Zainul Abideen: Anecdotes and Sayings

1. Zainul Abideen: Anecdotes and Sayings By A.S. Hashim. MD Sayings of Imams taken from: http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/infallible10.asp Ziyarah of Imams taken from: http://www.ziaraat.org/

2. About this slide show: • This slide show deals with: • Zainul Abideen • The Epistle of Rights and Obligations • With samples of his Du’aas and Munajaat • Select sayings • It also shows his burial place • Ziyarah (Visitation) with its translation

3. Karbala with Al-Husain • Zainul Abideen, his wife, and his son (Muhammad Al-Baaqir) join Al-Husain to Karbala • He witnesses the savage treatment dealt to the family of the Prophet in Karbala • Sees his father, 5 uncles, and many relatives (17 teenagers) mercilessly cut to pieces and heads cut off • Sees the tents burned and children screaming in alarm and running in fright for shelter • Witnesses the nightmare of the moment while sick in bed near fainting

4. In Damascus • Onlookers thought them to be rebels • Face to face with Yazid he answered only by quoting the Quran, defeating Yazid • He gave a speech in Masjid Umawi on Friday Prayer • Returned to Medina with family as per his wishes, but the nightmarish tribulation never left his mind

5. Part of his Khutba at Masjid Umawi • I am the offspring of the Lord of Mecca and Medina, • I am the issue of the Lord of Zamzam and Safa, • I am the lineal descendant of him whose forefather had lifted in his cloak the Black Stone, • I am the child of the one who mounted the Buraq and gone through the regions of Heavens • I am from the progeny of the one who went up to Sidratul Mun'taha, and whom Allah had shown the fountainhead of the Wahy

6. More of the Khutba • I am the offspring of the guide from whom disbelievers got the guidance to the straight path, I am ................... • I am the son of a person whose thread of life was snapped by cruel fingers, • and I am the son of whose head was severed while thirsty, and body left exposed to the burning sands of Karbala, • I am the son whose father's death was mourned by the Angels in Heaven, as well as humans and Jinn, • I am the son whose father's head was mounted on a spear and taken for show from town to town

7. Zainul Abideen takes up seclusion. • After Karbala Zainul Abideen takes up seclusion in the outskirts of Medina, for about one year, in a tent • Zainab takes provisions for him every day • Only about 5 people are permitted to meet with him • Uncle Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiyah represents him and acts on his behalf • Spends time in composing Du’aa, Meditating, and Prayers • Be away from spies and secret agents

8. In Sermon 239, page 357,Who are Ahlul Bayt?

9. Zainul Abideen after Karbala As the Imam under pressure by the government 1. Be secluded 2. Be the example in worship (Sujood) 3. Emphasize Karbala 4. Continue to mourn and cry on Al-Husain 5. Gradually come forth and teach people thus establish seed of Institute of Ahlul Bayt

10. Selections from Du’aas and Sayings

11. Sample Du’aa:Imploring protection from evil Dear Lord, I implore Thy protection from: · Extremes in greed,       · Being hasty in anger,       · Being dominated by envy,       · Lacking of patience,       · Being with scarcity of contentment,       · Being with depravity of morals,       · Being beseeched by passion,       · An indulgence of zeal,       · The submitting to desires, and       · Opposing what is right.....

12. Imploring ethical conduct • O Lord, bless Muhammad and his descendants, and • Confer on me Thy most abundant sustenance when I grow old, • Infuse in me Thy most righteous strength when I am fatigued, • Allow me not to grow lethargic so as to keep away from Thy worship, • nor let me be blind to Thy Path, • nor allow me to indulge in what is contrary to Thy Love, • nor let me join him who has separated himself from Thee, • nor let me keep aloof from him who is joined unto Thee...... 

13. Imploring protection from need • O Lord, I have no strength for toil, • nor patience in time of trial, • nor power to bear poverty.  So, • Please, dear Lord, do not deprive me of my sustenance, • nor cause me to rely upon Thy creatures, and • Let none but Thyself satisfy my need, • Undertake to provide for me, and • Watch over me in all my affairs.

14. Munajaat:Tender Prayers My Lord!     Thy bounty which Thou hast begun‑‑complete it!     Thy generosity which Thou hast given me‑‑strip it not away!     Thy cover over me through Thy clemency‑‑tear it not away!     My misdeeds which Thou hast come to know‑‑forgive them! My Lord!     I seek intercession from Thee with Thee, and     I seek sanctuary in Thee from Thee!     I have come to Thee craving Thy beneficence, desiring Thy kindness,     So act toward me with forgiveness and mercy of which Thou art worthy!     Act not toward me with chastisement and vengeance of which I am worthy! By Thy mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

15. The Communion of the Hopeful • O Lord! Who is the one who comes before Thee seeking hospitality, and You haven’t received him hospitably? Who is the one who has dismounted at Thy door hoping for Grace, and to whom Thou hast not shown it? • O' He who is the asylum of every fleer, the hope of every seeker! • O' Best Object of hope! O Most Generous Object of supplication! • O' He who does not reject His asker or disappoint the expectant! • O' He whose door is open to His supplicators and whose veil is lifted for those who hope in Him! • I ask Thee by Thy generosity to show kindness toward me through Thy gifts, • with that which will gladden my eye, through hope in Thee, • with that which will give serenity to my soul, and • through certainty with that which will make easy for me the afflictions of this world, and • lift from my insight the veils of blindness! • By Thy mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

16. EPISTLE OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS • Zainul Abideen delineated the basic rights, mostly from Shari'ah point of view, even though no passage is devoid of moral and ethical flavor.  Zainul Abideen divided man's responsibilities toward rights on him into five categories: • Allah's rights on man, covering a wide range of prerogatives. • Rights of body and soul, • Rights of family members, • Rights of those superior to one or dependant on one, • Rights of neighbors and friends, not excluding the non‑Muslims.

17. Rights of the Self (Nafs) • It is the right of your self (Nafs) upon you that you should use it in obedience to Allah, by giving their due to your: • Speech, • Hearing, • Seeing, • Doing, • Eating, and • Private parts, • seeking the help of Allah in this task. 

18. 1. Rights of the Speech: • It is the right of your tongue that you should consider it too respectable to utter obscene language;  and • you should accustom it to good speech, • discipline it with good manners, • keep it silent except in time of necessity and for spiritual or material benefit, • keep it away from superfluous vain talk which may cause harm with little benefit. • What you say is considered proof of your intelligence and guide to it; and its good discipline edifies a wise man in his wisdom.

19. The rights of your Hearing and Sight: • The rights of your Hearing: It is the right of your sense of hearing that you should not turn it into a way to your heart except: • for a noble talk (which may create some good feelings or ideas in your heart), or which may earn for you a noble character; because your hearing is: • the door which allows a talk to get to the heart, carrying to it various ideas, good or evil· • The rights of your sight:  It is the right of your Sight to: • cast down from those things which (by Shari'ah) you are not allowed to see, and not to use it except: • in a place which gives you a lesson by which you may increase your insight or may gain some knowledge, because sight is the door of contemplation.

20. The Rights of the Hand: • It is the right of your hand that you should not extend it to what is by Shari'ah forbidden to you; otherwise you will earn punishment from Allah in the life‑hereafter, and condemnation from the people in this life.  • And you should not hold it from the actions which Allah has obliged you to do. • And you should enhance the honor of your hand by withholding it from the unlawful things and • extending it for most of such good deeds which are not even obligatory for you,  • because if the actions of your hands are based on wisdom and nobility surely you will get a good reward in the life‑hereafter.

21. The Rights of the Stomach: • It is the right of your stomach that you should not turn it into a receptacle of what is by Shari'ah unlawful, whether it is a little or a lot; and • that you should not overeat because that will turn eating into unashamed gluttony instead of giving you strength; and • You should keep it under control when hungry or thirsty since overeating hinders one from work and cuts one away from goodness and nobility, while • drinking intoxicants makes one into a fool, unenlightened, and disgraced.

22. The Rights of the Private Parts: • It is the right of your private parts to protect them from what is by Shari'ah unlawful to you; and to help yourself in this task by • casting your gaze, • by remembering death, and • warning yourself of Allah's punishment.

23. MORE ABOUT EPISTLE OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONSRights of the wife: • It is the right of your wife that you should know that Allah has made her for you a repose and comfort, and a friend and shield against sin. • And likewise, it is incumbent upon both of you to thank Allah for your spouse and to know that the spouse is a grace of Allah upon you.  You are obliged • to respect her, • be kind to her, and • although your rights upon her are greater and her obedience to you final in all your likes and dislikes so long as it is not a sin • So, she has the right of love and fellowship, and an abode so that natural desires may be fulfilled, and in this it is a great duty.

24. Sample Sayings • Who honors himself dishonors worldly things. • The company of the righteous invites you to goodness. • Beware of keeping company with the sinful and helping the unjust. • Do not make anyone your enemy even though you consider him harmless and do not turn down a person's friendship even if you think he will not benefit you. • Beware of keeping company with a liar for he is like a mirage (deceptive). He shows you the near one as distant and the distant thing as nearby. • Abstain from lies both small and big and in all conditions whether joking or serious.

25. Sample Sayings • The right of your child is that you know that he has come from you to this world and his right and wrong are attributed to you. • You are responsible for teaching and training him, guiding him to his Lord, Almighty and Glorious, and assisting him to obey Him. • Therefore, be sure that if you do a favor to your child, you will obtain its reward and if you act viciously against him, it will come back to you, too.

26. Counseling Someone • A person said to Zainul Abideen "Oh Son of the Prophet! how do you start your morning?" • Zainul Abideen replied, "I commence the morning with eight things being demanded of me. • Allah demands the obligatory, • The Prophet demands his Sunnah, • The family asks for sustenance, • The soul demands the lustful desires, • Satan demands (me to commit) sin, • The protectors (the two angels) demand the sincerity of practice, • The angel of death demands the soul and • The grave demands (my) body. • For such I am stationed among these being demanded of me."

27. The Right of your Mother • For you to know: The right of your mother is that she has carried you in her womb in a manner that nobody has carried the other. • And fed you from the fruit of her heart in a way that nobody has fed the other. • She protected you happily with her ears, eyes, hands, feet, hair, skin and all of her body parts while bearing all the pains, agonies, discomforts and burdens till the time Allah's hand detached you from her to the earth. • Then she was content that she remained hungry and fed you, and dressed you up but remaining scantily dressed and quenched your thirst while she was thirsty, • She put you in the shade while she herself remained under the sun and brought you up with comforts while herself remaining in hardship. • She makes you enjoy the sweet sleep while she is awake. Her womb was a soothing and comforting place for you. Her breasts were a means of quenching your thirst. And her existence was a shield for protecting you. She endured the hot and cold of the world for your sake. • Therefore, you must also thank her in the same manner and you do not have the capability and power of doing it but with the assistance of Allah and His Grace.

28. Sample Sayings • Two kinds of drops are dear to Allah: • Drops of blood shed in Allah's cause (Jihad) and • The drops of tears in the dark of night in which a servant wants nothing but pleasing Allah. • Sins which terminate the blessings are: • oppression against people, • abandoning piety, • not commanding good deeds, • ingratitude for blessings and favors, and not giving thanks. • A Mujahid who is martyred for Allah's cause does not deserve as much reward as a person who chooses not to sin despite having the power to do so. Such a person may even become one of the chaste angels.

29. Zainul Abideen dies • Zainul Abideen dies at age of 57, reportedly poisoned. • Had calloused skin at place of Sujood (forehead) • Thick skin in his back due to carrying sacs of flour at night to distribute to the poor • Became pale with curved back due to incessant prayers • Had the roughest experience: be it in Karbala, political times, and other circumstances • His load was enormously heavy and psychologically taxing

30. Burial • Zainul Abideen was buried at the Baqii’ • He and others knew the ruling Benu Umayya would not allow the burial otherwise • With time, a structure was built for people to perform visitation, pray, and read Du’aa • The structure was demolished by Rulers in 1925

31. Picture of Al-Baqii 1925

32. Ziyarah of Al‑Sajjad in Baqi’i • السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَئِمَّةَ الْهُدَى السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ التَّقْوَى‏ • السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْحُجَجُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَيُّهَا الْقُوَّامُ فِي الْبَرِيَّةِ بِالْقِسْطِالسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الصَّفْوَةِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ آلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ النَّجْوَى‏ • أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ بَلَّغْتُمْ وَنَصَحْتُمْ وَصَبَرْتُمْ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ وَكُذِّبْتُمْ وَأُسِي‏ءَ إِلَيْكُمْ فَغَفَرْتُمْ‏وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمُ الْأَئِمَّةُ الرَّاشِدُونَ الْمُهْتَدُونَ وَأَنَّ طَاعَتَكُمْ مَفْرُوضَةٌوَأَنَّ قَوْلَكُمُ الصِّدْقُ‏وَأَنَّكُمْ دَعَوْتُمْ فَلَمْ تُجَابُوا وَأَمَرْتُمْ فَلَمْ تُطَاعُوا

33. Ziyarah of Al‑Sajjad in Baqi’i • Peace be upon you O Leaders of Guidance; Peace be upon you O Masters of Piety, • Peace be upon you O Proofs of Allah on the people of the earth; • Peace be upon you who were Steadfast in dealing with justice. • Peace be upon you O people of the Chosen One. • Peace be upon you the Family of the Prophet of Allah, • Peace be upon you O people whose souls converse to the Almighty, • I bear witness that you had Proclaimed and Advised and had Persevered for the sake of Allah • And that you were belied and mistreated, yet you forgave • And I bear witness that you are the rightly guided leaders; and that obedience to you is incumbent and that your speech is correct and you had invited to the Truth but were not answered and you commanded but were not followed……

34. In Conclusion Zainul Abideen is the very model of Patience and Forbearance 1. Experienced the horrendous events of Karbala 2. Diligently worked for Islam in indirect ways 3. Wrote the Saheefa Sajjadiya and Epistle of Rights 4. Du’aas are very moving and the guiding Light 5. The Munajaat are remarkable and incredible

35. Finally Let us Read Surah al-Asr Together

36. Be in Allah’s Care Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A.S. Hashim