Dr. Junaid Ali Haider’s book Ṣaḥīfa Sayyidah Zaynab bint ʿAlī (ʿalayhā al-salām) is a groundbreaking and historically unique work — the first of its kind written in over fourteen centuries of Islamic history. Despite being a concise compilation, presented in the form of scholarly notes, it holds immense value due to its authenticity and academic precision. The narrations (marwiyyāt) attributed to Sayyidah Zaynab (ʿalayhā al-salām) are indeed very few in number, yet Dr. Junaid Ali Haider has succeeded in gathering them meticulously from reliable Sunni sources, making this small ṣaḥīfa an unprecedented contribution to Islamic scholarship.
The book’s uniqueness lies in the fact that it compiles, for the first time, the narrations transmitted from Lady Zaynab (ʿalayhā al-salām) in a well-documented and research-based format. Alongside the Arabic text, an Urdu translation has been included to facilitate both academic and general readership. Through this work, Dr. Haider presents not only Sayyidah Zaynab’s noble role in the tragedy of Karbala but also her intellectual, scholarly, and spiritual dimensions — portraying her as a learned woman, narrator, and interpreter of divine wisdom.
Although brief, the Ṣaḥīfa carries profound significance, serving as a rare window into the preserved words and teachings of Sayyidah Zaynab (ʿalayhā al-salām). The author’s strict adherence to the methodology of hadith verification, citation of classical sources, and avoidance of exaggeration elevates this book from mere devotional writing to a serious academic study.
Thus, this short yet remarkable compilation stands as a milestone in Islamic historiography — the first documented effort in fourteen centuries to preserve the authentic narrations of Sayyidah Zaynab (ʿalayhā al-salām), reflecting Dr. Junaid Ali Haider’s deep scholarly insight and sincere devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt (ʿalayhim al-salām).