Waaris-e-Tatheer

[It is not only a huge task but also a great responsibility to write an article on Bibi Zainab (sa), who had played a great role and stood by Imam Hussain (as) during the tragedy of Karbala – ‘Zibhe Azeem’ as per the holy Quran. I am fortunate to have this task on me and pray that the Almighty Allah (SWT) may help me in delivering it with justice.]

The month of Shaban is a month of celebrations for the followers of the Ahlulbait (as). In this month we celebrate the arrival of Lady Zainab (sa) along with other greats from the household of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp). The lady (sa) in her virtues and conduct was no different from her mother Lady Fatema (sa) and hence she is rightly called ‘Sani e Zehra (sa)’

The family of Janabe Zainab (sa) were none other than the immaculate Panjetan Paak (as) – Allah (SWT)’s best ever creation. No human being of any era can ever come in comparison to them. Janabe Zainab (sa) too had the same parentage and lineage as that of her brothers Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Hussain (as). She is remembered for her role as a constant source of comfort for her brother Imam Hussain (as) and his family in the battlefield of Karbala. In bravery and oratory skills she (sa) matched her father Imam Ali (as).

è In this article, we will ponder upon few ayahs which were revealed to showcase the greatness and rightful position of the Panjetan Paak (as) and the Imams from the household of the Prophet (pbuh&hp) and then link these verses with Bibi Zainab (sa)’s virtues to understand her elevated stature and position.

We start our article with the following ayah from Surah-e-Aale Imran:

·      “Tum kya achhe giroh ho ke logon ki hidayat ke waaste paida kiye gaye ho. Tum logon ko achhe kaam ka to hukm karte ho aur bure kaamon se rokte ho aur Khuda per Imaan rakhte ho aur agar ahl-e-kitab bhi isi tarah imaan laate to unke haq main bahot achha hota un main se kuch to imaandar hain aur aksar badkaar”. – ( Surah-e-Aale Imran, ayah 110)

“(You are the best of the nations raised up for (the benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah; and if the followers of the Book had believed it would have been better for them; of them (some) are believers and most of them are transgressors.)”

Allah (SWT) addresses the above ayah to the best of his creations – the group of people who were created to guide the mankind. In the Tafseer-e-Suyuti a tradition of Ibn-e-Abi Hakim is mentioned which quotes Hazrat Abu Jafar that the best of the nations mentioned in the above ayah are the Ahl-u-bait (as) of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp). (Ref: Tafseer-e-Suyuti, Vol 2, P 64)

Allah (SWT) created Imams (as) from the household of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) as His best of the nations. They were appointed guide above us.

Bibi Zainab (sa) – the daughter from the household of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) is known as:

 Al Aqilah – the gentle woman.

Al Alimah – the knowledgeable.

Aqeela e Bani Hashim – the most Intelligent Lady of Bani Hashim

She (sa) earned these titles by way of her profound knowledge and conduct. She held regular meetings for women in Medina and shared her knowledge with them. She taught them the principles of Islam as laid out in the Holy Quran. She had the holy Quran, the ahadith of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) pertaining to Islamic ethics as well as rules of education at the tip of her tongue. During her time she became their guide and was comfortable in imparting the teachings with such clarity and fluency that she came to be known as Fasihah – Skillfully fluent and Balighah – Intensely Eloquent.

Let us see one more ayah on the knowledge of the Imams (as) from the household of holy Prophet (pbuh&hp):

·      “To agar tum log khud nahin jaante ho to ahl-e-zikr se pooch kar dekho.” – (Surah-e-Anbiya, ayah 7)

“(Ask the remembrances (ahl-e-zikr), if you do not know)”

Allah (SWT) has created His chosen people as the representatives and trustees of His Divine Knowledge. The ayah has termed them as Ahle Zikr.

Sa’labi reports from the authority of Jabir Ibn-e-Abdullah Ansari in his tafseer that on revelation of this ayah Maula Ali (as) said, “We are the rememberancers (ahl-e-zikr)”.

So Imam Ali (as) and rest of the 11 Imams (pbut) from his lineage are Ahle-Zikr – The representatives and trustees of Allah (SWT)’s knowledge.

In the thirty-seventh year after Hijrah, Imam Ali (AS) moved to Kufa as Caliph. He was accompanied by his daughter Bibi Zainab (sa) and her husband. Her reputation as an inspiring teacher among the women had preceded her. Just like her father – Imam Ali (as), Bibi Zainab (sa) too was well versed in Quranic knowledge and she shared the same with women of Kufa. Women would throng to her daily sittings and get benefitted from her profound knowledge, wisdom and scholarly teachings of the Quran.

Bibi Zainab (sa) had delivered eloquent sermons in Kufa and Syria (Sham) during the tragedy of Karbala. When those who had been in audience to the sermons of Imam Ali (as) heard her (sa) sermons they remarked: ‘Has Ali (as) come to life again? Because her (sa) eloquence, her oratory skills, depth of knowledge and everything else matched that of Imam Ali (as).  

Imam Ali Zainul Abedin (as) - the fourth Imam and her nephew, praised her oratory skills and knowledge after hearing her sermons. He (pbuh) gave her the title of “Aalematun-Ghaira Muallamah Wa Fahimatun Ghaira Muffahamah” - A scholar without a teacher, a sage without an instructor.” (Ref: Zainab-e-Kubra, pg. 80)

è Thus we can say that Bibi Zainab (sa), was Allah (SWT)’s chosen creation whose character reflected the attributes of her father Imam Ali (as) and her brothers Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Hussain (as) in her knowledge and wisdom.

Apart from her knowledge and wisdom, let us now try to find out which were the other virtues that she shared with her family – the Pious Panjetan (as). Let us see the following two ayahs for this:

·      “Wo Qandeel un gharon main roshan hai jinki nisbat Khuda ne hukm diya hai ke unki taa’zeem kee jaae aur unmain Uska naam liya jaae jin main subah wa sham wo log Uski tasbih kiya karte hai. Aise log jinko Khuda ke zikr aur namaz padhne aur zakat ada karne se na to tijarat hi ghafil kar sakti hai na (kharid farokht ka mamla kyunke) wo log uss din se darte hain jismain khauf ke maare dil aura ankh ulat jayengi” – (Surah-e-Noor, ayah 36-37)

“((The Light is lit) in houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings. People whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts and eyes shall turn about)”

In the above ayahs of Surah-e-Noor Allah (SWT) appreciates certain houses in which His name is remembered and glorified mornings and evenings. People of these houses are so devoted to the cause of Allah (SWT) and His worship that neither merchandise nor any other thing ever stops or diverts them from His (SWT) remembrance.

Sala’bi has quoted Anas Ibn-e-Malik and Buraida, that when the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) recited this verse, Abu Bakr stood up and asked pointing towards the house of Ali (as) and Fatema (as), whether that house was included in the houses referred to? The holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) replied saying “Yes, and it is better than other houses that are referred.” (Ref: Durr-e-Mansur, Vol 5, P 50)

Allah (SWT) is pleased with the house of Panjetan Paak (as) for their devotion to His (SWT)’s cause and their worship. And considered their house to be the best from among those where His (SWT) name is glorified.

Bibi Zainab (sa) too was totally devoted to Allah, and it is recorded that she never missed any of her wajib and nafilah prayers even during the events of Karbala. She (sa), for her prayers and unconditional devotion to Allah (SWT), is known as:

Abida – The Worshipper

Abidatul Ale Ali (as) – The Worshipper of Ali (as)’s household.

Bibi Zainab (sa)’s stay in Karbala stretched from 2^nd to 11^th Muharram. In this span of 9 days she witnessed brutal martyrdom of her brothers, her nephews and her own children but nothing deterred her from her devotion towards Allah (SWT) and His cause. The trials she faced throughout her life earned her the title of Ummal Masaib – Mother of Misfortunes.

But even amidst these trials she remained thankful to Allah (SWT) and offered her regular prayers. When she heard the news of the martyrdom of her two sons she prostrated in thanksgiving on their corpses.  She had said: "O my Lord! Accept our humble sacrifice to You." 

Her every sermon would begin with - “All praise be to Allah”. Regardless of the difficulties she faced, her faith remained firm. When Ibne- Ziyad asked her in the courts of Kufa how she regarded the shameful defeat that Allah (SWT) had made her brothers face, Bibi Zainab (sa) replied, “I have never seen anything but good for Allah (SWT).” 

Let us now see the following ayah from Surah-e-Aale Imran:

·       “Phir jab tumhare paas ilm (Quran) aa chuuka us ke baad bhi agar tum se koi Isa (a.s) ke baare main hujjat kare to kaho ki achha maindaan main aao Hum apne beton ko bulaae tum apne beton ko, Hum apni aurton ko bulaae tum apni aurton ko, Hum apni jaanon ko bulaae tum apni jaanon ko, uske baad Hum sab milkar Khuda ki baargaah main gid gidaae aur jhooton per Khuda ki la’anat kare...” – (Surah-e-Aale-Imran, ayah 61)

“(…If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge hath come to thee say: “Come! Let us gather together, - our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves. Then let us earnestly pray and invoke the curse of God on those who lie.)”

As instructed in the verse, each party was to bring their women, their sons and Anfosana. While the Christians brought a great delegation of learned scholars, the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) summoned Hazrat Fatima (sa) in place of women of his house. Hassan (as) and Hussain (as) in place of his sons and Hazrat Ali (as) as ‘Anfosana’ meaning part of his ‘nafs’ or self. Both the parties then were needed to pray and invoke curse of Allah (SWT) on the liars.

The Christian delegation looking at these five purified souls and their holy spirits quickly conferred amongst them and called off the Mubahela. They agreed not to question the nobility of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) and his mission. (Ref: Imam Fakhruddin Razi in Tafseer-e-Kabeer, Vol II, P 73, Allama Zamakhshari in Tafseer-e-Kashshaf)

Mubahela was to invoke the curse of Allah (SWT) on the liars. Even without lifting any weapon the Panjetan Paak (as) won the battle of Truth in Mubahela. Their presence alone was sufficient enough to give them victory.

Similarly Bibi Zainab (sa), the distinguished member of the family of Panjetan Paak (as), was also no less in her truthfulness. On the 11^th of Muharram, the members of the Prophet’s (pbuh&hp) family were made prisoners and taken to Kufa - A city where once Bibi Zainab (as) and Bibi Umm Kulthum (sa) had lived. As they entered, the people were cheering and expressing their joy of victory. But the sermon of Bibi Zainab (sa) was so powerful that it converted the glorious show of victory into a mournful ceremony. The sermon caused for the delighted happy faces to sadden, and many even began to cry. As a matter of fact, her eloquent speech even boosted people’s anger toward the governor. She had addressed the people of Kufa in the following manner:

"Praise to Allah, and may the blessing of Allah be upon Muhammad and his progeny. O people of Kufa, you are hypocrites and deceitful. You feign to be sorry for the death of my brother and his companions. May you always shed tears. I find nothing in you but flattery, evil acts and thoughts, pride and spite and ill-will. By Allah! You deserve lasting sorrow instead of joy. Shame on you, your hands are imbrued with the blood of the son of the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp), the one who was your sole refuge in case of adversity.”

Even in the court of the caliph, she (as) was equally courageous and truthful in her speech. She had delivered a sermon which made him and his power look frivolous. She had said:

"I fear no one but Allah (SWT). Make whatever evil plot you can. Blazes are waiting for you in the hereafter. You'll be accountable to Allah (SWT) for your atrocities."

Her ability and strength of speaking truth to the power earned her the title of Siddiqah al Sughra – The Junior Veracious Lady.

è So we may say that apart from knowledge and wisdom Bibi Zainab (sa) was equal to the great Panjetan Paak (as) in her devotion, love and worship for Allah (SWT) and also in her truthfulness and fearlessness.

Personality traits of Bibi Zainab (sa) matched those of her parents – Imam Ali (as) & Bibi Fatema (sa) in so many other ways. In this section, in the light of few ayahs, we will try to study this aspect of her great personality.

·      “Ae Imaandaro tumhare vali (malik sarparast) to buss yehi hein Khuda aur uss ka Rasool (SAW) aur wo momineen jo pabandi se namaz adaa karte hain aur haalat-e-ruku main zakat dete hai. Aur jisne Khuda aur Rasool (SAW) aur unhi Imaadaron ko apna sarparast banaya to Khuda ke lashkar main aagaya aur issme shak nahin ke Khuda hi ka lashkar ghalib rehta hai.”” – (Surah-e-Maeda, Ayah 55-56)

“(Verily your vali (leader) is only Allah and His messenger and those who believe; those who establish worship and pay the poor-rate while they bow down in prayer. And whoever takes Allah and His apostle and those who believe for a guardian, then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant.)”

The above verse was revealed when Imam Ali (as) gave his ring to a beggar while bowing down in ‘ruku’ (Ref: Imam Nasai in Saheeh-e-Nasai, Aljam’a Bain-ul-Sihah-ul-Sittah, Sa’labi)

• Imam Rabbani - Shaykh Ahmed Sarhandi believed in the exalted rank of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (as) he wrote:

“O Brother! Indeed Imam Ali is the holder of the keys of Wilayah of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh&hp) and the training regime for the status of Aqtaab, Autaad and Abdaal who are from amongst the reserved awliyah, is done under the shelter of his Wilayah. Qutbul Aqtaab who is the greatest Qutb and the guide and mentor of others lies under his (Ali (as))’s feet. His orders are issued under the supervision and support of Ali (as) and he performs his duties under the supervision and support of Ali (as) and fulfills his tasks. Syeda Fatima (sa) and both of her sons, the Imams (Hasan and Hussein) (pbut) share this rank with Ali (as). (Ref: Maktubaat Imam Rabbani, Volume 1, page 438 Letter 251)

Wali is an Arabic word whose meanings include – custodian, protector, helper and friend. Imam Ali (as) for his closeness to Allah (SWT) is referred as ‘Wali ullah’. He (as) shared this rank with Bibi Fatema (sa) and their two sons – Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Hussain (as).

Similarly Bibi Zainab (sa) holds the title of ‘Waliyatul Allah’ – The Ally or Friend of Allah (SWT). Thus it can be said that Imam Ali (as) shared the rank of ‘Wali ullah’ not only with Bibi Fatema (sa), Imam Hasan (as), Imam Hussain (as) but also with his beloved daughter – Bibi Zainab (sa).

The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) praised Imam Ali (as) in one of his sermons in the following manner: 

“O Ali! You are Allah (SWT)’s Proof over His Creations. His Trustee over His Secrets and His Caliph over His Servants.” – (Ref: Fazail al Ashhor al Thalathah P 110).

Imam Ali (as) and rest of the 11 Imams (pbut) are the Trustees of Allah (SWT) over His Secrets and Treasures.

Bibi Zainab (sa) was a confidant and vicegerent of Imam Hussain (as) in Karbala. Imam Hussain (as) trusted his beloved sister and made her the leader of his household when he (as) was about to leave for the battlefield to attain martyrdom. She thus succeeded Imam Hussain (as)’s leadership after his martyrdom when Imam Zainul Abedin (as) was ill and unconscious. She (sa) saved and protected Imam Zainul Abedin (as) several times, when the tents were set on fire on the eve of 11^th Moharram. She was indeed the protector and savior of Imamat after Imam Hussain (as)’s martyrdom in Karbala. And that’s the reason she has earned the title of Aminatul Allah – Allah (SWT)’s Trusthworthy.

So while Maula Ali (as) is Trustee of Allah (SWT) over His Secrets, Bibi Zainab (sa) was one who had earned Allah (SWT)’s Trust.

Ibn Abbas quoted Bibi Fatema (sa) as having said that her daughter Bibi Zainab (sa), like father, was unparalleled in literary eloquence and courage. The speech she delivered in the assembly in presence of Yazid was at the zenith of eloquence and impressiveness.

(Ref Famous Women, Dr. Ahmed Beheshti, p.51) 

Wasn’t Bibi Zainab (sa) the worthy successor of the immaculate personality of her mother Bibi Fatema (sa) – the most pious lady ever? In order to further ponder upon this point we will see the following ayah:

• “Ae Paighambar ki Ahl-ul-bait Khuda to buss yeh chahta hai ke tum ko har tarah ki burai se door rakkhe aur itna paak rakkhe jitna paak rakhne ka haq hai”  - (Surah-e-Ahzab, Ayah 33)

(“Verily, Verily Allah intendeth but to keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanliness, O ye people of the House, and purify you with a thorough purification.”)

This verse of purification was revealed to endorse the piety and greatness of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp), Imam Ali (as), Bibi Fatema (sa), Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Hussain (as) i.e. of Panjetan Paak (as).

Tabrani has quoted Abi Hamra who was a witness to the Prophet's daily habit: "For six months I regularly saw the Messenger of Allah who on approaching the door of Ali (as) and Fatema (sa), used to recite the above verse.

So we may say that Bibi Fatema (sa), as per Quran is the most pious and perfect lady ever created by Allah (SWT). Bibi Zainab (sa) to her credit has the following titles for her perfection and piety:

Al Kamilah – The Perfect

Al Fadhilah – The Virtuos

Zahida – The Abstemious

Bibi Fatema (sa) was called Umme Abiha – Mother of her Father. For her love and the way she took care of her father – the Holy prophet (pbuh&hp).

The name Zainab of Bibi Zainab (sa) is derived from the two root words "Zain" and "Ab", which means - The Adornment of her Father.

It is said that whenever the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) saw his beloved daughter Bibi Fatema (sa) approaching, he (pbuh&hp) would stand up from his seat and vacate it for the Bibi (sa) as a gesture of respect and affection. In the similar manner Imam Hussain (as) would stand up from his position for his beloved sister Bibi Zainab (sa) to show his respect and affection for her, whenever he (as) saw her approaching.

With all these similarities of Bibi Zainab (sa) with her mother – Bibi Fatema (sa), she is rightly called:

 Sani e Zehra (sa) – The Deputy of Zehra (sa)

è We just reflected upon the illustrious character of Bibi Zainab (sa) under the light of the verses of the holy Quran and inferred that she (sa) matched the Panjetan Paak (as) and the Imams (as) in her virtues like piety, courage, wisdom, knowledge, devotion, worship and personality. In chastity and modesty she was likened to her mother Bibi Fatima (sa); in eloquence to her father Imam Ali (as); in forbearance and patience to her brother Imam Hassan (as); and in bravery and tranquility of the heart to Imam Hussain (as). Her face reflected her father’s awe and her grandfather’s reverence. She (sa) was Waaris-e-Panjetan Paak (as) and so she (sa)  Waaris-e-Tatheer in every sense.

Having all these credentials at her side we might wonder then why was she (sa) absent during the event of Kisa? And why did she keep herself away from Mubahila? May I say with certitude that had she (sa) desired to join her beloved family and claim her rightful position among them under the Kisa or at Mubahila, the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) would have readily granted her the permission and taken her along.  Let us reflect upon this point in this section before we finally conclude this article.

When Bibi Zainab (sa) was only three years of age she saw a dream and conveyed this to her grandfather - the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp)

“O Messenger of Allah! Last night I dreamt of a severe hurricane blowing over the entire earth. I took shelter from the sandstorm under a gigantic tree but even that got uprooted and collapsed to the ground. I then took refuge under a fallen branch of that tree but that too did not last long. I sought shelter under a third branch of the same tree but it was crushed into pieces due to the severity of the wind. I continued to seek refuge under two entangled branches but the hurricane simply blew them away. And then I woke with a start.”  

The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) heard the narration and wept uncontrollably. Then, he (pbuh&hp) informed:

 “Zainab! The tree under which you were sheltered is your grandfather who will leave this world shortly. The other two branches were your parents who will also leave this transient world. And the two entangled branches are your brothers Hasan and Husain, under whose trials and difficulties the world will be enveloped in darkness.”  (Ref: Reyaahain al-Shar’eeah, vol. 2, pg. 5)

This prophetic interpretation of her dream at that tender age guided her life and moulded her character and attitude. She (sa) made herself capable to face any trial coming her way and kept herself reserved for the event of Karbala. She was the representative of the holy Prophet (pbuh&hp), Imam Ali (as), Imam Hasan (as) and Bibi Fatema (sa) in Karbala to help and support her brother - Imam Hussain (as).

When Allah (SWT) created Aadam (as) – the first human being, He (SWT) placed spirits of Panjetan Paak (as) in him. This event has been narrated by Imam Hasan Askari (as) in his Tafseer in the following way:

"When Allah Almighty created Aadam, he taught him the names of everything and presented them to the angels. He placed the five spirits (Panjetan Pak) of Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Al-Hasan and Al-Hussein (pbut) in Aadam. Their lights brightened the horizons of the skies, Al-Hojob, the heavens, the Chair and the Throne. Allah Almighty ordered the angels to prostrate to Aadam in order to glorify him because he has been chosen to be the holder of these spirits whose lights had spread throughout the horizons. Thus, they all prostrated except Iblees (the Devil) who refused to be humbled to the glory of Allah's Greatness and to our (Ahl-ul-bait)’s lights. All the angels were humbled to them (the lights), yet he stood with arrogance and refused to do so and because of his rejection and arrogance, he was one of the disbelievers.” – (Ref: Tafsir Al-Imam Al-Askari p.219, Bihar Al-Anwar vol.26 p.326, Ta'weel Al-Ayat al-Zahira vol.1 p.44, Qasas Al-Anbiaa p.43 Lisan al-Mizan v. 3, p. 346 )

In a separate hadith Imam Sadiq (as) has said that Allah (SWT) identified Himself by introducing the light of Panjetan Paak (as). The Imam (as) says: 

 “Allah, the Most High, has been before anything existed. He created five ones from the Light of His Majesty and gave a name for each of them from His revealed names; for He is Al-Hamid and He named (The Prophet) Mohammed; He is Al-Aala and He named Amir Al-Momineen Ali and the Greatest Names are for Him so He derived Al-Hasan and Al-Hussein from them and He is the Originator so He derived for Fatima a name from His names. Therefore, when He created them, He let them be in the Covenant; hence they are on the Right Side of the Throne.” – (Ref: Tafseer Forat p.56, Al-Bihar vol 37 p. 62)

è From the above two ahadith of our Imams (pbut) we can say that Allah (SWT) identified His Greatness to the angels and Aadam (as) by showcasing to them the greatness of Panjetan Paak (as). Thus knowing Panjetan Paak (as) is to know Allah (SWT) and understand His Divine Greatness.

The events of Kisa and Mubahila took place to display greatness and authority of Panjetan Paak (as) above the mankind. Bibi Zainab (sa) being Waliyatul Allah and Aminatul Allah was aware of this fact and kept herself away from these events, thus joining Allah (SWT) in showcasing the greatness and rightful stature of Panjetan Paak (as) to the mankind.

[I know it is difficult to write on someone as Great and Pious as Bibi Zainab (sa). Though I tried my best to write an article that may do justice to her stature and greatness I am aware of my inability to deliver it because of lack of knowledge and a limitation of words. I end with a prayer to Allah (SWT) that may He (SWT) accept my humble tribute to the epitome of piety and dignity – Bibi Zainab (sa) and reward us with fulfilment of all our wishes and make us successful in this world and the hereafter. Aamin]

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