His son Imam Ba>qir prepared his body for burial and buried...

His son Imam Ba>qir prepared his body for burial and buried him next to his uncle Imam Hasan in Baqi’ cemetery in the holy city of Medina. He excelled all others of his time in knowledge, worshipping Allah, spiritual perfections, piety, and helping the needy, and all other virtues. Jurists and scholars have narrated from him extensively such that it cannot be counted, and there are many aspects of words-of-wisdom, spiritual guidance, prayers, and invocations that have been recorded as his legacy.

Because of his extensive prayers and invocations he became known as Zayn al- Abidin, meaning the best of the worshipers. He is also known as al-Sajjad, meaning the prostrater, for his frequent and prolonged prostrations. Very often he would carry on his back, at night, money and sacks of food or fire log, to the needy, and nock on the door one by one and give it to the person answers the call, with his face covered so that the person would not recognise him.

When he left this world, then people of Medina realised that the person who used to deliver to them food etc. with his face covered, was none other than Imam Zayn al-Abidin. He loved to see the orphans and destitute join him for food, and eat his food sitting next to them. 161 Bih}a>r al- Anwa>r, vol. 46, p8. 162 Other reports put the date of his martyrdom on 12th or 18th of Muharram.

Every month he would call upon his servants and would offer them help if any of them needed to get married or if anyone wanted to be set free.163 Whenever a needy person would come to him asking for help he would say this, “welcome to he who carries my supplies to the hereafter.” It is said that he would pray a thousand rak’ahs of prayer in every twenty-four hours.

At the time of prayer his face would change, and he would shiver like a leaf out of realisation of the greatness of Allah, the Most High. Due to his extensive and prolonged prostrating before the Almighty his forehead and knees were clearly marked. Once a person spoke rudely to him using offending words that were hurting, the Imam remained silent not uttering a word. After a while the Imam went to the person, and recited this verse from the holy Qur’an, ....

and those who control their anger and forgive people, Allah loves those who do good..164 The Imam then said to that person, “Brother, I heard all that you said to me.