Lady Zaynab bint Ali (s.a.)
Aqilah Bani Hashim, Al-Alimah
The courageous daughter of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Lady Fatima (s.a.), who became the voice of Karbala and saved the mission of Imam Husayn (a.s.).
- Born
- 5 Jumada al-Awwal 5 AH (Medina)
- Died
- 15 Rajab 62 AH (Damascus)
- Cause of death
- Illness and grief following the tragedy of Karbala
Birth and Upbringing
Lady Zaynab (s.a.) was the third child of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Lady Fatima (s.a.). Her name, meaning "Adornment of her Father," was divinely chosen by the Prophet (PBUH). She was raised in the epicenter of divine revelation and inherited the eloquence of her father and the steadfastness of her mother.
The Heroine of Karbala
Her true greatness shone during and after the Battle of Karbala. Following the martyrdom of her brother Imam Husayn (a.s.) and her two sons, she took charge of the surviving women and children. As a captive, she was paraded through the streets of Kufa and Damascus.
The Voice of Truth
In the courts of Ibn Ziyad and Yazid, she delivered powerful, earth-shattering sermons that laid bare their tyranny and exposed the truth of Karbala to the masses. When Ibn Ziyad mocked her, asking how she saw God's treatment of her family, she famously replied, "I saw nothing but beauty." Her courageous leadership ensured that the tragedy of Karbala was never forgotten.