Torturing Zayd's Supporters
When the Umayyad authority had suppressed Zayd's uprising, it went too far in spreading panic and fear in Ku`fa. 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
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1. Al-Sira al-Halabiya,vol. 1, p. 327.
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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.
1 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.
2
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-'Abba`s composed:
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1. Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 3, p. 255.
2. Ibid.
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O Eye, shed abundant tears!
The grandson of the Prophet has been hanged at al- Kanasa.
1These 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 Ku`fa`ns for betraying Zayd, as they had betrayed before his grandfather, al-Husayn, peace be on him. Thus, treason was among the traits of the Ku`fa`ns. It was said: "The Ku`fa`n does not fulfill (his promise).
Abu` Thumayla al-Abba`r 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.
2
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
____________
1. Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 148-149.
2. Ibid, p. 150.
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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 Ku`fa. 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.
1
Hisha`m died. Then al-Walid b. Yazid, the licentious one of the Umayyads, succeeded him. The latter wrote to the governor of Ku`fa, Yousif b. 'Umar, to bring down the holy body from the gallows and to
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1. Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 3, p. 256.
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burn it with fire.
1The murderer carried out al-Walid'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 Ku`fa`ns): "By Allah, Ku`fa`ns, I will make you eat it in your food and drink it in your water.
2
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'u`di, has mentioned: "Zayd asked the advice of his brother, Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), when he wanted to go to Iraq to revolt against the Umayyads. Thus, the Ima`m advised him not to trust the Ku`fa`ns, 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-Ba`qir) said to him: 'I am afraid that you will be killed at al-Kanasa, in Ku`fa tomorrow.' Then Abu` Ja'far saw him off and told him that they would not meet each other.
3 These words of al-Mas'u`di make the person understand that Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir) was alive when Zayd decided to revolt (against the Umayyads). Some
of those who wrote about Zayd mentioned that, too. This is incorrect, for Ima`m Abu` Ja'far died in the year (114 A. H.),
4and Zayd was killed in the year (122A.H.). Perhaps al-Mas'udi wanted to say that Zayd had a hunch
____________
1. Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 147.
2. Al-Ya'qubi, Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 391.
3. Murujj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 139.
4. Ibn al-Athir, Tarikh, vol. 4, p. 217.
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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 Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin's son. His mother was a slave-wife (umm walad).
1 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, Fa`tima, daughter of Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on him, and his brother, Ima`m Abi Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him.
2 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, Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on him.
3
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. Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir) 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
4
His Devotion and his Piety
He was pious and devout. He feared Allah very much. Sa'id, the companion of al-Hasan b. Sa`hib, said: "I did not see anyone who
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1. 'Umdat al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 29.
2. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 302.
3. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 6, p. 44.
4. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 273.
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feared Allah more than al-Hasan b. Sa`lih 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.
1
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.’
2
Al-Husayn grew up in the center of piety and devotion and in the origin of wisdom and virtue of Islam. His father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, 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.
He died in Medina (Yathrib) at the age of about (57 years). It was said that he died at the age of (74 years). He was buried beside his father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, and his brother,
al-Ba`qir, at the (cemetery) of Baqi' al-Gharqad.
'Abd Allah al-Ba`hir
He was the son of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He was Ima`m
al-Ba`qir's full brother. He was among the glorious children of the pure Ima`ms, for he was knowledgeable, pious, and devout. We will mention briefly some of his affairs:
His Nickname
He was nicknamed al-Ba`hir because he was handsome. The historians said: "(The people) looked at his handsomeness when he attended a certain meeting. Everybody respected and admired him.
5
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1. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 302.
2.'Umdat al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 29.
3. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 6, p. 44.
4. 'Umdat al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 29.
5. Ibid, p. 127.
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His Religious Knowledge
He was among the prominent scholars. His father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, 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. 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, Ima`m al-Hasan, peace be on him. 'Amma`ra b. Ghuzayya, Mu`sa`` b. 'Aqaba, 'Isa` b. Dina`r, and Yazid b. Abi Zyya`d reported on his authority. Ibn Hayya`n numbered him among the reliable (narrators). Al-Turmidhi and al-Hakim regarded his traditions as correct.
2
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 Ima`m ('Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him.
3 He divided their revenues according to the will of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and of Ima`m ('Ali), the Commander of the Faithful.
His Death
He died at the age of (57 years). The references have not mentioned the year when he died or the place where he was buried.
____________
1. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 300.
2. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 5, p.324.
3. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 300.
4. 'Umdat al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 127.
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'Umar al-Ashraf
He was the son of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. His mother was a slave-wife. Al-Mukhtar bought her for a hundred thousand dirhams. Then he sent her to Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin. She bore him
1'Umar, Zayd, and 'Ali.'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.
2 The Shaykh (al-Tu`si) 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, Fa`tima the Chaste, peace be on her, while 'Umar al-Attraf obtained honor from his father, Ima`m ('Ali), the Commander of the Faithful. "Our master, Ima`m 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.
3
His Religious Knowledge
He was a meritorious (religious) scholar. The Shaykh (al-Tu`si) numbered him among the companions of his brother, Ima`m al-Ba`qir. He reported on the authority of his father. Fatr b. Khalifa reported on his authority.
4
____________
1. Ibid.
2. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 13, p. 54.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
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His Authority over the Heirlooms of the Prophet
He undertook the heirlooms of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and of Ima`m ('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 (Ima`m) 'Ali's heirlooms that he should break so-and-so in the wall and should not prevent those who entered them from eating.
1 This indicates his generosity, his nobility, and his humanity.
His Death
He passed away at the age of (65 years). The references have not mentioned the year when he died or the place where he was buried. They have neglected that.
'Ali
He was Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin's son. He died at Yanbu' and was buried there.
3He was thirty years old.
4 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 Ima`m.
Ima`m al-Ba`qir's Children
As for the Ima`m al-Bqir's children, they were from the good ones of the Prophetic family and from the glorious figures of the
____________
1. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 273.
2. 'Umdat al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 127.
3. 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 Faithful, peace be upon him. His sons inherited them.
4. 'Umdat al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 129.
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Moslems, for they were rightly-guided and righteous. Moreover, they refrained from the sins of the world. The Ima`m 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. Ibra`him
He was the son of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him. His mother was Umm Hakim, the daughter of Usayd b. al-Mughira b. al-Akhnas al-Thaqafi.
1 We have found no information about him.
2. Ima`m Ja'far
He was the master of the children of his father, the leading Ima`m 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. Ja`bir b. Hayya`n, 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 Ima`m made nor have the specialists known.
2 Ima`m Ja'far (al-Sa`diq) is regarded among the early theologians and philosophers. Hisha`m b. al-Hakam, who is regarded as a wonderful example of these studies, studied under him.
Ima`m 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,
____________
1. Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarikh al-A'yan, vol. 5, p. 78. Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat, vol. 5, p. 320.
2. Dr. Mohammed Yahya al-Hashimi has mentioned that in his book Imam al-Sadiq Mulhim al-Kimya'.
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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-Ba`qir, peace be on him. His mother was Umm Farwa, daughter of al-Qa`sim b. Mohammed b. Bakr.
1His 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.
2
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. 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 Ima`m al-Ba`qir, 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-Ta`hir (the pure one), for his soul was pure and his position was great. He died in a village, at al-Kha`lis near Baghdad. In his (book) al-Ta`rikh, Muhib al-Din b. al-Naja`r said: "The shrine of al-Ta`hir is in a village, at al-Kha`lis near Baghdad. An old grave has
____________
1. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 303.
2. In his speech: " I will be a helper for you against Allah. He meant that he would be an intercessor from him with Allah.
3. Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p. 64. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 309.
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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-Ta`hir 'Ali b. Mohammed b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. Abi Ta`lib, 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'im. The Shaykh was among the secretaries. He assumed writing the Divan of al-Kha`lis. 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.
1 It was reported on the authority of the author of' Riya`d al-'Ulama' that the grave of 'Ali is in Ka`sha`n and that there is a great dome over it and that it has clear miracles.
2
5. 'Abd Allah
His mother was Umm Hakim, daughter of Usayd b. al-Mughira al-Thaqafi.
3 He died during the lifetime of his father.
4We 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
5 whose mother was a slave-wife. She was the mother of Isma`'il b. al-Arqat. Her son, Isma'il, became ill. So, she hurried frightened to Ima`m al-Sa`diq. He ordered her to go into the house and say two
ruk'a`s and supplicate with this supplication: "O Allah, surely You
____________
1. Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p. 63.
2. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 309.
3. Al-Mufid, 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 mentioned in Jamharat Ansab al-'Arab nor has he been mentioned in 'Umdat al-Talib nor has he been mentioned in Mi'rat al-Zaman.
4. Al-Sirat al-Sawi, p. 194.
5. Mir'at al-Zaman fi 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.
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granted him to me while he was nothing. O Allah, I ask you to grant him to me.
1 So, lend him to me. She did that, and Allah healed him.
With this we end our talk about the righteous Sharifs from the children of the Ima`m, peace be on him.
____________
1. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 309.
