Nafisah the daughter of al-Hasan1 Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali ('a), was born in Makkah in the year 145 A.H.L. She lived in al-Madinah with piety and in worship until the year 193 when she moved to Egypt with her husband and children. She lived there till the end of her life2 in the month of Ramadan in the year 207 A.H.L. Her husband wanted to bring her to al-Madinah, but the local Egyptian people persuaded him to bury her there in Egypt.3

Her Merits

Nafisah was a pious, ascetic, pure woman, a commentator of the Qur'an, and she had memorized the Qur'an. It has been related that whenever al-Shafi'i4 entered Egypt he would go to visit her and learn traditions from her. Nafisah was a great woman, and the Egyptian people believed in her prayers, greatness, and her servitude. When al-Shafi'i passed away, based on his will they carried his body around her house before burying him. He had also asked that she pray over him.5

Ibn 'Anbah has written, "Lady Nafisah was a woman of high esteem for the people of Egypt. They swear by her and make vows to her.6

She was a virtuous, pious woman who feared God. She spent her nights in worship and her days fasting. She would only eat once every three days, and that only from her husband's wealth. She went on Hajj thirty times, and most of the way she would walk. She would cry hard there clinging to the curtain of the Ka'bah and say, "O my God, my Lord and Master, by your own satisfaction give me a long life and happiness."

Zaynab the daughter of Yahya has said, "I served my aunt Nafisah for forty years. I never saw her sleep at night or eat during the day. I told her, 'Why don't you have mercy on yourself?' She said, 'How can I have mercy on myself when my steps are on the edge of a cliff where even the prosperous and successful people have no hope.'"7

Sayyid al-Amin has listed Nafisah in the category of the nobles of the Shi'ah.8 'Umar Ridha Kahallah has said, "She was a pious, virtuous, devout woman."9

Ibn 'Anbah has said, "Zayd Ibn al-Hasan had a daughter by the name of Nafisah. She married al-Walid Ibn 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwan and they had a child together. Nafisah is buried in Egypt. Some have said, 'Nafisah married 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwan and at the time of her death she was pregnant with his child.' However, the first version is correct.

Zayd respected and honored al­Walid Ibn 'Abd al-Malik because of his daughter. It has also been said that Nafisah (who was buried in Egypt) was the daughter of al-Hasan Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Hasan ('a) and married Ishaq Ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq ('a).10 But, what has been related from trustworthy writers of genealogy is the first version."11

In al-Mujdi it is written, "Some of the learned religious authorities have told me that Zayd Ibn al-Hasan ('a) had a daughter by the name of Nafisah. Her grave in Egypt is well-known." Al-Buladhari has also mentioned her and said that she is the wife of 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwan who was pregnant at the time of her death.12

Sayyid al-Amin has given the same opinion as Ibn 'Anbah.13 Zaynab Fawwaz has written, "The mother of Nafisah was a bondmaid. She married Ishaq Ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq Ibn Muhammad al-Baqir, and together they had Qasim and Umm Kulthum. After his death she married with al-Hasan Ibn Zayd and together they had Nafisah."14

Al-Zarkali, Kahhalah, and Shaykh Mahallati have introduced Nafisah as the daughter of al-Hasan Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Hasan ('a) and the wife of lshaq Ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq ('a). Al-Zarkali has written, "Lady Nafisah Bint al-Hasan Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the well-known woman who was buried in Egypt, was a pious, good, scholarly woman, knowledgeable in Qur'anic commentary and a transmitter of traditions. She was born in Makkah and grew up in al-Madinah. She married lshaq Ibn al-Mu'taman Ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq. After that she went to Cairo and passed away there."15

In examining the birth and death of Nafisah (145-208 A.H.L) with that of al­Walid Ibn 'Abd al-Malik (48-96 A.H.L) and 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwan (36-86 A.H.L), it may be seen that Nafisah could not have married with either of these two men because they both passed away before she was born. Therefore, the words of Ibn 'Anbah and the author of al-Mujdi cannot be correct if these dates are correct.

The words of al-Zarkali, Kahhalah, and Shaykh Mahallati are reasonable because the dates of birth and death of Shafi'i (150-204 A.H.L) who used to visit Nafisah and lived at the same time as her prove their words. About Nafisah's father they have said that he was the governor of al-Madinah. Al­Zarkali has also written about al-Hasan Ibn Zayd that he was appointed by al­Mansur the Abbasid ruler.16 However, he has not mentioned Zayd Ibn al-Hasan.

• 1. Al-Hasan Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Hasan (83-168 A.H.L) was the chief of the Banu-Hashim clan during his lifetime and was the governor of al-Madinah. Al-Mansur the 'Abbasid ruler, put him in charge of the city for five years. However, due to al-Mansur's fear of him he replaced him and put him in jail. [al-A'lam, vol. 2, p. 191].
• 2. Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 5, p. 85; Al-A'lam by al-Zarkali, vol. 8, p. 44; A'lam al­ Nisa', vol. 5, p. 187.
• 3. Al-A'lam by al-Zarkali, vol. 8, p. 44; Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 5, p. 85.
• 4. Muhammad Ibn Idris al-Shafi'i, nicknamed Abu 'Abdullah, was born in the year 150 A.H.L, the year in which Abu Hanifah - the founder of the Hanafiyyah School, died. Al-Shafi'i was the student of Malik Ibn Anas, but he disagreed in many areas of religion with his teacher Malik. So, he wrote a new school of thought that took his name, al-Shafi'iyyah. He was the leader of the al-Shafi’i school, and passed away in the year 204 in Egypt. His most important work was Kitab al-Umm which is a collection of his works. (Lughat Nama Dihkhuda).
• 5. Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 5, p. 85.
• 6. 'Umdat al-Talib, p. 90.
• 7. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 5, p. 187; Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 5, p. 87.
• 8. A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 10, p. 227.
• 9. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 5, p. 187.
• 10. Ishaq Ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq ('a), the son of Imam al-Sadiq, was a scholarly, righteous, pious, assiduous, and reliable man. His children were in Egypt and other countries. Shaykh al-Mufid has said these about him and says, "People related traditions from him and considered him to be reliable.' Ishaq believed in the Imamate of his brother, Musa Ibn Ja'far al-Kazim ('a). [Kitab al-Irshad, p. 286]
• 11. Umdat al-Talib, p. 90.
• 12. Al-Mujdi, p. 20.
• 13. A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 10, p. 227.
• 14. Al-Durr al-Manthur fi Tabaqat Rabbat al-Khudur, p 521.
• 15. Al-A'lam by al-Zarkali, vol. 8, p. 44; A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 5, p. 187; Rayahin al­Shari'ah, vol. 5, p. 85.
• 16. Al-A'lam by al-Zarkali, vol. 2, p. 191.