Description

LINEAGE

Hazrat Ali ibn al-Hussain al-Sajjad (R.A), also known as Zayn al-Abidin (R.A) was born in Medina, or perhaps in Kufa, around 659 AD. His father was Imam Hussain ibn Ali (R.A) who was the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The grandfather of Zayn Al-Abidin (R.A) was Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib who was the cousin of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The mother of Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) is named variously in sources as Barra, Gazala, Solafa, Salama, Shahzanan, and Shahbanuya.

LIFE

Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) was thin and resembled his grandfather, Ali ibn Abi Talib (R.A), both in appearance and demeanor. He was too young in 661 when his grandfather, Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (R.A), was assassinated. Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) was raised by his uncle Imam Hasan (R.A) and his father Imam Hussain (R.A).

On 10 Muharram 61 AH, equivalent to 10 October 680, Imam Hussain (R.A) and his small caravan were massacred in the Battle of Karbala, on the journey to Kufa, by the forces of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I, to whom Imam Hussain (R.A) had refused to pledge his allegiance. Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) was also present in Karbala but was too ill to fight. After killing Imam Hussain (R.A) and his male relatives and supporters, the Umayyad troops looted his camp and found Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) lying deathly ill in one of the tents. The Umayyad officer named Shimr apparently wanted to kill him too, but his aunt Bibi Zaynab (R.A) successfully pleaded to the Umayyad commander Umar ibn Sa’d to spare Ali al-Sajjad (R.A).

After the battle, Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) and the womenfolk were taken prisoner and marched to Kufa. They were treated poorly along the way. Once there, they were paraded in shackles and unveiled around the city, alongside the heads of the fallen. The captives were then presented to the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, who boasted about killing Imam Hussain (R.A) and his relatives, calling it divine punishment. When Ali al-Sajjad responded that Ibn Ziyad was a murderer, he ordered the execution of Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) but relented when his aunt Bibi Zaynab (R.A) protected him and asked to be killed first. Ibn Ziyad imprisoned the captives for a while and then sent them to the Umayyad capital, Damascus.

The captives were taken to Damascus and displayed from “village to village” asking the way. A letter to Yazid, attributed to Hazrat Muhammad’s (SAW) cousin Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas, chastises the caliph for poorly treating the captives, suggesting that this was worse than the massacre of Imam Hussain (R.A) and his relatives. Part of the great mosque in Damascus, known as Mashhad Ali, marks where Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) was imprisoned.

The captives were eventually freed and escorted back to Medina. Their caravan has returned through Karbala, where they halted to mourn their dead.

Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) led a quiet and scholarly life after returning to Medina, confining himself to a small circle of followers and disciples. He took aloof from politics and dedicated his time to prayer, which earned him his honorifics during his lifetime. For many years, Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) commemorated the Karbala massacre in private gatherings, fearing the Umayyads’ wrath. Such gatherings were a form of protest against the Umayyad regime.

Personally, Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) was deeply affected by the Karbala massacre, to the point that he frequently wept in its memory for many years. He justified his prolonged grief with a reference to the Quranic verse 12:84, which describes the immense grief of Hazrat Yaqub (R.A) during the absence of his son, Hazrat Yusuf (R.A).

After the Karbala massacre, Abd Allah, son of Zubayr, who was a prominent companion of Hazrat Muhammad (R.A), declared himself caliph in the Hejaz. He gradually gained popular support, to the point that Kufans forcibly replaced their Umayyad governor with a representative of Ibn Zubayr in 683. Hazrat Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) remained neutral towards Ibn Zubayr, and even left the town during the unrest in Medina. He also never pledged allegiance to Ibn Zubayr but was left unmolested by him. Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) was also not harmed by Yazid’s forces, who later pillaged Medina after their victory in the Battle of al-Harra in 683. On this occasion, Ali al-Sajjad, unlike others, was exempted from a renewed oath of allegiance to Yazid, perhaps because he had earlier sheltered the Umayyad Marwan ibn al-Hakam and his family.

Ali al-Sajjad (R.A) died in 94 or 95 AH (712–714 CE) and was buried next to his uncle Imam Hasan (R.A) in the al-Baqi cemetery in Medina.

LEGACY

Ali Zayn al-Abidin (R.A) was renowned for his devotion to God and his ascetic lifestyle. He earned the title “Zayn al-Abidin,” which means “Ornament of the Worshippers,” due to his intense prayers and acts of worship. His deep spirituality and connection with the divine served as an inspiration for generations of Muslims.

He was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Karbala, despite witnessing the tragedy and suffering, he remained steadfast in his faith and continued to uphold the teachings of Islam.

He was a repository of knowledge and wisdom. He imparted religious teachings and jurisprudence to his followers, emphasizing the importance of learning and education in Islam. His contributions to Islamic scholarship enriched the intellectual tradition of the faith.

He exemplified the values of social justice and compassion taught by Islam. He actively engaged in charitable activities, helping the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. His emphasis on empathy and benevolence towards all people regardless of their faith or background continues to inspire Muslims worldwide.

Despite living under the oppressive rule of the Umayyad caliphs, he never compromised his principles or bowed down to injustice. He advocated for truth and righteousness, speaking out against tyranny and oppression wherever he could.