A Biography About His Life

ولد الإمام علي بن الحسين زين العابدين × بالمدينة المنورة في عام 38 هـ في الخامس من شهر شعبان.

أقام مع أمير المؤمنين × سنتين, ومع الإمام الحسن × عشر سنين, ومع الإمام الحسين × عشر سنين, وكان عمره سبعا وخمسين سنة.

كنيته: أبو الحسن, وأبو محمد.

ألقابه: زين العابدين, وسيد العابدين, وزين الصالحين, ووارث علم النبيين, ووصي الوصيين, وخازن وصايا المرسلين, وإمام المؤمنين, ومنار القانتين والخاشعين- والمتهجد, والزاهد, والعابد, والعدل, والبكاء, والسجاد, وذو الثفنات.

أمه: شهربانويه بنت يزدجرد بن شهريار الكسرى.

كان في سني إمامته بقية ملك يزيد, وملك معاوية بن يزيد, وملك مروان,‏ وعبد الملك, واستشهد في ملك الوليد.

أولاده: اثنا عشر من أمهات الأولاد إلا اثنين: محمد الباقر × وعبد الله الباهر, أمهما أم عبد الله بنت الحسن بن علي ×, وأبو الحسين زيد الشهيد بالكوفة و عمر توأم, والحسين الأصغر وعبد الرحمن وسليمان توأم, والحسن والحسين وعبيد الله توأم, ومحمد الأصغر فرد, وعلي وهو أصغر ولده وخديجة فرد, ويقال لم يكن له بنت, ويقال له ولد فاطمة وعلية وأم كلثوم.

وورد بتسميته زين العابدين: عن أبي عبد الله × قال: ينادي مناد يوم القيامة: أين زين العابدين؟ فكأني أنظر إلى علي بن الحسين × يخطو بين الصفوف. (علل الشرائع ج 1 ص 230)

عن علي بن موسى، عن أبيه موسى بن جعفر، عن أبيه (ع) قال: دخلت عليه طائفة من شيعة الكوفة، فقالوا: يا بن رسول الله كلهم عبيد الله؟ فكيف سمي جدك علي بن الحسين زين العابدين؟ قال لهم الصادق (ع): ويحكم اما سمعتم الله عز وجل يقول: {هم درجات عند الله}‏ ويقول: {نرفع درجات من نشاء} {ولقد فضلنا بعض النبيين على بعض}‏ فقالوا: بلى يا بن رسول الله (ص)، قال: فما أنكرتم؟ قالوا: أحببنا أن نعلم ما سألنا عنه، قال: ويحكم إن إبليس ناجى ربه فقال: رب إني قد رأيت العابدين لك من عبادك منذ أول الدهر إلى عهد علي بن الحسين (ع) فلم أر منهم أعبد لك ولا أخشع منه، فأذن لي يا إلهي أن أكيده وأبتليه لأعلم كيف صبره، فنهاه الله عنه فلم ينته، وتصور لعلي بن الحسين (ع) وهو يصلي في صورة أفعى لها عشرة أرؤس، محددة الأنياب، منقلبة الأعين بالحمرة، وطلع عليه من الأرض من موضع سجوده ثم تطاول في قبلته، فلم يرعه‏ ذلك، ولم يكسر طرفه إليه، فانخفض إلى الأرض إبليس في صورة الأفعى وقبض على أنامل رجلي علي بن الحسين (ع) فأقبل يكدمهما بأنيابه وينفخ عليهما من نار جوفه، وكل ذاك لا يكسر طرفه إليه، ولا يحول قدميه عن مقامه، ولا يختلجه شك ولا وهم في صلاته ولا قراءته. فلم يلبث إبليس لعنه الله حتى انقض عليه شهاب محرق من السماء فلما أحس به صرخ، وقام إلى جانب علي بن الحسين (ع) في صورته الاولى، ثم قال: يا سيد العابدين كما سميت، وأنا إبليس والله لقد شهدت عبادة النبيين والمرسلين من عهد أبيك إليك فما رأيت مثلك ولا مثل عبادتك، ولوددت أنك استغفرت لي الله فإن الله كان يغفر لي، ثم تركه وولى وهو في صلاته ولا يشغله كلامه حتى قضى صلاته على تمامها.

 

وذكر في صفاته وكثر عبادته, عن حمران بن أعين، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي الباقر × قال: كان علي ابن الحسين × يصلي في اليوم والليلة ألف ركعة، كما كان يفعل أمير المؤمنين × كانت له خمسمائة نخلة، فكان يصلي عند كل نخلة ركعتين، وكان إذا قام في صلاته غشي لونه لون آخر، وكان قيامه في صلاته قيام العبد الذليل بين يدي الملك الجليل، كانت أعضاؤه ترتعد من خشية الله عز وجل، وكان يصلي صلاة مودع يرى أنه لا يصلي بعدها أبدا، ولقد صلى ذات يوم فسقط الرداء عن أحد منكبيه فلم يسوه حتى فرغ من صلاته، فسأله بعض أصحابه عن ذلك، فقال: ويحك أتدري بين يدي من كنت؟ إن العبد لا تقبل من صلاته إلا ما أقبل عليه منها بقلبه، فقال الرجل: هلكنا، فقال: كلا إن الله عز وجل متمم ذلك بالنوافل، وكان × ليخرج في الليلة الظلماء فيحمل الجراب على ظهره، وفيه الصرر من الدنانير والدراهم وربما حمل على ظهره الطعام أو الحطب حتى يأتي بابا بابا فيقرعه، ثم يناول من يخرج إليه وكان يغطي وجهه إذا ناول فقيرا لئلا يعرفه فلما توفي × فقدوا ذلك، فعلموا أنه كان علي بن الحسين ×, ولما وضع على المغتسل نظروا إلى ظهره وعليه مثل ركب الإبل مما كان يحمل على ظهره إلى منازل الفقراء والمساكين، ولقد خرج ذات يوم وعليه مطرف خز فتعرض له سائل فتعلق بالمطرف فمضى وتركه، وكان يشتري الخز في الشتاء وإذا جاء الصيف باعه فتصدق بثمنه، ولقد نظر × يوم عرفة إلى قوم يسألون الناس فقال: ويحكم أغير الله تسألون في مثل هذا اليوم إنه ليرجى في هذا اليوم لما في بطون الحبالى أن يكون سعيدا, ولقد كان × يأبى أن يواكل أمه، فقيل له: يا ابن رسول الله أنت أبر الناس وأوصلهم للرحم, فكيف لا تواكل أمك؟ فقال: إني أكره أن تسبق يدي إلى ما سبقت عينها إليه، ولقد قال له رجل: يا ابن رسول الله إني لأحبك في الله حبا شديدا، فقال: اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أحب فيك وأنت لي مبغض، ولقد حج على ناقة له عشرين حجة فما قرعها بسوط، فلما نفقت أمر بدفنها لئلا يأكلها السباع، ولقد سئلت عنه مولاة له فقالت: أطنب وأختصر؟ فقيل لها: بل اختصري، فقالت: ما أتيته بطعام نهارا قط، وما فرشت له فراشا بليل قط، ولقد انتهى ذات يوم إلى قوم يغتابونه فوقف عليهم، فقال لهم: إن كنتم صادقين فغفر الله لي، وإن كنتم كاذبين فغفر الله لكم، وكان × إذا جاءه طالب علم فقال: مرحبا بوصية رسول الله (ص)، ثم يقول: إن طالب العلم إذا خرج من منزله لم يضع رجليه على رطب ولا يابس من الأرض إلا سبحت له إلى الأرضين السابعة، ولقد كان يعول مائة أهل بيت من فقراء المدينة، وكان يعجبه أن يحضر طعامه اليتامى والأضراء والزمني والمساكين الذين لا حيلة لهم، وكان يناولهم بيده، ومن كان منهم له عيال حمل له إلى عياله من طعامه، وكان لا يأكل طعاما حتى يبدأ فيتصدق بمثله، ولقد كان تسقط منه كل سنة سبع ثفنات من مواضع سجوده لكثرة صلاته وكان يجمعها فلما مات دفنت معه.

الخصال ج 2 ص 517

 

ويذكر × في وصف ما جرى معه في كربلاء وفي السبي:

عن بشير بن حذلم, عن علي بن الحسين ×: إن الله تعالى وله الحمد ابتلانا بمصائب جليلة، وثلمة في الإسلام عظيمة، قتل أبو عبد الله  × وعترته، وسبي نساؤه وصبيته، وداروا برأسه في البلدان من فوق عامل السنان، وهذه الرزية التي لا مثلها رزية.

(اللهوف ص 117)

 

وعنه ×: خرجنا مع الحسين ×, فما نزل منزلا ولا ارتحل منه إلا وذكر يحيى بن زكريا ×, وقال يوما: من هوان الدنيا على الله عز وجل أن رأس يحيى بن زكريا اهدى إلى بغي من بغايا بني إسرائيل.

(الإرشاد ج 2 ص 132)

 

وقد قضى سائر عمره بالبكاء على أبي سيد الشهداء ×, وقد ورد عن الإمام جعفر بن محمد الصادق × أنه قال: البكاءون خمسة: آدم، ويعقوب، ويوسف، وفاطمة بنت محمد (ص)، وعلي بن الحسين ×. - الى ان قال - وأما علي بن الحسين × فبكى على الحسين × عشرين سنة - أو أربعين سنة - ما وضع بين يديه طعام إلا بكى، حتى قال له مولى له: جعلت فداك إني أخاف عليك أن تكون من الهالكين! قال: قال إنما أشكو بثي وحزني إلى الله وأعلم من الله ما لا تعلمون، إني لم أذكر مصرع بني فاطمة إلا خنقتني لذلك عبرة.

(الأمالي للصدوق ص140)

استشهد في المدينة في الخامس والعشرين من شهر محرم مسموما في زمن الوليد عليه لعنة الله.

 

 

Imam Ali ibn Hussain Zain al-Abidin (Pbuh) was born in Medina in 38 AH on the fifth of Sha'ban. He lived with Amir Al-Mu’meneen (Pbuh) for two years, with Imam Hasan (Pbuh) for ten years, and with Imam Hussain (Pbuh) for ten years. He was fifty-seven years old.

His Kunya (nickname): Abu al-Hasan and Abu Muhammad.

His Titles: Zain al-Abidin (The Adornment of the Worshippers), Sayyid al-Abidin (The Master of the Worshippers), Zain al-Salihin (The Adornment of the Righteous), The Inheritor of the Knowledge of the Prophets, The Successor of the Successors, The Keeper of the Prophetic Legacy, The Imam of the Believers, The Beacon for the Devout and Humble, The Night Vigilant, The Ascetic, The Worshipper, The Just, The Weeper, The One with the Calluses.

His Mother: Shahrbanu, daughter of Yazdegerd, son of Shahryar the Kisra.

During his imamate, he witnessed the remaining rule of Yazid, the rule of Muawiyah ibn Yazid, Marwan, and Abdul Malik, and he was martyred during the rule of Al-Walid.

His Children: Twelve from different mothers except for two: Muhammad al-Baqir (Pbuh) and Abdullah al-Bahir, whose mother was Umm Abdullah, daughter of Hasan ibn Ali (Pbuh). He also had Abu al-Hussain Zayd, the martyr in Kufa, and his twin brother Amr, Hussain Al-Asghar, and his twin brothers Abdul Rahman and Suleiman, Hasan and his twin brothers Hussain and Ubaidullah, Muhammad Al-Asghar (the youngest) and Khadijah. Some narrations say that he had no daughters, while others say that he had daughters Fatima, Aliyah, and Umm Kulthum.

Imam Ja’far Al-Sadeq (Pbuh) said: “On Resurrection Day, a caller calls: “Where’s the ornaments of worshipers?” As if I see Ali son of Al-Hussain (Pbuh) crossing his way between the lines.”

I’lal Al-Sharae’e Vol.1, p.230

 

Imam Ali Al-Rida (Pbuh) said that Imam Moussa Al-Kadhem (Pbuh) said about his father Imam Jaa’far Sadiq (Pbuh): a group of Shi'as from Kufa entered upon him. They said, "O son of the Messenger of Allah, are all of them are servants of Allah? How then was your grandfather named Ali son al-Hussein Zain al-Abidin (the master of the worshippers)?"

Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) replied, "Woe unto you! Have you not heard that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says: {They are [varying] degrees in the sight of Allah,} and He says, {We raise in degrees whom We will.} And {indeed, We have favored some of the prophets over others.} They said, "Yes, O son of the Messenger of Allah." He said, "So why do you object?" They replied, "We wanted to know what we asked about."

He said, "Woe unto you! Verily, Iblis confided with his Lord and said, 'My Lord, verily, I have seen the worshippers among Your servants from the beginning of time until the time of Ali son of al-Hussein (peace be upon them), and I have not seen among them anyone who worships You and humbles himself to You more than him. So, permit me, O my God, to deceive him and test him, that I may know his patience.' Allah forbade him, but he did not desist. Iblis made himself in front of Ali son of al-Hussein (peace be upon them) in the form of a snake with ten heads, sharp fangs, red eyes, and it emerged from the ground at the place of his prostration, then it elongated itself towards his direction. However, that did not disturb his focus, nor did he move his sight towards it. Iblis approached him in the form of a snake, clutching the fingers of Ali son of al-Hussein's feet, and he proceeded to bite them with his fangs and exhale flames of fire from his mouth. All of this did not disrupt Ali son of al-Hussein's concentration, nor did it divert him from his position, nor did it shake his faith or disturb his recitation. Iblis cursed by Allah did not remain for long until a scorching meteor from the sky fell upon him. As he felt it, he screamed and stood beside Ali son of al-Hussein (peace be upon them) in his initial form. He said, 'O Master of the Worshippers, as you are named! By Allah, I have indeed witnessed the worship of the prophets and messengers from the time of your father to you, and I have not seen anyone like you, nor anyone with your level of worship. I wish that you would seek Allah's forgiveness for me, for Allah would forgive me.' Then he left him and departed while Ali son of al-Hussein (peace be upon him) remained in his prayer, his conversation not distracting him, until he completed his prayer in its entirety."

 

His Traits and Worship: Himran ibn A’yun reported from Imam Abo Ja’far Mohammad ibn Ali Al-Baquer (Pbut): Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) used to perform one thousand units of prayer during the day and night, just as Amir Al-Mu’mineen (peace be upon him) used to do. He owned five hundred date-palm trees, and he would pray two units of prayer by each date-palm tree. When he stood up in his prayer, his complexion would change to a different hue. His standing in prayer resembled the humble servant standing before the Majestic King. His limbs would tremble out of fear of Allah, the Almighty. He would pray a farewell prayer as if he thought he would never pray again after it. One day, while he was praying, his cloak slipped off one of his shoulders, but he did not adjust it until he completed his prayer. Some of his companions asked him about this, and he said, 'Do you not know before Whom I stand?' The servant's prayer is not accepted except for what he faces with his heart of it. The man said, 'We are ruined.' He replied, 'No, Allah, the Almighty, completes that with the supererogatory prayers.' During the dark night, he would go out carrying a sack on his back, filled with coins of gold and silver, and sometimes he would carry food or firewood. He would go from door to door, knocking on them, then he would give to whoever came out to him. He would cover his face when he handed it to a poor person, so that they would not recognize him. When he passed away, they lost this practice, and they came to know that it was Ali son of al-Husayn (peace be upon him). When his body was being washed for burial, they looked at his back and saw marks from carrying things on his back to the houses of the poor and needy."

Imam Zain al-Abidin (Pbuh) went out one night wearing a patched cloak, and a beggar approached him. The beggar held onto the edge of the cloak and so the Imam walked on and left the cloak for him. Imam Zain al-Abidin used to buy woolen garments during the winter and sell them when summer came, giving away the proceeds in charity.

On the day of Arafah, Imam Zain al-Abidin (Pbuh) looked at a group of people who were begging said, "Woe unto you! Are you asking people for help on such a day? On this day people ask eternal happiness for what is even in the wombs of pregnant women.”

Imam Zain al-Abidin (Pbuh) refrained from eating with his mother. When asked “O son of the Messenger of Allah, you are the most righteous man and most dutiful to the kin, why don’t you eat with your mother?”, he replied, "I detest that my hand should reach something that her eyes reached for.”

A man once declared his intense love for the Imam, saying, "O son of the Messenger of Allah, I love you intensely for the sake of Allah." The Imam responded, "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from being loved by someone for Your sake while You detest me."

The Imam performed twenty Hajj pilgrimages on a camel, and the camel was not struck with a whip. When the camel died, the Imam ordered it to be buried to prevent wild animals from consuming it.

A woman who served him was asked about his daily life. She said, "I never prepared food for him and I never prepared the sleeping mattress for him.

Once, Imam Zain al-Abidin (Pbuh) encountered people who were backbiting and slandering him. He confronted them, saying, "If you are truthful, may Allah forgive me. And if you are lying, may Allah forgive you."

Whenever a seeker of knowledge would come to him, he would say, 'Welcome, O enjoinment of the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh).' Then he would say, 'Verily, when a seeker of knowledge leaves his house, he does not place his foot, whether on wet or dry ground except that it glorifies Allah for him seven times between the heavens and the earth.'"

"Indeed, he used to support a hundred needy households in Medina, and he would find joy in having orphans, the needy, the disabled, and the destitute who had no means of support attend his meals. He would serve them with his own hands. For those among them who had families, he would provide them with food to take home. He would not eat any food until he had begun by giving charity of its equivalent."

"Every year, seven pieces of dead skin would fall off his forehead from the spots where his forehead touched during prostration, due to the abundance of his prayers. He would collect these patches, and when he passed away, they were buried with him."

Al-Khisal Vol.2, p.517

 

What happened to him in Karbala and during the captivity: From Bishr ibn Hazlam, from Ali ibn Hussain (Pbuh): "Indeed, praise be to Allah, He has tested us with great calamities and a severe breach in Islam. Abu Abdullah (Pbuh) and his family were killed, his women and children were taken captive, and his head was paraded across lands on the tip of a spear. This is a tragedy like no other."

Al-Lohoof p.117

 

He (Pbuh) narrated: "We departed with Hussain (Pbuh), and he did not stop at any place or leave any place without mentioning Yahya ibn Zakariya (Pbuh). One day, he said: 'One of the signs of the world's insignificance to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is that the head of Yahya ibn Zakariya was presented as a gift to a tyrant from the tyrants of the Children of Israel.'"

Al-Irshad Vol.2, p.132

1.    Imam Ja’far son of Muhammad Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: There are five who are known for crying: Adam, Ya'qub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Fatimah daughter Muhammad (peace be upon them), and Ali son of al-Hussein (peace be upon them). Ali son of al-Hussein (peace be upon him) wept for Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) for twenty to forty years. He would cry whenever food was placed before him. Someone close to him said, "May I be your ransom! I fear for you that you will be among the perished." He replied, "Indeed, I only complain about my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know. Whenever I remember the killing of the offspring of Fatimah, it chokes me with grief."

Al-Amali by Al-Sadouq p.140

 

 

He was martyred in Medina on the 25th of Muharram, poisoned during the time of Al-Walid, may the curse of Allah be upon him.