Madinah | Senile Delusions...

Response To Zakir Naik Part 2: The Oppressor, The Oppressed and A Sacrifice

Monday, January 12th, 2009

Read this and this first.

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In 60 AH, Yazid (L.A.), son of Muawiyah (L.A.), came to power. And the first step he took was to ask the Governor of Madinah, Walid bin Utba (L.A.), to get Imam Husain (A.S.) to pay allegiance to Yazeed (L.A.), or send his head to Damascus.

Imam Husain (A.S.) refused. He then packed up his belongings and left Madinah with his friends and family members, including his sisters, daughters and other Hashmiite women and children, to avoid bloodshed in the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) city. He travelled to Makkah where he stayed for four months.

At the time of Hajj, he received news that Yazeed’s men were moving around in Ahrams, pretending to be Hajis, hiding weapons and intending to kill him. So he converted his Hajj to Umrah and left Makkah to avoid the sanctity of the Haram being stained with his blood. His final destination was Karbala, Iraq. Find brief accounts here and here.

Now, Mr. Zakir Naik praised Yazeed as a Taba-e-Tabieen and appended R.A. to his name. He also called the battle of Karbala a political battle. Below are my thoughts on this.

Event of Karbala, the Political Battle

Karbala being a political battle implies that both Imam Husain (A.S.) and Yazeed (L.A.) were after the throne of the Muslim world. Yazeed (L.A.) was already the ruler, which in turn means that it was Imam Husain (A.S.) who demanded it from him. If we take a look at the deal between Imam Hasan (A.S.) and Muwaiyah (L.A.), it is an important point that the throne was to pass on to either Imam Hasan (A.S.) or Imam Husain (A.S.) after Muawiyah’s (L.A.) death. But instead of sticking to his word, Muawiyah (L.A.) passed it on to his son Yazeed (L.A.). Yet, Imam Husain (A.S.) did not ask for what was rightfully his. But Yazeed (L.A.) was not content with it and decided to go a step ahead and demand allegiance from Imam Husain (A.S.)!

Imam Husain’s (A.S.) journey from Madinah to Makkah, and then to Iraq stands testament to the fact that he did not want bloodshed. Moreover, he took women and children with him on his journey, which further strengthens the point that he did not intend to fight. Yet, Yazeed (L.A.) sent his forces after him. From this, I can only gather that it was Yazeed (L.A.) who was forcing a battle on the Husaini camp. Which in turn implies that it was Yazeed (L.A.) who had political motives, not Imam Husain (A.S.). When Imam Husain (A.S.) reached Karbala, he bought the land for sixty-thousand dirhams which made him the owner of the that land. Imam Husain (A.S.) was attacked and martyred on his own property!

The question here is then, why didn’t Imam Husain (A.S.) pay allegiance to Yazeed (L.A.)?

Translation: Verily those who plight their fealty to thee do no less than plight their fealty to Allah: the Hand of Allah is over their hands: then any one who violates his oath, does so to the harm of his own soul, and any one who fulfils what he has covenanted with Allah,- Allah will soon grant him a great Reward. (Al-Fatah: 10)

Notice the part: The hand of Allah is above all (does not pay allegiance to anyone)!

Allah has a hand? Where? Since he does not have a body and is not a physical entity, how does he have a hand then?

Since Rasoolullah (S.A.W.W.) was his representative in this world and as the system of Baiyat (paying allegiance) was introduced by Islam, therefore the hand of Allah meant here is the hand of Rasoolullah (S.A.W.W.) (see verse above). And according to a hadees in the previous post:

“Husain is from me and I am from Husain!”

Imam Husain (A.S.) in turn was a representative of Rasoolullah (S.A.W.W.). Which means that if Imam Husain (A.S.) had pledged allegiance to a drinking, sexually indulgent “kaafir” like Yazeed (L.A.), it would have been synonymous to accepting his claims that Allah did not exist, there had been no revelation and the Bani Hashim (A.S.) had lied about Muhammad’s (S.A.W.W.) prophethood. Moreover, this hadees also implies that Yazeed (L.A.) had in fact asked for allegiance from Rasoolullah (S.A.W.W.)!

Therefore, Imam Husain (A.S.) denied pledging allegiance to Yazeed (L.A.), and set on a journey to avoid bloodshed in the sacred lands and even asked Umar Ibne Saad Ibne Abi Waqas (L.A.), commander of the Yazeedi army in Karbala, to let him go to the Indian sub-continent and not smear his hands with the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) blood, but Ibne Saad rejected the offer.

Imam Husain (A.S.) had two choices:

Pledge allegiance to Yazeed (L.A.). This would have led to the death of Islam, and consequently to the death of Allah.
Sacrifice his life and family for Islam.

The chosen path of Imam Husain (A.S.) is known to everyone.

Now, it is evident that Imam Husain (A.S.) never asked for the throne. Rather, he chose to leave everything behind and move to a different land so Yazeed (L.A.) could have no danger from him, and bloodshed could be avoided. But Yazeed (L.A.) was after something else. After the battle of Karbala, when Imam Husain’s (A.S.) sister, Lady Zainab Binte Ali (S.A.) was brought to the court of Yazeed (L.A.), he made the following statement while playing with Imam Husain’s (A.S.) head with a stick:

“Had my ancestors been alive today, they would’ve been proud to see that I have avenged our losses in the battles to Muhammad!“

But Mr. Zakir Naik, perhaps, does not know that.

Yazeed, the Taba-i-Tabieen

The land of Hijaz (Makkah and Madinah), is one of the holiest lands of Islam, having two of the most sacred sites on Earth, the Ka’abah and the shrine of the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) himself. Shedding blood is prohibited within the boundaries of the Haram and the Mosque. Why did then Yazeed, a devout Taba-e-Tabieen, send his men to shed Husain’s (A.S.) blood on the sacred land?

Let’s go to Karbala and see how this Taba-e-Tabieen’s army violated the teachings of Islam, shall we?

On the 7th day of Muharram, water was stopped from reaching the Husaini camp by the Yazeedi forces. Where in Islam is it permissible to stop water on anyone?
Imam Husain (A.S.) and his followers were attacked by the Yazeedi army during the Fajr prayers. Is this according to the teachings of Islam?
If you take a look at the martyrs of Karbala, you’ll find that most of them are children of ages less than fifteen years. Is it permissible to kill children in any war?
Imam Husain’s (A.S.) six-month old was put to sleep by a three-headed arrow in his own arms. Does Islam permit killing a newborn? Forty years before Qayamat (Day of Judgment), women will stop giving birth so there is no sinless child on the planet on that day. This is the justice of Allah, would he be happy with the death of little Ali Asghar (A.S.)?
Imam Husain (A.S.) was beheaded at the time of Asr, in the state of prostration to Allah, as were all the other martyrs, including the six-month old, who was dug out of his small grave! All heads were mounted on spears. After that, all the bodies of the martyrs were trampled with horses and torn to pieces. Rasoolullah (S.A.W.W.) commanded 87 battles in his lifetime. Can someone show me one such instance where he ordered any of the above?
The tents of the Husaini camp were set on fire. The women were forced to come out of them, and then their veils (chadars) were snatched. Small children running out of the tents were trampled and killed by the riders of Yazeed’s army. All survivors were then tied with chains, their hands and necks bound tight. Husain’s (A.S.) sole surviving son, Ali Zain-ul-Abideen (A.S.) was forced to wear a stone neckbrace stretching from fingertip to fingertip with metal pricks in the neck-hole. His hands and legs were bound tied and he was forced to walk in this. Which one of the above attrocities does Islam preach? A piece of the stone neckbrace can be found hanging above the grave of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
The prisoners were then marched off to Damascus, without food or water. The routes deliberately taken, went through bazaars and crowded places where people could have a good look at the prisoners. Please keep in mind that the Husaini women (read women of the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) household, including both of his granddaughters) were purdah-less. Does Islam teach to do this to it’s own founders family? Did Rasoolullah (S.A.W.W.) ever teach to disrespect any woman in this way? Husain’s (A.S.) son Ali Zain-ul-Abideen (A.S.) was asked, “Why do you cry so much? Shahadat (martyrdom) is your inheritance and destiny.” To which he replied, “You haven’t done justice to us. Shahadat is our inheritance but is it also our inheritance that our women and children are paraded bareheaded in the bazaars of Kufah and Damascus?”

If all the above are Islamic teachings, why do we blame the West for making fun of us then? We have disgraced our religion ourselves.

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Quoting once again from a previous post:

“Qul La As-alukum Alaihin Ajran Illal Mawaddata Fil Qurba!“

“Say: I do not ask of you (followers) any return for it (teachings) but love for my near relatives.”

(Holy Quraan, 42:23)

The verse is popularly known as the Ayah-e-Mawaddah (Verse of Mawaddat or the Verse of Devotion)

The term “Al-Qurba” in this verse, based on the traditions narrated from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.), embraces only “Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husain and no one else”.

The tradition from Ibne Abbas has it that when the “mawaddat ul-qurba” verse was revealed, the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) was asked: “O messenger, who are your near relatives who should be loved?”

He stated: “Ali, Fatimah, and their sons!”

This tradition has been narrated by Muhib Tabari in “Zakhair al-`Uqba” 25/1; Ibn Hanbal in “Manaqib” 110; Mo’min Shabilenji “Nural-Absar” 101; and Zamakhshari in “Kashshaf” as annotation to the said verse.

In the “Tafsir al-Kabir”, Fakhr Razi has related the said narration from “Kashshaf” and has said that based on this verse, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husain should be revered and sanctified. He has also cited lines of verse from the Shafii’ Imam, Muhammad bin Idris Shafii’ in this regard. A line of it is as follows:

“If love for the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet is heresy, then the world should stand witness that I am a heretic.“

Now, in light of the above verse and traditions, would Allah be happy with Imam Husain’s (A.S.) killers? If Allah is demanding in the Quran that people love Imam Husain (A.S.), was Yazeed (L.A.), the Taba-e-Tabieen, one of them?

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In a recent program on ARY (sometime around the riots in Karachi), in the program Aghaz with Aniq Ahmed, Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman narrated a hadees, the idea of which was “If there is a murder or crime on Muslim land, the ruler is responsible.” Now I don’t know why but this hadees makes me blame Yazeed (L.A.) for Imam Husain’s (A.S.) martyrdom. Does it do the same to you?

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Are we blind enough to not see that Islam, our dear religion, whom we all aspire to follow truly and dearly (and fail miserably), would not have been here save for one man’s sacrifice, and that of his family and friends? They stood up to a tyrant, fought valiantly and gave up their lives for but one cause: save Allah’s name on this planet. They sacrificed every thing they had but did not falter in their stand. That lone man picked up seventy-two bodies from Fajr to Asr, including those of his nephews, brothers and sons, one of whom completely resembled the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) himself. This son of his was eighteen year old and breathed his last in his father’s arms. Which father has the heart to bear this? As if this was not enough, his six-month old was slaughtered in his arms too. Yet he did not give up. He had to save his grandfather’s hard work of twenty three years. He had to save all those who were to come. He had to save us!

And look how we have repayed him. We try to turn his sacrifice into a political war. We uphold his murderer as the devout follower and consider it taboo to mention his own name. Yet we aspire to follow what he saved. Talk about thanklessness. Way to go, Zakir Naik!

Sometimes, I’m just ashamed at our condition. We are a nation of idiots and bastards!

But hell, I can already foresee a few comments here. “Stop preaching Shia values!”, “Yazeed and Muawiyah were good this way and that way”, “Bani Umayyah were the best of the best” – Bullshit!

انسان کو بیدار تو ہو لینے دو

ہر قوم پکارے گی ہمارے ہین حسین

علامہ اقبال

Doesn’t look likely Iqbal, our nation has taken sleeping pills. Humanity will wake up but Muslims will keep on sleeping. You do not know of our response to the Israeli barbarism, do you? You left this world even before Israel came into existence. Lucky you, our condition today would’ve killed you multiple times.

How can we condemn the Israeli barbarism today, when we fail to condemn the barbaric acts 1369 years ago?

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“Fourteen hundred years of Muslim literature has passed a verdict that Husain was good and Yazeed was bad. Zakir Naik can not change that.”

Allama Dr. Syed Zameer Akhtar Naqvi

شاہ است حسین ، پادشاہ است حسین

دین است حسین، دیں پناہ است حسین

سر داد نہ داد دست در دستِ یزید

حقّا کہ بناءِ “لا الھ” است حسین

خواجہ معین الدّین چشتی اجمیری

Translation:

Emperor is Husain, King is Husain,

Religion is Husain, the shield of religion is Husain,

Gave his head but did not give his hand to Yazeed,

True that the basis of La Ilaha Ill Allah is Husain!

Don’t blame me for the verse, it’s the Sufi saint Moeen-ud-din Chishti Ajmeri’s. And I believe he was a better Muslim than all of us, don’t you think? Plus Emperor is not the correct translation of Shah. ‘Shah’ means one who commands land as well as the skies and even beyond that.

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P.S. Sorry for the personal rant in between. I meant to write a conclusion but emotions took control.

12.01.2009 Ali(A.S.), Captives of Karbala(A.S.), Enemies of the Ahle Bayt (A.S.), Fatimah Zehra(S.A.), General Knowledge, Hasan(A.S.), History, Husain(A.S), Martyrs Of Karbala(A.S.), Muhammad(S.A.W.W.), Rants, Reflections, Religious, Women, Zain-ul-Abideen(A.S.) 20 Comments

Justice to Muslims, and the Justice of Muslims

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

One day a man was traveling on his camel with his possessions and his slave. He stopped at a mosque and went inside to pray, leaving the slave to take care of the goods.

When he was gone, the slave climbed on the camel’s back. When the master returned, the slave declared himself as the master and the actual master as his slave. A quarrel ensued.

The matter was then taken to Ali Ibne Abu Talib (A.S.), cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.). He was seated on the ground in a field with some of his friends and followers, and his slave Qambar.

Upon hearing the matter, Ali ordered Qambar to make a wall out of mud. He then told Qambar to make two head-sized holes in it. He gave his sword, Zulfiqar, to Qambar to unsheath and hold high above the wall.

Ali addressed the two men and ordered them to put their heads in the holes. They obliged. Ali then turned to Qambar and ordered:

“Behead the slave!”

Upon hearing this, the real slave quickly withdrew his head, got up and ran away screaming.

Ali turned to the remaining man and declared him the real master.

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In another event, two women were brought to Ali. They both claimed they were the mother of the same child.

Ali ordered the child to be brought to court. He then told to cut the child in two and hand a piece to each woman.

Upon hearing this, one woman denounced her claim and asked to give the child to the other woman.

Upon hearing this, Ali ordered the child to be given to the woman who had spoken, saying that a real mother would never allow her child to get hurt, even if it means staying away from him!

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Examples of Ali’s wisdom and generosity are here, here, here and here.

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This is the Ali about whom Umar remarked:

“اگر علی نہ ہوتا تو عمر ہلاک ہو جاتا“

“If Ali had not been, Umar would have been killed!“

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The 19th of Ramazan marks the day Ali was attacked by Abdur-Rehman Ibne Muljim (L.A.), a Kharjite (one of the Remnants from the battle of Naharwan), sent by Muawiyya (L.A.) Ibne Abu Sufyan (L.A.), the Umayyad (L.A.) daddy of the likes of Zakir Naik (L.A.), Israr Ahmed (L.A.), Javed Ghamdi (L.A.) and Amir Liaquat (L.A.).

Ali was leading the Fajr prayers in the mosque of Kufah when Ibne Muljim (L.A.) attacked him with his sword in the second Sajdah (prostration), bifurcating the top of his head from which blood began spurting. After the attack, Ali declared:

“Fuzto Bi-Rab-bil Ka’aba!“

meaning

“By the God of the Ka’aba, Ali has become successful!“

The sword that Ibne Muljim (L.A.) used was heavily poisoned and as soon as the medics examined the wound, they asked Ali(A.S.) to declare his will. (For more information on Ali’s Martyrdom, read this.)

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I’m talking about the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) whom the Prophet raised in his own house from the age of three months and fed him in such a way that according to Ali:

“He used to put the food in his mouth, soften it up with his tounge and then feed it to me like a bird feeds it’s chick i.e. put it directly in my mouth from his own!“

This is the Ali whom the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) declared as his own brother after the migration to Madinah when he was forming brotherhoods between the Mahajirs and the Ansars.

This is the Ali about whom the Prophet also declared that “Wherever truth goes, Ali will follow and wherever Ali goes, truth will follow!”

Once, Ali was seated with the Prophet (S.A.W.W.). Abu Bakr and Ayesha were also present. Ayesha noted that her father kept his eyes fixed on Ali’s face.

She asked her father, “Why do you keep looking at Ali’s face?”

He replied, “Have you not heard the Prophet say that Allah sends his blessings on Ali’s face and to look at it is the worship of Allah?”

This is the Ali who has the honor and distinction of coming to and leaving this world in the houses of Allah: Born in the Holy Ka’aba itself and martyred in the mosque of Kufah!

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It is a shame to say that none of the channels yet have aired a program on Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) on the occasion of his martyrdom. Geo TV’s Aamir Liaquat-guided-and-produced anchor did a program in which he informed the viewers that it was the date of the death of the ruler Abdur Rahman Saalis. And who the heck is that?

Our media can go out of their way to investigate and inform about a historical nobody like Abdur Rahman Saalis but fail to even acknowledge the occasion of the attack on perhaps the most popular undisputed personality in the history of Islam, after the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.). Why is every information related to the Ahle Bayt (A.S.) of the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) hidden and suppressed by our media and scholars when it is present in coherence in the books of almost all the sects? What is there to be afraid of? Is this stubbornness, jealousy or plain defiance of the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) teachings and sayings?

One thing it is for sure, and that is shameless idiocy!

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“Innal-laha As-alukum Alaihin Ajran Illal Mawaddata Fil Qurba!“

“Say: I do not ask of you (followers) any return for it (teachings) but love for my near relatives.”

(Holy Quraan, 42:23)

The verse is popularly known as the Ayah-e-Mawaddah (Verse of Mawaddat or the Verse of Devotion)

The term “Al-Qurba” in this verse, based on the traditions narrated from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.), embraces only “Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husain and no one else”.

The tradition from Ibne Abbas has it that when the “mawaddat ul-qurba” verse was revealed, the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) was asked: “O messenger, who are your near relatives who should be loved?”

He stated: “Ali, Fatimah, and their sons!”

This tradition has been narrated by Muhib Tabari in “Zakhair al-`Uqba” 25/1; Ibn Hanbal in “Manaqib” 110; Mo’min Shabilenji “Nural-Absar” 101; and Zamakhshari in “Kashshaf” as annotation to the said verse.

In the “Tafsir al-Kabir”, Fakhr Razi has related the said narration from “Kashshaf” and has said that based on this verse, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husain should be revered and sanctified. He has also cited lines of verse from the Shafii’ Imam, Muhammad bin Idris Shafii’ in this regard. A line of it is as follows:

“If love for the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet is heresy, then the world should stand witness that I am a heretic.“

21.09.2008 Ali(A.S.), Enemies of the Ahle Bayt (A.S.), Facts, Fatimah Zehra(S.A.), General Knowledge, Hasan(A.S.), History, Husain(A.S), Muhammad(S.A.W.W.), Pakistan, Rants, Reflections, Religious, Society 18 Comments

Lady Zainab Binte Ali (S.A.) – A Very, Very Short Article

Monday, August 18th, 2008

The 1st of Sha’ban marks the date of birth of Lady Zainab (S.A.), elder daughter of Hazrat Ali (A.S.) and Lady Fatimah (S.A.), and eldest granddaughter of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.). She is the sister of Imam Hasan (A.S.) and Imam Husain (A.S.). Her younger sister is Lady Umm-e-Kulsoom (S.A.).

Courtesy: Syed Awn Husain Rizvi

Naming the Child

After Lady Zainab (S.A.) was born, her mother Lady Fatimah (S.A.) requested Imam Ali (A.S.) to name the child to which he replied:

“This child can be named only by your honorable father when he returns from his journey.”

On returning from his travel, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.), as was his practice, descended directly at the house of Lady Fatimah (S.A.). Ali (A.S.) presented the child to the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and entreated him to name the child. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) replied:

“O Ali! All of your children are my children. However, Allah, the Most High and the Almighty, will name this child. This is the object of His will.”

As if to answer this request, Jibraeel (A.S.) descended and declared:

“Allah, the Almighty, has named this child Zainab. This very name was written in the Lauh-e-Mehfooz.”

The name Zainab is derived from ‘Zain-ul-Ab‘ meaning the Adornment of her Father. In Urdu, it means:

باپ کی زینت

The Dream

Lady Zainab (S.A.) was only three years of age when she saw a dream and conveyed this to her maternal grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.):

“O Messenger of Allah! Last night I dreamed of a severe hurricane blowing over the entire earth. I took shelter from the sandstorm under a gigantic tree but even that got uprooted and collapsed to the ground. I then took refuge under a fallen branch of that tree but that too did not last long. I sought shelter under a third branch of the same tree but it was crushed into pieces due to the severity of the wind. I continued to seek refuge under two entangled branches but the hurricane simply blew them away. And then I awoke with a start.”

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) heard the narration and wept uncontrollably. Then he answered:

“Zainab! The tree under which you were sheltered is your grandfather who will leave this world shortly. The other two branches were your parents who will also leave this transient world. And the two entangled branches are your brothers Hasan and Husain, under the trials and difficulties faced by whom, the world will be enveloped in darkness.”

(Source: Reyaahain al-Sharee’ah, vol. 2, pg. 5)

Zainab (A.S.) and Husain (A.S.)

From very early on she developed an unbreakable bond of attachment to her brother Imam Husain (A.S.). At times, when as a baby in her mother’s arms, she could not be pacified and made to stop crying, she would quieten down upon being held by her brother, and there she would sit quietly gazing at his face. Before she would pray she used to first cast a glance at the face of her beloved brother.

One day Fatimah (S.A.) mentioned the intensity of her daughter’s love for Imam Husain (A.S.) to the Prophet (S.A.W.W.).

He breathed a deep sigh and said with moistened eyes:

“My dear child. This child of mine, Zainab, will be confronted with a thousand and one calamities and face serious hardships in Karbala.”

Characteristics and Titles

Of her physical appearance little is known. When the tragedy of Karbala befell her in her mid-fifties she was forced to go out with her head uncovered. It was then that some people remarked that she appeared as a ’shining sun’ and a ‘piece of the moon’.

In her character she reflected the best attributes of those who raised her. In sobriety and serenity she was likened to Umm-ul-Momineen Khadijah (S.A.), her grandmother [wife of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.)]; in chastity and modesty to her mother Fatimah Zehra (S.A.); in eloquence to her father Ali (A.S.); in forbearance and patience to her brother Imam Hasan (A.S.); and in bravery and tranquility of the heart to Imam Husain (A.S.). Her face reflected her father’s awe and her grandfather’s reverence.

In Madinah it was Zainab’s (S.A.) practice to hold regular meetings for women in which she shared her knowledge and taught them the precepts of the religion of Islam as laid out in the Holy Quraan. Her gatherings were well-known and regularly attended. She was able to impart the teachings with such clarity and eloquence that she became known as Fasihah (Skillfully Fluent) and Balighah (Intensely Eloquent).

The depth and certainty of her knowledge earned her the name given to her by her nephew, Imam Ali Zain-ul-Abideen (A.S.), of ‘Aalima-e-Ghair-e-Mu’allimah‘, meaning ‘she who has knowledge without being taught‘.

Zainab (S.A.) was also titled Zahidah (Abstemious) and Aabidah (Devoted Worshiper) because of her abstemiousness and piety. She found little of interest in worldly adornments, always preferring the bliss and comfort of the Next World over that of this one. Humble and of high morals, her main concern was to strive to please Allah and in doing so she avoided anything which was the least bit doubtful.

Difficulties Faced

She was only five when she saw the funeral of her grandfather Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) in 10 AH. Her mother Fatimah was extremely aggrieved at the loss and would not stop crying.

The surrounding people used to complain to Hazrat Ali (A.S.) about her crying, so he built her a shade outside Madinah for this purpose. Zainab (S.A.) used to accompany her mother to that shade everyday.

Ten days after the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) Martyrdom, ’some men’ attacked the house of Fatimah (S.A.), and seriously injured her, then tied a rope around Hazrat Ali (A.S.) and dragged him out of the house. Less than three months later in 10 AH, Zainab (S.A.) had to bear the loss of her mother as well.

It is important to note that both Lady Fatimah (S.A.) and Lady Zainab (S.A.) lost their respective mothers at the age of only five years old. Lady Umm-e-Kulsoom (S.A.) was four years old at the time of her mother’s martyrdom.

In 40 AH, Zainab lost her father Hazrat Ali (A.S.) when he was struck on the head with a poisoned sword by Abdur Rehman (L.A.), son of Muljim (L.A.).

In 51 AH, Muawiya (L.A.) had her brother Hasan (A.S.) poisoned. Then when the body was being taken to be buried by the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) side, it was attacked with arrows by Marwan (L.A.) and the Bani Umayyah (L.A.). The funeral procession returned home, only to have the arrows removed by Imam Hasan’s (A.S.) eighteen bare-headed, aggrieved sisters. He was later buried in Jannat-ul-Baqee, by his mother’s side.

Imam Hasan’s (A.S.) coffin is the only one that has ever returned home after leaving for burial.

Then in 60 AH, Yazid (L.A.) demanded Imam Husain’s (A.S.) allegiance towards him. Imam Husain (A.S.) refused and the event of Karbala happened in Muharram, 61 AH. The whole family of Zainab (S.A.) was killed before her eyes, her sons aged 6-8 years Aun (A.S.) and Muhammad (A.S.) killed, her brother slaughtered while she watched from a nearby dune and pleaded with the killer to spare her brother.

کٹ رہا تھا حلقِِ شاہِ دیں ، چل رہا تھا خنجرِ لعیں

بی بی آپ دیکھتی رہیں ، لٹ گئے حرم جلے خیام

ہر درود اور ہر سلام ، خواہرِ حسین تیرے نام

The tents were burned, bodies of the martyred trampled with horses, along with little children trying to find safety, women and the surviving children captured and taken to Syria (on foot, without sufficient food and water). They were kept in prison for a year in the most terrible conditions before being released.

Lady Zainab (S.A.), the Founder of Azadari

After being released from prison, she asked her nephew, Ali Zain-ul-Abideen (A.S.), son of Husain (A.S.), to tell Yazid (L.A.) to empty a house and return their belongings, with the heads of the martyred.

She stayed in the house for seven days, mourning for the martyred along with the rest of the imprisoned women, and the women of Damascus. She was the first one to offer condolences to the fourth Imam on the martyrdom of his father.

She then travelled to Karbala and mourned at the grave of Husain (A.S.) and the Shuhada-e-Karbala (A.S.) [Martyrs of Karbala].

Happiness eluded her for the rest of her life. Sorrow and grief over the loss of the family of the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) ruled her till her martyrdom. She is buried in Damascus, Syria.

Inside view of Zainab’s shrine in Damascus, Syria

In short, she taught the world how to commemorate the martyrdom of Husain (A.S.) and his Family (A.S.). Her tale is that of hardships, patience and unquestioned acceptance of all that befell her without a single complain.

SAWJ’s Note: I have copied this article in pieces from different sources, and written some of it myself. I don’t have the power to write anymore but I’ll try to keep adding to this post. Today is Eid and I feel like it’s Muharram already after writing this.

18.08.2008 Ali(A.S.), Captives of Karbala(A.S.), Enemies of the Ahle Bayt (A.S.), Fatimah Zehra(S.A.), General Knowledge, Hasan(A.S.), History, Husain(A.S), Martyrs Of Karbala(A.S.), Muhammad(S.A.W.W.), Religious, Women, Zain-ul-Abideen(A.S.) 8 Comments

Leaving the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) Madinah

Monday, August 4th, 2008

تیرے شہر سے جاتے ہیں، دے ہم کو دعا نانا

آباد کریں گے ہم ، ہائے اب کرب و بلا نانا

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) was sitting with his young grandson, Husain (A.S.), and granddaughter, Zainab (S.A.), sitting in front of him. Suddenly, tears started streaming down his face.

Husain (A.S.) asked him, “Grandfather, why are you crying?”

The Prophet replied, “Jibraeel is here. He just told me that you will be slaughtered in Karbala in the way of Allah and is asking for my approval on it.”

Husain (A.S.): “Nana (Grandfather), I accept!”

Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Water will be stopped for three days…”