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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Correspondence Course (book 4) Lesson 41 : the Fourth Imam (‘ali Ibn Al-husayn) 1. Birth & Early Life Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn was the son of the third Imam and his wife, the queen among women, the daughter of Yazdigird the last Sasanid king of Iran. He was known as “Zaynu ‘l-‘Abidin — the prince of the worshippers” and “Sajjad — the one who prostrates most”. Imam Zaynu ‘l-‘Abidin was two years old when his grandfather was martyred.

In his early teens, he witnessed the situation in which his uncle Imam Hasan lived. 2. Karbala & His Imamat In his late teens and early twenties, he also observed the suppression and persecution under which his father lived during the reign of Mu’awiyah. As you have already read in the last lesson, Imam Zaynu 1-’Abidin was the only son of Imam Husayn to survive, for his other two brothers ‘Ali Akbar and ‘Ali Asghar who was a suckling baby were martyred during the event of Karbala.

The Imam had also accompanied his father on the journey that terminated fatally in Karbala, but because of severe illness and the inability to carry arms or participate in fighting he was prevented from taking part in the holy war and being martyred. The Yazidi forces had taken the womenfolk of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) as captives to Kufa and from there to Damascus with the intent of humiliating the holy family and also presenting them as an example for any potential opposition to Yazid’s rule.

But Allah had planned it otherwise: the journey of the captives turned, instead, into an opportunity for the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) to present their innocence to the people, convey the message of Husayn and enlighten the masses about the atrocities of the Yazidi regime. The caravan of the captives from Ahlul Bayt exposed the true face of Yazid and his establishment. The most important role played in this awakening of the masses was by Zaynab bint ‘Ali, Husayn’s sister, and Imam Zaynu l-’Abidin.

The speeches of the holy Imam in the city of Kufa, in the court of Ibn Ziyad (the governor of Kufa), in Damascus and in the court of Yazid himself are excellent examples of how Imam Zaynu l-’Abidin was able to gain victory for Husayn and expose the tyranny of Yazid. And all this was done while he was a prisoner!