CHAPTER lll
HIS BROTHERS AND HIS CHILDREN
As for the
research bout the Sharifs from the brothers and children of Imam al-Baqir and
about their relationship with him, it is necessary according to modern studies.
That is because it denotes a side of his life under the wing of his family and
it is numbered among the educational factors that affect the individual's
character as the educationalists say. That is as follows:
His Brothers
As
for the Imam's relationship with his brothers, it was very strong. Love and
familiarity prevailed. It was far from bitter obscene language. It was said to
him:
“Which
of your brothers is the most lovable you?”
He,
peace be on him, replied that he did not discriminate against anyone of them
and that he loved them all and was loyal to them all. He said:
“As
for ‘Abd Allah, he is my hand with which I assault.[1] As for ‘Umar, he is me eye through which I see. As for al-Husayn, he is
clement. He walks calmly on the earth. When the ignorant address them, they
say: greetings.”[2]
The Imam's
brothers had all the noble qualities such as piety, God-fearingness, and
righteousness. Their father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn, peace be on him, fed them
from his guidance and bestowed on them rays from his soul. Thus, the rays
enlightened their hearts through the true Islam and the true belief. Now, we
will give a brief idea about their affairs:
Zayd the Martyr
As for Zayd the
martyr, he filled the world with his knowledge and his outstanding qualities.
He was among the notables of the Prophet's family who raised Allah's Words high
in the earth and sacrificed their souls for Allah to establish Islamic justice,
to repeat the Koranic government among people, and to end the social oppression
which the Umayyad regime spread among the people. Now, we will mention some of
his life and his affairs.
His Birth
Zayd
the martyr was born in the year 78 A. H.[3] It was said that he was born in
the year 75 A. H.[4] When his father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn,
peace be on him , was given good news,
he took the Holy Koran and opened it. Thus, the holy verse appeared: “Surely
Allah has bought of the believers their souls and their property for this, that
they shall have the garden.”[5] He closed the Koran and then he opened it
again, so this verse appeared: “And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's
way as dead; nay they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their lord.”[6] He closed the Koran and opened it, so this
verse appeared: “Allah has made the strivers with their property and their
souls to excel the holders back a (high) degree.”[7]
The
Imam was dazzled and began saying:
“I have been
condoled concerning this boy. Surely he will be among the martyrs.”[8]
The Imam, peace be on him, predicted the
martyrdom and told his companions about it. Thus, they had no doubt about that.
His Early Life
Zayd grew up in
the Houses of Prophethood and of the
Imamate. His father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn, who was the best human being
during his time, fed him with the essence of wisdom. He took care of his
manners. He drew the way of guidance and good for him. He affected his
behavior. Thus, his father's bright habits were impressed in his mind. The
historians said: “Zayd's most prominent qualities were asceticism, piety, and
conforming to the religion. He did not follow the leadership of himself. Rather
he preferred the pleasure and obedience of Allah to all things. ”
From his
childhood, Zayd had a close relationship with his brother al-Baqir who was the
successor and trustee of his father and the inheritor of his knowledge. It is
natural that this relationship had a great effect on his behavior and his
character. That is because his behavior and his character were similar to those
of his grandfathers whom Allah purified from uncleanliness and made far from
them the sins of this world.
His Worship and his Piety
Zayd was loyal
to Allah in worship and turned to Him in repentance. '‘Asim b. ‘Ubayd
al-‘Umari said: “When Zayd was a young man in Medina, I saw him praise Allah to the extent
that he fainted. Thus, the people said that he would not come back to this
world.”[9] With the people of Medina, he was known as the Ally of the Koran.[10] The prostration (in prayer) affected his face[11] because of his many prayers during whole the
night.[12] With his sentiments and his feelings, he turned his face toward Allah.
Moreover, he followed everything that brought him near Allah in station.
His Knowledge and his Literature
Zayd
was among the prominent scholars of his time. He was an encyclopedia of
traditions, jurisprudence, the explanation (of the Koran), language,
literature, and theology. Jabir asked Imam Mohammed al-Baqir, peace be on
him, about Zayd. He, peace be on him, replied: “You asked me about a man who is
full of belief and knowledge from the ends of his hair to his foot.”[13]
He,
peace be on him, said: “Indeed Zayd was given abundant knowledge.”[14] Zayd talked about his vast knowledge and
education when he prepared himself to lead the community and to revolt against
the Umayyad government. He said:
”By
Allah, I did not go out nor did I make this uprising of mine till I have read
the Koran, mastered the religious duties, have command of the sunna (the
Prophet's practices), and morals, known the interpretation as I have known the
Koran, understood the abrogating (verse) and the abrogated, the specific and general, the clearly defined and the
ambiguous, and the necessary needs of the community. Indeed I know my Lord
clearly.”[15]
Surely
Zayd was among the most prominent jurists and among the greatest reporters of
tradition. He learned his knowledge from his father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn,
peace be on him, and from his brother, Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, who
split open knowledge as his grandfather, the Apostle, may Allah bless him and
his family, said. They fed him with all kinds of knowledge. Moreover, he
learned from them the principles and branches of the thought and the
explanation (of the Koran). Thus, he was among the first-class figures in his
outstanding merits and knowledge.
Al-Shahristani
thought that Zayd studied under Wasil b. ‘Ata' and learned al-i‘tizal
(seclusion) from him. He said: “He (Zayd) wanted to know the principles and the
branches to be endowed with knowledge, so he learned the principles from Wasil
b. ‘Ata', the head of the Mutazilites. Worth mentioning, Wasil b. ‘Ata'
thought that Zayd's grandfather, ‘Ali b. Abï~ Talib, peace be on him, was not
sure of correctness during his battles against the Companions of the Camel and
the Syrians and that one of the two parties was wrong. For this reason, Zayd
learned al-i‘tizal (seclusion) from him.”[16]
This idea is
incorrect, for Zayd did not take his religious knowledge from Wasil. Rather he
learned it from his father and his brother, who enlightened the scientific
intellectual life of Islam.
The jurists and
the heads of the Islamic Schools took their religious knowledge directly from
the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, or from
one of their students. So, why would Zayd go to Wasil to take knowledge from
him?[17] Shaykh Abu Zahra said: “Zayd met Wasil to
debate with him. He was not his student, for they were of the same age. Zayd
was grown-up. “He added: “Zayd learned the branches of the rules from his
family. That was in Medina, the cradle of the science of the
branches. ”[18]
Zayd learned his
religious knowledge from his father and
his brother. He was among the prominent jurists during his time. Abu Khalid
al-Wasity reported a group (of traditions) on his authority. They are about
jurisprudence such as worships and transactions. He called them ‘Musnad Ahmed'.
We have mentioned the criticisms of this book in our study on the beliefs of
the Zaydis.
As for Zayd's
literary position, he was among the first-class in literature and eloquence. He
was similar to his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him,
in eloquence.[19] The historians said: “Zayd debated upon a bequest with Ja‘far b.
al-Hasan. When they debated upon the bequest with each other, the people
overcrowded around them to hear their debate. The people memorized and wrote
Ja‘far's and Zayd's words. Then they learned them as they learned the
obligatory religious duties, rare poetry, and proverbs. ”[20] Sibawayh quoted Zayd's poetry. Zayd's
opponent, Hisham the tyrant, acknowledged his literary abilities and his
skillful speech. He said: “Zayd has a sweet tongue and a strong style. He is
appropriate for hiding the speech. ”[21] History and literature books are full of his
wonderful wise sayings, which are among eloquent Arabic speech.
Imam al-Baqir admired Zayd
Imam
al-Baqir, peace be on him, revered and admired his brother, Zayd. He showed
the deepest affection and the sincerest love towards him. That is because Zayd
was among the peerless men and was a living example of unique heroism. The
historians reported examples of that affection and admiration. The following
are some of them:
1.
Imam al-Baqir said: “Indeed, Zayd, the mother who bore you was highborn. O
Allah, strengthen my back by Zayd. ”[22] This indicates that the Imam revered and
admired his brother, Zayd.
2.
Sudayr al-Sayrafi reported: “I (Sudayr) was with Abu Ja‘far al-Baqir, peace
be on him. Suddenly, Zayd b. ‘Ali entered. Abu Ja‘far patted him on the back
and said to him: 'This is the Lord of the Hashimites. When he orders you, then
obey him. When he asks you for the support, then support him. '”[23] This indicates that the Imam summoned (the
people) to support and defend him. He also regarded his uprising as legal.
3.
The historians reported on the authority of a man from the Hashimites, who
said: “We were sitting with Mohammed (al-Baqir) b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn. His
brother, Zayd, was also sitting. Then a man from Kufa came in. Mohammed b.
‘Ali said to the man: 'You narrate original poetry. What did al-Ansari say to
his brother?'“The man recited for the Imam some lines of poetry having noble
qualities.
Abu
Ja‘far (al-Baqir) put his hand on Zayd's shoulder and said to him: “My
brother, these are your qualities. I ask Allah to protect you so as not to be
killed in Iraq.”[24]
The
above-mentioned lines denote that Zayd had a strong will and resolution. He was
obedient to his brother. His qualities were noble. He was appropriate for
carrying out great tasks. Nobody has such qualities but the matchless ones.
Imam
al-Baqir, peace be on him, gave the highest qualities to his brother and
granted him his loyal love. The factor of brotherhood did not motivate
al-Baqir to treat his brother in such a way. That is because his spiritual
position did not permit him to follow sentiments and desires. Rather he thought
that his brother was among the most perfect human beings. So, he granted him
such love and honor.
With Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik
Hisham bore
malice against the Prophet's family and harbored hatred against them. He
ordered his security agents to keep an
eye on the ‘Alids and to know their political activities. His security agents
informed him of Zayd's high social rank and his remarkable abilities. They told
him that the people followed Zayd and that they looked forward to his
government. Thus, Hisham plotted against him. He ordered his governor over Medina (Yathrib) to send Zayd to Damascus. When Zayd arrived in Damascus, Hisham did not receive him to weaken
and disdain him. When the Syrians saw that Zayd had high morals, eloquent
speech, strong proofs, and religious devoutness, they followed him. Hisham
heard of that, so he burst into anger. Then he asked the advice of some of his
followers to abase and weaken Zayd before the Syrians. They said to him:
“Permit all the people to come to meet you. Prevent Zayd from coming with them.
Then let him enter after them all. When he enters and greets you, do not greet
him and do not order him to sit down.”Hisham did that. He thought that such an
action would decrease Zayd's importance and weaken his character. Some historians
said: “Zayd came in and greeted Hisham. However, Hisham did not greet him.
Thus, Zayd burst into anger. He addressed him violently, saying: ‘Cross-eyed,
greetings! Indeed you see yourself appropriate for this name!’”[25] These words destroyed the tyrant's might and
abased his haughtiness. So, he shouted at Zayd, saying: “I have heard that you
mention the caliphate and wish for it. Still, you are inappropriate for it.
Moreover, you are the son of a slave-wife.”
Zayd
opposed Hisham. He mocked at him. He brought proofs to refute Hisham's words,
saying: “Surely, mothers do not hold back men from their aims. Indeed Ismael's
mother was a slave for Isaac's mother. However, Allah appointed him prophet,
made him the father of the Arabs, and brought out from his back the best of
prophets, Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family.”[26]
Hisham
could not control himself because of these wonderful words. He shook all over.
Thus, he attacked Imam Mohammed al-Baqir, saying: “What does your brother,
the cow (al-baqara), do?”
Nobody
uses these obscene words except the ignorant ones who have no proof. Zayd felt
pain when Hisham abused his brother. So, he turned to the tyrant and said to
him: “Allah's Apostle has called al-Baqir (the one who splits open knowledge).
Why do you call him al-baqara (the cow)? That is because of the great
difference between you and him. You will oppose him in the hereafter as you
have opposed him in this world. So, he will enter Paradise and you will enter the Fire.”[27]
These words shook the
tyrant's throne. They made the Syrians know that the tyrant was the worst
creature and that he was not worthy of being a police man. He opposed Allah's
Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. So, why was he the Caliph over the
Moslems? Hisham was unable to control himself, so he ordered his police to
take Zayd out of his meeting.[28] Zayd went out. His heart was full of anger and pain. The tyrant
(Hisham) began saying to his family: “Do you not claim that the members of
this House have perished? No, by my life, the people whose descendant is this
have not perished.”[29]
Zayd went out. He was
very eager to announce his uprising against the Umayyad government that denied
all human values and disdained the people's dignity. Zayd declared his uprising
through his immortal words that became a motto and anthem for the
revolutionists who entered the fields of armed struggle. He said:
“If people hate the heat
of the swords, they become low. ”
This confrontation
between Zayd and Hisham took place during the lifetime of Imam Mohammed
al-Baqir, peace be on him. The books have not mentioned the Year when this
confrontation occurred. However, from that moment, Zayd decided to revolt
against the Umayyad regime. Some of his followers said that they went to him
and heard reciting the following words of the poet:
Whoever seeks the
forbidden glory with the spear
lives glorious or the
spears tear him.
When you gather together
a clever heart and a sword
and a refusal soul, the
oppressive will avoid you.
When a group of people
invade me, I invade it.
O Family of Hamadan, am
I oppressive in that?[30]
These lines of poetry
indicate that Zayd decided to revolt against the Umayyad regime through
entering the field of armed struggle. He chose this method to live glorious and
noble, to make the oppressive avoid him, and to protect himself from the plot
of the aggressors. Oh You who are great
revolutionary, you are not oppressive nor are an aggressor. Rather you are the
one who saved and freed the Arabs and the Moslem community from oppression,
injustice, and despotism.
The Legal Uprising
It is certain
that Zayd was not joyful nor ungrateful nor oppressive nor corruptive when he
announced his uprising. Rather he wanted to obtain Allah's pleasure and the
hereafter. Surely he saw prevailing oppression and general injustice. He saw
the Umayyad rulers violate all the things Allah prohibited. Thus, he revolted
against them for Allah and the truth. The reporters said: “When Zayd decided to
revolt (against the Umayyads), Jabir b. Zayd al-Ju‘fi came and said to him:‘ I
heard your brother, Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), say:‘ Indeed my brother, Zayd b.
‘Ali, will revolt and he will be killed. He is right. Woe unto him who betrays
him! Woe unto him who fight against him! Woe unto him who Kills him. '”
So,
Zayd said to him: “I cannot keep silent. That is because they have disobeyed
Allah's Book. Moreover, they have believed in idols and false deities. I saw a
man with Hisham. The man was abusing Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and
his family. Thus, I said to the man:‘ Unbeliever, woe unto you. When I meet
you, I will kill you and send you quickly to the Fire. '“So, Hisham said to
me: “Zayd, keep silent. He is our friend. “Then I (Zayd) said: “By Allah, if
there was nobody except I and my son, Yahya, I will go out and fight against
him till I have perished.”[31]
Imam
Abu Allah al-Sadiq, peace be on him, praised his uncle (Zayd) very much. He
also glorified his reformative uprising. “The narrators said: “Al-Sadiq said
to his companions:‘Do not say that Zayd disobeyed. Surely, Zayd was a religious
scholar. He was very truthful. He did not summon you for himself. Rather, he
summoned you to follow al-Rida from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him
and his family. If he had appeared, he would have fulfilled what he had
promised you. Surely, he revolted against the supreme authority to change it.”[32] Al-Sadiq, peace be on him, gave ‘Abd
al-Rahman b. Sayyaba a thousand dinars to divide them among the families of
those who were wounded with Zayd.[33]
If
the uprising had been illegal, Zayd would have not done that. That is because
he was far above emotions and sentiments.
Some
reports have condemned Zayd's uprising. They have regarded it as illegal.
However, our master sayyid Imam al-Khu'i has discussed Zayd's uprising. He has
proven that the chain of the reporters is weak. So, nobody can rely on such a
chain to defame Zayd's character and uprising.[34]
However,
Zayd's uprising made intellectual social change in the Islamic society and made
it ready to revolt against the Umayyad government. Few years passed, then the
black standards waved in Khurasan. Then they crept to conquer the Islamic
countries and to purify them from the hirelings of the Umayyad authority. Thus,
they overthrew the Umayyad throne and put an end to its haughtiness and
despotism.
The Great Uprising
Zayd
revolted against the Umayyad rule through his faith that represented the
essence and guidance of Islam. Indeed he saw a liar living, a truthful one was
accused of lying, riches without piety, common injustice, and despotism in the
affairs of the Moslems. So, he was unable to keep silent. Some of his Shi'ties
said: “We went out with Zayd. When it was mid night and the Pleiades appeared,
he said to us:‘ Do you not see the Pleiades? Do you thing that there is anyone
who can reach them?'”
“No,”they
replied.
“By
Allah, I wish that my hand was attached to them and I fell on the ground or
where I fell and cut into pieces and that Allah reformed the community of
Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family.”[35]
These
words of his indicate his reformative nature and his great loyalty to the
community of his grandfather, may Allah bless him and his family and his full
dedication to general reform.
‘Isa b. ‘Abd
Allah reported on the authority of his grandfather Mohammed b. ‘Umar b. ‘Ali,
peace be on him, who said: “I was with Zayd b. ‘Ali when Hisham sent us to
Yousif b. ‘Umar. When we left Hisham , we headed for Qadisiya (a province in Iraq). When we arrived there, Zayd said:‘
Isolate my provision from yours. ' So, his son said to him:‘What do you want to
do?' ' I want to return to Kufa. By Allah, if I know that Allah is pleased
with me when I strike fire with my hand to throw myself into it when it is
ablaze, I will do so. However, I know that there is nothing that pleases Allah,
the Great and Almighty, more than striving against the Umayyads.[36]
Zayd
did not revolt against the Umayyads for the Caliphate or the supreme authority.
Rather he revolted to obtain Allah's pleasure and the hereafter. He thought
that striving against the oppressive was among the greatest things that would
make him near him to Allah. Then he headed for Kufa, for it was the general
center of the Shi‘ites who asked him to come to them to pledge allegiance to
him to revolt against the Umayyad government and to overthrow it. The
historians said that a group of his loyal companions warned him of going to
Kufa and blamed him for having trust in the Kufans who were known for
treason and breaking promises. However, he did not pay attention to that, for
he found no strategic place for his uprising other than Kufa. He was reciting
the following words of ‘Antara al-‘Absi:
She
got up early in the morning to make me afraid of death.
It
was as if I was in isolation from the
accidents of life.
So,
I answered her that death was a watering place and that
I
would be surely watered by the glass of the watering place.[37]
These
lines of poetry indicates that Zayd decided to enter the field of armed
struggle and that he strove bravely to drink out of the glass of death to get
rid of abasement, as his grandfather, Imam Husayn, the Lord of the free, and
of the abstinent ones in Islam.
When
Zayd arrived in Kufa, the Kufans received him warmly and hurried to pledge
allegiance to him. The number of those who pledged allegiance to him was
fifteen thousand people. It was said that their number was more than this.
Moreover, the jurists, the judges, the great thinkers, and the prominent poets
pledged allegiance to him. Among them were al-A‘mash, Sa‘d b. Kaddam, Qays b.
al-Rabï~‘, al-Hasan b. ‘Ammara, and the like.[38] Abu Hanifa was asked about Zayd's going out,
so he said: “His going out was similar to the going out of the Apostle of
Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, at the Battle of Badr.”He added: “If
I had known that the people would not abandon him as they had abandon his
father, I would have fought along side him. However, I helped him with money.”[39]
As for the form
of the pledge of allegiance which Zayd took from those who pledged allegiance
to him, it is as follows: “I summon you to (follow) the Book of Allah, the
Sunna (practices) of His Apostle, to strive against the oppressive, to defend
the oppressed, to give to the deprived, to divide booty among its people, to
pay the rights to their owners, to support the people of the truth , and the
like.”[40]
This
form gives a picture about the original principles for which Zayd revolted.
They are:
1.
He summoned (the people) to enliven the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His
Prophet. That is because the Umayyad policy drove them away from life.
2.
He summoned them to strive against the Umayyad oppressive rulers who led the
Moslems through oppression and injustice and forced them to adopt what they
hated.
3.
He summoned them to defend the rights of the oppressed and to give to the
deprived. Indeed this class of people were deprived of all their legal rights
throughout the Umayyad rule.
4.
He summoned them to divide equally booty and all financial rights among the
Moslems. The Umayyads blundered such rights and spent them on their pleasures
and their private desires.
5.
He summoned them to support the righteous people who took care of the lawful
affairs of the community. They were the guides from the members of the House
(ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them.
Zayd
revolted (against the Umayyads) to achieve these great aims in the Islamic
homeland and to save the community from injustice, oppression, and severe punishments of the Umayyads.
The
historians said: “Zayd had a large armed force. Their number was forty thousand
people. Thus, he thought that he had to announce his uprising and to creep with
his armies to occupy Kufa and to over throw the Umayyad government.
His
armies started from Jabbanat Salim.[41] They were hailing their great leader, Zayd.
They were very eager to over throw Umayyad rule. They were shouting: Ya
Mansur, amit. “O He who is victorious, bring death.”[42]
When Zayd saw the
standards waving over his head , he said: “Praise belongs to Allah Who has
guided me. By Allah, if I do not enjoin (the people) to do good, I will feel
shame of Allah's Apostle, may Allah
bless him and his family, when I meet him at al-Hawd (holy water in Heaven).[43] Then he addressed his armies, saying: “Cleave
to the behavior of the Commander of the Faithful in Basrah and Syria. Do not follow the fugitive, do not
kill the wounded, and do not open a
closed thing.”[44]
The war broke out at a very cold night.[45] That was in Muharram 23rd, in the year 122 A. H. Armed clashes occurred
between Zayd's followers and the Umayyad armies headed by the Governor of
Kufa, Yousif b. ‘Umar.
Treason and Perfidy
The Kufans betrayed Zayd after they
had made a covenant with Allah to support and defend him. They abandoned him at
the battle. They left him with the few of his companions in the field of armed
struggle (jihad). When Zayd knew of their treason, he said:
“They have done towards me as they had
done towards al-Husayn.”
The Kufans betrayed him as they had
betrayed his grandfather, al-Husayn, before. Zayd was sure of the failure of
his uprising. It seemed to him that the Kufans had no protection nor had they
loyalty. Thus, he and his companions took part at the battle that happened in
the streets of Kufa. He proved himself brave. The people did not see a knight
braver than him.[46]
Under the Protection of Immortality
Zayd showed
bravery and heroism which nobody can depict. He pursued the armies and
inflicted on them heavy causalities. So, the Umayyad army was unable to resist
Zayd's successive attacks. He attacked them and recited the following words of
a poet:
I
abase life and honor death.
I see them both
unhealthy taste.
If one of them
is necessary,
then I will
walk towards death in a pretty way.
Surely Zayd
preferred the glory of death to the abasement of life, as his grandfathers
preferred that. He did not yield to abasement and enslavement. Rather, he died
honorably under the shade of swords.
When it got
dark, an arrow hit Zayd in the forehead.[47] The arrow reached his noble brain that thought
of nothing but of man's righteousness and happiness.
The disaster
befell his companions. They were full of sorrow and sadness. Thus, they sent
for a doctor. The doctor took the arrow out of Zayd's forehead. However, Zayd
died immediately. With that the glowing candle that illuminated the way and
made clear the purpose for the Moslems went out.
Zayd died as a
martyr to achieve social justice in the earth, to secure equal chances for the
Moslems, and to divide the blessings of the earth among the poor and the
deprived whose rights the Umayyad authority denied.
The historians
said : “Indeed Zayd's companions were perplexed at burning his body. That is
because the Umayyad authority would maim it in a sinful way. After a
discussion, they decided to bury his body in a river. They went to the river
and stopped its water. They dug a gave in it and buried the pure body in it.
They made the water flow on it. Then they went away weeping over the great
leader who took care of the rights of the oppressed and the persecuted.
One of the
spies of the authorities was among Zayd's companions. The spy saw their
movements. Thus, he hurried to Kufa to tell its governor about the place of
the grave. So, the governor ordered the grave to be dug up to take the body out
of it. Thus, the body was taken out and carried to the Palace of Kufa. There the governor ordered the body
to be hung upside-down at al-Kanasa Market. Then he ordered the head to be cut
off to be sent as a gift to the Syrian tyrant, Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik. The
cruel tyrant ordered the head to be put at his meeting. He ordered those who
came to him to step on it with their shoes to abase it very much.[48] Then he made the hens peck its brain. In this
connection, the poet said:
Dismiss
the rooster from Zayd's brain
as
long as the chickens did not tread on him.[49]
(He
is) the grandson of the Prophet, the noblest of all Allah's creatures, the
adornment of the delegations and pilgrims.
They
carried running his head to Syria in the early morning.[50]
The
tyrant (Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik) ordered the head to be hung on the gate of Damascus. Then the head was sent to Medina.[51] It was installed at the grave of the Prophet,
may Allah bless him and his family, for a day and a night.[52] Then it was sent to Egypt. All that was done to spread fear and
terrorism among the people and to make them know that the authorities were able
to suppress any anti-government opposition.
The
tyrant of Damascus wrote to the assassin, Yousif b. ‘Umar,
the governor of Kufa, to let Zayd hang. With that he intended to abase the
‘Alids and to disdain their Shi‘ites. It escaped him that such an action
lighted the fire of revolution in their souls. Thus, they were ready to
sacrifice their lives for their doctrines.
The
Umayyads boasted of hanging Zayd's body. Al-Hakï~m b. ‘Ayyash, an Umayyad
hireling, boasted of that, saying:
We have hung
Zayd for you on the trunk of a date-palm.
We have never
seen a Mahdi hung on the trunk.
You have
compared ‘Uthman with ‘Ali owing to foolishness.
While ‘Uthman
is better than ‘Ali.
A handful of
earth is in al-Hakï~m's mouth. Surely Zayd was hung because he wanted to
achieve the rights of the oppressed and the persecuted. He was hung because he
wanted to establish social justice in the earth and to put an end to social
oppression and the playing with the fate and blessings of the community.
When Abu ‘Abd
Allah al-Sadiq heard of these lines of poetry, he felt pain very much. So, he
raised his hands to supplicate (Allah), saying: “O Allah, if your servant is a
liar, then empower Your dog. “Allah accepted the Imam's supplication. A lion
ate al-Hakï~m when he was walking in the streets of Kufa. When the Imam heard
of that, he prostrated himself in prayer to thank Allah, saying: “Praise
belongs to Allah Who has fulfilled His promise.”[53]
Torturing Zayd's Supporters
When the Umayyad authority had suppressed
Zayd's uprising, it went too far in spreading panic and fear in Kufa. It
punished the innocent person because of the guilty one and the comer because of
the fugitive. It resorted to punishing Zayd's supporters severely. It went to
extremes in doing that. It tortured not only the men but also the women. That
was forbidden even with the people who lived before Islam. However, the
authorities regarded that as lawful to achieve their political aims. The
historians said: “The bloody tyrant, Yousif b. ‘Umar, ordered a woman to be
arrested, for the woman supported Zayd. When she stopped before him, he ordered
her hand and her leg to be cut off. However, she asked them to cut off her leg
first to gather her clothes. When they responded to her, they cut off her hand
and her leg. So, she bled till she died. Then the bloody tyrant ordered her
husband to be summoned to behead him.[54] He also ordered a woman to be arrested, for
the woman married her daughter to Zayd. He ordered her clothes to be torn. Then
he ordered her to be whipped. She was whipped till she died. Then her body was
thrown into the desert. A group of people took it and buried it in their
cemetery.[55]
The
tyrant committed many crimes of such a kind. All these crimes indicate that he
had neither conscience nor feelings.
The Moslems' Discontent
The
Moslems were annoyed when Zayd was killed. They harbored malice against the
Umayyads who violated the holiness of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his
family, when they killed Zayd. Worth mentioning, the Prophet ordered the
community to treat his progeny kindly.
The
Umayyads committed the Karbala' terrible massacre. Only few years
after that, they murdered Zayd, who was among the notables of the Prophetic
family. They were not content with his murder. Thus, they dug up his grave and
hung his body on the trunk of a tree. They did not permit (his family) to bury
his body. They did that to avenge themselves sinfully on the members of the
House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. With that they disobeyed the Prophet,
may Allah bless him and his family, who ordered them to love his Household.
Moreover, they disobeyed Islam that ordered them to respect the dead and not to
maim them.
Zayd's painful
disaster was among the heavy events from which the Moslems feared and which
they regarded as great. Thus, their poets began praising Zayd to the extent
that they depicted the sorrow and the agony that befell the Moslems. So,
al-Fadl b. al-‘Abbas composed:
O Eye, shed
abundant tears!
The grandson of
the Prophet has been hanged at al- Kanasa.[56]
These are some
lines of the poem. Through them the poet has depicted his deep sadness over the
great martyr the Moslems lost. The poet asked his eyes to shed abundant tears.
That is because the misfortune was great and heavy. Then he regarded as great
taking out Zayd of his grave and hanging him. Though the Umayyads maimed the
body of the great revolutionary, they were unable to force his pure soul that
resisted falsehood, abominable deeds, and injustice and that it has resided in
the gardens with the souls of the immortal martyrs who were killed at Karbala'
to defend the rights of the oppressed and the persecuted. That made the
misfortune easy for the poet. Then he blamed the Kufans for betraying Zayd,
as they had betrayed before his grandfather, al-Husayn, peace be on him. Thus,
treason was among the traits of the Kufans. It was said: “The Kufan does
not fulfill (his promise). ”
Abu Thumayla
al-Abbar was among those who praised Zayd. He said:
You are always
killed in the way of Allah.
The people are
safe, while the members of the family of
Mohammed are
killed or are made homeless.[57]
In these lines
the poet has described his exhausting sorrow over Zayd, the great
revolutionary. He has mentioned the heavy loss that was inflicted on the
community when it lost Zayd. That is because the community wanted him to solve
its hardships and crises. The poet added that Zayd illuminated the way for the
free combatants through his martyrdom. He filled their hearts with content and
pleasure through his mighty uprising that aimed at achieving the decisive
affairs of his community. Through his martyrdom, Zayd obtained the maximum rank
obtained by the glorious martyrs from his grandfathers who raised the banner of truth, which was stained with their pure
blood. The poet added that Allah wanted Zayd to die a martyr and to behave
among the people through the behavior of those who save and free their
communities and their homelands. That is because being murdered for Allah was
the nature of the ‘Alids. It has been reported on the authority of one of them:
“Being murdered is our custom and martyrdom is our dignity from Allah. ”
In his last
lines, Abu Thumayla has mentioned the severe persecutions which the Umayyad
rulers imposed on the ‘Alids. That is because the Umayyad rulers killed the
‘Alids, made them homeless, and filled them with fright. The bird spent the
night peacefully while the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his
family, did not spend their night peacefully because they were afraid of the
Umayyads. He censured those who rejoiced at the murder of Zayd who revolted
(against the Umayyads) to establish social justice in the earth. He also
condemned those who pledged allegiance to him and then deserted him. That was when
they entered the mosque of Kufa. Then Zayd asked them to support him and to
defend his uprising. However, they did not respond to him.
Burning the Great Body
Zayd's body
remained hung on the gallows. It was illuminating the way of freedom and
dignity for the people. It urged them to refuse abasement and submission. It renewed in their souls the
uprising against oppression and injustice. Thus, the authorities put guards
around it. Their number was four hundred people. The authorities appointed a
hundred guards to watch the body every night. It built a house for the guards
around the trunk (of the date palm). That is because it thought that the people
would take the body and bury it.[58]
Hisham died.
Then al-Walï~d b. Yazï~d, the licentious one of the Umayyads, succeeded him.
The latter wrote to the governor of Kufa, Yousif b. ‘Umar, to bring down the
holy body from the gallows and to burn it with fire.[59] The murderer carried out al-Walï~d's orders.
Thus, the pure body was burnt, for Zayd wanted to purify the earth from the
oppressive and to return man's dignity and rights.
When the great body had been burnt,
Yousif b. ‘Umar, the licentious one, sprinkled it into the Euphrates. Then he said (to the Kufans): “By
Allah, Kufans, I will make you eat it in your food and drink it in your
water.”[60]
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his
family, freed his community from the life of straying in the desert. However, the Umayyads rewarded him when they
killed his progeny and his family. They maimed them sinfully, for they (the
Prophet's progeny) wanted to achieve the community's rights, security, and
welfare.
With al-Mas‘udi
Here one thing has remained. The great
historian, al-Mas‘udi, has mentioned: “Zayd asked the advice of his brother,
Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), when he wanted to go to Iraq to revolt against the Umayyads. Thus,
the Imam advised him not to trust the Kufans, for they were perfidious and
cunning. Indeed, they killed his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful,
peace be no him, stabbed his uncle al-Hasan, and killed his grandfather
al-Husayn. However, Zayd insisted on asking (the Umayyads) for the truth. So,
Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) said to him: 'I am afraid that you will be killed at
al-Kanasa, in Kufa tomorrow. ' Then Abu Ja‘far saw him off and told him that
they would not meet each other.”[61] These words of al-Mas‘udi make the person
understand that Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) was alive when Zayd decided to
revolt (against the Umayyads). Some of those who wrote about Zayd mentioned
that, too. This is incorrect, for Imam Abu Ja‘far died in the year (114 A.
H.)[62], and Zayd was killed in the year
(122A.H.). Perhaps al-Mas‘udi wanted to say that Zayd had a hunch of revolting
against the Umayyads at that time. This is also incorrect. With this we end our
talk about Zayd's life and his uprising that was the brightest of all the
uprisings at that time and the most useful of them in serving the community.
Al-Husayn al-Asghar (the younger)
Al-Husayn the
younger was Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn's son. His mother was a slave-wife (umm
walad).[63] He was among the glorious figures of the
Prophetic family, for he was meritorious, pious, and talented. The following
are some of his affairs:
His Religious Knowledge
He was among
the prominent scholars of his time. He reported many traditions on the
authority of his father, his aunt, Fatima, daughter of Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, and his
brother, Imam Abï~ Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him.[64] His son, Mohammed, reported on his authority
the tradition of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family,
concerning the murder of his son , Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him.[65]
His Clemency and his Solemnity
Al-Husayn
was clement and sober. The dignity of the pious and the righteous presented
itself in him. The lineaments of light appeared on his face. Imam Abu Ja‘far
(al-Baqir) described him, saying: “As for al-Husayn, he is clement. He walks
on the earth in humbleness. When the ignorant address him, he says: Peace”[66]
His Devotion and his Piety
He
was pious and devout. He feared Allah very much. Sa‘ï~d, the companion of
al-Hasan b. Sahib, said: “I did not see anyone who feared Allah more than
al-Hasan b. Salih till I came to Medina. So, I saw al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b.
al-Husayn. I saw that nobody feared Allah more than he did. (It was) as if he
had been taken into the fire (of Hell) and then taken out of it because of the
intensity of his fear.”[67]
Ahmed reported on the
authority of his father, who said: “I saw ‘Ali b. al-Husayn pray, so I said:
‘He will not put down his hand until his prayer for all creatures is answered.’”[68]
Al-Husayn grew up in the
center of piety and devotion and in the
origin of wisdom and virtue of Islam. His father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn, fed
him with his ideals and his psychological perfect qualities. Thus, he was
similar to his father in cleaving to Allah, refraining from this world, and
conforming to the religion.
His Death
He died in Medina (Yathrib) at the age of about (57
years).[69] It was said that he died at the age of (74 years).[70] He
was buried beside his father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn, and his brother,
al-Baqir, at the (cemetery) of Baqi‘ al-Gharqad.
‘Abd Allah al-Bahir
He was the son of Imam Zayn
al-‘Abidïn, peace be on him. He was Imam al-Baqir's full brother. He was
among the glorious children of the pure Imams, for he was knowledgeable,
pious, and devout. We will mention briefly some of his affairs:
His Nickname
He was nicknamed al-Bahir because he
was handsome. The historians said: “(The people) looked at his handsomeness
when he attended a certain meeting. Everybody respected and admired him.”[71]
His Religious Knowledge
He was among
the prominent scholars. His father, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn, took care of
educating him. He fed him with his sciences and his outstanding qualities. The
historians said: “He was among the jurists of the members of the house (ahl
al-Bayt), peace be on them.”He reported many traditions on the authority of his
grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and
his family. He related traditions to the people. Thus, they reported the
traditions on his authority.[72] He reported directly on the authority of his
grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, and on the
authority of his grandfather, Imam al-Hasan, peace be on him. ‘Ammara b.
Ghuzayya, Musa b. ‘Aqaba, ‘Isa b. Dinar, and Yazï~d b. Abï~ Zyyad
reported on his authority. Ibn Hayyan numbered him among the reliable
(narrators). Al-Turmidhi and al-Hakï~m regarded his traditions as correct.[73]
His Authority over the Heirlooms of the Prophet
‘Abd Allah
assumed on behalf of his brothers the heirlooms of the Prophet, peace be on
him, and of Imam (‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him.[74] He divided their revenues according to the
will of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and of Imam (‘Ali),
the Commander of the Faithful.
His Death
He died at the
age of (57 years).[75] The references have not mentioned the year
when he died or the place where he was buried.
‘Umar al-Ashraf
He was the son
of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidïn, peace be on him. His mother was a slave-wife.
Al-Mukhtar bought her for a hundred thousand dirhams. Then he sent her to Imam
Zayn al-‘Abidïn. She bore him ‘Umar, Zayd, and ‘Ali.[76] ‘Umar al-Ashraf was among the most meritorious
people. His affairs are as follows:
His Kunya
He was given
the kunya of Abu ‘Ali. It was said that he was given the kunya of Abu
Ja‘far.[77] The Shaykh (al-Tusi) said: “He was given the
kunya of Abu Hafs.”
His Nickname
He was
nicknamed al-Ashraf to distinguish him from ‘Umar al-Attraf, the uncle of his
father. Sayyid al-Muhanna said: “(He was nicknamed so) because he obtained
honor and outstanding merit from his grandfather, al-Husayn, peace be on him,
who was born from the Mistress of the Women of the World, Fatima the Chaste,
peace be on her, while ‘Umar al-Attraf obtained honor from his father, Imam
(‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful. “Our master, Imam al-Khu'i, commented
on this, saying: “Through his lineage, his outstanding merit, his piety, ‘Umar
al-Ashraf is more honorable than ‘Umar al-Attraf.”[78]
His Religious Knowledge
He was a
meritorious (religious) scholar. The Shaykh (al-Tusi) numbered him among the
companions of his brother, Imam al-Baqir. He reported on the authority of his
father. Fatr b. Khalifa reported on his authority.[79]
His Authority over the Heirlooms of the Prophet
He undertook
the heirlooms of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and of Imam
(‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. Al-Husayn b. Zayd said:
“I saw my uncle, ‘Umar, make a condition on him he bought (Imam) ‘Ali's
heirlooms that he should break so-and-so in the wall and should not prevent
those who entered them from eating.”[80] This indicates his generosity, his nobility,
and his humanity.
His Death
He passed away
at the age of (65 years).[81] The references have not mentioned the year
when he died or the place where he was buried. They have neglected that.
‘Ali
He was Imam
Zayn al-‘Abidïn's son. He died at Yanbu‘ and was buried there.[82] He was thirty years old.[83] We have not found a full biography about his
life. Biography and lineage references have neglected him. With this we end our
talk about the righteous Sharifs from the brothers of the Imam.
Imam al-Baqir's Children
As for the
Imam al-Bqir's children, they were from the good ones of the Prophetic family
and from the glorious figures of the Moslems, for they were rightly-guided and
righteous. Moreover, they refrained from the sins of the world. The Imam
educated them with his noble morals. He planted in their souls his outstanding
natures and his high ideals. Thus, they represented his great soul whose aroma
prevailed the world. As for his pure male descendants, they are as follows:
1. Ibrahï~m
He was the son
of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him. His mother was Umm Hakï~m, the daughter of
Usayd b. al-Mughï~ra b. al-Akhnas al-Thaqafi.[84] We have found no information about him.
2. Imam Ja‘far
He was the
master of the children of his father, the leading Imam after him, among the
glorious figures of this world, and the
vanguard of the geniuses of the world. That is because he made an immense
development on the intellectual and the scientific levels. Among them was his
creation in chemistry. Jabir b. Hayyan, who was the glorious figure of the
Arab east, studied this science under him. This science is regarded as the
creative means for the technological progress in the world. Modern sciences
have not discovered many of the chemical theories which the Imam made nor have
the specialists known.[85] Imam Ja‘far (al-Sadiq) is regarded among the early theologians and
philosophers. Hisham b. al-Hakam, who is regarded as a wonderful example of
these studies, studied under him.
Imam Ja‘far
founded the rules and principles of the Islamic jurisprudence after his pure
grandfathers. He took care of this science very much. Rather he devoted himself
to it. The juristic encyclopedias are full of what has been reported on his authority. Thus, most chapters and
branches has been reported on his authority. Moreover, he took care of other Islamic sciences, such as the science
of tradition, interpretation (of the Koran), and morals. History has never
known a person more knowledgeable and meritorious than him, except his
grandfathers, peace be on them. If we want to talk in detail about his
character, then we are in need of a big encyclopedia.
3.‘Abd Allah
He was the son of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on
him. His mother was Umm Farwa, daughter of al-Qasim b. Mohammed b. Bakr.[86] His father brought him up and took care of
educating him. So, he was among the virtuous ‘Alids. He died a martyr. A sinful
Umayyad gave him poison to drink. The historians said: “The Umayyad came to
him. However, ‘Abd Allah was afraid of him and said to him: ‘Do not kill me. I
will intercede for you with Allah.’”[87]
However, the
Umayyad paid no attention to him and forced him to drink the poison. When he
was given the poison to drink, his bowels were cut off. He remained alive for a
short time, and then he passed away.[88] He went as a martyr to Allah. He was similar
to his grandfathers whom the evil powers and the sinful souls killed. Those
evil souls killed them because they belonged to the original lineage that
raised the banner of human dignity.
4.‘Ali
He was the son
of Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him. He lived under the care of his father. He
followed his father's guidance and behavior. Thus, he was an example of virtues
and perfection. He was nicknamed al-Tahir (the pure one), for his soul was
pure and his position was great. He died in a village, at al-Khalis near Baghdad. In his (book) al-Tarï~kh, Muhib
al-Dï~n b. al-Najar said: “The shrine of al-Tahir is in a village, at
al-Khalis near Baghdad. An old grave has appeared in it. A
stone is on it. On the stone it has been written: In the name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful. This is the shrine of al-Tahir ‘Ali b. Mohammed b.
‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abï~ Talib, peace be on him. “The rest of the
stone broke down. So a dome of adobes
has been built over it. There was a shaykh called ‘Ali b. Na‘ï~m. The Shaykh
was among the secretaries. He assumed writing the Divan of al-Khalis. So, he
decorated the shrine and hung brass lamps in it. Then he built a wide courtyard
around it. Thus, the shrine has become among the shrines which are visited.[89] It was reported on the authority of the author
of ' Riyad al-‘Ulama' that the grave of
‘Ali is in Kashan and that there is a great dome over it and that it has clear miracles.[90]
5.‘Abd Allah
His mother was
Umm Hakï~m, daughter of Usayd b. al-Mughï~ra al-Thaqafi.[91] He died during the lifetime of his father.[92] We have not found a full biography in the references which we have.
The Ladies of
Virtue from his Daughters
As for the
ladies of virtue from his daughters, they are as follows: Zaynab whose mother
was a slave-wife. Umm Salama[93] whose mother was a slave-wife. She was the
mother of Isma‘ï~l b. al-Arqat. Her son, Isma‘ï~l, became ill. So, she
hurried frightened to Imam al-Sadiq. He ordered her to go into the house and
say two ruk‘as and supplicate with this supplication: “O Allah, surely
You granted him to me while he was nothing. O Allah, I ask you to grant him to
me. So, lend him to me. ”[94] She did that, and Allah healed him.
With this we
end our talk about the righteous Sharifs from the children of the Imam, peace
be on him.
[1] ‘Abd Allah was Imam al-Baqir’s full brother.
[2] Safinat al-Bihar, vol.2, p.273.
[3] Ibn ‘Asakir, al-Tahdhib, vol.6, p.18.
[4] Al-Hada’iq al-Wardiya, vol.1, p.143.
[5] Koran, 9, 111.
[6] Koran, 3, 169.
[7] Koran, 4, 95.
[8] Al-Roud al-Nadir, vol.1, p.52.
[9] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p.128.
[10] Ibid, p.130.
[11] Ibid, p.128.
[12] Al-Khara’ijj wa al-Jara’ih, p.328.
[13] Imam Zayd, Muqaddamat al-Musnad, p.8.
[14] Ibid, p.7.
[15] Al-Maqrizi, Al-Khutat wa al-Athar, vol.2,
p.440.
[16] Al-Millal wa al-Nihal, vol.2, p.208.
[17] Wafayat al-A‘yan, vol.5, p.60.
[18] Mohammed Abu Zahra, Imam Zayd, p.225.
[19] Al-Hada’iq al-Wardiya, vol.1, p.144.
[20] Zahr al-Adab, vol.1, p.87.
[21] Al-Ya‘qubi, Tarikh, vol.2, p.390.
[22] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.127.
[23] Ibid.
[24] Zahr al-Adab, vol.1, p.118.
[25] Ibn ‘Asakir, al-Tahdhib, vol.6, p.22.
[26] Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil, vol.5, p.84.
[27] Sharh al-Nahjj, vol.1, p.315.
[28] Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil, vol.5, p.84.
[29] ‘Umdat al-Talib.
[30] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p.129.
[31] Taysir al-Matalib, pp.108-109.
[32] Roudat al-Kafi.
[33] Al-Majjlisi, al-Amali, p.54.
[34] Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.7, pp.350-358.
[35] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p.129.
[36] Taysir al-Matalib, pp.108-109.
[37] Al-Roud al-Nadir, vol.1, p.75.
[38] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin.
[39] Al-Kamil, vol.5, p.56.
[40] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin.
[41] Ansab al-Ashraf, vol.3, p.203.
[42] Al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol.8, p.273.
[43] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.127.
[44] Al-Hada’iq al-Wardiya, vol.1, p.148.
[45] Ansab al-Ashraf, vol.3, p.202.
[46] Ibid.
[47] Al-Muqrim, Zayd al-Shahid.
[48] Ibn Abi al-Haddid, Sharh.
[49] Al-Niza‘ wa al-Takhasum, p.7.
[50] Ansab al-Ashraf, vol.3, p.292.
[51] Al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol.8, p.77.
[52] ‘Umdat al-Talib, p.258.
[53] Al-Sira al-Halabiya, vol.1, p.327.
[54] Ansab al-Ashraf, vol.3, p.255.
[55] Ibid.
[56] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 148-149.
[57]Ibid,
p.150.
[58] Ansab al-Ashraf, vol.3, p.256.
[59] Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 147.
[60] Al-Ya‘qubi, Tarikh, vol.2, p.391.
[61] Murujj al-Dhahab, vol.3, p.139.
[62] Ibn al-Athir, Tarikh, vol.4, p.217.
[63] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.29.
[64] Al-Mufï~d, al-Irshad, p.302.
[65] Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.6, p.44.
[66] Safinat al-Bihar, vol.2, p.273.
[67] Al-Mufï~d, al-Irshad, p.302.
[68] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.29.
[69] Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.6, p.44.
[70] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.29.
[71] Ibid, p.127.
[72] Al-Mufï~d, al-Irshad, p.300.
[73] Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol.5, p.324.
[74] Al-Mufï~d, al-Irshad, p.300.
[75] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.127.
[76] Ibid.
[77] Mu‘jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.13, p.54.
[78] Ibid.
[79] Ibid.
[80] Safinat al-Bihar, vol.2, p.273.
[81] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.127.
[82] Mu‘jam al-Buldan, vol.5, p.450. Yanbu‘ is to
the right of Radwa for those who leave from Medina
to the sea. It belonged to the sons of al-Hasan. It has abandunt fresh springs,
water and plants. Some of them said that it was a fort with date-palms. In it
there were the religious endowments of
Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. His sons inherited
them.
[83] ‘Umdat al-Talib, vol.2, p.129.
[84] Mir'at al-Zaman fï~ Tawarikh al-A‘yan,
vol.5, p.78. Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat, vol.5, p.320.
[85] Dr. Mohammed Yahya al-Hashimi has mentioned
that in his book Imam al-Sadiq Mulhim al-Kï~mya'.
[86] Al-Mufï~d, al-Irshad, p.303.
[87] In his speech:" I will be a helper for
you against Allah." He meant that he would be an intercessor for him with
Allah.
[88] Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p.64. Safï~nat
al-Bihar, vol.1, p.309.
[89] Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p.63.
[90] Safï~nat al-Bihar, vol.1, p.309.
[91] Al-Mufï~d, al-Irshad, p.303. Sayyid Kazim
Yamani, al-Nafha al-‘Ambariya. It is among the manuscripts of Imam Kashif
al-Ghita' Public Library. ‘Abd Allah has not been mentioned in Jamharat Ansab
al-‘Arab nor has he been mentioned in ‘Umdat al-Talib nor has he been
mentioned in Mir'at al-Zaman.
[92] Al-Sirat al-Sawi, p.194.
[93] Mir'at al-Zaman fï~ Tawarikh al-A‘yan,
vol.5, p.78. Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat, vol.5, p.230. In al-Nafha al-‘Ambariya, his
daughters were Zaynab the elder, Zaynab the younger, and Umm Kulthum.
[94] Safï~nat al-Bihar, vol.1, p.309.