HIS POSITION IN THE SILSILA: Waaris-e-Nabuiwat, Chiragh-e-Ummat, Sayyiduna Abul Hassan Ali, Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) is the fourth Imam & Sheikh of the Silsila Aaliyah Qaadiriyah Barakaatiyah Razviyah Nooriyah. He was one of the greatest Aabids of his era. Imam Zuhri (radi Allahu anhu) says, "(In my era) I have not seen any Quraish more excellent that Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) & refer to him as the "Beloved of the Beloved".
BIRTH: He was born on a Thursday the 5th of Shabaan 38 Hijri in Madina Munawwarah. (Masaalik-us-Saalikeen vol. 1 pg 207)
NAME: Hazrat Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu) kept most of his children's names attached to the name Ali. He was thus also named Ali. He was also known as Abu Muhammad, Abul Hassan, Abul Qaasim & Abu Bakr. His titles were Sajjad, Zain-ul-Abideen, Sayyid-ul-Abideen, Zak'ki & Ameen.EDUCATION: He spent ten years with his grandfather Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu), ten years with his uncle Sayyiduna Imam Hassan (radi Allahu anhu) & eleven years with his father, Hazrat Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu).
BLESSED MOTHER: His mother was known as Umm-e-Wulad & was also known as Shahar Banu. She was very pious & Allah fearing.
HIS FEATURES: He was the image of his grandfather Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu). He was tan in complexion & not very tall. He had a full beard on which he used henna (mendhi).
PREDICTIONS OF HIS BIRTH: Hazrat Jaabir (radi Allahu anhu) says, "I was in the blessed court of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) & Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu) was in the blessed arms of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, "O Jaabir (radi Allahu anhu)! A son shall be born to him, whose name shall be Ali. Then he will have a child, whose name shall be Muhammad (Imam Baaqir). O Jaabir! If you meet with him, then you should pass my salaams to him."HIS CHARACTER: Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) was blessed with beautiful character, which he definitely inherited from his illustrious forefathers. He was very eloquent & very respectful. He was always willing to assist those in need. Umar Abu Nasr writes that Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) purchased many slaves & then set them free. He would be kind even to those who were his personal enemies. Once he heard that there was a certain person who always spoke ill of him. Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) went to him & treated him with such respect & kindness, that he repented from his bad behaviour & affiliated himself to the great Imam. Many great poets have written numerous Qasidas in praise of his kindness & generosity. (Masaalik-us-Saalikeen vol. 1 pg 208)
HIS EXCELLENCE: Abu Haazim says, "I have not seen any Jurist more exalted than him."Zahbi & Ainiyah have said, "We have not seen any Quraish more exalted than him."
Hazrat Imam Maalik (radi Allahu anhu) says, "He is from the Men of Excellence"
Ibn Abi Shaiba says, "In Hadith, the most exalted chain of transmission is that which is narrated from Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) where he narrates from his father Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu)." (Masaalik-us-Saalikeen)
Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) was always prepared to sacrifice everything he had for Islam. He sacrificed all his wealth twice for Islam. He was a very generous person. He used to discreetly send money to the poor people living in Madinah Shareef & none of them knew that the money was coming from him. The only time this became known to them, was after his wisaal. (Tareekh-ul-Khulafa)
Masjid wa Maqam Sayyiduna Imam Zain al-'Abideen in Egypt
HIS PATIENCE: He was a person with great patience. After the Battle of Karbala, he was marched to Damascus in chains, shackles & during the rule of Abdul Malik bin Marwaan, he was arrested & chained. He was then forced to walk from Madinah to Syria in chains. With all this, he never complained or said one word about his condition in the Court of Allah. He instead remained patient & made Shukr (thanked Allah) on every step. Imam Zain-ul-Abideen's (radi Allahu anhu) most loyal student Sayyiduna Imam Zuhri (radi Allahu anhu) could not bear to see the Imam in this condition, so he went to Abdul Malik bin Marwaan & requested for the release of the great Imam. He then took him back to Madinah Shareef with great respect. (Khazinat-ul-Asfiyah vol. 1 pg. 31/32)
Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) had a very soft heart & always thought of the sacrifice that was given by his father Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu) & all the other martyrs on the plains of Karbala. Once, he was walking in the blessed streets of Madinah Munawwarah, when he saw a person placing a goat on the ground & was sharpening the knife before making the animal zibah. On seeing this, he became very saddened & thought of the martyrdom of his father. He then began to weep bitterly & asked the man, "My dear Brother! Did you give the goat some food & water or not?" The man replied that he had fed & given water to the goat for the past three days Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) let out a sigh of pain & said, "If is sad, that the people of Kufa did not even care for him like (you care for) the goat. They starved him for three days & nights & then martyred him in this state." (Masaalik-us-Saalikeen)
HIS IBAADAT: After the shahaadat of his blessed father of Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu), he completely divorced himself from the materialistic world. He spent all his time in the remembrance of Allah. He would pass his days & nights thinking of the tragedy of Karbala & weeping. When Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) used to sit down to perform wudhu, then his face used to become pale & when he stood in Namaaz, then his complexion would change to such an extent, that it would be difficult to recognise him. The people would ask, "O Beloved of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)! What has happened to you?" & he would say, "O People! Namaaz is a time when you are presented in the Court of Allah. Who is so naive as to smile & look happy, when he is standing before his Creator." (Awaarif-ul-Mu'aarif pg. 475)
He used to perform one thousand rakaats of nafil salaah every night. One night whilst he was performing his nafils, his house caught on fire. The people were rushing around trying to put out the fire, but he continued his Namaaz with total sincerity. After he completed his salaah, the people told him that his house & caught on fire & yet he continued reading his Namaaz without showing any sign of panic. He said, "You were trying to extinguish this fire & I was trying to extinguish the fire of the hereafter." (Khazinat-ul-Asfiyah vol. 1 pg. 31)
Imam Talha Shafi'i (radi Allahu anhu) writes that once shaitaan appeared in the form of a snaked whist the Imam was in Salaah. He caught the toe of Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen in his mouth, but the Imam did not even move or show sign of discomfort. After some time, he became disillusioned & stood a distance away from the Imam. Then, a voice was heard thrice, saying the following words, "You are the Jewel of the Worshippers, You are the Chief of those who prostrate (to Allah)."
HIS FEAR FOR ALLAH: He was a personality who truly feared Allah. His heart flowed with the fear of Allah. Once during Hajj, he tied his Ehraam but did not say the Labbaik. The people asked him the reason for this & he said, "I fear that I will say Labbaik & Allah will say, I do not accept your presence (Hajj)." The people then told him that his Ehraam would not be proper if he did not say Labbaik. He then said Labbaik & began to tremble in the fear of Allah until he fell off his camel & became unconscious. This continued throughout the Hajj, every time that he said Labbaik. (Khazinat-ul-Asfiyah)
RECITATION OF THE HOLY QURAN: Hazrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq (radi Allahu anhu) says, "When my grandfather, Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) used to recite the Quran, then the beauty of his recitation attracted the people towards him & all those listening to him would become so overwhelmed with the fear of Allah, that one did not know the condition of the other."
RETURN FROM THE BATTLE OF KARBALA: When Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) & the family of Imam Hussain (radi Allahu anhu) were taken to Yazee after the battle of Karbala, some person asked the Imam, "O Ali! O Dwellers of the House of Mercy! How did you pass through till morning?" Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) said, "We passed through until morning, in our nation, like the nation of Moosa (alaihis salaam) when they were before Firaun. The Firaunis killed their families & left their women & (some) children alive. Thus, we do not know what our morning is like compared to our evening in this test we are facing. We thank Allah for His Grace & we remain patient in difficulties & hardships. This is the reality of our difficult position." When Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) was returning to Madinah after the Battle of Karbala, he said a few stanzas. A few stanzas are being presented for blessing:
Maqam Sayyiduna Imam Zain al-'Abideen in Egypt
RESPECT FOR THE KHULAFA: Once some people from Iraq, came to visit Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu). During their visit, they began to say disrespectful words concerning Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar & Hazrat Usman (ridwaanullahi ta'ala alaihim ajma'een). When they had completed saying what they wished to, He said, "Tell me, are you from amongst the first Muhajireen, concerning whom Almighty Allah says, Those who were driven out from their homes & their possessions seeking the grace of Allah & His Pleasure & helping Allah & His Messenger. They are the truthful." (Surah Hashr verse 8).
They replied in the negative, by saying that the verse did not refer to them. Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) then aske dif they were from amongst the Ansaar, concerning whom Almighty Allah says in the Quran, "& those who had established their homes in this city, with faith, from inception, They, (who) show love to those, who migrated towards them & who find no need in their hearts, for that which has been left & they give preference to them over their lives, even though they are in great need." (Surah Hashr verse 9).
Again, they answered in the negative. He then said, I swear, that you are not even worthy of this verse of the Quran where in Allah says, "& those who came after them say, O Allah! Pardon us & our brothers, who brought faith before us & keep not in our hearts hostility towards those with Imaan. O Our Lord, Verily you are most Compassionate, Most Merciful." (Surah Hashr)
After saying this, he asked them to leave his presence. In other words, he showed them that they were not from amongst the Muhajireen, or the Ansaar, or even from amongst the believers. He therefore shunned them for being disrespectful to the Khualfa-e-Thalaasa.
KARAAMATS: The Karamaats of Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) are numerous, but a few are being quoted for attaining blessings.
INCIDENT DURING HAJJ: Two people where making tawaaf of the Kaaba & came to Hajr-e-Aswad. When they touched the Hajr-e-Aswad, both their hands became stuck to it. People tried very hard to release their hands, but it was not possible. Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) entered the Haram whilst this was happening. He said Bismillah-hir-Rahmaan-nir-Rahim & then placed his hands on the Hajr-e-Aswad. Immediately the hands of both were released. (Khazinat-ul-Asfiyah vol. 1 pg 34)
THE DEER: Once Hazrat had gone into the jungle with his companions. As they sat to eat, a deer passed by them. The Imam called to the deer & asked it to partake in the meal with them. The Deer immediately came to the Imam & partook in the meal provided. (Masaalik-us-Saalikeen vol. 1 pg 11)
A DEERS COMPLAINT: A deer once came to Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu), whilst he was in a jungle. The animal fell to the ground & began to say something. Those with the Imam asked what hat happened. The Imam said that the deer was complaining about a man who captured her child. Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) summoned the man. The man brought with him the child belonging to the deer. Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) asked him to release the deer, which he gladly did. After some time, the deer took it's young & said something & then left.
Those present were amazed & asked the Imam what the deer had said as she left. The Imam said, "She said, Jazak Allahu fi Darain Khair"
HIS CHILDREN: Almighty Allah blessed Hazrat Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (radi Allahu anhu) with fifteen children. The blessed names are as follows:
- Hazrat Imam Muhammad Baaqir (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Zaid (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Imraan (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Hassan (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Hussain (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Hussain Asghar (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Abdur Rahmaan (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Sulaiman (radi Allahu anhu),
- Hazrat Ali (radi Allahu anhu),
- One more son whose name is not known.
- Hazrat Khadija,
- Hazrat Faatima,
- Hazrat Aaliyah,
- Hazrat Umme Kulsoom (ridwaanullahi ta'ala alaihim ajmaeen).
ACCEPTANCE OF DUA:
WISAAL:
Mazar Sharif of Sayyiduna Imam Zain al-'Abideen in Jannat al-Baqi, Madina-tul-Munawwarah
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