History Books

The First Example It is reported from Imam Abu 'Abd Allah Ja' far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq that he said: 'When you enter the Ha'ir, 36 say: 1. O God, this is a position by which you have honoured me and distinguished me. O God, through it give me my des...

The First Example It is reported from Imam Abu 'Ab...

Hundreds of sound Traditions have been reported from the Imams of the Holy Family, in many of which there is the call to make pilgrimages to al-Husayn and that this should be done at all times, as well as on specific days, and from near and from far....

Hundreds of sound Traditions have been reported fr...

From its beginning to its end, the revolution was so appalling as to raise deep grief and distress. From there, it came to enjoy an extraordinary attraction which raised it to a human level in addition to its religious goal. Al-Husayn's revolution re...

From its beginning to its end, the revolution was ...

Perhaps, it may be that one of the things which distinguishes the Imamite Shi'a from many other Muslims is their extraordinary concern to make pilgrimages to saintly men and women in the history of Islam, and their intense eagerness to practise this ...

Perhaps, it may be that one of the things which di...

Al-Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ahmad b. 'Abd al-Halim, better known as Ibn Taymiyya (661-728) held the view that pilgrimage (ziyara) to the tomb of the Prophet was forbidden, let alone pilgrimage to other tombs. He considered that travelling to make a pilgrim...

Al-Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ahmad b. 'Abd al-Halim, bett...

From the time of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the Shi'ite Muslim has endured different kinds of persecution, harassment and terrorization. He has been pursued by the authorities and has seldom felt secure. These authorities have waged war against the reso...

From the time of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the Shi'i...

The Imams of the Holy Family were anxious to keep the revolution and its hideous details alive in the general mind of the nation. That was done by encouraging the composition and recitation of poetry about it, by their holding special gatherings to l...

The Imams of the Holy Family were anxious to keep ...

The efforts of the Umayyads to frustrate the activity of the revolution in the nation are represented by two tendencies: The First Tendency: Among the realities of the history of the revolution of al-Husayn is that Yazid ibn Mu'awiya had the primary ...

The efforts of the Umayyads to frustrate the activ...

Before embarking on the study of the manifestations of the expression of popular consciousness through the influence of al-Husayn's revolution upon it-both with the Muslims, in general, and the Shi'ite Muslims, in particular, I feel I ought to indica...

Before embarking on the study of the manifestation...

The revolution of al-Husayn was an Islamic movement, which one of the great leaders of Islam undertook. When the Muslims differ about the degree of his sanctity-some of them holding the view that he was an infallible Imam, while others holding the vi...

The revolution of al-Husayn was an Islamic movemen...

The Muslims faced the distressing end of the revolution and the consequences which followed (including the cutting off of heads and captivity) with three attitudes. The first attitude was the attitude of the Shi'a of the Holy Family. They received th...

The Muslims faced the distressing end of the revol...

When people learnt of al-Husayn's determination to revolt, they took up three different attitudes towards it. The first attitude was the attitude of the Shi'a of the Holy Family. It was to urge the revolution, to offer it promises of help and support...

When people learnt of al-Husayn's determination to...

We notice that while Ali bin Abi Talib after fulfiling his mission at Yemen was, with great en- thusiasm, making arrangements for his journey to Mecca. The Holy Prophet, on the other hand, was busy in the preparations necessary for performing the obl...

We notice that while Ali bin Abi Talib after fulfi...

The possessor of unique distinction of 'not speaking out of personal desire' gracefully ascen- ded the pulpit, glanced at the anxious crowd and started his speech cast in the mould of revelation:- "All praise is for God, We seek only His help. We hav...

The possessor of unique distinction of 'not speaki...

Not a single event of the sacred life of the Prophet has been spared by the mighty pen of the biographers. But you will have to admit that the minutest details concerning the passage and halting places through which this caravan passed has-been treas...

Not a single event of the sacred life of the Proph...

Reaching the border of Ghadeer the caravan had to halt unexpectedly. Why? Because, archangel Gabriel had come down with the word of God and the Apostle of God was all ears to the voice of hea- ven. God ordained:- "O Apostle! deliver what has been rev...

Reaching the border of Ghadeer the caravan had to ...

If there would have been any wordly empire or the occasion of the accession to the throne of any Imperial Majesty, the ornamented crown and jewel-bedecked diadem would have definitely daz- zled the eyes of imagination. But the occasion rela- ted to a...

If there would have been any wordly empire or the ...

Envy filled the heart of al-Mutawakkil who followed all ways to degrade Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) and belittle his position that was exalted among the public. He wanted to belittle the imam by making him go on foot before him so that people might disregard...

Envy filled the heart of al-Mutawakkil who followe...

Al-Mutawakkil found it inevitable to refer to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) in the questions he faced. He preferred his fatwas to the fatwas of all the jurisprudents of his age. Here are some of the questions that al-Mutawakkil referred to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) ...

Al-Mutawakkil found it inevitable to refer to Imam...

Al-Mutawakkil sent a letter to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) replying to his letter and he deposed his official the villain wali of Yathrib. He invited the imam to come to Surra Man Ra’a to be under house arrest so that he would be under his watch. Here is the...

Al-Mutawakkil sent a letter to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.)...

They arrived in Damascus on the first day of the month of Safar. The prisoners were kept in Bab al-Sa'at and people went to see them, dancing and using the drums. Somebody asked Sukaynah, "What prisoners are you?" She answered, "We are prisoners of t...

They arrived in Damascus on the first day of the m...