THE CALIPHS' REIGNS
The Holy Qur'an has depicted adeptly the tragedy that inflicted the Islamic ummah because of the absence of Prophet Muhammad (s), yet no one else can depict such a vision. Listen to the Holy Qur'an (3:144)
و ما محمد إلا رسول قد خلت من قبله الرسل أفإين مات أو قتل انقلبتم علي أعقبكم و من ينقلب علي عقيبه فلن يضر الله شيئا و سيجزي الله الشاكرين(144)
And Muhammad is no more than an apostle; the the apostles have alredy passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heel will by no means do harm to Allah in the least, and Allah will reward the grateful.
In fact, the most disastrous tragedy that inflicted the Islamic ummah after the Prophet's demise was taking the Prophet's Household away from the politcal fields and giving the leadership to other unworthy individuals. Besides the many adversities that the Islamic ummah has been suffering because of these procedures, this matter resulted in savagely with Muslims in general and the Prophet's Household in particular, In few words, the plot of taking Imam 'Ali away from the leadership was the major reason beyond slaying the Prophet's Household and the genuine companions in Karbala at the hands of the Umayyad army.
The events that occurred during the reign of the first three caliphs had left clear prints on the life of Lady Zaynab. Let us then refer briefly to these events.
THE PLOT OF AL-SAQIFAH
while Prohet Muhammad's dead body had not been
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buried yet, some individuals from the Ansar1 hurried to hold a secret congress in Saqifah -shed- of Banu-Saidah for proposing one of them for the leadship of the Islamic ummah because they anticipated that the Muahjirun2 would seize power.
Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah, the chief of al-Khazraj tribe, delivered a speech in which he applauded the Ansar's struggle for sake of Islam and that they would be worthier of leading the Islamic ummah than the tribes of Quraysh who antagonized the Prophet (s) and tried to assassinate him.
Another chief from the Ansar, namely al-Habbab ibn al-Mundhir, delivered a speech in which he warned his people from the people of Quraysh and advised them to give the people of Quraysh a share in power because he anticipated that the descendants of those whose fathers, sons, and brothers were killed during the Prophet's campaigns would come to power and revenge themselves on the Ansar.
Unfortunately, the anticipation of al-Habbab ibn al-Mundhir came true; when Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, whose relatives were killed by those who defended Islam during the Propht's campaigns, came to power, he intentionally humiliated the Ansar and spread poverty among them, His son, Yazid, made what is worse; he usurped their properties, shed their blood, and abused their honors.
SUDDEN ARRIVAL OF THE MUHAJIRUN
While the Ansar were discussing the affairs of the next leadership, they were surprised by the arrival of Abu Bakr, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Salim,
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1-The Ansar -supporters- are people of al-Madinah (formerly Yathrib) who supported the Prophet (s) and the emigrants of Mecca after they had to leave their home country.
2- the Muhajirun -emigrants- are people of Mecca who had to leave their home country after their people had treated them so severely because they embraced Islam.
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and others from the Muhajirun. Despite secrecy of their congress, the Ansar were revealed and all their plots failed.
Taking advantage of the situation, Abu Bakr delivered a smooth-tongued speech in which he referred to the muhajirun as the foremost in embracing and defending Isalm. he then offered the position of vizierate to the Ansar and kept the position of leadership to his people and him.
In his speech, Abu Bakr kid not refer to the death of Prophet Muhammad (s) or to the Ahl al-Bayt (a). He should at least, have demands with postponing that congress some time because the Prophet's holy body had not been buried yet. He also should have referred to the Prophet's repetitive instruction of nominating Imam 'Ali as him successor and representative.
However, his party hurried to support him and pay homage to him as the next leader. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, by using his famous stick and tough style, played the greatest role in this play. In fact, they did their roles so successfully because their plot had been already known and agreed upon.
Omitting any participation in the funeral ceremonies of the Prophet (s), the party of Abu Bakr carried him to the Prophet's Masjid in procession like a bride.
IMAM 'ALI AND THE ILLEGAL HOMAGE
When he heard of their plots, Imam 'Ali Amir al-Mu'minin refused to pay homage to the illegal government of Abu Bakr, because he considered this matter as flagrant violation of his right, Imam 'Ali's position in relation to the leadership of the Islamic ummah is as same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill. The floodwater flows down from him and the bird cannot fly up to him.1 However Abu Bakr and his party agreed upon coercing Imam 'Ali to payhomage by any means. They therefore sent their forces
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1- This is the expression that Imam 'Ali (a) himself used concerning the usurpation of the position that Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad (s) chose for him. See Nahj al-Balaghag; sermon of al-Shaqshaqiyyah No.3.
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to arrest him at home and bring him out forcibly. The Imam's claims against them were so strong and effective that they could not say anything logic to him.1 He then came back home without paying homage to Abu Bakr.
At home, many waves of grief and sorrow surrounded the Imam whose right was usurped before his eyes. The same waves covered his family members among whom was the little Zaynab who saw her father resist grief and opt for patience, and saw her mother weep for her father's departure and her husband's grievance.
STRICT PROCEDURES AGAINST THE AHL AL-BAYT
As he failed to coerce Imam 'Ali to pay homage to him, Abu Bakr resorted to a number of shameful means, hoping they would oblige the Imam (a) to renounce his right. They first canceled the Khums (One-fifth) tax that Almighty Allah gave exclusively to Prophet Muhammad and his family (a).
Abu Bakr then imposed an economic blockade on the Prophet's Household by confiscating their properties and counting them on the public treasury so that they would not be able to revolt against his illegal government. He also condiscated the land of Fadak, which the Prophet (s) gifted to his daughter, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' (a), in particular before the very eyes of all Muslims, including Abu Bakr himself..2
Lady Fatimah al-Zahra was very angry with the behaviors of Abu Bakr who locked in her face all spaces of life. Accompanied by a number of pious women, she entered the session of Abu bakr in her father's Masjid where many men from the Muhajirun and the Ansar were present. When a screen was put between her and the attendants, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a), first, moaned so pathetically that
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1- See Ibn Qutayba's al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah; 1:11-2.
2- For details, See Fadak in History, by Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, translated by 'Abdullah al-Shahin, Published by Ansariyan Publications - Qum, 2002.
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everybody should not resist weeping. She then delivered an astounding speech; she first referred to the Islamic knowledge, philosophey of the Islamic laws, and then took up some important issues. She mentioned her father's great favors on those peoples who, before him, had lived in dimnes of ignorance, incivility, and humiliation. She also referred to the virtue and precedence of her cousin and husband, Imam 'Ali, and his struggle for sake of Islam while others lived in luxury and did not exert a single effort in this regard. Before entering upon the main issue, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a) expressed her great sorrow for the current deviaton and perversion that inflicted the Islamic ummah, and predicted the ummah's imminent collapse and incurrence of adversities and misfortunes because of taking away the Ahl al-Bayt (a) from the positions that almighty Allah and His Apostle chose for them.
She then cited the question of depriving her of her father's heritage by giving examples from the Holy Qaur'an and the Islamic laws in this regard.
In point of fact, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' (a) disproved the claims of Abu Bakr so unquestionably that nobody could answer her.
She then put before his eyes the bitter future that he would most certainly encounter when he shall be judged by Almighty Allah and His Prophet (s).
She then addressed to the Muslims, attempting to awaken their determinations for demanding with her right and revolting against the illegal government. However, she kew that they were too weak to be stirred up by any word of any situation. at any rate, the speech is regarded as the most impressive innovative speech throughout history of humankind.
Due to his craftiness, Abu Bakr could contain the situation, which was about to be explode, by using an
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1- See A'lam al-Nisa; 3:208 and Balaghat al-Nisa; 12-9.
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amazing diplomacy; he answered Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' (a) with words of welcome and honoring. He also lowered himself before her and showed that those strict procedures had not been his own opinion. yet, they had been the Muslims' decisions.
In abstract, no rational individual can excuse Abu Bakr who, in addition to dressing himself with the position of leadership of the Islamic ummah, confiscating the Prophet's heritage, seizing Fadak and other personal properties, and imposing an economical blockade on the Prophet's family, lied very much when he fabricated lies against the Holy Prophet (s)1 and when he told that all Muslims decided to deprive Imam Ali (a) of his right of leadrship.
Lady Zaynab, witnessing all these events, undrestood the reality of those individuals who caused troubles, pains, and grief to her mother.
It is worth mentioning that Lady Zaynab, while she was only five year old, memorized her mother's long and eloquent speech. She was the major narrator of that speech. This is in fact a clear sign of her extraordinary genius.
REJECTED APOLOGIES
Abu Bakr and 'Umar tried to please Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' (a) in any way, but she refused to recieve them. They then directed towards Imam 'Ali and begged him to arrange a meeting with her. The Imam did and lady Fatimah (a) permitted them.
When they both sat before her, she turned her face away from them. They then apologized for her, but she asked them:
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1- Abu-Bakr claimed that he had heard Prophet Muhammad (s) saying: "We, the prophets, do not leave heritages. Anything that we leave must be regarded as alms." Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' (a), however, proved the falsity of this claim through many Qur'anic Verses and rational evidences. For more details, see Fakad in History, by Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr.
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"Now if I tell you something said by the Prophet of Allah (s), will you accept and follow it."
"Of course we will," answered they.
She asked, "I ask you by Allah, you have heard the Prophet of Allah (s) say: 'To please Fatimah is my pleasure and to enrage her is my anger. Hence, anyone who loves my daughter Fatimah has in fact loved me, anyone pleases my daughter Fatimah has in fact pleased me. 'have you not?"
"Yes, we have," they confirmed, "We have heard the Prophet of Allah (s) say so."
Furiously, she addresed to Abu Bakr and his conpanion: "I now call upon Allah and His Angles to witness that you have enraged me and that you have never pleased me. I will certainly complain against you as soon as I will meet the Prophet (s)"1
Moreover, she addressed more intense words when she said, "By Allah I swear that I will invoke Allah against you in every prayer I offer."
Hence, Abu Bakr and his companion left without obtaining the satisfaction of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a).
Naturally, Lady Zaynab who witnessed these events closely took the same attitude and participated in her mother's rage at Abu Bakr.
SORROWS OF LADY FATIMAH AL-ZAHRA
Since her father's demise, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra'(a) did not live a single moment of happiness or even a moderate temper. She used to weep day and night to the degree that some "powers" in Medina asked her husband, Imam 'Ali (a), to force her to weep either in day of at night, not in both. She therefore used to take al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and Lady Zaynab to a place out of Medina and sit under a tree there to
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1- See Ibn Qutayba's al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah; 1:14, First Edition.
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weep freely as much as she could. Because her weeping reminded them of their unjust situations, the evils' hands extended to that tree. Hence, she had to sit under sun heat for mourning her father. But it was very hard for Imam 'Ali (a) to let his wife and most beloved one be exposed to the heat of the sun. He therefore hurried to build for her a house he called 'Bayt al-Ahzan' (House of Griefs) so that she would take for weeping and mourning her father (s). Thus, she, accompanied by her sons and daughter, used to sit at that gloomy house all the day, and the Imam (a) used to take them back home when night would fall.
Her only source of pleasure was visiting her father's tomb; she wanted to go there, throw herself on the tomb, and complain about what had happened to her after his departure.1
DEMISE OF LADY FATIMAH
As grief prevailed in her soul, the Prophet's daughter lost all her powers; she could hardly stand up and do her daily activities. Lady Zaynab was helping her mother as much as she could. She felt her griefs, offered to aid her, and stopped with her.
Nevertheless, her health was declining, her body was exposed to illnesses, and she had to stay in bed.
Once, some ladies visited her. with a faint, sorrowful voice, she answered: "I have hated this world and I will be happy only if I depart you. I will meet Allah and His Prophet (s) with numerous sadnesses; my rights have been violated, my relationship to the Prophet (s) has not been respected, his will concerning me has not been regarded, and nobody has considered my sanctity."2
Like a rose losing its bloom, the Prophet's daughter began to wither, and death walked to her in speedy steps while she was in the vigor of youth.
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1- See Ibn Shahrashub's al-Manaqib; 2:131.
2- See al-Ya'qubi's al-Tarikh; 2:95.
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When Imam 'Ali (a) attended according to her request, she told him about her will, which included many points the most important of which were that(1) her holy body must be buried at the darkest hour of night, (2) those who aggreived, wronged, and violated her rights must never participate in her funeral ceremonies, and (3) her tomb must not be known by anybody so that her issue and grievances would be objects of wonderment to the coming generations.
The Imam left her after he had guranteed for her all these matters while he was sinking in sadness.
She also asked her daughter, Lady Zaynab, to do something prophetic in the future in a certain situation.
The daughter promised her mother that she would do. She then asked Asma bint 'Umays to made for her a bedstead that would hide her pure body.1
On the last day of her life, lady fatimah al-Zahra (a) seemed to be in a better state; because she realized that she would very soon join her father, she was glad. She washed her sons, made food for them, and asked them to visit their grandfather's tomb. She then looked at them so deeply, turned to Lady Zaynab, and looked at her the same look.
She then asked Asma to fetch her some water, then dress of mourning, then put her bed at the middle of the house. Asma knew that these were the last moments of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra's life; therefore, she became astounded.
Afterward, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a) began to recite verses of the Holy Qur'an until her holy soul ascended to the heavens to meet her father (s) after whom she hated the worldly life. As Lady Zaynab's eyes fell on the motionless body of her mother, she began to wail and cry out in grief.
As soon as al-Hasan and al-Husayn knew about their mother's death, they threw themselves on her body and wept. But Asma asked them to go to the Masjid and tell their father about this heartbreaking news.
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1- See al-Hakim's al-Mustadrak; 3:162.
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When their father heard, he felt as if his heart had cleft and wished if he had departed life. He hurried to the house with teary eyes, looked at the dead body and said words full of sufferings.
Beside the body, there was Lady Zaynab crying out in grief after she had lost all hopes. For a child, nothing is more difficult than departing mother forever.
The Imam asked Salman (the Persian) to inform the wordless people who fathered at the door that the funeral should be at night. Nobody was allowed to see the dead body of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a) even 'A'ishah, the Prophet's widow.1
When the big part of that night went by, Imam 'Ali (a) washed pure body while the two sons, the daughter, and Asma were looking with teary eyes and broken hearts. He then put the body in the coffin and asked his children to take the last look at their mother. They hence threw themselves on their mother's body. When only a few hours remaind from that night, the Imam (a)offered the Deceased Prayer to the dead body, carried it to the final resting place with the help of the chice ones, such as Salman and some Hashemite men, put it in the grave, heaped dust, and wiped out the place of the grave. The Imam's tears wetted the dust while he was referring to his wife, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra the Veracious (a), with words that expressed his deep sadness and great sufferng.2
The Imam (a) then returned home to participate in his children's weeping for their mother.
Thus, sadness and pain colored the childhood of Lady Zaynab who lost her grandfather (s), the compassionate, then , only a few weeks later, her tender mother. While she was in such an early age, Lady Zaynab realized the major goals that made those people oppress her mother and violate
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1- See Ibn Shahrashub's al-Manaqib; 3:365.
2- See Nahj al-Balaghah; commentary of Muhammad 'Abduh, 2:207.
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her rights. She therefore decided to follow her mother's course and never succumb to the tyrants and the illegal rulers of the Islamic ummah.