Imam Zayn Al-Abidin (PBUH)

Known for his knowledge, piety, and worship, Imam Zayn Al -‘Abidin (AS), like his father and grandfather stood out in society, as he was the true embodiment of Islam and its heavenly teachings.

The Life of Imam Zayn al -‘Abidin embodied so much of what the Prophets and Messengers stood for. He was similar to them in all their qualities and trends. Hence he was like Jesus Christ in his asceticism and his turning to Allah in repentance. He was like Prophet Job in his tribulation and his patience. He was similar to Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, in his true resolution and his good manners. His good tendencies and his spiritual abilities are limitless. In the history of this world, it is enough for him that only he has been called Zayn al -‘Abidin. This nick-name has been not given to anyone except him.

Imam Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sajjad (a.s) is the fourth Imam. He is the son of Imam Al-Husayn b. Ali (AS) and a noble Persian woman known as Shahrbanu. Imam Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sajjad (AS) was born on the 5th of Shaban in the year 38 A.H.

Imam al-Sajjad (AS) is referred to in several narrations for his devotion to God and commitment to prayer. Two of his titles are Zayn al-‘Abideen (The Adornment of the Worshippers) and Al-Sajjad (The Often in Prostration).

The Imam had a long period as Imam (34 years). From 61 A.H until 95 A.H he was known for his discipline and commitment to Allah.  During his tenure, the Imam wrote many works which served to revive some of the religious knowledge of the Prophet (PBUH) to the followers of Ahlulbayt in particular and Muslims in general.

The Imam left behind a legacy of works. One particular work is entitled “al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah,” -  a compilation of numerous supplications dealing with specific themes. This work is treasured as an authentic piece of work belonging to an Imam and remains amongst Muslims today as major work of Muslim devotion. The work has several other names such as “The Psalms of Islam” (al-Zabur al-Islam) and is considered to be amongst the most beautiful of any work.

The second text the Imam left behind is entitled “al-Risalat al-Huqooq” and was unique for its time. The book’s title is often translated as the “Treatise of Rights” and is a compilation of the rights of numerous groups of people over each other, as well as the rights of more abstract objects such as “the rights of the ear” and “the rights of the self”. Numerous commentaries have been written about the text in an attempt to formulate a systematic bill of rights conforming to Islamic thought. Both until this day remain to be crucial documents and are still celebrated and studied as primary sources of the Shi’a today.

During this program we will focus our attention on “The Treatise of Rights.” But today we want to get a glimpse of His Holy life.

The Imam was a survivor of the massacre at Karbala in which he witnessed the murder of his father and family. Imam al-Sajjad (AS) thereafter played a crucial role in narrating the tragedies and confronting Yazid’s Government in Syria.

After the tragedy of Karbala, Imam Zayn Al’Abidin played a major and crucial role in the demise and destruction of the Ummayad Regime. During the days of the black Umayyad regime the community suffered social deception which paralyzed the revolutionary Islamic movement. This regime turned the Muslims into scattering groups without life and feelings.

The Imam (AS) fought this regime through provoking as well as enlightening the minds of the people of Kufa. This Imam faced the Umayyad policy with his ideas, where he destroyed their claimed victory and the marks of their haughtiness and might. The Imam, peace be on him, achieved these glorious victories through the wonderful enthusiastic sermons which he delivered before the great masses in Kufa, Damascus, and Medina. These sermons played an important role in enlightening the community and liberating it from the factors of fear and terrorism.      

One of the most memorable moments in the life of Imam Zayn Al’Abidin is when he was brought to Ibn Ziyad's court and was made to stand before the tyrant. "Who are you?" He asked the Imam. The Imam replied: "I am Ali ibn Husayn". He said: "Did Allah not kill Ali ibn Husayn?" The Imam replied: "I had a brother whose name was also Ali and the people killed him ". (The Imam meant to tell Ibn Ziyad not to attribute sin to Allah and not to say something irrelevant, because it was the people and not Allah who killed Ali ibn Husayn in Karbala). Ibn Ziyad said: "It is not so. Allah killed him". In reply to this the Imam recited a verse of the Qur'an: Allah takes the souls when the time of their death comes, (Surah al-Zumar, 39:42) but He is not their killer.

Here the Imam (AS) represented the epitome of eloquence. The Imam stood bravely in the court and wasn’t shaken up and scared, on the contrary he stood up for what he believed in because what he represented was something beyond worldly matters.

The lives of the Ahlul-Bayt are quite magnificent and extraordinary; this aspect can be perfectly understood through the life of Imam Zayn Al’Abinin (AS). They live their lives not for themselves rather they live it for others. They are sent from Allah (SWT) to teach and spread the teachings of Allah throughout their surroundings. 

After the tragedy of Karbala, the great Imam, Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, devoted himself to teaching. This is because he thought that spreading knowledge would be the best way to carry out his reformatory message. Besides he thought that it would be the best way to relieve his soul which the tragedies of Karbala melted. Accordingly, the children of the Companions (of the Prophet), the religious scholars, and the jurists hurried to benefit from his sea of knowledge. The Imam began teaching them, and they became teachers in the Islamic world.

The Imam, peace be on him, treated moral and educational matters objectively and inclusively. His studies in this respect are among the most valuable Islamic studies and the most accurate.

The people of his time did not see anyone who worshipped Allah more than he did. Nor did they see a person who was more pious than he was. Because of his abundant worshipping, he was called the Lord of worshipers and Imam of the pious.

Another phenomenon of the high ideals by which the Imam, peace be on him, was distinguished was that he treated the slaves kindly. He pitied for them very much. Among what he intended to do during his lifetime was that he wanted to free them from slavery. Indeed, he freed a large group of them. If he had lived for a longer time, he would have freed all the slaves. This is because he wanted to abolish slavery and to make the Muslims know that their religion came to liberate man from abasement and slavery.

It is an act of truthfulness to say that this great inspired Imam was not confined to a certain group of people nor was he confined to a certain set of Muslims. Rather he was for all people in spite of their different ideas throughout history. This is because the Imam represented human moral values and dignity. Besides he represented what man usually prides himself on, such as perfection, the rules of conduct, and excellent morals.

Because of the Imam’s high character and his great importance to the Muslims, many Muslim sects claimed that he belonged to them. For example, the Mu‘tazilites, who were the most knowledgeable of all the Muslims in theology, regarded him with pride and honor as one of them. The Sufis claimed that he was among their great figures. As a result, they have written about his life in their encyclopedias.

The Muslims thought that the life of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, was the true embodiment of the Islamic values and high noble traits of his grandfather, the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. He followed his method, his life, and his practices. Hence, the Imam possessed the heart and the feelings through his excellent morals. So the people thought that no one except the Imam was worthy of their temporal and spiritual leadership. For this reason they disdained their Umayyad kings who were void of virtues. The event which took place in the Kaaba during the time of the pilgrimage indicates this. The Kaaba was full of people from everywhere. The Imam came to circumambulate the Kaaba, and it was as if that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, came to them. So they said loudly: “There is no Allah but Allah ! Allah is great !” They crowded around him as they crowded around the Black Stone. Happy was he who touched his clothes or kissed his hand or took some dust from under his feet to see a good omen in it.

It is necessary for us to study the period during which the Imam, peace be on him, lived. This is because studying a certain period has become among methodical affairs which are necessary for the researcher. Such a study represents political tranquillity and disorder. Moreover, it gives a clear picture about social aspects such as creation, progress, stagnancy, decline, and the like. It is natural for us to study this phenomenon to discover the qualities of the Imam.

The time that the Imam lived was quite extraordinary, it is during this time period that many events had occurred. These events which include the great tragedy of Karbala, all caused division and blurriness between the Muslims. The holiness of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was violated during that tragedy. That was when the people attacked his womenfolk and killed his grandsons. They did pay attention his Holiness concerning them. The Imam, peace be on him, witnessed with great sorrow all the tragedies, which are immortal in the world of grief. Hence, he remembered them at every hour of his life till he joined the Most High Associate (Allah).

There was another difficulty during the time of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him. The difficulty was that the political parties fought against each other to take the reins of government. As a result, they filled the country with tribulations and disasters. Surely, the political parties at that time did not intend to achieve any of the community’s objectives nor did they strive to solve any of its fateful affairs. Rather they strove to achieve their ambitions and their material interests.

Among the important events during the time of the Imam, peace be on him, was that the Umayyad government forced the people to curse the Commander of the faithful (Imam ‘Ali), peace be on him, and the pure family (of the Prophet). So the people cursed them on the pulpits, in the minarets (of the mosques), and after Friday sermons. Hence showing enmity toward them was part of the religious life of the Muslims. The Umayyad regime followed the Shi‘ites (followers) of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, punished and killed them. The Shi‘ites during the Umayyad regime were liable to very intense tribulations. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him, witnessed this. However, he was unable to protect his Shi‘ites from the Umayyad regime. As a result, his heart was full of pain and sorrow.

As one can conclude, the life of Imam Zayn Al’Abidin, was full of sorrow and hardship. Regardless the Imam (AS) fulfilled his role as an infallible Imam and delivered the message of Allah to the Islamic world.