The Ima`mate in his Time
The ideological frame of the Ima`mate, according to the Shi'ite doctrine, did not appear during the lifetime of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, for no one understood or followed it except a few number of the Shi'ites whose souls the teachings and values of Islam educated. Al-Husayn b. 'Abd al-Wahha`b said: "The Ima`mate during the time of the Ima`m was kept a secret. None followed the Ima`m except his believing followers.
1"
A group of fearful factors surrounded the Ima`m, so he was unable to show everyone the great aspects of the Ima`mate and its true principles and branches except a few number of his special friends and followers.
2" In the biography of Sa'id b. al-Musayyab, al-Kashi mentioned that al-Fadl b. Sha`da`n said: "During the lifetime of 'Ali b. al-Husayn (Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin), no one knew or followed the Ima`mate except five persons, who were: Sa'id b. Jubayr, Sa'id b. al-Musayyab, Mohammed b. Jubayr b. Mutt'im, Yahya` b. Umm al-Tawil, and Abu Kha`lid al-Ka`buli.
3"
Imam Zayn al-'Abidin isolated himself form the people for a period of time, as his grandfather, Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, did during the days of the Caliphs and sat in his house. He set up for himself a tent made of hair outside Medina and devoted his life to worshipping and spreading knowledge.
4 With that he was able to spare his life and that of the rest of the Household. He saved them from that black, evil government which exposed the Muslims to the most difficult tribulation.
In that case, the Islamic society did not understood the aims which the Ima`mate wanted to achieve as well as it did not understood the qualities of the Ima`m such as infallibility, abundant knowledge,
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1. 'Uyyun al Mu`jiZat, p. 31.
2. Roudat al jannat, vol.4, p. 44.
3. Al-Kashi,Rijal.
4. Farhat al-Ghadir, p.33.
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and perfect awareness of the community in policy, economy, and society. This was because the corrupt Umayyad government officially persecuted the Shi'ites, killed them, imprisoned them in dark prisons, and prevented them from meeting Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
The Ima`mate of Mohammed bin al-Hanafiya
The historians said that Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya was knowledgeable, ascetic, worshipful, and bravery. He was among the most meritorious children of Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, after Ima`m al-Hasan and Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on them.
1 He was a pious person with abundant knowledge.
2 So the hearts inclined to him.
3 A sect of the Muslims adopted his Ima`mate and it was called the Kaysa`niya, which was among the oldest sects of the Muslims. The Kaysa`niya called Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya al-Mahdi (the rightly guided one), of whom the greatest Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, gave good news, who is the Qa`'im (the one who will undertake the office of the Ima`mate) of the Household of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, and who will fill the earth with justice and fairness as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. Among those who believed in the Ima`mate of Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya was Sayyid al-Himyari, a great Muslim poet. He thought that Mohammed was still alive, that he lived in Mount Radawa`, and that he had honey and water. In this connection, he composed the following famous lines of poetry:
Indeed the Ima`ms, who are from Quraysh and
are the rulers of right (to authority), are four
equal ones .
(They are) 'Ali and his three sons, who are the
grandsons (of the Prophet), and are
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1. 'Ummdat al-Talib.
2. Hulyat al-Awliya', vol. 3, p. 174.
3. Ibid.
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well- known.
One grandson is the grandson of faith and good
deeds.
1
One grandson whom Karbala`' took away.
2
And the grandson
3 who will not taste death till
he leads the horses before which there will be a
standard.
He has concealed himself, not seen among
them for a time, in (Mount) Radawa`; he has
honey and water.
4
The poet al-Sayyid al-Himyari withdrew from his doctrine when he understood the truth. He believed in the Ima`mate of the pure Ima`ms, peace be on them, when he openly supported the greatest Ima`m, Ja'far al-Sa`diq, peace be on him, In this respect he said:
I have become a Ja'fari in the name of Allah
and Allah is greater.
I have become sure that Allah will pardon
and forgive (me).
5
Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin with Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya
It is certain that Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya adopted the Ima`mate of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He did not want
____________
1. He meanr the pure Imam, al-Hasan, peace be on hi, the plant of sweet basil of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family.
2. He meant Imam al-Jusayn, the father of the free and lord of martyr.
3. He meant Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya.
4. Abu al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 7, p. 245. In al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, these lines have been attributed to the poet Kuthayr.
5. Abu al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 7, p. 235.
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the Ima`mate for himself, rather the people wanted it for him. It was impossible for him to claim what did not belong to him, for he was the most pious of all the people, the most of them in clinging to religion, and was fully aware that the affair of the Ima`mate did not belong to anyone, rather its affair belonged to Allah, Who granted it to whomever He wanted of His servants. He was sure that the Ima`m of his time was Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. The narrators said: 'There was a dispute between Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya and Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin over the Ima`mate, so they agreed on going to the Kaaba to decide (the matter) by the Black Stone. They agreed on that to prepare the public opinion and to return to the truth those who believed in the Ima`mate of Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya. They traveled to Mecca. When they reached it, they turned to the Sacred House. As for Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, he stood before the Black Stone and supplicated with this supplication: "O Allah, I ask You by Your name which is written upon the canvas of glory, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of splendor, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of tremendousness, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of majesty, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of might, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of power, by Your name which is written upon the canvas of secrets, (which) is previous, excellent, good, and bright, Oh Lord of the eight angels and of the great Throne, by Your eye which does not sleep, by the biggest, the biggest Name, by the greatest, the greatest , the greatest Name which encompasses the kingdom of heavens and earth, by Your Name through which the sun shines, and through which the moon shines, through which You made the seas subservient, through which You fixed the mountains, by Your Name through which Your Throne and the Chair stood erect, by Your Names (which are) holy, noble, hidden, and stored with You in the world of unseen things, I ask You by all of that to bless Mohammed and his Household.
1"
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1. Al-Fadil al-Muqdad, Supplications, vol. 18.
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Allah made the Black Stone speak in a miraculous way as He made 'Isa` b. Maryam speak when infancy in the cradle. He made it say that the Ima`m was Zayn al-'Abidin, that he was the proof of Allah over His creatures, and that he was His trustee over His religion. With that the truth became clear.
1 A group of those who had believed in the Ima`mate of Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya returned to the Ima`mate of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin. So the great poet al-Sayyid al-Himyari composed poetry about this event, saying:
'Ali and what occurred through his uncle
on account of returning the Ima`mate was like
bending the rein.
and his appointing as arbitrator a black stone
and what occurred through his clear speech
when an uncle handed over (the Ima`mate),
without doubt, to (his) cousin, pronouncing
(that) with the tongue.
I truthfully bore witness for that as I truthfully
bore witness for the verses of the Qur'a`n.
I do not doubt that 'Ali (Zayn al-'Abidin) is
my Ima`m,
and I have abandoned my belief in the
previous views.
2
Al-Ka`buli returns to the Truth
Abu` Kha`lid al-Ka`buli had confessed the Ima`mate of Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya, but he withdrew from it when the truth manifested itself to him, so he believed in the Ima`mate of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. The reason for that is according to what the narrators said: "Al-Ka`buli asked Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya: 'May
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1. Bahr al-Ansab, p. 42. Ithbat al-Wasiya, p. 119.
2. Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya, p. 72. Quoted from al-Himyari's Divan
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I be ransom for you, if I have sacredness, love, and devotion to you, I ask you by the sacredness of Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and that of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, to tell me: Are you the Ima`m whose obedience Allah has made incumbent on His creature?'"
Mohammed answered him with the answer of the believer who sought nothing except the truth, saying: "Abu` Kha`lid, you made me swear by (Allah), the Almighty, 'Ali b. al-Husayn is the Ima`m over me, you, and all the Muslims."
So Abu` Kha`lid hurried to Ima`m 'Ali b. al-Husayn ( Zayn al-'Abidin) and asked permission to meet him. When he was permitted to enter, the Ima`m received him warmly asking: "Welcome, Kankar! You had not visited us! What was wrong with you?"
Abu` Kha`lid replied with submission and respect: "Praise belongs to Allah, Who did not cause me to die until I knew my Ima`m."
The Ima`m asked him: "How did you know your Ima`m?"
Abu` Kha`lid answered: "You called me with my name with which my mother called me. I was blind to see my affairs. I served Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya for a time of my life. I had no doubt that he was the Ima`m till I asked him by the Sacredness of Allah, the Sacredness of the Messenger, and the Sacredness of the Commander of the faithful, so he guided me to you and said: ''Ali b. al-Husayn is the Ima`m over me, you, and all the creatures.'
1"
Al-Sayyid al-Himyari composed poetry about this event, saying:
I wondered at the return of the changes of time,
the affair of Abu` Kha`lid with eloquence, and
his returning the Ima`mate firmly to the pure
Sayyid, the light of hearts.
2
____________
1. Al-Kashi, Rijal, pp. 79-80.
2. Mohammed bin al-Hanafiya, p. 72.
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Some Signs of his Ima`mate
Among the signs of his (Zayn al-'Abidin's) Ima`mate was that he foretold some events in the future and they occurred after tens of years as he foretold. The Ima`mi Shi'ites regard this phenomenon as one of the signs of the Ima`mate because such unseen events are part of the knowledge of Allah, and He does not let anyone foretell them except His prophets and their trustees of authority. What indicates this was that Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, predicted many events and they all occurred on the arena of life. For example, he foresaw the murder of the people at the Battle of al-Nahrwa`n, the murder of Dhi al-Thiddiya, and the collapse of the state of the Umayyads. Thus, he said to his companions: "Question me before you lose me, for by Him in whose hand is my soul, if you questioned me, I would tell you about everything between you and the Hour."
One time he said to his companions: "If I wished, I would inform you of the future events of your time, the misfortunes of your time, the tribulation of your days, and the adversities of your hours."
Professor 'Abd al-Fatta`h 'Abd al-Maqsu`d commented on this, saying: "He (Ima`m 'Ali) did not depend on opinion, nor did he study the stars, nor did he resort to divination, rather he looked with his own eye at what was behind the known, apparent things to bring them some of the unknown, concealed things.
"Indeed, he spoke out of the truth in which there was no doubt because he informed them of the knowledge of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family.
1"
Allah, the Most High, granted the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, brilliant abilities of knowledge and singled them out with His unseen things to indicate their spiritual and temporal leadership of this community. Among those whom Allah singled out with this favor was Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on
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1. Al-Imam 'Ali bin Abi Talib, vol. 8, 164.
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him, who informed his companions of many events and they occurred after him. The following are some of them:
1. His Telling of the Martyrdom of Zayd
Among the events about which the Ima`m, peace be on him, told his companions was that he told them about the martyrdom of his son Zayd, the great martyr. Abu` Hamza al-Thuma`li reported: [I visited 'Ali b. al-Husayn (Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin) at the time of the hajj every year. One year I came to him and there was a boy sitting on his thigh. The boy rose and hit himself against the doorstep and blood came out of him, so the Ima`m hurried to him, dried his blood and said to him:] "I ask Allah to protect you from crucifying at Kana`sa."
I (Abu` Hamza al-Thuma`li) asked him: "May my father and mother be ransom for you, which Kana`sa?"
"The Kana`sa of Ku`fa," he replied.
"May I be ransom for you, will that occur?" I asked.
"Yes," he answered, "by Him Who sent Mohammed with the Truth, it will happen that you will live after me until you see this boy at the district of Ku`fa. There he will be killed, buried, and dug up. He will be crucified at Kana`sa, then he will be brought down, burnt, pounded, and scattered in the land."
Abu` Hamza was astonished to hear these words of the Ima`m, so he asked him about the boy's name: "May I be ransom for you, what is the name of this boy?"
"Zayd," replied the Ima`m.
1
All the events about which the Ima`m told his companions occurred. A few years later and Zayd, the martyr, the most brilliant free revolutionist, revolted against the tyrannical Umayyad government asking it to establish the Islamic justice and to respect human rights, but the oppressive government ordered him to be killed. One of his supporters took him and buried him, but the Umayyad
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1. Farhat al-Ghari.
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government ordered him to be taken out of his grave and to be crucified at the Kana`sa of Ku`fa, so Zayd remained crucified on the trunk of a date-palm for four years; nevertheless he enlightened for the people the way of freedom, honor, and dignity. Then the Umayyad government ordered him to be brought down, to be burnt, and to be thrown into the water of the Euphrates. In this connection, the Umayyads said: "We scattered some of Zayd's ashes into the water of the Euphrates to make the people drink them."
All the details of the event about which the Ima`m told his companions occurred. Without doubt this event is among the signs and proofs of the Ima`mate.
2. His Telling about the Government of 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz
Among the events about which the Ima`m, peace be on him, told his companions was that he told them that 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz would undertake the affairs of the Muslims and that he would die quickly after undertaking the Caliphate.
1 This occurred when 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz became caliph for a short time, and then he died quickly.
3. His Telling about the Government of the Abba`sides
Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, told his companions about the collapse of the government of the Abba`sides. Through the unseen world he knew that the Abba`sides would base their government on oppression, tyranny and corruption, that they would take the Muslims away from their religion, that a group of the followers of Ima`m 'Ali would revolt against them asking them to establish justice and fairness among the people, and that this group would attain martyrdom at the hands of those tyrannical 'Abba`sides.
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1. Dala'il al-Imama, p. 88 Basa'ir al-Darajat.
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The following is the text of his tradition: Ima`m Abu` Ja'far al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his father Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, who said: "In his (Ibn 'Abba`s's) backbone there are descendants who will (enter) the fire of Hell through taking the people away from the religion of Allah and coloring the land with the blood of the children of the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family. Those children will rise sometimes and seek what they will not attain. The believers will take up positions and be patient until Allah decides.
1"
A group of those believing followers of Ima`m 'Ali revolted against the tyrannical 'Abba`sides. Among them were Mohammed and Ibra`him who raised the standard of the revolt against al-Mansu`r al-Dawa`niqi. Among them was al-Husayn b. 'Ali, the leader of the Battle of Fakh, who revolted against al-Ha`di, the 'Abba`side. Other children of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, revolted against the oppressive 'Abba`sides. They raised the banner of freedom and dignity demanding the 'Abba`sides to respect the rights of the oppressed and persecuted. Moreover they watered with their blood the tree of Islam which the 'Abba`sides wanted to uproot during their abominable rule.
These are some events about which Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, told his companions and they occurred as he foretold.
Allah endowed Zayn al-'Abidin with limitless knowledge as He endowed his fathers. The Ima`m, peace be on him, concealed his knowledge and did not make it public among the people lest the ignorant should accuse him of discord. He showed that when he said:
I conceal the jewels of my knowledge lest the
ignorant should see the truth and accuse me of
discord.
Many a jewel of knowledge which if I
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1. Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 241.
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disclosed, it would be said to me: You
are among those who worship idols, and
my blood would be regarded as lawful
by men who regard as good the
ugliest thing they do.
Abu` Hasan had already offered this
(knowledge) to al-Husayn and had
entrusted it to al-Hasan.
____________
1. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Minhajj al-'Abidin, p. 2, Al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf, p. 50. Alusi, al-Ma'ani, vol. 6. 190. Roudat al-Jinan, vol. 3, p. 133.
