Shahrbanu: Difference between revisions

Based on a number of narrations Shahrbanu or "the King of Women" was an Iranian wife of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]].

According to a number of historians and hadith scholars after the conquest of [[Iran]] by Muslims, Shahrbanu married Imam al-Husayn (a). She was also the mother of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]]. Based on more reliable sources, Shahrbanu passed away in the birth of Imam al-Sajjad (a).

There are disagreements amongst historians on the name of Shahrbanu's father. Most of them mentioned that Shahrbanu was the daughter of Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid king, including [[Al-Ya'qubi]], [[Al-Nowbakhti]], [[Al-Ash'ari al-Qumi]], [[Hasan b. Muhammad al-Qumi]], [[Ibn Abi Thalaj al-Baghdadi]], [[Ibn Hayyun]] and [[Khalifa b. Khayyat]] in the third century, as well as [[Al-Kulayni]], [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] and [[Al-Shaykh al-Saduq]] in the fourth century A.H. Afterwards most of historians and hadith scholars followed the mentioned narrations and regarded the mother of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]] as the daughter of Yazdgerd III.

[[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] in "Al-Muqni'a" and [[Al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] in "Al-Tadhib" mentioned the name of Yazdgerd's daughter as the mother of Imam al-Sajjad (a). While some historians and hadith scholars mentioned that an Iranian woman was the mother of Imam al-Sajjad (a) but she was not the daughter of Yazdgerd III.

In the book "Majma' al-Tawarikh wa al-Qisas" which includes a large number of narrations, it is said that Sanjan the king of Persia, was the father of Shahrbanu.

Ibn Shahr Ashub In "Manaqib" stated different narrations on the identity of the mother of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]]. In one narration, he said Nushjan was the father of Shahrbanu. As [[Al-Irbili]] quoted from Ibn Khashab, Nushjan was the name of her father.

[[Al-Kulayni]], [[Al-Ya'qubi]], [[Al-Zamakhshari]], [[Al-Mas'udi]] in "[[Ithbat al-wasiyya li l-Imam 'Ali b. Abi Talib(a)]]" and [[Al-Thaqafi al-Kufi]] have mentioned that the marriage took place in the time of caliphate of [[Umar al-Khattab]].

[[Al-Shaykh al-Saduq]] stated in his book "'Uyun al-Akhbar al-Rida" that the marriage took place in the time of caliphate of [[Uthman b. Affan]].

Also a number of religious scholars including [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]], [[Muhammad b. Hasan Fattal al-Neyshaburi]], [[Al-Tabarsi]] and Al-Irbili]] stated that the marriage took place in the time of caliphate of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]].

[[Al-Shaykh al-Saduq]], [[Al-Tabrisi]] in "Taj al-Mawalid", [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] (probably in [[Al-Irshad]]), [[Al-Saffar al-Qummi]], [[Al-Tabari]], [[Ibn Tawus]], [[Ibn Abi al-Thalj al-Baghdadi]] and [[Ibn Dawud]] said that her name was initially Shahrbanu. After citing a number of names, [[Al-Irbili]] mentioned Shahrbanu as her name as well.

[[Al-Mas'udi]] and [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] in "Al-Muqni'a" cited her name Jahanshah.

Al-Shaykh al-Mufid in "Al-Irshad" and Al-Tabrisi in "A'lam al-Wardi" mentioned her name as Shah-e Zanan (The king of women). They also mentioned Shahrbanu as her possible name. But Al-Fattal al-Neyshaburi initially stated Shah-e Zanan as her name and then he mentioned a number of other names. [[Al-Thaqafi al-Kufi]] also mentioned Shah-e Zanan as the name of the mother of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]].

The author of "Majma' al-Tawarikh wa al-Qisas" mentioned her name Shahrnaz.

Although a large number of historians have mentioned that Shahrbanu was the mother of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]] and the daughter of Yazdgerd III, contemporary historians cast doubt on this idea, including Motahhari, Shariati, Dehkhoda, Shahidi, Yusefi Gharavi, Taqi zadeh and Christensen who are among those who have different ideas.

Sayyed Ja'far Shahidi in his book "The Life of 'Ali ibn al-Husayn (a)" has mentioned and discussed this report and finally rejected it.

A number of historical researches mentioned that the mother of Imam al-Sajjad (a) was a concubine from Sistan, Sind or Kabul. None of the historians have mentioned Shahrbanu's name among the children of Yazdgerd the last Sassanid king. Only [[Al-Mas'udi]] mentioned the names of the three daughters of Yazdgerd as Adark, Shahin and Muravand.

Seyyed Ja'far Shahidi stated on Shahrbanu: "[[Al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi]] has applied "Umm Walad" on the mother of [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]] (concubine) in a letter to [[Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah]] (known as Al-Nafs al-Zakiyya) in order to humiliate him. This letter was written fifty years after the demise of Imam al-Sajjad (a) when a large number of [[Banu Hashim]] were still alive. If the story of Shahrbanu was real, Al-Mansur would never use the term Umm Walad, or if it was false, Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah would reply his letter sternly to declare that the mother of Imam al-Sajjad (a) was a princess not a concubine."

According to Dehkhoda, researches have shown that Yazdgerd did not have any daughter named as Shahrbanu. Shahrbanu was a story derived from "Rabi' al-Abrar" by Zamakhshari and Qabusnameh.

Yusefi Gharavi did not accept the claim of [[Al-Ya'qubi]] and regarded his claim unreliable. Also Al-Ya'qubi mentioned the name Harrar which was not a usual name in Persia. He also rejected the report of [[Al-Kafi]] as it was narrated by 'Amr b. Shimr who was degraded as [[Da'if]] hadith narrator by [[Al-Najashi]]. The report of [[Al-Shaykh al-Saduq]] was narrated by Sahl b. Qasim al-Nushjani whose identity is unknown.

In addition Al-Mas'udi said: "When Imam al-Sajjad (a) grew up, he asked Washika to marry one of his servants, which became a reason for [[Banu Umayya]] to humiliate [['Ali b. al-Husayn (a)]]."