Hadrat Shahrbano: The
Reverend Mother of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (A.S.)
Shahrbano was the
daughter of the (Iranian) kings and was mother of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin,
peace be on him. This great mistress occupied an important position in
the world of the Muslim woman. Indeed, she was among the great
mistresses of her time. She was among the prominent Muslim women and was
distinguished by noble qualities. Among them are:
A. She had a very clear lineage. She was the daughter of Choesroe, the
just king and pride of the kings of the East. Concerning him, the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said with pride: "I was
born at the time of the just King, Choesroe."
B. She was the wife of the father of the free and lord of martyrs, Ima`m
Husayn, peace be on him.
C. She was the mother of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin and Sayyid al-Sa`jidin,
peace be on him.
D. She was the grandmother of the pure Imams from among the children of
Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
E. She was the holy relationship between the Arabs and the Persians.
Indeed these qualities added honor to her honor and glory to her glory.
Her Psychological Traits
As for her psychological traits, they were chastity, purity, perfection,
standard morals, and cleverness. As she had good inclinations and
honorable traits, the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali ), peace be
on him, hastened to marry her to his son Ima`m Husayn, peace be on him.
He ordered him to treat her kindly and to do good for her. We will
briefly present some of her affairs according to what the references
have mentioned.
Reports of her Marriage
The reports have differed over the time when she married Ima`m Husayn,
peace be on him. The following are some of them:
A. At the Time of 'Umar
Al-Kulayni reported on the authority of Ima`m Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, peace
be on him. He said: "When Yazdigird's daughter came, 'Umar made the
virgins of Medina honor her. When 'Umar looked at her, she covered her
face and said: "Uf biru`jj ba`da` Hurmuz." These words meaning the day
of Hurmuz has become black because his daughters have become prisoners.
"Is she abusing me ? "asked 'Umar. "That is not for you," said the
Commander of the faithful, "Let her choose a person from the Muslims."
She walked till she put her hand on the head of al-Husayn, peace be on
him (Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 467. Dala'il al-Imama,
p. 370.)
Some historians have mentioned a report similar to this account. They
said: "Yazdigird had two daughters. They were taken prisoners during the
time of 'Umar. Thus, the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali), peace
be on him, took them. Of these he had given Ima`m al-Husayn and she bore
him Zayn al-'Abidin. He had given the other to Mohammed b. Abi Bakr and
she bore him al-Qa`sim.(Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1,
p. 104. Nazhat al-Majalis, vol. 2, p. 192. Zahrat al-Maqul, p. 6).
Ibn Kullakan has mentioned a similar report to this. However, he has
added that they were three (daughters). So he (the Commander of the
faithful)had given the third to 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar.(Ibn
Khullkan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429).
B. At the Time of 'Uthma`n
Al-Sadu`q has reported: "When 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar conquered Khurasan (Iran)during
the days of 'Uthma`n, he took the two daughters of Yazdigird prisoners.
He sent them to 'Uthma`n. Of them the latter had given to al-Hasan. He
had given the other to al-Husayn."('Uyyun al-Akhbar wa
Funun al-Athar, p. 143. Roudat al-Wa'izin, vol. 1, p. 137.
Tuhaf al-Raghib, p. 13. A'lam al-Wara, p. 151. Al-Mufid,
al-Irshad).
C. At the Time of the Caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful
A group of the historians and the narrators has reported: "When the
Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali), peace be on him, had assumed the
caliphate, he appointed Hurayth b. Ja`bir over part of the eastern
provinces.
The latter had sent him two daughters of Yazdigird b. Sharyya`r. Of
these he had given his son al-Husayn, peace be on him, Shahrbano and she
bore him Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He had given the other to
Mohammed b. Abi Baker and she bore him al-Qa`sim, the famous jurist."
These are the reports which have been mentioned of her marriage to Ima`m
(Husayn), the Lord of martyrs, peace be on him. Worth mentioning, the
last two reports have not mentioned the capture of Shahrbano with her
two sisters, rather they have mentioned that they were sent to the
Caliph. But the first report is clear in mentioning their capture.
Checking the Reports
We must check these different reports. We think that the first report is
incorrect for the following reasons:
1. Yazdigird was alive throughout the caliphate of 'Umar. He died after
his death. He was killed in Maru in the year 30 A.H. That was in the
sixth year of the caliphate of 'Uthma`n. We firmly believe that
Shahrbano and her two sisters disappeared after the murder of their
father till the caliphate of the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali).
The Commander of the faithful appointed Hurayth b. Ja`bir over that
area. The latter found them and sent them to the Ima`m, peace be on him.
2. What Abu Hanifa reported indicates that the first report is
incorrect. When the daughter of Yazdigird was brought to the Commander
of the faithful, he, peace be on him, said to her:
"Choose whomever you want of the Muslims."
She answered with awareness and high purpose:
"I want a head over whom there is no head."
This indicates the strong awareness of this Princess.
The Ima`m answered her kindly, saying:
"Indeed 'Ali is an old man."
This means that the Ima`m was in no need of women, for he was an old
man. Besides he was busy treating the general affairs that surrounded
him.
But the Princess insisted on her idea, saying:
"I talked completely to you."
Some Persian leaders asked the Ima`m to marry her to them.
The Ima`m answered, saying: "That is up to her. If she wishes to refuse
(marriage), (she can refuse it). If she wishes to accept (marriage),
(she can accept it)."
The Ima`m had no right to impose marriage on her, rather that was up to
her psychological wishes. No one had the right to force her to what he
wanted. The Mistress refrained from answering him.(
Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal). We firmly believe that it was Shahrbano. Her
marriage took place during the time of the Commander of the faithful,
peace be on him.
The most famous of the foregoing two reports. Most jurists think that
fame makes the report superior to (the other reports). Al-Muqrim, a
researcher, believed in this report.
Irregular Ideas
Some historians have mentioned irregular ideas concerning the lineage of
Shahrbano. They are as follow:
A. She was from the country of al-Sind.
B. She was among those who were taken prisoners in Kabul.
These two ideas oppose what the narrators and the historians have
unanimously agreed on, for they said that she was the daughter of
Yazdigird, the king of the Persians. That was famous even during the
time of the Ima`m. All the people knew that. In this connection, Abu al-Aswad
al-Du'ali, who was contemporary with the Ima`m, recited:
Indeed there is a son between Kasra and Ha`shim.
He is more noble than him to whom charms were
entrusted. He is the light. The place of his secret
is the Light of Allah.
He is the source of the fountain of the Ima`mate.(Bihar
al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 166).
He is knowledgeable.
Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, denoted that when he said: "I am
the son of the two good (communities)." With this he, peace be on him,
referred to the well-known tradition: "Allah, the Most High, has two
good (communities) among His creatures. His good (community) from the
Arabs is Quraysh, and from non-Arabs is Persia."(Ibn
Khullaka Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429. Ibn Tolon, Al-A'mmia al-Ithna
'Ashar, p. 175).
Some historians said: "Indeed 'Ali b. al-Husayn (Zayn al-'Abidin)
gathered prophethood and authority on the side of his grandfathers."
Her Holy Name
The mother of the Ima`m, peace be on him, was known as Shahrbano. This
was not her name. Rather it was her nick-name. It means the queen or the
mistress of the women.1 However, the historians have differed over her
name.
The following are some of her names:
1. Sala`ma.
2. Sala`fa.
3. Ghaza`la.
4. Salama.
5. Sa`dira.
6. Shahrbano.
These are some of the ideas which we have mentioned concerning her name.
It does not concern us which name is correct, for it does not avail
readers.
The Holy Relationship
Shahrbano was the holy relationship between the Arabs and the Persians.
This is because she was the mother of Zayn al-'Abidin, who was the son
of the two good (communities) and father of the pure progeny who filled
the world with all the factors of awareness, dignity, and advancement.
Sayyid 'Abid al-'Aziz Sayyid al-Ahal said: "Zayn al-'Abidin is a strong
relationship between us, we, the Arabs, and the Persians.
Then he is a strong relationship among all people. It is as if he is
among the strong causes which the Subtle, the Powerful (Allah) drove to
erase division, to strengthen unity, and to bring people close to each
other." This was the strongest relationship between the Arabs and the
Persians because it has spread love, affection, and unity among them.
Pre-Islamic Beliefs
Islam destroyed the pagan beliefs that divided the Muslims and paralyzed
their unity. Among those beliefs was that an Arab did not marry a
non-Arab (woman ). This is because he wanted to preserve Arab blood and
lineage. Surely this phenomenon divided the Muslims and destroyed their
unity. Islam indeed cast away this hollow selfishness and these vain
titles. It supported the honor and beauty of soul.
Hence the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: "Surely,
the most honorable of you with Allah is the most pious of you." Islam
has denoted in a positive way the just equality among the Muslims. It
has destroyed class differences and all racism. Allah's Apostle, may
Allah bless him and his family, married his relative Zaynab, the
daughter of Jahash, who belonged to the chiefs of the Hashimites, to his
retainer, Zayd b. Ha`ritha. He, may Allah bless him and his family,
wanted the Islamic community to learn a lesson from that and to follow
this clear straight path.
The Imams of the members of the House (ahl al -Bayt), peace be on them,
followed this Prophetic method. They waged war against racism and
resisted pre-Islamic beliefs by marrying female slaves after they had
released them. They sometimes married them with money before they had
freed them. This had great influence on the Arabs, and they abandoned
their pre-Islamic beliefs.
The historians said: "Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on him, married
Shahrbano
and she bore him the great figure of guidance, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin,
peace be on him. The Arabs saw his perfection and his high self. Hence
Quraysh hurried to marry slave-wives.Al-Mubarrad has narrated the
following on the authority of a man from Quraysh. The man's mother was a
slave-wife. The man said: "One day I sat with Sa'id b. al-Musayyab, and
he asked me: 'Who are your maternal uncles?' My mother is a slave-wife,
I answered."
Sa'id disdained the man. However, the man was clever. He waited for a
while. In the mean time Sa`lim b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar came. The latter
was a Quraysh great figure, but his mother was a slave-wife. Sa'id
talked with Sa`lim. Then the latter went away. So the man asked Sa'id:
"Uncle, who is this man ?"
Sa'id became angry. He shouted at the man, saying:
"Glory be to Allah ! Do you ignore this man who is from your people ?
This is Sa`lim b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar b. al-Khatta`b."
"Who is his mother ?" asked the man.
"A slave-wife," replied Sa'id.
Then al-Qa`sim b. Mohammed b. Abi Baker came to Sa'id. The former's
mother was a slave-wife. A talk took place between them. When al-Qa`sim
went away, the man asked Sa'id the same question. The man answered him
in the same manner. Then Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin came. Sa'id welcomed him
warmly. When the Ima`m went away, the man asked Sa'id: "Uncle, who is
this man?"
"This is whom no Muslim can ignore. This is 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ali b.
Abi Ta`lib," replied Sa'id angrily.
"Who is his mother ?" asked the man.
"A slave-wife," replied Sa'id.
"Why did you disdain me when I said that my mother was a slave-wife ? Is
my mother not similar to theirs?" asked the man.
Sa'id confessed his mistake. He admired the man and took care of him.(Al-Mubarrad,
al-Kamil, vol. 2, p. 462 Nazhat al-Jalis, vol. 2, p. 23. al-A'mmia al-Ithna
'Ashar, p. 176).
This bad phenomenon prevailed that time. It resulted from the
backgrounds of the pre-Islamic time that was intellectually and socially
backward. One has no shortcoming when his mother is from Rome, Persia,
and the like. For this reason the poet said:
Do not curse the person whose mother is from the Romans
Or is black from the non-Arabs.
Indeed the mothers of people are entrusted containers
And the lineage has fathers.
They only thing that increases the importance of the person is his good
deeds, his services for his community, and his high self even though his
mother is black from non-Arabs. If the person's deeds are bad, then he
is mean even if he is a Sharif from Quraysh. The great Islam has
underlined that. It does not hold importance to anything except good
deeds, for they are the only criterion in showing the high and low
position in it.
Ima`m 'Ali took care of Her
Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, took care of
Shahrbano, for he was aware of her belief and her perfect intellect. A
group of traditions was narrated on his authority. The traditions have
praised her outstanding qualities. Some of them are as follows:
A. He recommended his son, Ima`m Husayn, to treat her kindly, saying:
"Treat Shahrbano kindly, for she is satisfactory. She will bear you the
best of the people of the earth after you."('Uyyun al-Mu'jizat.
Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 14).
B. He told his family that she would be the pure mother of the pure
Imams. He, peace be on him, said: "She is the mother of the trustees (of
authority ), the pure progeny."( Basa'ir al-Darajat,
p. 96. Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 214. Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 1, p.
13).
The pure Imams, from whom Allah kept away the uncleanness and purified
thoroughly, branched from this noble Mistress.
Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, took care of Shahrbano, for
he knew that she had good abilities such as virtues, perfection, and
politeness. He, peace be on him, asked her: "What have you memorized
from your father after the Event of the Elephant?"
She answered him with this golden word that denotes her father's vast
intellect and his experience in the affairs of life:
He said: "When Allah overcomes an affair, the ambitions become humble
after it. When the period is over, death is in the means."
The Ima`m was astonished at this wise word that indicates the reality of
life. Hence he admired her, saying: "What good your father said ! All
matters are subject to destiny, so much so that sometimes death results
from effort."(Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 160. Al-Bihar,
vol. 46, pp. 11-12).
Every thing in this existence is subject to Allah's will. Indeed Allah ,
the Most High has the power over everything. Man may depend on firm
means. He thinks that such means protect him from dangers. However, they
do not avail him. This is because they might endanger him. Therefore,
his death results from them.
Al-Husayn took care of Her
Ima`m Husayn, peace be on him, took care of his wife,Shahrbano, very
much. He preferred her to his wives. As a result this Shahrbano found
respect and honor with the Ima`m. So she forgot the luxurious life which
she led during the rule of her father. The Ima`m taught her the Islamic
spiritual teachings to the extent that she renounced her royal life.
Sayyid 'Abd al-Aziz Sayyid al-Ahal said: "Al-Husayn, peace be on him,
taught her Islamic teachings to the extent that she forgot the palaces
of al-Mada`'in and the meadows of Kabul."
The Historians praised Her
Some historians praised this noble lady. The following are their words
(concerning her):
A. Al-Mubarrad
Concerning this great Mistress, al-Mubarrad said:
"Shahrbano was among the excellent women."(Al-Kamil,
vol. 2, p. 462).
Indeed Shahrbanowas among the mistresses of the women. She was chaste,
and her intellect was perfect. Moreover, her morals were high.
B. Ibn Shadqam
Ibn Shadqam said: "Shahrbano had many outstanding merits."(Zahrat
al-Maqul, p. 16).
C. Al-Kunji
Ima`m al-Hafiz, Mohammed b. Yousif al-Kunji, said: "Allah, the Blessed
and Exalted, created the rightly-guided Imams, from among the progeny of
al-Husayn, from the daughter of Choesroe with the exclusion of the rest
of his wives.(Kifayat al-Talib, p. 414).
Indeed Allah bestowed His favors and His care on this noble lady. He
endowed her with great favor. He made her a noble mother for Ima`m Zayn
al-'Abidin and good pure grandmother for the pure Imams, who raised the
Word of Allah high in the earth. |