Al-Huda
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Newsletter for September 2017
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SAYYIDA ZAYNAB BINTE ALI (SA)
Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.), the third child of the
Pure and Infallible Commander of
the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.)
and the Lady of Paradise,
Sayyidah Fatima Zahra (s.a.);
the sister of the Leaders of
Paradise, Imam Hasan (a.s.) and
Imam Hussayn (a.s.).
Her title was Siddiqah-e-Sughra.
Her kuniyat was Ummul Masa’ib. Like her brothers, her name was given by the Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). Zaynab
means “The Adornment of Her
Father”.
She was born on 5th Jamadi-al-Awwal,
5 A.H. in Madinah. The Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) was not
in Madinah at that time. On his
return, as usual, he went
straight to Sayyidah Fatima
Zahra’s house and he was given
the news of her birth. While he
was holding Sayyidah Zaynab
(s.a.) in his lap, Archangel
Jibra’eel descended and conveyed
the name for the newborn and
then he began to cry. On inquiry
from the Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.), he replied: “O
Prophet of Allah! From early on
in life, this girl will be
entangled in trials and
tribulations in this world.
First she will cry over your
separation from her; thereafter
she will bemoan the loss of her
mother, then her father, then
her brother Hasan. After all
this, she will be confronted
with the trials at the land of
Karbala as a result of which her
hair will turn gray and her back
will be bent.”
After the sad demise of her mother when she was only seven years old, she
took care of her father’s
household and also looked after
her brothers and sister. From
young age, she was generous to
the poor and orphans.
In her character, she represented the best
attributes of those who raised
her. In sobriety and sincerity,
she was likened to Ummul
Momineen Khadija (s.a.), her
grandmother; in chastity and
modesty to her mother Sayyidah
Fatima Zahra (s.a.), in
eloquence to her father Imam Ali
(a.s.). Her face reflected the
awe of her father and her
grandfather’s reverence.
After the sad demise of her grandfather, there came the period of
distress and hardship. When her
mother gave the sermon of
Faddak, she was only four years
old, but narrated the sermon so
lucidly and expressly that the
people from Bani Hashim
remembered it by heart. She is called Zaynab, the narrator of traditions.
Marriage: She was married in a simple ceremony to her
first cousin Hazrat Abdullah ibn
Jaffer al-Tayyar. Hazrat Jaffer
was martyred in the battle, and
when Hazrat Abdullah, a young
boy, was brought to the Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), he
prayed for his sustenance. He
was raised by the Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and after
his death by Imam Ali (a.s.).He
grew up into a handsome youth
with pleasing manners and was
known for his sincere
hospitality and selfless
generosity to the poor and
needy. Imam Ali (a.s.) told
Hazrat Abdullah not to prevent
Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.) from
going on a journey with her
brother Imam Hussayn (a.s.).
Although her husband was a man of means, yet
she lived a modest life, not a
life of luxury. The marriage did not diminish her strong attachment to
her family. Together this young
couple had five children, of
whom four were sons; Ali, Aun,
Muhammad, and Abbas, and one
daughter Umme Kulsoom.
In Madinah, Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.) held meetings of women in which she
shared her knowledge and taught
them the precepts of Islam as
laid down in the Glorious Qur’an
and practiced by the Messenger
of Allah (s.a.w.a.s.) and Ahlul
Bayt (a.s.). Her gatherings were
well and regularly attended. She
was able to impart the teachings
with such clarity and eloquence
that she was known as Fasi'ha (skillfully fluent) and Bali'gha (intensely eloquent).
In the year 37 A.H., when Imam Ali (a.s.) became the worldly Caliph, he
moved the capital to Kufa,
Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.) and her
husband also moved to Kufa.
Her reputation as an inspiring
teacher had preceded her.
In Kufa, women would throng to
her daily sittings where they
all were benefitted from her
erudition, wisdom, and
scholarship in the exegesis of
the Glorious Qur’an. The
depth and certainty of her
knowledge earned her the name
given to her by her nephew, the Infallible Imam Zain-al-Abedin (a.s.), of Alimah Ghayr-e- Mu’allemah, ‘one
who has knowledge without being
taught.’
Fateful Journey to Karbala: After Imam Ali (a.s.) was martyred by the most
evil creature in the world, Imam
Hasan (a.s.) succeeded his
father. But the crafty Muawiyah
trapped him by his usual
treacherous weapons of money and
sword and eventually he managed
to poison the “Prince of Paradise” by
his wife, Ja'dah binte Ash'as.
Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.) witnessed
the pieces of her brother’s
liver as a result of the poison. In complete contravention of the covenants of peace treaty with Imam Hasan
(a.s.), Muawiyah appointed Yazid
as his heir- apparent and
expedited efforts to obtain
allegiance from the influential
leaders. When Muawiyah died,
Yazid ordered the governor of
Madinah to either obtain Imam
Hussayn (a.s.)’s allegiance or
kill him! Imam Hussayn (a.s.)
left for Makkah along with his
sister Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.)
and other members of Bani Hashim
and his companions. From Makkah
the Imam (a.s.) proceeded to
Karbala, where this band of the
Saviors of Islam, were
mercilessly butchered by the
hypocrites, not leaving even the
Imam (a.s.)’s infant, Ali
al-Asghar, of 6 months. After
the massacre, the so-called
Muslims desecrated the women,
looted and set on fire the
camps. Sayyidah Zaynab (s.a.)
took charge of the situation,
saved Imam Sajjad (a.s.) from
the flames of the burning tents,
consoled and protected the women
and children. This
“Caravan of Truth” was paraded
from Kufa to Damascus with the
Daughters of the Prophet without
head-cover; their hands were
fastened with the ropes at their
backs. The Bani Umayyiyad wanted
to disgrace and damage the Ahlul
Bayt morally. But the Iron Lady
of Karbala delivered bold and
daring speeches full of
eloquence and uncovered the
hypocritical faces of Yazid and
his forefathers. Ultimately,
when Yazid feared an uprising,
he offered to release the Family
of the Prophet of Islam!
Foundation of Majils-e-Aza: When Yazid offered the release and asked for
anything he could do, Imam
Sajjad (a.s.) asked Sayyidah
Zaynab (s.a.) who said that they
could not mourn the Martyrs of
Karbala. Hence a house was
placed at their disposal and
Sayyida Zaynab organized the
first Majlis-e-Aza for her
brother Imam Hussayn (a.s.) and
other martyrs of Karbala. She
would describe in detail the
events of Karbala and the
Shahadat of every martyr. After
every majlis, men would offer
their condolences to Imam Sajjad
(a.s.) and women would offer
condolence to Sayyidah Zaynab
(s.a.). These majalises made
quite a stir in the cities, and
sounds of crying and beating
chests and heads affected the
minds of the inhabitants and
made them sadder and wiser to
the events of
Karbala. It was the victory of
truth that the tyrant was forced
to provide a place where his
oppression was allowed to be
publicized to the people!
This tradition which lived in the minds and hearts of millions of
Muslims, has kept the sacrifices
of Imam Husayn (a.s.) alive, and
brought dynamism to every
movement for freedom in the
world that aimed at eliminating
injustice and oppression.
She was martyred by yet another hypocrite in the year 62 A.H. and was
buried in Damascus, Syria.
The following articles may also be referred:
Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) binte Ali (a.s.), Bibi
Zaynab (s.a.)’s Journey of
Courage and Ziarat-e-Hazrat
Zaynab (s.a.)
Sources: The Victory of Truth by Muna Haeri Bilgrami |
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