Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.)was the third child of the Lion of Allah Imam
Ali (a.s.) and the Chief of the women of the world, for all time, Sayyida
Fatima Zahra (s.a.). She was born in Madinah 5 years after Migration of the
Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) form Makkah to Madinah. When she was born, her
grand father (s.a.w.a.s.) was not in town. On his return, the family requested
him to name the newborn. The Angel Jibril descended on earth, brought the
name Zaynab and started to cry. On inquiry, he said, “O Prophet of Allah! From
early on in her life this girl will remain entangle with trials and
tribulations- First she will weep over your separation (from this world);
thereafter she will bemoan the loss of her mother, then her father and then her
brother Hasan. After all this she will be confronted with the trials of the
land of Karbala and the tribulations of that lonely desert, as a result of
which her hair will turn grey and her back will be bent.”
Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) shared with her brothers and sister the
extra ordinary position of having such examples to look up to, emulate and
learn from as her grandfather, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), her mother,
Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet, and her father Imam Ali , the cousin of
the Prophet. In this pure environment, she absorbed the teachings of Islam.
While still a young girl, she was thoroughly able to care for and responsible
for running her father’s household, cared for the comforts and ease of her
brothers and sister and very generous to the poor, homeless and orphans.
When the time of marriage came, she was married in a simple
ceremony to her cousin Abdullah bin Jaffar al-Tayyar. Together this young
couple had five children, of whom four were sons, Ali, Aoun, Muhammad and
Abbas, and one daughter Umm Kulthum.
In Madinah, she held regular meetings for women to share
her knowledge of Islam. Her gatherings were well and regularly attended. She
was able to impart the teachings with such clarity and eloquence that she
became known as Fasiha (skillfully fluent) and Baligha (intensely eloquent). In
the year 37 A.H. Imam Ali (a.s.) moved to Kufa to finally take up his rightful
position as Khalifa. He was accompanied by his daughter (Sayyida Zaynab) and
her family. Her reputation as an inspiring teacher preceded her in Kufa. Thereto
women thronged to her daily sittings where they all were benefitted from her
wisdom and scholarship in the exegesis of the Glorious Qur’an. The depth of her
knowledge earned her the name given to her by her nephew the Infallible Imam
Ali ibnal Husayn Zaynal Abedin (a.s.) of “A’limah Ghayr Mu’allamah” She was
also nick-named Z’ahidah (abstemious) and A’bidah (devoted) because of her
piety. She found little of interest in worldly adornments, always preferring
the bliss and comforts of the Next World. Humble and of high morals, her main
concern was to strive to please Allah (s.w.t.).
Her trials and tribulations shall be dealt with in a
separate article, Insha’Allah.
Source:
The Victory of Truth: The Life of Zaynab bint Ali by Muna Haeri Bilgrami
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