Children and Wives

Shaikh Mufeed says that Imam Husain (a.s) had six children:

(Imam) Ali al Akbar (the elder Ali) (Zainul Abedeen), whose agnomen was Abul Hasan and his mother was Shahezanan, the daughter of Khusroe Yazdjurd.

Ali al Asghar (the younger Ali) (popularly referred to as Ali al Akbar), who was martyred at Karbala alongwith his father and regarding whom we have discussed earlier. His mother was Layla, the daughter of Abi Murrah bin Urwah bin Mas'ood Saqafi.

Ja'far, he did not have any progeny and his mother was from the tribe of Bani Quza'ah. He died during the lifetime of Imam Husain (a.s).

Abdullah (popularly referred to as Ali al Asghar), who was martyred in his infancy alongwith his father. He lay in his father's lap when an arrow came and pierced his neck and he was martyred, while we have quoted regarding him earlier.

Sakinah, whose mother was Rabab, the daughter of Imru' al Qays bin Adi Kalbi. She was also the mother of Abdullah bin Husain.

Fatemah, whose mother was Umme Ishaq, the daughter of Talha bin Ubaydullah.

Ali bin Isa Irbili quotes in Kashful Ghummah, and it is quoted in Kamaluddin also, that Imam Husain (a.s) had ten children, six sons and four daughters. He mentions the names of his three sons to be Ali (as narrated above), and Mohammad, Abdullah and Ja'far. Ali Akbar fought alongside his father and was martyred, while Ali Asghar, the infant, was martyred by the arrow, and Abdullah too was martyred alongwith his father. While the names of his daughters are Zainab, Sakinah and Fatemah (he does not name the fourth one and probably she should be Ruqayyah, whose grave is a renowned place of pilgrimage in Damascus - author). This is quite renowned, and it is also said that he had four sons and two daughters, while the former quote is quite renowned. But his eternal remembrance and his lawful progeny is through Ali the median (al Awsat) Zainul Abedeen (a.s), and not through any other sons.

We say, that it is quoted regarding some of his children, while others are not discussed.

Ibne Khashshab says, that he had six sons and three daughters, whose names are similar to the ones quoted by Irbili above.