تويت
Her Birth
She was born in Medina on the fifth of Jumada al-Awwal in the year 5 AH.
When she was born, her mother Lady Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her) brought her to her father Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and said, “Name this newborn.”
He replied, “I would not precede the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family).” The Prophet was on a journey at the time.
When the Prophet returned and was asked by Ali (peace be upon him) to name her, he said, “I would not precede my Lord, the Exalted.” Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended with peace from the Almighty and said:
“Name this newborn Zaynab, for Allah has chosen this name for her.”
He also informed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) of the calamities that would befall her. The Prophet wept and said:
“Whoever weeps over the afflictions of this daughter is like one who has wept over her brothers Hasan and Husayn.”
Her Character and Virtues
She (peace be upon her) was knowledgeable without having been taught, wise without being instructed, intelligent and eloquent, and in her asceticism and worship, she resembled her father Imam Ali and her mother Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon them).
She possessed numerous praiseworthy traits, noble characteristics, and high morals. She was virtuous, dignified, and carried a noble lineage.
She narrated hadiths from her mother Fatima (peace be upon her), Asma bint Umays, and was also narrated from by Muhammad ibn Amr, Ata ibn al-Sa'ib, Fatima daughter of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari, and Abbad al-Amiri.
Zaynab (peace be upon her) was known for her extensive night worship, following the tradition of her grandfather the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
It was reported from Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him):
“I never saw my aunt performing the night prayer while sitting down, except on the night of the 11th (of Muharram),”
indicating that she never abandoned her voluntary night prayers even in that most sorrowful night.
On the day of Ashura, Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) said to her during his farewell:
“O sister, do not forget me in your night prayers.”
Some historians reported that Zaynab (peace be upon her) held a special session for interpreting the Qur’an attended by women, and that her supplications were always answered.
Mother of Calamities
She was called “Umm al-Masa’ib” (Mother of Calamities) — and rightfully so — for she witnessed the death of her grandfather the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), the martyrdom of her mother Fatima (peace be upon her), the assassination of her father Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the martyrdom of her brother Hasan (peace be upon him), and finally the greatest tragedy, the martyrdom of her brother Husayn (peace be upon him) in the tragedy of Karbala, along with the other noble martyrs (may Allah be pleased with them).
Her Role in Karbala
Zaynab (peace be upon her) played a central role in the events of Karbala, taking charge in all situations. She cared for the sick, monitored her brother Imam Husayn’s condition moment by moment, and spoke with him at every turn.
She managed the affairs of the family and children, taking on responsibilities equal to those of men.
Interestingly, at that time she was married to Abdullah ibn Ja‘far, but she chose to accompany her brother rather than stay with her husband — and her husband approved of this and even sent their two sons to fight beside their uncle.
Someone with a brother like Husayn and such an exalted character as Zaynab’s would not be expected to choose otherwise.
It is narrated that on the 11th of Muharram, after Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) was martyred, ‘Umar ibn Sa‘d ordered the women to be taken away. As they passed the body of Husayn, Zaynab (peace be upon her) cried out:
“By my father — whose tent cords were cut!
By my father — who is neither hoped for as a traveler nor treated as a wounded one!
By my father — to whom my soul is sacrificed!
By my father — the grieved until death!
By my father — the thirsty until he passed away!
By my father — whose gray hair was drenched in blood!
By my father — whose grandfather is the Messenger of the Lord of the heavens!
By my father — the grandson of the Prophet of guidance!”
By my father — who is neither hoped for as a traveler nor treated as a wounded one!
By my father — to whom my soul is sacrificed!
By my father — the grieved until death!
By my father — the thirsty until he passed away!
By my father — whose gray hair was drenched in blood!
By my father — whose grandfather is the Messenger of the Lord of the heavens!
By my father — the grandson of the Prophet of guidance!”
Her Speech in Kufa
When the captives from Ahl al-Bayt were brought to Kufa after Karbala, the people began to weep and wail. Bashir ibn Khuzaym al-Asadi said:
“I looked at Zaynab bint Ali (peace be upon them) that day and I never saw a woman more modest and articulate than her. It was as if Ali himself was speaking through her tongue. She signaled to the people to be silent. The breaths stopped. The bells silenced. Then she said:
‘All praise is due to Allah, and peace be upon Muhammad and his pure family.
O people of Kufa! O people of deceit and betrayal! Do you weep?
May your tears never dry, and your cries never cease.
Your example is that of the woman who untwisted her thread after it was strong.
You take your oaths as deceit among yourselves.
Is there among you but arrogance and shame...’”
(The rest of the well-known sermon continues.)
O people of Kufa! O people of deceit and betrayal! Do you weep?
May your tears never dry, and your cries never cease.
Your example is that of the woman who untwisted her thread after it was strong.
You take your oaths as deceit among yourselves.
Is there among you but arrogance and shame...’”
(The rest of the well-known sermon continues.)
Her Speech in Sham (Damascus)
‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, sent Lady Zaynab (peace be upon her) along with the other captives of Ahl al-Bayt to Sham (Syria) by the order of Yazid. With them were the head of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) and the other heads of the martyrs.
When they entered Yazid’s court, he had the head of Husayn (peace be upon him) placed in front of him. Zaynab (peace be upon her) saw the blessed head and cried out in a voice that broke hearts:
“O Husayn! O beloved of the Messenger of Allah! O son of Fatima al-Zahra!”
All in the gathering wept while Yazid remained silent.It is reported that when Yazid began striking the teeth of Husayn (peace be upon him) with his cane, Zaynab stood and delivered a powerful sermon, saying:
“Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may blessings be upon His Messenger and his purified family.
Do you think, O Yazid, that by taking control over us and confining the horizons of the earth and sky upon us, that we are despised in the eyes of Allah and that you are honored?
Is this your lofty status with Him?
So you become arrogant and pleased with your triumph.
Is it justice, O son of freed slaves, that your women sit behind veils and our women are paraded as captives?
That you have violated our sanctity and exposed our faces, dragging us from one land to another while enemies lead us?”
(The sermon continues.)
Do you think, O Yazid, that by taking control over us and confining the horizons of the earth and sky upon us, that we are despised in the eyes of Allah and that you are honored?
Is this your lofty status with Him?
So you become arrogant and pleased with your triumph.
Is it justice, O son of freed slaves, that your women sit behind veils and our women are paraded as captives?
That you have violated our sanctity and exposed our faces, dragging us from one land to another while enemies lead us?”
(The sermon continues.)
Her Death
Lady Zaynab (peace be upon her), the Mother of Calamities, passed away on the 15th of Rajab, 62 AH.
There is disagreement about the location of her grave:
- Some say she is buried in Egypt,
- Others say Damascus (Syria),
- And some say in Medina.