SMHMShaheed Mudassir Hussain Mehdi
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زينب

Sayyida Zaynab

peace be upon her

عقيلة بني هاشمAqilat Bani Hashimthe wise lady of Banu Hashim
عالمة غير معلَّمةAlima Ghayr Mu'allamaa scholar no one taught, in the words of Imam al-Sajjad
شريكة الحسينSharikat al-Husaynthe partner of al-Husayn in his mission
أم المصائبUmm al-Masa'ibthe mother of calamities
عابدة آل عليAbidat Al Alithe worshipper of the family of Ali
نائبة الزهراءNa'ibat al-Zahrathe deputy of al-Zahra
زينب الكبرىZaynab al-KubraZaynab the elder

Her life

  1. Daughter of Imam Ali and Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra; granddaughter of the Messenger of God; sister of Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn.
  2. Born in Medina on 5 Jumada al-Ula, 5 AH (some reports: 6 AH).
  3. The Prophet named her Zaynab; it is narrated that Gabriel brought the name from God. Zaynab: 'zayn' (adornment) and 'ab' (father), the adornment of her father.
  4. When the Prophet first held her he kissed her and said: I advise the present and the absent of my Umma to honour this girl, for she resembles Khadija.
  5. She married Abdullah, the son of Ja'far al-Tayyar, in 17 AH. Her sons Awn and Muhammad were martyred at Karbala.
  6. In Kufa, during the time of Imam Ali, she taught the women the exegesis of the Qur'an.
  7. On the eve of Ashura she spent the whole night in worship; Imam al-Husayn's last words to her included: O my sister, do not forget me in your night prayer.
  8. At the body of her brother she said: O God, accept from us this sacrifice.
  9. She protected Imam al-Sajjad from being killed, in Karbala and again in Ibn Ziyad's palace in Kufa: as long as I am alive, I will not let you kill him.
  10. In Ibn Ziyad's palace in Kufa, when he taunted her, 'How did you see what God did to your brother?', she answered: I have seen nothing but beauty (al-Luhuf; Bihar al-Anwar 45:116). This was in Kufa, not in Damascus.
  11. Her sermon in the market of Kufa (read it) and her sermon in the court of Yazid in Damascus (read it) turned the people against the killers of al-Husayn.
  12. She passed away on 15 Rajab, 62 AH. Her shrine stands in Zaynabiyya, south of Damascus (the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque), visited by millions of pilgrims.

Days

  1. 5 AH626 CEBorn in Medina
  2. 11 AH632 CEHer grandfather, the Messenger of God, passes; then her mother
  3. 40 AH661 CEHer father, Imam Ali, martyred in Kufa
  4. 50 AH670 CEHer brother, Imam al-Hasan, martyred
  5. 61 AH680 CEKarbala; Kufa; the court of Yazid
  6. 62 AH682 CEPasses away, 15 Rajab

Family

رسول اللهThe Messenger of God
عليImam Ali
فاطمةSayyida Fatima
الحسنImam al-Hasan
الحسينImam al-Husayn
زينبSayyida Zaynab
أم كلثومUmm Kulthum

In the Qur’an

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذۡهِبَ عَنكُمُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ تَطۡهِيرٗا ٣٣

Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification.

The verse of purification · Al-Ahzaab 33:33

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌ ٢٣

Such is the good news that Allah gives to His servants who have faith and do righteous deeds! Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it except the love of [my] relatives.’ Whoever performs a good deed, We shall enhance its goodness for him. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-appreciative.

The verse of affection · Ash-Shura 42:23

فَمَنۡ حَآجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ فَقُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ نَدۡعُ أَبۡنَآءَنَا وَأَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَنِسَآءَنَا وَنِسَآءَكُمۡ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمۡ ثُمَّ نَبۡتَهِلۡ فَنَجۡعَل لَّعۡنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٦١

Should anyone argue with you concerning him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, ‘Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our souls and your souls, then let us pray earnestly, and call down Allah’s curse upon the liars.’

The verse of the Mubahala · Aal-i-Imraan 3:61

Peace be upon you, O daughter of the Commander of the Faithful.

Peace be upon you, O daughter of Fatima al-Zahra, the mistress of the women of the worlds.

Peace be upon you, O sister of al-Hasan and al-Husayn.

Peace be upon you, O Zaynab al-Kubra, and the mercy of God and His blessings.

Sources