Appendix 1 – The report of Mus’ab al Zubairi in Nasab Quraysh which highlights the amicable relationship between the houses of ‘Ali and Zubair
Appendix 1
The report of Mus’ab al Zubairi in Nasab Quraysh which highlights the amicable relationship between the houses of ‘Ali and Zubair
Mus’ab al Zubairi (d. 236 A.H) mentions an important narration which sheds lights upon the amicable and loving relationship that existed between the progeny of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and the progeny of Sayyidina Zubair ibn ‘Awwam:
‘Abdul Malik ibn Marwan got extremely angry one day and wrote to Hisham ibn Ismail ibn Hisham ibn Walid ibn Mughirah, his governor appointed over Madinah whose daughter was the wife of ‘Abdul Malik and the mother of his son Hisham. Hence He wrote, “Make the family of ‘Ali curse ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and make the family of ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair curse ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair.” When his letter reached Hisham the families of ‘Ali and ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair radiya Llahu ‘anhuma refused to comply and wrote their bequests (preparing to be executed).
The sister of Hisham, who was a smart and intelligent woman, came to Hisham and said, “O Hisham, do you see yourself as the one upon whose hands his household will meet ruination? Revisit the matter with Amir al Mu’minin!”
He replied, “I will not do that!”
She then said, “If there is no option, then rather order the family of ‘Ali to curse the family of Zubair, and the family of Zubair to curse the family of ‘Ali.”
He responded, “This I can do!”
The people were thus pleased and now the matter became lighter for them.
Hence, the first person to be made to stand next to the marble was Hassan ibn Hassan ibn ‘Ali, whose skin was very delicate, and who on that day was wearing a thin cotton shirt.
Hisham said to him, “Speak! Curse the family of Zubair!”
Hassan (al Muthanna) replied, “They have familial ties with us, I will keep them moist and I will foster them. O people, why is it that I call you to salvation and you call me to the Fire?”
Hisham thus ordered his guard to lash him on top of his garment. The strike penetrated it and slit his skin and caused his blood to flow beneath his feet and on the marble.
Subsequently, Abu Hashim ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali arose and said, “No, I rather than him, will satisfy your demand, O governor, of cursing the family of Zubair.”
‘Ali ibn Hussain did not attend, he was sick or pretended to be sick.
‘Amir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair did not attend too. Hisham thought of summoning him but was probed, “He will not do as you bid, will you still then execute him?” Hisham thus refrained from summoning him. Nonetheless, there were many people from the family of Zubair whose presence sufficed on his behalf.
‘Amir used to say, “No person has the ability to denigrate he whom Allah has elevated. Look at what the Banu Umayyah are doing with the people, they seek to denigrate ‘Ali and incite them to curse him; but Allah only wishes to elevate him through that.”
In addition, Thabit ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair—who was the maternal cousin of Hassan al Muthanna, his mother being Tumadir bint Manzur the full sister of Khawlah bint Manzur [mother of Hassan al Muthanna]—was away. When he arrived he came to Hisham and said, “I was away and did not attend the gathering; so gather the people and I will take my share too.”
Hisham said to him, “What do you intend to do? For those who were present wished that they did not attend.”
Thabit replied, “You will do as I say or I will write to Amir al Mu’minin and inform him that I presented myself before you but you did not comply.”
Hence, Hisham gathered the people. Thereafter Thabit stood before them and said, “Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.”
He then said, “O people, they used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.”
He continued, “Behold, may Allah curse the one whom he cursed. May Allah curse the loud mouthed whom Shaitan has slapped, who desires what is not for him; he is much more insignificant than that. Behold, may Allah curse the squint eyed whose teeth are crooked and who jumps at the time of Fitnah like a tied donkey: Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah who accuses Amir al Mu’minin of grave matters. Behold, may Allah curse ‘Ubaidullah al A’war ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Samurah, the worst of the sinners by name, and the most unfortunate in profit, and the one with the shortest posterity. May Allah curse him and the lady under him!” (referring to the mother of Hisham ibn Ismail, who was Amat Allah bint ‘Abdul Muttalib ibn Abi al Bakhtari ibn Hisham ibn al Harith ibn Asad ibn ‘Abdul ‘Uzza. ‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Abdul Rahman was her guardian after Ismail ibn Hisham, and ‘Ubaidullah was well loved by the women).
When Thabit reached this portion of his speech, Hisham ordered that he be imprisoned, saying, “I don’t think you cursing anyone other than the family of Amir al Mu’minin.”
Consequently, Thabit remained in prison until news about him reached ‘Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, who wrote, “Release him, for he has not cursed but the opposition.”
Fudayl ibn Marzuq would say, “I heard Hassan ibn Hassan saying to a person who was exaggerating about the Ahlul Bayt, ‘Woe to you! Love us for the sake of Allah if we obey Allah. If we disobey Allah then hate us! Had Allah made familial links a means of benefit without obedience then the most eligible for that would have been his father and mother. Say about us only the truth, as that is more beneficial than what you seek, and it is the truth that we are pleased with from you.”
When Hassan al Muthanna passed away he left a bequest for his uterine brother, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi.[1]
NEXT⇒ Appendix 2 – Priceless gems derived from the science of genealogy
[1] Both the one making the bequest and the one for whom it was made are the cream of nobility. The one to whom the bequest was made is Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi to look after his children. He was of the leaders of the Quraysh and was called The Lion of Hijaz and The Lion of the Quraysh. He is the uterine brother of Hassan al Muthanna, their mother being Khawlah bint Manzur ibn Zaban. After Hassan al Muthanna made this bequest, he took care of them in his own home until [they came of age and] he handed their inheritance to them, sealed and untouched. He said, “What I spent on them was from my own wealth, maintaining the familial relation with them.” He would spend liberally upon them, mounting them on the finest steeds and dressing them in the most exquisite cotton garments. Al Tabyin Fi Ansab al Qurayshiyyin, pg. 324-325.
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Appendix 1
The report of Mus’ab al Zubairi in Nasab Quraysh which highlights the amicable relationship between the houses of ‘Ali and Zubair
Mus’ab al Zubairi (d. 236 A.H) mentions an important narration which sheds lights upon the amicable and loving relationship that existed between the progeny of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and the progeny of Sayyidina Zubair ibn ‘Awwam:
‘Abdul Malik ibn Marwan got extremely angry one day and wrote to Hisham ibn Ismail ibn Hisham ibn Walid ibn Mughirah, his governor appointed over Madinah whose daughter was the wife of ‘Abdul Malik and the mother of his son Hisham. Hence He wrote, “Make the family of ‘Ali curse ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and make the family of ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair curse ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair.” When his letter reached Hisham the families of ‘Ali and ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair radiya Llahu ‘anhuma refused to comply and wrote their bequests (preparing to be executed).
The sister of Hisham, who was a smart and intelligent woman, came to Hisham and said, “O Hisham, do you see yourself as the one upon whose hands his household will meet ruination? Revisit the matter with Amir al Mu’minin!”
He replied, “I will not do that!”
She then said, “If there is no option, then rather order the family of ‘Ali to curse the family of Zubair, and the family of Zubair to curse the family of ‘Ali.”
He responded, “This I can do!”
The people were thus pleased and now the matter became lighter for them.
Hence, the first person to be made to stand next to the marble was Hassan ibn Hassan ibn ‘Ali, whose skin was very delicate, and who on that day was wearing a thin cotton shirt.
Hisham said to him, “Speak! Curse the family of Zubair!”
Hassan (al Muthanna) replied, “They have familial ties with us, I will keep them moist and I will foster them. O people, why is it that I call you to salvation and you call me to the Fire?”
Hisham thus ordered his guard to lash him on top of his garment. The strike penetrated it and slit his skin and caused his blood to flow beneath his feet and on the marble.
Subsequently, Abu Hashim ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali arose and said, “No, I rather than him, will satisfy your demand, O governor, of cursing the family of Zubair.”
‘Ali ibn Hussain did not attend, he was sick or pretended to be sick.
‘Amir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair did not attend too. Hisham thought of summoning him but was probed, “He will not do as you bid, will you still then execute him?” Hisham thus refrained from summoning him. Nonetheless, there were many people from the family of Zubair whose presence sufficed on his behalf.
‘Amir used to say, “No person has the ability to denigrate he whom Allah has elevated. Look at what the Banu Umayyah are doing with the people, they seek to denigrate ‘Ali and incite them to curse him; but Allah only wishes to elevate him through that.”
In addition, Thabit ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zubair—who was the maternal cousin of Hassan al Muthanna, his mother being Tumadir bint Manzur the full sister of Khawlah bint Manzur [mother of Hassan al Muthanna]—was away. When he arrived he came to Hisham and said, “I was away and did not attend the gathering; so gather the people and I will take my share too.”
Hisham said to him, “What do you intend to do? For those who were present wished that they did not attend.”
Thabit replied, “You will do as I say or I will write to Amir al Mu’minin and inform him that I presented myself before you but you did not comply.”
Hence, Hisham gathered the people. Thereafter Thabit stood before them and said, “Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.”
He then said, “O people, they used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.”
He continued, “Behold, may Allah curse the one whom he cursed. May Allah curse the loud mouthed whom Shaitan has slapped, who desires what is not for him; he is much more insignificant than that. Behold, may Allah curse the squint eyed whose teeth are crooked and who jumps at the time of Fitnah like a tied donkey: Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah who accuses Amir al Mu’minin of grave matters. Behold, may Allah curse ‘Ubaidullah al A’war ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Samurah, the worst of the sinners by name, and the most unfortunate in profit, and the one with the shortest posterity. May Allah curse him and the lady under him!” (referring to the mother of Hisham ibn Ismail, who was Amat Allah bint ‘Abdul Muttalib ibn Abi al Bakhtari ibn Hisham ibn al Harith ibn Asad ibn ‘Abdul ‘Uzza. ‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Abdul Rahman was her guardian after Ismail ibn Hisham, and ‘Ubaidullah was well loved by the women).
When Thabit reached this portion of his speech, Hisham ordered that he be imprisoned, saying, “I don’t think you cursing anyone other than the family of Amir al Mu’minin.”
Consequently, Thabit remained in prison until news about him reached ‘Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, who wrote, “Release him, for he has not cursed but the opposition.”
Fudayl ibn Marzuq would say, “I heard Hassan ibn Hassan saying to a person who was exaggerating about the Ahlul Bayt, ‘Woe to you! Love us for the sake of Allah if we obey Allah. If we disobey Allah then hate us! Had Allah made familial links a means of benefit without obedience then the most eligible for that would have been his father and mother. Say about us only the truth, as that is more beneficial than what you seek, and it is the truth that we are pleased with from you.”
When Hassan al Muthanna passed away he left a bequest for his uterine brother, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi.[1]
NEXT⇒ Appendix 2 – Priceless gems derived from the science of genealogy
[1] Both the one making the bequest and the one for whom it was made are the cream of nobility. The one to whom the bequest was made is Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi to look after his children. He was of the leaders of the Quraysh and was called The Lion of Hijaz and The Lion of the Quraysh. He is the uterine brother of Hassan al Muthanna, their mother being Khawlah bint Manzur ibn Zaban. After Hassan al Muthanna made this bequest, he took care of them in his own home until [they came of age and] he handed their inheritance to them, sealed and untouched. He said, “What I spent on them was from my own wealth, maintaining the familial relation with them.” He would spend liberally upon them, mounting them on the finest steeds and dressing them in the most exquisite cotton garments. Al Tabyin Fi Ansab al Qurayshiyyin, pg. 324-325.