(This chapter will give) an account of the Imam after Ali b. al-
Husayn, peace be on them, the date of his birth, the evidence for his
Imamate, the age he reached, the period of his succession, the time
and cause of his death, the place of his grave, and a summary of the 
reports about him.

Al-Baqir Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was
out of (all) his brothers the successor of his father, Ali b. al-Husayn,
his testamentary trustee (wasi), and the one who undertook (qaim)
the office of Imam after him. He surpassed all of them through his
outstanding merit (fadl) in traditional knowledge (ilm), asceticism
and leadership. He was the most renowned of them, the one among
them who was most esteemed by both non-Shia (amma) and
Shia (khassa), and the most able of them. None of the sons of al-
Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them, showed the same ability in
knowledge of religion, traditions, the sunna, the knowledge of the
Qur'an and the life of the Prophet (sira), and the techniques of
literature, as Abu- Jafar (Muhammad al-Baqir) showed. The
surviving Companions (of the Prophet), the leading members of the
next generation (tabieun) and the leaders of the Muslim jurists
reported the principal features (ma'alim) of religion on his authority.
By virtue of his outstanding merit he became a signpost (of
knowledge) to his family. Proverbs were coined about him and
reports and verses were written to describe him.

Concerning him al-Qurazi says:

        O (you) who split open (baqir) knowledge (making it available)
        to the people of piety and the best of those who seek to answer
        the call of the Exalted.

Malik b. Ayan al-Juhni said in praise of him, peace be on him:

        When the people seek for knowledge of the Qur'an, Quraysh
        rely upon him.

        If someone asked where is the son of the daughter of the
        Prophet, you would gain through him the wide branches (of
        knowledge).

        (You are like) stars which shine for night-travellers, (you 
        are) like mountains which have inherited vast knowledge.

He, peace be on him, was born in Medina, in 57 A.H. (676        7). He
died in 114 A.H. (732) at the age of fifty-seven. He was a (leading)
member of the Hashimite family within the Hashimites. He was a
(leading) descendant of Ali among the descendants of Ali. He was
buried in (the cemetery of) al-Baqi'i in (Medina) the city of the
Apostle, may God bless him and his family.

[Maymun al-Qaddah reported on the authority of Jafar b.
 Muhammad, on the authority of his father, peace be on 
 them:]

        I (i.e. al-Baqir) visited Jafar b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari, may God be
        pleased with him. I greeted him and he returned my greeting. Then he
        said to me: "Who are you?" That was after he had lost his sight.
        
        Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, I answered.
        
        My young child, come close to me, he said. I went closer and he
        kissed my hand. Then he stooped down to my foot and kissed that. I
        turned away from him.
        
        Then he said to me: "The Apostle of God, may God bless him and
        his family, recites his greeting to you."

        Peace and God's mercy and blessings be on the Apostle of God,"
        I said. "How is that, Jabir?"
        
        He told me: "One day I was with him when he said to me: "Jabir,
        perhaps you will live until you meet one of my descendants called
        Muhammad b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, on whom God
        will bestow light and wisdom. Then recite to him my greetings."

In the testamentary bequest (wasiyya) which the Commander of
the faithful, peace be on him, made to his children, mention was made
of Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn and of his trusteeship. The
Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, named him and
caused him to be known as the one who split open (religious)
knowledge (ulum) as the narrators of tradition (ashab al-athar)
report.

Thus it is reported on the authority of Jabir b. Abd Allah in a
direct (mujarrad) tradition: The Apostle of God, may God bless him
and his family, said to me: 

        It will happen that you will live until you meet one of my 
        children descended from al-Husayn, peace be on him, called 
        Muhammad, who will split wide open knowledge of religion. 
        When you meet him, recite my greeting to him.

The Shia give an account of the tablet which Gabriel, peace be on
him, brought down to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his
family, from heaven. (The Apostle) gave it to Fatima, peace be on
her. In it are the names of the Imams after (the Apostle) and in it is
Muhammad b. Ali, the Imam after his father.

The Shia also report that God, the Mighty and High, sent down to
His Prophet, the blessings and peace of God be on him, a document
sealed with twelve seals. He ordered him to give it to the Commander
of the faithful, peace be on him, and to tell him to break the first seal,
and he should act according to what is in (that part of the document).
At the time of his death, he should pass it to his son, al-Hasan, peace
be on him, and tell him to break the second seal and act according to
what is in (that part of) the document. At the time of his death he
should pass it to his brother al-Husayn, peace be on him. He should
tell him to break the third seal and act according to what is below it.
Then at his death, he should pass it to his son, Ali b. al-Husayn al-
Akbar (the elder) and he should instruct him in a similar way. Then
Muhammad should pass it to his son right down to the last of the
Imams.

They report also numerous designations (nusus) of him for the
Imamate after his father on the authority of the Prophet, may God
bless him and his family, on the authority of the Commander of the
faithful and on the authority of al-Hasan, al-Husayn and Ali b. al-
Husayn, peace be on them.

The people report (accounts) of his outstanding virtues and
accomplishments which would be too numerous to include. We will
mention what will be sufficient in meaning for our purposes, if God
wills.

[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad informed
 me: My grandfather (Yahya b. al-Hasan) told me: Muhammad b. al-
 Qasim al-Shaybam told us: Abd al-Rahman b. Salih al-Azdi told us
 on the authority of Abu Malik al-Juhni on the authority of Abd Allah
 b. Ata' al-Makki who said:]

        I have never seen the scholars with anyone so much younger than
        them as I saw them with Abu Jafar Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn,
        peace be on them. I have seen al-Hakam b. Utayba, despite his
        eminence among the people, conduct himself before him as if he 
        was a young boy conducting himself before his teacher.

                                  * * * * * 

Whenver Jabir b. Yazid al-Jufi reported anything on his
authority, peace be on him, he used to say: 

        The trustee of the trustees (of the Apostle) and the heir 
        of the knowledge of the prophets, Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, 
        peace be on them, told me.

[Makhul b. Ibrahim reported on the authority of Qays b.
 al-Rabi, who said: I asked Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i about rubbing the two
 shoes (in the ritual ablution), he said:]

        I used to tell people to rub the two shoes (in the ritual 
        ablution instead of rubbing the feet) until I met a man from 
        the Banu Hashim, whose like I have never seen-Muhammad b. Ali 
        b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. I asked about the rubbing and 
        he forbade me to do it. He said: "The Commander of the faithful, 
        peace be on him, never used to rub (the shoes). He used to 
        say: 'The Book (which does not mention the practice) comes 
        before (the introduction of the practice of) rubbing the 
        shoes.' 

[Abu Ishaq added: I have never rubbed them since he forbade me
 to do it. And Qays b. al-Rabi'i said: I have never rubbed them since I
 heard Abu Ishaq.]

[Al -Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad informed
 me: My grandfather (Yahya b. al-Hasan) told me on the authority of
 Yaqub b. Yazid, who said: Muhammad b. Abi 'Umayr told us on the
 authority of Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajja;, on the authority of Abu
 'Abd Allah (Ja'far al-Sadiq), peace be on him, who said:]

        Muhammad b. Munkadir used to say: "I did not use to think that
        the like of 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, could leave a
        successor because of the outstanding merit of 'Ali b. al-Husayn,
        peace be on them, until I saw his son, Muhammad b. Ali. I wanted to
        advise him but he advised me."
        
        My companions asked me: "What did he warn you of?" I told
        them: I went out to one of the suburbs of Medina at a time when it 
	was hot. There I met Muhammad b. Ali, peace be on him. He was a well
        built man and he was leaning on two servant boys. Either they were
        black slaves of his or they were retainers of his. I said to myself: 
	Here is a venerable leader (shaykh) of Quraysh out at this time and 
	in these circumstances seeking worldy (advantage). I must warn him. 
	So I approached him and greeted him. He returned my greeting with
        anger. The sweat was pouring down him.
        
        I said: "May God remove you, a venerable leader of Quraysh, out
        at this time in these circumstances seeking worldly (advantage). If
        death came upon you while you were in this condition (what would
        you do)?"
        
        He made the two servant-boys let go of his hand and held himself
        up. Then he said: "By God, if death came upon me while I was in this
        condition, it would come upon me while I am (fulfilling) an act of
        obedience to God, by which I make myself withdraw from you and
        from the (rest of the) people. I would only fear death if it came upon
        me while I was performing an act of disobedience against God."

        Then I replied: "May God have mercy on you, I wanted to warn
        you and you have warned me."

[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad informed
me: My grandfather (Yahya al-Hasan) told me: A shaykh from the
people of al-Rayy, who was very old, told me: Yahya b. 'Abd al-
Hamid al-Himmani told me on the authority of Mu'awiya b. Ammar
al-Duhni, on the authority of Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace
be on them:]

(Muhammad b. Ali was asked) about God's words: Ask the people
of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr) if you do not know [XVI 43]. He said:
"We are the people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr)."

The shaykh from al-Rayy said: I asked Muhammad b. Muqatil
about these (words). He spoke about them according to his opinion
and he said: "The people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr) are all the
religious scholars (ulama')."

I mentioned that to Abu Zura. He was astounded at his words.
Then I put before him what Yahya b. Abd al-Hamld had told me. He
said: "Muhammad b. Ali, peace be on them, speaks the truth. They
are the people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr). By my life, Abu
Jafar, peace be on him, is one of the greatest scholars (ulama')."

                                * * * * * 

Abu Jafar, peace be on him, recounted reports of the beginnings
of history (mubtada') and reports of the prophets. Stories of the
campaigns of the Prophet (maghazi) were written on his authority.
(Men) followed the practices of the Prophet (sunan) on his authority
and relied on him with regard to the rites of the pilgrimage which he
reported on the authority of the Apostle of God, may God bless him
and his family. They (also) wrote a commentary of the Qur'an on his
authority. Both the Shia (khassa) and the non-Shia (amma) report
traditions on his authority. He debated with the exponents of
individual reasoning (ahl al-ara') and the people learnt a great deal of
theology (ilm al-kalam) from him.

                                 * * * * * 

[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad informed
 me: My grandfather (Yahya b. al-Hasan) told me: Al-Zubayr b. Abi
 Bakr told me: Abd al-Rahman b. 'Abd Allah al-Zuhri told me:]

Hisham b. Abd al-Malik made the pilgrimage. He went into the
Sacred Mosque leaning on the arm of Salim, his retainer. Muhammad
b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was sitting in the mosque.

"Commander of the faithful," Salim said to (Hisham), "there is
 Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn"

"The man for whom the people of Iraq are ready to revolt?" he
 asked .

"Yes," replied (Salim).

"Go to him," (Hisham) told him, "and say to him: 

        The Commander of the faithful (i.e. Hisham) asks you: What 
        is it that the people eat and drink until God has finished 
        judging them on the Day of Resurrection?

Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be on him, replied: 

        The people will gather on (earth which will be) like a loaf 
        of pure bread. There, there will be rivers branching out. 
        They will eat and drink until the account (with God) is 
        settled.

Hisham realised that (Abu Jafar Muhammad) had overcome him.
So he said: "God is greater. Go to him and say to him: (Hisham) says
to you: What will keep men away from food and drink on that day?"

"Those in the fire of Hell will be too occupied,"replied Abu Jafar,
 peace be on him, "but they will say to those who have not been
 distracted from it: Bestow upon us water and some of what God has
 provided for you [VII 50]. "

Hisham fell silent and did not reply.

                                * * * * *

Reports have come down that Nafi b. al-Azraq came to
Muhammad b. Ali, peace be on them, and sat before him to ask him
questions about what was permitted and what forbidden. Abu Jafar,
peace be on him, said in the course of his answer: 

        Say to these deviators (from the true course): How did you 
        make separation from the Commander of the faithful (Ali), 
        peace be on him, lawful when you had earlier shed your own 
        blood on his behalf and in obedience to him and (you were 
        then close) to God through helping him? Then they will 
        answer you: He allowed arbitration with regard to the religion 
        of God. Say to them: God, the Exalted, allowed arbitration 
        in the law (sharia) of His Prophet, may God bless him and 
        his family, between two of His creatures. For He said: 

        Send an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator 
        from her family if they want reconciliation (to take 
        place) between them with the agreement of God [IV 35]. 
        
        The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, appointed
        Sad b. Muadh as an arbitrator over the tribe of Qurayza. He 
        judged them according to what God had accomplished. Did you not 
        know that the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, ordered 
        the arbitrators only to judge according to the Qur'an and not 
        to go beyond it? He stipulated the rejection of any of the laws 
        of men which opposed the Qur'an. They said to him: 'You have 
        appointed as arbitrator over yourself, men who will judge you.' 
        He replied: 'I have not appointed a creature as an arbitrator. 
        I have only made the Book of God an arbitrator. Therefore where 
        do the deviators find the wrong-doing in the matter of 
        arbitration by the Qur'an, when he stipulated the rejection of 
        whatever opposed it, unless they are persisting in a false 
        accusation?

"By God", said Nafi b. al-Azraq, "these are words which I have
never heard before and which have never occurred to my mind. It is
the truth, God willing."

                                * * * * *

The scholars report that 'Amr b. Ubayd came to visit Muhammad b.
Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, to test him with questions. He
said: "May I be your ransom, what is the meaning of the words of
Him, the Exalted: 

Do not those who disbelieve realise that the heavens and the 
earth were ratq and we made them fitq? [XXI 30] What is this
ratq and this fitq?"

"The heaven was ratq (means) that no rain came down from it,"
 answered Abu Jafar, peace be on him, "and the earth was ratq
 (means) that no plants came out of it."

Amr stopped. He could not find any opposition. He went away
but then came back.

"May I be your ransom," he said, "tell me of the words of Him, the
 Mighty and High: On whomsoever My anger alights, he falls (to
 disaster) [XX 82]. What is the anger of God, the Mighty and High?"

"The anger of God, Amr, is His punishment," replied Abu
 Jafar, peace be on him. "Whoever thinks that anything changes
 God, is an unbeliever."

                                * * * * *

In addition to what we have described of his merit in knowledge
film), headship and leadership and the Imamate, there was the
obvious excellence (of the man) to both the Shia (khassa) and the
non-Shia (amma). He was recognised by all for his nobleness and
well-known for generosity and kindness through the abundance of
his help to the poor and his moderate temperament.

[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad told me: My
 grandfather (Yahya b. al-Hasan) told me: Abu- Nasr told us:
 Muhammad b. al-Husayn told me: Aswad b. 'Amir told us: Hayyan
 b. Ali told us on the authority of al-Hasan b. Kuthayyir, who said:]

I (i.e. al-Hasan b. Kuthayyir) complained to Abu Ja'far
Muhammad b. CAli, peace be on them, of (my) need and the
uselessness of brothers.

"Shame on the brother," he said, "(who is) a brother who looks
 after you when you are rich and separates from you when you are
 poor."

Then he ordered his servant-boy to take out a pouch in which were
seven hundred dirhams.

"Spend this," he told me, "and when you have used it, tell me."

[Muhammad b. al-Husayn reported: Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr told
 us: They told us on the authority of Amr b. Dinar and Abd Allah
 b. Ubayd b. 'Umayr, who said:]

We (i.e. Amr b. Dinar and Abd Allah b. Ubayd) never met Abu-
Jafar Muhammad b. Ali, peace be on them, without him giving us
money, gifts and clothes. He used to say: "This is something which
had been prepared for you before you met me."

[Abu Nuaym al-Nakhai reported on the authority of Mu'awiya b.
 Hisham on the authority of Sulayman b. Qarm, who said:]

Abu- Jafar Muhammad b. 'Ali, peace be on them, used to pay us
five hundred dirhams to six hundred dirhams to a thousand dirhams
as gifts. He never tired of bestowing generosity on the brethren, and
on those who came to visit him, and on those who placed their hopes
and trust in him.

It is reported on his authority, on the authority of his fathers, peace
be on them, that the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his
family, used to say: "The best of works are three: Looking after
brothers with money; giving the people justice on your own account;
and mentioning God in every circumstance."

[Ishaq b. Mansur al-Saluli reported: I heard al-Hasan b. Salih say:]

I (al-Hasan b. Salih) heard Abu Jafar Muhammad b. Ali peace be
on them, say: "There is not anything that can be mixed with anything
better than clemency (mixed) with knowledge."

It is reported on his authority, peace be on him, that he was asked
about traditions which he put forward and did not support with a
chain of authorities. He said: 

        If I report a tradition without giving it a chain of authorities, 
        then my chain of authorities for it is in fact my father on the 
        authority of my grandfather on the authority of his father, on 
        the authority of his grandfather, the Apostle of God, may God 
        bless him and his family, on the authority of Gabriel, peace be 
        on him, on the authority of God, the Mighty and High.

He, peace be on him, (also) used to say: "The people cause us great
trouble. We summon them but they do not answer us. If we
abandoned them, they would be guided by no one."

He, peace be on him, used to say: "What is it that the people hate in
us who are the family of the House of Mercy, the Tree of
Prophethood, the Source of Wisdom, (the people) frequented by
angels and (those upon whom) inspiration descended?"

He, peace be on him, died and left behind seven sons. Each of his
brothers had great merit, even though they did not attain his merit
because of his position with regard to the Imamate, because of his
rank with God with regard to closeness and love (wilaya), and
because of his position with regard to succession (khilafa) of the
Prophet, may God bless him and his family. The period of his
Imamate and of his undertaking the position of his father in the
succession (on behalf of) God, the Mighty and High, over His
servants was nineteen years.

===================================
An Account  of  His Brothers and an 
Extract from the Reports about Them
===================================

Abd Allah b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, the brother of
Abu-Jafar Muhammad, peace be on him, was in charge of the
endowments (sadaqat) of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and
his family, and the endowments (sadaqat) of the Commander of the
faithful, peace be on him. He was a man of merit and a jurist. He
reported many traditions on the authority of his fathers, on the
authority of the Apostle of God. The people told traditions on his
authority and also gave historical reports (athar) on his authority.
Among these is:

[Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Dawud b. Abd Allah al-Jafar
 reported on the authority of Abd al-Aziz b. Muhammad al-
 Darawardi, on the authority of Umara b. Ghuzayya, on the
 authority of Abd Allah b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them:]

        He (Abd Allah b. Ali b. al-Husayn) said: The Apostle of God,
        may God bless him and his family, said: "The meanest of men 
        is one whom when my name is mentioned by him is unwilling to 
        ask for God's blessing on myself and my family."

[Zayd b. al-Hasan b. Isa reported: Abu Bakr b. Abi Uways told us
 on the authority of Abd Allah b. Siman, who said: I met Abd Allah
 b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, and he told me on the
 authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, on the
 authority of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him:]

        (The Commander of the faithful) used to have the right hand of 
        the thief cut off for the first theft. If he stole again, he 
        would have his left leg cut off. If he stole a third time, he 
        would put him in prison for life.

                                 * * * * *

Umar b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was a man of merit
and of high-standing. He was in charge of the endowments (sadaqat)
of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and the
endowments (sadaqat) of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on
him. He was pious and God-fearing.

[Dawud b. al-Qasim has reported: Al-Husayn b. Zayd said :]

I (Husayn b. Zayd) saw my uncle, Umar b. Ali b. al-Husayn,
peace be on them, stipulate to those who wanted to buy (produce
from) the endowments of Ali that if they made a hole in such and
such a walls he would not stop anyone from entering it to take it 
from there.

[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad informed me: My grandfather told
 me: Abu al-Hasan Bakkar b. Ahmad al-Azdi told us: Al-Hasan b. al-
 Husayn al-Urani told us on the authority of Abd Allah b. Jarir al-
 Qattan, who said:]

I (Abd Allah b. Jarir al-Qattan) heard Umar b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn,
peace be on them, say: 

        The one who is excessive in his love for us is like the 
        one who is excessive in his hatred of us. We have a right 
        (to authority) through our relationship with our Prophet, 
        blessing and peace be on him. It is a right which God has 
        given us. Therefore whoever abandons it, abandons (something 
        which is) great. Grant us the position which God has granted 
        us. Do not say things about us which do not exist concerning 
        us. If God punished us, then it would be for our sins. If 
        God has mercy on us, then it is because of His mercy and 
        favour.

Zayd b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was the outstanding
brother after Abu Jafar, peace be on him, and the one with the most
merit. He was a devout worshipper, pious, a jurist, God-fearing and
brave. He came out in revolt with the sword to enjoin the good and
forbid the evil and to demand vengeance for al-Husayn, peace be on
him.

[Al Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad informed
 me: His grandfather (Yahya b. al-Hasan) informed him on the
 authority of al-Hasan b. Yahya, who said: Al-Hasan b. al-Husayn
 told us on the authority of Yahya b. Musawir, on the authority of
 Abu al-Jarud Ziyad b. al-Mundhir, who said:]

I (Abu al-Jarud) went to Medina. When I began to ask about Zayd
b. Ali, peace be on him, I was told: "That man is an ally of the
Qur'an."

[Hisham b. Hisham reported:]

I (Hisham) asked Khalid b. Safwan about Zayd b. Ali, peace be on
him, when (Khalid) was reporting traditions on his authority.

"Where did you meet him?" I asked.

"At al-Rusafa," he answered.

"What kind of man was he?" I asked.

"(He was) just as you have been told," he said. "He would weep
 out of fear of God until his tears became mixed with his running
 nose."

Many of the Shi'a believed in his Imamate. The reason for their
belief was because of his coming out (in revolt) with the sword calling
on support for the one who is acceptable from the family of
Muhammad, may God bless him and his family. Therefore they
thought that he intended that for himself. However that was not his
intention because he knew of the right of his brother, peace be on
him, to the Imamate before him, and of his bequest of trusteeship
(wasiyya) at his death to Abu Abd Allah (i.e. Jafar al-Sadiq), peace
be on him.

The reason for Abu al-Hasan Zayd b. Ali, may God be pleased
with him, coming out (in revolt) is also more than his determination
which we have already mentioned, to seek (vengeance) for the blood
of al-Husayn, peace be on him. He had visited Hisham b. Abd al-
Malik. Hisham had gathered the Syrians for him and ordered them to
press around him in the assembly so that it was not possible for him
to come close to him. Zayd said to him: 

        None of the servants of God are above being warned to 
        show fear towards God, nor can any of them be excluded 
        from showing fear towards God. I am warning you to show 
        fear towards God, Commander of the faithful (i.e. Hisham). 
        So show fear towards Him."

        You are the one who thinks yourself entitled to the caliphate,
        Hisham replied to him, "and (you are) the one who hopes for 
        it. But that is not for you. You have no mother. (At least) 
        your mother was only a servant-girl.

"I do not know anyone greater in rank with God than a prophet
 whom He has sent," retorted Zayd. "(Yet such a prophet) was the
 son of a servant-girl. So if he had been unable to carry out His
 purpose, He would not have sent him. (That prophet) was Isma'il b.
 Ibrahim (Ishmael, son of Abraham), peace be on them. Prophethood
 is greater in rank with God than the mother of the caliphate, Hisham.
 Furthermore, a man should not be ignored whose father is the
 Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and who is the
 son of Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him."

Hisham jumped up from his assembly. He summoned his servant
and said: "Don't let this man spend the night in my camp."

Zayd left saying that he would never have forced anyone to take up
the sword if they had not humiliated him. When he arrived at Kufa,
its inhabitants gathered around him and they soon pledged
allegiance to fight on his behalf. Then they broke their pledge to him
and handed him over. He, may God have mercy on him, was killed
and his body (was left) hanging on a cross among them for four years.
None of them denounced it, nor did they help him with hand or
tongue.

When he was killed, the full report of that was sent to Abu Abd
Allah al-Sadiq, peace be on him. He was very sad when it became
clear to him (what had happened). He set apart a thousand dinars of
his own money for the families of those of (Zayd's) followers who
were killed with him.

That is reported by Abu Khalid al-Wasiti. He said: Abu Abd
Allah, peace be on him, handed me a thousand dinars and told me to
divide it among the families of those killed with Zayd. Four dinars of
this reached the family of Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr, the brother of
Fudayl al-Rassan.

His death was on Monday on the 2nd of (the month) of Safar in the
year 120 A.H. At that time he was forty-two years of age.
 
                                 * * * * *

Al-Husayn b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was a man of
merit and pious. He reported many traditions on the authority of his
father Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, and his aunt Fatima,
daughter of al-Husayn, peace be on him, and his brother, Abu
Jafar, peace be on him.

[Ahmad b. Isa reported: My father told us:]

I (Isa) used to see al-Husayn b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on
them, pray. I would say: "He will not put down his hand until his
prayer for all creatures is answered."

[Harb b. al-Tahhan reported: Said, the follower of al-Hasan b.
 Salih, told me:]

I (Said) never saw anyone with greater fear (of God) than al-
Hasan b. Salih. until I went to Medina and saw al-Husayn b. Ali 
b. al-Husayn, peace be on them. I have never seen greater fear 
(of God) than his. (It is) as if he had been taken into the fire 
(of Hell) and then taken out of it because of the intensity of 
his fear. 

[Yahya b. Sulayman b. al-Husayn reported on the authority of his
 uncle, Ibrahim b. al-Husayn, on the authority of his father, al-
 Husayn b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, who said:]

Ibrahim b. Hisham al-Makhzumi was governor of Medina. He
used to gather us (the family of the Prophet) every Friday near the
pulpit. Then he would attack Ali, peace be on him, and curse him.
One day I (al-Husayn b. Ali b. al-Husayn) was present. The place
was very full so I was close to the pulpit. I dozed off and saw (in a
dream) that the grave had opened and out of it had come a man in a
white cloak. He said to me: 

        O Abu-Abd Allah (i.e. al-Husayn b. Ali b. al-Husayn), does 
        not what this man is saying make you sad?

"By God, yes", I replied

"Open your eyes," he told me, and see what God is doing with him."

Behold as he mentioned Ali, he was thrown from the pulpit and died,
may God curse him.

Taken from
Kitab al Irshad (The Book of Guidance)
By Sheikh al Mufid