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MASTER OF THE PROSTRATORS, IMAM ZAIN-UL-ABEDEEN(A.S.)
Imam Ali,
Zain-ul-Abedeen, was the son of
Master of the Martyrs, Imam
Husayn (A.S.). His mother was
Shaher Bano, daughter of the
last Persian king, Yazdjurd. He
was born in Madina on 5thShabaan
38 A.H. He was entrusted with
the Divine Imamate on the day of
Ashura 61A.H. He led the
imprisoned Ahlul Bayt women and
children from Karbalato Kufa and
then to Damascus. This was the
most painful and humiliated
journey.
When Yazid
tried to talk in an insulting
manner, he bravely spoke the
truth whereupon Yazid threatened
to kill him but Hazrat Zainab
(S.A.) intervened. During this
journey, he delivered sermons
introducing himself and Ahlul
Bayt and explained the
objectives of their sacrifices
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. Hazrat Zaynab
(S.A.) asked for a house so as
to arrange the mourning of the
martyrs of Karbala. This was the
first Majlis for the martyrs.
Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen and the
AhlulBayt returned to Madina en
route to Karbala.
The Imam
(A.S.) led a quite life after
return to Madina. Yazid’s army
ruthlessly suppressed the revolt
in Madina. His army turned the
Holy Mosque of the Prophet into
stable for horses, killed
hundreds of innocent Muslims,
and destroyed the chaste of
numerous women. These beasts
destroyed Madina for three days.
The Imam lived 35 years after
Karbala tragedy. Because of the
unfavorable circumstances, the
Imam started writing
supplications, which
demonstrates the immense
knowledge of the family of “The
Gateway of Knowledge”
His
supplications were collected in
the famous book, “Saheefa-e-Sajjadia”.
The book is next to his
grandfather, Imam Ali (A.S.)’
“Nahjul Balagha”.
Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen
(A.S.) also compiled a treatise
known as “Risalat-ul-Huqooq”
which contains the rights of
human beings. If one compares
this book with the United
Nation’s “Charter of Human
Rights” it appears to have been
copied from this Risala.
The Imam
would carry bags of bread on his
back at night, without showing
his identity, would go round in
Madina and distribute among
needy. Only his close companions
knew it.
Hisham Ibne
Abdul Malik, the heir apparent
of the caliph, was visiting
Makka and was sitting in a chair
waiting to kiss the Black Stone
in Ka’aba, he saw that an old
man came towards the Black Stone
and the crowd automatically
separated to give way to him.
The old man gracefully came and
kissed the Black Stone and left.
He knew who the old man was. It
was Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen (A.S.)
but to overcome his
embarrassment, he inquired from
his companions. The famous poet
of Arabia, Farazdaq, compiled a
poetry extempore praising the
Imam. Some of the stanza of his
poem reads as, “He is who that
whole Makka knows him. Every
stone in Ka’aba knows him. He is
the grandson of Fatima and Ali
and The Holy Prophet.”
Hisham became
furious and imprisoned him. When
Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen(A.S.) came
to know, he send some money to
Farazdaq who said that he
composed that poetry for the
sake of Allah and Hereafter and
did not want any worldly
compensation.
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 because
martyrdom was the grace and
inheritance of Ahlul Bayt. The
Imam replied that humiliation
was not the inheritance of Ahlul
Bayt.
The Imam
through his quiet teachings by
supplications has left many
pupils. Abu Hamza al Thamali was
one of them. The Imam had taught
him a supplication known as “Duae
Abu Hamza Thamali”. Abu Makhnuf
was another companion who was
told by Imam Mohammad Baqir
(A.S.) to write the story of
Karbalain narrative form which
became a part of the majlis all
over the world.
Walid ibne
Abdul Malik, the monarch at
Damascus realized that Imam’s
teaching was spreading all over
Arabia, hence he poisoned the
Imam and he was martyred on 25th
of Muharrum 95 A.H.
Once a person
asked Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen
(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 “Zain-ul-Abedeen” 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 bite
the big toe causing pain to run
through him, but despite this
act of his, the Imam continued
to remain oblivious of him, and
carried on with his prayers.
When, after completing his
prayers, the Imam realized that
it was Shaitaan, he cursed him
saying, “O’Accursed! Go away”
and once again engaged himself
in worship. It was at this
moment that he heard an angel
call three times: “You are the
embellishment of the
worshippers.”
Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen
(A.S.) said,“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.”
During the
days of childhood, the Imam fell
sick. Imam Husayn (A.S.)
inquired about his health and he
asked further 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 Estimation” or “Qaza-o-Qadr”
The Imam used
to tremble while praying and his
face would turn yellow while
performing ablution due to fear
of Allah.
Once, Imam
was praying and Imam Mohammad
Baqir was a young boy. He fell
in a well and his mother was
upset and calling 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 without wetting his
clothes.
After his
return from Karbala, his uncle
Mohammad-e- Hanafiyya, asked the
Imam to give him the sacred
assets of Imamate as he was the
elder in the family. The Imam
advised him to accompany him to
Holy Ka’aba and let the Black
Stone decide about the Imamate.
By the order of Allah, there was
a voice from the Black Stone
saying, “Imamate is the right of
Zain-ul-Abedeen”
At the time
of the destruction of Madina,
Marwaan, who was an 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. The Imam 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.
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 with dirty water, the Imam
asked him, “What is it?” He said
water. The Imam said, “Look
carefully” When he looked
carefully he saw red gems
instead of water. The Imam told
him to give it to his wife.
Umer 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 mausoleum
fell down. After repair, he
invited Imam Zain-ul-Abedeen
(A.S.) to perform the opening
ceremony of the mosque . He was
the one who returned the Garden
of Fidak to Bani Hashim and also
stopped the derogatory remarks
upon the Commander of the
Faithful. |
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