MIRACLE OF THE PROPHET'S PROGENY: LIVING SIGN IN THE FORM OF IMAM ZAYN-AL- ABIDIN

Whenever light is shed on the chapter of the Event of Karbala, human intellect bows down before a magnificent miracle that completely changed the conventional definitions of success and failure. On the surface, the sacred blood of the Prophet’s progeny was being spilled despite their noble lineage, making it appear as though oppression, tyranny and falsehood had triumphed. However, the decree of Divine Will was entirely different.

On one side, there was a throne, power and a massive army, while on the other side, there was the voice of truth, which was destined to become the defining theme of humanity until the end of time.

Has history ever witnessed such a sight where among seventy-two individuals, there are some women, an ill person and above all nursing infants, who did not set out with the intention of war, yet an army of millions is gathered against them, intimidation is used, water is cut off and despite all this, the morale of these seventy two individuals remained very high. They chose to embrace martyrdom, but they did not bow down before falsehood.

The Survival of the Prophet’s Progeny

All the men of the People of the Cloak were martyred; except for one who was sick at that time. What a miracle it is that from this one pure soul, many descendants were born, and the nation of Yazid, which was apparently victorious at that time, no longer has its name or trace.

Who is there today who would like to say that he is from the lineage of Yazid, while today there are countless Sadaat. Sayyid is a symbol of purity and honour while Yazidism is a metaphor for oppression and coercion.

If we go back to history, generations grow, disappear, many new generations are born, but the pure descendants of the Holy Prophet's family have received that blessing and great goodness that is a miracle for the world to live in. Allah Almighty continued the name of the Prophet and his family through the blessed existence of Imam Zayn-ul Abidin (RA).

Not only this, but the events of Karbala were conveyed to the entire human race by Imam Zayn-ul-Abidin, the son of Imam Husayn and Bibi Zainab, the sister of Imam Hussain (RA). With so much pain and sorrow, this incident was known to the people that even today the heart is filled with tears. Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen in his work "Imam Hussain and Yazidism" has written about it. He writes:

The Final Moments Before Karbala

Now the time had come when all the devoted companions had departed one by one and Imam Hussain was left alone. Now the Imam was left all by himself to be sacrificed. There was only one son, Imam Zayn-ul-Abidin who was too sick and frail. Despite his weakness and lack of strength, he came out of the tent and informed the Imam that he was ready to sacrifice his life among the leaders of the caravan. He took a spear in his hand but due to illness, the exhaustion of journey, hunger, thirst, continuous fasting and water scarcity his weakness had increased to such an extent that his blessed body trembled while sitting on a horse.

Despite this, such was his courage that he resolved to head towards the battlefield. The elevated Imam said,

“O son! Return; do not go to the battlefield. The family’s relatives and companions who were with us have sacrificed their lives in the path of Allah, and praise be to Allah that we have endured the pain of these calamities with patience and tolerance.

Now I have come forward to offer my own humble sacrifice in the path of Truth. Many responsibilities will be attached to you; public welfare; bringing the orphans back to their homeland; who will support the widows? Who will take care of the Divine Trust after me? In the darkness of oppression, to whom will these helpless ones be entrusted after me?

On whose shoulders lies the duty of protecting the Holy Quran and establishing unity and brotherhood? Through whom will my lineage continue? You are the last lamp of the Prophet’s progeny, and the world will benefit from your light.” (Imam Hussain and Yazidiat).

The Progeny of Ali (RA) Is the Lineage of Prophet Mohammad

Here it is important to answer a criticism that many people ask that the Messenger of Allah had no son. The answer is that the lineage of the Holy Prophet was from his blessed daughter Fatimah (RA). Surah Kausar of the Quran is a clear proof of this.

When we read this surah, we find that this surah was revealed when the disbelievers claimed that the Prophet had no surviving male heirs and that his lineage would be cut off. Therefore, as long as the Messenger is alive, the name of the Messenger of Allah and the work of calling and preaching will continue. After the Holy Messenger, the series will end. (Tafseer ibn Kathir)

Upon this, Surah Al-Kawthar was revealed. It is the shortest Surah. It brings different levels of meaning according to intellectual and spiritual understanding. In Surah Al- Kawthar Allah says:

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ

Indeed, We have granted you Al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off. [108: 1-3]

Glory be to Allah! The event of Karbala is a living example and miracle of this Quranic verse, showing how Allah the Exalted granted abundance and continuity to the Holy Prophet’s blessed progeny, while his enemy Yazid was left without descendants and without any lasting name or trace. Regarding the blessed lineage of the Prophet, it is narrated in a hadith: Jabir (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

"Allah, the Most Blessed and Exalted, caused the progeny of every prophet to continue through his own loins, whereas my progeny will continue through the loins of Ali ibn Abi Talib." (Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir of al-Tabarani, Hadith no. 2630)

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman says It is a law of nature that every person's off-spring and lineage begin from their own backbone. However, Ali (RA) holds this unique distinction that Allah Almighty placed the progeny of the Holy Prophet within his lineage. Through Fatima-tuz-Zehra (RA) his children are the progeny of the Holy Prophet.

The Progeny of Imam Husayn (RA)

The Blessed Children of Imam Husayn (RA) are:

1. Ali ibn Husayn (known as Imam Zayn al-Abidin), whose filial appellation was Abu Muhammad.
2. Ali al-Akbar, who was martyred alongside his father on the battlefield of Karbala.
3. Ja'far ibn Husayn. He had no children and passed away during the lifetime of Imam Husayn.
4. Abdullah ibn Husayn (Ali al-Asghar), who was martyred alongside his father at a very young age. He was in his father's lap when an arrow struck him, resulting in his martyrdom.
5. Sakina bint Husayn.
6. Fatimah bint Husayn.

Martyrs of Banu Hashim in Karbala

The names of those martyred in the field of Karbala from the family of Imam Husayn are as follows. Their number was twenty-two, and the twenty-third was Imam Husayn himself.

1. Hazrat Abbas
2. Hazrat Abdullah
3. Hazrat Ja'far
4. Hazrat Uthman

(These four were the sons of Amir al-Mu'minin Hazrat Ali. Their mother was Umm al-Banin.)

5. Hazrat Muhammad
6. Hazrat Abu Bakr

(Both of these were also sons of Amir al-Mu'minin Hazrat Ali. Their mother was Layla bint Mas'ud al-Thaqafiyyah.)

7. Hazrat Qasim
8. Hazrat Abu Bakr
9. Hazrat Abdullah
10. Hazrat Umar

(These were the sons of Imam Hasan ibn Ali.)

11. Hazrat Ali Akbar
12. Hazrat Abdullah
13. Hazrat Ali Asghar

(These were the sons of Imam Husayn.)

14. Muhammad
15. Awn

(These two were the sons of Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.)

16. Ja'far
17. Abd al-Rahman
18. Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Aqil
19. Muhammad

(These are the descendants of Aquel-bin-Abu-Talib (RA))

20. Muhammad ibn Abi Sa'id ibn Aqil
21. Muslim ibn Aqil
22. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Aqil
23. Ibrahim ibn Muslim ibn Aqil

(These are from the family of Aqil ibn Abi Talib.)

The Role of Imam Zayn al-Abidin in Karbala

Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin grew up in the household of prophethood and the place where divine revelation descended. This was a household that endured the most severe grief, hardship, and trials in the path of Allah.

• He experienced in his childhood the martyrdom of his great grandfather, Ali ibn Abi Talib.
• As he approached youth, he endured the sorrow of his uncle Hasan ibn Ali.
• Later, while ill, he witnessed the tragedy of Karbala and the martyrdom of his father Husayn ibn Ali.

He also witnessed how Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad and Yazid ibn Muawiya struck the blessed teeth of his father with a staff out of hostility. It is also mentioned that they raised weapons against him as well, but Divine will prevented their plans from succeeding.

Karbala, Kufa and the Court of Yazid

Imam Zayn al-Abidin (RA) narrated many events of the trials and hardships of Karbala. He also transmitted the sermon his father delivered before his martyrdom in front of the people of Kufa.

According to most narrations, it was Imam Zayn al-Abidin who carried out the burial of his father Imam Husayn (RA), his brothers, and other members of the family.

The Sermon in Kufa and Public Reaction

When they and their paternal aunts entered Kufa, the people gathered around them. The incident shocked everyone, and they began to weep and mourn. Although at that time he was ill, he still signalled the people to remain silent. Despite his weakness, he stood up, praised Allah, mentioned the Prophet Muhammad, and then said:

“O people! Whoever recognises me, already knows who I am. Whoever does not recognise me, I will introduce myself. I am Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib. I am the son of the one whose sanctity was violated, whose food and drink were withheld, who was martyred unjustly, whose wealth was looted, and whose family was taken captive. I am the son of the one who was slaughtered by the Euphrates River. I am the son of the one who was deceitfully invited to Kufa and then martyred. And this sacrifice alone is sufficient as a matter of pride.”

After this, he reminded the people of Kufa of their disgraceful crimes sending letters to Imam Husayn (RA), making false promises to him until, according to the narrator, they began to cry and wail loudly.

Imam Zayn al-Abidin in the Court of Yazid

The People of the Cloak were then brought to the court of Yazid. At that time, Imam Zayn al-Abidin (RA) also displayed great courage. Yazid turned to Imam Zayn al-Abidin and said: “Your father did not respect my kinship, ignored my rights, and disputed with me over my rule. Now you have seen what Allah has done to him.”

Imam Zayn al-Abidin (RA) responded by reciting a verse from the Qur’an:

مَآ اَصَابَ مِنْ مُّصِیْبَۃٍ فِی الْاَرْضِ وَ لَا فِیْٓ اَنْفُسِکُمْ اِلَّا فِیْ کِتٰبٍ مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ نَّبْرَاَہَا اِنَّ ذٰلِکَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ یَسِیْرٌ۔ لِّکَیْلَا تَاْسَوْا عَلٰی مَا فَاتَکُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوْا بِمَآ اٰتٰکُمْ وَ اللّٰہُ لَا یُحِبُّ کُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُوْرِ

“No disaster strikes upon the earth or within yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being. Indeed, that is easy for Allah. So that you may not grieve over what has escaped you nor exult over what He has given you. And Allah does not like the self-deluding boaster.” (57:22–23)

Yazid instructed his son Khalid to respond to Imam (RA), but he was unable to say anything. Then Yazid told him to say the following verse:

وَ مَآ اَصَابَکُمْ مِّنْ مُّصِیْبَۃٍ فَبِمَا کَسَبَتْ اَیْدِیْکُمْ وَ یَعْفُوْا عَنْ کَثِیْرٍ

“And whatever calamity befalls you is because of what your own hands have earned, though He pardons much.” (42: 30)

In response, Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin said:

“O Yazid, O son of Muawiyah, Hind and Dhahr! My forefathers possessed prophethood and leadership at a time when you were not even born. In the battles of Badr, Uhud, and Ahzab, my grandfather Ali ibn Abi Talib carried the banner of the Messenger of Allah, while your father and grandfather carried the banner of the disbelievers. Woe to you, O Yazid! If you truly knew what you had done to my father and his family, you would flee to the mountains, lie on the ground, and cry out in anguish. Know that on the Day of Judgment you will face humiliation and regret before all people.”

Lineage, Distinctions, and the Identity of the People of the Cloak

Similarly, on another occasion he said:

“O people! We have been granted six qualities, and we have seven distinctions:

We have been given knowledge, forbearance, generosity, eloquence, bravery, and love placed in the hearts of the believers.

After this he said:

“O people! Whoever recognises me already knows me, and whoever does not recognise me, I will tell him my lineage.

I am the son of Makkah and Mina. I am the son of Zamzam and Safa. I am the son of the one who collected charity (zakat) for the poor. I am the son of the best of those who wear a cloak and garments. I am the son of the best of those who perform tawaf and sa‘i. I am the son of the best of those who perform Hajj and say ‘Labbaik’. I am the son of the one who was taken on the Buraq through the heavens. I am the son of the one who was taken by night from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa. I am the son of the one with whom Jibril went up to Sidrat al-Muntaha. I am the son of the one who came so close to the Divine Essence that it was the distance of two bow-lengths or even less.

I am the son of Mohammad Mustafa (pbuh) and Ali al-Murtada (RA). I am the son of the one who subdued people until they began to say ‘La ilaha illallah’. I am the son of the one who fought in defence of the Messenger of Allah with two swords and struck with two spears, who migrated twice, who fought at Badr and Hunayn, and who never for a moment accepted disbelief.

He continued speaking in this way, and the gathering before him began to recount the virtues of their ancestors, the Messenger of Allah, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and his noble father Husayn ibn Ali, as well as describing what had happened in Karbala, until the people began to weep and cry out.

At that time, according to the narrator, Yazid feared that the people of Syria might turn against him, so he ordered the muezzin to begin the call to prayer in order to cut off the speech.

When the muezzin said “Allahu Akbar,” he replied: “Indeed, nothing is greater than Allah.”
When he said, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,” the Imam said: “My flesh, my blood, and even my hair all bear witness to it.”
When he said, “I bear witness that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah,” Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin turned toward Yazid and said: “Is Mohammad my grandfather or yours? If you claim he is my grandfather, then why did you kill his family?”

Our distinctions are: the chosen Prophet is from us, the truthful one (Siddiq) is from us, the ‘flying’ one (like the angels) is from us, the Lion of the Messenger is from us, the leader of the women of the worlds is from us, and the two grandsons of the Messenger in this Umma are from us.”

The Jewish Scholar in Yazid’s Court and Public Reaction

The narrator, while describing this conversation between Imam Zayn al-Abidin (RA) and Yazid ibn Muawiyah, further states that a Jewish scholar was also present in Yazid’s court. He asked Yazid: “Who is this boy?” Yazid replied: “He is Ali ibn Husayn.”

The Jewish scholar then asked about his grandfather, father, and mother. Yazid explained his lineage until it reached the Messenger of Allah. Upon hearing this, the Jewish man said:

“Glory be to Allah! You killed so quickly the grandson of your Prophet’s daughter. You treated his descendants very badly after him. By God! If Musa ibn Imran had left behind a grandson among us, we would have worshipped him instead of Allah. Yet you are a people who, only yesterday, your Prophet departed from you, and you fell upon his son and killed him. What a bad nation you are!” (Sirat A’immah Ahl al-Bayt, Chashm o Charagh-e-Karbala)

Impact in Madinah and Emotional Aftermath

When Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin later came to Madinah, his speeches also spread waves of grief and sorrow there. The Muslims felt deeply the pain of the tragedy that had shaken the Islamic society. It reignited in them a sense of urgency to defend the dignity of the community, which was facing threats from all sides. It awakened new emotions and consciousness in their hearts, reviving a sense of spiritual responsibility.

Now every Muslim felt a sense of guilt, thinking that when Imam Husayn (RA) had sought their help, they had failed to respond and did not answer his call.

Grief of Imam Zayn al-Abidin

In Hilyat al-Awliya, through Abu Hamzah al-Thumali, it is narrated from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (RA) that he said:

When asked about the excessive weeping of Ali ibn Husayn (RA), he replied:

“Do not blame me. Yaqub (AS) was only separated from one of his sons, Yusuf, and he wept so much that his eyes turned white (from grief). But I saw my family members being slaughtered on the sands of Karbala. Do you think their grief can ever leave my heart?” (Sirat A’immah Ahl al-Bayt)

Conclusion:

At Karbala, the blood of the blessed family of our beloved Prophet was shed, and the enemies attempted to erase his noble household. However, Allah showed the entire Muslim Umma that neither the name of Allah and His Messenger can ever be erased, nor can the lineage of the Prophet’s family be cut off.

Through the verses of Surah Al-Kawthar, Allah had promised abundance and continuity, and this promise was fulfilled in the form of Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin. The blessed lineage of the Prophet, specifically the Husayni Sayyids, continued through him.

The tragedy of Karbala, which the enemies believed would be buried in the sands of Karbala, was instead defeated by Allah’s decree. The enemies’ evil plans were destroyed, and the People of the Cloak conveyed the message of this tragedy to the world in such a way that even today every heart feels its pain.

We pray to Allah Almighty that He places true love and devotion for the People of the Cloak in our hearts.

Books Consulted

1. Teachings and sayings of Sultan--u al-Ashiqeen
2. Sayyid al-Shuhada Imam Husayn (RA) and Yazidism
3. Tafsir Ibn Kathir
4. Sīrat Aimmah Ahl al-Bayt, Vol. 2 (Hasan Maruf al-Hasani)
5. Chashm o Charagh-e-Karbala (Prof. Mirza Haider Abbas)
6. Tadhkirat al-Athar (Allama Shaykh al-Mufid, translated work)