تويت
She was the Prophet’s granddaughter and the principal of women after her mother Fatimah (s.a.). She had all noble and high qualities that she had inherited from her grandfather Prophet Muhammad, her father Imam Ali and her mother Fatimah (peace be on them). Therefore, she was the highest example of honor, chastity, dignity and jihad. She established the edifice of the intellectual rise, and spread political and religious awareness through her soul-stirring sermons and speeches she had made before the people of Kufa and in the royal palaces of the Umayyads. She exposed the reality of the Umayyads that was polluted with all kinds of crimes, sins and transgression of human rights. She proved the Umayyads’ treason against Muslims and their seizing of the rule from its actual people.
Her Birth
Zaynab (a.s.) was the first female from the progeny of the Prophet (S). The Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) received this blessed neonate with great joy and delight. Imam Ali (a.s.) carried out the rituals of birth; he recited the azan in her right ear and the eqama in her left ear.
When the Prophet (S) was told about the birth of this blessed baby, he hurried to Fatimah’s house while he was distressed. He took the blessed baby and embraced her while his tears were flowing on his holy face.
Fatimah (s.a.) asked him, ‘What makes you cry? May Allah not make your eye cry!’
He said to her gently, ‘O Fatimah, Know that, after me and after you, misfortunes and calamities will be poured on this girl.’71
The Prophet (S) detected from behind the unseen what calamities would happen to his granddaughter and that she would be tried with what no woman had ever been tried with. Imam Ali (a.s.) shared the Prophet (S) in his pains and sorrows, and so did Fatimah (s.a.). Salman al-Farisi, the loyal friend of the Prophet’s family, came to congratulate Ameerul Mo'minin (a.s.) on the blessed birth of his newborn daughter but he found him sad and grieved talking about the calamities that this daughter would face, and so he shared with the family in their sorrow.
Fatimah (s.a.) asked Imam Ali (a.s.) to name the newborn baby and he said politely, ‘I would not precede the messenger of Allah (in that).’
Then Imam Ali (a.s.) asked the Prophet (S) to name the child, and the Prophet (S) said, ‘I would not precede my Lord.’
Gabriel came down to the Prophet (S) and said to him, ‘Name her Zaynab! Allah the Almighty has chosen this name for her.’
Gabriel (a.s.) revealed to the Prophet (S) the calamities that would face his granddaughter, and then they all burst in crying.72
Zaynab was surnamed as Umm Kulthum73. Some historians say that Umm Kulthum was another daughter of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Fatimah (s.a.), but we doubt this saying.
By: Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi