ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-Abbas Birth and Early Life Al-’Abbas, was the first child of Umm-ul-Banin. With his birth, Medina shone and the whole world glittered. Waves of pleasures flowed in the family of ‘Ali (a), for the birth of their magnificent moon that would enlighten this world with his merits, and would add immortal glory to the numerous glories of the Hashemites.

As soon as Imam ‘Ali (a) was given the good news of the birth of this blessed child, he hurried to take him, kiss him frequently, and hold the Shariite ceremonies of newborns. The Imam (a) recited the azan[^1] in his newborn’s right ear and recited the iqama[^2] in the left.

Hence, the first voice that penetrated this great newborn’s hearing was his father’s, stating: Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) La ilaha illa (A)llah (There is no god but Allah) These great words, which are the message of all prophets and the melody of the God-fearing, found a ground in the inner self of al-’Abbas. These words later on became the most significant element of his personality.

In his future, he would adopt the calling to the true application of these words for which he would lose all his limbs. On the seventh day of birth, Imam ‘Ali (a) shaved the newborn’s hair and gave golden and silver alms as weighty as the cut hair. As he had done for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, Imam ‘Ali (a) slaughtered a ram as offering to God on behalf of his baby.

These practices are adopted from the Prophet (S) whose words, practices, and confirmations are regarded as authoritative, together with the holy Koran, for Muslims. Year of Birth Historians[^3] have confirmed that al-’Abbas was born on the fourth of Shabaan, AH 26.

Name After holding the Islamic ceremonies of newborns for Imam ‘Ali’s new baby, Lady Zaynab (a) turned her face towards her father and asked, “Father, have you chosen a name and a nickname for this new baby?” Her father answered, “Yes, daughter, I have.” “What are they, father?” she asked eagerly.

The father, as he perceived that this baby would be one of the heroes of Islam and would be frowning in the faces of evils and the wrongdoers, said, “I name him al-’Abbas (the frowning), and nickname him Abu’l-Fadhl (father of virtue).”[^4] Lady Zaynab however loved this baby very much and could not depart him for a single moment. She told her father about the different feelings that she had for this child.