his attending his teacher’s sessions.

E. Leave pleasures and desires, for they are two basic conditions for learning sciences, especially the religious sciences, for he who devotes himself to pleasures learns nothing of sciences.

F. To immortalize his teacher’s message through spreading his knowledge.

Rights of Subjects

16. Rights of Owner

“The right of him who trains you through property is that you should obey him and not disobey him, unless disobeying him would displease Allah, for there can be no obedience to a creature when it is disobedience to Allah. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

It is certain that if the Imams from among the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, had undertaken the leadership of the community after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, they would have abolish slavery, and there would have been no trace of it in the world of existence. In the previous chapters, we mentioned that

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, always released slaves to abolish slavery and to rescue man from bondage. Also the Imams, peace be on them, treated their slaves with kindness, mercy, and affection.

Anyhow, the Imam, peace be on him, mentioned the owner’s rights against his slaves; he made it incumbent on them to obey him,, unless obeying him would displease Allah.

17. Rights of Subjects

“The right of your subjects through authority is that you should know that they have been made subjects through their weakness and your strength. Hence it is incumbent on you to act with justice toward them and to be like a compassionate father toward them. You should forgive them their ignorance and not hurry them to punishment and you should thank Allah for the power over them which He has given to you. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, carefully considered the governments standing in his time and found them standing on force and oppression. The people did not elect them, hence they yielded to oppression and abasement, and hence the Imam advised those rulers to act with justice toward them and to be like a compassionate father toward them. Besides he advised them to thank Allah for His favors.

18. Rights of Learners

“The right of your subjects through knowledge is that you should know that Allah made you a caretaker over them only through knowledge He has given you and His storehouses which He has opened up to you. If you do well in teaching

the people, not treating them roughly or annoying them, then Allah will increase His bounty toward you. But if you withhold your knowledge from them or treat them roughly when they seek knowledge from you, then it will be Allah’s right to deprive you of knowledge and its splendor and to make fall from your place in people’s hears. ”

The great Imam, peace be on him, urged the religious scholars to spread knowledge among learners and to make it a right against them. Allah, the Exalted, has provided the religious scholars with knowledge and wisdom, namely, He has made them caretakers over knowledge. If they spread it among the learners, they will carry out their duties and deliver their message; otherwise they will be traitors and oppressors, and they will expose themselves to Allah’s vengeance and wrath.

19. Rights of Wife (Mamlu’ka)

“The right of your wife (mamlu’ka) is that you know that Allah has made her a repose and a comfort for you; you should know that she is Allah’s favor toward you, so you should honor her and treat her gently. Though her right toward you is more incumbent, you must treat her with compassion, since she is your prisoner (asir) whom you feed and clothe. If she is ignorant, you should pardon her. And there is no strength save in Allah. ” The Imam, peace be on him, advised the husband to honor his wife and treat her gently.

20. Rights of Slave (Mamlu’k)

“The right of your slave (mamlu’k) is that you should know that he is the creature of

your Lord, the son of your father and mother, and your flesh and blood. You own him, but you did not make him; Allah made him. You did not create any of his limbs, nor did you supply him with his sustenance; on the contrary, Allah gives you the sufficiency for that. Then He subjugated him to you, entrusted him to you, and deposited him with you so that you may be safeguarded by the good you give to him. So act well toward him, just as Allah has acted well toward you. If you dislike him, replace him, but do not torment a creature of Allah. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

Depending on Islam, the great Imam, peace be on him, regarded the slave as a free man, for Allah created him, created for him hearing and sight, provided him with provision, just as He did toward the fee man, hence the owner has no right to show haughtiness toward him or to tire him. Rather it is incumbent on the owner to treat his slave kindly; he should feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and regards him as one of the members of his family. With this Islam could maintain slaves’ rights and repelled from them any defect or enmity.

Rights of Blood Relatives

21. Rights of Mother

“The right of your mother is that you know she carried you where no one carries anyone, she gave to you of the fruit of her heart that which no one

gives to anyone, and she protected your with her organs. She did not care if she went hungry as long as you ate, if she was thirsty as long as you drank, if she was naked as long as you were clothed, if she was in the sun as long as were in the shade. She gave you sleep for your sake, she protected you from heat and cold, all in order that you might belong to her. You are not be able to show her gratitude, unless through Allah’s help and giving success. ”

What great mother’s rights are! How numerous her favors toward her child are! It is she who makes her child’s life. Had it for her pity and affection, he would not have lived. She takes care of him with her own soul when he is formed, bears the burdens of pregnancy, and the dangers of giving birth. After giving birth to him, she melts herself for him, spares no effort to safeguard him, passes the night awake for him, continues serving him sincerely, and looks after him with love and affection until he grows up and makes his way in life. When he separates or goes away from her, she feels that life separates from her. Muhammad b. al-Walid composed the following concerning the parents’ feelings toward their child:

The mother becomes exited and perplexed out of love for

him, and the tears flow from his father’s eyes.

They suffer the distresses of death out of his separation

and disclose their

hidden yearning for him.

If the child knew the distress his parents face when he

separates from them, he will lament for the mother from

whose womb he is drawn, weep for the old man who

wanders in his horizons, change his disdainful manner

into his affection, and repay them through his agreeable

manners. [1]

22. Rights of Father

“The right of your father is that you know that he is your root. Without him, you would not be. Whenever you see anything in yourself which pleases you, know that your father is the root of its blessing upon you. So praise Allah and thank him in that measure. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the father’s right against his child, it is very great, for he is his origin. Were it not for the father, the child would not have come to the world, hence the child should take care of his father’s rights and undertake his affairs, especially during his old age.

23. Rights of Child

“The right of your child is that you should know that he is from you and will be ascribed to you, through both his good and his evil, in the immediate affairs of this world. You are responsible for what has been entrusted to you, such as educating him in good conduct, pointing him in the direction of his Lord, and helping him to obey Him. So act toward him with the action of one who knows that he will be rewarded for good doing toward him and punished for evildoing. And there is no strength

save in Allah. ”

The child is a natural extension to his father’s life and duration to his existence. He is part of his father; rather he is his whole. In his will to his son the pure Imam, al-Hasan, peace be on him Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: “I have found you part of me; rather I have found you my whole to the extent that if anything befalls you, it befalls me; if death comes to you, it comes to me, hence your affairs concern me just as my affairs concern me. ”

Islamic education holds father responsible for educating his child and makes it incumbent on him to plant the highest moral traits in him, to accustom him to the most excellent habits, to turn him aside from vices, to establish for him proofs for the existence of the Great Creator, Who has power over all things. If the father does this, he fulfills his duties toward his child and society, for the righteous person is an adobe in building society. If he does not do this, Allah will question and punish him.

24. Rights of Brother

“The right of your brother is that you know that he is your hand, your might, and your strength. Take him not as a weapon with which to disobey Allah, nor as equipment with which to wrong Allah’s creatures. Do not neglect to help him against his enemy or to give him good counsel. If he obeys Allah, well and good, but if

not, you should honor Allah more than him. ”

As for the brother, he is his brother’s hand, his might, and his strength. He is his support during afflictions and hardships. The Imam, peace be on him, has mentioned the rights of the brother as follows:

A. You should not take you brother as a weapon with which you disobey Allah.

B. You should not ask him for help to wrong the people and to aggress against them without any right.

C. You should not neglect to help him against himself; you should guide him to the way of good and show him the path to guidance.

D. You should help him against his enemy, Satan; you should warn your brother against him, frighten your brother with Allah’s punishment, lest Satan should delude him and turn him away from the straight path.

E. You should not neglect to give him good counsel concerning the affairs of this world and the next. If he obeys Allah, well and good, but if not, you should honor Allah more than him.

Rights of Others

25. Rights of Master (Mawla)

“The right of your master (mawla) who has favored you (by freeing you from slavery) is that you know that he has spent his property for you and brought you out of the basement and estrangement of bondage to the exaltation and comfort of freedom. He has freed you from the captivity of possession and loosened the bonds of slavehood from you. He has brought you out of the prison of subjugation, given you ownership of yourself, and given you

leisure to worship your Lord.

You should know that he is the closest of Allah’s creatures to you in your life and your death and that aiding him with your life and what he needs from you is incumbent upon you. ” The master has great rights against his slave whom he releases from slavery, for he unties from him fetters, saves him from the abasement of bondage, makes him taste the exaltation and comfort of freedom; he does him favors. Hence the slave should thank his master for his favors through supporting and helping him.

26. Rights of Slave (Mawla)

“The right of the slave (mawla) whom you have favored (by freeing him) is that you know that Allah has made you freeing him a means of access to Him and a veil against the Fire. Your immediate reward is to inherit from him if he does not have any maternal relatives as a compensation for the property you have spent for him, and your ultimate reward is the Garden. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, summons the master to take care of his slaves’ rights, for Allah charges him with them and appoints him as a protector over them, hence it is incumbent on him to take care of their rights, and to treat them kindly. If he does this, Allah will repay him through protecting him from the Fire.

27. Rights of Sahib al-Ma‘ru’f

“The right of him who does a kindly act (sahib al-ma‘ru’f) toward you is that you thank him and mention his

kindness; you reward him with beautiful words and you supplicate for him sincerely in that which between you and Allah. If you do that, you have thanked him secretly and openly. Then, if you are able to repay him one day, you repay him. ”

Islam has objectively adopted the summons to kindly acts. It urges men to thank the good-doer and to encourage him to continue this high quality which aims at spreading solidarity among the members of society.

The Imam, peace be on him, urges the Muslims to thank the good-doer through proclaiming his kindly acts among men and supplicating Allah to repay him.

28. Rights of Mu’azzin

“The right of the mu’azzin (the one who calls the people to prayers) is that you know he is reminding you of your Lord, calling you to your good fortune, and helping you to accomplish what Allah has made obligatory upon you. So thank him for that just as you thank one who does good to you. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the mu’azzin, he has rights against the Muslims, for he reminds them of the times of the ritual prayers, which are the most important 

 obligations in Islam, hence they should show thanks and respect toward him.

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

[1]: Mu‘jam al-Buldan, vol. 4, p. 3.

29. Rights of Imam in Congregational Prayer

“The right of your Imam in your ritual prayer is that you know that he has taken on the role of mediator between you and your Lord. He speaks for you, but you do not speak for him; he supplicates for you, but you do not supplicate

for him. He has spared you the terror of standing before Allah. If he performs the prayer imperfectly, that belongs to him and not to you; but if he performs it perfectly, you are his partner, and he has no excellence over you. He protects your soul through his soul and your prayer through his prayer, so thank him in that measure. And there is no force and no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the Imam in the congregational prayers, he has great rights against those who perform the ritual prayers behind him, for abundant repayment results from the congregational prayers. The traditions support each other about the certain permissible performing of the prayers. They state that the more the performers of the congregational prayers are, the more their repayment and wages are. It is well known that the performers of the congregational prayers obtain great wages because of the Imam who takes on the role of mediator between them and Allah, the Exalted, as well as he recites on their behalf al-Fatiha and another sura.

30. Rights of Sitting Companion

“The right of your sitting companion (jalis) is that you treat him mildly, show fairness toward him while vying with him in discourse, and do not stand up from sitting with him without his permission. But it is permissible for him who sits with to leave without asking your permission. You should forget his slips and remember his good qualities, and you should tell nothing about him but good. And there is no strength save

in Allah. ” How wonderful the Islamic social regime is! It takes care of social and individual affairs, brings nearer feelings and sentiments, and abolishes enmities that divide the Muslims. An example of what Islam has legislated in this respect is the sitting companion’s rights, which are as follows:

A. You should mildly treat your sitting companion through honoring and respecting him.

B. You should show fairness toward him while vying with him in discourse; you should not show vainglory and haughtiness toward him.

C. You should make him understand your words.

D. You should not exaggerate his affairs.

E. You should not stand up from sitting with him without his permission.

If the Muslims put these morals into effect in their life, love and affection will spread among them.

31. Rights of Neighbor

“The right of your neighbor (jar) is that you guard him when he is absent, honor him when he is present, and aid him when he is wronged. You do not pursue anything of his that is shameful; if you know any evil from him, you conceal it. If you know that he will accept your counsel, you counsel him in that which is between him and you. You do not forsake him in difficulty, you release him from his stumble, you forgive his sin, and you associate with him generously. And there is neither force nor strength save in Allah. ”

Islam takes great care of neighbor and urges the Muslims to take care of him. Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: “Allah’s

Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, advised us (to take care of neighbor) to the extent that we though that he would appoint him as inheritor. ” Besides the authentic traditions of the Imams of guidance, peace be on him, urge the Muslims to take care of the neighbor’s affairs. Through this moral quality the Muslims can establish social solidarity and avoid differences and discords. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, has displayed the neighbor’s rights as follows:

A. You should guard your neighbor when he is absent; you should guard his property and family, and prevent the detested things from reaching him.

B. You should honor him when he is present.

C. You should support and help him when his absent and present.

D. You should not pursue anything of him that is shameful.

E. You should conceal his evil deeds and not spread them among the people.

F. You should not abandon him when an affliction befalls him; rather you should help him in solving it.

G. You should not envy him when Allah does him a favor.

H. You should release his stumbles and pardon his slips.

I. You should show forbearance toward him when he does an evil deed; do not return like for like.

J. You should repel him who abuses him or remembers him with evil.

K. You should not believe him who informs against him, lest he should stir up enmity between him and you.

L. Associate with him in a noble manner.

These rights which the Imam, peace be on him, declared bring about the

unity of the Muslims, spread love and affection among them.

32. Rights of Companion

“The right of the companion (sahib) is that you act as his companion with bounty and in fairness. You honor him as he honors you and you do not let him be the first with generosity. If he is the first, you repay him. You wish for him as he wishes for you and you restrain him from any act of disobedience he might attempt. Be a mercy for him, not a chastisement. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, has showed the companion’s rights as follows:

A. Companionship should stand on bounty fairness.

B. The companions should safeguard each other.

C. Companionship should stand on affection, love, and brotherhood.

D. The companions should counsel each other.

E. They should help each other to obey Allah, the Exalted, and to refrain from disobeying Him.

F. Companionship should stand on mercy and favor, not on torture and vengeance.

33. Rights of Partner

“The right of partner (sharik) is that if he should be absent, you suffice him in his affairs, and if he should be present, you show regard for him. You make no decision without his decision and you do nothing on the basis of your own opinion, but you exchange views with him. You guard his property for him, and you do not betray him in that of his affair which is difficult or of little importance, for Allah’s hand is above the hands of two partners as long as they do not betray each

other. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

The financial association in Islam is based on developing property and spreading honesty between the two partners, who have no right to dispose of property unless they permit each other. They should exchange views with each other concerning the affairs of the mutual property, such as sale and transport. They both should preserve property and not betray or neglect it. If one of them neglects it, he should be punished and fined.

34. Rights of Property

“The right of property (mal) is that you take it only from what is lawful and you spend it only in what is proper. Through it you should not prefer above yourself those who will praise you. You should act with it in obedience to your Lord and not be miserly with it, lest you fall back into regret and remorse while suffering the ill consequence. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the right of property (mal) in Islam, it is that the Muslim should take it only from lawful ways such as lawful earnings. If he takes it from unlawful ways such as usury, he commits sins as well as Allah will punish him. Through these measures Islam has based its economy on the most modern methods which do not let a group of people heap up property and deprive the others of it. Hence, the Imam, peace be on him, summons the Muslims to spend their properties on lawful things such as hospitals, schools, and libraries.

The Muslims sometimes do not spend their properties on such things and store them for their inheritors. They will commit sins when their inheritors spend their properties on things leading to disobeying Allah, for they help them commit such acts of disobedience. Besides they will gain nothing except remorse and loss when their inheritors spend their properties on acts of obedience to Allah.

35. Rights of al-Graham

“The right of him who to whom you owe a debt (al-gharim al-mutakib laka) is that, if you have the means, you pay him back, and if you are in straitened circumstances, you satisfy him with good words and you send him away with gentleness. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, displayed the rights of the creditor against the debtor. It is incumbent on the debtor to pay back his debt when he is rich. He has no right to delay it, for such a delay is a kind of injustice and is forbidden in Islam. If the debtor is in straitened circumstances, he should satisfy the creditor with good words, apologize to him for the delay, and tell him about his incapability of paying him back. As for the treatment with obscene words, it locks the door to kind acts and is one of the ignoble qualities which Allah detests.

36. Rights of Associate

“The right of the associate (al-khlit) is that you neither mislead him, nor act dishonestly toward him, nor deceive him, and you fear Allah in his affair. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

The Imam, peace be on

him, mentioned the rights of (al-khlit) , who is a partner in a mutual property, as follows:

A. You should not mislead him when you sell the property to him.

B. You should not cheat the property when you sell it to him.

C. You should not accuse his claims of lying.

D. You should not make him heedless in any of the affairs of the sold thing; rather you should give him knowledge of it.

E. You should not deceive him in the dealings between him and you.

F. You should do your best to be honest to him when he entrusts his affairs to you. If you cheat him, then such cheating is a kind of usury which Allah detests.

37. Rights of Adversary

“The right of the adversary (khasm) who has a claim against you is that, if what he claims against you is true, you give witness to it against yourself. You do not wrong him and you give him his full due. If what he claims against you is false, you act with kindness toward him and you show nothing in his affair other than kindness; you do not displease your Lord in his Affair. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

In this paragraph the Imam, peace be on him, speaks about the rights of the adversary who has a claim against you. If what he claims against you is true, you give witness to it against yourself. You should not wrong him, for Allah observes him and judges among His servants with the truth. If

what he claims against you is false, you should act with kindness toward him, preach to him, and remind him of the hereafter. You should not treat him with rudeness, that he may refrain from his error and falsehood.

38. The Rights of al-Mudda‘a ‘alayh

“The right of the adversary against whom you have a claim is that, if your claim against him is true, you maintain polite moderation in speaking to him and you do not deny his right. If your claim is false, you fear Allah, repent to Him, and abandon your claim. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, mentioned the rights of the adversary against whom you have a claim (al-Mudda‘a ‘alayh). If your claim against him is true, the Imam advises you to refrain from obscene words toward him, to treat him with good words, to prevent from gossip which is useless and does not help you take your right; rather it may take away your argument and loses your right.

39. Rights of al-Mustashir

“The right of him who asks you for advice (al-Mustashir) is that if you consider that he has a correct opinion, advise him to follow it, and if you do not consider it so, you direct him to someone who does consider it so. And there is no force and no strength save in Allah. ” The right of him who asks you for advice (al-Mustashir) is that you should be sincere in advising him, and spare no effort to give him a correct opinion. You should

advise with gentleness, not with rudeness which natures and hearts detest. If you have no correct opinion to profit him, you should direct him to someone who has such an opinion, with this you do him a kind act.

40. Rights of al-Mushir

“The right of him whom you ask for advice (al-Mushir) is that you do not make accusations against him for an opinion which does not conform to your own opinion. If it conforms to it, you praise Allah. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the right of him whom you ask for advice (al-Mushir) , it is that you should not make accusations against his opinion and abstain from his advice. If you make accusations against his opinions, you are not forced to put them into practice. Anyhow, you should thank him for them.

41. Rights of al-Mustansih

“The right of him who asks your counsel (al-Mustansih) is that you give him your counsel, but you conduct yourself toward him with compassion and kindness. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the right of him who asks your counsel (al-Mustansih) , it is that you should guide him to correctness and lead him to the truth and guidance. You should counsel him with good words. You have not right to give a counsel which he does not understand, for your counsel will be in vain.

42. Rights of al-Nasih

“The right of your counselor (al-Nasih) is that you act gently toward him and give ear to him. If he presents you with the right course, you praise Allah, but

if he does not agree with you, you show compassion toward him and make no accusations against him; you consider him to have made a mistake, and you do not take him to task for that, unless he should be deserving of accusation. Then attach no more importance to his affair. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

As for the right of your counselor (al-Nasih) , it is that you should act gently toward him, honor and magnify him, turn your ear and mind to him, that you may understand and consider carefully his counsel. If his counsel is right, you should thank Allah for it. If it is not right, you should not make accusation against it, for he does his best to counsel you, but he makes mistake, hence there is no harm in it.

43. Rights of al-Kabir

“The right of him who is older than you (al-Kabir) is that you show reverence toward him because of his age and you honor him because he entered Islam before you. You leave off confronting him in a dispute, you do not precede him in a path, you do not go ahead of him, and you do not consider him foolish. If he should act foolishly toward you, you put with him and you honor him because of the right of Islam and the respect due to it. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

Islam has legislated social morals to build original society. Among them is that you should respect the old one

when he has excellence and precedence in Islam. The Imam, peace be on him, mentioned these social morals as follows:

A. You should leave off confronting him in a dispute.

B. When you walk along with him on a path, you should not go ahead of him.

C. You should not precede him in a path.

D. If the old one has no knowledge of a certain matter, you should show his ignorance of it.

E. If he shows enmity toward you, you should show forbearance and honor toward him because of his old age and his precedence in Islam.

44. Rights of al-Saghir

“The right of him who is younger (al-Saghir) is that you show compassion toward him through teaching him, pardoning him, covering his faults, kindness toward him, and helping. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, declares the rights of him who is younger than you as follows:

A. You should show mercy and compassion toward him; you should not treat him with force and rudeness, for they deviate him from the right path and create psychological complexes in him.

B. You should educate and teach him and open for him doors to knowledge.

C. You should treat him gently to attract him.

D. You should help him with his needs.

E. You should cover his faults to help him give them up.

G. You should be kind to him and leave disputing with him, that you may guide him to the straight path.

These affairs, which the Imam has declared, set right youngsters and educate them.

45. Rights of al-Sa‘il

“The right of him who asks (al-Sa‘il) from you is

that you give to him when you are ready, to accomplish his need when you are able, to supplicate for him concerning what has befallen him and to help him with his request. If you doubt his truthfulness, make accusations against him, and do not determine to give him, be sure that is of the trickery of Satan who wants to repel you from your share and to prevent you from nearness to your lord. Then leave him through covering him over and turn him away from you with good words. If you overcome yourself concerning his affair and give to him in spite what has occurred in yourself in respect with him, surely these acts need determination. ”

The Imam urged the Muslims to be kind to the asker, to help him, and to accomplish his need, that they might achieve social solidarity in Islam and to send away poverty and famine from them. This is in the case when you are sure of the truthfulness of the asker. If you doubt the poor man and accuse him of lying in showing poverty, this accusation may be of the trickery of Satan who intends to deprive you of the immense repayment which Allah, the Exalted, has prepared for the alms-givers. If you oppose this imagination and give the poor man, surely these acts need determination.

46. Rights of al-Mass’u’l

“The right of him from whom you ask (al-Mass’u’l) is that you accept from him with gratitude and recognition of his bounty if he gives, and

you accept his excuse if he withholds, and have good opinion of him. Know that if he withholds, he withholds his property, and (you have no right) to blame him for his property. If he wrongs (you) , surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, presented the rights of him from whom you ask (al-Mass’u’l). The first of his rights is that you show gratitude toward him and supplicate for him when he honors and gives to you, that you have a good opinion of him when he withholds you. Besides he who withholds the asker, in case of being capable of giving to him, he deprives himself of his property, for Allah has prepared abundant repayment for those who give alms.

47. Rights of al-Sar

“The right of him through whom Allah makes you happy (sarrak Allahu bihi) is that you first praise Allah, then you thank the person. And there is no strength save in Allah. ”

He who hastens to make you happy is among the good people, hence you should thank him for this, remember his favor and kindness to you, repay him for his kind act, that you may encourage him to do such a laudable deed.

48. Rights of him who does Evil Judgments

“The right of him who intentionally does evil judgment to you through a word or an act is that you pardon him. However, if you know that your pardon will harm him, you defend yourself. Allah says: ‘Whoever defends himself after he has been wronged against them there is no way (42: 41). And there

is no strength save in Allah. ’”

The Imam, peace be on him, mentioned judges. If they intentionally wrong you through a word or an act, you should forgive them according to the Islamic noble moral traits which urge you to pardon him who does evil to you. If they unintentionally do evil to you, you should not blame them for this.

49. Rights of the people of Creed

“The right of the people of creed (milla) is harboring safety for them, compassion toward them, kindness toward their evildoer, treating them with friendliness, seeking their well-being, thanking their good-doer, and keeping harm away from them. You should love for them what you love for yourself and dislike for them what you dislike for yourself. Their old men stand in the place of your father, their youths in the place of your brothers, their old women in the place of your mother, and their youngsters in the place of your children. ”

Muslims have general rights, hence every Muslim should conform to them. They are as the Imam, peace be on him, has stated:

A. Every Muslim should show safety, affection, and brotherhood toward all the Muslims.

B. He should be merciful to them; he should not show haughtiness toward them.

C. He should be kind toward their evildoer; he should not show rudeness toward him, that he may set him right.

D. He should do his best to unify them.

E. He should thank their good-doer for his kind act and encourage him to do such acts which will profit society.

F. He should help them when an

enemy attacks them.

G. He should stand their old men in the place of his father, their youths in the place of his brothers, and their youngsters in the place of his children. It is certain that if the Muslims put these rights into effect, they will be one hand, their words will not differ, their unity will not disperse, and the nations of the world will not colonize their homelands.

50. Rights of Ahl al-Dhimma

“The right of the people under the protection (of Islam) (Ahl al-Dhimma) is that you accept from them what Allah has accepted from them and you do no wrong to them as long as they fulfill Allah’s covenant and the covenant of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household. So fear Allah. There is no force and no strength save in Allah. ”

These are fifty rights encompassing you. You should not leave them. You should conform to them and put them into practice and ask Allah, Great be His Praise, to help you in this. There is no strength and no force save in Allah, and praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Islam takes great care of Ahl al-Dhimma, the Jews and the Christians, who are under the protection of Islam. It treats them as it treats other Muslims in giving them to enjoy freedom, welfare, security, and tranquillity. The Imam, peace be on him, stated their rights as follow:

A. You should accept the laws Allah has legislated for them.

B. You should fulfill the rights Allah has assigned

for them.

C. You should judge among them according to what Allah has revealed.

E. It is unlawful for you to wrong them and aggress against them without any right.

With this we will end our speech about the Treatise on Rights, which is the richest Islamic book, and which, though brief, has shown important methods to make the Muslims happy and to set them right.

4. The Book Of ‘Ali Ibn Al-Husayn

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Among the works of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, is a book entitled ‘Kitab ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn’, but this book is missing just as many Islamic books are missing. We have found small part of the book which was narrated on his authority by Imam Abu’ Ja‘far Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be on him. In the ‘Book of ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn’ we have found: “Truly no fear shall come upon Allah’s friends, nor shall they grieve. ” This is when they performs Allah’s obligations, put into effect the Sunna of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household, refrain from what Allah has prohibited, renounce the immediate things of life in this world, wish for that which is with Allah, earn the good provision of Allah, do not want to vie with one another for vainglory or abundance, and spend their money on the rights which are incumbent upon them. Hence Allah will bless their earnings and repays them for what they do for the hereafter. [1] ”

These words praise the friends of Allah, the Exalted, and limit their qualities, which are as follows:

• Performing Allah’s obligations.

•

Putting into practice the Sunna of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household.

• Refraining from what Allah has made unlawful.

• Renouncing this world.

• Wishing for that which is with Allah.

• Earning good, lawful provision.

• Paying obligatory financial rights which Islam has appointed, such as alms (Zakat) and one-fifth (khoms). Hence whoever has such qualities, Allah will bless him and prepare for him Paradise in the Next Abode.

Divan ascribed to the Imam

A collection of poems, full of pieces of advice and sermons, is attributed to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. A handwritten version of the divan is in the Library of Imam Amir al-Mu’minin. Ahmed b. al-Husayn wrote the version and finished writing it on Thursday, Rajab 26th, 1358 A. H. He copied it from a version written by Muhammad b. al-Sayyid ‘Abd Allah al-Shu’shtari, died 1283 A. H.

Dr. Husayn ‘Ali Mahfu’z published the divan in al-Balagh Magazine, no. 8, first year, p. 24, and he said in its introduction: “Three hundred and eighty seven lines of poetry is ascribed to al-Sajjad (Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin) , peace be on him. Our Shaykh, late Muhammad ‘Ali al-Tabrizi al- Mudarris, died 1373 A. H. , quoted them from the book ‘al-Tuhfa al-Mahdiya’, printed in Tabriz, 1357 A. H. , and these lines are the second part of the Divan of the Infallible, which he called ‘al-Durr al-Manthu’r’. He gave a hand written version with commentaries on the Divan of al- Sajjad, peace be on him, as a gift to our colleague, meritorious researcher, Murtada al-Mudarris al-Jahhar, who lived in Tehran fourteen years

ago. The version was written in the early years of the thirteenth century after Hijjra, and it has twenty nine stanzas written in al-Wafir meter. Each stanza has five lines ordered alphabetically, so the version has a hundred and forty five lines. If ascribing some poetry to the Imam is right, then I think that the meanings of this poetry confirm his words, method, conduct, and guidance. ”

I (the author) firmly believe that this divan does no belong to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, not because of its insignificant meanings, but because of its many weak words. Whoever reads al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiya of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin and his excellent wise sayings finds that the Imam used the most magnificent and sweetest words and the most of them in attraction to the reader, for he (Zayn al-‘Abidin) was the most eloquent of the Arab community as well as the old sources have not mentioned the divan. Hence this divan was not composed by the Imam, peace be on him. I will mention some stanzas of the divan as proof of what I have mentioned.

Blessed is the Possessor of exaltation and magnificence.

Unique is He in majesty and subsistence.

He has made all the creatures equal in death,

so they are the hostages of extinction.

Our world, though we incline to it and provision therein

is long, will come to an end.

Truly inclination, out of vanities, to the Abode of

Annihilation is part of toil.

The world’s inhabitants will quickly depart from it,

though they crave for residence (therein).

He (Adam’s child) will soon leave the decorated palaces for the earthy

abode (i. e. the grave).

Therein he will be left forsaken, lonely, surrounded by

the dimness of loneliness.

The terror of muster will be the most horrible affair

when the son of Adam is summoned to reckoning.

He will find his good and evil deeds (written) in the book.

It is time to supplying, if we have reason, and to taking

a share of the remaining youth.

The outcome of everything, which we collect densely,

will be scattered.

The lawful and the unlawful things, which we gather,

will be divided among (our) sons, daughters,

and those whom we gave nothing before death.

The lovers will forget our association with them,

and when we turn into decayed bones,

as if we did not associate with them in love,

and were not intimate friends among them.

O conceited one, for whom do you gather plentiful

property and furniture?

You will pass away dispraised and alone, the

husband of your wife will appropriate the inheritance,

the executor will abandon you without sincerity,

and corrupt affairs cannot be set right.

You have committed weighty evil deeds which will close the

means to resurrection.

Hence you have neither refuge nor support nor help

but fear of Allah.

You cure with medicine every malady,

while there is no medicine for the malady

of your religion, except pure pleading

to the Most Merciful (Allah) through

the intention of a fearful one, the certitude of

a hopeful one, long prayer for seeking pardon

in a night with a dark covering, and showing

remorse every time for the

crookedness you have led, that you may tomorrow attain

the subsistence

and delight of a successful one.

All the divan follows such an example of weakness. It is certain that the Imam, peace be on him, did not compose it, rather it was composed by some of those who admired his sermons, his pieces of advice, and his wise sayings, so they ascribed it to him. I (the author) firmly believe that this poet had no ability to compose poetry, for he wrote most of the lines in weak words which were poor in the elegance of style.

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[1]: Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 1, p. 947. Al-Nu`ri, Ma‘alim al-‘Ibar.

His Handwritten Works

Dr. Husayn ‘Ali Mahfu’z mentioned that some copies of the Qur’an were written by the holy hand of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and that they were in the libraries of Shiraz, Qazwin, Asfahan, and Mashhad [1] ”

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[1]: Al-Balagh Magazine, no. 7, first year, p. 59.

Chapter12: His School, His Students, And His Companions

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The Islamic world in the time of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, suffered ideological stagnation and dangerous collapse in cultural, scientific life, for the Umayyad government officially waged war against knowledge and deadened awareness, that it might stay on the throne of authority for a longer time, plunder the wealth of the community, and control its fate.

It is certain that there was no trace of Islamic sciences and beliefs in the time of the Imam, peace be on him. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, witnessed that inactive ideological life and that ignorant community, so he began establishing his great school which was joined by a large group of religious scholars and jurists about whose biographies we will talk.

Anyhow, the community in that

time did not witness a profit greater than that of the Imam, peace be on him. This is when he established his science school in its homeland and enlighten it with thoughts, sciences, and knowledge. Before we speak about the Imam’s school, students, and companions, we will mention some of his scientific affairs.

His Devotion to Proclaiming Knowledge

The great Imam thought that it was religiously incumbent on him to spread knowledge as well as he wanted with it to amuse himself which was full of worries and pain, hence he devoted himself to it. Shaykh Abu’ Zahra said: “He, namely the Imam, devoted himself to knowledge, study, and research, for he found in it the diet of his heart, and an amusement for his soul. He turned his soul away from permanent worries and pain, hence he sought hadith (tradition) and devoted himself to it. [1] ”

The Imam dedicated himself to proclaiming knowledge among the people to the extent that it distracted him from everything. [2] His only concern was to enlighten the Muslims, train their natures, and to educate them with moral teachings of the tolerant Islamic message, that they might after him carry the torches of thought and light.

His Praising the Excellence of Knowledge

He, peace be on him, praised the excellence of knowledge and urged (the Muslims) to seek it when he said: “If men knew what was in seeking knowledge, they would seek it even through shedding blood and wading into the depth of the seas. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed to Danyal: ‘The most hateful servant with Me

is the ignorant who disdains the scholars and leaves following them; the most lovable servant with Me is the pious who seeks plentiful reward, clings to the scholars, and follows the wise men. [1] ”

Have you seen how the Imam glorified knowledge and urged (the Muslims) to seek it? He, peace be on him, believed that the community would have no life except through spreading knowledge among its members.

His Encouraging Scientific Movements

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, played an important role in encouraging scientific movements. Though he had majesty and noble self, he attended the class of Zayd b. Aslam, hence Nafi‘ b. Jubayr blamed him for this, saying: “May Allah pardon you. You are the master of the people, why do you come and sit with this slave (i. e. Zayd b. Aslam)? ”

“Knowledge is sought everywhere,” replied the Imam. [2]

It is not an act of Islam that false differences withhold men from learning and making use of scholars everywhere.

His Honoring the Seekers of Knowledge

The Imam, peace be on him, honored the students of knowledge and raised their position. The historians said: “When a seeker of knowledge came to him, he received him warmly and said to him: ‘Welcome to the one whom the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, has recommended. ’” Imam Abu’ Ja‘far, peace be on him, said: “When my father looked at the youths who sought knowledge, he brought them near to him and said to them: ‘You are welcome. knowledge is entrusted to you. You are the youths of the people, but you

are about to be the elders of others. ’ [1] ”

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[1]: Al-Imam Zayd, p. 24.

[2]: Hulyat al-Awliya’, vol. 3, p. 135.

[1]: Usu`l al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 35. Al-Mahjja al-Bayda’, vol. 1, p. 26.

[2]: Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 146. Tadhib al-Kamal: M7/Q2/ p. 335. Safwat al-Saffwa.

[1]: Al-Durr al-Nazim, p. 173. Al-Anwar al-Bahiya, p. 103.

Teachings for Learners

The Imam, peace be on him, appointed moral instructions for learners, an example of them is these words of him: “He who laughs one time loses a bit of knowledge. [2] ” Ibn Jama‘a produced this tradition as evidence of that it is impermissible for a learner to laugh before his teacher. [3] This means that the learner should show politeness and respect toward his teacher.

Rights of Teacher

The Imam, peace be on him, legislated rights the like of which no organization of education and teaching has ever done. He, peace be on him, said: “The right of the one who trains you (sa’is) through knowledge is magnifying him, respecting his sessions, listening well to him, and attending to him with devotion. You should not rise your voice before him. You should never answer anyone who asks him about something, in order that he may be the one who answers. You should not speak to anyone in his session nor speak ill of anyone with him. If anyone ever speaks ill of him in your presence, you should defend him. You should conceal his faults and manifest his virtues. You should not sit with him in enmity or show hostility toward him in friendship. If you do all of this, Allah’s angels will give witness for you that you went straight to him and learned his knowledge for Allah’s sake, not for the sake of the people. ”

The Imam, peace be on him, established excellent programs for teacher’s rights against

his students. Students should show sincerity and gratitude toward these rights of teacher who spares no effort to bring them out of the shadows of ignorance into the fields of knowledge and civilization, in order to develop their intellects, and to enlighten their thoughts, hence they should show all kinds of thankfulness and gratitude toward him.

The Reward of Learner

The Imam, peace be on him, talked about the plentiful reward which Allah, the Exalted, would give to those who seek knowledge, saying: “When one leaves his house to seek knowledge, the seven earths will glorify him. [1] ”

Free Education

The Imam, peace be on him, thought that it was necessary for scholars to spread and proclaim knowledge among people freely, and that it was permissible for them to take fee for it. In this connection, he, peace be on him, said: “He who conceals knowledge and takes fee for it, then his knowledge will never profit him. [2] ”

Islam is distinguished from other religions and social schools by that it absolutely believes in knowledge, makes it incumbent on Muslims men and women to seek it, and prevents them from taking fee for it, and especially as it concerns teaching the Qur’an. Ishaq b. ‘Ammar reported: “I told Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, that I had a neighbor who would teach the children to read and write, and he said to me: ‘When the child is sent to him, let him say to his family: ‘I teach the child to write and count and trade in teaching the Qur’an [3] , that

my daily bread may be good. ’ [1] ”

It is incumbent on the state to give salary to the teacher; it should spend on him in order to free him from need for people.

The Humbleness of Teacher

The Imam, peace be on him, urged teachers to cling to humbleness, self-negation, and not to show haughtiness toward men, he said to a teacher:

“If you teach men well and show no haughtiness toward them, Allah will increase you of His bounty. If you deprive them of your knowledge and show haughtiness toward them when they seek knowledge from you, it is incumbent on Allah to deprive you of knowledge and its splendor and remove your position from hearts. [2] ”

The Center of his School

The Imam, peace be on him, took the Mosque of the Prophet as a center for his school and an institute for him; in its hall he delivered his lectures and researches.. It is worth mentioning that his lectures included jurisprudence, the interpretation (of the Qur’an) , the hadith, philosophy, theology, rules of conduct, and morals. We mentioned some of them in the previous researches. The historians said: “He delivered every Friday a general sermon in which he preached to people, induced them to renounce the world, and make them beseech the next world. The people would memorize and write his words. [3] ” It is worth mentioning that his assembly was full of profits, hence ‘Abd Allah b. al-Hasan b. al-Hasan said: “My mother Fatima, daughter of al-Husayn, ordered me to join the assembly of my maternal uncle, ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. When I joined

it, I gained profits of it, such as fear of Allah or knowledge. [1] ”

The Scholars surrounded Him

The scholars, the jurists, and the reciters (of the Qur’an) surrounded him; they accompanied him weather he was present or on journey. When he wanted to travel to the Sacred House of Allah, about a thousand scholars and reciters of (the Qur’an) accompanied him. [2] They recorded his religious opinions and what he delivered before them, such as knowledge, excellent wise sayings, and morals.

His Students and his Companions

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A large group of scholars and jurists, who spread knowledge throughout the Muslim world, graduated from the Imam’s school. We will mention their biographies as well as those of the Imam’s companions. I (the author) think that mentioning them will complete the research on the Imam’s character. They are as follows:

1. Aban Ibn ‘Ayyash

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him among Imam al-Sajjad’s companions. Ibn al-Ghadairi said: “He (Aban Ibn ‘Ayyash) belonged to the next generation. He narrated (traditions) on the authority of Anas b. Malik and ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. He is a weak traditionalist, and no one pays attention to him. Our companions have ascribed to him the fabrication of the book ‘Salim Ibn Qays’. [3] ” Ahmed b. Hanbal said: “His traditions are abandoned; the people abandoned his traditions a time ago. [4] ”

2. Aban Ibn Taghlub

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b. Rabah, Abu’ Sa‘id al-Bakri al-Jarriri. He was among the great scholars and one of the eminent Muslim thinkers. He defended the Imams of the members of the House, peace be on them, memorized their knowledge and inheritance, hence he was the honest guard of their jurisprudence. We will mention some

of his affairs:

His Birth and Childhood

He was born in Kufa, but the sources have not mentioned the year of his birth. He grew up in Kufa, which was the capital of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, and whose assemblies was full of their remembrance, their laudable deeds, and their outstanding merits. Hence Aban loved and followed them to the extent that he became among the chosen Shi‘ites and one of their eminent scholars. He studied at the Greatest Mosque (al-Jami‘ al-A‘zam) , which was one of the most important religious institutes and schools in that time.

His Scientific Position

Aban was among the most prominent and mindful Muslim scholars in that time. The biographers said: “He was advanced in the sciences of the Qur’an and the hadith, literature, language, and grammar. [1] ”

When he went to Medina, he was charged with the scientific seminars, the sitting place of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his Household, was voided for him, the jurists and scholars surrounded him in order to make us of his scientific wealth. This indicates his high scientific position.

His Narrations from the Imams

Aban was one of those who safeguarded the knowledge of the pure Imams, peace be on them, hence he reported on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, Imam Abu’ Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, and Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him. [2] ” He narrated thirty thousand traditions on the authority of al-Sadiq, who, peace be on him, said to Aban b. ‘Uthman: “Aban b. Taghlub reported thirty thousand traditions

on my authority, so narrate them on his authority. [1] ” Salim b. Abi Hayya said: “I was with Abi ‘Abd Allah (al-Sadiq) , peace be on him. When I wanted to leave him, I saw him off and said to him: ‘I want you to supply me (with traditions). ’ So he said: ‘Go to Aban b. Taghlub, for he has heard many of my traditions. When he narrates them to you, you narrate them on my authority. ’ [2] ”

The Imams honored Him

The Imams honored and magnified Aban b. Taghlub, for he had scientific wealth as was as he was endowed with fear of Allah, piety, and cling to the religion. When Aban visited Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, he (Imam al-Sadiq) received him, shook hands with, embraced him, welcomed him, and ordered a cushion to be brought to him. [3] ” Imam Abu’ Ja‘far al-Baqir said to him: “Sit in the Mosque of Medina and give the people religious opinions, for I like your sitting among my followers (Shi‘a). [4] ” This hadith shows that Aban had the ability to give religious opinions to the people. Imam Abu’ ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq said to him: “Sit with the people of Medina, for I like your sitting among our followers ( (Shi‘a). [5] - Page664 - The Life of Imam Zayn al -Abidin

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[2]: Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 4, p. 38. Tadhikirat al-Huffaz, vol. 1, p. 71. Al-Hulya, vol. 3, p. 134.

[3]: Tadhkirat al-Sami‘, vol. 98.

[1]: Hayat al-Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, p. 23.

[2]: Al-Hulya, vol. 3, p. 140. In Jammharat al-Awliya’, vol. 2, p. 73, it has been mentioned: “He who conceals his knowledge and takes fee for it by force, his knowledge is useless. ”

[3]: In this manner it has been mentioned in the source. Perhaps the correct is that I do not trade in teaching the Qur’an. If the source is established, trading, in this case, is with Allah.

[1]: Al-Istibsar, vol. 3, p. 66.

[2]: Makarim al-Akhlaq, vol. 143.

[3]: Roudat al-Kafi.

[1]: ‘Ayan al-Shi‘a, vol. 1, p. 340.

[2]: Al-Bihar.

[3]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 1, p. 20.

[4]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 1, p. 98.

[1]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 1, p. 22.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 1, p. 22.

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Mu‘jam al-Adab, vol. 1, p. 108.

[5]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 1, p. 21.

”

The Imams, peace be on them, honored and magnified this great scholar, who delivered their knowledge, walked on their path, and followed their behavior.

His Reliability

The biographers agreed that Aban was reliable, honest, and truthful in narrating the hadith. None criticized him in this respect, but some people criticized him for his love for

the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, an example of them is al-Jawzjani, who said: “He (Aban) was straying with a dispraised doctrine. [1] ” Another example of them is al-Dhahabi, who said: “He (Aban) was a firm Shi‘ite, but he was truthful, so his truthfulness is for us, and his innovation is against him. ” He added: “How is it possible to regard an innovator as trustworthy while the bound of trustworthiness is justice and mastery? How is an innovator just?

“The answer to this question is this: Innovation is of two kinds: A small innovation, such as the immoderate Shi‘ism or Shi‘ism without immoderation and deviation, so this (innovation was wide-spread) among the next generation and those who followed it, and was accompanied by religion, piety, and truthfulness. If the hadith narrated by these (people) is refused, a group of the Prophet’s traditions would be missing, and this would be manifest corruption. Then there is the great innovation, such as the total immoderate abandon (radfd) , degrading Abu’ Bakr and ‘Umar, and summoning (men) to do that, hence such a kind (of people) is not regarded as proof. [2] ”

This opinion is not objective, for the scientific research decides accepting the words of the trustworthy, reliable one who refrains from telling lies. As for the ideological inclinations in is respect, they are not important.

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

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Mizan al-I‘tidal, vol. 1, pp. 5-6.

His Friendship to Ahl al-Bayt

Allah was kind to Aban through making him recognize the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, and show friendship toward them. Hence he

safeguarded their knowledge and their morals, exerted himself in their jurisprudence, gave the people religious opinions according to it, solved the problems of the people in its light, talked about their outstanding merits in the assemblies of Kufa, debated with their opponents and enemies. That was in the time when it was dangerous for anyone to mention them with good, for the Umayyads spared no effort to punish severely those who showed love for the Ahl al-Bayt or displayed friendship to them, but Aban accustomed himself to their severe punishment, for his love for them was not emotional; rather it was based on intellect and proof, for the Qur’an and the Sunna made it incumbent on all Muslims to love the Ahl al-Bayt and in order to show friendship to them; moreover they made love for them as inseparable part of Islam.

Anyhow, Aban showed strong friendship to the Ahl al-Bayt. He thought that the Companions (of the Prophet) had been excellent if they had showed friendship to the pure Household (of the Prophet). ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj narrated: “While I was sitting with Aban b. Taghlub, a young man came and ask him: ‘O Aba Sa‘id, how many Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his Household, were with ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (at the Battle of the Camel)? ’

“Aban understood the young man’s purpose, so he asked him: ‘It seems that you want to know Ali’s excellence through the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and

his Household, who followed him? ’

“Yes,” replied the young man.

Aban answered him with the answer of those who understood Imam Ali’s excellencies: “By Allah, we did not know their (the Companions’) excellencies except through their following him. [1] ” Surely, Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, was the pioneer of wisdom and justice in Islam. He was the measure with which the values of men are known, so those who were sincere to him were of great excellence, and those who showed enmity toward him deviated from the truth.

Another aspect of Aban’s friendship to the pure Imams from among the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, is that he passed by some people who criticized him for his narrating from Imam Abi Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, so he asked them: “Why do blame me for my narrating from a man who when I ask him he says: ‘Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household, said. ’ [2] ”

Aban narrated on the authority of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his Household, hence his narration is the most trustworthy of all narrations and the most authentic of them in the chain of authorities.

His Books

Aban wrote a group of books showing his abundant knowledge and sciences, the following are some of them:

• Tafsir Gharib al-Qur’an, in which he mentioned examples of poetry. Afterwards, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad al-Azdi al-Ku’fi gathered in one book the books of Aban, Muhammad b. al-Sayib

al-Kalbi, and Ibn Rawaq b. ‘Atiya.

• Al-Fada’il [1] , in which, perhaps, he mentioned the outstanding merits of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them.

• Al-Usu’l fi al-Ruwaiya ‘ala Madhhab al-Shi‘a. [2]

His Death

This great scholar (Aban) died in the year 141 A. H. , hence his death was a great loss in Islam. Imam al-Sadiq grieved over him when he said with sorrow and grief: “By Allah, the death of Aban has made my heart ache! [3] ”

Abu’ al-Bilad said: “Woe unto the Shi‘ites all over the land if they do not grieve over Aban’s death! ”

May Allah have mercy upon Aban, for he strove bravely in the way of the Truth and raising the Word of Allah; his death was the greatest calamity in the Islamic world then.

3. Ibrahim Ibn Abi Haffsa

He was the retainer of the children of ‘Ijjl. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [4]

4. Ibrahim Ibn Bashir

al-Ansari, al-Medani. According to this nick-name, Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad (Zayn al- ‘Abidin) , peace be on him. [5]

5. Ibrahim Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. Ma‘bad b. al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Mutalib b. ‘Abd Manaf. According to this title, Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [6]

6. Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad

b. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib b. al-Hanafiya al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [7]

7. Ibrahim Ibn Yazid

al-Nakha‘i, al-Ku’fi. He was given the Kunya of Aba ‘Umran. He died in the year 906 A. H. He was a one-eyed retainer, as Shaykh

al-Tu’si mentioned. [1] A group of people was indignant with him because he said that Abu’ Hurayra was not a jurist. [2]

8. Ahmed Ibn Hamawayh

According to this title, Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [3]

9. Ishaq Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. al-Harth b. Nawfal b. al-Harth b. ‘Abd al-Mutalib al-Medani. According to this title, Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [4]

10. Ishaq Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. Abi Tallha al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him, and of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him. [5]

11. Ishaq Ibn Yasar

al-Medani. He was the retainer of Qays b. Mukarrima and was the father of Muhammad b. Ishaq, the companion of al-Waqidi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him, and of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him. [6]

12. Isma‘il Ibn Umayya

According to this title, Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [7]

13. Isma‘il Ibn Rafi‘

Al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [8] Al-Dhahabi said: “He was a well-known (person) from Medina. He lived in Basrah and reported (traditions) on the authority of al-Maqabari and al-Qurrtubi. Wakki‘, Mekki, and a group (of traditionalists) narrated on his authority. Ahmed, Yahya, and a group (of biographers) regarded him as a weak traditionalist. ” Al-Darquttni and others said: “His traditions have been abandoned. ” Ibn ‘Adi said: “All his traditions need checking. [9] ”

14. Isma‘il Ibn ‘Abd al-Khaliq

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions

of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. He said: “ He (Isma‘il) lived until the days of Abi ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be on him. [1] ” Al-Najashi said: “He was one of our eminent companions and jurists. He was a Shi‘ite traditionalist. His uncles were Shahab, ‘Abd al-Rahim, and Wahab. His father was ‘Abd al-Khaliq. They all were trustworthy. He reported on the authority of Abi Ja‘far (al-Baqir) and Abi ‘Abd Allah (al-Sadiq) , peace be on them. ” He (al-Najashi) added: “He had a book. ” [2]

15. Isma‘il Ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman

b. Abi Karim al-Saddi al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, and he said: “He (Isma‘il) was given the kunya of Abu’ Muhammad al-Mufassir, al-Ku’fi. ” [3]

16. Isma‘il Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. Ja‘far b. Abi Talib. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him. [4]

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[1]: Hayat al-Imam Mohammed al-Baqir, vol. 1, p. 192.

[2]: Ibid, p. 193.

[1]: Ibn al-Nadim, Fihrast. Al-Tu`si, Fihrast, p. 42.

[2]: Ibn al-Nadim, Fihrast.

[3]: Mu‘jam al-Udaba’, vol. 1, p. 108.

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Ibid.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Mizan al-I‘tidal, vol. 1, p. 75.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[9]: Mizan al-I‘tidal, vol. 1, p. 227.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Al-Najashi, Rijal.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Ibid.

17. Aflah Ibn Hamid

al-Rawasi, al-Kilabi, al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. He narrated on his authority, also al-Mubarak reported on his authority. [5]

18 Ayyu’b Ibn al-Hasan

b. ‘Ali b. Abi Rafi‘, the retainer of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. The name of Abi Rafi‘ is Aslam. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [6]

19. Ayyu’b Ibn ‘Aiyidh

al-Ta’i al-Bakhtari. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn,

peace be on him. [1]

20. Burd al-Iskafi

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [2] Al-Najashi said: “He was a retainer. He had a book which was narrated by Ibn Abi ‘Umayr. [3] ”

21. Bishr Ibn Ghalib

Al-Asadi al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [4] Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam (‘Ali) the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, of al-Hasan, of al-Husayn, and of al-Sajjad, peace be on them. [5]

22. Bakr Ibn Aws

Abu’ al-Manhal al-Ta‘i al-Basri. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [6]

23. Bukayr Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. al-Ashajj. According to this title, Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [7]

24. Thabit Ibn Aslam

al-Banani al-Qarashi. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. He heard Anas. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [8]

25. Thabit Ibn Abi Safiya

point

Abu’ Hamza al-Thumali. He was an Allah-fearing, pious, and great scholar. He followed the noble moral traits of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, delivered their knowledge and science. We will mention some of his affairs.

His Childhood

Abu’ Hamza grew up in Kufa, which was the center of the followers and friends of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them. He took his knowledge from the Kufan scholars (shaykhs) , who held the knowledge and jurisprudence of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, hence

he became one of the most prominent ascetic scholars of Kufa. [1]

His Reliability

The biographers agreed that he was trustworthy, just, his traditions were authentic, that he was like Salman al-Farisi in his time, as Imam al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said. [2] Ibn Ma‘in criticized him because he showed friendship to the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, [3] whose love Allah has made incumbent on Muslims.

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[5]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Al-Najashi, Rijal.

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[5]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[1]: Al-Kuna wa al-Alqab, vol. 2, p. 132.

[2]: Al-Najashi.

[3]: Mizan al-I‘tidal, vol. 1, p. 363. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 2, p. 7.

His Scientific Position

He was the most eminent religious scholar of his time in the hadith, jurisprudence, linguistics, and others. Ibn Maja narrated (traditions) on his authority in Chapter on Purity. [4] The Shi‘ites in Kufa referred to him because he had encompassed the jurisprudence of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them.

His Books

He wrote a group of books on various sciences, which show his abundant knowledge. The following are some of them:

• Kitab al-Nawadir (the Book of Rare Things).

• Kitab al-Zuhd (the Book of Asceticism) [5] .

• Kitab Tafsir al-Qur’an (the Book of Interpretation of the Qur’an). [6]

• His narrating the Treatise on Rights by Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7]

• His narrating Du‘a’ al-Sahr, better known as Du‘a’ Abu’ Hamza. [8] He narrated it on the authority of the greatest Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him.

His Narrations from the Imams

Thabit b. Abi Safiya, better known as Abu’ Hamza al-Thumali, narrated a large group of traditions on the authority of the pure Imams, peace be on them; he reported on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and Imam Mu’sa b. Ja‘far. [9] Also he narrated on

the authority of Abi Razin al-Asadi and Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari. Abu’ Ayyu’b, Abu’ Sa‘id al-Mikari, Ibn Ra’ab, Ibn Mahbu’b, Ibn Miskan, Aban b. ‘Uthman, and others narrated (traditions) on his authority. [1]

His Death

This great scholar died in the year 150 A. H. [2] When he died, the Muslims lost one of the great thinkers and strugglers.

26. Thabit Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. al-Zubayr b. al-‘Auwam b. Asad b. Khuwaylid b. ‘Abd al-‘Uzza al-Qarashi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [3]

27. Thabit Ibn Hurmuz

al-Farisi, Abu’ al-Muqdam, al-‘Ajali, al-Haddad, the retainer of the children of ‘Ijjl. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [4] Al-Najashi said: “He reported a copy on the authority of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and the copy was narrated on his authority by his son ‘Amru’ b. Thabit. [5] ” ‘Allama (al-Hulli) numbered him as one of the Batariya [6] , concerning whom Imam Abu’ Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, said: “They have misled many of these (people) , and they are from among those concerning whom Allah, the Great and Almighty, said: And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the last day; and they are not at all believers. ” [7] Al-Sadiq, peace be on him, said: “If the Batariya (stood) in one line between the east and the west, Allah would not strengthen a religion through them. [8] ” Ahmed b. Ma‘in and b. Hayyan regarded him as trustworthy. [9] Perhaps, they regarded him as a trustworthy person of the Batariya.

28. Thuwayr Ibn Abi Fakhta

al-Ku’fi,

the retainer of Umm Hani’. It was said that he was the retainer of her husband, Ju‘da. [1] Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him. [2] Thuwayr narrated: “I went out to perform the hajj. ‘Amru’ b. Dharr al-Qadi, Ibn Qays al-Masir, and al-Salt b. Mahram accompanied me. When they arrived in (Mecca) , they said: ‘Now, look! We have written four thousand questions, and we will ask Aba Ja‘far (al-Baqir) about thirty questions of them a day. We have charged you with this. ’ This grieved me. When we entered Medina, we left each other. As for me, I stopped at Abi Ja‘far, peace be on him, and said to him: May I be ransom for you, ‘Amru’ b. Dharr al-Qadi, Ibn Qays al-Masir, and al-Salt b. Mahram accompanied me, and I heard them say: ‘We have written four thousand questions, and we will ask Aba Ja‘far (al-Baqir) about thirty questions of them a day,’ but this has grieved me. Abu’ Ja‘far asked: ‘What of this makes you sad? When they come, let them enter. ’ On the following day, a retainer came to Abu’ Ja‘far and said to him: ‘May I be ransom for you, Ibn Dharr and a group of people are at the door. ’ Abu’ Ja‘far, peace be on him, said to me: ‘Thuwayr, go and let them enter. ’ I (Thuwayr) went and caused them to enter. When they entered, they greeted

(Abu’ Ja‘far) , sat down, and said nothing. As their silence became long, Abu’ Ja‘far began conversations with them; yet they said nothing. Abu’ Ja‘far understood this, so he said to a slave girl of him called Sarha: ‘Fetch the tablecloth. ’ When she brought it and spread it, Abu’ Ja‘far said: ‘Praise belongs to Allah, Who has appointed a rule for everything even this tablecloth! ’ Hence Ibn Dharr asked him: ‘What is its rule? ’

“When it is placed, Allah is remembered, and when it is raised, Allah is praised,’ replied the Imam. Then the Imam ordered them to have food, and he ordered the slave girl to bring water. When she brought him a water-skin, he said: ‘Praise belongs to Allah, Who has appointed a rule for everything even this water-skin! ’ Hence Ibn Dharr asked him: ‘What is its rule? ’ ‘It’s rule is that you remember Allah when you drink out of it, thank Him when you finish (drinking) , drink not out of its handhold or a hole in it. ’ When they had finished having food, the Imam began conversations with them, yet they kept silent out of his dignity, hence he, peace be on him, turned to Ibn Dharr and asked him: ‘Do you not relate to us one of our traditions? ’ ‘Yes,’ replied Ibn Dharr, ‘O Son of the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his Household said: ‘I am going to leave among you al-Thaqalayn, (namely) the Book of Allah and my Household, one is

greater than the other. If you cling to them, you will never go astray. Imam Abu’ Ja‘far asked: ‘O Ibn Dharr, what will you say to Allah’s messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household, when you meet him and he asks you about al-Thaqalayn? ’

“Ibn Dharr replied: ‘As for the greater one, namely the Book, we have torn it, and as for the great one, namely the Prophet’s pure family, we have killed them. ”

“Abu Ja‘far said: ‘You will be truthful to him, O Ibn Dharr, by Allah, before you walk a step, you will be questioned about three things: about your span where did you finish it? About your property where did you earn it? On what did you spend it? And about love for us, the Household. ’”

The people left Imam Abu’ Ja‘far’s house, and he, peace be on him, ordered his retainer to follow them to hear their words. When the retainer came back, he said to the Imam: “I heard them asking Ibn Dharr: ‘Did we go out with you for this (attitude)? ’ So Ibn Dharr replied: ‘Woe unto you! Keep silent! What had I to say to the man, who claimed that Allah would question me about showing friendship to him? What had I to say to the man, who knew the rules of the tablecloth and water-skin? ’” [1]

29. Thuwayr Ibn Yazid

al-Shami. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [2] He narrated on the authority of Khalid b. Sa‘dan, and ‘Abd al-Rahman b.

Muhammad al-‘Urzi reported on his authority. [1]

30. Jabir Ibn Muhammad

b. Abi Bukayr. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [2]

31. Ja‘far Ibn Ibrahim

al-Ja‘fari, al-Hashimi, al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [3]

32. Ja‘far Ibn Ayas

Abu’ Bashir al-Nadari. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [4]

33. Ja‘far Ibn Muhammad

b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, al-Sadiq, peace be on him. He was the most eminent thinker in the Islamic world, the renewer of this religion, and the one who safeguarded the message of his grandfather. It was he who spread all sciences and established their rules and roots. His sciences and knowledge were not confined to the sciences of Islamic law; rather they included philosophy, theology, medicine, chemistry, physics, jurisprudence, astronomy, and so on. The Muslim scholars regard him as the greatest miracle of Islam as well as the western scholars regard him as the thinker of mankind. Writing on his affairs will result in a full encyclopedia. We ask Allah, the Exalted, to grant us success to write about this Imam’s life. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him [5] , and he reported many traditions on his authority.

34. Ju‘ayd Hamadan

Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Hasan, peace be on him, and of Imam al-Sajjad [6] , and he (al-Barqi) said: “He (Ju‘ayd Hamadan) was among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his Household. [7]

He narrated on the authority of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and ‘Umran b. A‘yun reported on his (Ju‘ayd’s) authority.

35. Jahm al-Hilali

al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [1]

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

[4]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 2, p. 8.

[5]: Al-Tu`si, Fihrast.

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Tuhaf al-‘Uqu`l.

[8]: Al-Kuna wa al-Alqab.

[9]: Al-Kashi.

[1]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Al-Najashi.

[6]: Al-Khulasa.

[7]: Al-Kashi.

[8]: Ibid.

[9]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 2, p. 16.

[1]: Ibid, p. 36.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Hayat al-Imam Mohammed al-Baqir, vol. 2, p. 223-225.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 3, p. 413.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[7]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 3.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

36. Al-Harith Ibn Jaru’d

al-Tamimi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [2]

37. Al-Harith Ibn al-Fudayl

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [3]

38. Habib Ibn Abi Thabit

Abu Hayyan al-Asadi al-Ku’fi. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. He was the jurist of Kufa. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [4] So did al-Barqi. [5] He (Habib Ibn Abi Thabit) narrated on the authority of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. ‘Amir Ibn al-Samt and others reported on His (Habib’s) authority. [6] Habib died in the year 119A. H. [7]

39. Habib Ibn Hassan

b. Abi al-Ashras al-Asadi. He was their retainer. He narrated on the authority of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, of Abi Ja‘far (al- Baqir) , peace be on him, and of Abi ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be on him. [8]

40. Habib Ibn al-Mu‘alla

al-Sijistani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [9] Al-Kashi said: “He (Habib) was a Shari, and then he adopted this (Shi‘ite) faith. He was among the companions of Abi Ja‘far and Abi ‘Abd Allah, peace be on them, devoting himself to

them. [1]

41. Khadim Ibn Sufyan

al-Asadi al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. [2]

42. Khadim Ibn Shurayk

al-Asadi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [3]

43. Al-Hur Ibn Ka‘b

al-Azri al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [4]

44. Hassan al-‘Amiri

Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [5]

45. Al-Hasan Ibn Rawajj

al-Basri. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. [6]

46. Al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali

b. Abi Rafi‘. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [7]

47. Al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ammara

al-Ku’fi. He was a non-Shi‘ite. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8] Al- Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, peace be on them. [9]

48. Al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad

b. al-Hanafiya b. Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [10]

49. Al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali

b. al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him. He was among the sons of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. Concerning him al-Mufid said: “He was meritorious and pious. He narrated many traditions on the authority of his father ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, his paternal aunt, Zaynab, daughter of al-Husayn, and his brother Abi Ja‘far, peace be on him. [11] ” Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, said concerning him: “As for al-Husayn, he was clement. He walks humbly on

the earth, and when the ignorant address them, they say peace. ” [1]

He died in Medina in the year 157 A. H. , and was buried in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi‘. He was then 74 years old. [2]

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

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[6]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 4.

[7]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[8]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal

[9]: Ibid.

[1]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[9]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[10]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[11]: Al-Mufï`d, al-Irshad.

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

[2]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

50. Al-Husayn Ibn ‘Amru’

al-Hamadani al-Ku’fi al-Mish‘ari. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

51. Hattan Ibn Khaffan

Abu’ Jubayra al-Jarmi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [4]

52. Hafs Ibn ‘Umar

al-Ansari al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [5]

53. Al-Hakam Ibn ‘Utayba

Abu’ Muhammad al-Kindi, al-Ku’fi. Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [6] So did shaykh al-Tu’si and added that he was among the Batariya. [7] Al-Kashi mentioned a group of traditions in which he has been criticized and dispraised and described as one errant and straying. Abu’ Basir narrated: [I heard Abu’ Ja‘far, peace be on him, say: ] “Al-Hakam b. ‘Utayba, Salama, Kathir al-Nawa, Aba al-Muqdam, and al-Thammar (i. e. Salim) have misled many of these (people) , and are among those concerning whom Allah, the Great and Almighty, said: And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the last day; and they are not at all believers. ” [8] This narration indicates that al-Hakam was among the centers of misguidance, among those who did their best to corrupt Islam and to turn the Muslims away from it.

Ibn Hajar regarded him as trustworthy, lauded him, and mentioned many words which praised him. [9] I (the author) firmly believe

that Ibn Hajar regarded him as reliable because he (Al-Hakam Ibn ‘Utayba) deviated from the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, who are al-thiql al-akbar in Islam, as Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household, stated.

54. Hakim Ibn Jubayr

b. Mutt‘im b. ‘Adi b. ‘Abd Manaf al-Qarashi al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [1] Professor al-Khu’’i mentioned that Hakim Ibn Jubayr narrated on the authority of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. Hanan b. Sudayr reported on the authority of his father on his (Hakim’s) authority. [2]

55. Hakim Ibn Hakam

b. ‘Abbad b. Hunayf al-Ansari. He narrated on the authority of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn and Imam Abi Ja‘far al-Sadiq, peace be on them. He was among the companions of al-Sajjad. [3]

56. Hakim Ibn Surayf

al-Sayrafi al-Ku’fi, Abu’ Sudayra. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and of al- Baqir, peace be on him. [4]

57. Hamid Ibn Nafi‘

al-Hamadani. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5]

58. Hamid Ibn Muslim

al-Ku’fi. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6] Perhaps, it was he who narrated some events of the tragedy of Karbala’, and was among the companions of ‘Umar b. Sa‘d.

59. Khashram Ibn Basar

al-Medani. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7]

60. Dawud al-Sarmi

Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8]

61. Rabah Ibn ‘Ubayda

al-Hamadani. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him

as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [1]

62. Rabi‘a Ibn Abi ‘Abd al-Rahman

He narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. Al-Fudayl b. ‘Uthman reported on his authority. [2]

63. Rabi‘a Ibn ‘Uthman

He was the teacher of Abi Hanifa. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3] Ibn Hajar said: “Rabi‘a Ibn ‘Uthman b. ‘Abd Allah b. al-Hadir al-Tamimi Abu’ ‘Uthman al-Medani narrated on the authority of Sahl b. Sa‘d, Zayd b. Aslam, ‘Abir b. ‘Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr, and others. ” Abu’ Hatam said: “His traditions are denied; he wrote his traditions. ” Al-Nisa’i said: “There is no harm in (his traditions). ” Al-Waqidi said: “He died in the year 154 A. H. He was then 77 years old. ” [4]

64. Razin Ibn ‘Ubayd

al-Salu’li al-Ku’fi. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [5]

65. Rashid al-Hajjri

point

He was a Muslim hero, great struggler, and brilliant summoner to Islam. He firmly defended his beliefs. He devoted himself to Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and was sincere to him, hence the Imam took care of him and love him because of his abundant faith and reason. He told him that he would be oppressed and persecuted by the tyrannical governor, ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad. He said to him: “Will you be patient when ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad sends for you to cut off your hands, your legs, and your tongue? ”

Rashid was very pleased to receive the news, hence he asked the

Imam: “O Commander of the faithful, will the Garden be the outcome of this act? ” “O Rashid, you are with me in this world and the next! [1] ”

Imam ‘Ali taught him many sciences. He told him that the Umayyads would persecute and corrupt the community. The historians said: “Imam ‘Ali dictated to him the science of misfortunes and deaths. [2] One day he took some of his companions and went out to al-Barni’s garden. Rashid was among them. Al-Barni ordered some dates to be picked and offered to the Imam. Rashid admired those good dates. The Imam told him that he would be crucified on the trunk of the date-palm. Hence Rashid took care of the date-palm; he watered it from morning till evening. When its fronds were cut off, he was sure that his death was close at hand. [3] ” When Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was martyred, Rashid devoted himself to Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him. After the tragedy of Karbala’, he dedicated himself to Imam ‘Ali b. al- Husayn, peace be on him. [4]

Rashid joined the Eternal Life

Having killed the grandson of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his Household, ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad decided to destroy the followers of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. He was told about the important position of Rashid with the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them. Hence he ordered him to be brought before him. When ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad

saw Rashid, he shouted at him: “Renounce ‘Ali! ”

“I will not renounce him! ” insisted Rashid.

“What did your master tell you? ” asked Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad.

“He told me that you would summon me to renounce him, and I would not renounce him, that you would send for me and cut off my hands, my legs, and my tongue,” replied Rashid.

‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad burst into anger when he said before his policemen: “By Allah, I will refute his (Imam ‘Ali’s) words concerning you! ”

Then he ordered Rashid to be tied to the trunk which the Imam foretold. Rashid was tied to it, his hands and his legs were amputated, but his tongue was not cut off. His daughter hurried to take his limbs to bury them; she seized the opportunity and asked him: “Father, are your limbs aching? ” He answered her, paying no attention to his pain: “No, they are not! ” The people gathered around him looking at him. Though he was bleeding, he addressed them, saying: “Bring sheets and pens, that I may dedicate to you that which will occur until the Day of Resurrection. ” He told the people about the tyranny and persecution which the Umayyads would practice against them. The secret agents went quickly to ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad and said to him: “What have you done? You have cut off his hands and his legs, yet he is telling the people about the great events which will occur! ”

Hence ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, the tyrannical governor, commanded them to cut

off Rashid’s tongue and to crucify him on the same trunk of the date-palm, and they did this. [1] In this manner the life of this great reformer come to an end at the hand of the worst person on the earth. He was martyred, but he raised up the banner of jihad and social reform against oppression and tyranny.

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

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[7]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[8]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[9]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 2, p. 434.

[1]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 6, p. 187.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 7, p. 179.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 3, p. 259.

[5]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

66. Ziyad Ibn Sawqa

al-Jariri al-Ku’fi. He was among the retainers. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Abi Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him. [3] He has been mentioned in the chain of authorities of about nineteen narrations. [4]

67. Zayd Ibn Aslam

al-‘Adawi, al-Medani, the retainer of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, sat with him many times. [5] He was among the well-known jurists. Malik b. ‘Ajjlan said: “I never respected anyone as I respected Zayd Ibn Aslam. ” Ibn Sa‘d said: “He (Zayd Ibn Aslam) narrated many traditions. He had died before Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. al-Hasan revolted. ” [6]

68. Zayd Ibn al-Hasan

b. Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7] Ibn Hayyan mentioned that Zayd Ibn al-Hasan was among the reliable traditionalists and one of the leading members of the Hashimites, that he was in charge of the (proportion of) taxes (sadaqat) given to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his Household, in Medina.

Concerning him ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz wrote to his governor in Medina: “Zayd Ibn al-Hasan is the leader (Sharif) of the Hashimites and the oldest of them. ” [1]

Shaykh al-Mufid said: “As for Zayd b. al-Hasan, he was noble in worth, generous in character, unusual in spirit and great in piety. The poets praised him and people came to him from far and wide to seek his favor. [2] ” Anyhow, some fabricated narrations have tried to degrade his importance, saying: “Zayd b. al-Hasan opposed Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, and attempted to kill him in the time of ‘Abd al-Malik b. Marwan. ” Imam al-Khu’’i commented on this narration, saying: “The narration has no chain of narrators (mursala). None can believe it, for ‘Abd al-Malik did not remain (living) until the time of the death of al-Baqir, peace be on him. Surely, the narration is fabricated. [3] ”

69. Zayd Ibn ‘Ali

b. Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4] He was great in knowledge and piety. Shaykh al-Mufid said: “Zayd Ibn ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, was the outstanding brother after Abu’ Ja‘far, peace be on him, and the one with the most merit. He was a devout worshipper, pious, a jurist, Allah-fearing and brave. He came out in revolt with the sword to enjoin the good and forbid the evil and to demand vengeance for al-Husayn, peace be on him. ” [5]

In our book ‘Hayat al-Imam al-Baqir’, peace be on him,

we have spoken about Zayd’s behavior, morals, knowledge, and martyrdom, hence there is no need to repeat these topics here.

70. Zayd al-A‘ma

al-Basari. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [1]

71. Salim Ibn Abi al-Ju‘d

al-Ashja‘i, al-Ku’fi. He was given the kunya of Aba Asma’. Shakh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] Professor al-Khu’’i regarded as trustworthy those famous members of Salim’s family and said: “He narrated on the authority of Imam (‘Ali) , the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and al-A‘mash reported on his (Salim’s) authority. [3] ”

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

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[4]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 7, p. 309.

[5]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal

[6]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 3, pp. 395-397.

[7]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 3, pp. 406.

[2]: Al-Mufid, al-Irshad.

[3]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 7, p. 341.

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[5]: Al-Mufid, al-Irshad.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

72. Salim Ibn Abi Hafsa

He was the retainer of the children of ‘Ijjl and was from Kufa. He narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, of Imam Abi Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him, and of al-Sadiq, peace be on him. He had a book. [4] Concerning him al-Kashi reported an counts showing his deviation and straying. An example of what he narrated on the authority of Abi ‘Ubayda al-Hadhdha’, who said: “I said to Abi Ja‘far, peace be on him, that Salim b. Abi Hafsa say to me: ‘Have you not heard that he who dies and has no Imam dies the death of those who were before Islam? ’ I said to him: Yes. He asked me: ‘Who is your Imam? ’ I replied: My Imams are the Household of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his Household. He said: By Allah, I have never heard that you have known an

Imam! ” Imam Abu’ Ja‘far interrupted (Abi ‘Ubayda al-Hadhdha’) , saying:

“Woe unto Salim! Does he know the position of the Imam? The position of the Imam is greater and better than what Salim and all the people think. [1] ” Salim disappeared during the days of the Umayyad government; he stayed at his house because he was afraid of the terrorism of the Umayyads. When Abu’ al-‘Abbas al-Saffah became caliph, Salim went out of Kufa in the state of the ritual consecration saying: “Here I am at your service, O Breaker of the Umayyads, here I am at your service! ” He continued saying these words until he made his camel kneel down in Holy Mecca. He died during the lifetime of Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq, peace be on him, in the year 138 A. H. [2]

73. Salim

b. ‘Abd Allah, the retainer of ‘Umar. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

74. Sudayr Ibn al-Hakam

b. Suhayb al-Sayrafi, al-Ku’fi. He was given the Kunya of Aba al-Fadl. He was among the retainers. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4] He narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, of Abi Ja‘far, of Abi ‘Abd Allah, peace be on them, and of Hakim b. Jubayr. Abu’ Talib, Abu’ al-Wafa’, his son Hanan, and others reported traditions on his authority. [5]

75. Al-Sari Ibn ‘Abd Allah

b. al-Harith b. al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be

on him. [1]

76. Sa‘d Ibn Hakim

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2]

77. Sa‘d Ibn Abi Sa‘id

al-Maqbari. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

78. Sa‘d Ibn Tarif

al-Hanzali, al-Iskafi, al-Ku’fi. He was the retainer of the children of Tamim. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4] Al-Najashi said: “Sa‘d narrated on the authority of al-Asbagh b. Nabbata, Abi Ja‘far, and Abi ‘Abd Allah, peace be on them. He was a judge. He has a book (titled) ‘the Treatise of Abi Ja‘far’. [5] ”

79. Sa‘id Ibn Jubayr

point

Abu’ Muhammad, the master of the children of Waliba. He lived in Mecca but was originally from Kufa. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Sajjad, peace be on him. [6] He was one of the eminent mujahidin, those who straggled for Islam, and those who defended the rights of the weak and the deprived. We will briefly mention some of his affairs.

His Scientific Position

Sa‘id was among the most prominent scholars of his time. He was called the Authority of Scholars (jahbadh al-‘ulama’). All those who were on the earth were in need of his knowledge. [7] Ibn Kuthayr said: “Sa‘id was among the Imams of Islam in the interpretation (of the Qur’an) , jurisprudence, various sciences, and many good deeds. [8] ”

His Reverential Fear and Righteousness

Sa‘id was among the Allah-fearing of his time. He always recited the Qur’an. He would sit in the Holy Kaaba and would not leave

it until he completed reciting the Qur’an. [1] He feared Allah so much that he said: “The best fear is that which turns you away from disobeying Allah and urges you to obey Him this is the useful fear. ” [2]

His Going out in Revolt

When ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Ash‘ath went out in revolt against the government of al-Hajjajj, Sa‘id and a group of the reciters (of the Qur’an) thought that it was incumbent on them to support him and to go out in revolt with him to overthrow the government of the tyrannical, criminal governor, al-Hajjajj b. Yousif al-Thaqafi, who violated all the things Allah prohibited, committed all crimes, whose oppression, tyranny, and corruption made the earth swing. When the revolt of ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Ash‘ath came to nothing, Sa‘d fled to Asfahan, yet he went to Mecca twice a year to perform the hajj and ‘Umra. He sometimes entered Kufa secretly, met the people and explained to them their religious and scientific affairs. [3]

His Martyrdom

The policemen arrested Sa‘id b. Jubayr, who was a great thinker, and brought him to the tyrannical, criminal governor al-Hjjajj b. Yousif al- Thaqafi, who shouted at him, saying:

• “Are you Shaqi b. Kusayr? ”

• “My mother knew my name better! She has called me Sa‘id b. Jubayr. ”

• “What’s your opinion of Abi Bakr and ‘Umar? Are they in the Garden or in the Fire? ”

• “If I enter the Garden and look at its people, I will recognize them, and if I enter the Fire and look at its people, I will recognize them! ”

• “What’s your opinion

of the Caliphs? ”

• “I have not been placed in charge of them! ”

• “Which one of them is the most lovable with you? ”

• “The most pleasing one to his Creator! ”

• “Which one of them is the most pleasing to the Creator? ”

• “He who knows their secret conversations knows this! ”

• “You have refused to tell me the truth! ”

• “I do not want to tell you lies! ”

The tyrannical governor, al-Hajjajj, ordered a swordsman to behead Sa‘id b. Jubayr, and he did. Sa‘id’s head fell on the ground and said three times: “There is no god but Allah. ” [1] In this manner the life of this great scholar came to an end. Sa‘id b. Jubayr devoted his life to spreading knowledge and virtue among the people. He was the pioneer of the Muslims, hence they were bereft of him. ‘Umar b. Maymu’n said: “When my father heard of Sa‘id b. Jubayr’s death, he said with sorrow: ‘Sa‘id b. Jubayr has died, while all those who are on the earth are in need of his knowledge. ’ [2] ”

Sa‘id b. Jubayr was martyred in the month of Sha‘ban, in the year 95 A. H. He was then 49 years old. [3] Al-Hajjajj was afraid of murdering Sa‘id. He dreamt that he saw him seizing him by the clothes and asking him: “O Enemy of Allah, why did you kill me? ” The tyrannical, the criminal (al- Hajjajj) was filled with remorse for murdering him and said: “Why did I kill Sa‘id b. Jubayr? ” [4] Before him Mu‘awiya b. Hind was also filled with

remorse for killing Hijr b. ‘Adi, the great Companion (of the Prophet).

80. Sa‘id Ibn al-Harith

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [1]

81. Sa‘id Ibn ‘Uthman

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2]

82. Sa‘id Ibn Marjana

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, [3] so did al-Barqi. [4] Ibn Hayyan numbered him as one of the reliable traditionalists, and he said: “He was among the meritorious of Medina. He died in 96 A. H. [5] ”

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

[4]: Al-Najashi.

[1]: Al-Kashi.

[2]: Al-Najashi.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Al-Najashi.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[7]: Ibn Shahrashu`b, al-Manaqib.

[8]: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 98.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Ibid.

[3]: Ibid.

[1]: Ibn al-Athir, vol. 4, p. 13.

[2]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 12.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibn al-Athir, Tarikh, vol. 4, p. 13.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Ibid.

[4]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[5]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 78.

83. Sa‘id Ibn al-Marziban

al-Baqqal, al-Ku’fi, al-A‘war, the retainer of Hudhayfa. Abu’ Dawud said: “He was the best of the people in reciting (the Qur’an). ” Al-‘Aqili said: “He was trustworthy. ” Ibn ‘Ayyna regarded him as weak, other people criticized him. [6] Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7]

84. Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab

point

b. Huzn, Abu’ Muhammad, al-Makhzu’mi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of those who narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al- ‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8] The biographers said: “He was one of the world’s great figures, and the lord of the leading members of the next generation. ” Ibn ‘Umar said: “If Allah’s Apostle saw Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab, he would be pleased with him. [9] ” We will mention some of his affairs.

His Scientific Position

He was among the great scholars of his time, and the most knowledgeable of them in the science of the hadith. Makkhu’l said: “I traveled all over the land, yet I have found none more knowledgeable than Sa‘id Ibn

al-Musayyab. [1] ‘Ali b. al-Madin said: “I think that there was none among the leading members of the next generation more knowledgeable than him. [2] ” He was the best of the people in memorizing the rules and judgments of ‘Umar. ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar asked about the importance of his span and his affair. [3] Concerning him Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, said: “Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab was the most knowledgeable of all the people in narrating traditions and the most eloquent of them in his time. [4] ”

His Wise sayings

Many wise sayings of Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab have been handed down. We have quoted the following:

“Let not the many helpers of the unjust deceive you. Deny them through your hearts, lest your good deeds should come to nothing. When Satan despairs of doing a thing, he does it through women. People honor themselves through obeying Allah, and they dishonor themselves through disobeying Him, the Exalted. Allah’s support is sufficient for him who sees his enemy working through disobeying Allah. He who becomes rich through Allah, people become in need of him. The world is low and inclines to the low. He who employs the world unlawfully is lower than it. The noble, the scholars, and the virtuous have defects, hence none of the people should mention them. ”

His Magnifying the Imam

Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab honored and magnified Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and he said: “I have never seen anyone more meritorious than ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, and whenever I see him, I detest myself. [5] ” In the previous chapters we

mentioned some of his words through which he magnified, honored, and admired the Imam, peace be on him.

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

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[8]: Ibid.

[9]: Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 102.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 84.

[2]: Ibid. p. 84.

[3]: Ibid. p. 86. Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 100.

[4]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

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

Differences over his Reliability

The narrators differed over Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab’s reliability; a group of them said that he was just and trustworthy, in this they depended on Imam Abi ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq’s tradition: “Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab was among the reliable traditionalists of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [1] ” In this they also relied on Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab himself, who magnified Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, praised his outstanding merits, and regarded him as the best of all the Muslims in knowledge, piety, and Allah-fearingness, all these things indicate that he had total knowledge of the Imam, that he adopted his Imamate.

As for those who dispraised Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab, they depended on that he refused to pray over the corpse of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, after his death, but this narration has no chain of narrators (mursala) , as professor al-Khu’’i said. They also said that he was the most knowledgeable of the people in the traditions of Abu’ Hurayra and his son-in-law. This cannot be regarded as a right opinion to degrade the importance of Sa‘id Ibn al-Musayyab. Professor al-Khu’’i said: “The right opinion is that (we) must withhold (from issuing a certain decision) concerning the affair of the man, for the chain of authorities for praising and dispraising (him) is not perfect. ” Al-Majjlisi did well when he confined himself to narrating the differences over the state of the man without preferring (any opinion).

85. Salam Ibn al-Mustanir

al-Ju‘fi, al-Ku’fi.

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and of Imam Abi Ja‘far Muhammad al- Baqir, peace be on him. [1] He (Salam) reported on the authority of Imam al-Baqir, and Abu’ Ja‘far al-Ahwal narrated on his (Salam’s) authority. [2]

86. Salama Ibn Thubayt

b. Sharit b. Anas, Abu’ Firas, al-Ashja‘i, al-Hamadani, al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al- ‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

87. Salama Ibn Dinar

He was given the Kunya of Aba Hazim, and was surnamed al-‘Arajj, al-Afraz, al-Tammar, al-Medani, al-Qas. He was the retainer of al-Aswad b. Sufyan al-Makhzu’mi. He narrated on the authority of a group of people of whom were Sahl b. Sa‘d al-Sa‘idi, Abi ’Umama b. Sahl, Sa‘id b. al- Musayyab, Ibn ‘Amru’, and others. Ahmed, Abu’ Hatam, al-‘Ajali and, al-Nisa’i regarded him as trustworthy. Ibn Khuzayma said: “He (Salama) was reliable and none in his time was like him. ” Ibn Sa‘d said: “While he (Salama) was giving legal decisions in the Mosque of Medina, Sulayman b. ‘Abd al-Malik sent to him al-Zuhri to summon him, but he said to al-Zuhri: ‘As he (Sulayman) has a need with me, let him come to me. As for me, I have no need with him. ’ [4] ” Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5]

88. Salama Ibn Kuhayl

Abu’ Yahya al-Hadrami. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6] He was accused of being a great figure of the Batariya concerning whom

al-Kashi narrated on the authority of Abi ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be on him, who said: “If the Batariya (stood) in one line between the east and the west, Allah would not strengthen a religion through them. ” The Batariya were the companions of Kathir al-Nawa, al-Hasan b. Salih b. Yahya, Salim b. Abi Hafsa, al-Hakam b. ‘Utayba, Salama b. Kuhayl, and Abi al-Muqdad Thabit al-Haddad. It was they who summoned (the people) to adopt the leadership of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and then they mixed it with that of Abu’ Bakr and ‘Umar to establish their leadership. They hated ‘Uthman, Talha, al-Zubayr, and ‘A’isha.

They believed in going out in revolt with the sons of ‘Ali b. Abi Talib to enjoin the good and forbid the evil and to establish the Imamate of ‘Ali’s sons, who went out in revolt. [1] Al-Kashi reported on the authority of ‘Adhafir al-Sayrafi, who said: “Al-Hakam b. ‘Utayba and I were with Abi Ja‘far, peace be on him. Al-Hakam questioned Abu’ Ja‘far, and he answered. They differed over a certain thing, hence Abu’ Ja‘far said to his son: ‘My little son, bring out Ali’s book. ’ He took out a rolled up, great book. Abu’ Ja‘far opened the book and looked for the problem until he found it, and then he said to al-Hakam: ‘This is the script of ‘Ali, peace be on him, and the dictation of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and his Household. Abu’ Muhammad,

you and Salama (b. Kuhayl) go wherever you want, to the right and left. By Allah, you will not find the most reliable knowledge except with those upon whom Gabriel came down. ’” [1]

89. Salim Ibn Qays

al-Hilali, al-‘Amiri, al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, of the two Imams al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on him, and of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] As for al-Barqi, he numbered him as one of the special companions of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. [3] He is the author of the famous book, better known, as the ‘Book of Salim Ibn Qays’. In it he has mentioned many traditions written in that time. Aban b. ‘Ayash read the book before Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and he said: “Allah’s mercy be upon Salim, who was truthful. We know such traditions. [4] ” Professor al-Khu’’i spoke about this book and refuted the accusations concerning it. [5]

90. Salman Ibn Abi al-Mughira

al-‘Absi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6]

91. Sulayman Abu’ ‘Abd Allah

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7]

92. Sammak Ibn Harb

al-Dhahli, Abu’ al-Mughira. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8] Sammak reported on the authority of Jabir b. Samra, al-Nu‘man Ibn Bashir, Anas b. Malik, and others. Ibn ‘Adi said: “Sammak narrated many traditions, Allah willing. He was among the

leading members of the next generations, who lived in Kufa. He was truthful. His traditions are acceptable; there is no harm in them. [1] ”

93. Sharhabil Ibn Sa‘d

al-Ansari. He was the retainer of the children of Hanzala. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] He narrated on the authority of Zayd b. Thabit, Abi Rafi’, Abi Sa‘id, al-Hasan b. ‘Ali, and others. ‘Ukrima narrated on his authority. Ibn al-Medani said: “I asked Sufyan b. ‘Ayyna: ‘Did Sharhabil b. Sa‘d give religious opinions? ’ He replied: ‘Yes. None is more knowledgeable than him in the military campaigns (al-maghazi) and those who took part in the Battle of Badr (al-Badriyyin). ” Ibn Hayyan regarded him as trustworthy, and said: “He died in the year 123. [3] ”

94. Shayba Ibn Na‘ama

al-Dabbi, al-Basri. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4]

95. Salih Ibn Abi Hassan

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5] He narrated on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. Hanzala al-Rahib, Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, Abi Salama b. ‘Abd al-Rahman, and ‘Abd Allah b. Abi Qattada. Ibn Abi Dhi’b, Khalid b. al-Yas, and Bukayr b. al-Ashajj narrated on his authority. Ibn Hayyan regarded him as reliable. [6]

96. Salih Ibn Khouwan

b. Jubayr al-Ansari, al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7] Salih narrated on the authority of his father, his uncle, Sahl, and ‘Abd Allah. Al-Nisa’i regarded him as trust worthy. Ibn Sa‘d said: “Salih

narrated few traditions. [1] ”

97. Salih Ibn Kaysan

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] He was the teacher of the children of ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz. Mas‘ab b. al-Zubayr: “The hadith, jurisprudence, and manhood came together in him. ” Al-Nisa’i regarded him trustworthy. Al-Hakim said: “Salih b. Kaysan died at the age of more than 160. [3] ”

98. Safwan Ibn Salim

al-Zuhri, al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4] Ibn Hajar numbered him as one of the jurists, and that he narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, Abi Basra al-Ghifari, and others. Concerning him Ahmed said: “This is a man through whose tradition men ask Allah for rain, and rain comes down from the heaven when they mention it. ” Al-‘Ijjli and al-Nisa’i regarded him as trustworthy. [5]

99. Suhayb Abu’ Hakim

al-Sayrafi, al-Ku’fi. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6] He narrated the tradition of the crucifixion of Maytham on the authority of Maytham himself. He was one of the seven persons who carried the coffin of Maythem after he had been crucified. [7]

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

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

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 144.

[5]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[6]: Ibid.

[1]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[4]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[5]: Mu’jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 6, pp. 233-234.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 6, pp. 233-234.

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 385.

[7]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 387.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 399.

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[5]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[7]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 8

100. Al-Dahhak Ibn ‘Abd Allah

al-Mashriqi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8]

101. Al-Dahhak Ibn Muzahim

al-Khurasani. He was from Kufa and belonged to the leading members of the next generation. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [9] He narrated on the

authority of Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbas, Abi Hurayra, Abi Sa‘d, Zayd b. Arqam, Anas b. Malik, and others. Ibn Ma‘in and Abu’ Zar‘a regarded him as trustworthy. He was famous for interpreting the Holy Qur’an. He died in the year 106 A. H. [1]

102. Tariq Ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman

al-Ahmasi, al-Ku’fi, al-Bajali. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] He narrated on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. Abi Awfa, Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, Zayd b. Wahb, Sa‘id b. Jubayr, and others. Ibn Ma‘in and al-‘Ijjli regarded him as trustworthy. Abu Hatam said: “His tradition is written; there is no harm in it. His tradition is similar to that of Mukhariq. ” Al- Nisa’i said: “There is no harm in it. [3] ”

103. Tawus Ibn Kaysan

Abu’ ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Yamani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4] Ibn Hajar said: “He (Tawus) was a Persian. He inhabited (an area called) al-Jund. It was said that he was the master of Hamadan. It was said that his name was Dhakwan, and his nick-name was Tawus. He narrated on the authority of the four persons called ‘Abd Allah (al-‘Abadila al-Arba‘a) , Abi Hurayra, ‘A’isha, Zayd b. Thabit, Zayd b. Arqam, and others. ”

Ibn Hayyan said: “He was among the worshipers of the people of the Yemen and the masters of the leading members of the next generation. He performed the hajj forty times. Allah accepted his supplication. He died in the year 101, and it was said other than this

(year). [1] He narrated some of the whispered prayers of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, in the Sacred House of Allah. He had conversations with him; we mentioned them in the previous chapters.

104. Talha Ibn ‘Amru’

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2]

105. Talha Ibn al-Nadar

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

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

[8]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[9]: Ibid.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 5, p. 5

[4]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

106. Zalim Ibn ‘Amru’

He was given the Kunya of Aba al-Aswad al-Du’ali. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4] He was the most brilliant of the scholars of his time. He was the first to establish (Arabic) grammar after Imam ‘Ali had taught him its rules and sources. He was among the talented poets. An example of his poetry is the following:

Livelihood is not sought through desiring,

But throw your bucket with the buckets.

You sometimes bring it full and sometimes

You bring mud and little water.

He was among the brilliant eloquent figures. An example of his wonderful words is his advice to his son: “O My little son, when you are with people, talk with them in accordance with your age, and negotiate with them according to your place. Speak not with the speech of those who are superior to you, lest they should find you heavy. Degrade not yourself to those who are inferior to you, lest they should look down upon you. When Allah is generous toward you, lend a helping hand (to men) , and when

He withholds (generosity) from you, you withhold (generosity). Vie not in generosity with Allah, for He is more generous than you. Know that there is nothing like moderate livelihood, and glory like knowledge. Kings are rulers over men, and scholars are rulers over kings. ” Then he composed, saying:

There is no livelihood except when your are moderate,

if you are extravagant and wasteful, you will meet poverty

and damage.

Knowledge is adornment and honor for its owner,

so seek, may you be guided, the techniques of knowledge

and literature.

Knowledge is a treasure and store without exhaustion;

it is the best companion when it makes friends with

someone.

One may gather something and shortly he loses it, hence

he meets abasement and remorse.

The possessor of knowledge is always happy with it;

he is not cautious of escape and loss.

O he who gathers knowledge, the best store you gather

Equal it not to pearls or gold.

He was the best of all the people in showing friendship, sincerity, and love to Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Mu‘awiya did his best to turn him away from this but he failed. He (Zalim) died of plague in Basra in the year 69 A. H. [1]

107. ‘Amir Ibn al-Simt

He was given the kunya of Aba Yahya. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] He narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. Safwan al-Jammal reported on his authority, and he also narrated on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him. [3]

108. ‘Amir Ibn Wa’ila

al-Kinani. He

was given the kunya of Aba al-Tufayl. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him and added that he was among the special companions of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. [1] He was a talented poet, and an example of his poetry is the following:

They claim that I am an old man and I have lived for

a period,

and they (women leave their) husbands and incline to me.

I have become white-headed not because of the years that

come successively to me, but the happenings have turned

my hair white.

He went out in revolt with al-Mukhtar to demand vengeance for the Lord of martyrs (al-Husayn) , saying: “None of the seventy has remained expect me. ” He composed this line of poetry:

I have remained among the Kinana like the only arrow

which will be thrown or broken.

He always composed this line of poetry:

Certainly, the men of truth will have over people a state

which I hope and expect.

Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, recited this line of poetry and said: “By Allah, I am among those who hope and expect. ” The tyrannical, the criminal (al-Hajjaj) wanted to kill ‘Amir Ibn Wa’ila because he showed friendship toward the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, but he was saved from him, for he had influence upon ‘Abd al-Malik b. Marwan. [2]

109. ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Ibn al-Qasim

He was given the kunya of Aba Marym. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be

on him. [1] Al-Najashi said: “He narrated on the authority of Abi Ja‘far and Abi ‘Abd Allah, peace be on them. He was trustworthy. He has a book. A group of our companions has reported the book. [2] ”

110. ‘A’idh al-Ahmasi

b. Habib. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

111. Al-‘Abbas Ibn ‘Isa

He narrated on the authority of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and al-Fadl b. Sulayman reported on his authority. [4]

112. ‘Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Qusayr

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5]

113. ‘Abd Allah al-Barqi

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6]

114. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Abi Bukayr

b. ‘Amru’ b. Hazm al-Ansari, al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. ‘Abd Allah died in Medina, in the year 126 A. H. [7]

115. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Abi Mulayka

al-Makhzu’mi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8]

116. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Ja‘far

al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [9]

117. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Harith

He narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and his son Ishaq reported on his authority. [10]

118. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Dinar

The retainer of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [11]

119. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Dhakwan

Abu’ al-Zanad. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [12] Ibn Hajar said: “He was the retainer of Ramla. It was said that he was the retainer

of ‘A’isha, daughter of Shayba b. Rabi‘a. It was said that he was the retainer of ‘A’isha, daughter of ‘Uthman, and it was said that his father was the 

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

[4]: Ibid.

[1]: Al-Kuna wa al-Alqab, vol. 1, pp. 9-10.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 9, p. 198.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Al-Najashi, Rijal.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Ibid.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[9]: Ibid.

[10]: Ibid.

[11]: Ibid.

[12]: Ibid.

brother of Abi Lu’lu’a, who killed ‘Umar (Ibn al-Khattab). He narrated on the authority of Anas, ‘A’isha, daughter of Sa‘id, Abi Imama Sahl b. Hunayf, Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, and others. ” Ibn al-Medani said: “After the leading members of the next generation, there was none in Medina more knowledgeable than ‘Abd Allah, Ibn Shahab, Yahya b. Sa‘id, and Bukayr b. al-Ashajj. ”

Al-Layth reported on the authority of ‘Abd Rabba, who said: “I saw Aba al-Zinad entering the Mosque of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his Household, and followers were with him as those who were with the ruler (sultan). ” Ibn Hayyan regarded him as reliable and said: “He was a jurist and had a book. ” Khalifa and others said: “He died in the year 130 A. H. at the age of sixty-six. [1] ”

120. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Zubayd

al-Hashimi. He was (Imam) ‘Ali’s retainer. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2]

121. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Sa‘id

b. Abi Hind al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3] Ibn Hajar said: “He narrated on the authority of his father, Abi Imama b. Sahl b. Hunayf, and Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, and others. ” Ibn Hayyan regarded him as trustworthy and said that he made mistakes. Ibn Sa‘id said: “He was trustworthy, reported many traditions, and died

in the year 46 or 47 A. H. [1] ”

122. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Shabrama

al-Dabbi, al-Ku’fi. He was given the Kunya of Aba Shabrama. He was the judge of Abi Ja‘far in Kufa. He was a poet. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] He deviated from the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, for he depended on analogy in giving religious opinions, and did not refer to the Imams of guidance, who were the keepers of the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.

It was said to Imam Abi Ja‘far, peace be on him: “A man married a young slave girl whom his wife nursed, and then his another wife suckled, hence b. Shabrama said: ‘The slave girl and his two wives are unlawful for him! ’ So Abu’ Ja‘far said: ‘Ibn Shabrama has made a mistake. The slave girl and his wife who nursed her for the first time are unlawful for him. As for the other wife, she is lawful for him as if she nursed her daughter. ’” [3] Ibn al-Mubarak said: “I sat with him (‘Abd Allah) for a time but do not narrate on his authority. [4]

123. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Shurayk

al-‘Amiri. He was given the kunya of Aba al-Mahjal. He narrated on the authority of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin and Imam Abi Ja‘far, peace be on them and had standing with them. [5] In the beginning he was among the companions of al-Mukhtar. Ahmed, Ibn Ma‘in, and others regarded him as trustworthy; al-Nisa’i

regarded his as weak. Ibn ‘Ayyna said: “I sat with ‘Abd Allah Ibn Shurayk when he was a hundred years old. ”

124. ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Ata’

b. Abi Rabah. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [1] Al-Kulayni reported on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ata’, who said: “Abu’ ‘Abd Allah sent for me. He ordered a mule and a donkey to be saddled for him, and then he asked me: ‘Would you like to go with us? ’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. Then he asked me: ‘Which do you like to ride? ’ ‘The donkey,’ I replied. ‘The donkey is kinder to me,’ he explained, ‘I hate that I ride the mule and you ride the donkey. ’ He rode the donkey and I rode the mule and went away until we went out of Medina. While he was talking to me, he looked at the saddle for a long time, hence I thought that the saddle had hurt or pressed him. Then he raised his head, so I said to him: ‘May I be your ransom, I think that the saddle has hurt or pressed you, so will you please ride the mule? ’ ‘No,’ he, peace be on him, answered. ’” [2]

125. ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Ali

b. al-Husayn b. Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3] Al-Sayyid b. al-Muhanna said: “Abd Allah Ibn ‘Ali b. al-Husayn was given the nick-name of al-Bahir, for he

was handsome. ” They said: “All those who attended his assembly admired his handsomeness. ” He was in charge of endowment of the Prophet, my Allah bless him and his Household, and of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. His mother was the mother of his brother Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be on him. He died at the age of fifty-seven. [1]

126. ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Ubayda

al-Zuhri. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2]

127. ‘Abd Allah Ibn al-Mustawrad

al-Medani, al-Hashimi. He was Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s retainer. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of the Imam. [3]

128. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Muhammad

b. Muhammad b. ‘Umar b. Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4]

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

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Furu`’ al-Kafi, Chapter on Rare Nursing

[4]: Mizan al-I‘tidal, vol. 1, p. 438.

[5]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[1]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[2]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: ‘Umdat al-Talib.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

129. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Muhammad

al-Ju‘fui. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5]

130. ‘Abd Allah Ibn Hurmoz

al-Mekki. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6]

131. ‘Abd al-Mu’min Ibn al-Qasim

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7] Al-Najashi said: “He narrated on the authority of Abi Ja‘far and Abi ‘Abd Allah, peace be on him. He and his brother are trustworthy. He was the brother of Abi Maryam, ‘Abd al- Ghaffar b. al-Qasim, and Qays b. Fahd. He died at the age of eighty-one in the year 147 A. H. He had a book. A group of (traditionalists) narrated the book; among them were Sufyan b. Ibrahim

b. Farid al-Harithi. [1] ”

132. ‘Ubayd Allah Ibn Abi al-Ju‘d

He was also called ‘Ubayd al-Nakh‘i. He was Salim’s brother. He was their retainer. He was from Kufa. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2]

133. ‘Ubayd Allah Ibn Abi al-Washim

al-Ku’fi. It was said that he was called: “‘Ubayd al-Janabi. ” Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

134. ‘Ubayd Allah Ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman

b. Mu’hab al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [4]

135. ‘Ubayd Allah Ibn Muslim

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5]

136. ‘Ubayd Allah Ibn al-Mughira

al-‘Absi, al-Ku’fi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6]

137. ‘Aqaba Ibn Bashir

al-Asadi. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [7]

138. ‘Ali Ibn Thabit

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [8]

139. ‘Umran Ibn Maytham

al-Tammar. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [9] Al-Najashi said: “He was a retainer and a trustworthy (traditionalist). He narrated on the authority of Imam Abi ‘Abd Allah and Imam Abi Ja‘far, peace be on them. [10] ”

140. ‘Isa Ibn ‘Ali

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [11]

141. Furat Ibn al-Ahnaf

al-‘Abdi. He is accused of immoderation and exaggeration in speech. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al- ‘Abidin, peace be on him. [12] Ibn al-Ghada’iri said: “Furat Ibn al-Ahnaf was from Kufa. He narrated on the authority

of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, Abi Ja‘far, and Abi ‘Abd Allah, peace be on them. They claimed that he was immoderate and a liar. He was insignificant. [1] ”

142. Al-Farazdaq

the greatest poet of the Arabs. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [2] Al- Farazdaq supported Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, when Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik denied knowing him. He interrupted him through his wonderful poem in which he mentioned the Imam’s laudable deeds and outstanding merits, so Hisham burst into anger and ordered him to be imprisoned. We will mention this event in the chapters that follow.

143. Fulayh Ibn Abi Bakr

al-Shaybani. Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, al-Baqir, and al-Sadiq, peace be on them. [3] He narrated on the authority of Imam ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be on them, and Jabir. Hanan b. Sudayr reported on his authority. [4]

144. Al-Qasim Ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman

Abu al-Qasim. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [5]

145. Al-Qasim Ibn ‘Awf

al-Shaybani. Al-Barqi numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [6] Shaykh al-Tu’si said: “He sometimes went to ‘Ali b. al-Husayn and sometimes to Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya. [7] ”

Al-Kashi reported on the authority of Al-Qasim Ibn ‘Awf, who said: “I frequently went to ‘Ali b. al-Husayn and Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya. I sometimes went to this and sometimes to that. I met ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and he said to me: ‘Beware of telling the people of

Iraq about that we have entrusted you with knowledge, for, by Allah, we have never entrusted anyone with our knowledge. Be wary of becoming a chief through us, lest Allah should weaken you, and be careful of begging through us, lest Allah should increase you in poverty. Know that whoever relates a tradition of ours (to men) , we will someday question him about the tradition. If he related the tradition truthfully, Allah would write him truthful, and if he related it untruthfully, Allah would write him untruthful. Be careful of going here and there, for knowledge is sought from us. [1] ”

Then ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, mentioned the outstanding merits of his son, Imam Abi Ja‘far, peace be on him, and produced evidence in support of his Imamate.

146. Al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad

b. Abi Bakr. He was one of the leading members of the next generation, one of the seven jurists in Medina, and most meritorious of the people of his time. He narrated on the authority of a group of the Companions (of the Prophet). A group of the leading members of the next generation reported on his authority. Yahya b. Sa‘id said: “We have never met anyone more meritorious than al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad. ” He died in the year 131 A. H. , and it was said other than this (year). [2]

147. Kankar

He was given the kunya of Aba Khalid. It was said that his name was Wardan. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3]

Al-Kashi narrated on the authority of Abi Basir, who said: [I heard Aba Ja‘far, peace be on him, say: ] “Abu’ Khalid al-Kabuli served Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya for a time. He firmly thought that Muhammad was the Imam. One day he came to him and asked him: ‘May I be your ransom, if I have sacredness, love, and devotion to you, I ask you by the Sacredness of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his Household, and of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him: Tell me, are you the Imam whose obedience Allah has made incumbent on his creatures? ’ ‘You made me swear by the great (ones) , ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, is the Imam over me and you,’ replied Muhammad. When Abu’ Khalid heard Muhammad b. al-Hanafiya’s words, he went to ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and asked for permission.

The Imam was told that Abu’ Khalid was at the door, and he gave him permission (to enter). When Abu’ Khalid entered, the Imam came closer to him and said: ‘You are welcome, Kankar! Why had you not visited us? What has appeared for you concerning us? ’ When Abu’ Khalid heard these words of ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, he prostrated himself (in prayer) , thanked Allah, and said: ‘Praise belongs to Allah, who did not make me die until I recognized my Imam! ’ ‘Abu’ Khalid, how did you recognize your Imam? ’ asked ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. ‘You called me with the name

with which my mother, who gave birth to me, would call me,’ answered Abu’ Khalid, ‘I was ignorant of my affairs. I served Muhammad b. al- Hanafiya for a time, for I firmly believed that he was the Imam. When I asked him (about the Imam) through the Sacredness of Allah, His Messenger, and the Commander of the faithful, he guided me to you and said: ‘Ali b. al-Husayn is the Imam over me and all the creatures of Allah. Then you gave me permission, hence I entered, came nearer to you, and you called me with the name with which my mother would call me, so I knew that you were the Imam whose obedience Allah made incumbent on every Muslim. ’ [1] ” Kankar visited the Imam, peace be on him, frequently and took of his knowledge to the extent that he was numbered as one of his reliable companions.

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

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Ibid.

[1]: Al-Najashi, Rijal.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[4]: Ibid.

[5]: Ibid.

[6]: Ibid.

[7]: Ibid.

[8]: Ibid.

[9]: Ibid.

[10]: Al-Najashi, Rijal.

[11]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[12]: Ibid.

[1]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 13, p. 375.

[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[4]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 13, p. 371.

[5]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[6]: Al-Barqi, Rijal.

[7]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: AL-Kashi, Rijal.

[2]: Wafayat al-‘Ayan, vol. 3, p. 224.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[1]: AL-Kashi, Rijal.

148. Kaysan Ibn Kulayb

He was given the Kunya of Aba Sadiq. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam al-Hasan al-Zaki, peace be on him, of the companions of Imam al-Husayn, the Lord of martyrs, peace be on him, of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and of the companions of Imam Abi Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace be on him. [2]

149. Malik Ibn ‘Atiya

Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3] Al-Najashi said: “Malik Ibn ‘Atiya al- Ahmasi, Abu’ al-Husayn, al-Bujayli, al-Ku’fi is a trustworthy (traditionalist). He narrated on the authority of Abi ‘Abd Allah. He

has a book, and a group (of traditionalists) reported the book. [1] ” Malik came to Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, and said to him: “I am a man from Bujayla. I swear by Allah that you are my masters. Those who do not recognize me come and ask me: ‘Where are you from? ’ I answer them that I am a man from (the tribe of) Bujayla, who belongs to the Arabs. Do I commit sin when I do not say that I belong to a Hashimite master? ” “No,” answered Imam al-Sadiq “Are you not among our followers in heart and inclination? ” “Yes, by Allah,” I replied. “You do not comitt sin when say that you are from the Arabs, for you are from them in lineage,” explained the Imam. [2]

150. Muhammad Ibn Jubayr

b. Mutt‘im. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. [3] He was one of the five persons who believed in the Imamate of the Imam (Zayn al-‘Abidin) , peace be on him. [4] Ibn Shahrashu’b numbered him as one of the Imam’s companions. [5]

151. Muhammad Ibn Shahab

point

al-Zuhri. Shaykh al-Tu’si numbered him as one of the companions of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and added that he was an enemy. [6] He ascribed him to his great grandfather, so his real name is as follows: Muhammad b. Muslim b. ‘Ubayd Allah b. ‘Abd Allah b. Shahab. [7] It is necessary for us to talk briefly about some of his affairs:

A. His Birth

Al-Zuhri was born in the year 50 A. H. As for

what was said that he and the Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin had the same age, it was not right, for the Imam was thirteen years older than him. [1]

B. His Childhood

Al-Zuhri grew up in Medina (Yathrib). He communicated with Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, and took a lot of his knowledge as well as he communicated with other than him from among the sons of the Companions (of the Prophet).

C. His Scientific Position

Ibn Hajar and Ibn Kuthayr said: “Al-Zuhri was among the Imams of the Muslims. [2] ” Al-Layth said: “I have never seen a scholar more qualified than (Muhammad) b. Shahab or more knowledgeable than him. If I hear him speak about the arousal of an interest (targhib) , I will say: ‘None speaks well (about it) except this (i. e. Muhammad b. Shahab). ’ If he speaks about man, I will say: ‘None knows (man) except this. ’ If he speaks about the Qur’an and the Sunna, his speech is comprehensive. ’” Al-Layth reported on the authority of al-Zuhri (i. e. Muhammad b. Shahab) , who said: “None of the people has spread knowledge as I have done. [3]

D. His Generosity

Muhammad was among the generous Arabs. Concerning him ‘Umar and Ibn Dinar said: “I have never seen anyone more conforming to the text of the hadith than al-Zuhri or more than him in making little of the dinar and the dirham. The dinars and the dirhams with him were like dung. [4] ” Concerning him, Faiyid b. Aqram said:

Visit this and praise Muhammad, the generous

and mention his excellencies over the companions.

If it is said: Who gives his

possessions generously?

It will be said: The munificent one, Muhammad b.

Shahab. [1]

Raja’ Ibn Hayat blamed al-Zuhri for prodigality, saying: “The Umayyads may withhold from giving to you, and hence you will destroy your expectations. ” Al-Zuhri promised to refrain from wasting. After this Raja’ Ibn Hayat passed by al-Zuhri and found him spreading table-clothes loaded with honey and other foods, hence he said to him: “O Aba Bakr, this is not what you had promised to do! ” “Dismount! I am the munificent who do not avail himself of experiences! ” explained al-Zuhri. A poet composed a poem on these words of al-Zuhri, starting it with:

The clouds of munificence, whose rain is white sliver and gold, are in his fingers! [2]

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[2]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[3]: Ibid.

[1]: Al-Najashi.

[2]: Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 14, p. 178.

[3]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[4]: Al-Kashi, Rijal.

[5]: Al-Manaqib.

[6]: Al-Tu`si, Rijal.

[7]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 9, p. 445. Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 340.

[1]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 7, p. 307.

[2]: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 340.

[3]: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 9, p. 449.

[4]: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, 342.

[1]: Ibid.

[2]: Ibid. , p. 344.