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Ahl al-BaytPhase 2 · Seerah & Ahl al-BaytMajor figure

Zayd ibn Ali (RH)

زيد بن علي

c. 75/80 AH - 122 AH date disputed · descendant of the Prophet ﷺ

Son of Zayn al-Abidin who rose against the Umayyad caliph Hisham and was killed in Kufa in 122 AH. The Zaydi branch of Shia Islam is named after him.

Biography

Zayd, known for learning and piety, led a revolt in Kufa against Umayyad rule. Historical sources report that when asked about Abu Bakr and Umar he refused to condemn them, and many Kufans abandoned him (the term 'Rafidah' is often traced to this episode). He was killed in 122 AH.

Zaydis hold that any learned, pious descendant of Hasan or Husayn who rises against oppression can be Imam. A legal compilation, Musnad Zayd, is attributed to him.

Sources & explanation

۞ Qur'an

No specific verses cited for this node.

📜 Hadith verified on sunnah.com

No verified hadith attached yet. Only references checked against sunnah.com are listed.

💬 Explanation Unverified

Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's perspective

Methodological note (not a direct quote): Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's widely known approach is to build narratives primarily on the Quran and Sahih Hadith, to set aside Israiliyat (Judeo-Christian lore absorbed into later tafsir) and weak or fabricated narrations, and to avoid sectarian framing. Applied to this node: Historical accounts (al-Tabari) are used; the 'Rafidah' etymology is reported as a historical narrative.

Empires in their lifetime

Further references

  • Tarikh al-Tabari (revolt of Zayd)

Connections

Comes from

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