Källa: Poem by al-Farazdaq (d. 730) about Zayn al-Abideen Ali ibn al-Husayn (d. 712) « Ballandalus
Imam Zain al Abidin (a.s) var i Mecka för att utföra Hajjvallfärden, samtidigt befann sig Hisham ibn Abd al Malik på plats, kronprinsen till Ommayyidernas dynasti. Hisham försökte att nå Kaaban, men folket vek inte undan och det var svårt att komma fram, varje gång han försökte tränga sig fram, stoppades han av folkhavet som rörde sig runt Kaaban.
Så han gav upp och ville testa senare, när det var färre folk runt Kaaban. Man satte upp hans stol på en upphöjning, och där satte han sig och tittade ut mot folkhavet. Sedan såg man Imam Zain al Abidin (a.s) anlända, för att göra sin rituella cirkulation av Kaaban. När de vallfärdande såg honom, så började de skrika ut, “Det finns ingen Gud förutom Gud! Gud är stor!”
Med stor respekt började folkhavet att öppna upp sig och lät Imamen (a.s) gå igenom de för att komma nära Kaaban så han kunde kyssa den. Hisham och hans män förvånades över att man gjorde detta för denna ödmjuke man, som man inte gjorde för Kalifens efterträdare.
En av Hishams män från Syrien, undrade vem denna person var, som folket hedrade på det här sättet. Hisham visste vem han var, men hans stolthet var sårat så han sa, jag vet inte!
Den store arabiske poeten Al Farazdaq var närvarande, han visste att Hisham ljög och poeten kunde inte hålla sig när han såg hur Hisham försökte förnedra Imamen (a.s). Så han sa till syrierna. Jag vet vem han är, de frågade honom då vem han var. Hisham skrek till Al Farazdaq: “Jag känner inte till honom!”
Al Farazdaq svarade: “Jo du vet vem han är” och ställde sig upp för att recitera sin kända dikt, vars ord kändes djupare i Hishams kropp än svärdshuggen och spjutens spetsar.
Engelsk översättning:
This is the son of Husayn and the grandson of Fatima the daughter of the Apostle through whom the darkness dispersed.
This is he whose ability the valley (of Mecca) recognizes, He is known by the (Sacred) House and the Holy sanctuary and the lands outside the sanctuary.
This is the son of the best of God”s servants.
This is the pure pious man, the pure eminent man. When the Quraysh saw him, their spokesman said: Liberality terminates at the outstanding qualities of this (man).
He belongs to the top of glory which the Arabs of Islam and non-Arabs fall short of reaching.
When he comes to touch the wall of the Kaaba, it almost grasps the palm of his hand.
He takes care to be modest and he is protected from his fears.
He only speaks when he smiles.
There is a cane in his hand. Its smell is fragrant from the hand of the most wonderful (of all the people), who is proud.
The prophets yielded to his grandfather’s favor.
The nations yielded to the favor of his community.
The light of guidance emanates from the light of his forehead.
He is like the sun whose shining disperses darkness.
His family tree belongs to the Apostle of God.
Its elements, its natures, and its qualities are good.
This is the son of Fatima if you do not recognize him.
His grandfather was the seal of Prophethood.
God honored and favored him from antiquity.
Your words ‘ who is this?’ do not harm him.
All the Arabs and non-Arabs recognize him whom you deny.
Both his hands are relief.
Their advantage has prevailed.
The hands are just.
Nonexistence does not befall them.
He is the carrier of the burdens of the people when they are oppressed.
His qualities are good.
The ‘ yes’ is sweet with him.
He does not break a promise.
His soul is blessed.
His courtyard is wide.
He is intelligent when he decides.
He is from the people whose love is religion, whose hate is unbelief, whose approach is refuge and protection.
If the God-fearing are numbered, they are their Imams.
If it is said who are the best of the earth, it is said they are.
No generous man can reach their far purpose.
No people, though generous, can compete with them (for generosity).
They are rain when a crisis happens.
They are lions when fear becomes intense.
Poverty does not decrease the relief from their hands.
That is the same, whether they are rich or poor.
Misfortune and tribulation are driven away through their love.
Kindness and the blessings are regained through it.
In every affair their praise is after the praise of God.
The speech is ended by it.
Abasement refuses to stop at their space.
Their natures are noble, and their hands are full of liberality.
None of mankind has within their souls such primacy as he does or such grace as he does.
Whoever knows God, knows His friend. Our Religion came from the House of this man.
Hisham was so furious at al-Farazdaq after hearing this poem, he ordered that he should be imprisoned in Asfan, located between Mecca and Medina. In prison, he continued to write poetry in favor of the Ahl al-Bayt. Imam Zayn al-Abidin sent some money to al-Farazdaq, since he was in the prison and had no means of earning his livelihood. Al-Farazdaq didn’t accept it and said that he had recited the poem only to please God. The Imam insisted and sent him the money saying: “God Almighty is well aware of your intention, and will reward you appropriately. If you accept this money, it shall not reduce your reward from God.” And he urged al-Farazdaq to accept the gift and finally al-Farazdaq accepted it.
هَذا الّذي تَعرِفُ البَطْحاءُ وَطْأتَهُ، وَالبَيْتُ يعْرِفُهُ وَالحِلُّ وَالحَرَمُ
هذا ابنُ خَيرِ عِبادِ الله كُلّهِمُ، هذا التّقيّ النّقيّ الطّاهِرُ العَلَمُ
هذا ابنُ فاطمَةٍ، إنْ كُنْتَ جاهِلَهُ، بِجَدّهِ أنْبِيَاءُ الله قَدْ خُتِمُوا
وَلَيْسَ قَوْلُكَ: مَن هذا؟ بضَائرِه، العُرْبُ تَعرِفُ من أنكَرْتَ وَالعَجمُ
كِلْتا يَدَيْهِ غِيَاثٌ عَمَّ نَفعُهُمَا، يُسْتَوْكَفانِ، وَلا يَعرُوهُما عَدَمُ
سَهْلُ الخَلِيقَةِ، لا تُخشى بَوَادِرُهُ، يَزِينُهُ اثنانِ: حُسنُ الخَلقِ وَالشّيمُ
حَمّالُ أثقالِ أقوَامٍ، إذا افتُدِحُوا، حُلوُ الشّمائلِ، تَحلُو عندَهُ نَعَمُ
ما قال: لا قطُّ، إلاّ في تَشَهُّدِهِ، لَوْلا التّشَهّدُ كانَتْ لاءَهُ نَعَمُ
عَمَّ البَرِيّةَ بالإحسانِ، فانْقَشَعَتْ عَنْها الغَياهِبُ والإمْلاقُ والعَدَمُ
إذ رَأتْهُ قُرَيْشٌ قال قائِلُها: إلى مَكَارِمِ هذا يَنْتَهِي الكَرَمُ
يُغْضِي حَياءً، وَيُغضَى من مَهابَتِه، فَمَا يُكَلَّمُ إلاّ حِينَ يَبْتَسِمُ
بِكَفّهِ خَيْزُرَانٌ رِيحُهُ عَبِقٌ، من كَفّ أرْوَعَ، في عِرْنِينِهِ شمَمُ
يَكادُ يُمْسِكُهُ عِرْفانَ رَاحَتِهِ، رُكْنُ الحَطِيمِ إذا ما جَاءَ يَستَلِمُ
الله شَرّفَهُ قِدْماً، وَعَظّمَهُ، جَرَى بِذاكَ لَهُ في لَوْحِهِ القَلَمُ
أيُّ الخَلائِقِ لَيْسَتْ في رِقَابِهِمُ، لأوّلِيّةِ هَذا، أوْ لَهُ نِعمُ
مَن يَشكُرِ الله يَشكُرْ أوّلِيّةَ ذا؛ فالدِّينُ مِن بَيتِ هذا نَالَهُ الأُمَمُ
يُنمى إلى ذُرْوَةِ الدّينِ التي قَصُرَت عَنها الأكفُّ، وعن إدراكِها القَدَمُ
مَنْ جَدُّهُ دان فَضْلُ الأنْبِياءِ لَهُ؛ وَفَضْلُ أُمّتِهِ دانَتْ لَهُ الأُمَمُ
مُشْتَقّةٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ الله نَبْعَتُهُ، طَابَتْ مَغارِسُهُ والخِيمُ وَالشّيَمُ
يَنْشَقّ ثَوْبُ الدّجَى عن نورِ غرّتِهِ كالشمس تَنجابُ عن إشرَاقِها الظُّلَمُ
من مَعشَرٍ حُبُّهُمْ دِينٌ، وَبُغْضُهُمُ كُفْرٌ، وَقُرْبُهُمُ مَنجىً وَمُعتَصَمُ
مُقَدَّمٌ بعد ذِكْرِ الله ذِكْرُهُمُ، في كلّ بَدْءٍ، وَمَختومٌ به الكَلِمُ
إنْ عُدّ أهْلُ التّقَى كانوا أئِمّتَهمْ، أوْ قيل: «من خيرُ أهل الأرْض؟» قيل: هم
لا يَستَطيعُ جَوَادٌ بَعدَ جُودِهِمُ، وَلا يُدانِيهِمُ قَوْمٌ، وَإنْ كَرُمُوا
هُمُ الغُيُوثُ، إذا ما أزْمَةٌ أزَمَتْ، وَالأُسدُ أُسدُ الشّرَى، وَالبأسُ محتدمُ
لا يُنقِصُ العُسرُ بَسطاً من أكُفّهِمُ؛ سِيّانِ ذلك: إن أثَرَوْا وَإنْ عَدِمُوا
يُستدْفَعُ الشرُّ وَالبَلْوَى بحُبّهِمُ، وَيُسْتَرَبّ بِهِ الإحْسَانُ وَالنِّعَمُ
(Source: Ali Hujwiri (d. 1077), Kashf al-Mahjub)