'Urwa bin al-Zubayr
His real name is 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr b. al-Awa`m al-Madani. He was one of the seven jurists of Medina. He was the most knowledgeable of all the people in the traditions of 'A'isha. He
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1. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 8, p. 140.
2. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 84.
3. A'lam al-Muwaqqi'in, vol. 1, p. 18.
4. Al-Aghani, vol. 3, p. 93.
5. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, p. 86.
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understood all of her narrations and traditions.
1 For she was his aunt. He was present with his father al-Zubayr, who fought against Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, (at the
Battle of the Camel). 'Urwa was 13 years old. So, the Ima`m regarded him as young.
2
'Abd al-Malik b. Marwa`n praised 'Urwa very much. Concerning him, he said:" Whoever is pleased to look at a man from the people of the garden, he must look at 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr.
3
Urwa said: "If you see the person doing a good deed, know that he has other good deeds. When you see him doing an evil deed, know that he has other evil deeds.
4
His Death
He died in the year 91 or 92 A. H.
3. 'Ubayd Allah bin 'Abd Allah
His real name is 'Ubayd Allah b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Uttba b. Mas'u`d al-Hadhli. He was given the kunya of Abu` 'Abd Allah al-Madani. Al-'Ajali said: "'Ubayd Allah b. 'Abd Allah was blind. He was one of the
jurists of Medina. He belonged to the next generation. He was reliable, righteous, and knowledgeable. He was the teacher of 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz.
6 He was fond of love poetry.
7 He died in the year 99 A. H.
8
4. 'Abd al-Rahma`n
b. al-Ha`rith al-Makhzu`mi
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1. Ibid, vol. 7, p. 182.
2. Ibid.
3. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104.
4. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 7, p. 183.
5. Ibid, p. 184.
6. Ibid, p. 23.
7. Al-Aghani, vol. 8, p. 16.
8. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 7, p. 24.
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He was given the kunya of Abu` al-Ha`rith al-Madani. He reported (traditions) on the authority of a group of (people). Among them were Zayd b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn, al-Hasan al-Basri, Hakim b. Hakim, and the like. Al-Nisa`'i said: "He is not reliable." However, b. Sa'd said: "He is reliable." Ahmed said: "He is neglected." 'Ali b. al-Madani regarded him as a weak (traditionalist). He died at the beginning of the caliphate of Abu` Ja'far al-Mansu`r.
1
5. Sulayma`n bin Yasa`r al-Hila`li
He was given the kunya of Abu` Ayyu`b al-Madani. He reported traditions on the authority of Umm Salama and'A'isha. He was one of the scholars of the people after Sa'id b. al-Musayyab. He died in the year 107 A. H. When he died, he was 73 years of age.
2
6. Kha`rija bin Zayd b. Tha`bit
al-Ansa`ri al-Najja`ri
He was given the kunya of Abu` Zayd al-Madani. He reported on the authority of a group (of people). A group of (people) reported on his authority.
Ibn Sa'd said: "Kha`rija was reliable. He reported many traditions.
3 Al-Dhahabi did not mention him with the memorizers of the traditions.
7. Al-Qa`sim bin Mohammed
bin Abu` Bakr
He was given the kunya of Abu` Mohammed. He reported on the authority of his father and his aunt, 'A'isha, and the 'Aba`dila. A group of people reported on his authority.
Al-Bukha`ri said: "His father was killed, so he remained an orphan under the care of 'A'isha." He added: "He (al-Qa`sim) was the best of the people of his time.
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1. Ibid, vol. 6, p. 155.
2. Ibid, vol. 4, p. 229.
3. Ibid, vol. 8, p. 334.
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Abu` al-Zana`d said: "I have never seen (a person) more knowledgeable than him in the Sunna, nor have I seen (a person) cleverer than him.
Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, married his (al-Qa`sim's) daughter, and she born him Ima`m Abu` 'Abd Allah al-Sa`diq, peace be on him.
1
Shaykh al-Tu`si sometimes numbered him as one of the companions of al-Sajja`d, and he sometimes numbered him as one of the companions of al-Ba`qir, peace be on him.
Al-Qa`sim died in the year 102 A.H.
2
With this we will end our talk about the seven jurists who formed a school called the School of the Next Generation.
The School of the Ahl al-Bayt
It was the first ideological school to be established in Islam. It spared no effort to develop the life of the Moslems. It was not confined to Islamic legislation. Rather, it took care of knowledge and sciences such as philosophy, wisdom, medicine, chemistry, theology, policy, administration, economy, and the like.
This school played an important role in recording sciences. Noteworthy, the first and the second Caliph prevented (the Moslems) from recording traditions. For they claimed that such an act would have an effect on the Book of Allah. However, this claim is baseless.
Sayyid Husayn al-Sadr said that the Shi'a were the first to take care of jurisprudence. He mentioned some of the Shi'ite authors. Among them is 'Ali b. Abu` Ra`fi'. He was one of the main Shi'ites at the time of Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. He was the secretary of the Ima`m. He wrote a book on the techniques of jurisprudence.
Among the authors was Salim b. Qays al-Hila`li al-Ku`fi. He was one of the companions of Imam 'Ali, peace be on him. His life
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1. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 14, p. 48.
2. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 8, p. 335.
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coincided with the time of al-Hajja`j, namely during the period of the Umayyad government. Al-Hjja`j, the criminal, tried to kill him. So, he sought protection with Aba`n b. 'Ayya`sh. When death came to him, he gave his book to Aba`n. It was the first Shi'ite book to appear. Aba`n b. 'Ayya`sh reported the book.
1
However, the school of the ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, took care of all sciences. It was not confined to a certain science. Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, was the first to establish it. Then, the pure Ima`ms from his children took care of it. Then, Ima`m al-Baqir, peace be on him, took care of it. Many scholars came to Ima`m al-Ba`qir to study under him. Reliable scholars reported many sciences on his authority. We will mention that when we talk about the companions and reporters of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him.
We have mentioned this school in detail in our book "The Life of Ima`m Mu`sa` bin Ja'far." It has been also published in "A'ya`n al-Shi'a" and the "al-Adwa`' Magazine.
Public Cultural Life
As for the public cultural life at the time of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, it was very shallow. There was no measure for the morals and ideals which Islam had brought. Rather, the people returned to their customs before Islam. They vied in fathers and lineage with each other. This phenomenon can be easily seen in the poetry of that time. The poets vied in lineage with each other. So, they satirized each other. An example of this is al-Farazdaq and Jarir. Their poetry is full of satire.
Al-Kumayt, the poet of the 'Alids, seized this opportunity. He praised laudable deeds of his people from Madar. He preferred his people to the Qahta`niyyin. With that he could create a discord among the tribes. So, he played an important role in overthrowing the Umayyad government.
Di'bil al-Khuza`'i defended the Qahta`niyyin. I think that al-Kumayt and Di'bil agreed with on another on that to sow the seeds of discord among the tribes to weaken them. Di'bil composed a poem of six hundred lines as an answer to al-Kumayt's poem.
The Naza`riya vied in glory with the Yemaniya. Hence, tribalism moved both the people of the cities and the people of the desert to the extent that the country was full of discords.
However, the general style of the literature of that time was boasting and satire. It represented neither awareness nor seriousness in the thoughts. It had no summons to good. Rather, it summoned the people to follow harmful discords.
Political Life
As for the political life at that time, it was very disorderly. Discords and troubles prevailed the people. Fearful events occurred. There was no security. The hearts of the people were full of terror. The people were restless out of the bloody revolts. Thousands of people were the victims of those revolts. For the Umayyads followed an evil policy. They were indifferent to the interests of the Moslems. Rather, they did their best to achieve their aims and desires. Now, we will talk about some of the aspects of the political life at that time.
Political Parties
At that time numerous parties were formed. The parties followed various trends. Violent struggles took place among them. They used all political ways to hold the reins of government. Hence, they paid no attention to the interests of the community. The following is some of these parties.
1. The Umayyad Party
It was the ruling party at that time. It took the reins of government through various kinds of deception and misleading
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1. Ibid, p. 197.
2. Ibid.
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tactics. The popular forces killed 'Uthma`n. However, the Umayyads used his blood as a motto to achieve their political objectives. They provoked all people to avenge the blood of their leader, 'Uthma`n. They forgot that they had deserted him. They had not supported him when the revolutionists besieged his house and asked him to establish social justice. He was besieged for days. The Umayyads heard of that. However, they did not defend him. Then, the revolutionists killed 'Uthma`n. Afterwards, the Umayyads summoned the people to avenge his blood. They used his blood as means to assume the authority and to plunder the wealth of the country. When they undertook the authority, they adopted all illegal political ways. The following is some of them:
A. They (the Umayyads) deceived the Syrians. They told them that they were the nearest people to Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. So, the Syrians believed them. However, the Syrians knew the deception of the Umayyads when the Abba`sids took the rein of government. Some poets composed poems concerning that.
1
B. The Umayyads formed committees and ordered them to fabricate traditions and to ascribe them to the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. They ordered the fabricators to say that the Umayyads were the lords of all the creatures, and that they were the nearest of all the people to Allah, the Exalted. So, they spent a lot of money on the fabricators who supported their government.
C. They used the poets as means to praise and laud them. They gave them many gifts and spent a lot of money on them. For poetry was strong mass media at that time.
The historians said that Mohammed b. Marwa`n gave a lot of money to his poet, Abu` al-Abba`s the blind. So, the latter did not ask anybody for money after the death of the former.
2
The poet A'sha`` Rabi'a praised and lauded 'Abd al-Malik b.
____________
1. Ibid, p. 73.
2. Al-Aghani, vol. 15, pp. 59-63.
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Marwa`n. So, 'Abd al-Malik spent a lot of money on him.
1
The poet 'Adi b. al-Raqqa`' praised and lauded al-Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik. So, al-Walid gave him many gifts and spent a lot of money on him.
The poet al-Ahwas praised and lauded Yazid b. Mu'a`wiya.
2 Hence, Yazid gave him many gifts and spent a lot of money on him. The poet forgot that Yazid drank wine, played with the monkeys, killed Ima`m al-Husayn-peace be on him-, and attacked Medina, the city of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family.
However, the Umayyads used the poets to support their policy and to impose their government on the people.
2. The Zubayri Party
This party thought that al-Zubayr's family, headed by 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr, was the most appropriate of all the people for government. For they were the relations of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Al-Zubayr's mother Safiya was the aunt of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Besides al-Zubayr was one of the six candidates of the consultative committee which 'Umar b. al-Khatta`b nominated.
The main propagator and supporter of this party was b. Qays al-Ruqayya`t, a great poet. He praised and lauded Mas'ab b. al-Zubayr.
3 He summoned the people to revolt against the Umayyads.
4
Among the combatant poets of this party was al-Na`bigha al-Ju'di. He praised and lauded 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr. He boasted of his justice. He likened him to Abu` Bakr , 'Umar, and 'Uthma`n. So, he thought that 'Abd Allah was appropriate for the caliphate.
However, this party did not last for a long time. For al-Hajja`j destroyed it when he killed 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr.
____________
1. Ibid, vol. 11, p. 271.
2. Ibid, vol. 15, pp. 59-63.
3. Ibn Qays al-Ruqayyat, Diwan, p. 176.
4. Al-Aghani, vol. 5, p. 78.
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3. The Kha`rijites
The Kha`rijites believed in revolting against all the rulers in the Islamic countries, for the rulers did not believe in their principles and thoughts. In the previous chapters, we have mentioned some of their principles. As for their propagators, they were many. Among them was al-Tirimma`h. He praised and lauded them.
1
They had other poets. They glorified their principles, and urged their people to revolt against the governments then.
4. The Shi'a
The main Moslem figures joined this party. Among them were Salma`n al-Fa`risi, 'Amma`r b. Ya`sir, Abu` Dharr, and Khuzayma b. Tha`bit al-Ansa`ri, called the man of two testimonies because the Prophet made his testimony equal to two men. They played an important role in spreading and defending Islam. They firmly believed in the succession of the members of the house (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, to authority after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
That is because the members of the house (ahl al- Bayt), peace be on them, were the family of the Prophet, life-boats, and safety for the creatures, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said. Besides they had countless talents and outstanding merits.
At the time of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, al-Kumayt al-Asadi was the spokesman of the members of the house (ahl al- Bayt), peace be on them. He supported and defended them. In that he depended on the Holy Koran, saying.
We have found a verse concerning you in the verses beginning with Ha` Mim.
The pious and the non-pious from us have explained it.
In other than the verses beginning with Ha` Mim, there are successive verses concerning you.
They are as signposts (of knowledge) for the possessor of tiring
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1. Al-Tirimmah, Diwan, p. 157.
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doubt.
Al-Kumayt referred to the verses that concerned the members of the house (ahl al- Bayt), peace be on them. However, the people gave them another meaning.
Al-Kumayt defended the Shi'a in his poem called al-Ha`shimiya`t. The Shi'a used al-Kumayt's poems as proofs for their beliefs. Al-Kumayt's poems are among the most wonderful ideological wealth in Islam. In the Shi'ite political poetry, the poets praised the members of the house (ahl al- Bayt), peace be on them, not for money. Rather, they praised them to show loyalty to the truth.
With this we will end our talk about the political parties at the time of Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him. There were violent struggles among the parties. History and literature books have mentioned the struggles.
Discords and Disorders
The Moslem community suffered from discords and disturbances. Moreover, the bad Umayyad politicians spread fear and terror all over the Islamic countries.
The famous poet al-Ha`rith b. 'Abd Allah described those discords and disorders.
1 Another poet called al-Abba`s b. al-Walid described them, too.
2 He said that the discords were like the mountains. All those discords and disorders resulted from the Umayyad policy based on tyranny, oppression, and punishing the people severely. So, the people revolted against government and overthrew
it.
Play and Luxury
The Umayyads king indulged in play and luxury. They were fond of impudence and pleasures. So, they spent the wealth of the Moslems on their pleasures. In addition to that the rich participated
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1. Hayat al-Imam Musa bin Ja'far, vol. 1, pp. 319-320.
2. Ibn al-Athir, Tarikh, vol. 5, p. 105.
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with the Umayyads in pleasures and impudence. They used all kinds of luxury. With that they deviated from the life of the Moslems during the lifetime of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. The people at that time renounced worldly pleasures. 'A'isha was asked about her garment during the days of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and she answered: "By Allah, it was not silk nor cotton nor flax. Rather, it was (made of) the hair of camels.
1
However, this life changed completely during the time of the Umayyads. The young men of the Banu` Marwa`n wore embellished clothing.
2 Marwa`n b. Aba`n b. 'Uthma`n wore seven shirts, one was shorter than the other. On them, he wore a one thousand-dirham Adani cloak.
3 During his rule over Medina, 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz wore a four-hundred dirham garment. However, he said: "How hoarse and thick (this garment) is!
4
Ha`ru`n b. Sa`lih reported on the authority of his father, who said: "We gave many dirhams to the washerman to wash our clothes with suds of the clothes of 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz, for it was full of perfume.
5
The clothes of the women of Medina (Yathrib) changed. They wore silk-clothes, and the like.
6Men also wore colored clothes.
7
Excessive Dowries
Among the aspects of the luxury at that time was excessive dowries. Abd Allah b. Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Bakr, the husband of 'A'isha, daughter of Talha, died. So, Mas'ab b. al-Zubayr married her
____________
1. Al-'Aqd al-Farid, vol. 1, p. 105.
2. Al-Aghani, vol. 1, p. 310.
3. Ibid, vol. 17, p. 89.
4. Ibn S'ad, Tabaqat, vol. 5, p. 246.
5. Al-Aghani, vol. 9, p. 262.
6. Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, vol. 8, p. 352.
7. Al-Aghani, vol. 6, p. 13.
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and gave her one million dirhams as a dowry.
1
The historians talked about her luxury saying: "When 'A'isha went to make the pilgrimage (to Mecca), sixty mules with howdahs and luggage accompanied her.
Urwa b. al-Zubayr said to her: "O 'A'isha, O Possessor of sixty mules, such do you
make the pilgrimage (to Mecca) every year?
2
Excessive dowries were signs of luxury at that time. However, the Umayyads and the like
were known for that.
Luxurious Women
The ruling group became so rich that its women were luxurious. The historians reported: "'Atika, daughter of Yazid b. Mu'a`wiya, asked 'Abd al-Malik to permit her to make the pilgrimage (to Mecca). He said to her: 'Increase your needs and seek the help of (your folk women), for 'A'isha daughter of Talha will make the pilgrimage (to Mecca).’ She did that. When she was on the road between Mecca and Medina, a procession came and separated her group. She said: 'I think that she is 'A'isha.’ She asked about her. They said: 'That is her treasurer.’ Then a larger procession came and separated her group. She said: 'That is 'A'isha.’ 'No,’ they replied 'that is her maid.’ Then other processions followed. Then a procession of three hundred camels came. Hawdas and domes were on them. So, 'Atika said: 'What with Allah is better and more lasting.’
3
The historians reported other examples of luxurious women. Among them is that Mas'ab gave
eighty pearls to 'A'isha as a gift. When he entered to give them to her, he found her sleeping. He woke her. When she saw the gift, she paid no attention to it. Then she said: "Sleep is more lovable with me (than the gift).
4
____________
1. Ibid, vol. 10, p. 60.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid, p. 57.
