The Remarkable Example of the Prophet's Grandson

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon His messenger Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.

Dear friends, I want to share with you a very beautiful and important story from Islamic history—a story about one of the grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. This is an example that we should know about, especially in these times when we live in a world where everything is exposed, where we broadcast our deeds on the internet and social media, where we make our fasting, our worship, and our good deeds public.

The Noble Character of Zayn al-Abidin

The story concerns Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, may Allah be pleased with him. He was a modest, God-fearing, and learned man. Despite being a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and coming from the most noble family in Islam, he was known for his humility and his fear of Allah. This is mentioned in important books of Islamic history.

The remarkable thing about Zayn al-Abidin was how he conducted his charitable works. He would go out at night under the cover of darkness to provide for the poor and needy of Medina. He would carry supplies—food, clothing, and provisions—to their homes, ensuring that they would see his face. He did this with such care and discretion that the people of Medina did not know who was helping them. They would wake up in the morning to find their needs met, but they could not identify their benefactor.

A Secret Revealed After His Death

It was only after Zayn al-Abidin passed away that his secret became known. The people of Medina realized that it had been him all along—the grandson of the Prophet, the noble one from the family of the Prophet—who had been secretly providing for them night after night. When they understood this, they recognized the dignity and the wisdom in how he had conducted his charity. He had hidden his good deeds, not seeking recognition or praise from anyone.

What made this example so remarkable was that Zayn al-Abidin understood something profound: that true charity and true worship are not about making oneself known or gaining admiration from people. Rather, they are about serving Allah and serving His creation with sincerity, without seeking reward or recognition in this world.

Living in the Age of Exposure

Today, we live in very different circumstances. We have the internet, social media, and all the tools of communication at our disposal. We see people broadcasting their fasting, their prayers, their good deeds, and their charitable works openly. Some do this with sincere intentions—wanting to inspire others or set a good example. But we must learn from the example of Zayn al-Abidin that there is profound wisdom in discretion and humility.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught us that the best of deeds are those done in secret, those done for the sake of Allah alone, without the intention of gaining praise or recognition from people. Zayn al-Abidin embodied this principle perfectly. He helped the poor, he supported the needy, he performed his acts of worship—all while striving to keep his deeds hidden and known only to Allah.

The Wisdom of Hidden Good Deeds

There is something spiritually powerful about doing good in secret. When we help others without anyone knowing, when we perform our worship without broadcasting it, when we give charity without announcing it, we are doing so purely for the sake of Allah. We are not seeking the approval of people, we are not seeking their praise, and we are not performing for an audience.

This does not mean that we should never do good openly or that there is no place for public good deeds. Sometimes, showing good example is important for others. But the principle that Zayn al-Abidin taught us—through his life and his actions—is that the most sincere, the most beautiful, and the most rewarding deeds in the sight of Allah are those done in secret, motivated by nothing but the love of Allah and the desire to serve His creation.

When our good deeds are done in this spirit, they become eternal. They continue to benefit people long after we are gone. They plant seeds of goodness that grow and flourish in ways we may never see in this life. But Allah sees them, and Allah rewards them.

A Reflection for Our Times

As we enter this blessed month of Ramadan, let us reflect on the example of Zayn al-Abidin. Let us think about how we can incorporate more discretion, more humility, and more sincerity into our good deeds and our worship. Let us not be obsessed with making our actions known to others or with gaining their approval.

Instead, let us focus on serving Allah with sincerity. Let us focus on helping those in need without seeking recognition. Let us focus on our relationship with Allah—that relationship that is private, that is between us and our Lord, and that requires no audience and no applause from the creation.

I ask Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic, to grant us wisdom in our deeds, to make our actions sincere, to bless us in this month of Ramadan, and to help us follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad and his noble family. I ask Him to make our good deeds a means of our salvation in the Hereafter, and to keep us steadfast on the path of righteousness.

May Allah's blessings and peace be upon the Prophet Muhammad and his family and all his companions.