Shahrbanu

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Shahrbānū (or Shahr Banu) (Persian: شهربانو) (Meaning: "Lady of the Land"), is a personage described to have been one of the daughters of Yazdegerd III[1], the last Emperor of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia/Iran. Other names by which she has been referred to include: Shaharbānawayh[2], Shahzanān[3], Salāma[4], Salāfa[5], Ghazāla[6], Salama[7], and Sādira[8].

Shahrbānū was one of the wives of Husayn ibn Ali, (grandson of Muhammad and third Twelver Shī`a Imām) and the mother of Ali ibn Husayn (the fourth Twelver Shī`a Imām)[9][10][11].

Contents

Western Views

Western academic historians have cast doubt on the legend. A thorough treatment of the matter can be found in the Encyclopedia Iranica:

"Neither do any of the scholars of ancient history that have chronicled, at times with great attention to detail, the invasion of Persia by Muslim troops and the fate of the last Sasanian sovereign and her family, establish any relationship between the wife of Imam Husayn and one of the daughters of Yazdgerd III.[1]

Earlier sources such as Ibn Sad and Ebn Qotayba describe Husayn's wife as a slave, originally from Sindh, and make no reference to her being a princess. The first scholar to explicitly describe her as being of the Persian royal family was the 9th Century Arab philologist Mobarrad[citation needed].

The account was subsequently greatly elaborated[citation needed].

Shī`a Views

Nationality

Shī`a's state that Shahrbānū was in fact Persian based on the statements of `Ali ibn Husayn[12] and on the many poetic verses of Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali[13], an Arab companion of `Ali who was still alive during the time of `Ali ibn Husayn[14].

History

Differing reports in history state that Shahrbānū was brought to Madinah either during the caliphate of `Umar[15], `Uthmān[16], or `Ali[17]. Based on comparisons and the study of hadith, Shī`a's believe that it was during the caliphate of `Ali, with the appointment of Hurayth ibn Jābir to govern the eastern provinces, that the daughters of Yazdigird III were sent to Madinah[18].

Having been brought to Madinah, `Ali allowed the ladies freedom in choosing whomever they wanted to marry from the Muslims, to which Shahrbānū was famously reported to have replied, "I want a head over whom there is no head"[19][20].

Shrine of Shahrbānū (A.S.) in Tehran, Iran

Shahrbānū chose the hand of Husayn ibn `Ali in marriage and one of her sisters chose Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr[21]. `Ali foretold the birth of the next Shī`a Imām as he said to Husayn: "Treat this lady kindly, for she will bear you the best of the people of the Earth after you. She is the mother of the trustees (of authority), the pure progeny"[22][23].

Death

According to Shī`a belief, Shahrbānū died shortly after giving birth[24][25] to her son Ali ibn Husayn, and was thus not present at Karbalā. The eighth Twelver Shī`a Imām, Ali ar-Ridha has also been quoted as saying, "(Shahrbānū) died during her confinement, and one of (Husayn's) slave-wives looked after him (Ali ibn Husayn). The people claimed that (the slave-wife) was his mother, while she was his retainer"[26].

The shrine of Shahrbānū can be found in ancient Rayy, in the southern suburbs of Tehran, Iran. ( 35°35.43′N 51°29.58′E / 35.5905, 51.493 )

Legend

According to legend, Shahrbānū was present at the bloody Battle of Karbalā[citation needed]. The legend tells that as the battle drew near, Husayn sat Shahrbānū on his famous white steed, Dhul Janāh, and bid her to return to her homeland in Persia. Husayn was quoted to have said, "You are a princess and not one of us, nor is this your war." Riding the light-footed steed, Shahrbānū was carried to the heart of Persia and the city of Rayy. There the enemy caught up with her, as she ran into a sheer cliff of a mountain. At this point, the legend maintained that the mountain cracked open and swallowed her and the steed up into itself - thus her shrine is found where it is today.

However it can be certain that this is only a legend as Husayn was riding on Dhul Janāh till the very last moments before his death in the Battle of Karbalā[27].

Controversies

Even amongst the Iranian scholars there has been some dispute as to the existance of of a Persian princess by the title of Shahrbānū. The scholars Ali Shariati and Ayatullah Mutahhari are amongst those who have declared that any narrations pertaining to Shahrbānū are weak and false. Whereas Al-Mubarrad, al-Dinawari, Allameh Tabatabaei[28] and many others[29] disagree, and contend that Shahrbānū was the mother of Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Twelver Shī`a Imām[30][31][32]. Narrations of Shahrbānū have also been reported in Sunni sources including, "Bab 27" of Qabusnama, where Salmān the Persian is recounted to have been involved in the selection of Husayn by Shahrbānū.

See also

References

  1. ^ Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi. The life of Imam Zayn al-`Abidin a.s. p3.
  2. ^ Roudat al-Wa'zin, vol. 1, p. 237. 'Uyyun al-Mu'jizat, p. 31. Ghayat al-Ikhtisar, p. 155.
  3. ^ Al-Shiblanji, Nur al-Abbsar, p. 126.
  4. ^ 'Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 466. Siyar 'Alam al-Nubala', vil, 14, p. 237, Kalifa Khayyat, al-Tabaqat, p. 238. Al-Nisaburi, al-Asami wa al-Kuna.
  5. ^ Al-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 46. Al-Imama fi al-Islam, p. 116. Ansab al-Ashraf, p. 102. AlBustani, Da'irat al-Ma'arif, vol. 9, p. 355. Nur al-Abbsar, p. 136. Al-Kamil, vol. 2, p. 464.
  6. ^ Safwat al-Safwa, vol. 2, p. 25. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 104. Sir al-Si;sila al-'Alawiya, p. 31. Nihayat al-Irab, vol. 21 p. 324. Kulasat al-Dhahab al-Masbuk, p. 8.
  7. ^ Al-'A'imma al-Ithna 'Ashar, p. 75.
  8. ^ Al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf, p. 49.
  9. ^ Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 467. Dala'il al-Imama, p. 370.
  10. ^ 'Uyyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Athar, p. 143. Roudat al-Wa'izin, vol. 1, p. 137.
  11. ^ Al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, vol. 1, p. 222. Ibn Khullakan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429.
  12. ^ Ibn Khullaka Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429. Ibn Tolon, Al-A'mmia al-Ithna 'Ashar, p. 175.
  13. ^ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 166.
  14. ^ Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi. The life of Imam Zayn al-`Abidin a.s. p5.
  15. ^ 1. Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 467. Dala'il al-Imama, p. 370. ; 2. Ibn Khullkan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 2, p. 429.
  16. ^ 1. 'Uyyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Athar, p. 143. Roudat al-Wa'izin, vol. 1, p. 137. ; 2. Tuhaf al-Raghib, p. 13. A'lam al-Wara, p. 151. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad.
  17. ^ Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal.
  18. ^ Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi. The life of Imam Zayn al-`Abidin a.s. p3-4.
  19. ^ Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi. The life of Imam Zayn al-`Abidin a.s. p4.
  20. ^ Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal
  21. ^ Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi. The life of Imam Zayn al-`Abidin a.s. p3.
  22. ^ 1. 'Uyyun al-Mu'jizat. Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 14.
  23. ^ 2. Basa'ir al-Darajat, p. 96. Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 214. Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 1, p. 13.
  24. ^ 3. Al-Mas'udi, Ithabat al-Wasiya, p. 143. Imam Zayn 'al-Abidin, p. 18.
  25. ^ Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi. The life of Imam Zayn al-`Abidin a.s. p20-21.
  26. ^ 'Uyyun Akhbar al-Rida, p. 270.
  27. ^ S.V. Mir Ahmcd Ali. Husain The Saviour of Islam. p186.
  28. ^ Shi'ite Islam, State University of New York Press. 1979. p.201.
  29. ^ The following sources support that Shahrbānū is the mother of Imam Sajjad: محمد بن يعقوب كلينى, اصول كافى, تصحيح و تعليق : على اكبر الغفارى, تهران, مكتبة الصدوق, 1381هـ.ق, ج 1 ص 467ـ شيخ مفيد, الارشاد, قم, مكتبة بصيرتى ـ ص 253ـ فضل بن حسن طبرسى, اعلام الورى با علام الهدى, الطبعة الثالثة, تهران, دار الكتب الاسلامية, ص 256ـ حسن بن محمد بن حسن قمى, تاريخ قم, ترجمهء حسن بن على بن ];ّّ حسين قمى, تصحيح : سيد جلال الدين تهرانى, تهران, انتشارات توس, 1361هـ.ش, ص 196ـ على بن عيسى اربلى, كشف الغمة فى معرفة الاءئمة, تبريز, مكتبة بنى هاشمى, 1381هـ.ق, ج 2ص 286
  30. ^ Seminary of Qom website supporting the claim: http://www.balagh.net/persian/pro_ahl/16/01/05.htm
  31. ^ Ibid: http://www.balagh.net/persian/pro_ahl/00/06/06.htm
  32. ^ پيامبر و اهل بيت(ع)> امام حسين(ع)

Further references

  1. S.H. Nasr and Tabatabaei. Shi'a Islam. 1979. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-87395-390-8
  2. Safavī, Rahīmzādah. Dāstān-i Shahrbānū. 1948. Library of Congress Control Number: 76244526
  3. Sayyid Āghā Mahdī Lakhnavī, Savānih Hayāt-i Hazrat Shahr Bāno. Library of Congress Control Number: 81930254. Reprint 1981.