Beware of rumours at times of crisis

There are some writers, especially on the Internet, who spread news
without verifying it, which is confusing theMuslims and making them
despair, such as the claim that one of theMuslim cities has fallen, or
that one of their leaders has been killed, and other reports which
lead to despair and weakening of morale… All of that is without any
proof or certainty that the news is true… Some of them even write at
the end of their articles, "This is what I have heard but I am not
sure whether the report is true"!
What is your advice to these people?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Undoubtedly at times of tribulation there is a lot of propaganda and
excitement, hence the role of rumours.
It is well known that verifying news is required according to
sharee'ah, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! If a Faasiq (liar — evil person) comes to you with
any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and
afterwards you become regretful for what you have done"
[al-Hujuraat 49:6]
The Lawgiver issued a stern warning against passing on all that one
hears. It was narrated that Hafs ibn 'Aasim said:The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "It is enough
lying for a man to speak of everything that he hears." Narrated by
Muslim in al-Muqaddimah, 6; Saheeh al-Jaami, 4482.
It was narrated from AbuHurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "It is enough sin for a man to speak of
everything that he hears." Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2025.
Al-Nawawi said: Usually a person hears truth andlies, so if he speaks
of everything that he hears, he is lying by telling of things that did
not happen, and lying byspeaking of something other than the way it
happened; and he does not have to do that deliberately (in order to be
regarded as telling lies).
It was narrated that al-Mugheerah ibn Shu'bah said: The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has forbidden you
to disobey your mothers, tobury your daughters alive, to not pay the
rights of others and to beg from others. And He dislikes gossip for
you, asking too many questions, and wasting money." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 2231.
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said:
With regard to the words 'and He dislikes gossip [qeela wa qaala –
lit. it was said and he said] for you' al-Muhibb al-Tabari said, there
are three points of view as to the meaning of this hadeeth:
1 – That it indicates that it is makrooh (disliked) to speak too much,
because it leads to mistakes.
2 – That it refers to wanting to pass on whatpeople say and looking
for that in order to tell others of it, so that one can say, "So and
so said such and such, and Such and such was said…" Theprohibition on
this is either a rebuke for doing too much of it or it refers to a
particular type of talk, which the person spoken of dislikes to have
mentioned.
3 – That it refers to narrating differences of opinion concerning
religious matters, such as saying, "This one said such and such and
that one said such and such." The reason why this is disliked is that
speaking of such matters may leadto mistakes. This applies especially
to those who transmit such views without verifying them, merely
imitating those whom they hear withoutexercising any caution. I say:
this is supported by the saheeh hadeeth, "It is enough sin for a man
to speak of everything that he hears." (narratedby Muslim).
It was narrated that Abu Qalaabah said: Abu Mas'ood said to Abu
'Abd-Allaah, or Abu 'Abd-Allaah said to Abu Mas'ood: What did you hear
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
say about saying "they say…"?
He said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) say: "How bad it is for a man to keep saying,
'They say…'. " al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 866.
Al-'Azeemabaadi said: This means, it is a bad way to reach one's
objective, by saying, 'they say…'. Saying 'they say…' is akin to
conjecture, i.e., the worst habit of a man is to use the phrase 'they
say' to serve his purposes, so he tells of something, merely repeating
what others have said without verifying it, and thus he transmits lies
… this was the view of al-Manaawi.
Hence our righteous forebears were keen to establish proof and
werewary of rumours.
'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Beware of fitnah, for a
word at the time of fitnah could be as devastating as the sword."
History shows us the danger of rumours when they spread among the
ummah. There follow some examples of that:
1 – When the Sahaabah migrated from Makkah to Ethiopia, they were
safe, but then a rumour spread that the kuffaar of Quraysh in Makkah
had become Muslims, so some of the Sahaabah left Ethiopia and
travelled until they reached Makkah, where they found that the report
was not true, and they met with persecution at the handsof Quraysh.
All of that happened because of rumours.
2 – During the Battle of Uhud, when Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr was killed,
there was a rumour that it wasthe Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) who had been killed, so the army of
Islam withdrew because of a rumour, and some of them fled to Madeenah
and some stopped fighting.
3 – There was the rumour of the slander incident (al-ifk), when the
pure and innocent 'Aa'ishah was accused of immoral conduct, which led
to the distress felt by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) and the Muslims with him. Allof that was
because of rumours.
So what is the proper shar'i method of dealingwith news?
There are ways of dealing with news which we will look at in brief:
1 – Deliberation
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Deliberation is from Allaah and haste is from the Shaytaan."
Al-Silsilahal-Saheehah, 1795.
The one who deliberatesmay meet some of his needs whilst the one who
is hasty may slip.
2 – Verifying news
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! If a Faasiq (liar — evil person) comes to you with
any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and
afterwards you become regretful for what you have done"
[al-Hujuraat 49:6]
The reason why this verse was revealed:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent al-Waleed
ibn 'Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'eet to Banu al-Mustaliq, to collect thezakaah
from them. When news of that reached them they rejoiced, and they came
out to meet the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). When al-Waleed heard that they had come out to meet him, he
went back to the Messenger ofAllaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, Banu al-Mustaliq have
withheld the zakaah."
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
became very angry at that, and whilst he was thinking of launching a
campaign against them, the delegation came to him and said, "O
Messenger of Allaah, we were told that your envoy returned after
coming only half way, and we were afraid that he came back because he
received a message from you saying that youwere angry with us. We seek
refuge with Allaah from the anger of Allaah and the anger of His
Messenger."
Then Allaah excused them in His Book and revealed the words
(interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! If a Faasiq (liar — evil person) comes to you with
any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and
afterwards you become regretful for what you have done"
[al-Hujuraat 49:6]
See: al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 3085.
What is meant by verifying is making the effort to find out the truth
of the matter, so asto establish whether thiscan be proven or not.
Verifying means making certain of the truth of the report and its circumstances.
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "The believer reserves judgement until the
matter is proven."
Finally: we advise everyone to verify matters and not to rush to pass
on news until they are sure that it is true, even if the news is good
news, because if it becomes apparent that the one who passed it on is
mistaken, he will lose credibility before the people… and anyonewho
bears a grudge towards him will use it against him. May Allaah help us
all to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on the view that we should seek to acquire the characteristics of Allaah

One of the khateebs saidin his Friday khutbah that we have to strive
to acquire the attributes and characteristics of Allaah. Is there a
correct way of interpreting this sentence, and is there anyone who has
said this before?.
Praise be to Allaah.
This sentence is not appropriate, but there isa correct way of
interpreting it, which is that we are encouraged to strive to acquire
the characteristics implied by the attributes and names of Allaah.
That means looking at the attributes which it is befitting for a
created being to acquire the characteristics implied by them, unlike
the attributes which belong only to Allaah, such as His being the
Creator, the Provider, the One God, etc. These are characteristics
which a created being cannot acquire, and it is not permissible for
him to lay claim to them or similar names. Rather what is referred to
is theattributes which Allaah likes for His slaves to acquire the
characteristics implied thereby, such as knowledge, strength, mercy,
forbearance, generosity and forgiveness, etc. So Allaah is All-Knowing
and loves those who are knowledgeable; He is Strong and He loves the
strong believer more than He loves the weak believer; He is Generous
and loves those who are generous; He is Merciful and He loves those
who show mercy; He is Forgiving and loves forgiveness, etc. But when
applied to Allaah, these attributes are more perfect and greater than
when applied to any created being, because there is nothing like unto
Allaah in His attributes and actions, just as there is nothing like
unto Allaah in His Essence. Rather it is sufficient for a person to
have a share in the sense of these attributes,in a manner that suits
him and within the limits set by sharee'ah. Ifhis generosity oversteps
the mark, then he becomes a spendthrift; ifhis mercy oversteps the
mark, then he will not carry out the punishments dictated bysharee'ah;
if his forgiveness transgresses the limits set by sharee'ah, then it
is inappropriate. This was stated by the great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim
in his books 'Uddat al-Saabireen and al-Waabil al-Sayyib, and in other
books such as al-Madaarij and Zaad al-Ma'aad. There follows what he
said in al-'Uddah and al-Waabil:
In al-'Uddah (p. 310) he said: "Because Allaah is indeed the
Appreciative (al-Shukoor), the most beloved of His creation to Him are
those who have the characteristic of gratitude (al-shukr), just as the
most hated of His creation to Him are those who are lacking inthis
characteristic or who have the opposite characteristic. This applies
to His Beautiful names: the most belovedof His creation to Him are
those who have the characteristics implied by His names, and the most
hated of His creation to Him are those who have the opposite
characteristics. Hence He hates those who are ungrateful, those who do
wrong, those who are ignorant, hard-hearted, miserly, cowardly and
ignoble. He is Beautiful and loves beauty; He is All-Knowing and loves
those who have knowledge; He is Merciful and loves those who show
mercy; He does good and loves those who do good; He is the Concealer
and loves those who conceal;He is Powerful and condemns those who
acthelpless, and the strong believer is more belovedto Him than the
weak believer; He is forgiving and loves forgiveness; He is One and He
loves that which is odd-numbered; everything that He loves is
connected to His names and attributes; and everything that He hates is
the opposite of that."
He said in al-Waabil (p. 543 of Majmoo'at al-Hadeeth): "Generosity is
one of the attributes of the Lord, for He gives and does not take, He
feeds and is not fed, He is the most generous of those who are
generous.The most beloved of His creation to Him are those who seek to
acquire the characteristics implied by His attributes. For He is
Generous and loves those among His slaves who are generous; He is
All-Knowing and loves those who have knowledge; He is All-Powerful and
loves those who are courageous; He is Beautiful and loves beauty."
I hope that what we have mentioned will be sufficient and will serve
the intended purpose. I ask Allaah to help us all to understand His
religion and to fulfil our duty towards Him, for Heis All-Hearing,
Ever Near.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah, 6/251.

What are the situations in which a promise may be broken?

We know that breaking promises is one of the attributes of the
hypocrites, but if a Muslim is unable to keephis promise for some
reason that is beyond hiscontrol, is he regarded as doing something
haraam and as having one of the attributes of the hypocrites, or is he
excused?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Undoubtedly keeping promises and keeping one's word are attributes of
the believers, and breaking promises is one of the attributes of the
hypocrites, as was narrated from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "There are four (characteristics),whoever has them is
a hypocrite, and whoever has one of the four has acharacteristic of
hypocrisy unless he givesit up: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes
apromise he breaks it; what he makes a pledge he betrays it; and when
he disputes he resorts to foul language." Narratedby al-Bukhaari,
2327; Muslim, 58.
The believer who makes promises to people and breaks his promise may
have an excuse or he may not. If he has an excuse then there is no sin
on him, but if he does not have an excuse then he is a sinner.
There is no text – as far as we know – that makes any exception
regarding the prohibition of breaking promises, but it may be that
promises are broken in situations where the believer is excused. For
example:
A – Forgetting
Allaah has forgiven us for forgetfulness whereby obligatory actions
are omitted or haraam actions are committed. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
And Allaah has said: "Yes." – Narrated by Muslim, 125, from the
hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. According to another version, He said:"I will
do that." Narratedby Muslim, 126, from the hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas.
Whoever makes a promise to someone then forgets the promiseor forgets
to do it at the time stated, there is no sin on him.
B – Being forced to break one's promise.
Being forced is one of the impediments that make it permissible for
aMuslim to break his promise, such as one who is detained or is
prevented from fulfillinghis promise, or who is threatened with a
painful punishment.
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas that the Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has forgiven my ummah for their
mistakes, what they forget and what they are forced to do."
Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 2045, and this hadeeth has many corroborating
reports; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami',
1836.
C – A promise to do something haraam or not to do something obligatory.
Whoever promises someone that he will do something haraam for him, or
that he will not do something that is obligatory, it is not
permissible for him to fulfil that promise.
This may be supported by the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah – which is also
known as the hadeeth ofBareerah – which is narrated in al-Saheehayn.
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) had promised Bareerah's
former masters [?} that the wala' of Bareerah [the right to inherit
from her when she died – which is the right of the one who sets a
slave free – Translator] would belong to them even though 'Aa'ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her) was the one who was going to set
Bareerah free. But she did not keep this promise because they had gone
against the sharee'ah and they knew that the right of wala' belonged
to the one who set the slave free, so how could 'Aa'ishah set her free
and then the wala' of Bareerah belong to them?
Al-Shaafa'i said:
When news of that reached them, the one who had stipulated a condition
that was contrary to the ruling of Allaah and His Messengerwas a
sinner, and there are hudood punishments and discipline for the
sinner. One of the ways in which the sinners are disciplined is that
their conditions are rendered null and void so as to deter them and
others from doing likewise. This is one of the best forms of
discipline.
Ikhtilaaf al-Hadeeth, p. 165.
D – If something unforeseen happens to the one who made the promise,
such as sickness, the death of a relative or breakdown of his means of
transportation, etc.
There are many excuses, which all come under the heading of the verse
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
And Allaah knows best.

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Personal diary of Parsley - Offender#21765 (Circa 1968)

I'm no sage, but I'm wiseenough to suspect that herbs possess
aphrodisiac properties.
We were only 15, Rosemary and I, when we were overtaken by an urge to
conduct experiments of a biological nature during our school trip to
Scarborough. The urge was urgent (well, obviously) insistent (really,
I insist) and rendered us both temporarily demented.
The theme of the day's outing was geography. At least, it had been
untilwe two bold adventurers discovered the secluded, rather idyllic
herb garden, wherein the birds and bees were displaying a pronounced
fondness for titbits and pollen.
♥ ♥
'What were you thinkingof,' asked the judge.
'Dunno,' said I. I mean, what's thinking got to do with instincts?
'So why did you do it?' the judge persevered.
Rosemary nudged me affectionately in the ribs,only breaking a couple,
and whispered, 'I bet he never when he was a lad!'
'Never what?' I asked. 'Ouch!' I added (they grind together most
painfully when they're fractured).
The judge did sound a mite envious and had a faraway look in his one
remaining eye.
'It seemed like a good idea at the thyme,' I explained.
The judge didn't get it.
But we did (18 months).
(I have the nagging feeling that this should be a song ... ).
( 1 Nowadays re-brandedas The University of Wherewithal)
( 2 The offence? - being young)

The Lay-by of Sissyfoot

Tiz a weird thing, the business of names. The oddest inhabited planet
in this regard thus far discovered on my astral travels is Revertia; a
relatively new rock and far too young to have evolved omnivorous,
psychotic bipeds by the normal processes. It so happened that a
flagship from Planet Ertia in the oldest regionof the galaxy had to
crash land there many moons ago and the survivors had no means of
escape, or even of sending messages.
Why didn't I notify 'the authorities' of their existence, you may ask.
'Have you left them stranded?' you could well add. Well, onethly, 'the
authorities' never take any notice of astral travellers, or of anyone
else with the slightest sign of imagination, and, twothly, after one
gets to know Revertians,it feels a really good idea to leave them
where they are.
They had all sorts of high-tech gear when they arrived, including
spreadsheet software for hyper-financial dealing in n-orthogonal
quasi-dimensions, mega-computers to run the software, and bugger all
data to feed into it, except this: Amongst all the gear that survived
their landing they had no piezo-electric lighters, no
carcinogenic-tube lighters, no high voltage supplies for making sparks
and only one ultra old-fashioned match. To the uninitiated, this a
lump of wood with sulphurous gunk on the end that bursts into flame
when subjected tofriction. Primitive? Yes indeedy, but it works.
One survivor responded to their predicament by panicking and lighting
the match straight away!There's always one maniac of this type in a
large enough group as you may have noticed.
'Quick, keep it alight!' wailed the onlookers. 'We have no other
source of heating or cooking!' and thus the scramble for survival in
their new world began.
The striker of the match, Mr. Rich Marketingexecutive, became the
first full-time employee of the newly colonised planet. Mr. Rich
Marketingexecutive the wood gatherer. He was rapidly followed into
employment by Miss Sue Footpedicurist the herb gardener; Mr. Alton
Riskassessor the shepherd of ox'n; Ms. Paunchy Magistrate the midwife;
Lady Charlotte Stockmarketwhizzkidesse the cook; Mrs. Sharon
Mediaanalyst the butcher of ox'n and Bill Overdue the hovelbuilder...
All was fine and dandy, give or take backache and blisters, until one
bright spark had the idea 'I could own severalhovels and let them. I'd
be able to go on holiday several times a year and wear my pyjamas all
day.If I had any!'
'Imagine the slavery,' complained the others. 'Spending our whole
lives working for One.'
So much for history.
*
On the road connecting the two Revertian settlements there is a large
ox'n-cartpark; their only one. It's the only large, flat,
easily-cleared piece of ground that lies on the road, hasstunning
views, and is surrounded by bushes and grassy hollows suitable for
courtship rituals and biological experiments of a reproductive nature.
Theview over the valley is ofneedle points of neo-conifers and the
fluffy pillows of pseudo-oak trees wherein the parrots, apes and
hummingbirds all hum. The parrots are parroting the hummingbirds and
the apes likewise. It is the sort of spot that bipeds throughout the
known universe, whether they be omnivorous, carnivorous or
vegetablevorous; psychotic, vegotic or mineralotic, cannot resist
visiting with recorded music to further enhance the mood.
One Brightspark spends his days circling the ox'ncartpark
anti-clockwise with a broom. He is tethered to a large post in the
middle of the clearing and he sweeps up the leaves and other evidence
of nature's processes. He wears overalls, a large sun hat and bedroom
slippers in the shape of fluffy bunnies. Having completed his circuit,
One finds it is time to start again. The other Revertians bring One
Brightspark roast ox'n and boiled p'taytoes to keep him fuelled.
This picturesque spot is known as The Lay-by of Sissyfoot .
Bye for now,
Honda P

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The Meaning of Ar-Rajim

Ar-Rajim means, being expelled from all types of righteousness. Allah said,
(And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have
made such lamps Rujuman (as missiles) to drive away the Shayatin
(devils)) (67:5).
Allah also said,
(Verily, We have adorned the nearheaven with the stars (for beauty).
And to guard against every rebellious devil. They cannot listen to the
higher group(angels) for they are pelted from every side. Outcast, and
theirs is aconstant (or painful) torment. Except such as snatch away
something by stealing, and they are pursued by a flaming fire of
piercing brightness) (37:6-10).
Further, Allah said,
(And indeed, We have put the bigstars in the heaven and We beautified
it for the beholders. And We have guarded it (near heaven) from every
Shaytan Rajim(outcast Shaytan). Except him (devil) who steals the
hearing then he is pursued by a clear flaming fire.) (15:16-18).
There are several similar Ayat. It was also said that Rajim means, the
person who throws or bombards things, because the devil throws doubts
and evil thoughts in people's hearts. The first meaning is more
popular and accurate.

The Tafsir of Isti`adhah (seeking Refuge)

Allah said,
(Show forgiveness, enjoin what isgood, and stay away from the foolish
(i.e. don't punish them). And if an evil whisper comes to you from
Shaytan (Satan), then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is Hearing,
Knowing) (7:199-200),
(Repel evil with that which is better. We are Best-Acquainted with
things they utter. And say:"My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the
whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils). And I seek refuge
with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.'') (23:96-98) and,
(Repel (an evil) with one which is better, then verily he with whom
there was enmity between you, (will become) as though he was aclose
friend. But none is granted it except those who are patient ـ and none
is granted it except theowner of the great portion (of happiness in
the Hereafter, i.e. Paradise and of a high moral character) in this
world. And if anevil whisper from Shaytan tries toturn you away (O
Muhammad ) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is
the Hearing, the Knowing.) (41:34-36)These are the only three Ayat
that carry this meaning. Allah commanded that we be lenient human
enemy, so that his soft nature might make him an ally and a supporter.
He also commanded that we seek refuge from the satanic enemy, because
the devil does not relent in his enmity if we treat him with kindness
and leniency. The devil only seeks the destruction of the Son of Adam
due to the vicious enmity and hatred he has always had towards man's
father, Adam.Allah said,
(O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytan deceive you, as he got your
parents ﴿Adam and Hawwa' (Eve)﴾ out of Paradise) (7:27),
(Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy.
He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers
of the blazing Fire) (35:6) and,
(Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and
helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you What an evil is
the exchange for the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc))
(18:50).
The devil assured Adam that he wanted to advise him, but he was lying.
Hence, how would he treat us after he had vowed,
("By Your might, then I will surely, mislead them all. Except Your
chosen servants among them (i.e. faithful, obedient, true believers of
Islamic Monotheism).'') (38:82-83)
Also, Allah said,
(So when you ﴿want to﴾ recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from
Shaytan, the outcast (the cursed one). Verily, he has no power over
those who believeand put their trust only in their Lord (Allah). His
power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those
who join partners with Him.) (16:98-100).

What does Isti`adhah mean

Isti`adhah means, "I seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Satan so
that he is prevented from affecting my religious or worldly affairs,
or hindering me from adhering to what I was commanded, or luring me
into what I was prohibited from.'' Indeed, only Allah is able to
prevent the evil of Satan from touching the son of Adam. This iswhy
Allah allowed us to be lenient and kind with the human devil, so that
his soft nature might cause him to refrain from the evil he is
indulging in. However, Allah required us to seek refuge with Him from
the evil of Satan, because he neither accepts bribes nor does kindness
affect him, for he is pure evil. Thus, only He Who created Satan is
able to stop his evil. This meaning is reiterated in only three Ayat
in the Qur'an. Allah said in Surat Al-A`raf,
(Show forgiveness, enjoin what isgood, and turn away from the foolish
(i.e. don't punish them).) (7:199)
This is about dealing with humanbeings. He then said in the same Surah,
(And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytan, then seek refuge
with Allah. Verily, He is Hearing, Knowing (7: 200).)
Allah also said in Surat Al-Mu'minun,
(Repel evil with that which is better. We are Best-Acquainted with the
things they utter. And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the
whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils). And I seek refuge
with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.'' (23:96-98).)
Further, Allah said in Surat As-Sajdah,
(The good deed and the evil deedcannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with
one which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was
enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is
granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient ـ and
noneis granted it except the owner of the great portion (of happiness
in the Hereafter, i.e. Paradise and of a high moral character) in this
world. And if an evil whisper from Shaytan tries to turn you away
(from doing good), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the
Hearing, the Knowing) (41:34-36).

Why the Devil is called Shaytan ?

In the Arabic language, Shaytan isderived from Shatana, which means
the far thing. Hence, the Shaytan has a different nature than mankind,
and his sinful ways are far away from every type of righteousness. It
was alsosaid that Shaytan is derived from Shata, (literally `burned'),
because it was created from fire. Some scholars said that both
meanings are correct, although they state that the first meaning is
more plausible. Further, Siybawayh (the renowned Arab linguistic)
said, "The Arabs say, `So-and-so has Tashaytan,' when he commits the
act of the devils. If Shaytan was derived from Shata, they would have
said, Tashayyata (rather than Tashaytan).'' Hence, Shaytan is derived
from the word that means, far away. This is why theycall those who are
rebellious (or mischievous) from among the Jinns and mankind a
`Shaytan'. Allah said,
(And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies ـ Shayatin
(devils) among mankind and Jinn,inspiring one another with adorned
speech as a delusion (or by way of deception)) (6:112).
In addition, the Musnad by Imam Ahmad records that Abu Dharr said that
the Messenger of Allah said,
(O Abu Dharr! Seek refuge with Allah from the devils of mankind and
the Jinns.) Abu Dharr said, "I asked him , `Are there human devils' He
said, (Yes.)'' Furthermore, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim that Abu
Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,
(The woman, the donkey and the black dog interrupt the prayer (if they
pass in front of those who do not pray behind a Sutrah, i.e.
abarrier).) Abu Dharr said, "I said, `What is the difference between
the black dog and the red or yellow dog' He said,
(The black dog is a devil.).''
Also, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab once rode
a Berthawn (huge camel) which started to proceed arrogantly. `Umar
kept striking the animal, but the animal kept walking in an arrogant
manner. `Umar dismounted the animal and said, "By Allah! You have
carried me on a Shaytan. I did notcome down from it until after I had
felt something strange in myheart.'' This Hadith has an authentic
chain of narrators.

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Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

In giving advice to his companions, the noble Prophet, peace be on
him, once said:"Learn the Quran from four persons: Abdullah ibn Masud,
Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah, Ubayy ibn Kab and Muadh ibn Jabal."
We have read about three of these companions before. But who was this
fourth companion in whom the Prophet had so much confidence that he
considered him a hujjah or competent authority to teach the Quran and
be a source of reference for it?
Salim was a slave and when he accepted Islam he was adopted as a son
by a Muslim who was formerly a leading nobleman of the Quraysh. When
the practice of adoption (in which the adopted person was called the
son of his adopted father) was banned, Salim simply became a brother,
a companion and a mawla (protected person) of theone who had adopted
him, Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah. Through the blessings of Islam, Salim
rose to a position of high esteem among the Muslims by virtue of his
noble conduct and his piety.
Both Salim and Abu Hudhayfah accepted Islam early. Abu Hudhayfah
himself did so in the face of bitter opposition from his father, the
notorious Utbah ibn Rabi'ah who was particularlyvirulent in his
attacks against the Prophet, peace be upon him,and his companions.
When the verse of the Quran was revealed abolishing adoption, people
like Zayd and Salim had to change their names. Zayd who was known as
Zayd ibn Muhammad had to be called after his own natural father.
Henceforth he was known as Zayd ibn Harithah. Salim however did not
know thename of his father. Indeed he did not know who his father was.
However he remained under the protection of Abu Hudhayfah and so came
to be known as Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah.
In abolishing the practice of adoption, Islam wanted to emphasize the
bonds and responsibilities of natural kinship. However, no
relationship was greater or stronger than the bond of Islam and the
ties of faith which was the basis of brotherhood. The early Muslims
understood this very well. There was nobody dearer to anyone of them
after Allah and His Messenger than their brethren in faith.
We have seen how the Ansar of Madinah welcomed and accepted the
Muhajirin from Makkah and shared with them their homes and their
wealth and their hearts. This same spiritof brotherhood we see in the
relationship between the Quraysh aristocrat, Abu Hudhayfah, and the
despised and lowly slave, Salim. They remained to the very end of
their lives something more than brothers; they died together, one body
beside the other one soul with the other. Such was the unique
greatness of Islam. Ethnic background and social standing had no worth
in the sight of God. Only faith and taqwa mattered as the verses of
the Quran and the sayings of theProphet emphasized over and over
again:
"The most honorable of you in the sight of God, is the most
God-fearing of you," says the Quran.
"No Arab has an advantage over a non-Arab except in taqwa (piety),"
taught the noble Prophet who also said: "The son of a white woman has
no advantage over the son of a black woman except in taqwa."
In the new and just society rounded by Islam, Abu Hudhayfah found
honor for himself in protecting the one who was a slave.
In this new and rightly-guided society rounded by Islam, which
destroyed unjust class divisions and false social distinctions Salim
found himself, through hishonesty, his faith and his willingness to
sacrifice, in the front line of the believers. He was the "imam" of
the Muhajirinfrom Makkah to Madinah, leading them in Salat in the
masjid at Quba which was built by the blessed hands of the Prophet
himself. He became a competent authority in the Bookof God so much so
that the Prophet recommended that the Muslims learn the Quran from
him. Salim was even further blessed and enjoyed a high estimation in
the eyes of the Prophet, peace be on him, who said of him.
"Praise be to God Who has madeamong my Ummah such as you."
Even his fellow Muslim brothers used to call him "Salim min as-Salihin
- Salim one of the righteous". The story of Salim is like the story of
Bilal and that of tens of other slaves and poor persons whom Islam
raised from slavery and degradation and 'made them, in the society of
guidance and justice - imams, leaders and military commanders.
Salim's personality was shaped by Islamic virtues. One of these was
his outspokenness when hefelt it was his duty to speak out especially
when a wrong was committed.
A well-known incident to illustrate this occurred after the liberation
of Makkah. The Prophet sent some of his companions to the villages and
tribes around the city. He specified that they were being sent as
du'at to invite people to Islam and not as fighters. Khalid ibn
al-Walid was one of those sent out. During the mission however, to
settle an old score from the days of Jahiliyyah, he fought with and
killed a man even though the man testified that he was now a Muslim.
Accompanying Khalid on this mission was Salim and others. As soon as
Salim saw what Khalid had done he went up to him and reprimanded him
listing the mistakes he had committed. Khalid, the great leader and
military commander both during the days of Jahiliyyah and now in
Islam, wassilent for once.
Khalid then tried to defend himself with increasing fervor. But Salim
stood his ground and stuck to his view that Khalid hadcommitted a
grave error. Salim did not look upon Khalid then asan abject slave
would look upon a powerful Makkan nobleman. Not at all. Islam had
placed them on an equal footing. It wasjustice and truth that had to
be defended. He did not look upon him as a leader whose mistakes were
to be covered up or justified but rather as an equal partner in
carrying out a responsibility and an obligation. Neither did he come
out in opposition to Khalid out of prejudice or passion but out of
sincere advice and mutual self-criticism which Islam has hallowed.
Such mutual sincerity was repeatedly emphasized by the Prophet himself
when he said:
"Ad-dinu an-Nasihah. Ad-din u an-Nasihah. Ad-din u an-Nasihah."
"Religion is sincere advice. Religion is sincere advice.Religion is
sincere advice."
When the Prophet heard what Khalid had done, he was deeply grieved and
made long and fervent supplication to his Lord."O Lord," he said, "I
am innocentbefore you of what Khalid has done." And he asked: "Did
anyone reprimand him?"
The Prophet's anger subsided somewhat when he was told:
"Yes, Salim reprimanded him and opposed him." Salim lived close to the
Prophet and the believers. He was never slow or reluctant in his
worship nor did he miss any campaign. In particular, the strong
brotherly relationship which existed between him and Abu Hudhayfah
grew with the passing days.
The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, passed away to his
Lord. Abu Bakr assumed responsibility for the affairs of Muslims and
immediately had to face the conspiracies of the apostates which
resulted in the terrible battle of Yamamah. Among the Muslim forces
which made their way to the central heartlands of Arabia was Salim and
his"brother", Abu Hudhayfah.
At the beginning of the battle, the Muslim forces suffered
majorreverses. The Muslims fought as individuals and so the strength
that comes from solidarity was initially absent. But Khalid ibn
al-Walid regrouped the Muslim forces anew and managed to achieve an
amazing coordination.
Abu Hudhayfah and Salim embraced each other and made a vow to seek
martyrdom in the path of the religion of Truth and thus attain
felicity in the hereafter. Yamamah was their tryst with destiny. To
spur on the Muslims Abu Hudhayfah shouted: "Yaa ahl al-Quran - O
people of the Quran! Adorn the Quran with your deeds," as his sword
flashed through the armyof Musaylamah the imposter likea whirlwind.
Salim in his turn shouted:
"What a wretched bearer of the Quran am I, if the Muslims are attacked
from my direction. Far be it from you, O Salim! Instead, be you a
worthy bearer of the
With renewed courage he plunged into the battle. When the
standard-bearer of the Muhajirin, Zayd ibn al-Khattab, fell. Salim
bore aloft the flag andcontinued fighting. His right hand was then
severed and he held the standard aloft with his left hand while
reciting aloud the verse of the glorious Quran:
"How many a Prophet fought in God's way and with him (fought)large
bands of godly men! But they never lost heart if they met with
disaster in God's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And
God loves those whoare firm and steadfast." What aninspiring verse for
such an occasion! And what a fitting epitaph for someone who had
dedicated his life for the sake of Islam!
A wave of apostates then overwhelmed Salim and he fell. Some life
remained with him until the battle came to an end with the death of
Musaylamah. When the Muslims went about searching for their victims
and their martyrs, they found Salim in the last throes of death. As
hislife-blood ebbed away he asked them: "What has happened to Abu
Hudhayfah?" "He has been martyred," came the reply."Then put me to lie
next to him," said Salim.
"He is close to you, Salim. He wasmartyred in this same place." Salim
smiled a last faint smile and spoke no more. Both men had realized
what they had hoped for. Together they entered Islam. Together they
lived. And together they were martyred.
Salim, that great believer passedaway to his Lord. Of him, the great
Umar ibn al-Khattab spokeas he lay dying: "If Salim were alive, I
would have appointed him my successor."

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HEALTH - Breakthrough in delivering drugs to thebrain

A new way of delivering drugs to the brain has been developed by
scientists at the University of Oxford.
They used the body's own transporters - exosomes - to deliver drugs in
an experiment on mice.
The authors say the study, in Nature Biotechnology , could be vital
for treating diseasessuch as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Muscular
Dystrophy.
The Alzheimer's Society said the study was"exciting" and could leadto
more effective treatments.
Research barrier
One of the medical challenges with diseases of the brain is getting
any treatment to cross the blood-brain barrier.
The barrier exists to protect the brain, preventing bacteria
fromcrossing over from the blood, while letting oxygen through.
However, this has also produced problems for medicine, as drugs can
also be blocked.
In this study the researchers used exosomes to cross that barrier.
Exosomes are like the body's own fleet of incredibly small vans,
transporting materials between cells.
Many potential drugs have not been properly tested because you
couldn't get enough of them into the brain"
Dr Susanne Sorensen
Alzheimer's Society
The team at Oxford harvested exosomes frommouse dentritic cells,
partof the immune system, which naturally produce large numbers of
exosomes.
They then fused the exosomes with targeting proteins from the rabies
virus, which binds to acetylcholine receptors inbrain cells, so the
exosome would target the brain.
They filled the exosomes with a piece of genetic code, siRNA, and
injected them back into the mice.
The siRNA was delivered to the brain cells and turned off a gene,
BACE1, which is involved in Alzheimer's disease.
The authors reported a 60% reduction in the gene's activity.
"These are dramatic and exciting results" said the lead researcher Dr
Matthew Wood.
"This is the first time this natural system has been exploited for
drug delivery."
Customised
The research group believes that the method could modified to treat
other conditions and other parts of the body.
Dr Wood said: "We are working on sending exosomes to muscle, but you
can envisage targeting any tissue.
"It can also be made specific by changing the drug used."
The researchers are now going to test the treatment on mice with
Alzheimer's disease to seeif their condition changes.
The team expect to begintrials in human patients within five years.
Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society,
said:"In this exciting study, researchers may have overcome a major
barrierto the delivery of potential new drugs for many neurological
diseases including Alzheimer's.
She said the blood-brain barrier had been an"enormous issue as
manypotential drugs have not been properly tested because you couldn't
get enough of them into the brain."
She added: "If this delivery method proves safe in humans, then we may
see more effective drugs being made available for people with
Alzheimer's in the future."
Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said:
"This isinnovative research, but at such an early stage it's still a
long way from becoming a treatment for patients.
"Designing drugs that cross the blood brain barrier is a key goal of
research that holds the promise of improving theeffectiveness of
Alzheimer's treatments inthe future."
Exosomes may have othermedical applications.
Alexander Seifalian, a professor of nanotechnology and regenerative
medicine atUniversity College London, told the BBC:"Experimental
evidence indicates that exosomes can prime the immune system to
recognize and destroy cancer cells, making them a potential tool as
cancer vaccines."
He also said exosomes"could well form the cornerstone of nanoscaledrug
delivery systems of the future."
He added: "The apparent versatility and established biosafety of
exosomes underscores the potential of these biological membrane
vesicles to be of tremendous potential in the realm of nanotechnology
and regenerative medicine."

HEALTH - Blood test 'finds brain tumours'

Tiny fatty balls ejected bycancer cells into the bloodstream have been
used to detect deadly brain tumours, US researchers report.
The spheres, known as microvesicles, share the unique characteristics
of the cancer cells they come from, but are much easier to get hold
off.
A study, published in Nature Medicine , showeda test could detect
tumours in mice and human patients.
The researchers say the spheres could also be used see if drugs are working.
Cells, including cancerousones, do not exist in isolation. They
package up bits of themselves in small balls of fat which then
circulate around thebody in order to transport goods and communicate
with other cells.
Researchers are interested in the microvesicles as a way of testing
for cancer and it has already been suggested they could be used to
detect prostate cancer in urine .
Magnetic
However, they are very small and can be difficult to detect.
Nanoparticles stick to thesurface of microvesicles from a brain cancer
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital used magnetic
nanoparticles which are designed to latch onto unique proteins in a
microvesicle from a braincancer cell. The magnetic trace of the tagged
microvesicles can then bedetected.
Tests in 24 patients known to have a brain tumour were more than 90%
accurate. Other experiments on animals showed how tumours responded to
treatment.
Prof Ralph Weissleder, from the hospital, said:"These microvesicles
were found to be remarkably reliable biomarkers.
"They are very stable andabundant and appear to be extremely sensitive
to treatment effects.
"In both animals and human patients, we wereable to monitor how the
number of cancer-relatedmicrovesicles in the bloodstream changed with
treatment.
Being able to detect and monitor cancer using blood samples is a
hugelyexciting prospect "
Josephine Querido
Cancer Research UK
"Even before an appreciable change in tumour size could be seen with
imaging, we saw fewer microvesicles. It's like they are a harbinger of
treatment response."
The team believe similar techniques could be usedfor different cancers
and other diseases.
Josephine Querido, science information manager at Cancer Research UK,
said: "This small study shows the potential of using tiny cancer
particles to detect whether patients are responding to treatmentsfor a
common form of brain cancer, but much more work is needed before this
can be used in hospitals.
"Being able to detect andmonitor cancer using blood samples is a
hugelyexciting prospect and many labs around the world, including our
own, are racing to try to bring this to the clinic."

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Sayyeda Zainab (sa) and Imamate

In her life Sayyeda Zainab (sa) always saw the evildoers,
oppressors,insurgents and breakers of covenants defy the truth and
Imam Ali (as), the supporter of the truth and justice had to quell
their revolts. Finally,an evil hand gave Imam Ali (as) a stroke from a
poisoned sword on his head in the mosque of Kufa. After Imam Ali (as),
his son Imam Hassan (as) became the Caliph. Imam Hassan (as) was also
greatly oppressed until atlast he signed a peace treaty with the ruler
of that time, Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan and moved toKufa in the company
of Zainab, her husband, andhis own companions. Imam Hassan (as) was
poisoned by his treacherous wife Ja'da bint al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, by
the order of the ruler of that time. After Imam Hassan (as), Imam
Hussein (as) became the Imam, but the ruler of Syria Muawiyah ibn Abu
Sufyan violated the peace treaty and appointed his son Yazid as his
successor and insisted that Imam Hussein (as) should pledge allegiance
to him.Imam Hussein (as) refused to pledge allegiance and made up his
mind to move to Makkah.
Sayyeda Zainab (sa) said farewell to her husband, Abdullah Ibn Ja'far
Tayyarand went with her brother accompanied by her sons Muhammad and
Aun. They reached Makkah in 61 Hijrah year.
Imam Hussein (as) was informed that some agents of the ruler of that
time had come to Makkah to assassinate him while circumambulating the
Holy Ka'bah. Imam Hussein (as) deemed it advisable to move to Kufa and
let people knowof his secret mission. They arrived at Karbala on the
2nd Muharram. Sayyeda Zainab (sa) had heard from her grandfather and
father that Karbala would be the place where Imam Hussein (as) would
be martyred.
Sayyeda Zainab (sa) in Karbala
Sayyeda Zainab (sa) is theshining sun in the historyof Islam and of
humanity.Her brother's name and Karbala associate the idea of freedom,
justice, humanity, virtue, fighting against despotism, with the
realization of the sovereignty of Allah (SWT). The history of Karbala
is based on two pillars: the rising of ImamHussein (as) and the rising
of Sayyeda Zainab (sa). She was an outstanding figure in thehistory of
Karbala endowed with divine steadfastness and fortitude. She
sacrificed her two sons and one should not say anything if one devoted
his life forthe cause of Allah (SWT). After the martyrdom of her
brother and her two sons, she said: "O my Lord! Accept our humble
sacrifice to You."
When Zainab reached Kufa, she addressed people with fury words:"Praise
to Allah, and may the blessing of Allah be upon Muhammad and
hisprogeny. O people of Kufa, you are hypocrites and deceitful. You
feign to be sorry for the death of my brother and his companions. May
you always shed tears. I find nothing in you but flattery, evil acts
and thoughts, pride and spiteand ill will. By Allah (SWT)! You deserve
lasting sorrow instead of joy. Shames on you, your hands are imbrued
with the blood of the son of Prophet Muhammad (saw), the one who was
your sole refuge in case of adversity. By your evil act and
disloyalty, you incurred the wrath of Allah (SWT) against you. Woe
betides you! No one will intercede with Allah (SWT) for you." Her
furious words provoked people of Kufa to avenge Imam Hussein's
martyrdom. This frightened Ubaidullah ibn Ziyad and his cruel agents.
She also delivered a furious sermon in the court of the caliph that
made his authority and despotic rule feel undermined. She said: "I
fear no one but Allah (SWT). Make whatever evil plot you can. Blazes
are waiting for you in the hereafter. You'll he accountable to Allah
(SWT) for your atrocities."
The Foundation of Mourning (Majalis-E-Aza) of Imam Hussein (as)
Another unique feature of Sayyeda Zainab's (sa) character was her
establishment of mourning ceremonies . This tradition which has lived
in the memories and hearts of millions of Muslims to this day, has
kept the sacrifices of Imam Hussein (as) alive, and brought dynamism
to every movement that aimed at removing injustices on earth.
After every Majlis, the women would offer theircondolences to Sayyeda
Zainab (sa) and the men to Imam Zainul Abedeen (as). These majales
made quite a stir in the cities, and the sound of crying and beating
of chests and heads affected the minds of the inhabitants, and made
them sadder and wiser to the events of Karbala.
In the end...
As it is said, "the word is mightier than the sword", this should stay
in the minds of all Muslims, particularly the women. They should
realize that they could always make a difference. They can always
reach for the better. Also, they can make their Ummah (Community) look
better.
The Muslim women should read more about the hardships which faced the
great women of Islam understand and practice the patience
thatcharacterized the life of Sayyeda Zainab (sa), and teach their
children the value of these acts.
The men alone cannot win independence and prosperity, neither can the
women. Together, and under the banner of Islam, they can achieve
success.

Sayyeda Zainab (sa), the sage of Bani Hashim

Ibn Abbas quoted Sayyeda Fatima Zahra (sa) as having said that her
daughter Zainab, likeher father, was unparalleled in literary
eloquence and courage. The speech she delivered in the assembly in
presence of Yazid was at the zenith of eloquence and impressiveness.
(Refer Famous Women, Dr. Ahmed Beheshti, and p.51)
After the demise of Prophet Muhammad (saw), there came the period of
distress and hardship in the life of Sayyeda Zainab (sa). She stood by
her mother as far as the question of supreme mandate of her father was
concerned. When her mother delivered the Fadak sermon, she was only 4
years old, but narrated the sermon so lucidly andexpressively that the
people from Bani Hashim remembered it by heart. Later the Shiite
scholars recorded it that is why she is called Zainab the narrator of
traditions.
Sayyeda Zainab's (sa) Marriage
Sayyeda Zainab (sa) grewinto a fine stature young woman. When the time
came for marriage, she was married in a simple ceremony to her first
cousin, Abdullah Ibn Ja'far Tayyar. Her marriage settlement was equal
to that of her mother's. Imam Ali (as) told Abdullah Ibn Ja'far Tayyar
not to prevent Sayyeda Zainab (sa) from going on a journey with Imam
Hussein (as), her brother.
Abdullah Ibn Ja'far Tayyarhad been brought up under the direct care of
Prophet Muhammad (saw). After his death, Imam Ali (as) became his
supporter and guardian until he came of age. He grew up to be a
handsome youth with pleasing manners and was known for his sincere
hospitality to guests and selfless generosity to the poor and needy.
Although Sayyeda Zainab's (sa) husband was a man of means, she lived a
modest life, not a life of luxury. She and herhusband were charitable
to the needy people. The Arab tribes called Abdullah Ibn Ja'far
Tayyar"the sea or the cloud of munificence".
The marriage of Sayyeda Zainab (sa) did not diminish her strong
attachment to her family.Together this young couple had five children,
of whom four were sons, Ali, Aun, Muhammad, and Abbas, and one
daughter,Umm Kulthum.

Heroine of Karbala: Sayyeda Zainab (sa), Zaynab al-Kubra (sa), BibiZainab (sa)

Sayyeda Zainab (sa), the daughter of Imam Ali (as)and Sayyeda Fatima
Zahra (sa), was an exemplary woman of great ability,
intelligence,knowledge, insight, courage and perseverance; she
performed her divine duties to the best of her ability. She was born
to afamily formed by ProphetMuhammad (saw), the most outstanding
figure in history. The Prophet's wife Sayyeda Khadija (sa) a devoted
woman, was her maternal grandmother, and her paternal grandmother was
Fatima daughter of Assad, who mothered and nursed Prophet Muhammad
(saw). The members of the family, intrio hierarchical order, were all
great.
Sayyeda Zainab (sa) was a brilliant star in the mandate sky that
received rays of holiness from the five suns. It was through her holy
origins and pious edification that she manifested so great a fortitude
in Karbala (Iraq).
The life of the daughter of Sayyeda Fatima Zahra (sa) was always laden
with hardships, but she never feared coping withdifficulties, this
enhancedher endurance and elevated her soul.
She had barely attained the tender age of seven when her beloved
mother passed away. Her mother's death had closely followed her
cherished grand father's passing away. Some time later Imam Ali (as)
married Ummul Banin (sa), whose devotion andpiety encouraged Sayyeda
Zainab (sa) in her learning.
Whilst still a young girl she was fully able to care for and be
responsible for the running of her father's household. As much as she
cared for thecomforts and ease of her brothers and sisters, in her own
wants she was frugal and unstintingly generous to the poor, homeless
and parentless. After her marriage her husband is reported as having
said, "Zainab is the best housewife."
From very early on she developed an unbreakable bond of attachment to
her brother Imam Hussein (as). At times when as a baby in her mother's
arms she could not be pacified and made to stop crying, she would
quieter down upon being held by her brother, and there she would sit
quietly gazing at his face. Before she would pray she used to first
cast a glance at the face of her beloved brother, Imam Hussein (as).
One day Sayyeda Fatima Zahra (sa) mentioned theintensity of her
daughter's love for Imam Hussein (as) to Prophet Muhammad (saw). He
breathed a deep sigh andsaid with moistened eyes, "My dear child, this
child of mine Zainab would be confronted with a thousand and one
calamities and face serious hardships in Karbala."

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