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IMAM ZAINUL ABIDEEN
(A.S.) - 4TH Imam
Imam ali Zainul-Abideen (A.S.) was born in
Medina on Saturday, 11th Jamad al-Awwal, 37 (A.H.). His
father was Imam Al-Husain (son of Ali and Fatima Al-Zahraa’, the
daughter of the Prophet (PBUH). Zainul-Abideen’s mother was Shar Banu.
Zainul Abideen spent his early years
learning from men of outstanding knowledge. The first three years of
his life were spent in the guidance of his grandfather Imam Ali. For
his first twelve years he was very close to and tutored his uncle, Al-Hasan.
And he was tutored mainly by his father Al-Husain.
Our Imam was famous for his prayers to
Allah. This earned him the titles of “Al-Sajjad” meaning with Sujood-intensity;
“Al-Aabid” meaning the worship-minded, and “Zainul-Abideen” meaning the
one who surpasses all in worship.
Zainul Abideen’s knowledge and piety
surpassed all in his age. Many said that they could find no one else
like him, let alone better than him.
Imam Zainul-Abideen was often seen
trembling and weeping in Salat, out of his intense feeling toward the
Almighty. When asked the reason for this, he replied, “Know ye not
before whom I stand in prayers, and with whom I hold discourse?”
Also, the Imam’s charity, as frequent and
generous as it was, was always hidden and not announced. He helped
numerous ones who needed help. He was a friend of the poor, often even
carrying food on his back to poor households. He was also known for his
generosity and hospitality.
Like all our other Imams, Imam Zainul-Abideen
had a life of immense hardship and suffering. During the early part of
his life, he witnessed the martyrdom of his father, brothers, friends
and family members in Karbala. His own life was spared, on account of
his grave illness during this tragedy. Despite his condition, he still
asked for the permission to fight, but was denied it, as he was the next
Imam after Imam Al-Husain (A.S.).
The Imam’s survival in the holocaust of
Karbala is no less than a miracle in itself. It proves, however, that
Allah wanted to save “Imamah” from extinction.
The gruesome ordeal of Karbala was
extremely difficult if not profoundly arduous. In the immediate period
after Karbala Imam Zainul-Abideen was treated in a harsh and unkind
manner by the tyrannical powers of the time. After the grotesque manner
his father as well as all male members of his family were killed by
Yazid’s forces, Zainul Abideen was made a prisoner of the despotic
ruler, Yazid. He was even put in shackles while traveling from Kufa to
Damascus, a distance of 700 miles on camel back, for such was the
cruelty of the rulers!
In Damascus, as well as in Kufa
beforehand, Zainul Abideen faced the tyrannical rulers with enormous
courage and fortitude. Singlehandedly he exposed Yazid’s cover up of
the butchery that took place in Karabala, and valiantly brought to mind
to those attending the court of Yazid (as well as the crowd at Jumu’a
Salat) of who the family of the Prophet (Ahlul Bayt) were, and what
atrocities took place in Karbala as well.
Once in Medina, the 22 year old Imam
preferred seclusion for a period, perhaps of one year. After all, the
gruesome experience of the butchery in Karbala was too daunting for
anyone, let alone for the very tender-hearted Imam. He wrote, composed
and prayed, appealed and beseeched the Almighty. And this proved to
continue throughout his life time, which led to a magnificent write up
of Du’aas, supplications, and the epistle of rights and obligations of
man. The latter preceded the Magna Charta by several centuries, whereby
human rights and relationship are chartered and their obligations are
mapped. This is in relation to the Almighty, the self, the parents,
children, the community then the society.
Zainul Abideen was so generous, that his
enemy (Marwan son of Hakam of Benu Umayya) requested him to give shelter
to his family, to which Zainul Abideen did not hesitate. As it turned
out, he became the host to 400 people of Benu Umayya for several weeks,
feeding them, tending to them, and making every effort for their
comfort (free and without charges). These were from the same Benu
Umayya who had killed Zainul Abideen’s father and butchered the rest of
the family, and slew 8 Sahaabi of the Prophet (PBUH) and 20 Companions
of Imam Ali in Karbala, only one year before!!
The collection of his Du’aas is called
“Al-Saheefa Al Sajjadiyah”, also known as “Zaboor Aali Muhammad”. These
prayers are very compelling and very moving; they helped provide the
necessary guidance to later generations to this day.
Imam Zainul Abideen passed away at the age
of 57 years, exactly the same age of his father Imam Al-Husain. He died
in Medina on the 25th of Muharram. His son, the 38 year old
Imam Muhammad Al-Baaqir (A.S.) performed the funeral prayers. He was
buried in Jannatul Baqi.
Sample of Zainul Abideen’s Supplications:
MUNAJAAT: (The
Whispered Prayer) of the Hopeful:
O Lord!
Which person has come before Thee seeking
hospitality, and You have not received him hospitably? And who is the
one who has dismounted at Thy door hoping for magnanimity, and to whom
You have not shown it?
O Allah who is the asylum of every fleer,
the hope of seekers!
O Best Object of hope! O Most Generous Aim
for supplication!
O Allah who does not reject His asker or
disappoint the expectant!
O Allah whose door is open to His
supplicators and whose veil is lifted for those who hope in Him!
I ask Thee by Thy generosity to show
kindness toward me through Thy gifts,
* with that which will give serenity to my
soul, and
* through certainty with that which will
make easy for me the afflictions of this world, and
*life from my insight the veils of
blindness!
By Thy mercy, O Most Merciful of the
merciful!
ANOTHER MUNAJAAT
My Lord!
*Thy bounty which Thou hast given me - -
strip it not away!
*Thy generosity which Thou hast given me -
- strip it not away!
*Thy cover over me through Thy clemency -
- tear it not away!
*My ugly acts which Thou hast come to know
- - forgive them!
My Lord!
*I seek intercession from Thee with Thee,
and
*I seek sanctuary in Thee from Thee!
*I have come to Thee craving Thy
beneficence, desiring Thy kindness, …
*So act toward me with the forgiveness and
mercy of which Thou art worthy!
*Act not toward me with the chastisement
and vengeance of which I am worthy!
*By Thy mercy, O Most Merciful of the
merciful! |