ZAIN AL-'ABIDIN

Title: A BIOGRAPHY OF THE FOURTH SHI'AH IMAM 'ALI IBN AL- HUSSAIN (AS) ZAIN AL-'ABIDIN
Author: The Ahl al-Bayt ('a) World Assembly
Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department, the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) World Assembly (ABWA)
Translator: The Islamic Ahl al-Bayt (a) Foundation, London
Editor: The Ahl al-Bayt ('a) Islamic Ahl al-Bayt (a) Foundation, London
Proofreader: Muhammad Mahdi Baghi
Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
First Printing: 2014
All rights reserved.

CONTENTS
PREFACE - 13
INTRODUCTION - 15
Philosophy and Tools of Divine Guidance - 17
Persistent Efforts of the Prophets and their Successors - 22
The Achievements of Prophet Muhammad, the Chief of the Messengers - 22
Prerequisites of the Sealing Message - 23
The Divine Planning for the Endurance of the Divine Guidance after the Departure of the Holy Prophet - 23
Divine Planning in the Words of the Holy Prophet - 24
The Holy Prophet's Household - the Real Embodiment of the Divine Plan - 24
Characteristics of the Ahl al-Bayt's Progression and their
Tasks - 25
Encyclopaedia of "Epitomes of True Guidance"; a Pioneering Step - 26
SECTION ONE
CHAPTER ONE A QUICK GLANCE AT IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) LIFE - 31
The Milieu and the Purified Family - 31
The Imamah and the religious leadership - 32
His Imamah, the Feature of his Era and his Achievements - 33
The First Challenge - 34
The Second Challenge - 34
CHAPTER TWO OTHERS' IMPRESSIONS OF IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) PERSONALITY - 36
The Views of the Imam's (as) Contemporaries Regarding his Personality - 36
The Views of the Intellectuals and Historians on Imam
Sajjad (as) - 40
CHAPTER TREE SOME ASPECTS OF IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) PERSONALITY - 44
Imam's Patience - 44
Imam's Generosity - 45
Imam's (as) Generous Attitude to the Poor - 45
A. Treating them with respect - 45
B. His affection and feeling for them - 46
C. The Forbiddance of Turning Away a Beggar - 46
Giving Charity - 47
A. Giving his clothes as charity - 48
B. Giving those things, which Imam (as) loved the most, as
charity - 48
C. Distribution of properties - 49
D. Giving charity in secret - 49
E. Solely Seeking the Almighty's Approval - 51
His Dignity and Glorified Spirit - 51
Asceticism of Imam (as) - 52
Supplication of Imam Sajjad (as) to Allah (swt) - 54
The Imam's (as) Family Life - 54
With His Father and Mother - 55
With His Children - 57
With His Slaves - 59
SECTION TWO
CHAPTER ONE IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) EARLY STAGES OF
LIFE - 63
His Mother - 64
CHAPTER TWO THE PHASES OF IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) LIFE - 67
CHAPTER TREE IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) LIFE FROM BIRTH TO IMAMAH (LEADERSHIP) - 69
Iraq's Political State in Parallel to Mu‛awiyah's Death - 71
The Clear Evidence of Zain al-'Abidin's (as) Imamah (socio-political and religious leadership) - 72
Imam Zain al-'Abidin (as) on the Day of 'Ashura - 74
SECTION THREE
CHAPTER ONE IMAM SAJJAD'S LIFE (AS) FROM KARBALA TO MADINAH - 79
The Speeches of Imam Zain al-'Abidin and Sayyidah Zainab (as) in Kufah - 79
Imam Zain al-'Abidin (as) confronts Ibn Ziad's Tyranny - 82
Ahl al-Bayt's Captivity in Sham - 84
Imam Sajjad (as) challenging Yazid in his Court - 86
CHAPTER TWO THE LIFE OF IMAM ZAIN AL-'ABIDIN (AS) IN MADINAH - 92
The People of Madinah's revoking their Allegiance to Yazid - 95
The Revolution of Madinah and its Consequences - 96
Imam Zain al-'Abidin and Muslim ibn 'Uqbah - 100
Destroying and Burning the Ka'bah - 102
Separation of the Umayyad Family - 103
Increasing Opposition Against Umayyad Rulings - 104
The Tawwabin's (Repentant) Revolution - 105
Al- Mukhtar's Revolution - 105
The Years of Turbulence and Conflicts - 107
Al- Hajjaj's Cruelty and his Extensive Transgression - 108
The Reign of al-Walid ibn 'Abdul- Malik - 109
CHAPTER TREE IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) MARTYRDOM - 110
SECTION FOUR
CHAPTER ONE IMAM SAJJAD'S (AS) ROLE THROUGHOUT THE MISSION OF AHL AL-BAYT (AS) - 115
The Perils Faced by Islam - 119
The Negative Consequences of the Deviation in Islamic Leadership - 120
The Elements Involved in the Decline of Islamic
...