Zayd ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) (d. 201 AH / 738 AD): A study of his biography

Abstract

Zayd ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) was an Alawite from the Hasani branch. He became embroiled in conflicts and disputes with his cousins over the distribution of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) alms. Zayd lived during the time of several infallible Imams (peace be upon them), including his father, al-Hasan (peace be upon him), Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad (peace be upon him), and Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (peace be upon him). Zayd did not participate with his brothers in the Battle of Karbala in 61 AH and lived his life far removed from the political conflicts between the Alawites and the Umayyads. Zayd's name is associated with the dispute that arose between him and his cousins regarding the management of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) alms. He sought to retain control of these alms and, in this conflict, sought the support of the Umayyad authorities, leveraging his position and good relations with their caliphs. He also held some positions within the Umayyad state, reflecting his avoidance of the political confrontation approach adopted by some members of the Alawite family. The strength of his relationship with the Umayyads was further demonstrated by his marriage to the Caliph al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik. His family's influence continued into the Abbasid era, as Caliph Abu Jaafar al-Mansur appointed his son al-Hasan ibn Zayd as governor of Medina, indicating the continued presence of the Hasani family in the political administration of the state, despite the different political positions that Zayd took during his life.