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Monday, February 3, 2014

The Fragrant Biography of Al-Sha'tha' bint Jaber ibn Zaid

Al-Sha'tha', a painting by Bint Ibadh


This is another lady who grew up in that blessed house; the house of the Successor Imam 'Jabir ibn Zaid', may Allah be pleased with him. She is also from the level of successors. She was known as "Al-Sha'tha'" (the Shaggy), which caused people to forget her real name. She was the daughter of Imam Jaber, but she was called "Al-Sha'tha'" because of her shaggy hair and her father was nicknamed as "The father of Al-Sha'tha' (the shaggy), Jaber ibn Zaid". She was asking her father to buy her an oil to soften her hair. He always apologized because of the lack of what was in his hand, and because what he had is better used for the oil lantern and he always said: "Use hot water instead of oil ". It was narrated about him that he used 70 bottles of oil and his daughter asked for little oil for her head saying: "My hair is shaggy because of the lack of oil." and he replied: "Use water because what you would take can be enough to solve an issue for Muslims."

No source mentions the place where she was born or grew up. Most likely she was born and grew in Al-Basrah because Imam Jaber spent most his life there, or moving between Makkah and Madinah. He returned back to Oman when Al-Hajjaj ibn Yousef Al-thaqafi exiled him. Soon he returned to Al-Basrah and died there; his family might have settled in Oman.

Was she the daughter of Aamina, the Imam's most famous wife, or did she had another mother? All of this cannot be clarified or proven. However, it is enough to know that she had taken her knowledge from that pure spring, and she did her rule in spreading the knowledge, as she was the destination of women in issues concerning Fatwa and counseling. She lived a life of righteous believers and died on that. Her grave is known tell today in Faraq in Nizwa in Oman.   

Reference:
The Fragrant Biography of the Ibadhi Woman, by Badria Hamad Al-Shaqsia.
Translated by "A Doer of Good"



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