Hazrat Zainab: The Wise Lady of the Hashim Clan
Hazrat Zainab was one of the most knowledgeable Muslim women. The daughter of the Imam Ali (a.s) was respected a lot for her knowledge.
She obtained her knowledge from
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and when Hazrat Ali (a.s) moved to
Kufa, the women there sought permission through their husbands to allow them to acquire
knowledge from Hazrat Zainab (s.a). She became known as " The
Wise Lady of the Hashim Clan" (Aqeelat-al-Bani Hashim).
This taught the Muslim world that Islam allows women to get education unlike the culture prevalent in those days which practiced the oppression of women and prevented them from getting any education. The life of Hazrat Zainab (s.a) teaches the Muslims some very important lessons. Since times immemorial till present as is seen in many cultures, women are oppressed and normally parents do not wish to waste money on their education because they feel it is not important. However when examples are taken from the history of Islamic personalities, it becomes clear that women had full rights to obtain education and even impart that education i.e. become teachers.
Fourteen hundred years ago when people would bury female babies, oppress women and consider them not to be wise, Hazrat Zainab (s.a) was one of the Muslim women who proved that women were as intelligent and capable as any man.
Her intelligence was without any comparison and no male could match up with her knowledge and wisdom. Imam Ali Zayn-ul-Abideen (a.s) gave her the name ‘Alimah Ghair Mualimmah’ which would roughly mean ‘scholar without a teacher’. Her brothers Imam Hasan (a.s and Imam Hussein (a.s) respected her and her knowledge a lot.
She had an active role in society and would teach the women of
Medina about Islam and imparted to them her knowledge of the
Quran and Islam.
Her ability to teach with clarity became well known for which she was further given the titles ‘Baligah’ and ‘Fasihah’ meaning ‘intensely eloquent’ and ‘skillfully fluent’. Her life was devoted to the Muslim community and she did not show any attachment to the material gains even though her husband was a wealthy man. She led a modest life without the luxuries and only the necessities.
Knowledge, wisdom and eloquence were only some of the characteristics present in Hazrat Zainab (s.a). She was also a very brave woman and her bravery served to be an example for the Muslim world.
Just like her father she was not scared of death and had the will to fight oppression which is one of the basic teachings of Islam where a
Muslim is directed to fight and eradicate any form of oppression.
source:www.thetruecall.com
Other links:
The Birth of Sayyeda Hazrat Zainab (s.a.)
Sayyeda Hazrat Zainab’s Marriage
The Role of Women in Karbala
Hazrat Zainab
