Like his descent father, Zainol Abedin enjoyed all ethical virtues and was flawless in the areas of mannerism and ethics.
No event could stop him from manifesting God’s traits. No sin was performed by him.
This poor writer referred to all books on narrations and history to find references to this Imam. I will present some of them here. I hope they will help us. These points could be seen in Beharol Anver, A’alamol Din, Kashfol Qemma, Managib of Ibn Shaher Ashub, E’lamol Vera, and Mostadrak Safineh. This part is adopted from “ the land of lovers” by Professor Hossein Ansarian.
1) His Meeting With a Quick tempered Man
A man called that Imam names. The Imam did not answer him. Then the man went away. Imam returned to his friends asking them: Did you hear what he told me? Come with me, I will tell you what. I told him in reply.
The crowd said: we will come with you: the Imam started walking, reading this verse:
وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنْ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ.
“And those who restrain their anger and pardon me; and Allah loves the doers of good to others. Quran 3:134”
It became clear to us that Imam did not want to have anything to do with the abuser. Upon arriving at the door of the man, Imam wanted to see him. He said: Tell the house – owner I am Ali Ibn Hossein. The house – owner who was worried about revenge came to the door. Imam said: Some minutes ago you said something regarding me. If I deserve it, I ask God to pardon me. if I do not deserve it, I ask God to pardon you.
The home owner kissed the Imam’s forehead, saying: O son of Prophet (s). What I said can not be found in you. It is me who should be pardoned by Allah.
2) His Behavior Towards the Lepers
He was riding and passed a group of people suffering from Lepresy. Nobody wanted to associate with them.
They were eating lunch, when they saw the Imam, they invited him to their food.
He said: If I were not fasting, I would come and eat with you. When he arrived at home, however he ordered special food for them and then invited all of them and sat beside them, eating the food.
Let us like the Sire of believers, the Pride of the Devotees, help those helpless ones, treat amicably towards those deprived of any kindness and the needy ones. Let us be knowledgeable in the school of these lovers of the absolute Beauty for the rest of our lives.
3) Imam’s Speial Pardoning of the Deposed Governor–general
Hesham Ibn Ismaeel was appointed as the governor general of Medina by Abdol Malik Marvan.
This position led him to excessive pride, and tyranny.
And injustice. He committed unlawful crimes. One of the people who was hurt by him most was Imam Zainol Abedin (s).
When he was deposed, the new governor general called, Valid, got duty of fastening the previous governor to a column so that every person could retaliate him.
People heard him say that he was worried of Imam Zainol Abedin because he had suffered the most.
Imam ordered his followers not to trouble him. Then he went to see Hesham, telling him, I am worried about you, my cousin. What ever you need tell me. I will make it ready. Hesham shouted:
اَلله ُاَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسالَتَهُ.
“God knows where to put his message”.
4) I am secure from you
Once he called one of his servants twice. He refused to answer. At the third calling he answered; Imam asked the reason for not answering the first two calls. He said:
O son of Prophet: I was safe from your punishment. The fourth Imam started thanking Allah: O God! I thank you that my servants feel safe with me.
5) Where is the Source of All of This Kindness
There were many poor families in Medina who were supplied with their needs, but did not know what the source was. When Zainol Abedin(s) got martyred, all those plans were out of order. Then these families understood the source of their food and clothing.
6) I Will Pay Your Debts
Zaid Ibn Osame Ibn Zaid started crying at his death - bed. Imam Zainol Abedin(s) was watching him and asked him for the reason. He answered: I owe people fifteen thousand Derhames. What I possess will not cover my debts however. Imam replied: I will pay all of your debts. Stop weeping because now you owe nobody anything. Then he paid the man’s debts and rescued him in this way.
7) On the Way to the Mosque
On a cold night one of his slaves saw him on the way to the mosque while having new dress and a fur turban on and having used fragrance. He asked: master, where are you going at this time of the night? He answered: I am going to the mosque of my grand – father to marry Hurol ‘Ein.
How elegant it is for Moslems to go to Mosque with the best of their dresses and best kind of fragrance. They will become delighted in this way and the cleanliness of the mosque will be observed as well.
8) Legal Sustenance is God’s Alms to Servants
To earn his sustenance, he used to leave home early every morning. When they asked him where he was going so early in the morning, he used to answer: I am going to give alms to my wives. They surprisingly would ask him: alms? He would answer: yes, what is earned through legal means is God’s alms to servants.
9) I Love to Obey Absolutely
Imam Sajjad(s) says: I severely got sick. My father, Hossein (s) told me: what do you need? I answered: I wish not to put any duty on to God for myself. He will do for me anything that He deems advisable. I love to obey Him absolutely. My father said, well done, now you are like Ibrahim Khalil. When he was going to be put on fire, Jibrael asked him what he wanted. He answered: I will not appoint any task for God. I am happy with Allah. He is my best protector all my life.
18) A Huge Miracle Related to Imam Sajjad’s Behavior
Iqbal, which is the best book on supplication and invocation by Seyyed Ibn Tavus reports from Imam Sadiq (s):
When the holy month of Ramathan arrived, Imam Sajjad(s) would never punish any of his man–slaves or woman–slaves. If one of them committed a wrong action, there was a note book on which these wrong actions or short–comings got recorded. He would never show disrespect to his servants during this month.
When the last night of Ramathan arrived, Imam would gather all of them around him – self and opened up the book on which the wrong – doings were recorded. Then he called each servant with his or her special wrong – doing. He would tell each of them: you have committed this wrong – doing and you were not punished for it. Do you remember? They would say: yes, the son of the Prophet (s).
When he had the confession of all, he would ask them to repeat after him:
“O son of Hossein Ibn Ali: your God has recorded every action of yours as you have written our mistakes and short–comings in this book. The book which is with God tells the truth. Every big and small sin is written there and you will see justice on that special day as we see the record of our activities here in this book, now!
“O son of Hossein Ibn Ali, frogive us and pardon us as you wish God might forgive and pardon you. As you are the lover of God’s pardon and are looking for that source of benevolence, please let us enjoy your pardon and blessing.
“O son of Hossein Ibn Ali! Remember your misery in front of the Great Love, that Sacred Being who is wise and knowing and will not do the weight of seed of injustice to anybody. He will weigh the actions of the servants and will witness that they have been done. Come and forgive us at a night like this and disregard our wrong–doings because God has said:
وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ.
“They should pardon and run away. 24: 22”
Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?
He used to express words and inculcated his man–servants and woman – servants and used to shed tears, and cried, telling Allah:
“O God! you ordered me to forgive those who did us wrong; we pardoned them. Therefore, you forgive us, too, since in pardoning you are the first.
“O God! you commanded us not to turn away the beggars from our homes. Now we ourselves have come begging to your home. We are looking for your blessing and benevolence. Please do not send us away hopeless.”
He used to supplicate with God in this manner and continued weeping. Then he turned to his servants, telling them:
“I forgave you. Will you forgive me? I was not a good Lord for you. You saw my bad behaviors. I am not a good Lord”.
They would reply: “Our sire, although we saw nothing bad of you, we will forgive you.”
Then Imam Sajjad(s) would ask them to chant the following invocation:
“O God! Please forgive Hossein’s son, as he has forgiven us. Save him from the Hell fire, as he has made us free.” The man-servants and woman- servants used to chant this invocation and Imam (s) would say: “All of you are free. I set you free to reach God’s pardon and freedom from chastisement”. Then, he would summon them on the festival day of Fiter and helped them each so much as not to be in need.
Each year he did the same, freeing about twenty of his servants and would say: “God at Ramathan at the time of breaking the fasting (Iftar) pardons seventy thousand wrong–doers and when the last night of Ramathan comes, He sets free from the fire equal to the month of Ramathan. I like God to put me on this schedule so that I may get free.”
Of course, it did not make any difference for him at that time he had bought the slaves. What was important for him was to set them free at the last night of Ramathan, although the time of their service to Imam was rather short.
He would carry out this magnificent program each year, and continued till he reached the Great Friend.
19) A Marvellous Program
One of Zainol Abedin’s cousins was financially in trouble. Imam Abedin(s) would take him money at night without being recognized. The cousins would spread the rumor that Ali Ibn Hossein does not have any family relation with me and does not observe the family ties. He would curse him. Imam used to hear but preferred to remain silent. When Imam (s) passed away, the cousin found out the truth. He would sit by the Imam’s grave, crying for hours, from then on.
20) Imam Sajjad’s Devine Character
One day he was walking with some of his servants. A man called him names. The servants rushed at him, but Imam stopped them. The Imam came up to the man, saying: if you need any thing, let me know. The man got ashamed. Imam gave him his own clock and ordered his servants to pay him one thousand Derhams. The man was then, saying: “I witness you are from the Prophets’ house hold.”
source : The land of lovers by professor Ansarian
