Hadhrat Zainab bint Ali (May Allah be well pleased with them)

   There are various reports about the number of children Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him), the 4^th Caliph of Islam had.  Most historians say that he had 16 sons and 16 daughters.  Among his daughters, the most famous is Hadhrat Syeda Zainab (May Allah be well pleased with her).  She was born in the month of Sha’aban in 5 Hijri.  She grew up in the Prophet’s Family under the watchful eye of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Himself.  At the time of her birth, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was in a journey.  Until the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) returned, Hadhrat ‘Ali and Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with them) didn’t give her any name at all.  When people would ask them, they would say:  We will not name her until the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) returns.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) named her “Zainab”.

 

        Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) married her to his nephew, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Ja’afar (May Allah be well pleased with them).  She bore him 4 sons and 1 daughter.  Their names are:  Hadhrat ‘Ali, Hadhrat ‘Aun Akbar, Hadhrat Muhammad, Hadhrat Abbas and Hadhrat Umm Kulthoom (May Allah be well pleased with them). 

 

Hadhrat Zainab (May Allah be well pleased with her) had great love for her brother Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Thus, she remained with him until the last moments of the Imam’s life.  She courageously faced the trials and hurts of the Battle of Karbala.  Later, when they were taken to the court of Yazid, the accursed, she answered to his ill talk and silenced him.  As ‘Allama Ibn Hajr Asqalani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has related in Al Isaba Fi Ma’arifatis Sahabah, Vol. 3, Pg. No. 500.

 

The Battle of Karbala and Hadhrat Zainab (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

One by one, the lovers of Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) were sacrificing themselves for the Imam.  At last, on the night preceding the 10^th of Muharram, the Imam gathered all the family members, men, women, friends and acquaintances and said:  I have seen the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in my dream.  He was telling me:  Hussain.  You are going to come to us.  Everybody started crying on this.  Especially, the devoted and loving sister, Hadhrat Zainab (May Allah be well pleased with her) cried a lot and said:  My mother Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her) passed away in my childhood, then I lost my father, Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) as well.  Now I have 1 support, my brother and he is also abandoning me.  On this, the Imam consoled her and said:  O my sister!  Don’t lose your magnanimity lest the cup of patience overflows.  O sister!  All the creation of the earth and the heavens is going to perish.  The words and practice of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is before me.  I will follow it.  You shouldn’t cry after me but should be patient.  As mentioned in Al Muntazim, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 198.