Hadrat Shahrbano: The Reverend Mother of Imam Zayn al-Abidin Part I

Shahrbano was the daughter of the (Iranian) kings and was mother of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
This great mistress occupied an important position in the world of the Muslim woman.
Indeed, she was among the great mistresses of her time. She was among the prominent Muslim women and was distinguished by noble qualities.
Among them are:

A. She had a very clear lineage.
She was the daughter of Choesroe, the just king and pride of the kings of the East.
Concerning him, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said with pride: "I was born at the time of the just King, Choesroe."

B. She was the wife of the father of the free and lord of martyrs, Ima`m Husayn, peace be on him.

C. She was the mother of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin and Sayyid al-Sa`jidin, peace be on him.

D. She was the grandmother of the pure Imams from among the children of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.

E. She was the holy relationship between the Arabs and the Persians.

Indeed these qualities added honor to her honor and glory to her glory.


Her Psychological Traits

As for her psychological traits, they were chastity, purity, perfection, standard morals, and cleverness.
As she had good inclinations and honorable traits, the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali ), peace be on him, hastened to marry her to his son Ima`m Husayn, peace be on him.
He ordered him to treat her kindly and to do good for her.
We will briefly present some of her affairs according to what the references have mentioned.


Reports of her Marriage

The reports have differed over the time when she married Ima`m Husayn, peace be on him.
The following are some of them:


A. At the Time of 'Umar

Al-Kulayni reported on the authority of Ima`m Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, peace be on him.
He said: "When Yazdigird's daughter came, 'Umar made the virgins of Medina honor her.
When 'Umar looked at her, she covered her face and said:
"Uf biru`jj ba`da` Hurmuz."
These words meaning the day of Hurmuz has become black because his daughters have become prisoners.

"Is she abusing me ? "asked 'Umar.
"That is not for you," said the Commander of the faithful, "Let her choose a person from the Muslims."

She walked till she put her hand on the head of al-Husayn, peace be on him (Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 467. Dala'il al-Imama, p. 370.)

Some historians have mentioned a report similar to this account. They said: "Yazdigird had two daughters.
They were taken prisoners during the time of 'Umar.
Thus, the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali), peace be on him, took them. Of these he had given Ima`m al-Husayn and she bore him Zayn al-'Abidin.
He had given the other to Mohammed b.
Abi Bakr and she bore him al-Qa`sim.(Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104. Nazhat al-Majalis, vol. 2, p. 192. Zahrat al-Maqul, p. 6).

Ibn Kullakan has mentioned a similar report to this.
However, he has added that they were three (daughters). So he (the Commander of the faithful)had given the third to 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar.(Ibn Khullkan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429).


B. At the Time of 'Uthma`n

Al-Sadu`q has reported: "When 'Abd Allah b.
'Umar conquered Khurasan (Iran)during the days of 'Uthma`n, he took the two daughters of Yazdigird prisoners.
He sent them to 'Uthma`n. Of them the latter had given to al-Hasan.
He had given the other to al-Husayn."('Uyyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Athar, p. 143. Roudat al-Wa'izin, vol. 1, p. 137.

Tuhaf al-Raghib, p. 13. A'lam al-Wara, p. 151. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad).


C. At the Time of the Caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful

A group of the historians and the narrators has reported:
"When the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali), peace be on him, had assumed the caliphate, he appointed Hurayth b. Ja`bir over part of the eastern provinces.

The latter had sent him two daughters of Yazdigird b.
Sharyya`r.
Of these he had given his son al-Husayn, peace be on him, Shahrbano and she bore him Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He had given the other to Mohammed b.
Abi Baker and she bore him al-Qa`sim, the famous jurist."

These are the reports which have been mentioned of her marriage to Ima`m (Husayn), the Lord of martyrs, peace be on him.
/ m,;Worth mentioning, the last two reports have not mentioned the capture of Shahrbano with her two sisters, rather they have mentioned that they were sent to the Caliph.
But the first report is clear in mentioning their capture.


Checking the Reports

We must check these different reports.
We think that the first report is incorrect for the following reasons:

1. Yazdigird was alive throughout the caliphate of 'Umar.
He died after his death. He was killed in Maru in the year 30 A.H.
That was in the sixth year of the caliphate of 'Uthma`n.
We firmly believe that Shahrbano and her two sisters disappeared after the murder of their father till the caliphate of the Commander of the faithful (Ima`m 'Ali).
The Commander of the faithful appointed Hurayth b. Ja`bir over that area. The latter found them and sent them to the Ima`m, peace be on him.


2. What Abu Hanifa reported indicates that the first report is incorrect.
When the daughter of Yazdigird was brought to the Commander of the faithful, he, peace be on him, said to her:

"Choose whomever you want of the Muslims."

She answered with awareness and high purpose:

"I want a head over whom there is no head."

This indicates the strong awareness of this Princess.

The Ima`m answered her kindly, saying:

"Indeed 'Ali is an old man."

This means that the Ima`m was in no need of women, for he was an old man.
Besides he was busy treating the general affairs that surrounded him.

But the Princess insisted on her idea, saying:

"I talked completely to you."

Some Persian leaders asked the Ima`m to marry her to them.

The Ima`m answered, saying: "That is up to her. If she wishes to refuse (marriage), (she can refuse it).
If she wishes to accept (marriage), (she can accept it)."

The Ima`m had no right to impose marriage on her, rather that was up to her psychological wishes.
No one had the right to force her to what he wanted.
The Mistress refrained from answering him.( Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal).
We firmly believe that it was Shahrbano. Her marriage took place during the time of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him.

The most famous of the foregoing two reports. Most jurists think that fame makes the report superior to (the other reports).
Al-Muqrim, a researcher, believed in this report.


Irregular Ideas

Some historians have mentioned irregular ideas concerning the lineage of Shahrbano.
They are as follow:

A. She was from the country of al-Sind.

B. She was among those who were taken prisoners in Kabul.

These two ideas oppose what the narrators and the historians have unanimously agreed on, for they said that she was the daughter of Yazdigird, the king of the Persians.
That was famous even during the time of the Ima`m.
All the people knew that. In this connection, Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali, who was contemporary with the Ima`m, recited:

Indeed there is a son between Kasra and Ha`shim.
He is more noble than him to whom charms were
entrusted.
He is the light.
The place of his secret
is the Light of Allah.

He is the source of the fountain of the Ima`mate.(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 166).


He is knowledgeable

Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, denoted that when he said: "I am the son of the two good (communities)." With this he, peace be on him, referred to the well-known tradition:
"Allah, the Most High, has two good (communities) among His creatures.
His good (community) from the Arabs is Quraysh, and from non-Arabs is Persia."(Ibn Khullaka Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429. Ibn Tolon, Al-A'mmia al-Ithna 'Ashar, p. 175).

Some historians said: "Indeed 'Ali b. al-Husayn (Zayn al-'Abidin) gathered prophethood and authority on the side of his grandfathers."


Her Holy Name

The mother of the Ima`m, peace be on him, was known as Shahrbano.
This was not her name.
Rather it was her nick-name.
It means the queen or the mistress of the women.1 However, the historians have differed over her name.


The following are some of her names:

1. Sala`ma.
2. Sala`fa.
3. Ghaza`la.
4. Salama.
5. Sa`dira.
6. Shahrbano.

These are some of the ideas which we have mentioned concerning her name.
It does not concern us which name is correct, for it does not avail readers.

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