family of the prophet muhammad
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The family
of the Prophet Muhammad
in Egypt
Compiled by:
Muhammad Jalal Raza
Fadil Jamia Nizamiya, Hyderabad
India
B.A. Al Azhar University, Egypt
M.A. Cairo University, Egypt
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Deposit No.
In The Egyptian Books House
All rights reserved for the Compiler
AL-KILANY PRESS.
22, Kamel Kilany st. Bab El-Khalq.
Cairo Egypt .
Tel : 3918598-3951543
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In the name of Allah The Most Gracious
The Most Merciful
Preface
By Dr. Ali Juma 'a
All praise be to Allah (Exalted be He) and peace
and blessings be upon our Messenger
Muhammad,(peace be upon him)and his family
members and his companions as well as upon those
who love them.
Egyptian people describe their country as Egypt the protected Because, Allah (Exalted be He) has protected it from, disasters, epidemics and
vicissitudes of the time.
Furthermore, He blessed its inhabitants, after they embraced Islam and entered the religion of
Allah (Exalted be He) in crowds.
These favors were bestowed upon them only by
the Messenger( Peace be upon him) through the
presence of his family members in Egypt as it was
blessed by more than forty eminent of the blessed
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family.
They are those about whom Allah (Exalted be He)
says Say, No reward do I ask you for this except the love of those near of kin 23 As Shura42.
And the Messenger Muhammad ( Peace be upon
him) has stated. I am leaving such a thing with you which if you hold it steadfast you shall never go
astray; The book of Allah, and my family
members. This tradition was transmitted by Imam Termezi and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.
In another Hadith transmitted by Imam Ahmad
Ibn Hanbal Abu Said Al Khudri narrated, the
Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) stated, I am leaving with you two heavy things; One of them is more important
than the other:
(1) Book of Allah , the extended rope from the sky to the earth.
(2) My family members, both will remain together and will never be seprated from
each other untill they will come to me at
the Fountain of Kawthar.
Imam Shafaee said in his well-knwon poem If to love the Prophet,s (May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) relatives is named Shi'ism then let mankind and Jinn be witness that I am a
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Shi'ite. Furthermore,Imam Sha'rani used to say,, It is Allahs favor upon me that I was blessed by visiting forty persons of this family in Egypt the
protected.
The book in our hands, which has been compiled
by the virtuous, research scholar Mr Muhammad
Jalal Raza, is an interesting book. The compiler
searched for the family members of the Prophet
Muhammad (May peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) in Egypt and was fully successful in his
study. The book is useful for those who are fond of
knowledge.
We pray Allah (Glorfied and Exalted be He ) to
make people benefit by this book as well as to
include this in the compilers Book of good deeds on the day of Judgment.
Professor Dr, Ali Juma'a
Mufti of Arab Republic of Egypt.
14/2/2005
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In the name of Allah The Most Gracious the Most Merciful
Preface
By Dr . Muhammad Abu Layla
All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Sustainer
of the whole world and peace and blessings of Allah
be upon Muhammad (P.B.U.H) the last Messenger
of Allah ,as well as upon his family members,
companions and upon those who will follow their
foot steps sincerely.
This is a useful book about the family of the
Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in Egypt ,written by
the promising research scholar in Cairo University
(Islamic Philosophy Dept). who came from India to
Egypt to promote his knowledge of Islamic studies
in Egypt.
Mr. Muhammad Jalal Raza is a lover of the
Prophets (P.B.U.H) Sunnah and his family
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members.
I congratulate him for his important step to present
and introduce the most famous family members of
the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in Egypt
especially in English language.
I pray Allah to bless him by his efforts and
increase his contribution to Islamic Studies.
Dr MUHAMMAD ABU LAYLA
Prof of Islamic Studies in English and Head of
English Dept.
AL-Azhar University
21st Ramadan 1426AH.
24th
Oct 2005
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PREFACE
By Dr. Ejaz Akram. .
I welcome the efforts of Mr. Jalal Raza to present a descriptive chronology of the Prophet Muhammads (SAAW) family at a time when the Islamic world is passing through the crucial crossroads of history. Muslims recognize well that internal challenges to the Islamic Civilization are just as grave as the external challenges. External challenges in the past, such as the Mongol invasion destroyed elements of Islamic society from which it recovered because the Mongols soon became a part of the Muslim world. Challenge of modernity to all religions, and given the modern worlds special animosity to Islam has presented a dual challenge. Externally, it is the continuation and control of Muslim lands, via reform or all sorts as well as military threats emanating from the Western countries. Most importantly however, are the challenges that emanate from within the Muslim world by people who are either Muslims or parade as scholars of Islam who are bent upon destroying the very fabric of traditional Islamic civilization in the name of reformed and rational Islam.
A general wave of intolerance that is often characterized randomly as fundamentalism has privileged rationalism in pursuit of gaining the
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worldly superiority to match the West. By doing so it upholds Quran of course as the word of God (short of that they cannot be called Muslims), but on the other hand it has implored Muslims to avoid what they consider is the cult of personality and hence toward discrediting hadith and sunnah whose central figure is the Prophet of Islam, considered by Muslims the most perfect of all men. Traditional Muslims uphold that God bestowed all essential virtues and blessings that the humanly state deserves on the figure of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW).
His life from beginning to end has been studied by traditional Muslims, and the science of hadith and the tradition of sunnah are important informants to the development of the sacred law in Islam, the shariah.
It is indeed exigent for the vast collectivity of Muslims around the world to continue benefiting from the tradition of Prophets ahadith and his life sunnah. Mr. Jalal Raza has taken an important step to introduce the knowledge of Prophets family members and their spiritual meaning to the Muslims for which his good efforts must be commended.
Dr. Ejaz Akram
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science
American University in Cairo
Cairo, Egypt
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11th
Dhul Hajj, 1425
( 33)
Allah only wishes to remove all abomination
from you, O you members of the family, and to make
you pure and spotless
Surah AL Ahzab, Verse 33
..
( 23)
Say: No reward do I ask of you for this except the
love of those near of kin
Surah AL Shura, Verse 23
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In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious,
The Most Merciful.
Preface by the compiler :
All praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of
the worlds; and peace and blessings of Allah be
upon Muhammad, the leader of the prophets and
messengers, and upon his blessed family members
and his companions, and upon all those who
followed them before us and those who will follow
them till the Day of Judgement (Ameen).
Respected reader, this is a humble effort and a
simple endeavor intended to present and introduce
those famous persons of the Prophet's family (Ahlul
Bait), who migrated to Egypt and resided there at
various times of their blessed lives.
Undoubtedly, the study of these pure personalities
research regarding their exemplary manners and a
study concerning their ideal behavior, is extremely
important in the modern ages. They are the best
models for mankind and allow Muslims and others
to understand how to implement the ideals of Islam
on a practical level in our day to day lives.
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They are the ones who strictly followed the
commandments of the Qur'an and imbibed the
traditions and Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), into their lifestyles.
Through the study of their biographies, a person
may improve his practice of Islamic principles and
come to understand how seemingly difficult
commandments within Islam were inculcated into
the everyday practice. As a consequence of this
practice, we can surmise that these blessed men and
women were the happiest nation ever to inhabit this
Earth.
The glorious Qur'an urges a Muslim to accompany
the group of people who are both sincere and true
believers:
O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and be with those
who are true (in word and deed).
Surah At Taubah, Verse 19
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There is no doubt that it is impossible to join the
ranks of those who are spoken of in this verse
without a comprehension of their eminent spiritual
and practical lives.
Dear Reader, as an increasing population of
Muslims reside in the English speaking world and
even more have adopted English as their mother
tongue, it is crucial that an essay regarding the lives
of the eminent members of the family of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), be
prepared and distributed in English.
To fulfill this need, this book has been prepared
by me (with the help of Allah, the Most Merciful). I
have repeatedly referred to the outstanding Arabic
text "Maraaqid Ahlil Bait Fil Qaahira" by the late
Shaikh Muhammad Zakee Ibraheem, the chief of Al
Asheera Al Muhammadiyah in Cairo (may Allah's
mercy be upon him).
Since beginning this endeavor, my heart was
filled with confidence, security and an ambition to
complete this work. This was only through the
mercy of Allah and the completion of this project is
purely a sign of Allah's blessings and compassion.
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Previously, with the help of Almighty Allah, I had translated two books from Urdu to Arabic. These were:
1. Al Qadiyaaniyah, a critical study of the
Qadiyaani sect
2. Al Falsafa Wal Islam, a critique of Greek
philosophy in the light of traditional Islamic
principles
Both these texts were published in Cairo, with
prefaces written by notable professors from
Al Azhar University and other scholars, may Allah
bless them all.
I express my gratitude and respect to all those who
helped me in completing this task by any means.
May Allah accept this effort through His boundless
Mercy and enable me to serve the cause of Islam
continuously and allow me to be of those who prove
profitable for the Muslim Ummah and all of
mankind.
Muhammad Jalal Raza
M.A. Cairo University
6th Zul Hijjah 1425 A.H., 17th January, 2005
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What does Ahlul Bait mean?
Ahlul Bait is an Arabic phrase consisting of two
separate Arabic words.
1. Ahl - generally means relatives.
2. Al Bait - means the house.
Thus the word translates to "the household" or "the
family members".
Although this is a general meaning, in Islamic
terminology it later on came to signify the family
members of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him).
This phrase was used in the Glorious Qur'an with
the same meaning:
Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from
you, O members of the family!
Surah Al Ahzaab, Verse 33
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Whom does the clause include?
The term "Ahlul Bait" includes:
1 Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him).
2 Ali, the Prophet's (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) son-in-law and cousin.
3 Hasan and Hussain, the Prophet's (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) grandsons.
4 The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him).
In addition to this, it includes all those who were
prohibited from receiving charity. These are the
progeny of Ali, Aqeel, Jafar and Abbas.1
What is our duty towards them?
We must love them for they are the family members
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
1- Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah by Muhammad Zakee Ibraheem
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be upon him) himself loved them. Imam Bukhari
narrated through the authority of Abdullah, son of
Omar, that Abu Bakr said "The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) delivered a sermon
and said "I remind you of Allah regarding my family
members", and he repeated it thrice.
To hate the members of the Prophet's (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) family is prohibited
and is considered a sign of hypocrisy.
A brief introduction to the famous family members
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) is provided below:
Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him).
He is the fourth caliph of Islam.
His father's name was Abu Taleb, the paternal uncle
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him).
His mother's name was Fatima, the daughter of
Asad. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) would call her, "O my mother!" Upon her
death, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) shrouded her in his own shirt and
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descended into her grave and prayed for her thus:
"Indeed, you were my mother after my (real)
mother."2
His nickname was Abul Hasan and Abu Turab.
The latter was given to him by the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him). Abu Turab
means "the man with dust", as it is related that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
once saw him lying on the earth with his bare body
and his body was dusty. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) called him and
humorously told him "Stand up, O man with dust."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) joined him to his family when Ali was a
child and brought him up carefully.
He was the first child to believe in the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and had
the honor of marrying the beloved daughter of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
Fatima.
2- Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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He lived for approximately 30 years after the
death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him). It is narrated that he did not join any
other wives with Fatima, although he married
several times after her death, in order to increase his
progeny. He had 27 male and female children, but
his progeny did not continue through any of his
children except for Imam Hasan, Imam Hussain and
Zainab .
It goes without saying that Abu Talib, the father
of Ali, vouched for and cared tremendously for the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
As a paternal uncle, he was the one who had been
entrusted with the responsibility of rearing the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
after the death of the Prophet's (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) father and his grandfather. In
return, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) cared for his cousin Ali, as a repayment
of the favors bestowed upon him by his uncle. 3
3- Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah .
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Ali was the fourth Caliph of Islam and his reign
lasted for 5 years and 6 months.
He was assassinated by Abdur Rahman, the son
of Muljim. The funeral proceedings were completed
secretly by his sons, Imams Hasan and Hussain and
by Muhammad, the son of Hanafia. He was buried at
night like his wife Fatima, to avoid any
disturbances.
His grave is in Iraq.
Fatima Az-Zahra:
She was the most beloved daughter of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
She was born in Mecca, two years after the
declaration of the prophethood of Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Her mother was Khadija, the daughter of Khuwailid.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) loved her immensely and he would stand
up for her whenever she came to him. He would kiss
her and make her sit in his own seat. 4
4-Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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Her titles:
She was given various titles. These include
Az-Zahra, the brightest lady, and Al-Batool, the one
isolated from earthly pleasures and occupied solely
with her creator.
Her marriage and children:
She was married to Imam Ali and was blessed with
the birth of Hasan in 3 A.H. Hussain was born a year
later in 4 A.H.
Her death:
She died in 11 A.H. a mere 6 months after the
death of her father, the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him). She had been told by the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
that she would be the first amongst his family to
follow him after his death. 5
She was buried in Al Baqee.
5-Al Bidayah WanNihayah ,IbnKatheer ,
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Imam Hasan :
He was the eldest son of Fatima and Ali (May
Allah be pleased with them both). He was born in
Madina, in the middle of Ramadan 3 A.H.
When he was born, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) called Azaan in his
right ear and Iqamah in his left ear. This is how the
calling of Azaan in the right ear of a newborn and
the Iqamah in the left ear, came to be Sunnah.
On the seventh day, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) sacrificed for him
and shaved his head. Gold equal in weight to the
hair of the baby was donated and the boy was named
Hasan. This was a unique name amongst the Arabs
at that time.
Imam Hasan resembled the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) in his facial
features. 6
6-At Tabaqat ulkubra Sharani Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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His nickname:
He was called Az-Zaki, the pure and Al-Mujtaba,
the selected.
His progeny:
He had a number of children as he had four wives.
The most famous of his children are:
1. Zaid
2. Hasan Al Musanna
3. Amr
4. Al Qasim
5. Abdullah
6. Abdur Rahman
7.Al Hasan Al Mosallas
8. Talha
He was also blessed with three daughters:
1. Ummul Hasan
2. Ummul Hussain
3. Fatima7
7 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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His descendants increased through his sons
Hasan Al Musanna and Zaid.
He was selected as the caliph of the Muslims
after the death of his father. However, he soon
abandoned leadership to prevent the needless
spilling of Muslim blood. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) had prophesized
that Hasan would be the one whom Allah would use
to reconcile the differences between two large
groups of rival Muslims.
He died in 49 A.H. and was buried in Al Baqee.
Imam Hussain:
He is the second grandson of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) and was born
on the 5th of Sha'baan, 4 A.H. He lived with his
grandfather for six years.
He was martyred on Friday or Saturday, 10th
Muharram in the course of the battle of Karbala in
Iraq.8
8-At Tabaqat ulkubra Sharani Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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.His body is buried in Karbala, while his blessed
head was taken from place to place, until it found
rest in the city of Asqalan near Palestine. It was kept
for the next few centuries.
During the Crusades, the Fatimid successor
worried for the safety of the blessed head of Imam
Husssain and ordered his minister, Tala'e bin Ruzaiq
to transfer it to Egypt. In this manner, it was
transferred to its final resting place, the Imam
Hussain mosque in Cairo, where it is still buried .
His marriages:
He married a number of wives in order to
increase his offspring and preserve the family of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
through his descendants. His wish to preserve the
prophetic heritage was fulfilled and it's prosperity
and abundance may still be witnessed today 9
9 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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His Shrine in Egypt:
There are three famous shrines, each claiming that
his blessed head is buried within. The first of these
is in Damascus, where the head was initially buried.
The second is Asqalan, where the head was
transferred after Damascus. Later it was carried to
Cairo and buried between Khan al Khalil and the
Al Azhar Mosque.
In light of the above mentioned evidence, we may
conclude that the last stage in the process of
transferring his head was the transfer to Egypt. This
is the site of the Imam Hussain mosque in Cairo.
The famous Arab historian Maqraizee states
"Indeed, Hussain's head was shifted from Asqalan to
Cairo on 8th Jumada Al Akhir, 548 A.H. and
remained in the Al Zumurrad Palace for a year until
the current sanctuary was built. It was finally buried
in its current position in 549 A.H.10
10 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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It is interesting to note that some scholars came
across a manuscript written by Ibnul Awraq (d. 572
A.H.). It is currently preserved at the British
Museum in London, England and registered under
Number 5803 in the Oriental section. The author
wrote the book 12 years before his death and states
that the head was brought to Cairo from Asqalan in
549 A.H. He includes substantial evidence to enable
others to verify his claims. The author himself
participated in the transferring ceremony along with
other Egyptian delegations.
His tomb at present:
At present, the Egyptian government has given a
due concern to reconstruct the auspicious tomb of
Imam Hussain. They have used the latest
architectural techniques to preserve the original style and structure of the tomb during efforts to renovate the tomb.
The government has renovated the inner walls
ceilings and floor of the tomb. The designs and
sculptures have been restored to their former glory.
The shrine has been decorated with the finest kinds
of marble.11
11 - At Tabaqat ulkubra Sharani Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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The Museum of Prophetic remains:
A special hall has been built for the remains of the
belongings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) and his companions. It is to the
south of the tomb. The museum has two doors, one
leading to the mosque and the other leading to the
tomb.
The museum contains:
1. A piece of the Prophet's (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) shirt.
2. His kohl container with its stick.
3. A part of his blessed cane.
4. Two hair from the beard of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him).
5. A Qur'an written by the third Caliph of Islam,
Uthman, son of Affan
6. A Qur'an written by the fourth Caliph of
Islam, Ali, son of Abu Talib12
12 Maraqid AhlBait filQherah -
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Zainab, daughter of Fatima Az Zahra
She was the daughter of Fatima Az Zahra and
Ali (May Allah bless them both) and the grand-
daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him). Her grandmother was
Khadeeja, daughter of Khuwailed. Her brothers
were Hasan and Hussain.
She was born in 5th or 6th A.H and thus enjoyed
the company of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him). She was named Zainab, in
memory of the elder daughter of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him).
She was famous for her charming beauty,
nobility and generosity. She married her cousin
Abdullah son of Jafar. Jafar was the brother of Ali.
Her husband, Abdullah, was the first child born at
the time of the first migration to Ethiopia. He was
blessed by the Prophet's (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) company for almost ten years.
He was a noble and generous man and excelled in
horse-riding. His generosity was such that he was
titled the "center of generosity".13
13- Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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Zainab and Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with
them both) were blessed with many children. Their
progeny spread wisdom throughout the world.
Zainab herself, gave periodic sermons and taught
Egyptian women about Islam. As she was busy with
teaching and the spreading of Islam, she felt she was
unable to properly fulfill her duty to her husband.
She therefore, permitted him to re-marry.
Zainab accompanied her brother Hussain to face the
supporters of Yazeed. She played her part in battle
with her elegant speeches and poems. She would
encourage Muslim warriors to fight bravely and was
thus given the title of the "champion of Karbala".
Migration from Madeena to Egypt:
It is reported that the armies of Yazeed preserved
the head of Imam Hussain in Damascus so they
could frighten the general public14
.
Zainab, daughter of Ali, returned to the city of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
but was forced to leave there. Eventually, she chose
14 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
Page 14 of 45
The prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)family in Egypt
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Egypt as her place of residence. Her choice was
influenced by the love and sincerity that the
Egyptians showed towards the family members of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
In Sha'ban, 61 A.H., Zainab migrated to Egypt in
the company of Fatima, Sokaina and Ali. The
hospitable Egyptians received their esteemed guests
with great honor and high regard. However, their
happiness was tinged with sorrow and
disappointment due to the atrocities committed
against Imam Hussain and his supporters by Yazid's
followers in the battle of Karbala.
The Governor of Egypt, Maslama, son of
Makhlad al-Ansari, personally escorted the family of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) to his house in Al Hamra Al Quswa and this
area was thereafter renowned by the name of the
"Locality of the Lady".15
Zainab remained here for a year, worshipping,
fasting and teaching the masses about Islam. She
died in the year 62 A.H. and was buried in her
private chamber, which is a beautiful tomb and
mosque today. It is named Sayyada Zainab.
15 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Extracts from her poems:
Many eloquent and beautiful poems were written
by Zainab. A few of the couplets she recited are
given below. From these couplets, we can surmise
the beauty and eloquence of her speech and the
loftiness of her thoughts.
O unjust tyrants, what will you answer if your
Prophet asks you on the Day of Judgement
"What have you done with my beloved family and
descendants after my death, while you were the best
of all nations. "
"Some of them were captives while others were
stained with blood."
" Is this your reward to my sincerity and fidelity?
Thus you misbehaved and maltreated my family
after my separation?"16
16 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
Page 15 of 45
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Zainab composed some poems after her arrival in
Egypt.
If you are surrounded by troubles and hardships at
any time.
Trust in the One, Most High, The Supreme, and do
not worry when you face a calamity.
Allah's mercy and kindness is greater than the
coming of any mishap or tragedy.
NOTE:
There is some confusion regarding the identity of
the Lady Zainab. There is a question regarding
which Zainab she is. There were several ladies with
the same name, belonging to the same family.
However, this matter has been settled by respectable
historians with conclusive evidence and authentic
proofs that the Lady Zainab we have mentioned
above is none other than Zainab, daughter of Ali and
Fatima and the sister of Imam Hussain17
17 - At Tabaqat ulkubra Sharani Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Lady Nafeesa:
The lady Nafeesa was the daughter of Hasan (Al
Anwar), son of Zaid, son of Imam Hasan, grandson
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him). Historians are unanimous in their verdict that
the shrine ascribed to the Lady Nafeesa is the shrine
of the daughter of Hasan (Al Anwar) .
Her Name:
The word Nafeesa is an Arabic word. It is an
adjective derived from the noun "Nafasah", which
means purity, nobility and glory. She was named
with this beautiful name because the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) loved good
names for everyone. She was born in Mecca on 1st
Rabi Awwal, 145 A.H. She spent her childhood in
Medina, as her father was governor of Medina
during the caliphate of Mansoor. Nafeesa would
visit the tomb of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) everyday and would remain
there for a long while.18
18 - At Tabaqat ulkubra Sharani Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Her education:
She learnt to read and write and memorized the
Qur'an in its entirety at the tender age of six. She
was famous for her Qur'anic interpretation and
commentary and disseminated her knowledge to
both males and females. Her lessons were especially
popular during her stay in Cairo.
Lady Nafeesa's interest in Hadith:
Lady Nafeesa studied different sciences. She was
fond of all branches of knowledge and was taught by
the famous Islamic scholar, Imam Malik, the jurist
of Medina and the compiler of the Prophet's (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) sayings and
actions in his book, "Al Muwatta". This book is
considered as the first book of this kind, even before
the famous Sahih Al Bukhaari. Nafeesa studied
Al Muwatta in great detail and discussed all
opinions and matters within it.19
19 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
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36
Her marriage:
As Nafeesa grew up and blossomed into a
meritorious and pious young woman, her
righteousness and nobility attracted many suitors for
marriage. Numerous men approached Hasan with a
marriage proposal, but each one was rejected
respectfully by Hasan.
Ishaq Al Mutaman, son of Jafar As Siddiq also
approached Hasan with the same proposal. Hasan
remained quiet after hearing the proposal and Ishaq
felt disappointed at his silence. He immediately
went to the Prophet's mosque and entered into the
tomb of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him). Standing near the blessed grave of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
he respectfully said, "O Prophet of Allah! I asked for
Nafeesa's hand in marriage but received no
response. I intended only to marry her for her
righteousness and nobility."20
20 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah .Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr
-
37
After this, Ishaq returned back to his house free
from all worries and satisfied with whatever Allah
would ordain. During the night, Hasan had a dream
in which he saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) and was advised by him to
marry Nafeesa to Ishaq. Upon awakening, Hasan's
mind was made up and he immediately asked Ishaq
to come to his house. Hasan narrated the dream to
Ishaq and without delay, the marriage took place.
The marriage was attended by the noble families
of Quraish and the family members of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Through this marriage, the nobility of Imam Hasan
was joined with the honor of Imam Hussain. This
was because Nafeesa belonged to the descendants of
Imam Hasan and Ishaq was from the descendants of
Imam Hussain.
Nafeesa and Ishaq were blessed with two
children, Qasim and Umme Kulthoom. Ishaq later
died in Medina and was buried there.
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38
Nafeesa's collection of the Prophet's (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) sayings:
Nafeesa was dedicated to the sayings of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
and due to this, she was famous as "Nafeesa, the
knowledgeable".21
She gathered the traditions of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) from her father
and other family members. She was a student of
Imam Malik in Medina and also learnt Hadith in
Mecca. A large number of Egyptian scholars of the
time learnt and propagated the traditions of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
from Nafeesa. While residing in Cairo, Imam
Shafaee also heard Hadith from her.
Zainab, the daughter of Yahya (who was the
brother of Nafeesa) said, "My aunt memorized the
whole of the Qur'an and she learnt its interpretation
as well. She would recite the Qur'an and concentrate
on it's hidden meanings."22
21 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr 22 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr
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39
During a journey to the grave of the Prophet
Ibrahim, she would cry profusely during recitation
and would continuously pray to Allah saying,
"O Allah! O my Lord! Ease for me my journey to
visit your friend Ibrahim." She knew that Ibrahim
was the father of the Prophets and the forefather of
the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him). Ibrahim (May peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) had prayed to Allah
for the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him). It was due to this
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) would say: "I am the fruit of the prayer of
Ibrahim."
In the Qur'an, Allah narrates the prayer of Ibrahim
thus:
Our Lord! Send amongst them a messenger of their
own, who shall rehearse the signs to them and
instruct them in the scripture and wisdom, and
sanctify them. You are the Exalted in Might, the
Wise.
Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 129
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40
When she arrived at the grave of Ibrahim (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him), she stood next
to the grave and recited all the verses of the Qur'an
which mentioned the Prophet Ibrahim (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him). She then proceeded
to thank Allah, who had blessed her with the ability
to make this journey and showered His grace and
mercy upon her.23
Her worship:
Zainab, the niece of Nafeesa, stated: "I served my
aunt, Nafeesa, for a long period. I never saw her
sleeping at night, nor did I see her eating at daytime
(because of fasting). She would only eat during the
days of Eid (as fasting is prohibited in those days
according to Islamic Shariah)."
"As I saw her continuous struggle, I requested her
to ease the pains that she took upon herself. She
sighed and told me, "Should I be kind to myself,
even though ahead of me, I see many barriers
blocking my path which cannot be crossed by
anyone except for those who are successful.
23 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr, By Sayyed Hadi Khusru
-
41
" The pious lady was inclined towards leading a life
of asceticism and embraced all hardships
wholeheartedly."24
A life of asceticism was not a life of her own
creation, rather contrived from the practices and
sayings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him). She was acquainted with his way of
life and strove to imitate it as much as she could.
She preferred a life of simplicity in order to please
Allah and follow the footsteps of His beloved
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Her renunciation was not caused by lack of
materials, dire circumstances or poverty; rather it
was a conscious choice on her part.
Her father was the governor of Medina and was
not lacking in material wealth. However, Nafeesa
chose the everlasting pleasures and comforts of the
Hereafter to the temporal and fleeting joys of this
world. In spite of the comfort and adornments
surrounding her, she would eat very little sometimes
only once in three days.
24 -- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr
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42
Zanab stated : "More than once I saw that she had
such fruits in her possession as I had never
imagined. There was no one to bring her these fruits
either. When I asked her about these fruits, she
merely said:
"O my Zainab, whoever is honest and righteous
with Allah, the whole of the universe becomes his
servant."25
Note:
Nafeesa's renunciation of worldly desires from
the physical world was partial and she did not isolate
herself from the world. She married and had
children, gave lessons and lectures and continued to
meet people. However, she renounced those desires
which would restrict and negatively affect her
devotions and prayers to Allah. Her renunciation
was dictated by the lifestyle of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him).
25 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr
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43
Her generosity:
Nafeesa would often console and comfort the
needy and poor people. She would tend to their
needs and look after them. She was a wealthy
woman, both personally and as a result of her
husband's properties. However, she would spend her
wealth in the path of Allah and give generously to
the ones who were less fortunate than her.
It is narrated that an Egyptian prince once gave
her 100,000 Dirham as a sign of his repentance. He
had thanked Allah for the favors bestowed upon him
and wished to show his gratitude through this gift.
Nafeesa took the money and distributed all of it
immediately. One of her companions requested her
to save a few Dirham to enable them to purchase a
little food which they would use to break their fast
in the evening.
Nafeesa replied, "Here is some thread that I have
spun by myself. Please sell it and purchase the food
to break our fast." The companion did as she was
told, and thus Nafeesa did not take anything from
the large amount of money gifted to her.26
26 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr
* Ahl Al Bait Fi Mis.
-
44
Through this act, Nafeesa demonstrated that she was
one of those whom the Qur'an has described thus:
..but give them preference over themselves, even
though poverty became their own lot.
Surah Al Hashr, Verse 9
Nafeesa's departure from Medina:
Nafeesa had spent her childhood in Medina and
got married to Ishaq Al Mutaman while she was
residing in Medina. However, she longed to visit the
blessed shrine of the prophet Ibrahim (May the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
She initially arrived in Damascus and visited the
tombs of the daughters of Ali (May Allah bless him)27.
It should be noted that some historians are of the
opinion that the tomb in Damascus belongs to
Zainab, the daughter of Umme Kulthoom and the
grand-daughter of Ali. Other historians claim that
this tomb is actually the tomb of Zainab, the
daughter of Ali and Fatima (May Allah bless them
both).
27 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr
-
45
Arrival in Damascus:
When Nafeesa arrived in Damascus, she was
greeted and received by a large number of her
devotees including respectable scholars of that time,
who gathered to salute her and seek her prayers.
This reception was also attended by Abu Salman
Ad-Darraani, a famous mystic and the most famous
scholar of Prophetic sayings in Damascus,
Abul Abbas Al Waleed, son of Muslim and
Marwan, son of Muhammad At-Taheri. These were
distinguished personalities of that era.
Her arrival in Egypt:
Nafeesa arrived in Egypt on Saturday, 26th
Ramadan, 193 A.H. It was the time when Hasan, son
of Al Bahbah was governing the city of Al Areesh
(an Egyptian city). She was warmly welcomed by
the Egyptians, who loved her even though they had
never met her before. However, stories of her nobility
and righteousness had reached the people of Egypt.
An Egyptian lady named Umme Hani had a large house in the Maragha district of Cairo, and she requested Nafeesa to dwell with her during her stay in Egypt.
-
46
As Umme Hani was a pious and righteous lady, Nafeesa accepted her invitation and started lodging there. During her stay here, she was frequented by a ceaseless crowd of devotees and visitors from all around Egypt.
28
A miracle of Nafeesa:
During her stay in Maragha, a strange and wonderful incident happened with Nafeesa. It is narrated that a Jew named Abul Saraya Ayyub, son of Saber lived in the neighboring house and had a paralyzed daughter. Once the mother of the paralyzed girl came to Nafeesa and requested her to tend to the girl, while the mother went to the wash room. Nafeesa agreed to look after the girl.
When Zuhr prayer approached, Nafeesa performed ablution, the paralyzed girl observed Nafeesa and tried to copy her actions. As Nafeesa was performing ablution, her waste water was flowing through the courtyard of the house. The paralyzed girl washed her hands, face and feet with the used water from Nafeesa's ablution. As a result of this, she was cured of paralysis by the blessing of Allah. Not only was the child completely cured, but she managed to run towards the door quickly and she started playing.
28 -- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
-
47
Lady Nafeesa was engaged in her prayer at this
time and did not see the small girl playing. The girl's
mother returned to the house at this point and could
not believe her eyes - her previously paralyzed
daughter, who had been deemed to be incurable by
many doctors, was happily playing outside the
house. She could not express her happiness and
feelings at this miracle of Allah. She asked about the
reason for the transformation and when she was told
about the ablution water, she broke into tears and
proclaimed, "Indeed, this religion of Lady Nafeesa's
is the true religion!"
She entered into the chamber of Nafeesa and
humbly and respectfully embraced Islam. She
announced her conversion immediately and recited
"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah." She repeatedly thanked Allah
for leading her out of the darkness of infidelity and
ignorance into the light of Islam.
Later on in the evening, when the girl's father
returned home, he saw his child cured from paralysis
and his happiness knew no bounds. After finding out
the means through which his daughter was cured, he
cried, "Glory be to you, O Allah! Indeed you guide
-
48
whosoever you like and leave unguided whosoever
you intend to. O my Allah! I make you my witness
that her (Nafeesa's) religion is the true religion and
no religion is acceptable to you except Islam."29
He immediately left for Nafeesa's room and
requested to see her. She spoke to him from behind a
curtain and after salutations and greetings, he
thanked her respectfully and asked her to pray for
his guidance. She raised her eyes towards the sky
and prayed to Allah for his guidance. Meanwhile, he
recited "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah." The news of his
conversion spread like wildfire. Soon all the Jewish
residents of the region - numbering seventy families
- embraced Islam.
Abul Saraaya requested Nafeesa to shift into his
new house which was located in Karubiyyin Street
(and known as Al Hussainia now). She accepted and
the house and the room in which Nafeesa would
worship is preserved till now.30
29- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr . 30 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
-
49
Her fame and stories of her piety and devotedness
spread throughout Egypt. Visitors to her new
dwelling increased to an extent that even the large
house of Abul Saraaya became too small to cope
with the influx of visitors. It became unbearable for
Nafeesa and she decided to return to Medina.
However, the Egyptians could not bear her
separation and requested her to change her plans.
Even the governor visited her and urged her to stay.
Despite his attempts at persuading her, she replied
"I am a weak woman and the gathering of people is
intervening between me and my worship to Allah, so
much so that even the house cannot cope with the
ever increasing crowds."
The governor requested her to move in his own
house in Al Seba, which would be more than
adequate in size to accommodate Nafeesa's visitors.
He asked her to accept his proposal for the sake of
Allah, and further suggested that she might fix
visiting times for her devotees. She graciously
accepted his proposal and fixed Saturdays and
Wednesdays as days of visitation.
-
50
Nafeesa's illness:
In Rajab, 208 A.H., she fell ill and felt her time of death was close. She wrote to her husband Ishaq Al Mutaman in Medina and no sooner had he received the letter, he set off for Cairo.
She remained ill until the first Friday of Ramadan. Her illness increased by the hour but she did not cease to fast even in that state. Her physicians advised her to break her fast in order to regain her strength, but she rejected their advice saying, "For fifty years, I have fasted and prayed to Allah to die in a state that I am fasting. How can I break my fast now? I seek refuge with Allah." The physicians were astonished at her strength of will and faith and realizing that she would not break her fast, they requested her to pray for them.
Her death:
Zainab, the niece of Nafeesa states that as Nafeesa neared death, she began reciting Surah Al An'aam and continued recitation till she reached the verse:
For them is the abode of peace with their Lord. He will be their protecting Friend because they practiced righteousness.
Surah Al An'aam, Verse 127
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51
It appears that the signs of her success in the
Hereafter were shown to her at this point because
she could not continue any further. She lost
consciousness and Zainab added, "I pressed her to
my bosom and as she was giving up her soul to her
Creator, her lips were moving with the blessed
words, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah." These were her last
words before her death."31
Her funeral procession:
Nafeesa died in 208 A.H., following the death of
Imam Shafaee by four years. After her death, her
husband Ishaq Al Mutaman decided to transfer her
body to Medina and bury her in Al Baqi, but the
Egyptians took him to the governor and requested
Ishaq to change his plans. However, Ishaq did not
agree with them. The Egyptians collected a large
amount of money and offered it to him in return for
burying Nafeesa in Egypt. Ishaq refused their
request again.
31 -- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
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52
However, the next morning, Ishaq came to the
people of Egypt and told them to bury Nafeesa
wherever they wished and there was no need for
compensation. The Egyptians were astonished by
this sudden change of heart and asked Ishaq the
reason for it. He replied, "I dreamt of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying
"Return their money and let them bury Nafeesa in
Cairo."32
Thus Lady Nafeesa was buried in Cairo
Her brothers:
Nafeesa had ten brothers from her father Hasan
Al Anwar), but different mothers. The mother of her
brothers was Umme Salma Zainab, the daughter of
Al Hasan Al Musanna. Nafeesa's mother was
another lady and Nafeesa was the only child of her
mother.
Hasan Al Anwar died in Egypt and was buried
there. His son Zaid, Nafeesa's half brother also died
in Egypt and was buried in the same chamber as
Nafeesa.
32 --- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
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53
It is also narrated that Yahya Al Mutaman,
another brother of Nafeesa's brothers is buried in
Egypt, near Imam Al Laith, a famous Islamic jurist.
However, another grave is also attributed to Yahya
with the heading "Similar to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him)" upon it. Yahya was
also known by the title Yahya Al Hussaini.33
Nafeesa's poems:
Nafeesa was blessed with the natural talent of
poetry and she was well versed in Arabic literature.
A sample of her outstanding poems displaying her
enlightened thoughts, are provided below:
Many eyes slept and many remained awake
Thinking of those matters which are in doubt
Whether they would happen or not
He who was enough for you in the past
Will suffice for you in the future
When the physicians came to see her, she recited the
following couplets:
33- At Tabaqat ulkubra Sharani Mararaqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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54
Please keep the physicians away from me
Let me see my Beloved One
Indeed my longing to meet Him has increased to its
climax
My yearning and thirst has heightened to its peak
This was the last poem of her life, as it was recited
only a little while before she died.34
Lady Nafeesa, the elder
She was the daughter of Imam Zaid, son of Imam
Hasan son of Ali the Caliph (May Allah be pleased
with them both). She is therefore, the aunt of
Nafeesa (who was mentioned above). She is the
sister of Hasan Al Anwar. Her mother is Lubaabah,
daughter of Abdullah, son of Abbas, uncle of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Her husband:
She was married to the Caliph Waleed, son of
Marwan. She came to Egypt with her husband since
he was the governor of Egypt. Before he assumed
34 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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55
the responsibility of the Caliphate, she became
angry about Waleed's dealings with his people and as a consequence of her anger, she was divorced by him.
She traveled to her aunt, Sokaina, daughter of Imam
Hussain, who had resided in Cairo previously. She
arrived in Egypt a long time before the arrival of her
niece Nafeesa.35
Abdullah, the brother of her former husband was
the governor of Egypt at this time, so he gave her a
house in northern Cairo. It is a well known fact that
this house was attached to Umme Hani's house - the
house in which the younger Nafeesa had stayed in at
the request of Umme Hani.
Nafeesa, the elder, stayed in this house till her death
and was subsequently buried therein. Her grave was
known by the name "Mabad", the place of worship.
Lady Sokaina
She was the daughter of Imam Hussain and the
grand-daughter of Ali (May Allah bless them both).
35 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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56
Her original name:
Her original name is Amena. She was, however
better known by her second name, Sokaina. It is an
Arabic which means peace, security and calm. She
was born in 48 A.H. She is regarded as the first
amongst the progeny of Imam Ali who came to Egypt.36
Her maternal grandfather:
Her mother was Rubab, daughter of Amrul Qais, the
chief of the tribe of Bani Kalb.
Amrul Qais embraces Islam:
Amrul Qais came in the presence of the second
Caliph, Umar, son of Al Khattab. He accepted Islam
along with his delegation. The Caliph Umar
appointed him as the leader of the new Muslims
within his tribe.
Auf, son of Kharija states, "By Allah! I never saw
a man chosen as the leader of the Muslims without
performing even a single Rak'at of prayer, except for
Amrul Qais!"37
36 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah. 37- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
-
57
Ali and Amrul Qais:
As Amrul Qais intended to return, Ali (May Allah
shower his blessings upon him) came to him and
requested him to stop for a moment. Ali introduced
himself to Amrul Qais and stated, "I am Ali, son of
Abu Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
These are my sons, Hasan and Hussain from the
daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him). We are interested in your
kinship."
Amrul Qais did not hesitate at all and
immediately welcomed Ali. He addressed Hasan and
told him, "O Hasan! I give my daughter Salma in
marriage to you." Turning to Imam Hussain, he
stated, "O Hussain! I give my daughter Rubab in
marriage to you." Rubab was blessed with the
children Abdullah and Sokaina, both from Imam
Hussain.
Sokaina's growth and upbringing:
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58
Sokaina grew up under the observation and care
of her noble parents. She was known for her beauty
and righteousness since her childhood. Imam
Hussain loved both his wife and child immensely.
He composed a poem expressing his intensity of
love.
By my life, indeed I love the house where Sokaina
and Rubab reside
I love both of them and spend my wealth on them
I do not admonish whoever condemns me regarding
this love38
Yet I will never obey the accuser if they advise me
I am determined throughout my life (to love them)
Except when I would be buried under the earth
We can conclude from the above mentioned
couplets that Imam Hussain was censured by
someone for his longing and yearning for his wife
and child.
Why did Sokaina come to Egypt?
38 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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59
Sokaina arrived in Egypt because she was
summoned by Al Asbagh, the prince of Egypt. He
intended to marry her.39
Umayyad policy towards the Ahlul Bait:
The Umayyad Caliphate changed their policy
towards the family of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) after the martyrdom
of Imam Hussain by the armies of Yazeed in
Karbala. They began efforts to appease the
remaining members of the Ahlul Bait in order to
subdue the anger of the Ahlul Bait and their
supporters. The Umayyad's preferred to contract
their marriages with the women of Ahlul Bait to
legitimize their caliphate. They also entrusted
various official posts to the members of the
Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) family.
While Sokaina was traveling to Egypt, she heard
39 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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60
of the debauchery and impiety of Al Asbagh and
swore to Allah that she will never marry such a
person. Allah accepted her prayer and the prince
died before her arrival to Cairo. She was given a
house in Cairo where she resided until her death.
Sokaina and her uncle Hasan:
Sokaina was almost two years old when her uncle
Hasan died by poison in 50 A.H. She witnessed the
horrific scenes of Karbala, where many of her family members were martyred, at the tender age of 14.
40
Her brothers and sisters:
Sokaina had four brothers and one sister, from
different mothers
1. Her full brother Abdullah was martyred in
Karbala along with her father Imam Hussain
2. Ali the older - His mother was Laila, the
daughter of Abu Murrah and thus the niece of
Ameer Muawiya (May Allah be pleased with
him). He was killed in Karbala by the forces
40- Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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61
of Yazeed, although Yazeed was his cousin.
3. Ali the younger - Was known as
"Zainul Abideen" (the light of the
worshippers). His mother was a Persian lady,
the daughter of Yazdojar, the last king of
Persia. He was the only son of Imam Hussain
who had a relatively long life, as he died in 96
A.H. at the age of 58. He was famous as a
great scholar, jurist and ascetic.
4. Jafar, whose mother belonged to the tribe of Ball
5. Fatima, the only sister of Sokaina. Her
mother was Umme Ishaq, daughter of Talha
Al Tameemi.41
Sokaina and the disaster of Karbala:
Lady Sokaina witnessed the horrendous events of
Karbala, culminating in the unforgivable
assassination of her father, Imam Hussain. She was
accompanied to Karbala by her aunt Zainab, her
brothers and sisters, cousins and other supporters of
the Ahlul Bait.
She witnessed the murders of her brothers and
41 - Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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62
family members. These images were etched in her
mind forever and she tried to divert her mind
through literature and poetry.
Her marriage with Abdullah:
Once Hasan, son of Hasan and grandson of Ali
(May Allah be pleased with them all) came to his
uncle Imam Hussain intending to ask for Sokaina's
hand in marriage. When he arrived in the presence
of Imam Hussain, he could not muster up the
courage to ask his uncle for Sokaina's hand.
Imam Hussain himself said to him, "I have
chosen my daughter Fatima for you, for she
resembles my mother Fatima. On the other hand,
Sokaina remains absorbed in the worship of Allah,
and is unable to get married at this time." Thus,
Fatima was married to Hasan and Sokaina remain
unmarried until Imam Hussain was martyred in
Karbala.42
There were many suitors for the hand of Sokaina.
42 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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63
Prominent amongst them were Musab son of Zubair Abdul Malik son of Marwan, Urwa son of Zubair and Abdullah son of Omar. Sokaina finally married Musab, son of Zubair after she returned from Egypt.
Sokaina had avoided marriage for a long time due to the sorrows which had engulfed her since the events of Karbala. However, she was encouraged by her relatives to get married. She agreed to their persistent requests with the intention of allowing the offspring of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to flourish.
A story about Sokaina:
This incident deals with the marriage of Sokaina to
Musab, son of Zubair.
It is narrated that four persons from Mecca were
gathered in the courtyard of the Kaaba. These were:
1. Abdullah, son of Omar
2. Abdul Malik, son of Marwan
3. Urwa, son of Zubair
4. Musab, son of Zubair 43
43 - Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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64
Musab asked them to express their highest desire
in this world which they would like to achieve at
any cost. Musab himself said, "I wish to be the governor of Iraq, to be married with Sokaina, daughter
of Imam Hussain and Ayesha, daughter of Talha."
Urwa desired to gain the best knowledge of
Islamic jurisprudence and Prophetic traditions.
Abdul Malik wished to become the Caliph.
Abdullah, son of Omar only wished to win paradise.
(It is worth noting that each of them had their
desires fulfilled).
Musab was married to Sokaina and he gave her
1,000,000 Dirham as dowry. He also gave her
brother Ali, 40,000 Dirham because he had brought
her to Musab. Sokaina was 20 years old when she
met her husband. At the same time, Musab was
entrusted with the governorship of Iraq by his
brother Abdullah, son of Zubair.
Sokaina had not completely recovered from the
deaths of her father and brothers when she was to be
affected by yet another loss of a loved one.44
44 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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65
Musab died soon after her marriage to him.
However, she was blessed with a beautiful girl, who
was named Rubab, in remembrance of her
grandmother.
When Rubab grew older, she was married to her
cousin Usman, son of Urwa. Unfortunately, Rubab
died soon after her marriage. Sokaina bore all this
pain and suffering with much patience. She would
resort to the Qur'an and prayers whenever she felt
saddened. She followed the commandment of Allah:
O you who believe! Seek help with patient
perseverance and prayer, for Allah is with those
who patiently persevere.
Surah AL Baqarah, Verse 153
Her marriage:
Sokaina was married a second time to Abdullah,
son of Usman. He was a noble man and this
marriage was celebrated in the poetry of an eminent
poet of the time, Abu Dahbal Al Jamahi.
Sokaina was blessed by a number of children from
Abdullah.
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66
Sokaina and Arabic literature:
Historians agree that Sokaina was an extremely
talented poetess and intelligent critic of poetry and
literature; she would compare the poems of the
famous poets of that time.
Some historians have mentioned that Musab's
second wife, Ayesha, was going to Mecca on
pilgrimage. She had sixty mules with her, loaded
with all necessities and requirements. Sokaina was
also going to Mecca on pilgrimage but did not have
as many provisions as Ayesha. Ayesha's camel
driver began singing a poem saying:
O Ayesha! O you who has sixty mules! It is my
prayer that you may be blessed by the pilgrimage
every year as long as you live.
Sokaina heard the poem and became upset. She
ordered her camel driver to sing the following
verses:45
O Ayesha! It is your husband's wife who is
reminding you
45 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr .
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67
If my forefather had not been, your father would
never have been guided to Islam
Ayesha realized that Sokaina was not happy by
her camel driver's poem, so she ordered him to stop
singing.
A collection of Sokaina's poems:
As it was mentioned earlier, Sokaina was well-versed in poetry. A sample of her poetry is given below. This poem was at the time of the martyrdom of her father, Imam Hussain, at Karbala:
Indeed when Hussain was in the arena of Karbala in
the morning
He was a victim of the arrows of the changes of
fortune
And they did not miss their mark
O tyrant and oppressors! Get ready to explain at the
Day of Judgement
Why you slew Hussain by the sword!
Woe has prevailed on all of you
Except for those who followed him46
46 - - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr .
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68
You are the ones who surrendered him to the spears
of the enemies
Though you knew he was armless
O my eyes! Shed tears of blood ceaselessly
Never mourn for kith and kin after this
But shed tears of blood and pus
For the grandson of the Prophet .
Confusion and its solution:
There is confusion regarding Sokaina's shrine in
Egypt. Some historians say that she died in Medina
and is buried there. Others have stressed that she is
buried in Egypt.
Imam Sharaani's opinion:
Imam Sharaani, the well-known Egyptian ascetic
and scholar have emphasized that the grave of
Sokaina, daughter of Imam Hussain is located in
Cairo near the tomb of Lady Nafeesa.47
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Imam Sakhawi's opinion:
Imam Sakhawi, another famous Egyptian scholar
has stated that the Sokaina interred in Cairo is not
the daughter of Imam Hussain. Nevertheless, the
lady who is buried in Cairo was also named Sokaina
and she was from the family of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him).
He states that she was the daughter of Imam
Zainul Abideen, son of Imam Hussain and therefore
she would be the grand daughter of Imam Hussain.
In Arabic, sometimes daughter and grand-daughter
can be used interchangeably in a metaphorical sense.
Muhammad Zaki Ibrahim's opinion:
Muhammad Zaki Ibrahim was a famous Egyptian
writer of the modern age. He wrote a number of
books and articles on various topics. He concluded
from the evidence in front of him that Imam
Hussain had two daughters. They both excelled in
behavior, beauty and morals. In fact they even
shared the same name. This was a common practice
in the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
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Allah be upon him) at that time. They would be
identified by follow-up adjectives such as "the first",
"the second", "the elder", etc.
Muhammad Zaki deduces that the lady who died
in Medina and was buried there was the second
Sokaina, another daughter of Imam Hussain and
thus there are two Sokaina's in Egypt:
1) Sokaina, the elder daughter of Hussain, who was
buried in Al Qurafa near the Lady Nafeesa's
mosque.
2) Sokaina, the daughter of Imam Zainul Abideen
who is buried in the burial ground of
Al Sadafiyyin, near the mausoleum of Imam
Al Laith. This ground is the final resting place of
nearly 400 great Tabiyeen and other Islamic
scholars. Amongst them is Imam Yunus, son of
Abdul Aala', the master of Imam Bukhari and
Imam Muslim.
As far as the identity of the Sokaina who was
buried in Syria is concerned, it is clear that she is a
second daughter of Imam Zainul Abideen 48
48 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Lady Ruqayya
Ruqayya was the daughter of Ali Al Reza, the son
of Musa Al Kazim, son of Jafar As Sadiq, son of
Muhammad Al Baqar, son of Imam Zainul Abideen
son of Imam Hussain.
Some historians state that she is Ruqayya,
daughter of Ali, son of Abu Talib. This would mean
that she is actually the sister of Imam Hussain. But
this theory is incorrect, as the daughter of Ali was
buried in Damascus.And there is a poem on the door
of her shrine in Cairo which gives a brief
introduction to Ruqayya. The meaning of the poem is:
This place was blessed by the presence of the
Prophet's family
Especially by Ruqayya, the daughter of Ali Al Reza
The meaning of her name:
Ruqayya is an Arabic word meaning progress or
development. She was named thus in the hopes that
she would progress both spiritually and materially.
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.Atiqa and Ruqayya:
Near the grave of Ruqayya, is the grave of
another lady named Atiqa. She was the wife of the
governor of Egypt, Muhammad, son of Abu Bakr.
Atiqa was married to Muhammad after her previous
husband Zubair passed away. She entered Egypt
with her husband Muhammad and remained there
till her death. Some people are of the opinion that
Atiqa is the aunt of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him). This however, is a mistake
and cannot be corroborated historically.
Ruqayya, the daughter of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him):
As was mentioned above, Ruqayya, the sister of
Imam Hussain was buried in Damascus. On the
other hand, Ruqayya, daughter of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and wife
of the third Caliph Usman, son of Affan, was buried
in Baqi in Medina.49
49 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Lady Fatima
Fatima was the daughter of Imam Hussain, the son of Ali (May Allah bless him). She would therefore be the sister of Lady Sokaina. However, their mothers were different. Fatima's mother was Umme Ishaq, daughter of Talha, the well-known companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and one of the ten companions who were promised Paradise by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
The meaning of her name:
Fatima is an Arabic word which has been derived from the word "Fetam", which means to wean or separate. She was named Fatima in anticipation that she would be separated from sins and evil deeds and would be preoccupied by righteousness.
Her birth and upbringing:
She was born in 45 A.H. and was almost two years older than her sister Sokaina. She grew up under the loving care of her father, Imam Hussain and she inherited the righteousness and piety of her blessed father.
50
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Her marriage:
When she reached the age of marriage, she
became famous for her beauty and purity. Her
cousin Hasan, son of Imam Hasan came to his uncle
Imam Hussain as was previously mentioned. Imam
Hussain preferred Hasan to marry Fatima instead of
Sokaina.
She entered Egypt along with her aunt Zainab in
61 A.H. after the tragedy of Karbala and remained
there with her sister, Sokaina. She was married and
blessed with children in Egypt .
She had a son from her first husband Hasan. His
name was Abdullah Al Mahz, a great scholar and
poet. He is the father of Ibrahim Al Jawwaad
(Ibrahim the Generous), whose head is buried in Al
Matariyya in Cairo. He is also the father of Zainab,
who was titled "Fatima An Nabawiyya".
Her children apart from Abdullah Al Mahaz are
Ismail Al Dibaj (Dibaj means silk garments and he
was thus called for his striking beauty) and Hasan Al
Musallas. Both these brothers died in prison during
the caliphate of Al Mansoor. However, they were
both survived by their offspring.
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75
Fatima's second marriage was to Abdullah, son of
Amr, son of Usman, son of Affan. She had two sons
from him - Muhammad and Al Qasim.51
Her similarity to her grandmother Fatima
Az Zahra:
She was very similar to her grandmother, Fatima
Az Zahra. She was eloquent and literate. Her
generosity was famous like her grandmother. She
was also very devout and pious.
She took care of all the orphans who lost their
guardians and fathers in the battle of Karbala. For
her act, she was sometimes called "Mother of the
orphans"
Her narrations of the Prophetic traditions:
She narrated some Hadith of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him). She narrated
the Hadith through the chains of narration going
through her father Imam Hussain, her aunt Zainab,
the daughter of Ali, Abdullah son of Abbas and
Ayesha the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him).
51 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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She narrated Hadith indirectly throuth the companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Bilal Al Habashi .
A number of scholars wrote Hadith from her. These include:
1) Abdullah
2) Ibrahim
3) Al Hasan
4) Umme Jafar
5) the sons of Hasan
6) Muhammad, son of Abdullah
7) Umme Hasan, daughter of Ziyad
8) Umme Hasan, daughter of Jafar, son of Hasan
Her name in Sahih Al Bukhari:
She has been mentioned in the famous book of Hadith, Sahih Al Bukhari by Imam Bukhari. Imam Bukhari states, "After the death of Hasan, the son of Imam Hasan, the son of Ali (May Allah be pleased with them), his wife (Fatima) set up a tent around his grave, and remained for a year therein. When it was lifted , a caller was heard saying "Did they find what they have lost?" Someone replied, "No! but they despaired and eventually returned."
52
52 - Ahl Al Bait Fi Misr.
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Her death:
She died in 110 A.H. and was buried by the foot
the Muqattam mountain in Cairo.
Other ladies named Fatima:
There are a number of Fatima's belonging to the
family of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him), who died and were buried in Egypt.
A few of them are mentioned below:
1. Fatima An Nabawiyya, daughter of
Muhammad, son of Ismail, son of Jafar
As Sadiq. Her grave is situated in Mintaqatul
Khulafaa in Cairo.
2. Fatima, daughter of Ahmad, son of Ismail, son of Muhammad, son of Jafar As Sadiq. Her grave is situated in Darbul As Sadat in Cairo
3. Fatima An Nabawiyya, she was called
"Al Aina" meaning a lady who has large and
beautiful eyes. She was similar to her
grandmother Fatima and a number of miracles
are ascribed to her.
4. Fatima Al Mahaziya, her real name was Zainab,
daughter of Abdullah Al Mahaz, son of Hasan,
son of Hasan, son of Ali. She was known as
Fatima and her grave is in Cairo in Al Abbasiya.
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The two Amina's
Lady Amina:
Amina was the daughter of Musa Al Kazim, son
of Jafar As Sadiq. She is therefore the sister of Ali
Al Reza and the aunt of Lady Ruqayya (who was
mentioned above).
Her grave is near the graves of Uqba, son of Aamer and Amr, son of Al 'Aas. Both Uqba and Amr are the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). These graves are situated in the graveyard of Quraish, east of the grave of Imam Shafaee . However, the location of the grave of Lady Amina is unknown now.
53
Lady Amina:
She is another Amina to the one mentioned above. She was the daughter of Abdullah, son of Hasan, son of Abdullah. She was buried in the graveyard of Imam Al Laith near the graves of both Hasan and Muhassan, the sons of Qasim, son of Jafar As Sadiq (May Allah be pleased with them).
53 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Two other sisters:
There were two sisters from the family of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
named Thana and Sana. Both were from the family
of Jafar As Sadiq.
Whenever they were free, they would recite the
Qur'an. One of them would listen while the other
recited. When the first had finished her recitation,
the other sister would start recitation while the first
listened. This practice of theirs continued till one of
the sisters died. However, the other sister continued
her practice of reciting the Qur'an as usual. She
would recite it next to the grave of the dead sister.
When the sister completed the recitation of the
Qur'an, she also died and it seems as if she was
waiting only to finish reciting the Qur'an before she
joined her sister.54
She was buried in the same graveyard as her sister
near the Soutis tomb in old Cairo.
54 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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The three blessed heads:
From historical sources, we learn that the heads of
three members of the family of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) are buried
separate from the rest of their bodies. The heads
belong to the following members of the Ahlul Bait:
1. Imam Zaid, son of Imam Zainul Abideen, son
of Imam Hussain. His head is buried in Cairo
and the location of his body is unknown. His
head is buried behind the locality of Lady
Zainab.
He was a well-known Islamic jurist and the
Zaidiyyah school of thought follows him. The
Zaidiyyah sect is the nearest Shiite school of
thought to the Sunni's.55
His father, Imam Zainul Abideen was buried
in Medina.
2. Ibrahim Al Jawwaad, son of Abdullah
Al Mahaz, son of Hasan Al Musanna, son of
Imam Hasan, son of Imam Ali.
55 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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He was murdered by the caliph Al Mansoor in
145 A.H. and his head was carried and
displayed in the cities till it came to Cairo.
Eventually, it was put in the oldest mosque in
Africa - the mosque of Amr, son of Al 'Aas
(may Allah bless him). The head was taken by
the Muslims of Egypt and buried in Al
Matariya in Cairo. A mosque is affiliated to
his shrine.
Some historians have mistaken the mosque as
belonging to the famous ascetic, Ibrahim
Ad Dasooqi. However, the tomb of Ibrahim
Ad Dasooqi is situated in the village of
Dasooq in Egypt. The mosque and shrine
which exist in Cairo are at the location of the
buried head of Ibrahim Al Jawwaad.56
A well which is beside the mosque of
Ibrahim, son of Zaid, is said to have been used
by the Prophet 'Isa. He used its water to bathe
himself when he came to Egypt with his
mother, Maryam, while escaping from the
Romans.
56 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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3. Imam Hussain, son of Ali has his head buried
in Cairo and his body in Karbala. This was
explained above .
Lady Ayesha, daughter of Jafar As Sadiq :
She is the daughter of Jafar As Sadiq and the
sister of Yahya Al Mutaman, who was the husband
of Lady Nafeesa and the governor of Medina. She is
also the sister of Musa Al Kazim. There is no doubt
that she entered Egypt with Idrees, son of Abdullah
Al Mahaz.57
Her marriage:
She was married to the governor of Medina, Umar
son of Abdul Aziz, son of Abdullah, son of Umar
son of Khattab.
Her worship of Allah:
She was a righteous and God-fearing woman,
occupied with the worship of Allah. A virtuous lady
she was blessed by Allah with many miracles.
57 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah
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She died in Egypt in 145 A.H. and was buried in
Cairo. Her tomb is located at the grounds of the fort
on the way to the tomb of Imam Shafaee'.
Hasan Al Anwar:
As it was mentioned above, he was the father of
Lady Nafeesa and the son of Zaid Al Ablaj, son of
Hasan, son of Ali (May Allah bless them all). He
was an extremely pious man and was blessed by
Allah in a way that whatever he prayed for, Allah
would accept his request immediately. It is narrated
that while a woman was traveling in the desert, an
eagle swooped down and snatched her baby from
her lap. She came to Hasan and asked him to pray to
Allah for the return of her baby. Hasan raised his
hands in dua, and a little while later, the woman's
child was thrown back into her arms, unharmed.
Hasan was famous for his riches and wealth in
Medina.58
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His palace was more splendid and luxurious than
any other palace in Medina. Even though he lived in
this luxury, he was very generous and open-hearted.
He never feared poverty, in emulation of his
forefathers.
In this regard, it is narrated that an indebted
person came to Hasan and asked him for a large amount of money to help repay his debts. Hasan granted
the amount immediately and in addition gave 200 Dinar
to the man for the man's personal expenditure.
Hasan and his father, Zaid:
It has been stated that Zaid, son of Imam Hasan and the father of Hasan (Al Anwar), would always take his faithful son Hasan to the blessed tomb of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and would say: "O my guardian! O Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)! This is my son Hasan and I am pleased with him." He continued this particular address during his frequent visits to the tomb. Once he had a dream that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was telling him, "O Zaid! I am also satisfied with your son Hasan, and Allah is also pleased with him due to our pleasure."
59
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According to historians, the above mentioned
dream happened in the same manner with Hasan and
his daughter Nafeesa while she was in Medina and
would visit the blessed tomb of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the company
of her father Hasan. Hasan would address the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
in the same way that his father Zaid addressed the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Hasan's faith:
Once a poet came in the presence of Hasan and
started acclaiming the qualities of Hasan. The poet
stated that as Allah is unique and without parallel
Hasan, the son of Zaid is also unique and matchless.
Hasan replied, "You are a liar! Don't say that, rather
say: Allah is unique and without parallel and the son
of Zaid is his humble servant." Thereafter, Hasan
descended from his chair and threw himself to the
ground glorifying Allah and praising Him with
humility and respect.60
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Hasan's generosity:
Imam Zahabi, the noted Islamic scholar states:
"He was one of the prominent grandchildren of Ali
and Fatima, as well as one of the noblest
personalities of that blessed family. He was an
expert of Islamic jurisprudence and a noted scholar
of many branches of Islamic knowledge. "He was one of
the lucky ones to have met the companions of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
He was entrusted the governorship of Medina by the
Caliph Mansoor. However, he abdicated the
governorship and traveled to Cairo. He passed away
in Cairo and was buried in old Egypt. His shrine and
its affiliated mosque is well-known in Cairo.61
Imam Abu Haneefa with Zaid:
Imam Abu Haneefa, the most famous Islamic
scholar and a well-known Islamic jurist stated:
"I met a number of Zaid's contemporaries, but I
never found any of them like Zaid, His mental
perception and his vast knowledge was really
matchless and unique."62
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Imam Zaid (Al Asghar):
Zaid was the youngest son of Hasan Al Anwar
and was buried in the same room in which his father
was buried. There was another Zaid, who was the
father of Hasan Al Anwar. His name was Zaid
Al Ablaj and he was buried in Hajer, between
Mecca and Medina.
It should be noted that Zaid Al Asghar and Zaid
Al Ablaj are separate personalities from Zaid, the
son of Imam Zainul Abideen.
Muhammad Al Anwar:
He was the son of Zaid Al Asghar and thus the
nephew of Lady Nafeesa. However, some historians
say that he is the brother of Hasan Al Anwar, which
would make him the uncle of Lady Nafeesa.
Other historians conclude that Lady Nafeesa had
an uncle and a nephew both named Muhammad
Al Anwar. Both of them shared names and were also
buried in the same place.63
63 - Maraqid Ahl Al Bait Fil Qaherah.
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Yahya, son of Qasim At Tayyeb:
Yahya was the son of Qasim At Tayyeb, son of
Muhammad Al Mamoon, son of Jafar As Sadiq. He
was thus the brother of Fatima Al Aina (the lady
mentioned above). He was given the title of "Him
who is similar to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him)".
His spiritual excellence was visible to al
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