Imam Ali,
Zayn-al-Abidin, was the son of the King of the Martyrs, Imam Husayn (a.s.). His
mother was Shaher Banu, daughter of
the last Persian king, Yazd Jurd. He was born in Madinah on 5th Shaban
38 A.H. He was entrusted with the Divine Imamate on the Day of Ashura 61 A.H.
After the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.) in Karbala, he (himself in chains) led
the imprisoned bare-headed women of Ahlul Bayt and children from Karbala to
Kufa and then to Damascus. This was the most painful and humiliating journey.
When Yazid tried to
talk in an insulting manner, he bravely spoke the truth whereupon Yazid
threatened to kill him but Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) intervened. During this
journey, he delivered sermons introducing himself and the Ahlul Bayt and
explained the objective of their sacrifices which was to save Islam. When the
news of Tragedy of Karbala spread far and wide and signs of revolt were
apparent, Yazid released the Ahlul Bayt. Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) asked for a
house to mourn the martyrs of Karbala. This was the first assembly of
mourning (Majlis) for the martyrs. Imam Zayn-al-Abidin and the
Ahlul Bayt returned to Madinah on route to Karbala. In the prison in Damascus,
his little sister, Sakina, died and the Imam Sajjad had to bury her in her
clothes because due to hitting of Shimr the cursed, the blood was dried up and
stuck to her body!
The Imam (a.s..) led a
quiet life after his return to Madinah. Because of the martyrdom of Imam
Husayn (a.s.), the Muslim Ummah realized the gravity of the sin and crime of
Yazid and the people rose against his tyrannical rule. Yazid’s army
ruthlessly suppressed the revolt in Madinah. They turned the Sacred Mosque of
the Prophet into a stable for horses, killed hundreds of innocent Muslims
including many companions of the Noble Messenger, and destroyed the chastity of
numerous females on the clear instructions of Yazid. These beasts plundered
Madinah for three days.
The Imam lived
35 years after the tragedy of Karbala. Because of the unfavorable
circumstances, the Imam started writing supplications, which demonstrates the
immense knowledge of the progeny of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). His
supplications were collected in the famous book, “Saheefa-e-Sajjadia”. In
eloquence, the book is next to his grandfather, Imam Ali (a.s.)’ “Nahjul
Balagha”.
Imam Zayn-al-Abidin
(a.s.) also compiled a treatise known as “Risalat-ul-Huqooq” or a
Treatise of Rights, which contains the rights of human beings, including
the rights of every part of the human body. If one compares this book
with the United Nation’s “Charter of Human Rights”, it appears to
have been thoroughly influenced by this Treatise.
Like other Infallible Imams,
he loved and cared for the poor. The Imam would carry bags of bread on his
back at night, without disclosing his identity, would go around the streets of
Madinah and distribute it among the needy. Even when he gave alms to the poor,
he would cover his face not to embarrass the recipient!
Hisham bin Abdul
Malik, the heir of the caliph, was visiting Makkah for Hajj and was sitting in
a chair waiting to kiss the Black Stone of Ka’ba, he saw that a young man came
towards the Black Stone and the crowd automatically separated to give way to
him. The man gracefully came and kissed the Black Stone and left. He knew who
the man was. It was Imam Zayn-al-Abidin (a.s.) but to overcome his
embarrassment, he enquired from his companions about the identity of the young
man. The famous poet of Arabia, Farazdaq, compiled a poetry extempore praising
the Imam. Some of the stanzas of his poem read as, “He is the one whom the
whole Makkah knows. Every stone in Ka’ba knows him. He is the son of
Fatima and Ali and the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.).” Hisham became furious,
stopped the financial assistance and imprisoned him. When Imam Zayn-al-Abidin
(a.s.) heard about it, he sent some money to Farazdaq who said that he composed
that poetry for the love of Allah and did not want any worldly compensation,
but the imam insisted him to accept the gift.
It is said that after
Karbala, the Imam wept and cried for a long time and when someone asked as to
how long he was going to cry and said, “Martyrdom was the grace and
inheritance of Ahlul Bayt”, but humiliation was not the inheritance of Ahlul
Bayt!
The Imam through his
supplications had spread the teachings of Islam. Abu Hamza al Thamali was one
of his companions. The Imam had taught him a supplication known as “Duae Abu
Hamza Thamali”. Abu Makhnuf was another companion who was instructed by Imam
Mohammad al-Baqir (a.s.) to write the story of Karbala in a narrative form
which he complied. It became a part of the authentic account of the tragedy of
Karbala and became a source of majalis all over the Muslim world.
Walid bin Abdul Malik,
the Umayyad monarch realized that Imam’s teachings were spreading all over the
Arabia and influencing the Muslims, hence he poisoned the Imam and he was
martyred on 25th of Muharrum 95 A.H.
Once a person asked
Imam Zain-al-Abidin (A.S.), “What is the criterion for the acceptance of the
prayers? The Imam replied, “Acknowledging our Wilayah and dissociating from our
enemies.”
The reason why the
Imam was given the title of “Zayn-al-Abidin” was that one night the Imam was
praying and Shaitaan manifested himself as a huge serpent and tried to distract
him. When the Imam did not take notice of him, he bites the toe of the Imam
(ads.) causing great pain, but the Imam remained oblivious of him, and carried
on with his prayers. After completing his prayers, the Imam realized that it
was Shaitaan, he cursed him away saying, “O’ Accursed! Go away” and once again
engaged himself in the worship. It was at that moment that an angel called
three times: “You are the embellishment of the worshippers.” Or
“Zayn-al-Abidin”
Among the sayings of
Imam Zayn-al-Abidin (a.s.) are, “The attributes of a believer are: piety in
private, donating charity at the time of need, patience when misfortune comes,
tolerance at the time of anger, and truthfulness when there is fear.”
Once, the young Imam
fell sick. His father, Imam Husayn (a.s.) inquired about his health and asked
if he had any wish. The Imam replied, “My only wish is that may Allah
count me among those who do not have any wish against His “Divine Decree and
Divine Fate” or “Qaza-o-Qadr” The Imam (a.s.) was very pleased with
the answer.
The Imam’s face would
turn yellow while preparing for wudu and he would tremble performing prayers out
of fear of Allah. Once, Imam was praying and young Imam Mohammad Baqir
(a.s.) fell in a well in the house and his mother was upset and called the Imam
to rescue the boy. The Imam peacefully completed his prayer and after finishing
it, he went near the well and put his hand in the well and pulled out Imam
Baqir (a.s.) completely unharmed and without his clothes being wet.
After his return from
Karbala, his uncle Mohammad-e-Hanafiyya, asked the Imam to give him the sacred
assets of Imamate as he was then the elder in the family. The Imam first
advised him that the imamate is a Divine responsibility regardless of age, and
when he disagreed, he requested his uncle to accompany him to the Holy Ka’ba
and let the Black Stone decide. Both offered salaam to the Black Stone, but his
salaam was replied by the Black Stone and further said, “Imamate is the right
of Zayn-al-Abidin”
At the time of the
destruction of Madinah, Marwan, who was an arch enemy of Ahlul Bayt, came to
the Imam for shelter of his family. The Imam gladly provided the requested
shelter!
Similarly, Haseen Ibne
Numair, one of the murderers in Karbala, requested to buy food grains from the
Imam. He thought that the Imam did not recognize him, but the Imam told him
that he had recognized him and said that he did not want to sell it but can
give him free!
One of his Shias from
Balakh used to come for Hajj and visit the Imam (a.s.) in Madinah. Once his
wife told him, “You always take gifts for your Imam but has your Imam ever
given you anything?” Next year when he visited the Imam, the Imam asked him to
join him for food. After finishing the food, the Imam wanted to pour water on
his hands to wash. When the pot was full of polluted water, the Imam asked him,
“What is it?” He said “water”. The Imam said, “Look again carefully” When he
looked carefully he saw the red gems instead of water. The Imam told him to
take it and give it to his wife.
Omer Ibne Abdul Aziz
was the only exception in the corrupt Umayyad Dynasty. When he was the Governor
of Hejaz, one of the walls of Prophet’s Shrine fell. After the repair, he
invited Imam Zayn-al-Abidin (a.s.) to perform the opening ceremony of the
mosque. He was the one who returned the Gardens of Fadak to Sayyida Fatima
Zahra (s.a.)’s progeny and ordered to stop the sinful tradition of cursing Imam
Ali from the mosques as started by Moa’via bin Abu Sufiyan.
Source: Behar-ul-Anwar by Allama Baqir Majlisi
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