Imam Ali Zain al-Abidin (a.s) our 4th Imam was born on 5th Shabaan 38 AH in Madina. According to another narration his date of birth is 15th JamadiulAwwal 38 AH.
His father is Imam Hussain (a.s), one of the two leaders of youth of paradise and his mother is
Bibi Shahrbanu (s.a).
His mother, Bibi Shahrbanu (s.a) was a princess from Iran, daughter of Yazdgard II, the last king of Pre-Islamic Iran. She was brought before Imam Ali (a.s) who freed her. She then married Imam Hussain (a.s).
His grandmother is Bibi Fatima (s.a), the Leader of all the Women of the world.
When he was born, Imam Ali (a.s), his grandfather, recited the Aazan in his right ear and the iqama in left ear.
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) named him Ali b. al-Hussain and gave him the surname of Zain al-Abidin. Again and again Imam
Ali (a.s) would hug him and say,”You are Zain al-Abidin.”
On the seventh day of his birth, his father sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of aqiqa), cut his hair
and gave silver or gold as equal to its weight as alms to the poor and needy according to the Holy Islamic Sunna.
Titles of Imam Zain al-Abidin(a.s):
▪ Zain Al-Abidin(The Ornament of Worshippers)
▪ Sayyid Al-Abidin(The Lord of Worshippers)
▪ Al-Sajjad(One Who Constantly Prostrated(in prayer))
▪ Al-Zaki(The Pure One)
▪ Al-Ameen(The trusted one)
▪ Sayyed-As-Sajideen(Master of prostraters)
Imam Zain al-Abidin (a.s) grew up in the House of Prophethood and Imamate. When he was only one and half years old, one day he was with his grandfather Imam Ali (a.s). He started praying exactly in the same way as Imam Ali (a.s) did.
On completing his prayers, Imam Ali (a.s) said, “How truthful was the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), when he said our young and our old are all the same, all being Muhammad: “Kullunaa Muhammad.”
After Imam Ali (a.s) and Imam Hasan (a.s), he lived under the care of his father Imam Hussain (a.s).