Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin

Ali ibn al-Husayn was born in Medina in the Hejaz, now in Saudi Arabia, in the year 38/658–9.[lower-alpha 2] He may have been too young to have remembered his grandfather Ali; he was raised in the presence of his uncle Hasan and his father Husayn, Muhammad's grandchildren.

In 61/680, Muhammad's grandson Husayn ibn Ali and a small group of supporters and relatives were killed at the Battle of Karbala by the large military forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid, to whom Husayn had refused to give an oath of allegiance. Zayn al-Abidin accompanied his father on a march toward Kufa; he was present at the Battle of Karbala but survived the battle because he was ill. Once the Umayyad troops had killed Husayn and his male followers, they looted the tents and took the skin upon which he was laying. It is said that Shemr was about to kill Zayn al-Abidin but his aunt Zaynab made Umar ibn Sa'ad, the Umayyad commander, spare his life.[20][23]

Ali ibn al-Husayn, along with women and children were taken to Kufa as captives. According to Al-Shaykh Al-Mufid they were carried on bare camels, chains were placed around Ali's bleeding neck, while he sapped by illness. Kufa women were crying, so Ali said "they are weeping and lamenting over us! so who has killed us?"[25]

Ali presented before Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad as a prisoner. It is said that Ibn Ziad asked him "who are you?"."I am Ali ibn Husayn" said Ali. "Did not Allah killed Ali ibn al-Husayn?" Ibn Ziad said. "I used to have an older brother also named Ali, whom you killed" Ali said. "Allah killed him", shouted ibn Ziad. Ali Quoted a verse of Quran, arguing that God takes the souls at the time of death, meaning God does not kill people. Ibn Ziad burst in furious ordered him to be executed, however he rescued due Zaynab's entreaty.[26][20]

Ali ibn al-Husayn and the enslaved women were sent to the Yazid I in Damascus afterwards. It is narrated that Yazid, brought the captives in presence of people who gathered in his palace, then asked someone to give an speech against Husayn and his revolt, after which Ali ibn al-Husayn asked Yazid to deliver an speech which would please God and bring good to people presented there. At people's insistence, Yazid accepted. Ali seized the opportunity to introduce himself and his family, Ahl al-Bayt, in an effective way, to people who did not know him properly. Yazid became worried, in order to interrupt him, ordered Muezzin to call people for prayers. While the mu'azzin said: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah", Ali ibn Husayn asked:[27]

Yazid, is Mohammed your grandfather or mine? If you say that he is yours, then you are a liar, and if you say that he is mine, then why did you kill his family?

Eventually Ali ibn al-Husayn was allowed to return to Medina. Later on Mashad Ali, as a part of great mosque of Damascus, built in the place where Ali ibn Husayn was captured. During the journey, Ali delivered speeches and informed the people of his father's intentions.[17][20][28]

After tragedy of Karbala, Zayn al-Abidin led an Isolated life in Medina, confining himself to a limited circle of his followers, who referred to him for religious questions.[23] He took aloof from political activities, dedicated his time to prayer, which earned him the honorifics Zayn al-Abidin and al-Sajjad.[19][20] According to William C. Chittick, Zany al-Abidin spent his time in worship and learning, was an authority on law and Hadith, however was most known for his virtue of character and piety.[29]

Several accounts record Zayn al-Abidin's deep sorrow over the massacre. It is said that for thirty-four years, he would weep when food was placed before him. One day a servant said to him, "O son of Allah’s Messenger! Is it not time for your sorrow to come to an end?" He replied, "Oh person you did not do justice by saying this! Jacob the prophet had twelve sons, and Allah made one of them disappear". His eyes turned white from constant weeping, his head turned grey out of sorrow, and his back became bent in the gloom (Quran, 12:84), though his son was alive in this world. But I watched while my father, my brother, my uncle, and seventeen members of my family were slaughtered all around me. How should my sorrow come to an end?"[30][28][31]

Battle of al-Harra was Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr's revolt against Umayyad Caliphate.

Zayn al-Abidin kept himself away from both Umayyed and Zubayri authorities, so that in the Battle of al-Harra he did not involved himself in favor of each side. Thus, after defeating the rebel, he was exempted from giving an oath of allegiance to Yazid, while others had to do so.[32] This was because Ali did not engaged himself in the rebel, also because sheltered Marwan ibn Hakam and his family on the occasion.[19] Non Shia sources describe a friendly relation between Zayn al-Abidin and Marwan, as Marwan lent him money to buy a concubine, and consulted him on a message he received form Bayzantine emperor. Shia, on the other hand, reject this claim, arguing that Sajjad's dealing with authorities was on the basis of Taqiya.[19]

Kufa's people invited Husayn to go to Kufa and be their Imam, but they did not back him and his family against Kufa's governor, who massacred them in Karbala. Thus they thought themselves responsible for the tragedy of Karbala and tried to compensate for it by throwing themselves into the struggle to obtain vengeance for Husayn's blood. They chose Sulayman b. Surad al Khuza'I as their leader and called themselves Tawwabun (penitents). They were seeking an opportunity for action, until Mukhtar al-Thaqafi came to Kufa and claimed to represent Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah.[33] Most of Tawwabun, however, did not accept Mokhtar as their leader and led a useless battle in which most of them were killed.[34] Mokhtar, instead, soon gained the authority of a leader and took vengeance on those who were involved in Husayn's killing. Umar ibn Sa'ad and Shemr were executed and their heads were sent to Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah.[35] Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad was also killed in the battle on the Zab; his head was taken to the place in Kufa where Ubaid Allah had received the head of Husayn.

The governor of Medina did not consider that Zayn al-Abedin was responsible for Mukhtar's action, since he had already left Medina for its outskirts to avoid being involved in political movements. Moreover, there is evidence that he was unmolested and excepted from giving allegiance to Yazid, after the Battle of Harra, where Medinans were sacked and looted by Yazid's army.[23][36]

After tragedy of Karbala, there were different Shia sects, among them Tawwabin, who felt the Umayyad Caliphate should be overthrown, and it is Imam's duty to lead the rebel. After Zayn al-Abidin's refusal, they gathered around Mokhtar who started his revolt in the name of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah.[37] According to Shia, Mokhtar first wanted to start his revolt in the name of Ali ibn al-Husayn, only after his rejection he turned to Mohammad ibn Hanafia.[19] It was around this time, when the question of the right of succession between Ali ibn al-Husayn and Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah gained the most attention. Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah was a pious, brave man whom many considered him as their Imam. Other Shiʻi sects said Zayn al-Abedin had the right to inherit the Imamate, as his father, Husayn, had designated him the next Imam. According to Donaldson, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah said he was more worthy. After the death of Ibn Zubayr, the governor of Medina, Zayn al-Abedin and Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah agreed to go to Mecca and appeal to the Black Stone of the Kaaba to try to determine which one of them was the true successor. They went to the Kaaba, where the Black Stone was placed. Muhammad prayed for a sign but no answer came. Afterwards, Zayn al-Abedin prayed and the Black Stone became agitated and nearly fell off the wall; thus came the answer that Zayn-al-Abidin was the true Imam after Husayn; an answer which Muhammad accepted.[23][lower-alpha 4][38] Abu khalid al-Kabuli, originally a companion of Muhammad ibn Hanafiah, was among those who turned to Zayn al-Abidin afterwards. According to Ismailils, Muhammad ibn Hanafiah was appointed by Husayn as a temporary Imam, as a cover to protect Zayn al-Abidin as a true, constant Imam. After Muhammad's death, his followers joined Zayn al-Abidin.[19]

Kasaniyya is a name given to all sects originated from Mokhtar's revolt. Kaysaniyya, traced Imamate from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and his successors. Kaysaniyya itself divided to different sects, however, its common view is that Hasan, Husayn and Muhammad ibn Hanfiyya, are true successors of Ali; though some more extreme sects reject the Imamate Hasan and Husay.[39]

After Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya's death, some of his followers, called Karbiyya, came to believe that Muhammad had not died, but was in concealment at a mountain near Medina; and would reappear again as a Mahdi, to fill the world with justice. Another group, called Hashemiyya, maintained that Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya had died in the mountain and has given the Imamate to his son Abu Hashim. All Keysaniyya sects are distinguished by the love for Ali and his family and hatred for ruling dynasty. According to Abd al-Jabbar ibn Ahmad, after Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya's death, some Kaysanites joined Zayn al-Abidin. It was around this time that the doctrine of Nass, (the Imam's explicit designation of his successor) got its importance in Shia Fiqh.[40]

According to William Chittick, the Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya is the "oldest prayer manual in Islamic sources and one of the most seminal works of Islamic spirituality of the early period".[28] Shia tradition considers this book with great respect, ranking it behind the Quran and Ali's Nahj al-Balagha. This prayer book deals with Islamic spirituality and provides teachings on levels from the theological to the social. The traditional category of "faith", for example, which forms the basic subject matter of most of Islamic thought as developed in kalaam philosophy and Sufism, has been discussed in this book. Zayn al-Abidin refers frequently to Islamic practices, emphasizing the necessity of following the Quran and the hadith's guidelines, and the necessity of establishing justice in society.[56]

It was translated into Persian in Safavid period. An English translation of this book, The Psalms of Islam (As-sahifa Al-kamilah Al-sajjadiyya) with an Introduction and Annotation by William Chittick, with a Foreword by S. H. M. Jafri, is available.[19]

The Fifteen Whispered Prayers also known as The Fifteen Munajat, is a collection of fifteen prayers attributed to Zayn al-Abidin, which some researchers regard as a supplementary part of Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya.[57] These prayers enable a person to recite the prayer that is most in accordance with his present mood.[58][59] The prayers start with repentance, which is the first step towards a genuine communion with God.[59]

According to Abu Hamza al-Thumali, during the month of Ramadhan, Zayn al-Abidin would spend most of the night in prayer. At the beginning of the fast, he recited a supplication later known as Du'a Abi Hamzah al-Thumali (The supplication of Abi Hamzah al-Thumali). This supplication is recorded in the book Misbah al-Mutahijjid of Shaykh Tusi.[60]

Zain al-Abidin's Treatise on Rights is the only work other than supplications, short sayings and letters, attributed to him. According to Chittick, this treatise is especially important because it deals with many of the same themes as the Sahifa in a different style and language. In this book, Zayn al-Abidin clarifies that a hierarchy of priorities must always be observed: The individual comes before the social, the spiritual before the practical, and knowledge before action. Each human being has a long series of social duties, but these depend upon his more essential duties; faith in Allah, and placing one's own person into the proper relationship with the Divine Reality.[56]

This book is preserved in two version. in the Ibn Babawayh's Al-Khisal and ibn Shu'ba's Tuhaf al-Uqul.[19]

Sahifa fi'l Zuhd is another work attributed to him.[19]

In Sunni books, Ali ibn al-Husayn is considered as a transmitter of Hadiths from his father, Ibn Abbas, his uncle and others. those who transmitted Hadiths through him were some of his sons, Abu Ishak al-Sabi'i, al-Hakam ibn Utayba and Amr ibn Dinar al-Zuhri.[19]

Speaking Black Stone in favor his claim of Imamah against his rival, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah; his speaking to a gazelle in the desert; and restoring a youth to an old woman, was among Sajjad's miracles mentioned in Shi'i books.[20]