Zaynab bint Ali
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zaynab bint Ali (Arabic: زينب بنت علي ) (Urdu: زينب بنت على ) was the daughter of the 4th Caliph, the first Shi'a imam, Ali, and granddaughter of Muhammad.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Zaynab was the third child of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima Zahra. She was born in Medina on the 5th of Jumada al-awwal (although some traditions say she was born on the 1st of Shaban) (of the Muslim Calendar). Zaynab was named by Muhammad after her eldest aunt, then deceased. Zaynab lost her mother when she was only seven years old. She grew extremely close to her full brothers, Hassan and Husayn.
[edit] Marriage
When Zaynab came of age, she was married to her cousin Abdullah ibn Ja'far, a nephew of Ali, in a simple ceremony. Although Zaynab's husband was a man of means, the couple is said to have lived a modest life. Much of their wealth was devoted to charity. Abdullah was sometimes called "the sea of munificence" or "the cloud of munificence".[citation needed]
The marriage of Zaynab did not diminish her strong attachment to her family. Ali also felt a great affection for his daughter and son-in-law and when he became caliph and moved the capital from Medina to Kufa, Zaynab and Abdullah joined him. Zaynab bore four sons - Ali, Aun, Muhammad, and Abbas - and one daughter, Umm Kulthum.
[edit] Zaynab and Karbala
At the death of the Mu'awiyah I, Husayn set out from Medina to Kufa to claim the leadership of the Muslim community. Zaynab accompanied him, as did most of his household. After Husayn's death at the Battle of Karbala, Zaynab was taken prisoner by the army of Yazid I, Mu'awiyah's son and successor. Zainab and the other survivors of Husayn's expedition, most of them women and children, were marched to Damascus, Yazid's capital, where they were held prisoner. Tradition says that Zaynab, already in anguish due to the death of her brother Husayn and her sons Aun and Muhammad, was forced to march unveiled. This was an extreme indignity to inflict on a high-ranking Muslim woman, the granddaughter of Muhammad.
Eventually Yazid released his captives and allowed them to return to Medina. It is said that Zaynab did not long survive the return, and died circa 682 CE. The anniversary of her death is said to be either the 11th or 21st of Jamadi uth-thani, the 24th of Safar, or the 16th of Dhu'l-Hijjah.
[edit] Lectures of Zainab
[edit] Lecture in Kufa
On Muharram 11 (October 11, 680 CE)[1] [2], all captives including all women and children were loaded onto camels without neither saddle nor sunshade and were moved toward Kufa. And when they approached Kufa, its people gathered to see them. Some women of Kufa gathered veils for them upon knowing that they are relatives of Muhammad. [3]
Zainab bint Ali pointed at the people to be quiet. Everybody halted and kept silent. Then she addressed the people of Kufa:
"The praise is exclusively attributed to Allah. And greetings to my father (grand father), Muhammad, and to his pure and benevolent family. And then, Oh people of Kufa! Oh deceitful and reneger people! Do you weep? So let tears not be dried and let groans not be finished. ... Beware, such a bad preparation you have made for yourself that Allah became furious of you and you will be at punishment forever. Do you weep and cry? Yeah, by Allah, do weep numerously and do laugh less! Since you brought its shame and fault on yourself and you will not be able to cleanse it forever. ..." [4]
[edit] Lecture in Damascus
Yazid I recited the blasphemous poetic verses of Abdullah bin Zab'ari Sahmi which he had composed while he was an unbeliever and also added some poetic verses of his own and said openly that he wanted to take revenge upon the descendants of Muhammad because Muhammad and his companions had killed his polytheist ancestors. [5] Zaynab, the daughter of Ali rose and began speaking.
[edit] Shrine of Zaynab
Several cities boast shrines said to be built over Zaynab's grave. One shrine is located in Damascus, Syria [6]. There is also a shrine to Zaynab in Cairo, Egypt. [7] [8] Other traditions say that she was buried in Medina.
Zaynab's shrine in Damascus is a pilgrimage site for Shi'a Muslim pilgrims. The Shi'a revere Zaynab and tell many stories detailing her love of Husayn and her defiance of Yazid.
Zaynab is also commemorated with a holiday: in Shi'a-majority Iran (Persia), Zaynab's birthday is celebrated as the nurse's day.
[edit] Titles of Zaynab
Shia give many titles of praise to Zaynab:
- Aabida
- Aalima
- Aaqila
- Al-Baqiya
- Alima Ghair Al-Mualama
- Al-Ismat Al-Sughra
- Al-Razia Bi-Al-Qadar Al-Qaza
- Al-Shujaa
- Aminatul Allah
- An-Naeema
- Aqeela Banu Hashim
- Aqeelatul Khadr Al-Risalahe
- Aqeelatul Quraish
- Fazila
- Kamila
- Mazlooma Karbala
- Mehbobatul Mustafa
- Muhadissa
- Mukhbira
- Naib Al-Zahra
- Namoos Al-Kubra
- Quratul Ain Al-Murtaza
- Razeea
- Sabira
- Sadeeqa Al-Sughra
- Sadi Al-Wilaya
- Saneya Zahra
- Shafiqat Al-Hasan ibn Ali
- Shareekatul Husayn
- Ummul Masiab
- Waheeda
- Waleeyatul Allah Al-Uzma
- Zahida
- Zaynab Kubra
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/islam/islam_tabcal.htm
- ^ http://www.rabiah.com/convert/
- ^ Lohouf (Arabic: اللهوف), By Sayyid ibn Tawoos (Arabic: سید ابن طاووس)., Tradition No. 227, 228, 229, 230
- ^ الحمد لله و الصلوة علی ابی محمد و آله الطیبین الاخیار. اما بعد یا اهل الکوفة! یا اهل الختل و الغدر! اتبکون؟ فلا رقات الدمعة و لا هدات الرنة ... الا ساء ما قدمت لکم انفسکم ان سخط الله علیکم و فی العذاب انتم خالدون. اتبکون و تنتحبون؟ ای والله فابکوا کثیرا و اضحکوا قلیلا فلقد ذهبتم بعارها و شنارها و لن ترحضوها بغسل بعدها ابدا. ... Lohouf (Arabic: اللهوف), By Sayyid ibn Tawoos (Arabic: سید ابن طاووس)., Tradition No. 233 to 241
- ^ http://www.al-shia.com/html/ara/books/aemma-esna/aemma003.htm
- ^ http://www.al-islam.org/gallery/photos/zaynab1.gif
- ^ http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/1999/456/travel.htm
- ^ http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=80024
