Students and Companions of Imam Zayn al-Abidin(a.s.) - Part 4
69. Zayd Ibn 'Ali
b. Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on him. Shakh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He was great in knowledge and piety. Shaykh al-Mufid said: "Zayd Ibn 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, was the outstanding brother after Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, and the one with the most merit. He was a devout worshipper, pious, a jurist, Allah-fearing and brave. He came out in revolt with the sword to enjoin the good and forbid the evil and to demand vengeance for al-Husayn, peace be on him."
In our book 'Haya`t al-Ima`m al-Ba`qir', peace be on him, we have spoken about Zayd's behavior, morals, knowledge, and martyrdom, hence there is no need to repeat these topics here.
70. Zayd al-A'ma`
al-Basari. Shakh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
71. Sa`lim Ibn Abi al-Ju'd
al-Ashja'i, al-Ku`fi. He was given the kunya of Aba` Asma`'. Shakh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. Professor al-Khu`'i regarded as trustworthy those famous members of Sa`lim's family and said: "He narrated on the authority of Ima`m ('Ali), the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and al-A'mash reported on his (Sa`lim's) authority.
72. Sa`lim Ibn Abi Hafsa
He was the retainer of the children of 'Ijjl and was from Ku`fa. He narrated on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, of Ima`m Abi Ja'far al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, and of al-Sa`diq, peace be on him. He had a book.
Concerning him al-Kashi reported an counts showing his deviation and straying. An example of what he narrated on the authority of Abi 'Ubayda al-Hadhdha`', who said: "I said to Abi Ja'far, peace be on him, that Sa`lim b. Abi Hafsa say to me: 'Have you not heard that he who dies and has no Ima`m dies the death of those who were before Islam?' I said to him: Yes. He asked me:
'Who is your Ima`m?' I replied: My Ima`ms are the Household of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his Household. He said: By Allah I have never heard that you have known an Ima`m!" Ima`m Abu` Ja'far interrupted (Abi 'Ubayda al-Hadhdha`'), saying:
"Woe unto Sa`lim! Does he know the position of the Ima`m? The position of the Ima`m is greater and better than what Sa`lim and all the people think.
Sa`lim disappeared during the days of the Umayyad government; he stayed at his house because he was afraid of the terrorism of the Umayyads. When Abu` al-'Abba`s al-Saffa`h became caliph, Sa`lim went out of Ku`fa in the state of the ritual consecration saying: "Here I am at your service, O Breaker of the Umayyads, here I am at your service!" He continued saying these words until he made his camel kneel down in Holy Mecca. He died during the lifetime of Ima`m Ja'far al-Sa`diq, peace be on him, in the year 138 A. H.
73. Sa`lim
b. 'Abd Allah, the retainer of 'Umar. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
74. Sudayr Ibn al-Hakam
b. Suhayb al-Sayrafi, al-Ku`fi. He was given the Kunya of Aba` al-Fadl. He was among the retainers. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He narrated on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, of Abi Ja'far, of Abi 'Abd Allah, peace be on them, and of Hakim b. Jubayr. Abu` Ta`lib, Abu` al-Wafa`', his son Hana`n, and others reported traditions on his authority.
75. Al-Sari Ibn 'Abd Allah
b. al-Ha`rith b. al-'Abba`s b. 'Abd al-Muttalib. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
76. Sa'd Ibn Hakim
Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
77. Sa'd Ibn Abi Sa'id
al-Maqbari. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
78. Sa'd Ibn Tarif
al-Hanzali, al-Iska`fi, al-Ku`fi. He was the retainer of the children of Tamim. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.4 Al-Naja`shi said: "Sa'd narrated on the authority of al-Asbagh b. Nabba`ta, Abi Ja'far, and Abi 'Abd Allah, peace be on them. He was a judge. He has a book (titled) 'the Treatise of Abi Ja'far'."
79. Sa'id Ibn Jubayr
Abu` Mohammed, the master of the children of Wa`liba. He lived in Mecca but was originally from Ku`fa. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m al-Sajja`d, peace be on him.
He was one of the eminent muja`hidin, those who straggled for Islam, and those who defended the rights of the weak and the deprived. We will briefly mention some of his affairs.
His Scientific Position
Sa'id was among the most prominent scholars of his time. He was called the Authority of Scholars (jahbadh al-'ulama`'). All those who were on the earth were in need of his knowledge.
Ibn Kuthayr said: "Sa'id was among the Ima`ms of Islam in the interpretation (of the Qur'a`n), jurisprudence, various sciences, and many good deeds.
His Reverential Fear and Righteousness
Sa'id was among the Allah-fearing of his time. He always recited the Qur'a`n. He would sit in the Holy Kaaba and would not leave it until he completed reciting the Qur'a`n.
He feared Allah so much that he said: "The best fear is that which turns you away from disobeying Allah and urges you to obey Him(this is the useful fear.
His Going out in Revolt
When 'Abd al-Rahma`n b. al-Ash'ath went out in revolt against the government of al-Hajja`jj, Sa'id and a group of the reciters (of the Qur'a`n) thought that it was incumbent on them to support him and to go out in revolt with him to overthrow the government of the tyrannical , criminal governor, al-Hajja`jj b. Yousif al-Thaqafi, who violated all the things Allah prohibited, committed all crimes, whose oppression, tyranny, and corruption made the earth swing. When the revolt of 'Abd al-Rahma`n b. al-Ash'ath came to nothing, Sa'd fled to Asfaha`n, yet he went to Mecca twice a year to perform the hajj and 'Umra. He sometimes entered Ku`fa secretly, met the people and explained to them their religious and scientific affairs.
His Martyrdom
The policemen arrested Sa'id b. Jubayr, who was a great thinker, and brought him to the tyrannical , criminal governor al-Hjja`jj b. Yousif al-Thaqafi, who shouted at him, saying:
* "Are you Shaqi b. Kusayr?"
* "My mother knew my name better! She has called me Sa'id b. Jubayr."
* "What's your opinion of Abi Bakr and 'Umar? Are they in the Garden or in the Fire?"
* "If I enter the Garden and look at its people, I will recognize them, and if I enter the Fire and look at its people, I will recognize them!"
* "What's your opinion of the Caliphs?"
* "I have not been placed in charge of them!"
* "Which one of them is the most lovable with you?"
* "The most pleasing one to his Creator!"
* "Which one of them is the most pleasing to the Creator?"
* "He who knows their secret conversations knows this!"
* "You have refused to tell me the truth!"
* "I do not want to tell you lies!"
The tyrannical governor, al-Hajja`jj, ordered a swordsman to behead Sa'id b. Jubayr, and he did. Sa'id's head fell on the ground and said three times :
"There is no god but Allah."1 In this manner the life of this great scholar came to an end. Sa'id b. Jubayr devoted his life to spreading knowledge and virtue among the people. He was the pioneer of the Muslims, hence they were bereft of him. 'Umar b. Maymu`n said: "When my father heard of Sa'id b. Jubayr's death, he said with sorrow: 'Sa'id b. Jubayr has died, while all those who are on the earth are in need of his knowledge.'
Sa'id b. Jubayr was martyred in the month of Sha'ba`n, in the year 95 A. H. He was then 49 years old.(Ibn al-Athïr, Ta`rikh, vol. 4, p. 13).
Al-Hajja`jj was afraid of murdering Sa'id. He dreamt that he saw him seizing him by the clothes and asking him: "O Enemy of Allah, why did you kill me?" The tyrannical, the criminal (al-Hajja`jj) was filled with remorse for murdering him and said: "Why did I kill Sa'id b. Jubayr?"4 Before him Mu'a`wiya b. Hind was also filled with remorse for killing Hijr b. 'Adi, the great Companion (of the Prophet).
80. Sa'id Ibn al-Ha`rith
al-Medani. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
81. Sa'id Ibn 'Uthma`n
Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
82. Sa'id Ibn Marja`na
Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him,1 so did al-Barqi. Ibn Hayya`n numbered him as one of the reliable traditionalists, and he said: "He was among the meritorious of Medina. He died in 96 A. H."
83. Sa'id Ibn al-Marziba`n
al-Baqqa`l, al-Ku`fi, al-A'war, the retainer of Hudhayfa. Abu` Da`wud said: "He was the best of the people in reciting (the Qur'a`n)." Al-'Aqili said: "He was trustworthy." Ibn 'Ayyna regarded him as weak, other people criticized him. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
84. Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab
b. Huzn, Abu` Mohammed, al-Makhzu`mi. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of those who narrated on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. The biographers said: "He was one of the world's great figures, and the lord of the leading members of the next generation." Ibn 'Umar said: "If Allah's Apostle saw Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab, he would be pleased with him." We will mention some of his affairs.
His Scientific Position
He was among the great scholars of his time, and the most knowledgeable of them in the science of the hadith. Makkhu`l said: "I traveled all over the land, yet I have found none more knowledgeable than Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab.
'Ali b. al-Madin said: "I think that there was none among the leading members of the next generation more knowledgeable than him.
He was the best of the people in memorizing the rules and judgments of 'Umar. 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar asked about the importance of his span and his affair.
Concerning him Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, said: "Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab was the most knowledgeable of all the people in narrating traditions and the most eloquent of them in his time.
His Wise sayings
Many wise sayings of Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab have been handed down. We have quoted the following: "Let not the many helpers of the unjust deceive you. Deny them through your hearts, lest your good deeds should come to nothing. When Satan despairs of doing a thing, he does it through women.
People honor themselves through obeying Allah, and they dishonor themselves through disobeying Him, the Exalted. Allah's support is sufficient for him who sees his enemy working through disobeying Allah. He who becomes rich through Allah, people become in need of him. The world is low and inclines to the low. He who employs the world unlawfully is lower than it. The noble, the scholars, and the virtuous have defects, hence none of the people should mention them."
His Magnifying the Ima`m
Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab honored and magnified Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, and he said: "I have never seen anyone more meritorious than 'Ali b. al-Husayn, and whenever I see him, I detest myself.( Al-Ya'qu`bi, Ta`rikh, vol. 3, p. 46).
Differences over his Reliability
The narrators differed over Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab's reliability; a group of them said that he was just and trustworthy, in this they depended on Ima`m Abi 'Abd Allah al-Sa`diq's tradition: "Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab was among the reliable traditionalists of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.
In this they also relied on Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab himself, who magnified Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, praised his outstanding merits, and regarded him as the best of all the Muslims in knowledge, piety, and Allah-fearingness, all these things indicate that he had total knowledge of the Ima`m, that he adopted his Ima`mate.
As for those who dispraised Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab, they depended on that he refused to pray over the corpse of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, after his death, but this narration has no chain of narrators (mursala), as professor al-Khu`'i said. They also said that he was the most knowledgeable of the people in the traditions of Abu` Hurayra and his son-in-law.
This cannot be regarded as a right opinion to degrade the importance of Sa'id Ibn al-Musayyab. Professor al-Khu`'i said: "The right opinion is that (we) must withhold (from issuing a certain decision) concerning the affair of the man, for the chain of authorities for praising and dispraising (him) is not perfect." Al-Majjlisi did well when he confined himself to narrating the differences over the state of the man without preferring (any opinion).
85. Sala`m Ibn al-Mustanir
al-Ju'fi, al-Ku`fi. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, and of Ima`m Abi Ja'far Mohammed al-Ba`qir, peace be on him. He (Sala`m) reported on the authority of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, and Abu` Ja'far al-Ahwal narrated on his (Sa`lam's) authority.
86. Salama Ibn Thubayt
b. Sharit b. Anas, Abu` Fira`s, al-Ashja'i, al-Hamada`ni, al-Ku`fi. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him.