The granddaughter of Abu Ja'far al-Mansur was the wife of Harun the 'Abbasid ruler. She was also the mother of Muhammad al-Amin. She married Harun in the year 165 A.H. in Baghdad; and closed her eyes to the world in the year 216 A.H.1

Her Merits

She was one of the followers (Shi'ah) of the Imams. Her servant gave water to the pilgrims in Makkah for free at the time when people were charging one dinar for water. Reserves of water were brought out from beneath the stones and hills of Makkah using her wealth. She gave much charity in the way of God.

She had one hundred maidservants who had memorized the Qur'an. The continual sound of the recitation of Qur'an could be heard coming from her palace like the sound of honey bees.2 A mosque was built in her name with her wealth.3 Eight people in her family were rulers: her ancestor al-Mansur, her father's paternal uncle al-Saffah, her paternal uncle al-Mahdi, her paternal uncle's son al-Hadi, her husband Harun, her son al-Amin, and the sons of her husband al-Ma'mun and al-Mu'tasim.4

Zubaydah is one of the women who will be in the army of Imam al-Mahdi ('aj). Al-Mufaddal Ibn 'Umar writes, "I heard Imam al-Sadiq ('a) say, 'There will be 13 women with Imam al-Mahdi who will tend to the injured and take care of the sick as they did (in battles) alongside the Prophet (S).' The transmitter said, 'Name them for me.' The Imam said, 'Qanwa' Bint Rashid, Umm Ayman, Habbabah al-Walibiyyah, Sumayyah the mother of 'Ammar Ibn Yasir, Zubaydah, Umm Khalid al-Ahmasiyyah, Umm Sa'id al-Hanafiyyah, Sabbanah al-Mashitah, and Umm Khalid al-Juhaniyyah.5

Mamqani considers her to be one of the transmitters of traditions. Al-Saduq writes in the book al-Amali that she was one of the Shi'ah. When they realized her belief, she was divorced.6

It is related from al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali Ibn Yaqtin from Zubaydah from Jamil from Imam al-Sadiq ('a) that he said, "Whoever passes away outside of the realms of the sanctuaries of al-Madinah and Makkah, God will raise him among the people of Makkah on the Judgment Day, even if 'Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Hajjaj and Abu 'Ubaydah be among them."7

• 1. Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 4, p. 506 and 575; Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 78.
• 2. Tanqih al-Maqal vol. 3, p.78; Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 3, p. 268.
• 3. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, p. 342; Kashf al-Ghumah, vol. 2, p. 314; Kamal al-Din, vol. 2, p. 517.
• 4. Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. 15, p. 293.
• 5. Dalai'l al-Imamah, p. 259.
• 6. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 78.
• 7. Al-Mahasin, vol. 1, p. 70.