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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Life of Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin The Treatise On Rights, Risalat Al-Huquq =========================================== Among the most important works in the world of Islam is the ‘Treatise on Rights’ by the greatest Imam, Zayn al-‘Abidin, peace be on him.

In it the Imam has mentioned all the methods necessary for man’s conduct, developing his life, and building his civilization on foundations which lead to tranquillity and protection from anxiety, disorder, and the like. The wise Imam carefully and inclusively considered man, studied all the dimensions of his life, his relationships with his Creator, his soul, his family, his society, his government, his teacher, and so on.

He wrote for man these rights and duties and made it incumbent on him to conform to them. Hence man is able to establish an Islamic society which believes in social justice and has strong ties such as mutual confidence, love, and other means necessary for social development and progress.

I (the author) think that the great Imam legislated man’s rights, his social links, his moral origins, and his educational foundations in a manner which is different from that of politicians and social scientists. Anyhow, the Imam, peace be on him, wrote this brilliant treatise and presented it to some of his companions. ^1 Then it was narrated by the great religious scholar, the trustworthy Muslim, Thabit b.

Abi Saffiya, better known as Abu Hamza al-Thumali[^2], the student of the Imam, peace be on him. Then it was reported on his authority by the very truthful traditionalist, Hujjat al-Islam, Muhammad b. Ya‘qu’b al-Kulayni[^3], and al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. Shu‘ba al-Harrani in (his book) ‘Tuhaf al-‘Uqu’l’.

I (the author) have narrated it on his (al-Hasan’s) authority as follows: A Brief Introduction to Rights Before the Imam, peace be on him, explained the rights, he wrote a brief introduction to them, saying: “Knowmay Allah have mercy upon Youthat Allah has rights against you and that these encompass you in every movement through which you move, every rest through which you rest, every way station in which you reside, every limb which you employ, and every instrument which you put to work.

Some of these rights are greater and some less.