Madhhab hii inatokana na mmoja wa vitukuu vya ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib kupitia mwanawe al-Husayn. Baba wa Imaam Zayd, ‘Alee Zayn al-‘Aabideen, alijulikana sana kwa elimu yake kubwa ya sheria na kwa kusimulia Hadiyth. Akizaliwa al-Madiynah mwaka 700 CE, Zayd ibn ‘Alee haraka akawa mmoja wa wanazuoni wakuu wa familia ya ‘Alawee. Alisimulia Hadiyth kutoka kwa jamaa zake wote, akiwemo kaka yake mkubwa, Muhammad al-Baaqir.137 Zayd aliipanua elimu yake kwa kusafiri hadi vituo vingine vikuu vya elimu nchini Iraq, Kufah, Basrah na Wasit, ambako alikaa na kubadilishana mawazo na wenzake wa wakati wake kama Abu Haneefah na Sufyaan ath-Thawree.

This Madh-hab traces its origin to one of ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib’s great grandsons through his son al-Husayn. Imaam Zayd’s father, ‘Alee Zayn al-‘Aabideen, was well known for his great legal knowledge and his narration of Hadeeths. Born in al-Madeenah in the year 700 CE, Zayd ibn ‘Alee soon became one of the foremost scholars of the ‘Alawee family. He narrated Hadeeths from all of his relatives including his older brother, Muhammad al-Baaqir.137 Zayd expanded his knowledge by travelling to the other major centers of learning in Iraq, Kufah, Basrah and wasit, where he sat and exchanged views with his contemporaries like Abu Haneefah and Sufyaan ath-Thawree.

Khalifa wa Ummayad, Hishaam bin ‘Abdul-Malik (utawala wake 724–743 BK), hakuwahi kukosa fursa ya kuwadhalilisha na kuwafedhehesha familia ya ‘Alawee, na Zayd bin ‘Alee mara nyingi alichaguliwa kwa matusi.

The Umayyad caliph, Hishaam ibn ‘Abdul-Malik (reign 724- 743 CE) never missed an opportunity to degrade and humiliate the ‘Alawee family and Zayd ibn ‘Alee was often singled out for abuse.

Hakuruhusiwa kuondoka mji wa Madiinah bila ruhusa ya gavana wake, na maombi yake ya ruhusa mara nyingi yalikataliwa mara kwa mara. Hatimaye, Zayd akawa wa kwanza miongoni mwa wazao wa ‘Alee kujaribu kuchukua khilafa kutoka kwa Bani Umayyah baada ya msiba wa Karbalaa. Alisafiri kwa siri hadi Kufah, ambako alijiunga naye Mashia wa Iraq, Wasit na sehemu nyingine, akajiandaa kupigana vita na Bani Umayyah. Baadhi ya jamaa zake walimwonya asitegemee watu wa Kufah, kwa kuwa ni usaliti wao kwa Imaam Husayn ndio uliopelekea kifo chake cha mapema, lakini hakuzingatia maonyo yao. Kabla maandalizi yake hayajakamilika, mizozo ilizuka miongoni mwa wafuasi wake wapya walipogundua kwamba yeye hakuwaona makhalifa wa kwanza, Abu Bakr na ‘Umar, kuwa ni waasi walioiba khilafa kutoka kwa babu yake. Wafuasi wake wengi walimwacha, wakamtangaza mpwa wake, Ja’far as-Sadiq, kuwa Imaam wa wakati huo badala ya Zayd.

He was not allowed to leave the city of Madeenah without the permission of its governor and his repuests for permission were often turned down repeatedly. Eventually, Zayd became the first of ‘Alee’s descendants to try to wrest the caliphate from the Umayyads after the catstrophe at Karbalaa. He travelled sectetly to Kufah where he was joined by the Shi’ites of Iraq, Wasit and other places, and made preparation to do battle with the Umayyads. A number of his relatives warned him against depending on the Kufans, as it was their betrayal of Imaam Husayn which led to his untimely death, but he did not heed their warnings. Before his preparations were complete, disputes arose among his new followers when they found out that he did not consider the first caliphs, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, to be apostates who stole the caliphate from his grandfather. The majority of his followers broke away from him and declared his nephew, Ja’far as-Sadiq, to be the Imaam of the time instead of Zayd.

Jeshi la Hishaam lilitumia fursa ya machafuko hayo na kushambulia Kufah kwa mshangao. Ni wafuasi wachache zaidi ya mia nne waliojiunga na Imaam Zayd, na yeye aliuawa wakati wa mapigano yaliyofuata. 138

Hishaam’s army took advantage of the confusion and made a surprise attack on Kufah. Only a little more than four hundred followers rallied to Imaam Zayd’s side and he was killed during the fighting which ensued. 138

Imamu Zayd alikuwa mwanachuoni aliyejishughulisha hasa na kunukuu Hadithi na kufundisha usomaji wa Qur'ani. Alifundisha katika halaqa za elimu katika miji ya Madina, Basra, Kufa na Wasit, hivyo akawa na wanafunzi wengi. Njia aliyotumia Zayd ilikuwa ya kunukuu Hadithi na kufundisha fani ya usomaji wa Qur'ani. Iwapo maswali ya kisheria yaliulizwa, yeye angeyatatua au angechagua maoni ya mmoja wa wenzake wa wakati mmoja, kama mwanazuoni wa sheria 'Abdur-Rahman ibn Abee Laylaa. Hukumu za Madh-hab hazikuamriwa wala kuandikwa na Zayd mwenyewe; bali zilitolewa na wanafunzi wake.

Imaam Zayd was a scholar concerned mainly with the narration of Hadeeths and recitation of the Qur’aan. He taught in circles of learning in the cities of Madeenah, Basrah, Kufah and Wasit, and thus had a large number of students. The method used by Zayd was that of narrating Hadeeths and teaching the art of Qur’anic recitation. If legal questions were raised, he would solve them or choose an opinion of one of his contemporaries like the jurist ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Abee Laylaa. The rulings of the Madh-hab were not dictated nor recorded by Zayd himself; but by his students.

Wanazuoni wa madhehebu hiyo walibuni vyanzo vifuatavyo kutoka katika hukumu za Imamu Zayd, ambavyo waliviegemeza kuwatoa hukumu za sheria za Kiislamu.

The jurists of the Madh-hab evolved the following Sources from Imaam Zayd’s rulings as the basis from which they deduced Islamic laws.

Qur'an ilichukuliwa kuwa chanzo kikuu cha sheria ya Kiislamu.

The Qur’aan was considered the primary source of Islamic law.

Nakala iliyopo ya Qur'aan ilichukuliwa kuwa kamili bila upungufu wowote ulioelezwa na makundi mengi ya Washia wenye msimamo mkali.

The existing cop0y of the Qur’aan was considered to be complete without any of the deletions claimed by many extremist Shi’ite sects.

Maneno, vitendo na idhini za Mtume ﷺ zilichukuliwa kuwa chanzo cha pili cha umuhimu mkubwa zaidi cha sheria ya Kiislamu. Sunnah haikuwekewa mipaka kwa simulizi za familia ya ‘Alawee au wafuasi wao, bali ilijumuisha simulizi zote zilizo za kuaminika.

The sayings, actions and approvals of the Prophet (s.w.) were considered the second most important source of Islamic law. The Sunnah was not restricted to narrations of the ‘Alawee family or their followers, but included all reliable narration.

Maamuzi na kauli za ‘Alee ibn Abee Twaalib ambazo hazikuwa maoni yake binafsi zilichukuliwa na Imaam Zayd kuwa sehemu ya Sunnah. Yaani, ikiwa ‘Alee hakusema wala kudokeza kwamba ni maoni yake, basi Zayd alidhani kwamba ilitoka kwa Mtume ﷺ. Hata hivyo, Zayd hakukubali kila kitu kilichonasibishwa kwa ‘Alee, na wakati mwingine alitoa maamuzi kinyume na yale yaliyodaiwa kuwa maamuzi ya ‘Alee. Kwa mfano, imepokewa kwamba ‘Alee alihukumu kuwa Zakaah inaweza kukusanywa kutoka kwa mayatima, wakati Zayd alihukumu kwamba haiwezi kukusanywa.

Rulings and statements of ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib which were not merely his personal opinions were considered by Imaam Zayd to be a part of the Sunnah. That is, If ‘Alee did not say or imply that it was his opinion, then Zayd assumed that it was from the Prophet (s.w.). However, Zayd did not accept everything attributed to ‘Alee and somethimes made rulings contrary to what were claimed to be ‘Alee’s rulings. For example, it is reported that ‘Alee ruled that Zakaah could be collected from orphans while Zayd ruled that it could not.

Zayd alitambua Ijmaa' ya Maswahaba kuwa ni chanzo cha sheria ya Kiislamu. Kwa hiyo, ingawa alihisi kwamba babu yake alistahili zaidi uongozi kuliko Khalifa Abu Bakr, 'Umar na 'Uthmaan, kukubaliwa kwa umoja wa uongozi wao na Maswahaba kulifanya, kwa maoni yake, uwe na nguvu ya kisheria.

Zayd recognized the Ijmaa’ of the Sahaabah as a source of Islamic law. Hence, although he felt that his grandfather was better suited for leadership than Caliphs Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmaan, the unanimous acceptance of their caliphate by the Sahaabah made it, in his opinion, legally binding.

Kulingana na wanazuoni wa fiqh wa madhehebu haya, kanuni za Istihsaan na Istislaah zote mbili zilihusisha aina fulani ya hoja ya kulinganisha (qiyaas). Kwa sababu hiyo, waliziona kuwa ni sehemu ya kile kinachojulikana kama Qiyaas katika madhehebu mengine.

According to the jurists of this Madh-hab, both the principles of Istihsaan and that of Istislaah involved a form of analogical deduction. Consequently, they considered them a part of what was known a Qiyaan in the other Madh-hab

Akili ya binadamu ilichukuliwa kuwa chanzo cha sheria za Kiislamu katika karne ya pili ya Hijria, pale ambapo hakuna chanzo kingine chochote kilichokuwa kinafaa. Akiwa kijana, Imaam Zayd alikutana na kusoma chini ya Waasil ibn ‘Ataa, mwanzilishi wa madhehebu ya Mu’tazilah. Mu’tazilah ndio wa kwanza kuweka kanuni ya ‘Aql; yaani, kile ambacho akili inakiona kuwa chema ni chema, na kile ambacho inakiona kuwa kibaya ni kibaya. Hata hivyo, kwa mujibu wa Mu’tazilah, ‘Aql ilikuja mara baada ya Qur’aan na Sunnah, na hivyo walikataa Qiyaas, pamoja na maoni ya Sahaabah,139 ilhali Imaam Zayd aliiweka kanuni ya ‘Aql mwishoni kabisa na akakubali Qiyaas.

Human intellect was considered as a source of Islamic law in ce where none o the previous sources was applicable. As a youth, Imaan Zayd had met and studied under Waasil ibn ‘Ataa, founder of the Mu’tazilite school of thought. The Mu’tazilites were the first to propound the principle of ‘Aql; whatever, the intellect considered good was good and whatever it consedered bad was bad. However, according to the Mu’taziah, ‘Aql came directly after the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and thus they rejected Qiyaas, as well as the opinions of the Sahaabah,139 whereas Imaam Zayd placed the principle of ‘Aql last and recognized Qiyaas.

Wanafunzi wa Imam Zayd walirekodi madhehebu yake. Hata hivyo, pia walijumuisha hukumu za wanazuoni wengine kutoka familia ya ʿAlawī pamoja na za watu wa zama zake.

Imaam Zayd’s students recorded the Madh-hab. However, they also included the rulings of others scholars form the ‘Alawee family as well as Zayd’s contemporaries.

‘Amr ibn Hai alikuwa labda mwanafunzi maarufu zaidi wa Imam Zayd. Alikaa naye kwa muda mrefu huko Madinah na alisafiri naye katika safari nyingi. ‘Amr alikusanya mafundisho ya Imam Zayd katika kazi mbili kuu zilizoitwa Majmoo’ al-Hadeeth na Majmoo’ al-Fiqh. Kwa pamoja zinajulikana kama al-Majmoo’ al-Kabeer. Ingawa hadithi zote zilizomo katika Majmoo’ al-Hadeeth zinatokana na familia ya ‘Alawee, zote zina hadithi zinazolingana nazo katika vitabu sita maarufu vya Hadeeth.

‘Amr ibn hai was perhaps the most famous of Imaam Zayd’s students. He spent a long time with him in Madeenah and accompanied him on most of his journeys. ‘Amr compiled Imaam Zayd’s teaching in two major works entitled Majmoo’ al-Hadeeth and Mjmoo’ al-Fiqh. Together they are called al-Majmoo’ alKabeer. Although all of the Hadeeth narrations in Majmoo’ alHadeeth are from the ‘Alawee family they all have corresponding narrations in the famous six books of Hadeeth.

Madhehebu ya Zaydi hayakujizuia kwenye hukumu za upande wa Husaynee wa familia ya ‘Alawee. Kwa hiyo, maoni ya al-Qaasim ibn Ibraaheem al-Hasanee (787-857 CE), aliyejulikana sana kwa elimu yake, pia yalijumuishwa katika hukumu za Madhehebu ya Zaydi. Hata hivyo, mjukuu wa al-Qaasim, al-Haadee elaa al-Haqq, ambaye alifanywa Imaam wa Yemen, aliacha athari kubwa zaidi kwenye Madhehebu hiyo. Dola ya Kiislamu ilianzishwa nchini Yemen kwa mujibu wa Madhehebu ya Zaydi, jambo lililoipa msingi imara na kuhakikisha kuendelea kwake hadi leo.

The Zaydees did not restrict themselves to the rulings of the Husaynee side of the ‘Alawee family. Hence, the opinions of alQaasim ibn Ibraaheem al-Hasanee (787-857 CE), who became renowned for his scholarship, were also included in the rulings of the Zaydee Madh-hab. However, al-Qaasim’s grandson, al-Haadee elaa al-Haqq, who was made the Imaam of Yemen, made an even greater impact on the Madh-hab. An Islamic state was set up in Yemen according to the Zaydee Madh-hab which gave it a firm footing and ensured its survival till today.

Al-Hasan, anayejulikana kama an-Naasir al-Kabeer, alikuwa wa zama moja na al-Haadee. Alifundisha madhehebu ya Zaydiyya huko Dailam na Jeelan. Alikuwa msomi mkubwa, na warithi wake wanamwona kuwa mfufuaji wa madhehebu hiyo.140

Al-Hasan, known as an-Naasir al-Kabeer, was a contemporaryof alHaadee. He taught the Zaydee Madh-hab in Dailam and Jeelan. He was a great scholar and its considered by his successors as the reviver of the Madh-hab.140

Leo, wafuasi wa Madhhab hii wanapatikana zaidi nchini Yemen, ambapo ndiyo Madhhab ya wengi wa wakazi wake.

Today, the followers of this Madh-hab are mostly found in Yemen where it is the Madh-hab of the Majority of its inhabitans.