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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Nafasul Mahmum, Relating to the heart rending tragedy of Karbala' Introduction: Birth of Our Master Imam Husayn (a.s.), the oppressed There is a difference of opinion among the Shi’ah and , traditionists and historians regarding the day, month and year of the birth of Imam Husayn (a.s.).

Some opine that he was born on the third of the month of Sha’ban or fifth of the same month, or on the fifth of the month of Jamadi’ ul Ula forth year after Migration (Hijrah), while some say that it was in the end of the month of Rabi’ ul Ula third year after Migration.

Thus, Shaikh Al-Tusi in his Tahzeeb, Shaikh Shaheed al Awwal in his Duroos, and Shaikh Bahai in his Tawzeehal Maqasid unanimously agree and accept the tradition of Siqatul Islam (the Trustworthy Authority of Islam) Shaikh Kulaini (May Allah sanctify his grave), that Imam Ja’far as Sadiq (a.s.) said that, “The distance between (the birth of) Imam Hasan (a.s.) and (the conception of) Imam Husayn (a.s.) was a Tuhr (a period of cleanliness between two consecutive menses), while between their birth six months and ten days.” What is meant here is the minimum period of cleanliness, which is of ten days.

Imam Hasan (a.s.) was born on the fifteenth of the month of Ramazan in the year of the battle of Badr i.e. second year of Migration (Hijrah). Besides, it is related that the distance between (the birth of) Imam Hasan (a.s.) and (the conception of) Imam Husayn (a.s.) was not a period of a Tuhr (cleanliness), and Imam Husayn (a.s.) remained in his mother’s womb for six months.

It is written in the Manaqib of Ibn Shahr Ashob from Kitab al Anwar , that Allah, the Exalted, sent felicitations to His (S) regarding the conception and birth of Imam Husayn (a.s.) while condoling him for his martyrdom. When Hazrat Fatima az Zahra (a.s.) was informed about it, she was grieved, then the following verse was revealed, “With trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth, and the bearing and the weaning of him was thirty months”. (Sura al Ahqaf, 46:15).

Normally a woman’s period of pregnancy is of nine months, and no child born in six months can survive, except Prophet Isa (a.s.) and Imam Husayn (a.s.).[^1] Shaikh Saduq, through his chain of transmitters, quotes from Safiyyah bint Abdul Muttalib, that she said: When Imam Husayn (a.s.) was born, I was attending to his mother. The Holy Prophet (S) came to me and said, “O Aunt!