ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Fatima The Gracious The Birth of Lady Zainab (as) Lady Zainab (as) was (accurately) the third child born to Lady Fatima az-Zahra (sa). In other words, she was born directly after Imam Husayn (as); despite the false claim of some historians who hold the opinion that Zainab (as) was born after the miscarriage, which Lady Fatima az-Zahra (sa) had and resulted in the martyrdom of Mohsin.

These historians are motivated by their desire to divert the attention from the merciless attack on Lady Fatima’s (sa) house which not only resulted in Mohsin's martyrdom, but also in the eventual death of Lady Fatima az-Zahra (sa) herself.

Among these writers is the Egyptian Bint Ash-Shati who wrote in her book Batlat Karbala: "Zahra, the Prophet's daughter was about to give birth to a new baby after bringing happiness unto Messenger's life by giving birth to his beloved sons: Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn, and a third child, who was not destined to live and whose name was to be Mohsin Ibn ‘Ali..." [^1] Regardless of these unfounded claims, it has been established that Lady Zainab (as) was born in 5 A.H., and that she was the third child of the honorable Alawi household.

It is said that her grandfather, the Prophet (S) named her Zainab (as) that is derived from two words: "Zain" and "Ab" that together means "The embellishment of her father." Yet, Muhammad Jawad Mughniah quoted the Egyptian newspaper, Al-Jomhuria dated October 31, 1972, in his book Al-Husayn Batala Karbala as saying: "Zainab was born in Shaban 5 A.H.

When her mother brought her to Imam ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Name her" he replied: "I would not name her before Allah's Messenger." At this time the Prophet was on a trip and when he returned, he again refused to name her before her Lord.

So, Gabriel descended to inform the Prophet about Allah's blessings, and said: "The name of this baby is Zainab; Allah chose this name for her." Zainab's (as) history itself speaks of her honorable life, and noble traits, as well as the miseries she encountered during her childhood, such as the death of her great grandfather, the martyrdom of her mother (sa), and the various inflictions which she lived through during the quarter of a century that her father, Imam ‘Ali (as), was confined to his house as a result of his rights having been usurped by others.