pir-e-khurasan

Sunday, September 7, 2014

The Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam

The people of ancient Arabia were misguided and misled. They disobeyed Allah and worshipped idols. Then Allah Ta'ala favoured mankind by sending them the best creation of Allah; the Master of humankind and jinns; the greatest personality on earth; the beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was born in the month of Rabi'al-Awwal in the year, 571 C.E. He was a descendant of Prophet Ismail. His father, Abdullah, died several weeks before his birth. His mother, Amina died during the return journey from Madinah, at a place called Abwa. He was raised by his grandfather, Abdul - Muttalib, until the age of eight. After his grandfather's death, his uncle, Abu Talib, took care of him. Abu Talib treated Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) very kindly. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) would sleep in his uncle's bed and eat with him.

Under the guidance of Abu Talib, Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) began to earn his living as a businessman and a trader. At the age of twelve, he accompanied Abu Talib with a merchant caravan as far as Syria. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was popularly known as 'al-Ameen' (the trustworthy) and 'al-Sadiq' (the truthful) for his good deeds. His name, Muhammad means "the praised one".

After hearing about Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam)'s impressive character, Sayyidatna Khadijah (Rady Allahu Anha), a rich merchant, offered Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) money to take some goods for trade to Syria. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) set out for Syria along with Maisarah, a slave of Khadijah (Rady Allahu Anha). After the trip, Maisarah told Sayyidatina Khadijah (Rady Allahu Anha) all about the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Sayyidatina Khadijah (Rady Allahu Anha) was fascinated by Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Therefore, she married him (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) and Sayyidatina Khadijah (Rady Allahu Anha) were blessed with two sons and four daughters. Their first son, Qasim died at the age of two while their second son, Abdullah, died during his infancy. Prophet Muhammad's (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) four daughters were Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatima (Rady Allahu Anhuma).

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) usually went to a cave in Mount Hira for meditation. Sometimes, he would remain in the cave for a month. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was forty years old when Jibril (peace be upon him) appeared before him and revealed the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq. After the revelation, Sayyidatina Khadija (Rady Allahu Anha) became the first woman to accept Islam.

Jibreel (peace be upon him) visited Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) and revealed ayat over a period of twenty-three years. Sometimes, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) would receive some parts of a chapter or a whole chapter. They were memorized as soon as they were revealed. These verses were collected in a book, known as the Qur'an.

The first few people to accept Islam were his cousin Ali, his servant Zayd ibn Harithah, his friend Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Rahdy Allahu Anhum) and his daughters. They accepted Islam by testifying that " There is no deity except Allah. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) is Allah's Messenger".

In the first three years of Prophet Muhammad's (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) mission, forty people accepted Islam. He then began to preach Islam in public. The leaders of the Quraish did not accept the new religion. Some of them tried to bribe Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) with money and power, including an offer to make him a king. But our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) refused to abandon Allah's message. When this did not work, they tried to convince his uncle, Abu Talib, to allow them to kill Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Therefore, his uncle tried to persuade him from preaching. But Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) said " O uncle, if they were to put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand to stop me from preaching Islam, I would never stop. I will keep on preaching until Allah makes Islam prevail or I die. "

The tribe of Quraish began to persecute Muslims by beating and torturing them. The first person to die by this means was a Muslim woman called Umm Ammar. Our beloved Prophet, Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was publicly humiliated. They threw dirt on him while he was walking on a street and while he was praying in the Kabah. Despite all these hardships, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was told by Allah Ta'ala to be patient and preach the message of the Qur'an. When the punishment became unbearable for Muslims, the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam), advised them to go to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

The Quraish made life miserable for Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). They made a ban on contact with the Prophet's (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) family. The ban lasted for three years. After the ban was lifted, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) lost his wife, Sayyidatina Khadijah (Rady Allahu Anha) and his uncle, Abu Talib.

After Sayyidatina Khadijah's death, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) married Sayyidatina Sawdah (Rady Allahu Anha). She was fifty years old. Later, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) married Sayyidatina Aisha (Rady Allahu Anha). Sayyidatina Aisha (Rady Allahu Anha) was the daughter of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Rady Allahu Anhu), a close companion of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam).

Since his uncle, Abu Talib died; Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) went to Taif, a city south of Makkah, to preach there. But the people of Taif laughed at him. Their children threw stones at our beloved Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Jibreel (peace be upo him) visited Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) and suggested that the angels were ready to destroy the town. But Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) refused and prayed for the future generations of Taif to accept Islam.

After the incident at Taif, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) experienced the events of Isra and Mi'raaj. During the event of Isra, Jibreel (peace be upon him) took Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) to Masjid Al-Aqsa, a mosque in Jerusalem, at night. Here, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) lead the other Prophets in prayer. After this, the event of Mi'raaj took place. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was taken to the heavens. It was on this journey that he received the gift of the five daily prayers. He was then taken back to Makkah. When Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) mentioned these events to the people of Makkah, they laughed at him. However, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) described the Masjid al-Aqsa to them and told them that a caravan will be arriving soon. The non-believers were later astonished when this turned out to be true.

The leaders of Quraish were getting angry at Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam).
They decided to kill him. The leaders chose a young man from each clan of Quraish. These men were responsible for attacking Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Jibreel (may peace be upon him) informed Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu'Alaihi wa Sallam) about the plan and instructed him to leave immediately. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) advised Hadrat Ali to sleep in his bed. He then met with Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Rady Allahu Anhu) and both of them went into hiding in a cave in Mount Thawr.

The next morning, the men raided the house of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). After finding out that he had left, they set out for the mountains in search of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Abu Karz, a man known for his skills in tracking footprints, followed the tracks of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) to the cave. They examined the cave and noticed that a web had covered it's mouth. They thought that it was impossible for Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) to hide in the cave. So, they departed.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) spend three nights in the cave. When he was sure that the Quraish had ended their search, he travelled to Madinah. This journey is known as "Hijra". The Islamic calendar begins with this event. Upon the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam), the people of Madinah greeted him with great respect and treated him with hospitality.

After the migration to Madinah, the enemies of Islam increased their attack on Muslims. The Battles of Badr, Uhud and the Allies took place and were fought near Madinah. Many men gave their life for Islam. This resulted in many widowed women and lots of orphaned children. Therefore, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) married several widows like Sayyidatina Zainab bint Khuzaimah, Umm Habibah and Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with them.. All his wives, especially Sayyidatina Aisha (Rady Allahu Anha), reported many ahadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad).

A year after the Battle of the Allies, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) and fifteen hundred Muslims left for Makkah to perform Hajj. On their journey, they were stopped from entering Hudaybiyah. In this city, some negotiations took place that allowed them to come next year. This treaty attracted many people from Arabia. Many people came from different parts of Arabia and accepted Islam.

Two years later, the Quraish violated the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. So, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) marched to Makkah with an army of 10,000 Muslims. Before entering the city, he told the citizens of Makkah that anyone who remained in his home or in the Kabah, would be safe. The army entered Makkah without fighting and Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) went directly to the Kabah. He thanked Allah, the Almighty for allowing the entry to Makkah. He then pointed at each idol and recited this verse from the Qur'an, "Truth has come and falsehood will neither start nor will it reappear." One by one the idols fell down. Thus, the Kabah was cleaned. Next, he forgave the leaders of Quraish and the people of Makkah. The people of Makkah then accepted Islam, including the enemies of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Within a year, almost the of whole Arabia had accepted Islam.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) performed his first and last pilgrimage during the tenth year after Hijra. 120,000 men and women performed pilgrimage with him. He received the last revelation during this pilgrimage.Two months later, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) fell sick and after several days left his earthly existence on Monday, 12th Rabi al-Awwal in Madinah. He was 63 years old.

Our beloved Nabi (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) lived a very simple and modest life, even though he could have lived like a king. He (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) and his family used to go without cooked meals for several days at a time, eating dates and dried bread. During the day, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was the busiest man, he performed his duties as the head of state and a family man. He was the most devoted man during the night. He (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) used to spend one to two- thirds of every night in prayer and meditation. Prophet Muhammad's (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) possessions consisted of mats, jugs and other simple things.

At the end of his mission, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was blessed with several followers. Thousands prayed with him and listened to his sermon. Hundreds of sahaba (companions) would find time to be with him during the five daily prayers. They used to seek his advice for their everyday problems. Among them were Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, Hadrat Umar, Hadrat Uthman, Hadrat Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain and many others, Rady Allahu Anhum.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) had a beautiful appearance. His sweat was more fragrant then musk and his perspiration shone like pearls. He (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) talked so clearly that someone could count the number of words he spoke. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) never struck anybody with his hand, but he did fight for Islam. He (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) used to forgive his enemies and release prisoners of war.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) was the last Prophet of Allah. All sincere Muslims try to follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Many Muslim scholars have composed qasidas in praise of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam). Rasulallah (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) favours upon his Ummah are unlimited. Our Nabi (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) said, " You do not have (complete) Imaan until I am more beloved to you than your father, children and the rest of mankind."

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) is the connection between Muslims and Allah. We can never get close to Allah unless our hearts are filled with the love of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam).

Hazrat Syed Imam Zainul Aabideen

Sayyid al-Sajjad Imam Abu al-Hasan Ali
Zain al-'Aabideen Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho

Sayyiduna Abu al-Hasan Ali, Imam Zain al-'Abideen is the fourth Imam and Shaykh of the Silsila Aaliyah Qaadiriyah Barakaatiyah Razviyah Nooriyah. He was one of the greatest Aabids of his era. Imam Zuhri (R.a) says, (In my era) I have not seen any Quraysh more excellent than Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a). Hadrat Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho) used to look at Imam Zain al-'Abideen (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho) and refer to him as the Beloved of the Beloved.

BIRTH:

He was born on a Thursday the 5th of Shabaan 38 Hijri in Madinah Munawwarah.

NAME:

Hadrat Imam Hussain kept most of his children names attached to the name Ali. This was due to his love for his father Sayyiduna Ali (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho). He was thus also named Ali. He was also known as Abu Muhammad, Abul Hassan, Abul Qaasim and Abu Bakr. His titles were Sajjad, Zain al-'Aabideen, Sayyidul Abideen, Zakki and etc.

EDUCATION:

He spent two years with his grandfather Sayyiduna Ali (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho), ten years with his uncle Sayyiduna Imam Hasan (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) and eleven years with his father, Hadrat Imam Hussain (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho).

BLESSED MOTHER:

His mother was known as Umm-e-Wulad, and was also known as Shahar Banu Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha. She was very pious and Allah fearing.

HIS FEATURES:

He was the image of his grandfather Sayyiduna Ali (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho). He was tan in complexion and not very tall. He had a full beard on which he used henna (mehndi).

PREDICTIONS OF HIS BIRTH:

Hadrat Jaabir (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) says, I was in the blessed court of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) and Imam Hussain (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) was in the blessed arms of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam). The Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) said, O Jaabir (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho)! A son shall be born to him, whose name shall be Ali. Then he will have a child, whose name shall be Muhammad (Imam Baaqir). O Jaabir! If you meet with him, then you should pass my salaams to him.

HIS CHARACTER:

Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) was blessed with beautiful character, which he definitely inherited from his illustrious forefathers. He was very eloquent and very respectful. He was always willing to assist those in need. Umar Abu Nasr writes that Imam Zain al-'Abideen (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) purchased various slaves, and then set them free. He would be kind even to those who were his personal enemies. Once he heard that there was a certain person who always spoke ill of him. Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) went to him and treated him with such respect and kindness, that he repented from his bad behaviour and affiliated himself to the great Imam. Many great poets have written numerous Qasidas in praise of his kindness and generosity.

HIS EXCELLENCE:

Abu Haazim says, I have not seen any Jurist more exalted than him.

Zahbi and Ainiyah have said, We have not seen any Quraish more exalted than him.

Hadrat Imam Maalik (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) says, He is from the Men of Excellence

Ibn Abi Shaiba says, In Hadith, the most exalted chain of transmission is that which is narrated from Imam Zain al-'Abideen, (R.a) where he narrates from his father Imam Hussain (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho).

Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) was always prepared to sacrifice everything he had for Islam. He sacrificed all his wealth twice for Islam. He was a very generous person. He used to discreetly send money to the poor people living in Madinah Shareef and none of them knew that the money was coming from him. The only time this became known to them, was after his wisaal.

HIS PATIENCE :

He was a person with great patience. After the Battle of Karbala, HE was marched to Damascus in chains and in the time of Abdul Malik bin Marwan , he was arrested and chained. He was then forced to walk from Madinah to Syria in chains. With all this, he never complained or said one word about his condition in the Court of Allah . He instead remained patient and made Shukr (thanked Allah ) on every step. Imam Zain al-'Abideen's most loyal student Sayyiduna Imam Zuhri could not bear to see the Imam in this condition, so he went to Abdul Malik bin Marwaan, and had the great Imam released. He then took him back to Madinah Shareef with great respect.

Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen had a very soft heart and always thought of the sacrifice that was given by his Father Imam Hussain and all the other Martyrs on the plains of Karbala.

Once, he was walking in the blessed streets of Madinah Munawwarah, when he saw a person placing a goat on the ground, and was sharpening the knife before making the animal zibah. On seeing this, he became very saddened and thought of the martyrdom of his father. He then began to weep bitterly and asked the man, “My dear Brother! Did you give the goat some food and water or not?”The man replied that he had fed and given water to the goat for the past three days and had also fed it water just before laying in down. On hearing this, Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen let out a sigh of pain and said, “It is sad, that the people of Kufa did not even care for him like (you care for) the goat. They starved him for three days and nights and then martyred him in this state.”

He used to perform one thousand rakaats of nafil salaah every night. One night whilst he was performing his nafils, his house caught on fire. The people were rushing around trying to put of the fire, but he continued his Namaaz with total sincerity. After he completed his salaah, the people told him that his house had caught on fire and yet he continued reading his salaat (Namaaz) without any showing any sign of panic. He said, “You were trying to extinguish this fire, and I was trying to extinguish the fire of the hereafter.”

A person once swore at Imam Zain al-Abideen (R.a) and made slanderous remarks to him.

In response, Imam Zain al-Abideen (R.a) said to him: 'If the attributes, you accuse me of, are found in me then I repent to Allah Azzawajal and ask for forgiveness. If the attributes are not found in me then on your behalf I ask Allah Azzawajal for forgiveness and repentance.'

The person saw Imam Zain al-Abideen's patience and was overwhelmed by it. He stood up, kissed Imam Zain al-Abideen (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho) on the forehead and said: 'May my soul be sacrificed for you! Whatever I accused you of was wrong. I seek forgiveness from you and I request you to pray to Allah Azzawajal for the acceptance of my repentance.'

Imam Zain al-Abideen (R.a) agreed to pray to Allah Azzawajal on his behalf.

HIS IBAADAT:

After the shahaadat of his blessed father Imam Hussain (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho), he completely divorced himself from the materialistic world. He spent all his time in the remembrance of Allah. He would pass his days and nights thinking of the tragedy of Karbala and weeping. When Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) used to sit down to perform wudhu, then his face used to become pale, and when he stood in Namaaz, then his complexion would change to such an extent, that it would be difficult to recognise him. The people would ask, O Beloved of the Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam)! What has happened to you?and he said, O People! Namaaz is a time when you are present in the Court of Allah. Who is so naive as to smile and look happy, when he is standing before his Creator.

He used to perform one thousand rakaats of nafil salaah every night. One night whilst he was performing his nafils, his house caught on fire. The people were rushing around trying to put of the fire, but he continued his Namaaz with total sincerity. After he completed his salaah, the people told him that his house had caught on fire and yet he continued reading his Namaaz without any showing any sign of panic. He said, You were trying to extinguish this fire, and I was trying to extinguish the fire of the hereafter.

Imam Talha Shafi'i (Ra) writes that once shaitaan appeared in the form of a snake whist the Imam was in Salaah. He caught the toe of Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen in his mouth, but the Imam did not even move or show sign of discomfort. After some time, he became disillusioned and stood a distance away from the Imam. Then, a voice was heard thrice, saying the following words, You are the Jewel of the Worshipper, You are the Chief of those who prostrate (to Allah).

HIS FEAR FOR ALLAH:

He was a personality who truly feared Allah. His heart flowed with the fear of Allah. Once during Hajj, he tied his Ehraam but did not say the Labbaik. The people asked him the reason for this, and he said, I fear the I will say Labbaik and Allah will say, I do not accept your presence (Hajj). The people then told him that his Ehraam would not be proper if he did not say Labbaik. He then said Labbaik, and began to tremble in the fear of Allah until he fell off his camel and became unconscious. This continued throughout the Hajj, every time that he said Labbaik.

RECITATION OF THE HOLY QUR'AN:

Hadrat Imam Jaafar Saadiq (Ra) says, When my grandfather, Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) used to recite the Quran, then the beauty of his recitation attracted the people towards him and all those listening to him would become so overwhelmed with the fear of Allah, that one did not know the condition of the other.

RETURN FROM THE BATTLE OF KARBALA:

When Imam Zain al-'Abideen was returning to Madinah after the Battle of Karbala, he said a few stanzas. A few stanzas are being presented for blessing.

“O Winds! If someday you pass by the sacred land, then pass my salaams
before the Rawda al-Aqdas where the most exalted Nabi rests

The Sadness of separation from Madinah feels
like a sword stuck deep into my liver

How fortunate are the people of that city in
which is the Exalted and Beloved Prophet

O Rahmatulil Aalameen! Assist Zain al-'Abideen.
Who is standing alone and in difficulty amongst the tyrants.”

Once a person asked Imam Zain al-'Abideen about who will be looked upon as pious and good on the last day and he said, “That person, who when he is happy, his happiness does not drive him towards wrong and that person, when he is angry, then his anger does not remove him from what is right.”

In other words, when you are happy, you should not let your happiness take you towards bad deeds and when you are angry, then you should not allow your anger to blind you from that which is right

Maqam Sayyaduna Imam Zain al-'Abideen in Egypt

RESPECT FOR THE KHULAFA:

Once some people from Iraq, came to visit Imam Zain al-'Abideen (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho). During their visit, they began to say disrespectful words concerning Hadrat Abu Bakr, Hadrat Umar and Hadrat Uthman (Ridwanullahi Ta'aal Alaihim Ajma'een).

When they had completed saying what they wished to, He said, Tell me, are you from amongst the first Muhajireen, concerning whom Almighty Allah says, "Those who were driven out from their homes and their possessions seeking the grace of Allah and His Pleasure, and helping Allah and His Messenger. They are the truthful."

They replied in the negative, by saying that the verse did not refer to them. Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) then asked if they were from amongst the Ansaar, concerning whom Almighty Allah says in the Quran, And those who had established their homes in this city, with faith, from inception, They, (who) show love to those, who migrated towards them, and who find no need in their hearts, for that which has been left, and they give preference to them over their lives, even though they are in great need. [Surah Hashr verse 9]

Again, they answered in the negative. He then said, I swear, that you are not even worthy of this verse of the Quran wherein Allah says, And those who came after them say, O Allah! Pardon us and our brothers, who brought faith before us, And keep not in our hearts hostility towards those with Imaan. O Our Lord, Verily you are most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

After saying this, he asked them to leave his presence. In other words, he showed them that they were not from amongst the Muhajireen, or the Ansaar, or even from amongst the believers. He therefore shunned them for being disrespectful to the Khulafa-e-Thalaasa.

KARAAMAT:

The Karaamats of Imam Zain al-'Abideen are numerous, but a few are being quoted for attaining blessings.

Incident During Hajj:

Two people where making tawaaf of the Kaaba and came to Hajr-e-Aswad. When they touched the Hajr-e-Aswad, both their hands became stuck on it. People tried very hard to release their hands, but it was not possible. Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen entered the Haram whilst this was happening. He said Bismillah hir rahmaan nir rahim and then placed his hands on the Hajr-e-Aswad. Immediately the two peoples hands were released.

The Deer:

Once Hadrat had gone into the jungle with his companions. As they sat to eat, a deer passed by them. The Imam called to the deer and asked it to partake in the meal with them. The Deer immediately came to the Imam and partook in the meal provided.

A Deers Complaint:

A deer once came to Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a), whilst he was in a jungle. The animal fell to the ground and began to say something. Those with the Imam asked what had happened. The Imam said that the deer was complaining about a man who captured her child. Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) summoned the man. The man brought with him the child belonging to the deer. Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) asked him to release the deer, which he gladly did. After some time, the deer took its young, and said something and then left. Those present were amazed and asked the Imam what the deer said as she left. The Imam said, She said, JazakAllahu fi Darain Khair.

HIS CHILDREN:

Almighty Allah blessed Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideen (R.a) with fifteen children. Their blessed names are as follows :

Sons:

1. Hadrat Muhammad (Imam Baaqir), (R.a)
2. Hadrat Zaid, (R.a)
3. Hadrat Imraan, (R.a)
4. Hadrat Abdullah, (R.a)
5. Hadrat Hassan, (R.a)
6. Hadrat Hussain, (R.a)
7. Hadrat Hussain Asghar, (R.a)
8. Hadrat Abdur Rahmaan, (R.a)
9. Hadrat Sulaiman, (R.a)
10.Hadrat Ali, (R.a)
11. one more son whose name is not known.

Daughters:

1. Hadrat Khadija,
2. Hadrat Fathima,
3. Hadrat Aliyah,
4. Hadrat Umme Kulthoom (Rahemahumullahi Ta'ala Alaihim Ajma'een).

Hadrat Imam Zain al-'Abideens (R.a) descendants are from Hadrat Imam Baqir, Hadrat Zaid, Hadrat Abdullah, Hadrat Hussain Ashgar, Hadrat Imraan and Hadrat Ali (R.a) All of them were blessed with numerous children.

WISAAL SHARIF:

He was given poison by Waleed bin Abdul Malik and was thus made shaheed on the 18th of Muharram and according to some narrations on the 12th or 22nd of Muharram at the age of 57 or 58. He passed away in Madinatul Munawwarah and his Mazaar Shareef is in Jannatul Baqi. Few have said that his Mazar Sharif is in Egypt and there is a Mosque and Shrine of Imam Zain al-'Adideen in Cairo, Egypt as well but the majority have accepted his Mazar Sharif being in Baqee al Garqad, Madina Munawwarah. ALLAH Knows the Best!

After his wisaal, his camel placed its head on his mazaar shareef and cried. Hadrat Imam Baqir tried to move it away, but it refused. In the end, he said, “She will die in this exact place.” Eventually she did pass away at the Mazaar of Imam Zain al-'Abideen.