Martyrdom of Aun bin Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abi Talib

Tabari says that the army surrounded them from all sides. Abdullah bin Qatabah Ta’i Nab-hani attacked Aun bin Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abi Talib and killed him. (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon him). It is stated in Manaqib that he was reciting the following Rajaz: “If you do not know me I am the son of Ja’far, the truthful martyr who abides in the illuminated Paradise, flying with green coloured wings therein, and this is enough (proof) for eminence on the day of Qiyamah”. Then he killed three horsemen and eighteen foot-soldiers, and Abdullah bin Qatabah Ta’i killed him. Abul Faraj (Isfahani) says that his mother was Sayyedah Zainab Aqeelah (a.s), the daughter of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s) and Sayyedah Fatemah az Zahra (a.s), the daughter of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s). Sulayman bin Qibbah, in elegy for Aun says, “Weep upon Aun if you desire to weep, who was never prepared to forsake him (Imam) in distress, by my life!

‘The Near Ones’ had to face great difficulties, then weep upon a lengthy calamity”. His mother Aqeelah (Zainab)[1]is the one from whom Ibne Abbas relates the [1] Sayyedah Zainab al Kubra (a.s) (the elder Zainab), the elder daughter of Imam Ali (a.s) and Sayyedah Fatemah az Zahra (a.s) was born in Madinah during the life-time of the Noble Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.). She was thus brought up in the sacred laps of her grandfather, father and mother, alongwith her brothers and sister. Thus she was surrounded from all sides by infallibity, then why would not one expect such brilliance in her character? She combined in herself the eminence of her grandfather, valour of her father, piety of her mother and morals of her brothers. Soon after her birth, Jibra'eel descended with greetings upon the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and presented the name chosen by Allah for her, thus she was named Zainab, viz. embellishment of (her) father, rather she proved to be an embellishment for Islam in particular and the entire universe in general. Zainab al Kubra was married to her cousin Abdullah, titled Bahrus Sakha (the Ocean of Munificence), the son of Ja'far at Tayyar, and bore him four sons viz. Aun, Mohammad, Ali and Abbas, and one daughter Umme Kulsum. She sacrificed her sons Aun and Mohammad in the way of Allah at Karbala and seldom wept upon them. After the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s) she assumed the role of preserving the name of Imam Husain (a.s) and his mission that was to secure the permanence of Islam and unveil the ugly face of hypocrisy and despotism. She faced the worst ordeals of life with unwavering forbearance and unparalleled prowess, which would even falter the feet of the most valorous of men. While her eloquent sermons at Kufa and Syria shook the very foundations of the throne of Bani Umayyah, and people listened to her words dumbfounded and in awe. She spoke such prudently that people presumed Imam Ali (a.s) had risen, she thus dealt a final blow to the wall of despotism. Apart from this, she was the one who was responsible for preserving the continuity of the Progeny of Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.s.), since it is narrated (at several places in this book too) that at times she saved the life of Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (a.s) and was prepared to sacrifice her ownself in his stead. Her sublime qualities can be established by numerous titles bestowed upon her viz. Aqeelat Bani Hashim, the intellectual among the Hashimites; Aqeelat Quraysh, the intellectual among the Quraysh; Shareekatul Husain, the associate of Husain; Al Alematul Ghairul Mu'allimah, an intellectual without having being trained; Al Faheematul Ghairul Mufahhimah, a knowledgeable who needs none to make her understand; Saniye Zahra, the second Zahra; Ummul Masaeb, the mother of griefs; Sahibatul Musibatul Uzma, the bearer of the grand sorrow; etc. There is difference of opinion regarding the place of her burial, some opine that she died in Madinah and is buried there, while others say that she lies buried in Cairo. But the most accurate, which is unanimously accepted by the Shi'ah Scholars, is that she is buried in Damascus, Syria at a place now known as 'Zainabiyah'. The pilgrimage to her blessed grave is highly recommended and visiting it is a desire of every true believer and a seeker of truth. Numerous books have been authored depicting her meritorious life, for further readings refer to: Khasaise Zainabiyah by Sayyed Nuruddin Jazaeri, Zainab Ukhtal Husain by Mohammad Husain al Adeeb, Zainab al Kubra by Shaikh Ja'far Naqdi, Aqeelat Bani Hashim by Sayyed Ali Hashmi, Ma'a Batlat

narration of Fadak from her mother Fatemah (a.s) and says: Our prudent lady (Aqeelah) Zainab, the daughter of Imam Ali (a.s), relates to us....... (etc.). It is better to be borne in mind that Abdullah bin Ja’far had two sons named Aun, who were given the title of Akbar (the elder) and Asghar (the younger). The mother of one of them was Zainab Aqeelah (a.s), and of the other Juma’ah, the daughter of Musayyab bin Najabah Fazari. There is difference regarding which of them was martyred alongwith Imam Husain (a.s) in Karbala. But it is evident that the one martyred (in Karbala) was Aun al Akbar (the elder), the son of Sayyedah Zainab (a.s), while Aun al Asghar was killed in the incident of Hirrah by the men of Musrif bin Aqabah, the accursed, as opined by Abul Faraj Isfahani.