Zaynab was the daughter of Sulayman Ibn 'Ali Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn al-'Abbas Ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib Ibn Hashim, the wife of Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad, and the mother of the children of Abbas.

Her Merits

Zaynab was an influential, wise, and eloquent woman. She has related traditions from her ancestors from the Messenger of God (S). She was an enemy of the family of Marwan, and a supporter and friend of the household of 'Ali ('a), whom she honored and respected very much.

When al-Ma'mun, the 'Abbasid ruler, entered Baghdad, the Hashemites gathered around Zaynab the daughter of Sulayman Ibn 'Ali, because she was the most honorable and esteemed of all the descendants of 'Abbas. They asked her to talk to al-Ma'mun about changing his green clothes.1 Zaynab promised to do this. She went to him and said, "O Amir al-Mu'minin, it is true that you and your family are more powerful than the descendants of Ali Ibn Abi Talib even if you do not remove the way, customs, and traditions of our ancestors. Give up the green clothes and do not make people desire what you have."

Al-Ma'mun said, "O aunt, no one has talked with me in more effectual words than you. And, no one has requested from me what you have requested. The Messenger of God (S) passed away and Abu Bakr came into power, and you know it was not his right to rule over us, the household of the Prophet. Then, 'Umar became the ruler, and he did as his predecessor did. After him, 'Uthman became the leader and (in jobs and governmental duties) turned to the Umayyads and turned away from all others.

After 'Uthman, the state in disorder and darkness was turned over to 'Ali. Even so, 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas became the governor of al-Basrah, 'Ubaydullah Ibn 'Abbas became the governor of Yemen, Qutham became the ruler of Bahrain, and each of them became the governor of one area. This is our responsibility to return the leadership to the children of ‘Ali. And, after this nothing will happen except what they (meaning the descendants of 'Ali) like."

After that he wore black clothes. Al-Ma'mun respected Zaynab very much, and so did the dignitaries from the ruling class.2

Zaynab has related traditions from her father Sulayman Ibn 'Ali al-Hashimi. 'Asim Ibn 'Ali al-Wasiti, Ja'far Ibn 'Abd al-Wahid al-Qadi, 'Abd al-Samad Ibn Musa al-Hashimi, Ahmad Ibn Khalil Ibn Malik, Abu Ya'qub Ibn Sulayman (her brother), and Muhammad Ibn Salih al-Qurayshi have related traditions from her.

Ibn 'Asakir has quoted from his documents from Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Ibn 'Abd al-Samad Ibn Musa Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim from his ancestors from Zaynab Bint Sulayman al-Hashimi as saying, "My father told me a tradition from 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas that he said, 'I heard the Prophet (S) say, 'Whoever eats (food) from what has fallen on the tablecloth will not become poor and his children will not be humiliated."

He has also related from the same chain of transmitters from Zaynab Bint Sulayman from Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas as saying, "I heard the Prophet (S) say, 'O God, give my nation blessings in getting up at dawn."3

• 1. Green clothes were special for the family of Banu-Hashim. The Umayyad rulers wore black. When the 'Abbasids took over power, they wore green clothes to draw attention, because green clothes were worn only by the family of the Holy Prophet (S). They wanted to show that they were from the same family as the descendants of the Holy Prophet (S). However, they were descendants of al-'Abbas the uncle of the Prophet (S). Al-Ma'mun, the 'Abbasid ruler, also wore green clothes when he came to power. The descendants of the Holy Prophet (S) objected to this, and they asked Zaynab to request al-Ma'mun to change his green clothes.
• 2. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 2, p. 69.
• 3. Tarajim al-Nisa', p. 115.