Personalities

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...

69. Zayd Ibn 'Ali b. Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on ...

38. Habib Ibn Abi Tha`bit Abu Hayya`n al-Asadi al-Ku`fi. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. He was the jurist of Ku`fa. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. So did ...

38. Habib Ibn Abi Tha`bit Abu Hayya`n al-Asadi al-...

16. Isma`'il Ibn 'Abd Allah b. Ja'far b. Abi Ta`lib. He belonged to the leading members of the next generation. Shaykh al-Tu`si numbered him as one of the companions of Ima`m 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, and of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him...

16. Isma`'il Ibn 'Abd Allah b. Ja'far b. Abi Ta`li...

His Students and his Companions A large group of scholars and jurists, who spread knowledge throughout the Muslim world, graduated from the Ima`m's school. We will mention their biographies as well as those of the Ima`m's companions. I (the author) t...

His Students and his Companions A large group of s...

The Muslims have agreed that Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, was great and meritorious, and that he was a unique being in this world. None matched him in outstanding qualities, knowledge, and piety. So the Muslims sought blessing through kiss...

The Muslims have agreed that Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin...

In spite of his noble standing among the Quraysh, Abu Talib, an uncle of the Prophet, was quite poor. He had a large family and did not have enough means to support them adequately. His poverty-stricken situation became much worse when a severe droug...

In spite of his noble standing among the Quraysh, ...

The Harsh Circumstances of his TimeMa ‘mun ascended the throne after having defeated and killed his brother Amin. The prevailing atmosphere in the royal court during his reign was that of relative freedom for the Shi’ites and the Mu ‘tazilites, who w...

The Harsh Circumstances of his TimeMa ‘mun ascende...

Abdullah was the son of Abbas, an uncle of the noble Prophet. He was born just three years before the Hijrah. When the Prophet died, Abdullah was thus only thirteen years old. Abdullah was attentive and alert to whatever the Prophet did and said. His...

Abdullah was the son of Abbas, an uncle of the nob...

His Position Near The ScholarsMany biographers have mentioned sterling statements in his favour. We have mentioned some of them and there is no need to repeat them again. And from the various evidences proving his greatness is that the foremost exper...

His Position Near The ScholarsMany biographers hav...

I used to visit the grave of our master ‘Abd al-’Azim al-Hasani occasionally and whenever good fortune permitted me, for he was one of the descendants of the eldest grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (s), al-Hasan bin ‘Ali (‘a). He was a scion of that ...

I used to visit the grave of our master ‘Abd al-’A...

One of the greatest revolutions mankind has ever known in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The people of Iran, led by their spiritual guide and founding father of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, had been fighting against tyranny, foreign do...

One of the greatest revolutions mankind has ever k...

Iqbal gives his account of the possibility of religion in the last lecture in the reconstruction entitled "Is Religion Possible?" For Iqbal, religion is not something that is isolated from philosophy. He advocates an integration of the two, sometimes...

Iqbal gives his account of the possibility of reli...

Muhammad Iqbal is also critical of Ghazzali's characterization of knowledge. He thought that Ghazzali was mistaken in giving up reason and thought and embracing mystic experience as the only exclusive way the totally infinite could be revealed to an ...

Muhammad Iqbal is also critical of Ghazzali's char...

The first major critic of philosophy in the Islamic tradition was Abu Hamid ibn Muhammad al-Ghazzali (1058-1111 CE). Ghazzali felt that no formulation of an epistemology based on human reason could possibly account reasonably for the metaphysical exi...

The first major critic of philosophy in the Islami...

As the Prophet of Islam brought the message of universal brotherhood, it was inevitable that this message of emancipation of the human soul should have attracted the people of all races and creeds; but especially the oppressed groups. It was natural ...

As the Prophet of Islam brought the message of uni...

Sa'id, another slave of 'Ali bin Abi Talib, says that once on a very hot day, 'Ali was very busy writing letters. He wanted to send Sa'id to call some of his officers. He called him once, twice and thrice, and each time Sa'id purposely kept silent an...

Sa'id, another slave of 'Ali bin Abi Talib, says t...

Bilal al-Habashi (the Ethiopian) was the first mu'azzin of the Prophet. His father was called Riyah, and his mother Jumanah; his agnomen was Abu 'Abdillah and Abu 'Umar. He was from those who accepted Islam in the very beginning. He participated in t...

Bilal al-Habashi (the Ethiopian) was the first mu'...

Qambar's name is often mentioned in the traditions. And he has been immortalised by the poetry lines of Imam 'Ali: When I saw an unlawful thing, 1 kindled a fire and called Qambar. Someone asked Qambar who was his master. Qambar described the virtues...

Qambar's name is often mentioned in the traditions...

Miytham al-Tammar (the date-seller), son of Yahya, was a slave purchased by Imam 'Ali. But very few people knew that he was a slave because 'Ali emancipated him and he became one of the closest friends of his ex-master. He is counted as one of his ha...

Miytham al-Tammar (the date-seller), son of Yahya,...

'Ammar bin Yasir was one of the most respected companions of the Prophet and the faithful follower of Imam 'Ali. He was from those who were brutally tortured in the cause of Islam. He did two hijrahs - to Ethiopia30 and Medina; he prayed towards two ...

'Ammar bin Yasir was one of the most respected com...

Zayd bin Harithah bin Sharahil al-Kalbi, an Arab boy, was abducted in his childhood and sold as a slave. This happened before Islam. Hakim bin Hizam bin Khuwaylid purchased him in the market of 'Ukaz, and presented him to his aunt, Khadijah bint Khuw...

Zayd bin Harithah bin Sharahil al-Kalbi, an Arab b...