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Ali Ibn Al-Hussein Zaynu'l-Abideen(AS)
Ali son of the third Imam Hussein, son of Ali and Fatima, was born
in Medina on the 15th Jamadiul-Uoola, 38 after Hijra. (658 A.D). His title
was Abu Muhammad and was popularly titled as "Zaynu'l-Abideen". The mother
of this Holy Imam was the royal personage, Shahr Banu, the daughter of
king Yazdegerd, the last pre-Islamic ruler of Persia.
Imam Zaynu'l-Abideen spent the first two years of his infancy in
the lap of his grandfather Ali Ibn Abi Talib and then for twelve years
he had the gracious patronage of his uncle, the second Holy Imam Hassan
Ibn Ali. In 61 AH, the Imam had accompanied his father on the journey that
terminated fatally in Karbala'. His father, his uncles, his brothers, his
cousins and all the godly comrades of his father were massacred; he himself
suffered a heartless captivity and imprisonment at the hands of the devilish
forces of Yazid.
When Imam Hussein (as) had come for the last time to his camp to
bid goodbye his family, Ali Zaynu'l-Abideen was lying in his sickbed
and hence escaped the massacre in Karbala'. Imam Hussein gave a brief talk
to the inmates of his camp and departed nominating his son as Imam. It
was after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, peace be on him, that the burden
of leadership and Imamate was laid onto the shoulders of Imam Zaynu'l-Abideen
(as). The Holy Imam Zaynu'l-Abideen lived for about thirty four years after
his father and all his life he spent in prayers to Allah (sw) and in remembrance
of his martyred father. He used to prostrate frequently and for long periods
of time to Allah (sw) and for this reason he was popularly called "Sajjad".
The knowledge and piety of this Holy Imam was matchless. He was so mindful
of Allah (sw) that whenever he sat for ablution for prayers, the complexion
of his face would change and when he stood before Allah (sw) in prayers
he was seen trembling. When asked why this was, he replied, "do you not
know before whom I stand in prayer, and with whom I hold discourse?". Even
on the gruesome day of Ashura' when the evil forces of Yazid had massacred
his father, his immediate family and dear friends and had set fire to the
camp, this holy Imam was engrossed in the supplications to Allah (sw).
when the brutal forces of Yazid's army had taken the ladies and
children as captives, carrying them seated on the bare back of the camels,
tied in ropes, this Holy Imam though sick, was put in heavy chains with
iron rings round his neck and his ankles, and was made to walk barefooted
on the thorny plains from Karbala' to Kufa and to Damascus. Even under
these harsh conditions, this godly soul never was unmindful of his prayers
to Allah (sw) and was always thankful and supplicative to him.
His charity was unassuming and hidden. After his passing away, the
people said that secretive charity ended with the departure of this Holy
Imam. Like his grandfather Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (as), Ali Zaynu'l-Abideen
used to carry on his own back at night bags of flour and bread for the
poor and needy families in Medina and he so maintained hundreds of poor
families in the city.
The Holy Imam was not only hospitable to his enemies but also used
to continually exhort them to the right path. When the people of Medina
began to get tired of the develish rule of Yazid, they revolted against
his power, turned his governor out of Medina, and surrounded the Bani Umayyahds
in the city. The Umayyahds got very worried. Under these circumstances,
Marwan Ibn Hakam, one of the worst enemies of Ahlu'l-Bait got frightened
thinking that the people would not spare him, his family and children.
He sought protection from Abdullah Ibn Umar. But Abdullah refused to give
any asylum to him. Marwan approached the Holy Imam requesting him for protection.
The Holy Imam readily replied "Do not worry, your family and children are
with me". Then the Holy Imam sent all of them to a safe place of his own
outside the city, and they were treated with ideal hospitality. The Imam
was ideally good to his worst enemies.
Imam Zaynu'l-Abideen along with the Ahlu'l-Bait passed through dreadful
and very dangerous times, for the aggressions and atrocities of the tyrant
rulers of the age had reached a climax. There was plunder, pillage, and
murder everywhere. The teachings of Islam were being neglected. The heartless
tyrant al-Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi was threatening everyone who professed
allegiance or devotion to Ahlu'l-Bait. Those caught were mercilessly put
to death. The movement of the Holy Imam was strictly restricted and his
meeting with any person was totally banned. Spies were employed to trace
out the adherents of the Ahlu'l-Bait. Practically every house was searched
and every family scrutinized. Imam Zaynu'l-Abideen was not given the time
to offer his prayers peacefully, nor could he deliver any sermons. This
Allah's vicegerent on earth therefore, adopted a third course which proved
to be very beneficial to his followers. This was in compiling supplicative
prayers for the daily use of man in his endeavor to approach the Almighty
Allah (sw). this invaluable collection of his edited prayers are known
as as-Sahifa al-Kamila or as-Sahifa as-Sajjadiyyah. It is also known as
"the Psalms of the household of the Prophet". The collection is a wonderful
treasure and consists of fifty seven prayers concerning the most sublime
Divine sciences in inimitably beautiful language. Only those who have ever
come across those supplications would know the excellence and the beneficial
effect of these prayers. Though in these prayers, the Imam gave all the
necessary guidance to the faithful during his seclusion.
On the 25th of Muharram 95 AH when he was in Medina, al-Walid Abdi'l
Malik Ibn Marwan, the then ruler poisoned this Holy Imam. The funeral prayers
for this martyred Imam were conducted by his son the fifth Imam, Muhammad
al-Bakir and his body was laid to rest in the cemetery of Jannatu'l-Baqi'
in Medina.
Sayings
of Imam Ali Ibn Al-Hussein Zaynu'l-Abideen
Refrain from lying in all things, big
or small, in seriousness or in jest. For when one starts lying in petty
matters, soon he will have the audacity to lie in important matters (also).
A man need not fear Allah except on account
of his own sins, and should place his hopes only with his lord. When about
something one does not know, one should not be ashamed of having to learn
about it. And patience is to faith, what the head is to the body; one who
does not have patience also lacks faith.
