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Lady Zaynab (Peace be Upon Her)
By: Shaikh Musa Muhammad
Publisher's Word
In the history of humankind, one can find many names whose principles encouraged them to declare the word of right and justice openly in the faces of the wrongdoers and the unjust. This book deals with a lady who entered the field of struggle against wrong strongly and said the word of right and justice in the faces of the wrongdoers and oppressors. The echoes of this lady's words are still disturbing every tyrant and still reminding history of her immortal situations that gave, altogether with her brother's revolution, a new birth to Islam after it had been about to be deformed and vanished at the hands of the illegal rulers who took over the leadership of the Islamic nation. This lady was Zaynab daughter of Imam Ali.
We must also yield to the fact that Imam Husayn accompanied his sister, lady Zaynab, with him only after he had found her the fittest to complete his giant revolution, and she did complete his revolution after him so perfectly. Besides, Lady Zaynab was such a perfect individual that she understood the duty she would burden about the revolution of her brother although the Islamic Shariah has ordered women to remain at their houses since it is not obligatory upon them to participate in jihad.2 Notwithstanding, lady Zaynab, being the daughter of the Islamic Shari'ah that was revealed in her house, understood ore than anyone else that the advocacy of the right and the support of the religion were two mission to be undertaken by her. Hence, she carried out the religious duty as perfect as possible and could act as an important ring in the series of Islam.
From this cause, we understand that the revolution of Lady Zaynab, granddaughter of the Prophet of Islam and daughter of its protector, was due to a divine directive.
Everybody knows that Islam cold see the light only by virtue of the wealth of Khadijah (Prophet Muhammad's first wife) and the sword of Ali ibn Abu Talib. In the same manner, Islam has subsisted by virtue of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and the revolution of Lady Zaynab. Only through the revolutionary speeches of Lady Zaynab didi the publics recognize the falsity of Muawiya and Yazid and their enmity against Islam.
The tragedy of Lady Zaynab forms the second half of the revolution of Imam Husayn . Against those unbearable misfortunes, she stood with steadfastness and had full custody on the captives, orphans, and the ailed Imam. She then disputed the wrongdoers through her speeches and denied the horrendous crushing and violation against the oppressive gang of the Umayyad rulers and their tails until they banished her so as to save their state. Nevertheless, their state was smashed completely in consequence of Lady Zaynab's efforts.
The material of this book has been compiled from the most reliable reference cooks of history and biography. However the books entitles 'Al-Sayidah Zaynab' and autord by Sheikh Ja'far al-Naqdi, 'Al-Sayyidah Zaynab' and authored by Sheikh Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi have been most depended in the material of this book.
Ansariyan Publications, (Iran) 2002.
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# Introduction
Lady Zaynab, daughter of Imam Ali and granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad, was the first lady in the world of Islam to form a whole history, erect edifices of right and justice, demolish the gloomy castle of wrong and oppression, and record, through her honourable situation, new items of honour and dignity for Islam and Muslims, throughout history. Thus, she has been a ring in the series of the ideal, human glories that her fathers, brothers, descendants of her brothers, and their partisans have introduced to humanity.
She contribute actively in constructing the edifices of the Muslim ideal renaissances and in the propagation for the religious and political congnizance in the meanwhile as the ruling authorities and their tails used all media for overcastting the pure mentalities of people and forging even the intuitive facts of Islam. Positively, Lady Zaynab aborted all these forgeries and brought into views the reality of the Umayyad rulers; the actual enemies of Islam. She, also, proved to the public that the Umayyad rulers were polluted by crimes and violations against human rights and that their authority was illegal since they usurped the others' rights and appointed themselves as absolute rulers over Muslims without obtaining their satisfaction or consulting them.
Through her marvellous revolutionary speeches and situations, Lady Zaynab particularized minutely the reality that was hidden from the publics, and focused lights on the misdemeanour of the Umayyad rulers' political plots. Lady Zaynab, the Prophet's granddaughter, was characterized by a personality that joines all the high moral standards and the honorable tendencies and, accordingly, she has been the best exemplary of honor, chastity, and dignity in addition to every virtue of human perfection.
From her grandfather and parents, lady Zaynab inherited perfectly the highest principles of charity including deep-rooted faith and trust in Almighty Allah. Historians have recorded remarkable pictures and situation of incomparable faith and perseverance on principles the leading roles of which was proudly given to Lady Zaynab. At the night that followed that horrible day of 'Ashura'1 in Karbala', Lady Zaynab offered Thanksgiving Prayer to Almighty Allah for that tragedy which inflicted not only the Ahl al-Bayt, but also all human beings in general and Muslims in particular.
Another picture of Lady Zaynab's tremendous faith is that on the day of 'Ashura' she stopped near the body of her killed brother, Imam Husayn , that was cruelly severed by the swords of the criminal band of the Umayyad army, and uttered her immortal word:
"O Allah, accept this offering and reward him for his deed."
Has humanity ever seen such a scene of faith?
The most destructive adversity that inflicted Islam was taking the Ahl al-Bayt away from the political theatre of Islam while everybody, especially those who contributed directly in the scenario of setting them aside from their position, knew for certain the divine decision of choosing them (i.e. the Ahl al-Bayt) for the leadership of the Islamic nation. Historians have recorded unanimously that after the demise of Prophet Muhammad, some individuals led a rebellion against his general decision of succession in the leadership of the Islamic nation, claiming that it is unacceptable for the Hashemites1 to have both prophesy and leadership.2 This adversity resulted in handing the leadership and destiny of the Islamic nation over to unsuitable individuals who were the main reason beyond the collapse of Muslims.
Thus, the Islamic nation, as a whole, was deprived of the pure source of the knowlege of the Ahl al-Bayt which was the natural extension of the divine knowledge of the prophet. Imam Ali, in consequence, lived in complete confinement away from the political and practical life of the Isalmic nation all during the reigns of the three caliphs, and when he was elected, freely first time, for the leadership of the Islamic nation, the capitalists, the greedy, the deviants, and the ignorant revolted against his just government and ingaged him aganist many things. By such engagement, the Islamic world was afflicated with a big loss when Imam Ali did not have enough time to extend ideal justice and equality all over the Islamic state. As a matter of fact, the Immaculate Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt faced the same fate of their grandfather Imam Ali when the Umayyad and 'Abbasid rulers prevented them from extending their idealities and knowledge among people and caused humanity to lose such sources of wisdom.
Because of the policies of the caliphs of Qurayash3, the mortal enemies of Islam could come to power, rule Muslims, and change the Islamic State into kingdom dominated by personal interests and hereditary dynasty. Thus, wrong and oppression became the distinctive features of the ruling authorities, killing was the fate of men of thought and freedom, people were deprived of their rights, which became in the hands of a few gang loyal to the ruling authorities, and corruption found rich pasture in the Islamic provinces. Wrong, oppression, and corruption attainted the climax in the reign of Yazid the dissolute. Historians have unanimously agreed on the fact that "Yazid was such an unjust, immoral, and sinful man that he did not believe in Allah and His Apostle for a single moment." In abstract, Yazid's policies exploded in every matter that violated Islam.
In the midst of these cicumstances, nobody had the ability to utter a single word of right except Imam Husayn who formulated his great revolution that paved the way to the standing against every unjust individual and declare the word of truth openly courageously. Through its horrible chapters, the revolution of Imam Husayn shook the worldwide conscience and carried an intellectual donation and bright lessons to all peoples who suffer the ordeals of colonialism and slavery.
Lady Zaynab contributed activity and positively in all the chapters and heroisms of Imam Husayn 's revolution, In the first stage of the revolution , Lady Zaynab stood with her brother so bravely although she knew the fate that he would face. Her strong will, fortitude, and determination on supporting her brother in his revolution were distinctive features of this revolution that changed the history and supplied the seekers of freedom with factors of renaissance and developement.
Lady Zaynab believed in the revolution of her brother, participated in his struggle against wrong and oppression vigorously, and adopted the goals of this great revolution. Through her innovative speeches in the porticoes of the Umayyad rulyng center, she signalized the genuine principles of Imam Husayn 's revolution and could crystallize the public opinion and found an actual cognizance that, later on, resulted in successive popular uprisings against the Umayyad regim. She gave matchless examples of willpower, deep-rooted faith, and steadfastness through her treatment of the horrible situations she had to encounter. In fact, the example of Lady Zaynab can be found neither in the Islamic history nor in the history of humankind.
This great lady saw the atrocious adversities that afflicated her family members and could treat these situations with perseverance and steadfastness as she submitted totally to Almighty Allah.
She saw the moonlike young men among her sons, nephews, and cousins killed and their organs were severed so horribly on the ground of Karbala. She also saw even the newborns and the babies of her household slaughtered so savagely on the hands of those inhumane criminals. She saw the ladies of the Prophet's house harshly exhausted by thirst while they were wailing for their sons and brethren, but she was trying to console and order them to be patient and steadfast. She saw her brother, Chief of the Martyrs, surrounded by those wicked people those swords, spears and lances were stricken his body until they beheaded him so hideously.
She saw those infidel invaders attach the women's tents and set them on fire while the Prophet's harem had to run in the desert out of fear. Lady Zaynab saw all these adversities and faced them with faith, persistence, and submission to Almighty Allah. The disaster of Karbala with all of the horrifying, hideous events that accompanied it, including the capture, humility, and exemplary punishment against the Ahl al-Bayt, men and women, provokes us into having a brief view at the political documents and the events that followed the Prophet's demise directly because these are the rudimentary source of the misfortunes of the Ahl al-Bayt in particular and Muslims in general.
Most certainly, within the most significant factors that resulted in the absolute domination of the Umayyad dynasty on the Islamic State were the plot of the Saqifah and the spurious forgery of the Shura.
[Note: The saqifah, or shed, of Banu-Saida is the place where Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubayda held a secret meeting, immediately after the demise of Prophed Muhammad to name their own man as the next leader, although they all knew that the Prophet has nominated Ali as his successor.]
Because of the invention of these two baseless system, the Umayyad infidels, though they were humiliated by Islam and decided as slaves and then were released after they had fought against Islam with all weapons, could come to power and prevail on Muslims and their destiny.
The ruling authorities who usurped the legal right of Imam Ali showed favor to Umayyad rulers, removed the mask of humility and meekness that Islam put on their faces, granted them abundant wealth, and invested them with leading office in the Islamic State. Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan was the biggest beneficiary of such procedures. He was given the governorship of Syria and was granted special support and advocacy. When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab was informed that the governor of Syria, namely Muawiya, exceeded all limits in violating the Muslims' treasury as he built palaces, committed every sin forbidden by Islam, dressed silky clothes, and ate in golden and silver plates, 'Umar found him ecxuses by saying, "This is the Khosrow -kong- of the Arabs." Everybody knew that Islam has been empty of royalty or aristocracy. In the sight of Islam, all Muslims are of the same class. Nothing distiguishes them except piety and charity.
It is ironic for such an individual to be described as the king of the Arabs. In the holy Quran, Muawiya and his family are described as the doomed tree.1 In many texts related authentically to the Prophet, the Umayyad dynasty is cursed. After all, they are only slaves of Muslims although the Prophet released them and they have been named 'the Released Ones.'
In abstract, a view at the events of Karbala and the ordeals faced by the Ahl al-Bayt proves that they, primarily, are the results of the plot of Saqifah and the spurious forgery of Sura. Moreover, these two unfounded systems have been the reason beyond all the ordeals of Muslims during history.
In point of fact, the greatest and the most constructive service to be presented to the Islamic nation is to hint at, propagate for, and refer to the Ahl al-Bayt's numerous, fenuine merits and elevated idealities since these matters leave direct influence on the spread of virtue and moral standards and the development of behavior. The Ahl al-Bayt have been acting, through their words, deeds, and behaviors, as rays of Almighty Allah's illumination, since they are, as is proved by authenticated reports related to the Prophet who 'does not speak out of desire', the ships of salvation of the Islamic nation and the matches of the Book of Allah.
The life account of the Ahl al-Bayt have been school of God-fearing, genuine faith, and struggle against the wrong. They dedicated their lives to the Almighty and acted perfectly sincerely for His sake. Thus, the life acount of any of them is no more than a record of model items of God-fearing and obedience to the Lord. They spent their days with fasting and spent their nights with prayers and recitals of the Holy Book of Allah.
The Ahl al-Bayt, men and women, acted earnestly for spreading knowledge, wisdom, and high moral standards among people. They also spent their lives with distributing their charity among the needy, acting kindly to the miserable, struggling intently against the wrong, and exerting all possible efforts for opposing injustice and the unjust individuals no matter how strong they were, and which position they held. They adopted the issues of the Islamic nation so bravely; therefore, they were exposed to killing at the hands of the unjust rulers who held the rein of the Islamic nations wrongfully.
Among the individuals of the Ahl al-Bayt to whom all the previous activities and descritions are applicable is Lady Zaynab daughter of Imam Ali who contributed in raising the word of Allah on this earth and struggled intently against the oppressors and had to suffer the most horrible adversities and misfortunes for this sake. After the killing of her brother Imam Husayn , Lady Zaynab, as well as the other harem of the Prophet's household, was taken as captive and had to be present before the bastard 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad who was given the position of the governorship of two Islamic provinces.
Before 'Ubaydullah, Lady Zaynab showed such remarkable courage that he could not control himself when he hurried towards her to beat her. The caravan of the Prophet's household then was taken to Syria where they had to be present before Yazid ibn Muawiya. Before this criminal descendant of the mortal enemies of Islam, Lady Zaynab delivered her historical speech, which is considered as the most important document that condemned and decided as illegal the Umayyad State and its partisans.
For the sake of Islam, this granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad had to suffer horrifying adversities and misfortunes, and due to her heroic situations and honorable struggle against wrong and oppression, women of this world must take her as their model through a deep understanding of her pioneership of struggle against wrong, all women should recognize their roles in adopting the issues of justice on this earth.
# THE LIFE OF LADY ZAYNAB
To throw light upon the odorous memories and to work perseveringly for obtaining the items of such memories; these two things cast on souls good manners, virtues, and acquaintance with the conducts of the past personalities who were characterized by high merits, piety, righteousness, and decency.
Thus, the noble, deep-rooted character of Lady Zaynab should not be passed over because she has contained all points of immaculacy, majesty, dignity, and distinguished origin. She has also possessed renowned bearings in the fields of perseverance on the principles, courage, eloquence, and full-heatedness in addition to asceticism, chastity, piety, holiness, and magnanimity.
On that account, it is necessary for seekers of merits and fact-finders to adopt from her precious life account and please the ears by listening to her admirable, odorous memories so as to take from her a model of self disciplining, knowledge, and aspiration. Let us now refer to a brief presentation of the life of Lady Zaynab.
LINEAGE
Lady Zaynab enjoyed the most exalted lineage since she ramified from the tree of prophecy and Imamate and combined all the elements of honor and dignity. The family of Imam Ali has been the most elevates all over history in fields of struggle against wrong and adaptation of the issues of human rights. For the sake of these issues, sons and descendants of Imam Ali have provided hundreds of martyrs.
Lady Zaynab's grandfather, from the maternal side, was Prophet Muhammad who exploded spring of knowledge and wisdom on this earth, founded the features of civilization and development, constructed a noble society controlled by justice and law, smashed the customs, superstitions, and pagans of the savage, tribal society that prevailed in the Arab Peninsula, called for worshipping the One Creator, and brought to his nation abundant goodness. Indeed, Almighty Allah sent Prophet Muhammad as mercy for humankind.
From this great personality, Lady Zaynab inherited defense of the right and struggle for elevating the Word of Allah highly. Her grandmother, from the maternal side, was Khadijah who supported Islam in its darkest days, struggled for sake of Allah in the ever-best way, and spent her entire fortune for sake of her religion. She therefore has been one of the two supports on which Islam relied in existence. The Prophet used to appreciate for his loyal wife her situation in her life and after her death.
From this great grandmother, Lady Zaynab inherited the highest moral standards and perseverance on principles. Copying her grandmother, she supported her brother, Imam Husayn , in his revolution and supplies his great uprising with elements of eternity. Lady Zaynab's father is Imam Ali Amir al-Mu'minin (commander of the faithful believers): chief of the prophets' successors, leader of the pious ones, and head of the worshippers. Ali was the representative, successor, and heir of Prophet Muhammad. His merits are innumerable and his situations for sake of Allah are incomparable. He was the most knowledgeable, the most self-possessed, the most magnanimous, the most generous, the most ascetic, the most courageous, the most reputable, the best worshipper, the most loyal, the most faithful, and the most pious among Muslims.
Historians have recorded unanimously that Lady Zaynab was imitating her father in behavior, knowledge, and conduct. She, too, adopted positively all of her father's goals and situations for sake of supplying Islam with elements of continuity. Hence, she, along with her brother Imam Husayn , could thwart the Umayyad infidels' plots aimed at wiping out Islam and replacing it with the pre-Islamic customs.
Lady Zaynab's mother was Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' the Veracious who was a copy of her father in adoration of Allah, piety, self-discipline, knowledge, virtue, clemency, veneration, and the other features of perfection. Her father named her as the Chiefess of the Women of the World. From this cause, her father addressed his best words of laudation and respect to his daughter who was the ideal woman on this earth.
[Note: Bukhari and Muslim both quoted the Prophet saying, "Fatimah is a piece of me. Whatever hurts her is certainly hurting me and whatever please her is certainly pleasing me." Also: "Fatimah, most surely Allah is pleased when you are pleased and enraged when you are enraged." ]
Finally, reference books of Islamic history and narration are full of reports relating the elevated standing of Fatimah al-Zahra' the Veracious.
This was the mother, educator , and instructor of Lady Zaynab who was nourished on all features of human perfection. Let us also refer briefly to the grandfather and grandmother of Lady Zaynab from the paternal side. Abu Talib, father of Imam Ali, was the protector of Islam as he defended Prophet Muhammd so bravely and suffered in this course unbearable troubles. Only under the guardianship of Abu Talib could Prophet Muhammad propagate for his divine mission and spread his principles rearlessly. With the demise of his protector, the Prophet expressed his great loss and grief. He therefore called that year as 'year of grief'. After the demise of Abu Talib, the enemies of the Prophet agreed on assassinating him, but Allah saved and ordered him to flee to Yathrib and let his cousin, Ali, sleep in his bed for making the assassinators understand that he was still there.
From this great personality, Lady Zaynab drew the best lessons of defending the principles. Lady Zaynab's grandmother was Fatimah bint Asad; an exampel of faith and purity. On her hands, the Prophet was brought up and treated so kindly and tenderly since she used to take care of sympathy and love. Hence, she was highly respected by him; when she departed life, he dressed her his own shirt and laid down in her grave as expressions of his great love for her. From this great mother, Lady Zaynab learnt the best lessons of love and support for sake of her religion and its legal leaders. We, also should not neglect the fact that Imam al-Hasan and Imam Husayn participated in composing the unparalleled personality of their sister, Lady Zaynab, since she spent a long term of her life undr their custody.
The two Imams' merits and virtues are too many to be contained. As a result, the Prophet called them 'Chiefs for the Youth of Paradise.' Lady Zaynab imitated the morals and ethics of Imam al-Hasan who was known of his composure and liberty in addition to all the high moral standards. As he noticed that his grandfather and parents take care of Zaynab, Imam al-Hasan encompassed her with very much love and compassion and preferred her to the other harem of the Prophet's household.
Imam Husayn 's realtion with his sister Zaynab has been the melody of seekers of human perfection. She could occupy his feelings and emotions for the genuineness of her estimation, elevation of her ethics, and high moral standards. She was the most dependable in the sight of Imam Husayn who used to take counsel with her in all of his affairs. She also accompanied him in all the stages of his revolution. without Lady Zaynab's struggle, efforts, and honorable situations, the revolution of Imam Husayn would have been lost. As an example of Lady zaynab's great standing in the sight of her brother Imam Husayn is that when he bade her the last farewell on the day of 'Ashura' , he asked her to mention him in her Night Prayer.
Through the second part of this book, we will refer to section of the unmatched relation between Imam Husayn and his sister, Lady Zaynab.
# The Blessed Newborn
The life of the Prophet's family was highly flourishing with the existence of the two Imams al-Hasan and Husayn who occupied their grandfather's heart completely. Their two sons before them and as they saw the Prophet's love for them. Once, he expressed his love for these two sins by saying:
"These two are my only basils that I take from this world." In the midst of this delightful atmosphere, Lady fatimah al-Zahra' became pregnant for the third time. Everybody, including the Messanger of Allah, was waiting for the new baby.
With more delight and pleasure, Lady Fatimah gave birth of a she-baby who would exceed all Muslim women in fields of faith, honor, chastity, and perseverance on the principles. The ahl al-Bayt and the Prophet's companions received the new of the birth of Lady zaynab with gladness. Imam Ali hurried to take his newborn, kissed her frequently, and held the Shariite ceremonies of newborns. The Imam recited azan3 in his newborn's right ear and iqamah4 in the left. Hence, the first voice that penetrated the newborn's hearing was her father's, shouting:
Allahu Akbar - Allah is the Greatest - La ilaha illallah - There is no god but Allah.
These great words found a strong ground in the inner self of lady Zaynab. They, later on, became the most significant elements of her personality. In the future, she would adopt the calling to the true application of these words for which she would encounter horrible adversities. As soon as he was informed about the news of the giving birth of this newborn, the Prophet hurried to his daughter's house, embraced the newborn to his chest warmly, and began to weep. It was a surprising view for the mother, Fatimah al-Zahra, to see her father's tears drop on his face, "What for are you weeping, father?" asked she. "Fatimah," said the father with sad tone, "you should know that this daughter will have to suffer horrible misfortunes and tragedies after my and your demise."
At these moments, the Prophet perceived the horrifying hardships that would afflict his granddaughter. Naturally, Fatimah al-Zahra participated in her father's griefs at these moments. Then the close friend of the Ahl al-Bayt, Salman, came to congratulate on that occasion but he found the household sinking in griefs and unhappiness. Hence, he also participated in that ceremony of consolation.
CHOOSING THE NAME
The blessed mother carried her newborn to the father and asked for choosing a name for her.
"I will not precede the Messenger of Allah in such a matter," answered the father modestly. He then took the newborn and asked him to choose a name for her.
"I will not precede my Lord in such a matter," answered the Messenger of Allah modestly. From the Heavens then ascended Archangel Gabriel to say to the Prophet, "This newborn's name is 'Zaynab'.
Almighty Allah has chosen this name for her." She was also given the nickname 'Ummu-Kulthum' or 'Ummu-al-Hasan'.
EPITHETS
Epithet is a word of phrase expressing a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person of thing mentioned.3 Epithets, then, show one's mental characteristics, whether good or bad. thus, Lady Zaynab had many epithets that expressed some aspects of her personality.
1) AL-'AQILAH
The Arabic 'Aqialah means the gentlewoman who is honorable among her people and venerated in her house. Lady Zaynab was such an honorable and virtuous lady that all her descendants have been called Banu al-Aqilah- sons of the gentlewoman. During the journey of Imam Husayn from Medina to Karbala, Lady Zaynab was the chiefess of the harem and was obeyed and respected by everybody.
It is to add that she was also called 'Aqilatu Bani Hashim -the gentlewoman of the Hashemites,' and Aqilat ut-Talibiyyin - the gentlewoman of the sons ( and descendants) of Abu Talib.'
2) AL-ALIMAH
For her supreme knowledge, Lady Zaynab was called 'al-Alimah -the she-knowledgeable-. Historians have confirmed that she was an authority for Muslim ladies who used to refer to her in their religious affairs. Of course, she used to refer to her in their religious affairs. Of course, she received such knowledge from her grandfather, parents, and brothers who were the sources of knowledge for the Islamic ummah. Fruthermore, Lady Zaynab has had similar epithets, such as 'al-'Arifah -the well-versed- 'and 'al-Muwathaqah -the trustworthy-'.
3) ABIDATU ALI-ALI
Lady Zaynab was recognized also as being distinguisghed worshipper among Muslim ladies. She committed herself to all the recommendable rites of Islam to the degree that even at the most horrible night of her life -i.e. the night of the tenth of Muharram, 61 AH -she offered the supererogatory prayers. Thus, she was called 'Abidatu Ali-Ali -the she- worshipper of Ali's household'.
4) AL-KAMILAH
In all aspects of human perfection, lady Zaynab preceded everybody and occupied the leading position. She therefore is called 'al-Kamilah -the perfect-'
5) AL-FADHILAH
Because of her great jihad, service for Islam, and steadfastness for sake of Allah, Lady Zaynab's virtue has exceeded all limits and, therefore, she was proudly conferred with the epithet of 'al-Fadhilah -the virtuous.'
6) AL-SIDDIQAH AL-SUGHRA
Like her mother who is known as the Senior Veracious, Lady Zaynab was so veracious that she gained worthily the epithet of 'al-Siddiqah al-Sughra- the Junior Veracious Lady.
7) UMM AL-MASA'IB
Because she had to suffer various and innumerable misfortunes all over her lifetime. Lady Zaynab was called Umm al-Masa'ib -Mother of misfortunes-.
Let us refer to some of these misfortunes that she saw in a period of about one month:
1) She saw al-Hurr ibn Yazid force Imam Husayn to stop and reside in a desolate place.
2) She saw the Imam's few companions in comparison with the great numbers of the enemy's army.
3) She saw most of the Imam's so-called partisans abandon him and join his enemies.
4) She saw the women's fear and worry when they had to reside In Karbala'.
5) She saw the enemies deprive her people and her of water.
6) She had to take care of the children and women while they were crying out of thirst.
7) She had to witness her brother's feelings of disappointment and loneliness.
8) She had to witness the martyrdom of her two sons, as well as the other relatives and companions whom were martyred one by one. The martyrdom of al-'Abbas however was the most diastrous for her.
9) She saw how Imam Husayn was without any supporter or helper, while he was seeking help.
10) She saw the cut of head of Husayn lie on spearheads.
11) She saw the enemies attach her brother's caravan and women, trying to set fire on the tents.
12) She had to gather the scattered children and women who fled to everywhere in that desert.
13) She had to pass by the dead, severed body of her brother.
14) She had to ride on saddleless, lean camels and to help the children and women to ride on such animals.
15) she had to exert all efforts for takimg care of the ill nephew and consoling him.
16) She had to go through the scenes of being captives and driven from a town to another while people were looking at them as rebels.
It is narrated that the Holy Prophet once said, "To weep for the misfortunes of Zaynab is as same as to weep for her brothers; al-Hasan and Husayn ."
YEAR OF BIRTH
Historians and narrators have had different opinions about the year of Lady Zaynab's birth. Some have referred to the fifth year after Hijrah, others to the sixth, and a third party to the ninth. The last opinion however is inaccurate, and the most acceptable is the first.
EARLY LIFE
Lady Zaynab was brought up at the hands of Prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali, and Lady Fatimah the Veracious. In other words, she was brought up in the lap of the divine prophesy, spent her early life in the house of the divine mission, suckled the milk of the most perfect woman of all ages, and was nourished at the hands of the Commander of the Faithful believers. Hence, she enjoyed a divine upgrowth and spiritual education and received a garments of elevation, eminence, chastity and decency. After the demise of Prophet Muhammad and his daughter Fatimah, Imam Ali married Umamah who took care of Lady Zaynab perfectly since this lady was known of her piety and submission to the Lord.
Lady Zayanb, hence, was covered by the most exalted colors fo education, honor, dignity, mercy, and compassion.She learn from the behaviors of her parents and brothers many things that composed her perfect personality.
For instance, whenever she visited her brother Imam Husayn , he would stand up as a sign of reverence and respect for her. Whenever she wanted to visit the holy tomb of her grandfather, her father and two brothers used to accompany her. They also used to extinguish any light so that nobody would see her.
She was really the inheritor of Imam Ali's values, moralities, and ethics. To the scholars and narrators of Hadith, Lady Zaynab enjoyed a great position. They, therefore, used to refer to Imam Ali, during the Umayyad reign who eded any mention to the Imam's name, by saying 'Father of Zaynab reported ...'
# Scholarly Capacities
From early life, Lady Zaynab was marvelous in intelligence and cleverness. She learnt by heart the holy qur'an and the Prophet's sayings regarding Islamic laws, rules of education, and priciples of ethics. she also memorized the famous, confounded the speech of her mother, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, that she delivered in the Propht's Masjid protesting against Abu Bakr's usurpation of the Islamic ummah's leadership, which was the right of Imam Ali according to the instruction of Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammd, as well as confiscation of Fadak that the Holy Prophet had given to her as gift whithin earshot of all Muslims . In addition to many other narrations, she narrated her mother's speech when the Muslim ladies visited her in her final disease.
Her father, too, was greatly admired by her sharp cleverness. One day, she asked him, "Father, do you love us?"he answered, "Of course I do, daughter. I do love you because you are the fruit of my heart."she replied politely, "Father, love is exclusively for Almighty Allah, while it is compassion which is for us." As he was teaching her the numbers, he asked "say: one." She said, "one." As he asked her to say "two", she kept silent. "Why do you not say: two?" asked the father. She answered "tongue which pronounces 'one' cannot say 'two.'"
As he heard this great answer, the father kissed and emraced her.1 She also used to say:
"Anyone who intends not to have the creatures as interceders for him before Allah should praise Him. Listen to His saying:'Allah listen to anyone who praises Him.' Hence, one should fear Allah for He has ability over him, and should feel shy of Him for He is very close to him." This statement in fact implies that she was so virtuous and perfectly adhered to Allah. Moreover, she represented her brother, Imam Husayn whenever he would be absent. Hence, Muslims used to refer to her in the questions of the Islamic laws. For her extensive knowledge, Imam Zayn al-Abidin, 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far, Lady fatimah daughter of Imam Husayn , Muhammad ibn 'Amr, and 'Ata ibn al-Sa'ib used to report her sayings.
In Kufa and during her father's reign. Lady zaynab had special session to which Muslim ladies used to come for listening to her precious lectures about Islam and exegesis of the Holy Qur'an. She thus was the most trustworthy reference from whom Muslim ladies used to take concerning questions about Islam, moral instrucions, and general ethics. For her tremendous virtue too, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas frequently asked her for answers of qrestions that he ignored.
He also reported, proudly, a good number of narration on her authority. In this regard, he would say:
"Our 'Aqilah (i.e. the honorable gentlewoman), Zaynab daughter of Ali narrated to us that...etc." One of his reports that he related on the authority of Lady zaynab was Lady fatimah al-Zahra's famous speech in the Prophet's Masjid. She also represented Imam Zayn al-Abidin during his illness. About her, he said: "She is so knowledgeable that she does not need other's knowledge."2 Finally, was the most eloquent speaker in Islam; she could shake the enemies' emotions, disorder the public opinion, and provoke the publics against the Umayyad ruling regime when she delivered her famous speeches in Kufa and Damascus. In fact, these speeches hint at her precious cultural and literate fortunes.
In addition, the reason beyond her peculiar scholarly capacity may be mentioned in the following points:
1) She was always pious and observant towards the Almighty Allah's commandments and instructions. To be God-fearing and pious achieves knowledgeability and notable learning. This is clear in Almighty Allah's saying:
"And be careful of (your duty) to Allah, Allah teaches you, and Allah knows all things." (2:282)
Lady Zaynab was so God-fearing and pious. She dedicated a good time of her daily activities to her Lord; she was sinking in praising and glorifying Him. At night when sounds calm and eyes sleep, she used to turn her face and heart towards her Lord with teary eyes, fearful heart, and hopeful mind to say confidently:
"O You Who dresses and adorns Himself with valor! O You Who designs and dons Himself with glory! I implore to You by the seats of might in Your Throne, by the utmost of mercy in Your Book, by Your Grandest Name, by Your most high Majesty, and by Your Perfect Words that have been accomplished truly and honestly, [I implore to You] to send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and to arrange for me the good of both this world and the world to come.
2) Lady Zaynab was well known of her unparalleled intelligence, apposite opinion, and wisdom, Her words were as regulated as necklace and her opinions were to the point. She was the ideal of eloquence and expressiveness. Allah gifted her the utmost of knowledge, morality, composure, religiousness, and etics. This is not strange since she was the grandfaughter or the Holy Prophet, the daughter of the model parents of Islam, and the sister of the two Chiefs of the Youths of Paradise, In her granfather, Lady Zaynab takes pride saying:
"None is like my grandfather; the Arab, the Hashemite, and the Qurayshite Prophet whom is selected by Allah, the Elevated, for guiding people to the path of life in its good and evil branches, and he did in such a handsome approach and pleasant, sympathy, and compassion."
3) She was taught by the most knowledgeable pair in Islam; her father and mother, and it is so natural that a student of these persons would be so intelligent and knowledgeable.
About Lady Zaynab's acumen and sagacity, let us listen to the following narration recorded by Ibn Humayd in his book entitled al-Musnad, and al-Yafi'i in Mir'at al-Zaman:
One day, Imam al-Hasan and Imam Husayn were discussing some of their grandfather's saying, "The Halal is obvious and the Haran is also obvious, but between these two there are many dubious matters most of people ignore. To avoid such duboius matters is acquittal for the religion and the honor, while to fall in such dubious matters is plunging into the Haram. A shepherd who grazes about a shelter will decisively pasture in it. There is a shelter to every kingdom, and the shelter of Allah is what He deems unlawful. there is too a single morsel in each one's body; when this morsel be good, the whole body will be so, and when this morsel be bad, the whole body will be so. This is the heart."2 Commenting in this statement, Lady Zaynab said:
Listen to me, Hasan and Husayn! Your grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, has acquired the ethics of the Lord. It is Almighty Allah Who disciplined him so perfectly. In this regard, the Prophet says, 'My Lord has diciplined me, and he has done so perfectly.' None is like my grandfather; the Arab, the Hashemite, and the Qurayshite Prophet whom is selected by Allah, the Elevated, for guiding people to the path of life in its good and evil branches, and he did in such a handsome approach and pleasant, articulate statements full of softness, tenderness, sympathy, and compassion. The Halal is obvious and the Haram is also obvious, but between these two, there are many dubious matters. Accordingly, the religion is of three degrees; Halal, Haram, and duboius matters. The Halal is what Allah, the Exalted, has deemed lawful by way of a text in the Holy Qur'an or through the explanations of the Prophet, such as the legality of purchase and vendition ... The Haram
is whatever Allah has deemed unlawful in the Holy Qur'an. It is also the contrary of the Halal. The dubous matter is everything that is unknown whether Halal or Haram.
A faithful believer who intends to achieve happiness in this world and bliss in the world to come must perform all that which Allah has made incumbent, follow the path drawn by the Holy Qur'an, take my grandfather, the Prophet, as example, and go away from the duboius as much as one can. To avoid the dubious matters is acquittal for the religion and the honor and also purity for both. It also achieves sincere obedience to the Lord. "Now, surely, sincere obedience is due to Allah alone. (Qur'an; 39:3)"
For those who follow the line of the dubious matters, it is not safe to have their feet slipped and, thus, they commit unlawful deed. There is a shelter veside each possession, but the shelter of the All-king is what He deems unlawful. The Holy Prophet says, 'Avoid the Unlawful and you will be the most pious.'
Allah the Exalted has put in each human being a minute gem and morsel; when it be good, the whole body will be good, pure and clear from filth, impairments, and acts of disobedience to the Lord of the Worlds, This is the heart. If one's heart is sound, he will be attentive to the affairs of his religion and the principle of its law, and will see real happiness lie in straightness on the lights of the guidance of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah, Those who follow this straight path and these divine instruction will be whithin the winners on the Day of Resurrection. Our life is in fact only a stage among many stages that lead either to Paradise or to Hell. Death will be the end, and no blame falls after it. Nothing is after this world except Paradise or Hell."
As she finished, Imam Husayn said to her,: How great you are! you are surely from the tree of prophecy and the core of the Divine Message." She once said: "My grandfather has decided for us (i.e. women) rights that are incumbent upon our husbands in the same way as he has decided rights for our husbands that are incumbent upon us." In this regard, the Holy Qur'an says:
And they have rights similar to those against them in a just manner, and the men are a degree above them. (2:228) My noble Grandfather also says: 'A woman who offers the five obligatory prayers, observes fasting on the month of fasting, guards her chastity, and obeys her husband shall have the choice to enter Paradise from any gate she likes.' Ibn 'Askir, in his al-Tarikh, records the following: After she arrived in Egypt, Lady Zaynab once came over an indisposition. The chiefs of Egypt decided to fetch her a physician, but she refused saying:
"We are not among those who hope for this world or for perpetuation in it. We are the Household of Prophecy and the most desirable meeting for us is the meeting of our Lord. A physician, however, cannot change one's decided term of death."
Ibn Humayd, Abu 'Asim, and Ibn Abu Shaybah narrated that 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said: Once, Lady zaynab recited Allah's saying:
O you who have wrapped up in your garments... and (also) a party of those with you. She then commented:
"Thanks to Allah, we are included with this party [of those who are with the Prophet]." The evidences on Lady Zaynab's eloquence and rhetoric are her addresse in more than one occasion. These addresses changed the public opinion against Yazid and the Umayyad State and showed the real goals of Imam Husayn 's revolution. Later on, these addresses will be referred to in details.
Lady Zaynab enjoyed a peculiar rank in the world of mysticism, In this regard, 'Allamah al-Burghani says: "Lady Zaynab's spiritual rank is very night to that of the immaculate Imams ..." Al-Rawandi, in al-Tiraz al-Mudhahhab, says: "In addition to her high spiritual rank, Lady Zaynab come after her mother in virtue, high merit, peculiarity, majesty, knowledge, infallibity, chastity, illumination, light, honor, and splendor."
Muhammad Rida al-Isfahani, in Jannat al-khulud, records: "Lady Zaynab was the nearest to her parents in eloquence, asceticism, management, and courage. After the martyrdom of Imam Husayn , she was the custodian of her family members and, furthermore, the Hashemites." Ibn'Anbah, in Ansab al-Talibiyyin, says:
"Lady Zaynab is distiguished by her innumerable merits, elevated peculiarities, praiseworthy characters, admirable habits, remarkable prides, and manifest virtues."
MARRIAGE
When Lady zaynab attained maturity, famous celebrities competed with each other for asking for her hand. Her father, however, refused them all. Abdullah son of Ja'far son of Abu Talib also asked for her hand. He was one of the noblest men of the Hashemites and one of the most generous men of the Arabs. Besides, Imam Ali loved him very much. He therefore responded to him and accepted to give him Lady Zaynab in marriage. 'Abdullah's father was Ja'far who is described as the most similar to the Holy Prophet in morality and nature. He was one of those who preceded others in embracing and defending Islam. He emigrated twice-one to Abyssinia and the other to Medina, and was well known of his pity and sympathy to the poor and paupers. Like his brother Imam Ali, Ja'far was very much respected by the prophet of Allah who housed him next to his Masjid because he recognized Ja'far's strong faith and sacrificing himself for sake of Islam.
In the eighth year after Hijrah, the Prophet appointed Ja'far as the commander of the Muslim army in their campaign at Mu'tah. In this battle, Ja'far's had been martyred after his two arms were severed because he held fast on the pennon. About this situation, the Holy Prophet said:
"Allah the Exalted shall have given Ja'far two wings with which he will fly in Paradise everywhere he wishes, instead of his two severed hands." Ja'far therefore is named 'Dhu'l-Janahayn' (the two-winged). The martyrdom of Ja'far was one of the most difficult misfortunes that the Prophet had to encounter. Hence, he said:
"For Ja'far and his matches, weeping should be ceaseless."1 'Abdullah's mother was the great lady Asma bint 'Umays. She was within the earlier embracers of Islam. Accompanying her husband, she immigrated to Abyssinia where she gave birth of 'Abdullah, 'Awn, and Muhammad. She then emigrated to Medina. After Ja'far's martyrdom, Asma was married by Abu Bakr and gave birth of Muhammad who is one of the most celebrated men of Islam. When abu Bakr died, Imam Ali Amir al-Mu'minin married her, and she gave birth of a boy called Yahya.
Asma stuck sincerely to the Ahl al-Bayt and had strong relationship with Lady Fatimah al-Zahra'. She reported about sixty hadiths directly on the authority of the Holy Prophet. She acted as a tender mother for Imam al-Hasan, Imam Husayn , and Lady Zaynab as soon as she entered Imam Ali's house as a wife. They therefore appreciated her situations, nice treatment, and tenderness. She thus was an example of chastity, purity, and loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt.
Abdullah ibn Ja'far was such a nonesuch person that none, including his enemies, could hide admiration for his unparalleled personality. About him, Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan said, "'Abdullah ibn Ja'far is worthy of all honor. He preceded everyone else to the noble deeds and qualities." He was loyal to the Ahl al-Bayt in general and Imam Husayn in particular, though he did not join the Imam's caravan to Karbala'. Historians have recorded that
'Abdullah held the biggest obsequise for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn , though his two sons were also martyred in the same time. During that ceremony, one of the slaves said to him, "We have suffered long because of Husayn !" As he heard this statement, 'Abdullah threw a sandal on that slave out of his rage and said, "Son of fetid one! How dare you say such a thing about Husayn ? By Allah I swear, had I been with him, I would not have left him before I would be killed there. To me, he is undoubtedly more favored than my two sons are. What makes may misfortune easy is that they were killed with him without complaint or impatience. Thanks to Allah, if I could not support Husayn during his fighting, my two sins did." He was also well known of his generosity about which narrators have reported many marvelous stories. Because of the Prophet's supplication to Allah for him, he was the richest among people of Medina. Besides, he was so virtuous. He
reported many narrations on the authority of his uncle, Imam Ali Amir al-Muminin and his two cousins, Imam al-Hasan and Imam Husayn .
Lady Zaynab gave birth of four sons and a daughter; 'Awn, Ali al-Zaynabi, Muhammad, 'Abbas, and Lady Ummu-Kulthum. 'Awn was virtuous and well-mannered. He accompanied his (maternal) uncle, Imam Husayn , to Iraq. In the battle of Karbala, 'Awn fought very bravely and took pride in his father, 'Abdullah, and grandfather, Ja'far.
After a brave round of fighting, 'Awn was attacked by the vicious 'Abdullah al-Ta'i who could kill him. Ummu-Kulthum, daughter of Lady Zaynab, was famous for her beauty, chastity, and personality. She was highly respected by all people in general and the Hashemites in particular. As an attempt to curry favor with the Hashemites so as to find himself a respectful position in the Muslims' view, Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan sent a missive to his governor in Medina, Marwan ibn al-Hakam, ordering him to ask the hand of Ummu-Kulthum, daughter of Lady Zaynab, for his son, Yazid. Marwan ibn al-Hakam knew that Imam Husayn would surely refuse and thwart the matter. He therefore postponed it as he looked for a proper opportunity. He seized the Opportunity of Imam Husayn 's travel and hurried to 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far who understood the whole matter. He said to Marwan that he should wait until Imam Husayn would come back from his journey.
When the Imam was back, 'Abdullah rushed at him informing of the whole story. The Imam became very angry, for he rejected completely that his niece would become the wife of the sinful, lewd grandson of Abu Sufyan. He therefore hurried to his sister, Lady Zaynab, and asked her to bring her daughter, Ummu-Kulthum, before him. When the daughter came, the Imam told that her cousin al-Qasim, son of Muhammad ibn Ja'far, would be the worthiest of marrying her. The mother welcomed, the daughter accepted, the father showed no rejection, and the Imam gave her a big dowry.
They kept the matter secret until the wedding night came. On that night, the Imam invited many personalities among whom was Marwan ibn al-Hakam who thought that the invitation was held for announcing the Imam's acceptance of Yazid's marriage to his niece, Ummu-Kulthum. Yet, he was disappointed when the Imam declared the marriage of al-Qasim to Ummu-Kulthum. Marwan reported the matter to Muawiya who, accordingly, felt malice towards the Imam.
# Personality
Lady Zaynab contained all elements of nobility and virtue that Almighty Allah bestowed upon he grandfather, her father, her mother, and her two brothers. She inherited their peculiarities and copied their high moral standards. By virtue of her ethical inheritance and unmatched peculiarities, Lady Zaynab is indeed the greatest Lady in Islam as she signalized its true values and principles. Along with her mother, Lady Zaynab struggled in the best way and stood firmly against the factional currencies that tried, using all their possiblities and powers, to throw curtains on the real leaders and guide of the Islamic ummah.
In the same way as Lady fatimah al-Zahra stopped strongly with Imam Ali and opposed the Illegal government of Abu Bakr through her splendid speech as well as her honorable situations, Lady Zaynab stopped to the last spark of life with her brother, Imam Husayn and opposed the black government of the Umayyad rulers who aimed, openly and frankly, at uprooting Islam and erasing its existence by excluding the Ahl al-Bayt from the Muslims' social and political lives.
Let us now refer to some of such peculiarities that made Lady Zaynab at the head of Muslim women:
FAITH
In the center of calling to Almighty Allah, and the house where the revelation of the Divine Message was descended, and the pivot from which the word of monotheism advanced to cover, with its bright rays, all the people on this earth; in this very house Lady Zaynab was brought up. She was fed with the core of true faith and the reality of Islam; hence, love for Almighty Allah was in her nature and, later on, became a distinctive feature in her personality that led her to stand all the misfortunes and adversities she had to encounter from her early life.
Firm faith and exclusive devotion to Almighty Allah were the fearures that Prophet Muhammad's family enjoyed in special way. Each member of this exalted family expressed his/her firm faith distinctively. Lady Zaynab, for Instance, stopped at the severed body of her brother, Imam Husayn , and expressed her firm faith by saying:
"O Allah, accept this offering from us." These words have been the best example on the sublemity of the prophetic inheritance. they also showed the reality of Islam through the lesson that each sacrifice must be purely offered for Almighty Allah's sake.
Humanity, in all ages, must bow before such unparalleled faith, which was the secret beyond the perpetuity of Lady Zaynab and her principles. On the cruelest night in the life of Lady Zaynab, as well as the Islamic ummah, she offered a Thanksgiving Prayer while she was completely surrounded by horrific tragedies; the bodies of the Prophet's family and their pure companions were thrown before her eyes without covers, fire was playing in the canopies of the Alawid ladies who became shelterness after the savage, merciless soldiers had usurped their jewelries and properties, and children had nothing to do other than weeping and crying. In the midst of this shocking situation, Lady Zaynab directed her face towards her Lord to thank Him for that grace.
Indeed, such faith is more perpetual than civilizations, fortunes, and even perpetuity itself.
STEADFASTNESS
Since early life, Lady Zaynab armed herself with steadfastness against misfortunes. She first was deprived of her grandfather, Prophet Muhammad, who loved her very much and sympathized with her. She then saw the horrible events that surprised her parents immediately after the Prophet's demise. Her father was taken away from the position that almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad chose for him. Her mother was severely mistreated by the people until she departed life while she was in the flush of her youth. She then saw people of Kufa cheat her brother, Imam al-Hasan, and let him down to the degree that he had to make a peace treaty with Muawiya, the mortal enemy of Islam and the Ahl al-Bayt. A few years later, the Imam was assassinated by poison, She saw him vomit blood to death. On the tenth of Muharram, 61 AH, she had to see the ever bitterest adversities; her brother, Imam Husayn , yielded to after he had lost all supporters and helpers; the swords
of the wicked Umayyad soldiers killed the Alawid youths, children, and even babies. Before all these unbearable misfortunes, Lady Zaynab stood like an unshakable mountain. She faced all these with the weapon of steadfastness and resisted all the events with conviction. Thus, she is intended in Almighty Allah's saying:
"And give good news to the patient who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall surely return. Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord."(2:255-7)
Many poets have depicted Lady Zaynab's steadfastness in the most beautiful and expressive way. She, being the Prophet's granddughter, showed steadfastness and endurance before the enemies of Allah. By virtue of her determination and persistence, Lady Zaynab could withstand all adversities and misfortunes.
DIGNITY
Dignity was a prominent feature in the personality of Lady Zaynab. After the killing of Imam Husayn , she, as well as the Prophet's granddaughter, were taken as captives from Karbala to Kufa and all their personal properties were usurped. While the children were harshly harmed by hunger, she looked down upon asking some food from the soldiers of the Umayyad army. When the captives' caravan arrived in Kufa, and the women there knew that the captives had been the Prophet's family, they hurried to serve some food for the children. Preventing this thing, Lady Zaynab spoke to the ladies of Kufa:
"It is forbidden for us, the Ahl al-Bayt, to have from alms."
As soon as they heard these words from their aunt, the child threw from their hands and even mouths everything they had taken from these ladies and preferred feeling hungry to accepting alm that are forbidden for them. This is the fruit of the education of the choice ones; the prophets, the veracious, and their real followers. Along the captives' journey from Kufa to Damascus, Lady Zaynab, because of her disdain and sense of honor, did not ask for any aids for the children and women though they were in urgent need for such.
Thus, Lady zaynab did not succumb to anything other than Almighty Allah. She showed dignity, honor, and disdain inherited from her granfather and father in spite of hardships.
COURAGE
No one can ever doubt the courage of the Prophet's family. The members of this family gave the best examples of bravery and courage. For instance, Imam Ali, the head of the Prophet's family, said:
"Even the Arabs helped each other to fight me, I will never flee." He showed the best sorts of courage during the battles and campaigns of Islam. His son, Imam Husayn , also gave the best examples of bravery and courage. On the day of Ashura, he amazed his enemies and could stop so bravely and steadfastly before their great numbers. Despite the horrifying misfortunes that he had to encounter on that day, he did not show surrender or weakness. On the contrary, his steadfastness increased with the increase of his misfortunes. He alone attacked thirty thousand soldiers and could oblige he alone attacked thirty thousand soldiers and could oblige them to run the backs just like goats that run away from a lion. Even when he fell to the ground out of his heavy wounds, they were too scared to approach him.
Patterning after her family members, Lady Zaynab behaved so courageously before the criminals who killed her brother. As she had to stop before 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, while she was considered as captive, she despised and desrespected him. He therefore showed his gloating over her misfortunes by saying, "Thanks to Allah Who unmasked, killed, and belied your revolution." As a reply, she said courageously:
Thanks to Allah Who honored us with His Prophet and purified us from uncleanness thoroughly. It is only the purified us from uncleanness thoroughly. It is only the lewd whom is unmasked, and it is only the dissolute whom is belied. We are not any of these two. Indeed, we are not any of these two, son of Marjanah. This statement was in fact more lethal than weapons. She said it while she, as well as the ladies of the Prophet's family, was under capativity and their protector's deads were on spearheads. These words, too, took the tyrant from his throne to his grave. Before his servants and officials, these words made him realize the fact that he was the real defeated and the very unmasked, while the real triumphant was Imam Husayn , the killed one, and his companions. As he recieved these shocking words, 'Ubaydullah, son of Marjananh, had nothing to say; he therefore spoke a word of wreak as an attempt to cover his failure and incapability to answer. He
addressed her, "How do you see that which Allah has done to your brother?" Bravely and steafastly, Lady Zaynab answered with words of triumph:
It was nothing but good. Those were peoples whom Allah knew they would be killed. They therefore came to the places where they would slain. Allah will gather you with them for judgment and sentences. See, who will be the triumphant on that day. Woe shall be you, son of Marjanah, then. These words are surely a source of pride, not only for Lady Zaynab, but also for Islam and Muslims. They are also regarded as endless glory for the Prophet's family.
Lady Zaynab's situations in the royal place of Yazid, her situation with the Syrian man, and her everlasting revolutionary speech shook the Umayyad throne and revealed the baseless reality of Yazid and those who enabled him to come to power. In the coming chapters, these situations will be discussed in details.
ABSTENTION FROM WORLDLY PLEASURES
Imitating her father who divorced the worldly pleasures returnlessly and her mother who possessed nothing other than a rug made of leaves of date-palm trees and a skin of a ewe, Lady Zaynab abandoned all the worldly pleasures and stuck to Almighty Allah and deeds of charity. She had never saved anything for tomorrow.2 She left everything for accompanying her brother, Imam Husayn , while she was the wife of the wealthiest man of Medina; all that was for supporting her religion and defending its principles and values.
FIRMNESS
Lady Zaynab stopped against the tyrants so firmly that she represented the right and the justice perfectly. In all situations, she replied the tyrants courageously and faced their falsity with words of light that have perpetuated and acted as models of stopping against any tyrant for sake of the right and justice. While she was surrounded by the policemen and the attendants whom were invited by Yazid to witness his false victory, Lady Zaynab replied each and every single word that Yazid said fearlessly until she unmasked him and proved the genuineness of his brother's issue. Moreover, she threatened and showered at the tyrant with severe words of rebuke as if she was the governor and he was the captive. Referring to Verses from the Holy Qur'an and item of logic, she did not leave any argument to the tyrant. Her words were the swords with which Yazid and his likes have been killed. The same thing she did before the other tyrant, 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad who
tried to gloat at her misfortunes, but all his attempts were faced by sharp words and a strong style that obliged him to keep silent. She ignored him completely, and that was enough shame for him. Her interpidity was clear during the journey of her brother after she had taken various honorable role in his undying revolution. She managed the Imam's Affairs with a nonesuch activity despite the enemies' seige. A single look at the bright face of her brother would remove any tiredness she might have felt.
She also took care of the children and harem aftrer the Imam's martyrdom, and that was really a hard mission that ordinary women cannot manage, The source of such power and firmness was that she understood Imam Husayn 's revolution perfectly and exerted all efforts for giving success to it.
These have been some features of the unmatched personality of Lady Zaynab. As a matter of fact, this lady's personality included all features of moral highness and perfection. To refer to all these features reqires great efforts and very much time, though Lady Zaynab's features are timeless. This is the reason why only a few features of her personality have been mentioned here.
LADY ZAYNAB IN TRADITIONS
For her high position, Lady zaynab was mentioned in a number of traditions ascribed to the Holy Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt. We have already referred to the Prophet's saying that weeping for her is as same as weeping for her two brothers. Shaykh Sulayman al-Hanafi in his famous book entitled Yanabi' al-Mawaddah Section 58, records the following- we except only the point of dicussion:
Rabi'ah al-Sa'di reported: As I asked Hudahyfah about a number of matters, he said, "Listen to this, understand it, and convey it to people. I have seen the Messenger of Allah and heard him with my ears when Husayn ibn Ali came to him on the minbar and he seated him on his shoulders and said:
O people! This is Husayn ; his granfather and grandmother are the best people. His grandfather is the Messenger of Allah and master of Adam's descendants ... And this is Husayn whose father, mother, brother, and sisters are the best of people... and his sister are Zaynab and Ruqayyah ... and his two sisters shall be in Paradise... This prophetic saying is a clear-cut proof on the exceptional position of Lady Zaynab as she is added to the Prophet and the and the Imams and is regarded as the best of people. Shaykh al-Saduq in his Ikmal al-Din wa Itmam al-Ni'mah, reports the following -we excerpt only the point of discussion: Ali ibn Mahziyar said that Abu Husayn Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Asadi said that Ahmad ibn Ibrahim said:
In the year 262, I visited [Lady] Hakimah daughter of Muhammad ibn Ali and sister of Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari and asked her about the religion... She then said," This is what Husayn ibn Ali had done when he appointed his sister Zaynab as his representative he appointed his sister Zaynab as his representative openly, and he openly , and hence any item of knowledge that was said by Ali ibn Husayn was ascribed to zaynab. This is another proof on the high position of Lady Zaynab in the sight of Imam Husayn as he appointed her to carry the weighty ingeritance of Imamate.
Shaykh al-Mufid records the following narration:
During the Battle of the Camel, 'Aishah gathered children and bondmaids, gave them drums, and ordered them to chant some poetic verses aganinst Imam Ali. When Ummu Salamah, the Prophet's widow, was informed about this, she decided to go there and reproach 'Aishah and the gathering women. Lady Zaynab asked to do this instead of Ummu Salamah since she knew these women very well. Hence, she disguised herself and her bondmaids and left towards these children and women. When she reached there, she noticed their vainness and futility. She then showed her reality to 'Aishah and said, "It is not strange from you and your companion (i.e. Hafsah) to help each other against Amir al-Muminin , since it was both of you who helped each other against his brother, the Messenger of Allah, until you were reproached by the Holy Qur'an," 'Aishah felt ashamed and excused that these women had done this out of their ignorance. This tradition gives a clear idea about the
sagacity and wisdom of Lady Zaynab who participated in the defense of Islam with her father and brothers.
The following tradition is recorded in al-Tiraz al-Mudhahhab as qouted from Nasikh al-Tawarikh: One of the miracles of the Holey Prophet was that he used to put his tongue in the mouths of Fatimah's sukling children and they were satiated. Zaynab and Ummu Kulthum were engaged in this virtue besides al-Hasan and Husayn . This is in fact a sufficient honor for Lady Zaynab.
The following is recorded in Bihar al-Anwar, as qouted from Ma'ani al-Akhbar: Muhammad ibn 'Imran asked Imam Ja'far al'Sadiq whether it is true that the Holy Prophet had said that because Fatimah guarded her chastity, Allah shall forbid Hell to take her progeny. Imam al-Sadiq said, "yet, it is, Her progeny are al-Hasan, Husayn , Zaynab, and Ummu Kulthum." The previous are only small excerpts of the traditions in which Lady Zaynab is mentioned. It has been already mentioned that she herself was a trustworthy narrator of prophetic traditions and incidents that she lived or heard from her mother.
# Traditions of Lady Zaynab
The most famous narration of Lady Zaynab was her mother's address of Fadak. Ibn Abu al-Hadid, in Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah. reports the address from al series of narrators all relate to lady Zaynab in more than one way of narration. 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas also relates the address to Lady Zaynab.
She also narrated her father's last words to her two brothers and his instructions how to wash his dead body and where to bury him.
She also narrated the story of Imam Husayn 's birth, as quoted from her mother.
She also narrated the story of the Heavenly Food that Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' prayed to the Lord to give her so as to serve it to her father.
She also narrated the famous story of her mother's prayer to the believers sayings, "neighbors should be preceded to the family members."
She also narrated to her nephew, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin the words of the Holy Prophet about what they would face after him.5 In the same manner,
She narrated her father's confirmation of Ummu Ayman's narration in the same respect.
HORRIFYING EVENTS
Lady Zaynab lived under the custody of her grandfather, Prophet Muhammad, for a period of her early life. During this period, she was so tranquil and at ease, for he used to recieve her with hospitality and honor. Her parents, too, showed her sympathy, love and cordiality. She also saw the great triumphs of Islam and the defeats of its enemies. The most significant thing, however, that Lady Zaynab noticed in her childhood was the Prophet's special care for her parents and brothers.
She realized the fact that such care and special treatment was not mere emotion or personal view. It was originated from divine instructions to express appreciation for the perfect features those individuals enjoyed and to express their worthiness of being the leaders of the Islamic ummah. These were the happiest days in the life of Lady Zaynab.
Nevertheless, that happiness did not continue; Prophet Muhammad felt death approaching him, and told his daughter about it.1 This news spread grief and feelings sadness over the Prophet's family as well as Muslims who had to think of a new life empty of their leader and Prophet.
LADY ZAYNAB'S DREAM
Once, Lady Zaynab saw in sleep something horrible; so she hurried to her grandfather to tell her dream. The Prophet seated her in his lap, kissed her repeatedly, and asked her to tell her dream. She began: "Last night, I saw as if a violent wind made everybody look black and dark. Hence, I ran towards a great tree and hanged strongly to its leaves so that the wind would not take me away. The wing unfortunately tore out that tree, but the wind cut it off. So, I hanged to another, but the wind cut it off. so I hanged to another, but the wind also broke it. I then hurried to hang to one of two leaves from that tree, but the stormy wind broke it. I then woke up."
As he heard the dream, the Prophet burst into tears and said, explaining her dream:
"The tree is your grandfather. The first branch is your mother and the other is your father . The two other branches are your brothers, al-Hasan and Husayn . The world will be blackened when they leave it, and you will put on mourning dress for their misfortunes."
THE FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE
When the Prophet realized that he would soon depart life, he decided to hold a public meeting with Muslims and nominate the authotities and leaders who would lead them afrer him. For that very purpose, the Prophet performed his final Hajj (ritual pilgrimage), which was called the Farewell Pilgrimage. He took from one place to another among Muslims so as to lead them to the sources of salvation and guide them to the leaders whom they should follow after him. He repeatedly said: "O People, I hae left among you the two precious thngs; the Book of Allah and my progeny - my household." The Prophet then stoped near Well Zamzam and delivered a great speech in which he referred to all the fields that people need after him. Regarding the leadership of the ummah, he declared openly:
"I am leaving among you that which will save you from devitation forever if you only adhere to: the Book of Allah and my progeny - my household. Have I conveyed (to you this matter)?
In one voice, all the one hundred thousand attendants shouted: "Yes, you have." After he had accomplished the ritual of his final Hajj, Prophet Muhammad received from the heavenes a missive instructing him to nominate Imam Ali as his successor and as a general authority for the ummah. The missive was Almighty Allah's saying: O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. (5:67)
Hence, he ordered the caravans of he pilgrims to gather in a place called 'Ghadir Khumm'. It was so hot that men had to put the ground's heat. In such a situation, he led a congregational prayer and asked his companions to make a pulpit-like peak. he towered over it and delivered the most important speech in the lives of all Muslims . The most important piece of that speech was that he took Imam Ali from the hand, raised him as much as he could, and declared openly and frankly:
"Ali shall be lthe master of him whoever has taken me as master. O Allah, (I implore to You to) accede to him whoever accedes to Ali, love him whoever loves Ali, hates him whoever hates Ali, give victory to him whoever supports Ali, disappoint him whoever disappoints Ali, and direct the right to the direction that Ali takes. It is obligatory upon the Attendants to convey this instruction to the absent." As the Prophet conveyed his Lord's missive so completely, the Lord reveal, "This day have I perfected for you your religion and completely My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion." (5:3)
From her early life, Lady Zaynab realized the Propht's instruction and the ummah's homage to her father, Imam Ali. She also realized that the leadership of her father was a divine instruction and, hence, was a pillar part of the religion.
THE PROPHET'S FINAL DISEASE
As he was back from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet felt sick. He was attacked by a very violent fever that obliged him to stay at bed. When Muslims heard of this bad news, they hastened to visit him in groups. He used to instruct them not to leave the leadership of Imam Ali after his departure. Because the issue of Imam Ali 's next leadership was the most important, the Prophet repeatedly focused on it in every situation. He used to say:
Ali is most certainly with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is most certainly with Ali. They shall never leave each other until they join me on the Divine Pool. As he anticipated violation of this decision after his death, the Prophet ordered the individuals under suspicion to join a phalanx and travel to Syria in a military campaign so as to avoid their rebellion after his death. Those individuals however understood the Prophet's purpose; therfore, they decided to rebel against his instructions and refuse to join that campaign. Despite his
THE CALAMITY OF THURSDAY
As a second, more long-established, attempt to frustrate the conspirators' wicked plots, the Prophet, while he was in his final hours encompassed by his companions among whom were the conspirators, asked them to fetch him an inkwell and pen so as to record for them his last, most important will. He instructed that the will should save them from going astray forever. The conspirators undrestood the Prophet's intention; so, they aroused a storm of noise-some supported the Prophet's demand while others rejected tenaciously. It was so strange from such individuals who realized the reality of the Prophet who would never speak out of desire, to stop against his last will. Some ladies who knew about this matter hurried to reproach those individuals for such disgraceful dare to challenge the Prophet's orders. The party who supported the Prophet's demand was about to win, but someone (namely, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab) intruded hastily to declare his disastrous
word: "The Prophet is hallucinating!"
This incident was the most calamitous in the Islamic history. 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, the grand authority of the Islamic ummah, used to weep whenever he mentioned this incident. he called it 'The Calamity of Thursday'.1 Lady Zaynab, watching these events, realized the purposes of those individuals who aimed at taking her father away from the position that Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad chose for him. This incident, however, led to other adversities one of which was that of Karbala.
LADY FATIMAH AL-ZAHRA'S GRIEF
Lady Fatimah al-Zahra was the most grievous for her father's disease. She sat by him with a heart torn by grief and pain as if she was the one who suffered agonies of death. Seeing his daughter and dearest one to his heart in such a manner, the Holy Prophet tried to entertain her and alleviate her griefs. Hence, he said to her something confidentially. She burst into tears. He then said something else , also confidentally, but this time she smiled.
When 'Aishah, the prophet's wife, asked Lady Fatimah about the secret beyond her tears and smile, she turned her face and did not tell her. She, however, told some righteus ladies about the matter. She said: "In the first time, my father told me that he would soon depart life. This news made me break into tears. In the second time, he told me that I would be the first to join him to the heavens. He also told that I am the Chiefess of the Women of this ummah. This news gladdened me." Lady Zaynab tood part in her mother's grief and pains. She was sad for her mother and grandfather.
In his final moment, the Holy Prophet supplicated to Almighty Allah to be the custodian of his household and to make the heart of every believing man and woman to burn to them.
In his final moments too, he asked the attendants to attend to his household and progeny:
"I have left among you the Book of Allah and my progeny- my household. To waste the Book of Allah is as same as wasting my progeny. The (the Book of Allah and the Ahl al-Bayt) shall never leave each other until they join me on the Divine Pool."
PROPHET MUHAMMAD DEPARTS LIFE
Thus, the Prophet took his last breathes from this world and departed life while he was in the lap of Imam Ali. Then, Imam prepared for the funeral cereminies while he was very thouched. He bathed the Prophet's dead body, put it in the coffin, offered the Deceased Prayer, and allowed Muslims to offer prayers for the body, saying: "Peace, Allah's mercy, and blessing be upon you, Prophet of mercy. O Allah, we declare honestly that he has conveyed to his nation everything that was revealed to him and he fought for Allah's sake until Almighty Allah reinforced His religion and accomplished His Word. O Allah, guide us to follow that which was revealed to him, make us continue on this course, and join us to him."
Thereafter, Imam Ali put the holy body of the Prophet in the tomb and stood at the edge of the tomb shedding tears and uttering words of grief. The saddest individual was Lady Fatimah al-Zahra who was about to lose her soul because of grief and bitter weeping. In such horrible hours, she used to say:
"O father, O Messenger of Allah, O Prophet of Mercy. From now on, the heavenly revelation will cease. From now on, Gabriel will not visit us. O Allah, (I implore to You to ) join my soul to his and have mercy upon me by letting me see his face. O Allah, I implore to you not to deprive me of his recompense and intercession on the Day of Resurrection."1 By the demise of Prophet Muhammad, his household were compassed by waves of sadness and grief. Besides, they were surrounded by waves of horror and fear, since they anticipated that the Arabs would injure them so as to revenge themselves on the Prophet who caused mourning in every house. In this regard, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq said:
"When the Holy Prophet departed life, his household felt as if they were shelterless; nothing, even the heavens, would protect them from above, and nothing, even the earth, would protect them from beneath." Lady Zaynab, while she was in her early life, suffered bitterly this grand misfortune and had to encounter its effects. She was only five years old when this adversity invaded her youthful heart; she saw her beloved grandfather depart them forever, saw her father swallow grief because of losing his cousin, and saw her mother mourn and weep for her father's departure so apprehensively. That day in fact was the begining of Lady Zaynab's griefs and sufferance.
# The Caliph's Reigns
The Holy Qur'an has depicted adeptly the tragedy that inflicted the Islamic ummah because of the absence of Prophet Muhammad, yet no one else can depict such a vision. Listen to the Holy Qur'an (3:144)
And Muhammad is no more than an apostle; the the apostles have alredy passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heel will by no means do harm to Allah in the least, and Allah will reward the grateful. In fact, the most disastrous tragedy that inflicted the Islamic ummah after the Prophet's demise was taking the Prophet's Household away from the politcal fields and giving the leadership to other unworthy individuals. Besides the many adversities that the Islamic ummah has been suffering because of these procedures, this matter resulted in savagely with Muslims in general and the Prophet's Household in particular, In few words, the plot of taking Imam Ali away from the leadership was the major reason beyond slaying the Prophet's Household and the genuine companions in Karbala at the hands of the Umayyad army.
The events that occurred during the reign of the first three caliphs had left clear prints on the life of Lady Zaynab. Let us then refer briefly to these events.
THE PLOT OF AL-SAQIFAH
while Prohet Muhammad's dead body had not been buried yet, some individuals from the Ansar1 hurried to hold a secret congress in Saqifah of Banu-Saidah for proposing one of them for the leadship of the Islamic ummah because they anticipated that the Muahjirun would seize power. Sad ibn Ubadah, the chief of al-Khazraj tribe, delivered a speech in which he applauded the Ansar's struggle for sake of Islam and that they would be worthier of leading the Islamic ummah than the tribes of Quraysh who antagonized the Prophet and tried to assassinate him. Another chief from the Ansar, namely al-Habbab ibn al-Mundhir, delivered a speech in which he warned his people from the people of Quraysh and advised them to give the people of Quraysh a share in power because he anticipated that the descendants of those whose fathers, sons, and brothers were killed during the Prophet's campaigns would come to power and revenge themselves on the Ansar.
Unfortunately, the anticipation of al-Habbab ibn al-Mundhir came true; when Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan, whose relatives were killed by those who defended Islam during the Propht's campaigns, came to power, he intentionally humiliated the Ansar and spread poverty among them, His son, Yazid, made what is worse; he usurped their properties, shed their blood, and abused their honors.
SUDDEN ARRIVAL OF THE MUHAJIRUN
While the Ansar were discussing the affairs of the next leadership, they were surprised by the arrival of Abu Bakr, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Salim,
and others from the Muhajirun. Despite secrecy of their congress, the Ansar were revealed and all their plots failed. Taking advantage of the situation, Abu Bakr delivered a smooth-tongued speech in which he referred to the muhajirun as the foremost in embracing and defending Isalm. he then offered the position of vizierate to the Ansar and kept the position of leadership to his people and him. In his speech, Abu Bakr kid not refer to the death of Prophet Muhammad or to the Ahl al-Bayt. He should at least, have demands with postponing that congress some time because the Prophet's holy body had not been buried yet. He also should have referred to the Prophet's repetitive instruction of nominating Imam Ali as him successor and representative.
However, his party hurried to support him and pay homage to him as the next leader. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, by using his famous stick and tough style, played the greatest role in this play. In fact, they did their roles so successfully because their plot had been already known and agreed upon. Omitting any participation in the funeral ceremonies of the Prophet, the party of Abu Bakr carried him to the Prophet's Masjid in procession like a bride.
IMAM AlI AND THE ILLEGAL HOMAGE
When he heard of their plots, Imam Ali Amir al-Mu'minin refused to pay homage to the illegal government of Abu Bakr, because he considered this matter as flagrant violation of his right, Imam Ali's position in relation to the leadership of the Islamic ummah is as same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill. The floodwater flows down from him and the bird cannot fly up to him. However Abu Bakr and his party agreed upon coercing Imam Ali to payhomage by any means. They therefore sent their forces to arrest him at home and bring him out forcibly. The Imam's claims against them were so strong and effective that they could not say anything logic to him.1 He then came back home without paying homage to Abu Bakr. At home, many waves of grief and sorrow surrounded the Imam whose right was usurped before his eyes. The same waves covered his family members among whom was the little Zaynab who saw her father resist grief and opt for patience, and
saw her mother weep for her father's departure and her husband's grievance.
STRICT PROCEDURES AGAINST THE AHL AL-BAYT
As he failed to coerce Imam Ali to pay homage to him, Abu Bakr resorted to a number of shameful means, hoping they would oblige the Imam to renounce his right. They first canceled the Khums (One-fifth) tax that Almighty Allah gave exclusively to Prophet Muhammad and his family. Abu Bakr then imposed an economic blockade on the Prophet's Household by confiscating their properties and counting them on the public treasury so that they would not be able to revolt against his illegal government. He also condiscated the land of Fadak, which the Prophet gifted to his daughter, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra', in particular before the very eyes of all Muslims, including Abu Bakr himself..
Lady Fatimah al-Zahra was very angry with the behaviors of Abu Bakr who locked in her face all spaces of life. Accompanied by a number of pious women, she entered the session of Abu bakr in her father's Masjid where many men from the Muhajirun and the Ansar were present. When a screen was put between her and the attendants, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, first, moaned so pathetically that
everybody should not resist weeping. She then delivered an astounding speech; she first referred to the Islamic knowledge, philosophey of the Islamic laws, and then took up some important issues. She mentioned her father's great favors on those peoples who, before him, had lived in dimnes of ignorance, incivility, and humiliation. She also referred to the virtue and precedence of her cousin and husband, Imam Ali, and his struggle for sake of Islam while others lived in luxury and did not exert a single effort in this regard. Before entering upon the main issue, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra expressed her great sorrow for the current deviaton and perversion that inflicted the Islamic ummah, and predicted the ummah's imminent collapse and incurrence of adversities and misfortunes because of taking away the Ahl al-Bayt from the positions that almighty Allah and His Apostle chose for them.
She then cited the question of depriving her of her father's heritage by giving examples from the Holy Qaur'an and the Islamic laws in this regard.
In point of fact, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' disproved the claims of Abu Bakr so unquestionably that nobody could answer her. She then put before his eyes the bitter future that he would most certainly encounter when he shall be judged by Almighty Allah and His Prophet.
She then addressed to the Muslims, attempting to awaken their determinations for demanding with her right and revolting against the illegal government. However, she kew that they were too weak to be stirred up by any word of any situation. at any rate, the speech is regarded as the most impressive innovative speech throughout history of humankind. Due to his craftiness, Abu Bakr could contain the situation, which was about to be explode, by using an amazing diplomacy; he answered Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' with words of welcome and honoring. He also lowered himself before her and showed that those strict procedures had not been his own opinion. yet, they had been the Muslims' decisions. In abstract, no rational individual can excuse Abu Bakr who, in addition to dressing himself with the position of leadership of the Islamic ummah, confiscating the Prophet's heritage, seizing Fadak and other personal properties, and imposing an economical blockade on the
Prophet's family, lied very much when he fabricated lies against the Holy Prophet1 and when he told that all Muslims decided to deprive Imam Ali of his right of leadrship.
Lady Zaynab, witnessing all these events, undrestood the reality of those individuals who caused troubles, pains, and grief to her mother. It is worth mentioning that Lady Zaynab, while she was only five year old, memorized her mother's long and eloquent speech. She was the major narrator of that speech. This is in fact a clear sign of her extraordinary genius.
REJECTED APOLOGIES
Abu Bakr and 'Umar tried to please Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' in any way, but she refused to recieve them. They then directed towards Imam Ali and begged him to arrange a meeting with her. The Imam did and lady Fatimah permitted them. When they both sat before her, she turned her face away from them. They then apologized for her, but she asked them: "Now if I tell you something said by the Prophet of Allah, will you accept and follow it." "Of course we will," answered they.
She asked, "I ask you by Allah, you have heard the Prophet of Allah say: 'To please Fatimah is my pleasure and to enrage her is my anger. Hence, anyone who loves my daughter Fatimah has in fact loved me, anyone pleases my daughter Fatimah has in fact pleased me. 'have you not?" "Yes, we have," they confirmed, "We have heard the Prophet of Allah say so." Furiously, she addresed to Abu Bakr and his conpanion: "I now call upon Allah and His Angles to witness that you have enraged me and that you have never pleased me. I will certainly complain against you as soon as I will meet the Prophet"
Moreover, she addressed more intense words when she said, "By Allah I swear that I will invoke Allah against you in every prayer I offer." Hence, Abu Bakr and his companion left without obtaining the satisfaction of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra. Naturally, Lady Zaynab who witnessed these events closely took the same attitude and participated in her mother's rage at Abu Bakr.
SORROWS OF LADY FATIMAH AL-ZAHRA
Since her father's demise, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' did not live a single moment of happiness or even a moderate temper. She used to weep day and night to the degree that some "powers" in Medina asked her husband, Imam Ali, to force her to weep either in day of at night, not in both. She therefore used to take al-Hasan, Husayn , and Lady Zaynab to a place out of Medina and sit under a tree there to weep freely as much as she could. Because her weeping reminded them of their unjust situations, the evils' hands extended to that tree. Hence, she had to sit under sun heat for mourning her father. But it was very hard for Imam Ali to let his wife and most beloved one be exposed to the heat of the sun. He therefore hurried to build for her a house he called 'Bayt al-Ahzan' (House of Griefs) so that she would take for weeping and mourning her father. Thus, she, accompanied by her sons and daughter, used to sit at that gloomy house all the day, and the Imam used
to take them back home when night would fall. Her only source of pleasure was visiting her father's tomb; she wanted to go there, throw herself on the tomb, and complain about what had happened to her after his departure.
DEMISE OF LADY FATIMAH
As grief prevailed in her soul, the Prophet's daughter lost all her powers; she could hardly stand up and do her daily activities. Lady Zaynab was helping her mother as much as she could. She felt her griefs, offered to aid her, and stopped with her. Nevertheless, her health was declining, her body was exposed to illnesses, and she had to stay in bed. Once, some ladies visited her. with a faint, sorrowful voice, she answered: "I have hated this world and I will be happy only if I depart you. I will meet Allah and His Prophet with numerous sadnesses; my rights have been violated, my relationship to the Prophet has not been respected, his will concerning me has not been regarded, and nobody has considered my sanctity."2 Like a rose losing its bloom, the Prophet's daughter began to wither, and death walked to her in speedy steps while she was in the vigor of youth.
When Imam Ali attended according to her request, she told him about her will, which included many points the most important of which were that(1) her holy body must be buried at the darkest hour of night, (2) those who aggreived, wronged, and violated her rights must never participate in her funeral ceremonies, and (3) her tomb must not be known by anybody so that her issue and grievances would be objects of wonderment to the coming generations.
The Imam left her after he had guranteed for her all these matters while he was sinking in sadness. She also asked her daughter, Lady Zaynab, to do something prophetic in the future in a certain situation. The daughter promised her mother that she would do. She then asked Asma bint 'Umays to made for her a bedstead that would hide her pure body. On the last day of her life, lady fatimah al-Zahra seemed to be in a better state; because she realized that she would very soon join her father, she was glad. She washed her sons, made food for them, and asked them to visit their grandfather's tomb. She then looked at them so deeply, turned to Lady Zaynab, and looked at her the same look.
She then asked Asma to fetch her some water, then dress of mourning, then put her bed at the middle of the house. Asma knew that these were the last moments of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra's life; therefore, she became astounded. Afterward, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra began to recite verses of the Holy Qur'an until her holy soul ascended to the heavens to meet her father after whom she hated the worldly life. As Lady Zaynab's eyes fell on the motionless body of her mother, she began to wail and cry out in grief. As soon as al-Hasan and Husayn knew about their mother's death, they threw themselves on her body and wept. But Asma asked them to go to the Masjid and tell their father about this heartbreaking news.
When their father heard, he felt as if his heart had cleft and wished if he had departed life. He hurried to the house with teary eyes, looked at the dead body and said words full of sufferings. Beside the body, there was Lady Zaynab crying out in grief after she had lost all hopes. For a child, nothing is more difficult than departing mother forever.
The Imam asked Salman (the Persian) to inform the wordless people who fathered at the door that the funeral should be at night. Nobody was allowed to see the dead body of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra even 'A'ishah, the Prophet's widow. When the big part of that night went by, Imam Ali washed pure body while the two sons, the daughter, and Asma were looking with teary eyes and broken hearts. He then put the body in the coffin and asked his children to take the last look at their mother. They hence threw themselves on their mother's body. When only a few hours remaind from that night, the Imamoffered the Deceased Prayer to the dead body, carried it to the final resting place with the help of the chice ones, such as Salman and some Hashemite men, put it in the grave, heaped dust, and wiped out the place of the grave. The Imam's tears wetted the dust while he was referring to his wife, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra the Veracious, with words that expressed his deep
sadness and great sufferng.
The Imam then returned home to participate in his children's weeping for their mother. Thus, sadness and pain colored the childhood of Lady Zaynab who lost her grandfather, the compassionate, then , only a few weeks later, her tender mother. While she was in such an early age, Lady Zaynab realized the major goals that made those people oppress her mother and violate her rights. She therefore decided to follow her mother's course and never succumb to the tyrants and the illegal rulers of the Islamic ummah.
# Umar's Reign
After about two years of ruling, disease surrounded Abu Bakr who nominated 'Umar ibn al-Khattab as his successor though many celebrated personalities of the Islamic State objected this matter and complained about 'Umar's rudness. Nevertheless, Abu Bakr did not respond to such protest and went on stressing his unjustifiable dicision.1 The most distinctive feature of Abu Bakr's reign was persecuting the Prophet's family and divesting them of their sacredness that the Prophet, due to a divine instruction, cast on them. This matter in fact opened the door to the illegal rulers who reigned the Islamic ummah illegally to persecute them and treat them severely. This means tha Abu Bakr gave green light to the Umayyad rulers to perpetrate the massacre of Karbala during which Imam Husayn , along with his relatives and virtuous companions, was slain and his pure body was severed so crudely, and his harem, headed by Lady Zaynab, were taken as captives for nothing
but their being the Ahl al-Bayt.
After Abu Bakr's death, 'Umar held the affairs of the Islamic ummah with an iron hand. His ruling was so rude that even the major companions of the Prophet, such as "Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, kept themselves away from him.2 In the same way as he did during Abu Bakr's reign, Imam Ali, the true leader of the Islamic ummah, isolated himself from the social and political life during 'Umar's reign, In fact, they tried their best to keep him away from any affair related to their government.
Yet, they had to refer to him in every problem they faced. The Imam thus confided himself to his house while griefs, bitterness, and gloom were his only companions. like their father, Imam Ali's sons took part in the sadness that covered their house, and were so angry with 'Umar. Imam Husayn , once, shouted at 'Umar who was climbing the Prophet's minbar and asked him to descend since he -'Umar- was unworthy of that place.2 Lady Zaynab, too, had the same feeling towards 'Umar to whom she referred in a statement included by her historical speech addressed to Yazid in his palace:
"The one who seduced you and gave you the power due to which you are ruling over the Muslims shall certainly know..." At any rate, 'Umar acted in the Islamic ummah according to his personal opinions. For example, he hated the Persians very much that they, in return, have hated him. He prevented any of them to enter Medina city, the capital of Islam state, unless he would be under full age, and decided that they have no right to inherit except those who were born in the Arab lands.3 As a result, 'Umar was assassinated by a Persian slave whom he humiliated and ridiculed.
In his final days, 'Umar thought for quiet a while whom should he assaign for the leadership of the Islamic ummah. As he recalled his old associates who participated actively in the implementation of the plan of taking the Prophet's family away from leadership, he showed sadness for them, for death wrenched them away.
Finally, he put a mean plot due to which Imam Ali named his unsubstantiated play as Shura, He decided to choose six personalities who should nominate one of them for the caliphate. After 'Umar's death, the six persons held their meeting. After long discussions and disputations, 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, the representative of the Umayyad dynasty, was selected as the coming caliph. From its first spark, the one and only purpose beyond fabricating the emaciated play of Shura, along with its funny stipulations put by 'Umar, was to nominat 'Uthman as the caliph and to take Imam Ali away from this position. 'Umar's Shura, in fact, brought about seditions and disorder for the Islamic ummah. It was an important step in enabling the mortal enemies of Islam, the Umayyad family, to come to power and take revenge for their indiviauals whom were killed during the battle of Badr at the hands of Imam Ali, the Hashemite youths, and the pure Muslims.
'UTHMAN'S REIGN
Once 'Uthman held leadership, the Umayyad and the Abu Ma'it's families surrounded him and controlled on the ummah's destiny, 'Uthman loved his relatives, the Umayyad family, and lost himself in the loyalty to them. As a result, all the offices of the state were in their hands and all the fortunes of Muslims became theirs exclusively. Accordingly, disorder, rebellion, and public anarchy spread throughout the provinces of the state, Moreover, 'Uthman persecuted the foremost Muslims and the authorities for the ummah, such as Abu Dhar al-Ghifari, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, and 'Ammar ibn Yasir, Even 'A'ishah, the Prophet's widow and Abu Bakr's Daughter, oppesed 'Uthman, accused him of atheism, and urged people to kill him. The matter reached its climax when complete provinces, such as Iraq and Egypt, mutinied. Some military phalanxes, as well, directed towards Medina, surrounded 'Uthman's house, and demanded with taking Marwan ibn al-Hakam and the Umayyad
individuals away from the state's office or abdicating his position.
He in the first place, promised the mutineers he would respond to them, but he did not. They therefore assassinated him so violently and left his dead body in one of the dunghills of Medina without permitting anyone to bury it. However, Imam Ali asked the mutineers to bury the dead body, and they had to accept. By closing the final part of Uthman's reign, a new page of the Islamic history began. Without the sedition matters that 'A'ishah, Muawiya, Talhah, and al-Zubayr aroused against Imam Ali's government, his reign would have rectified all the problems that the three caliphs caused to the ummah.
IMAM ALI'S REIGN
After they had overthrown 'Uthman's government, the mutineers surrounded Imam Ali and declared that they unanimously select him for the leadership of the Islamic ummah. As he anticipated the coming crises, the Imam refused, but the publics insisted and declared that they would not opt for anyone else, and that the Islamic ummah would be without leader if he would refuse. Thus, the Imam had to accept, and the publics hurried to pay homage to him. Talhah, al-Zubyr, the military forces, the foremost warrriors and authotities of Islam, and all the publics paid homage to the Imam. In fact, none of the first three caliphs, any ruler of the Islamic state, won such a non-compulsory homage except Imam Ali.
In the same way as they received the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad, the tribes of Quraysh received the leadership of Imam Ali with discomfort and gloominess. They know the Imam from another angle; it is he who beheaded their masters and crushed their pride under the pennon of Islam. They also knew that Imam would never neglect their plundering the public treasures during the dark reign of 'Uthman. As soon as he held the position of leadership, Imam Ali, the one and only deserver of the ephithet of Amir al-Mu'minin -the commander of the faithful believers- decided to confiscate all the fortunes that 'Uthman robbed from the public treasure and gave exclusively to his faithless relatives, he then deposed 'Uthma's officials who spread unjustice and persecution throughout the Islamic ummah. As a third step in his program of social justice, the Imamdeclared equality among people and cancelled any class distinction.
On this righteous plan, Imam Ali educated his sons who raised his slogan of justice, fought for its sake, and challenged all its oppressors and violators.
REBELLION AGAINST THE IMAM
Because Imam Ali insisted on applying the instructions of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah honestly and impartially, many straying powers opposed him so as to safeguard their personal interests that they obtained illegally. The first ones to declare rebellion against Imam Ali's governmet were Talhah and al-Zubayr, Because the Imam treated them just like any other Muslim and refused to give them privileges at the expense of the others, they mutinied against him and breached the homage that they had paid to him. He also refused to invest them with any official position because he knew their greediness.
One Day, they both asked the Imam's permission to leave for Mecca for performing 'Umrah,1 The Imam gazed at them and said: "By Allah I swear, you do not intend to perform 'Umrah. You intended to mutiny and breach your homage to me." However, the Imam permitted them after he had asked them to pay homage to him again. Without hesitation, they did and swore they would never mutiny.
As soon as they fled to Mecca, they joined 'A'ishah. Even though she was in the lead of those who revolted against 'Uthman ibn "Affan and decided his apostasy, 'A'ishah could not stand the news of Imam Ali's undertaking the position of the Islamic ummah's leadership, because of her uncontrollable malice towards him. Thus, 'A'ishah's situation towards 'Uthman changed completely. She began to mourn for him and betake his assassination as a pretext to overthrow the Imam's government.2 Talhah and al-Zubayr, as well as the past profiteers of 'Uthman's government, joined 'A'ishah and decide to march towards Basra for fighting against the Imam's authorities.
The lawless mutineers seduced 'A'ishah by mounting her on a camel1 and calling her their mother. When she arrived in a place, dogs received her companions and her with barking. The barking reminded her of a word she had heard from the Holy Prophet. She asked in a terrified tone, "What is this place called?" "It is called al-Hawb'ab," she was answered.
The moment this name came to her ear, she became panic-stricken and asked them to take her back home. When she was asked for a reason, she answered that she once had heard the Prophet saying to his wives, "I see coming that the dogs of al-Haw'ab will bark at one of you. Do not be it, little reddish one!" All the mutineers' efforts to make 'A'ishah change her decision failed: therefore, they, led by Talhah and al-Zubayr, bribed some individuals to come and witness that the place was not called al-Haw'ab. That was the first perjury in Islam.4 Unfortunately, 'A'ishah was deceived by that false testimony. When the lawless mutineers arrived in the suburbs of Basra, 'Uthman ibn Hanif, the governor of Basra, sent Abu al-Aswad al-DuAli to see the matter. The man met 'A'ishah and al-Zubayr and discussed the matter with them so logically. Yet, they did not respond to him.
Abu al-Aswad told the governor that they had decided to fight. So, the two parties agreed on a temporary peace treaty as they waited for Imam Ali's opinion. Nonetheless, 'A'ishah's party breached the traty, attacked the governor, arrested and tortured him, robbed the public treasury, and aroused sedition in Basra.
The Imam then led his army to Basra to fight against the mutineers, As soon as he arrived there, he sent 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas and Zyad ibn Sawhan to call them to peace. But their call was not responded. He then sent a generous boy and ordered him to carry a cope of the Holy Qur'an and call them to peace an apply the instructions of the Qur'an. The mutineers attacked him, severed his both hands, and threw darts at him until he daparted life. The Imam then had to attack the other camp, which was led by 'A'ishah. The mutineers could not resist the Imams army; as a result, 'A'ishah tried to breath life in her soldier's determinations, but they were too weak to face his famous sword. They surrounded their mother's camel, and the Imam ordered 'Ammar ibn Yasir and Malid al-Ashtar to cut the camel's legs because 'A'ishah's soldiers, according to the Imam's expression, had betaken that camel as center. They did, and thus the fighting ceased with the bitter defeat
of the lawless mutineers. That fighting was called 'Battle of the Camel'.
The Imam then issued a general amnesty and released 'A'ishah to go back to Medina. From these events, Lady Zaynab realized, more deeply, the serious hostility that the tribes of Quraysh bore against her grandfather and father. She also understood the factuality of the Islamic ummah and the Muslims' duties to it.
MUAWIYA'S SEDITION
As a matter of fact, 'A'ishah paved the way of mutiny to Muawiya who, too betook the issue of 'Uthman's assassination as pretext to oppose the Imam's impartial government. The one and only reason beyond Muawiya's mutiny was that he knew for certain that the Imam would dismiss him from his position, divest him of all the fortunes that he usurped from the public treasury, and get even with him concerning his behaviors that violated Islam, such as wearing silk garment, using golden and silver bowls, and wasting huge riche in building palaces. Furthermore, the Imam would not admit 'Umar's purposeful glorifying and supporting him.
At any rate, Muawiya rejected the Imam's call to peace and paying homage to him. He gathered a big army and directed towards a place called Siffin on the Iraqi-Syrian borders, The first thing he did was occupying the two banks of the River Euphrates in order that the Imam's army would not find water. On the other side, the Imam readied for meeting the mutinous forces, His armies could not reach the Euphrates for supplying themselves with water. He therefore sent one of his companions to meet Muawiya and convince him to let the Imam's army have water. Of course, Muawiya refused out of his meanness. The Imam then had to give orders of occupying the river and having water from it. the armies did, and the mutineers were defeated and taken away from the river's banks. Afterwards, the commanders of the Imam's army found it a good opportunity to make an eye for an eye, by depriving Muawiya's army of reaching the river, but the Imam, out of his matchless
humanity and high morals, refused. As an attempt to prevent bloodshed, Imam Ali sent messengers of peace to Muawiya's camp, but the latter refused and resolved to enter the war against the Imam. As a consequence, the Imam had to battle against them. First of all, there were individual campaigns from both parties, because the Imam hoped for Muawiya's responding to calls of peace. When the Imam despaired and knew that Muawiya was preparing for general attack, he had to recruit his soldiers. Thus, a fierce war, during which great figures of Islam such as 'Ammar ibn Yasir were martyred, broke out.
The army of Muawiya was defeated and their leader was about to flee. As a result of a secret conspiracy between 'Amr ibn al-As, the counselor of Muawiya, and some commanders of the Imam's army, headed by al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, the Syrian army raised copies of the Holy Qur'an on spearheads and called for its being the arbiter of the dispute.
Hence, the conspires in the Imam's army urged importunately the others to respond to the Syrina army's call. Event though he had known the reality of that trick, the Imam had nothing to do other than responding to his army's demanding calls to peace. Before so, he had proven the falsity of Muawiya's trick and informed that Muawiya and his party had never respected or even believed in the Qur'an, but the soldiers refused the Imam's words, responded to Muawiya's trick, and even threatened to kill him if he would not respond.
That was not all, the Imam's soldiers selected Abu Musa al-Ash'ari to be their representative in the arbitration between Imam Ali and Muawiya, while the Imam's nominee was 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, the great Islamic authority. Once again, the Imam's soldiers refused his representative and insisted on choosing the mindless Abu Musa. On the other side, the Syrian army selected 'Amr ibn al-As the foxy. When the two met for appointing the time of arbitration 'Amr ibn al-As convinced, delusively, the mindless representative of the Imam's armey that they both should depose the two parties, Muawiya and Imam Ali, so as to save the Islamic ummah from conflicts. The trick of the focxy representative of Mu'wiyah's party worked with the mindless representative of the Imam's. Before the delegates of the two parties, Amr cheated Abu Musa to climb the minbar and declare his decision of deposing the Imam. After him, 'Amr climbed the minbar and decided to depose the Imam and
nominate Muawiya as the leader of the ummah.
Thus, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari had to flee towards Mecca after he had invented sedition and schism in the Imam's party.
# The Kharijite's Sedition
It is ironic that the very individuals who forced the Imam to respond to Muawiya's trick of the Qur'an's arbitration mutinied against him climing that he should not have responded to that trick. They formed a political movement, which was called 'Khawarij (plural of Kharijite; dissidents).' They were extremists; they killed numerous innocent people, such as 'Abdullah ibn Khabbab, the decent companion of the Prophet, and camped in al-Nahrawan. The Imam intended to direct towards Syria for fighting the mutinous Mu'awiya, but his companion consulted him to fight, first, against the Kharijites whose danger on the Islamic ummah had been more serious than Nahrawan, fought against the Kharijites, and could kill them all except nine individuals only.
Then, the Imam's soldiers wearied of wars; therefore, they did not respond to him when he intended to fight against the disobedient Muawiya despite urgings.
DECLINE OF THE HONEST GOVERNMENT
If truth be told, the Orient has never known the like of Imam Ali's government in honesty, justice, and impartiality. Unfortunately, the evil and opportunist powers of his time spared no efforts for stopping against his political and social plans of reformation. They forced him to enter wars that exhausted his military forces and occupied him from doing the reformative schemes of the state. By the slowdown of the Imam's soldiers, it was the best opportunity for Muawiya to strengthen and arm his forces. Moreover, he began to wage campaigns aganist the Islamic provinces that were under Imam Ali's ruling so as to make the public believe that the Imam lost the ability to protect his people. Meanwhile, all the Imam's attempts to arouse his soldiers' determination failed. He therefore supplicated to Almighty Allah to save him from such a frozen society whose individuals could not recognize his principles and policies of spreading justice and equality.
THE ASSASSINATION OF IMAM Ali
Groups of the Kharijites held a secret meeting in Mecca and discussed the current issues of the Islamic ummah. They agreed that Imam Ali, Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan, and 'Amr ibn al-As stood beyond the catastrophes of the ummah. They therefore decide to assassinate the three. 'Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljim, the cursed, took upon himself the assassination of the Imam, while two others took among themselves the assassination of the others. They specified a definite hour at which they would implement their plans. It was after the Fajr -dawn Prayer on the nineteenth of Ramadan. Hence, 'Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljim, the cursed, returned to Kufa, which was the capital of the islamic state, to do his mission. There, he met a Khafijite lady whose father and brother were killed during the Battle of al-Nahrawan. As he asked for her hand, she specified as dowry three-thousand dirhams, a slave, a bondmaid, and the killing of Imam Ali. The cursed 'Abd-al-Rahman agreed and
promised her of arranging for all these things.
On the night of the eighteenth of Ramadan, Imam Ali had strange feelings. He anticipated the imminent occurrence of a horrifying matter. It was Friday, and the Imam, that night did not sleep. He spent it with recitation of the Holy Qur'an and offering prayers. When dawn was about to fall, he intended to leave for the Masjid, but some swans cried in his face. This happening gave a signal to the Imam who said, "All power and might belong only to Allah. These cries will be followed by wailings."
He then came towards the door, but could difficulty open it. That was another sign he alone could understand. When he reached in the mosque, he, as usual, awoke people for offering the prayer. He then began his prayer. When he sat after the first Sajdah, the cursed ibn Muljim stroke him with the sword so heavily that the Imam's forehead was cleft and the sword reched his brain. As soon as the Imam felt the stroke, he raised his voice with the statement:
"By the Lord of the Kaabah, I have won."
People hurried from every side and began to mourn the Imam with melted hearts. They then carried him to his house and arrested the murderer. He however asked his son, Imam al-Hasan, to treat the murderer kindly. When the son wondered, the Imam answered, "O son, we are the household of mercy and forgiveness. Feed him (i.e. your prisoner) from the food you eat and water him from the drink you take. If I will die, you may then retaliate upon him (according to Allah's law of retaliation) by killing him.
But, never do anything to his dead body. for I heard your grandfather the Messenger of Allah say: "Never do anything to the dead bodey of even biting dogs." If I will survive, I know what I will do with him. It is however better for me to pardon him, for it is my ethics to forgive. We, the Ahl al-Bayt, return on those who do wrong against us in forgiveness and generosity".
LADY ZAYNAB WITH HER FATHER
Lady Zaynab hurried to her injured father with rearful eyes and broken heart. She asked him whether the Prophet's report, related by the righteous lady Ummu-Ayman, regarding the adversities and misfortunes that the Ahl al-Bayt would have to encounter in the futuer was true or not. The Imam said:
Ummu-Ayman has told the truth. I see coming that you. as well as your prople's harem, will be captives in this country. You will be submissive and terrified, fearing lest people might carry you off by force. At that time, be patient and adhere to patience , for, on that day, there will be no disciple (of Allah) on the earth except you, your followers, and your partisans. I swear this by Him Who split the grains and created the souls.
When he foretold us of these news, the Messenger of Allah added: "On the same day as Husayn will be slain, Eblis1 the cursed will be overjoyed and will wander about the earth with his devils and afreets to declare: O devils, only today have we revenged ourselves on the descendants of Adam, attained our objective of wiping them out, and led them to the fire of Hell. Now, you must turn all your efforts towards filling people's minds with doubt towards Husayn and his companions, inciting them to bear hostility against them, and provoking them against anybody who shows loyalty to them (i.e. Husayn and his companions) in order that people's straying and atheism would be so guaranteed that none of them would be saved (on the Day of Resurrection)" Even though he is the biggest liar, Eblis said the truth in that question. It is quiet true that the good deeds of anyone who bears hostility against the Ahl al-Bayt are of no avail (no matter how great they are), and
the sins, not the grand ones, of any one who loves them and is loyal to them are of no harm.
THE IMAM'S FINAL ADVICES
In his final hours, Imam Ali advised his sons and daughters to cling to the high moral standards an abstinence from the transitory pleasures of this world. To his two sons, Imam al-Hasan and Imam Husayn , he said: “I advise you (both) to fear Allah and that you should not hanker after the (pleasures of this) world even though it may run after you. Do not be sorry for anything of this world that you have been denied. Speak the truth and act (in expectation) for reward. Be an enemy of the oppressor and helter of the oppressed. I advise you (both) and all my children and members of my family and everyone whom my writing reaches, to fear Allah, to keep your affairs in order, and to maintain good relation among yourselves for I have heard your grandfather (the Holy Prophet) saying, "improvement of mutual differences is better than general prayers and fastings. Fear Allah and keep Him in view in the matter of orphans. So, do not allow them to strave and they
should not be ruined in your presence. Fear Allah and keep Him in view in the matter of your neighbors, because they were the subject of the Prophet's advice. He went on advising in their favor until we thought he would allow them a share in inheritance. Fear Allah and keep Him in view in the matter of the Qur'an. No one should excel you in acting upon it. Fear Allah and keep Him in view in the matter of prayer, because it is the pillar of your religion. Fear Allah and keep Him in view in the matter of your Lord's House (the Kaabah). Do not forsake it so long as you live, because if it is abandonded you will not be spared (or you will be deprived of your Lord's grace). Fear Allah and keep Him in view in the matter of jihad with the help of your property, lives, and tongues in the way of Allah. You should keep to a respect for kinship and spending for others. Avoid turning away from one another and severing mutual relations. Do not give up bidding for
good and forbidding from evil lest the mischieveous gain positions over you, and then if you will pray, the prayers will not be granted.”
Then the Imam said:
“O sons of 'Abd-al-Muttalib, certainly I do not wish to see you plunging harshly into the blood of Muslims shouting that Amir al-Mu'minin has been killed. Beware; do not kill on account of me except my killer.1 Wait until I die by his ('Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljim) existing stroke. Then strike him one stroke for his stroke. But never do anything to his dead body, for I heard your the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, say: Never do anything to the dead body of even biting dogs.”
The final will of Imam Ali, however, was narrated by Lady Zaynab. Afterwards, the Imam began to recite Verse of the Holy Qur'an and suffer death agonies, Then, his pure soul elevated to the Supreme Comrade and joined the endless joy with the prophets, saints, and righteous people. Excellent is the companionship of such ones. Imam al-Hasan, accompanied by his brothers, assumed responsibity for his father's funeral ceremonies, and at the last part of night, they carried Imam Ali's pure body to the fianl resting-place in al-Najaf. Lady zaynab, while she was shedding tears heavily, participated in that funeral ceremony.
IMAM AL-HASAN'S REIGN
On the second day, Imam al-Hasan, surrounded by his brothers and the Hashemites youths, directed towards Kufa Masjid and delivered a funeral orations in which he used words as glorious as his father. He showed that his father had been such a unique personality that none from the past and coming generations can be his like. In the field of justice, Imam al-Hasan declared the following fact about his father:
"He (i.e. Imam Ali) has not left behind him a single yellow (golden) nor white (silver) piece except seven hundred dirhams with which he had intended to have bondmaid for his family. yet, he ordered me to return them to the public treasury." As Imam al-Hasan finished his speech, the publics hurried to swear allegiance to him, even though the majority of them were not honest. At any rate, Muawiya realized the reality of Imam al-Hasan's army whose individuals were controlled by weakness, looseness, and determination of rebel; he therefore challenged him to fight. Moreover, he led his army whose individuals, quite the opposite, were completely obedient and submissive to camp in al-Mada'in. Once they heard of this news, the hearts of Imam al-Hasan'a soldiers were filled up with horror and panic. Thus, they refused the Imam's call to fight against Muawiya. The Imam still did not stop; he exerted all efforts for urging people to fight. Finally, a farrago
of people of different tendencies and thoughts responded to him and camped in al-Mada'in.
The commander in chief of the Imam's army, namely 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas, joined Muawiya's camp after he had received a seductive bribe and, as a consequence, disorder and sedition dominated the Imam's army and many celebrated individuals, as well as eight thousand soldiers and the tribes of Rabi'ah, insinuated themselves into Muawiya's camp.
The matter reached its climax when a gang headed for robbing Imam al-Hasan's baggage, the bribees attempted to assassinate him more than once, and, finally, a party in his army, most likely the Kharijites, accused him of atheism.
In view of this situation, Imam al-Hasan had to make peace with Muawiya, though unwilllingly, so as to save his party from distinction. After the truce, Imam al-Hasan had to leave Kufa, the city whose people disappointed his father and him, for Medina whose people his father and him, for Medina whose people received him so delightedly because he was the branch of that pure origin, the Holy Prophet. By the fading of the rightful governmet and the coming of the wrongful one, the life of Lady Zaynab entered a new stage that would carry new, yet more grievous, adversities.
MUAWIYA'S REIGN
By Muawiya's coming to power, the pre-Islamic idol ruling replaced the democratic ruling of Islam. vice, in decency, and violation of god manners found themselves expansive places under the consent of the Umayyaad individulas. From his father who was the bitterst enemy of Islam, and from his mother who, out of her malice against the Holy Prophet. Furthermore, the son exceeded his parents; he could not hide his real feelings as the name of the Holy Prophet, during the five-time per day declaration of prayer, was annoying him.
In sequence, he hated the Prophet's Household land offsprings as extremely as possible. He therefore issued the most malicious decision of condealing their virtues and merits, Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i; the founder of the Shafiite Islamic school of law, answered those who asked him to say his opinion about Imam Ali Amir al-Mu'minin: "What can we say about a person whose partisans have had to hide his merits because of fear, snd enemies have hidden his merits out of envy? But between these two, his merit that have become widely known are too numerous to be counted." During the reign of Muawiya, the partisans of Imam Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt had to suffer various sorts of persecution. For instance, the criminal Bisr ibn Arta'ah killed and burnt more than thirty thousand individuals, Samrah ibn Jundab killed eight thousand individuals from
Basra, an Ziyad ibn Abih, who exceeded everyone else in criminality, cut the limbs of the Imam's partisans, Evne the women who showed loyalty to Imam Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt were not saved from the inhuman procedures of Muawiya's criminal authorities. Furtheromore, Muawiya gave the order of destroying the house of the Imam's partisans and leaving them homeless. He also deprived them of their shares from the public trasure1 and refusing their testimonies in the official courts. Eventually, Muawiya exiled more than fifty thousand of them to Khurasan, northeast Persia. By the way, those exiles propagandized Shiism in that provnice whose people, later on, changed into a strong front of oposition against the Umayyad rulign until they, under the leadership of Abu Muslim al-Khurasani, could overthrow their oppressive state.
ASSASSINATION OF IMAM AL-HASAN
Anyhow, the gravest crime of Muawiya was assassinating Imam al-Hasan after he had pledged, through a famous truce with the Imam, to hold the position of leadership to the Imam. Thus, he could establish an Umayyad royal state. As he looked in the long list of the criminals whom may do this mission so completely, he could not find anyone more qualified than Ja'dah daughter of al-Ash'ath, even though she was the Imam's wife. This lady was brought up on betrayal and perfidy. Muawiya sent a lethal poison to Marwan ibn al-Hakam and asked him to seduce Ja'dah to poison her husband under promis of marriage to Yazid, Muawiya's son.
Due to her nature, Ja'dah did not hesitate; she poisoned the Imam's food.
The Imam began to suffer the pains of poison and vomit piece of blood in a bahtub. When Lady Zaynab visited him, he ordered to take away that washtub so that she would not see that hurting view. yet, she became very sad as she realized that her brother would depart her forever very soon.
The Imam then advised his brothers and companions to adhere to the nobilities of character, good deeds, and fear of Allah. While he was reciting Verse of the Holy Qu'an, his soul exalted to the Heavens to join the endless world there. Imam Husayn undertook his brother's funeral ceremonies and intended to bury him next to his granfather, Prophet Muhammad. But 'A'ishah, owing to incitement of the Umayyads, rode a mule, shouted, "Do not take to my house those whom I do not like," and created a big seditious matter due to which the blood of huge numbers of Muslims was about to be shed. Evading such a matter, Imam Husayn had to change his mind and bury his brother in another place.
ASSIGNING YAZID AS THE COMING CALIPH
Muawiya sealed his criminal reign with imposing his son, Yazid, as his successor. Like his father and grandfather, Yazid was known of his hypocrisy, treachery, and enmity against Islam. He, publicly, slighted all human values and principles, He used to drink wine in every moment of his life that some historians have specified dipsomania as his death cause. He was also fond of breeding animals, especially monkeys. In abstract, Yazid represented all vice and offenses and had nothing to do with Islam of leadership of the Islamic ummah.
# The Black Reign
After the perdition of Muawiya, the Islamic ummah was pervaded by a violent, terrorist reign , which did not submit to a tradidion of law or respond to any humane emotion. Finally, it betook oppression and despotism as its slogan. This is the very depiction of Yazid ibn Muawiya's reign, which persecuted Muslims so harshly. During this reign, Lady Zaynab suffered the most difficult misfortunes and adversities, and the Prophet's family had to encouter extreme eradication. They were slain, and the Umayyad soldiers cut their limbs and violated their dead bodies so inhumanely. Lady Zaynab saw these excruciating views with her own eyes; therefore, sadness and sorrows cut through her heart and she could not stop against her tears and cries of mourning, That was not all; she, altogether with the Prophet's harem, then was taken as captive and shown around the provinces of the Umayyad State. They once were taken to 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, son of the ill-famed
Marjanah, and then to Yazid, grandson of the ill-famed Hind.
[ Note: Hind, daughter of Utbah and wife of Abu-Sufyan, was the mortal enemy of Islam in general and the Hashemites in particular. It was she who tried to eat the liver of al-Hamzah ibn Abd-al-Muttalib after he had been killed during the battle of Uhud. About her ill-fame, listen to the following narraition:
After the conquest of Mecca, Hind, as well as her family members, had to pretend themselves from killing. She came to the Prophet, according to a divine instruction, would listen to her pledge openly in the hearing of Muslims. he would dectate some priciples and she would agree, otherwise her being Muslim should not be accepted. One of these principles was that the Prophet asked her to pledge herself that she would not commit prostitution. As an answer, she said, "How come that a celebrated a lady commit prostitution?" As soon as he heard this statement from her, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab laughed to excess! This is because he knew her very well. This incident is recorded in almost all the reference books of Islamic history.]
In any case, Lady Zaynab suffered the cruelest adversities during the black reign of Yazid, the sinful tyrant who was an inexperienced, lecherous young and had known nothing about leadership, policy, or management. He could not even manage or control himself; he submitted completely to his whims and his one and only lust was bloodshed. When his cursed father died in Damascus, Yazid was on a journey. He recieved a message informing about his father's perdition and his becoming the caliph of the Islamic ummah. He thus hurried to the capital accompanied by his immoral faction. From that moment, people began to criticize him for irresponsible behaviors.
The first thing he did in Damascus was that he declared his determination to wage a destructive war against people of Iraq People of Syria, however, welcomed this determination and declared their readiness to plunge themselves into such a war. Yazid's most malicious opposition was in Medina; they were Imam Husayn and 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. He therefore issued the emphatic decision that al-Walid, the governor of Medina, must coerce these two persons to pledge themselves as submissive to the leadership of Yazid, but if they, or any other individuls, refuse to pay homage to the new caliph, the governor must behead them.
When he received these resounding instructions, al-Walid panicked because it was not easy to behead such personalities. Even Muawiya who enjoyed terrible diplomatic capabilities could not dare assassinate Imam Husayn . How is it then possible for an ordinary governor like al-Walid to do it? Al-Walid then sought the opinion of Marwan ibn al-Hakam, the chief of the Umayyad family, who suggested that those two personalities would be compulsorily summoned at that very moment and asked to show compliance with the new leadership of Yazid, otherwise they would be beheaded. This opinion did not appeal to al-Walid, but he had to respond to Marwan.
REFUSAL OF YAZID'S LEADERSHIP
It was midnight when al-Walid ordered 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn 'Uthman to summon Imam Husayn and 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. The messenger found them both in the Prophet's Masjid and asked them to attend at the governor. They answered affirmatively. 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr turned his face to Imam Husayn and wondered, "What do you thing the matter for which he summoned us in such time?" The Imam answered, "I think that their tyrant ruler -i.e. Muawiya- died, and they summoned us to pay homage to the new one before the spread of the news." The Imam then gathered his companions and directed towards the governors center. He first asked why he was summoned in such time. He was answered that he should pay homage to the leadership of yazid.
Asking for postponement, the Imam said, "I do not pay homage secretly. When you ask all people to pay homage, you then may ask me so that people and I will share the same situation." This means that the Imam intended to declare his refusal of swearing allegiance to the leadership of Yazid openly, but Marwan understood it. He therefore shouted at al-Walid, "If he leaves you at this instant without paying homage, you will never be able to oblige him to pay it at any time unless many victims from both sides will numerously fall. Detain him now. He must pay homage or be beheaded." The Imam turned to Marwan and shouted in his face, "Son of al-Zarqa, is it you or he who will kill me? By Allah I swear, you have meanly lied."
The Imam then turned to al-Walid to declare his determination to reject the matter completely:
"O Governor, we are the household of prophesy, the core of the (divine)message, frequently visited by the angels, and (we are) the center of mercy. Allah has commenced with us and shall seal with us. Yazid is a lecherous, intoxicating man who kills the respectful soul and promulgates his acts of immorality. My like should never pay homage to him or his likes. Wait for us until next morning and you will see who is the worthiest of leadership (of the Islamic ummah) and being paid homage."
That was the first declaration of Imam Husayn 's refusal of Yazid's illegal leadership. Marwan blamed al-Walid for not adopting his suggestion. Al-Walid, however, reproached Marwan and declared that he would never kill Imam Husayn , because his killer would certainly be the fuel of Hell. The next morning, Imam Husayn decided to leave Medina for Mecca. Before so, he visited the tomb of his granfather, Prophet Muhammad, and complained to Almighty Allah against the adversities that surrounded him, saying: O Allah, this is the tomb of Your prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, and I am the son of Your Prophet Muhammad's daughter. I have been inflicted with the matter that You know. O Allah, I do like all that which is good and I forbid all that which is evil. Hence, I now beseech to You, O Lord of Majesty and Honor, to choose for me that which draws Your pleasure and the pleasure of Your Prophet. In the darkest hour of night, Imam
Husayn directed towards the hidden tomb of his mother, Fatimah al-Zahra, and then turned to the tomb of his brother, Imam al-Hasan, where he revived the happy moments he spent with them.
IN MECCA
When Imam Husayn decided to leave for Mecca, he summoned his sister, Lady Zaynab, informed her about what he had decided to do, and asked her to take part in his ordeal. In view of her deep-rooted faith, she did not hesitate to respond to her brother's call. Moreover, she determined to participate and wind up his revolution. Like Lady
Zaynab, Imam Husayn 's wives, sons, brothers, and cousins agreed join his revolution against the oppressors. The next mornings, everybody was ready to begin the journy. Lady zaynab was so upset though her brother, al'Abbas, was beside her; taking care of her and regarding her attentively. People of Medina, too, were so dismayed because they watched the Prophet's family leaving them, perhaps, forever. Throughout the journey, Imam Husayn was reciting repeatedly Almighty Allah's saying: "My Lord! Deliver me from the unjust people."
By reciting this Holy Verse, Imam Husayn likened his journey to that of Prophet Moses who revolted against the tyrant of his time. He took the public way to Mecca declaring his challenge to the ruling authorities and making little of death, which inevitably, shall inflict man in any land and at any moment. He had full confidence in Almighty Allah Who dominates everything thoroughly completely. This journey was the second for Lady Zaynab; the first was with her father when he left Medina to settle in Kufa that he betook as the capital of his state. On that journey she was in a great caravan that contained her father, her brothers, her husband and her honorable cousins. The back journey after Imam al-Hasan's truce with Muawiya was also great surrounded by honor and dignity. yet, the third journey would be so sorrowful and dreary, since it was the enemies who led the caravan.
On Tuesday night, Imam Husayn arrived in Mecca and resided in the house of Al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd-al-Muttalib. People of Mecca visited him so frequently and used to ask him question about the Islamic laws and others about his opinion of the ruling regime. When the season of the Hajj occurred, Hajjis and Mu'tamirs surrounded the Imam (and listened to his opinion and instructions. From that moment, he began to promulgate his revolution, and the publics began to understand the aim of his being in Mecca. Owing to such activities, the ruling authorities there Mecca panicked and anticipated that he would betake Mecca as the center of his revolution against the oppressive regime of Yazid. The governor of Mecca came to the Imam and asked the reason beyond his residence there. The Imam answered that he had come for seeking the refuge of Almighty Allah and the Holy House. As a result, the governor sent a missive to Yazid informing him about Imam Husayn 's arrival and
the publics' surrounding him, attending his sessions, and listening to him.
These news confused Yazid who, immediately, sent a missive to 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas asking him that he would pardon the Imam provided that he would pay homage to him -Yazid- lest he would punish. Answering Yazid's missive, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas told that the Imam left Medina because the ruling authorities there bothered him. He also promised that he would meet the Imam and see the matter. In Iraq, there was a general rebel and refusal of paying homage to Yazid, because they regarded him as the inheritor of those mortal enemies of Islam. The Shiite chiefs in Kufa held a meeting in the house of Sulayman ibn Sadr al-Khuza'i during which they delivered speeches showing the sins of the Umayyad individulas and calling to swear allegiance to Imam Husayn as the true leader of the Islamic ummah. All the attendants shouted that they would certainly support and defend the Imam and would send him message asking him to lead their revolution against the Umyyad rulers.
So, Many delegations met him and thousands of messages were sent to him by ordinary people and chiefs, such as Shibth ibn Rab'i, Hajjar ibn Abjur al-'Ujali, and 'Amr ibn al-Hajjaj. As a result, Imam Husayn decided to respond to them and send them and send his cousin, Muslim ibn 'Aqil, to see the real situation.
MUSLIM IBN 'AQIL IN AL-KUFAH
Muslim left for Kufa anad resided there in the house of al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, one of the most celebrated faithful personalities4 who called everybody to visit Muslim; therefore, everybody came to listen to the message of Imam Husayn that Muslim carried. At least, forty-thousand individuals from kufa acknowledge Imam Husayn as their leader whom they must defend and support.5 Because of this huge number of supporters, muslim's confidence and trust in the expected success of Imam Husayn 's revolution increased. He therefore sent a message to the Imam asking him to hurry his coming to Kufa,6 and, as a result, the Imam prepared to leave.
Yazid's agents in kufa reported these news to him, and he, out of fear, sought the advice of Sirjawn, the Roman, who was his father's best secretary. This cunning man had thought for quite a while before he suggested to Yazid to assign 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad as the new govervor of Kufa.Although Yazid was angry with 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, he had to appoint him as the new governor of Kufa besides Basra. thus, ibn Ziyad became the ruler of the entire Iraq. In addition, Yazid sent him a message asking him to capture, exile, or even kill Muslim ibn 'Aqil, and then followed it with another asking him to even fly to Kufa if he would be able.
# Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad in Kufa
Throughout his way from Basra to Kufa, 'Ubaydullah, accompanied by fivmen, did not stop for fear that Imam Husayn would precede him. He disguised himself with black clothes so that people would take him for the Imam. He entered the city and hurried towards the Qasr al-Imarah -Govervorate Mansion- in fear and resentment because people welcomed him warmly as they really took him for Imam Husayn. As he reached there and knocked the door, the governor of Kufa, al-Nu'man ibn Bashir, who also thought of him as the Imam shouted from the balcony, "Son of Allah's messenger, I will not fulfill my pledge to you and I do not want to fight you..." "Open the door," shouted 'Ubaydullah, "You will suffer long nighttime!"
Some of the crowded people who walked behind him knew his reality; they therefore shouted, "This is indeed son of Marjanah." Thus, they ran away with their hearts filled in with terror. 'Ubaydullah went towards the mansion and seized the weapons and fortune. He was gathered around by the agents of the Umayyd dynasty, such as 'Umar ibn Sa'd, Shamr ibn Dhi'l-Jawshan, Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath, and other famous names among the hypocrites of Kufa. They began discussing the matter of the expected revoution and its chiefs, and went on plotting for eradicating it.
Next morning, 'Ubaydullah gathered the people in the Grand Masjid of Kufa to declare his being the new governor. He promised the obedient with big prizes and threatened the disobedient with persecution and the mutineers with harsh punishment. he then showed items of horror by putting to death some individuals before he had interrogated them. He also filled the prisons with innocent people. All these means were purposed for controlling the country completely. Once he knew about 'Ubaydullah's arrival, Muslim changed his residential place. He moved to the house of Hani' ibn 'Urwah, one of the most celebrated personalities of Kufa, who welcomed him hospitably and received is partisans to plan for the revolution. The success that 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad achieved in the political fields is ascribed to the series of plans that he made, The introductory step was syaing on the movements of Muslim to circulate his activities and realize his points of power and
weakness. 'Ubaydullah chose his servant, Mu'qal, for this mission. He gave some money and ordered him to contact with the significant members of the revolution by claiming that he shows loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt and that he had come to kufa because he heard the call of Imam Husayn . Mi'qal could first reach Muslim ibn 'Awsajah and show him false loyalty and, unfortunately, the latter was decieved; he therefore showed Mi'qal the residential place of Muslim ibn 'aqil. Thus, Mi'qal frequented about the place and could comprehend everything about the expected revolt and report to his master, son of Marjanah.
The second and most dangerous process was arresting Hani' ibn 'Urwah who was chief of the tribes of Midhhaj -the great majority of the inhabitants of Kufa. This procedure spread a big wave of horror among people and sent a destructive strike to the expected revolution. Before 'Ubaydullah, Hani' denied the accusation; hence, they summoned Mi'qal, the spy, to testify of the truth, However, Hani' refused to give up his guest to the authorities. But the tyrant ordered his servant to draw Hani' near him and went on beating him on the face with a bar he had in the hand. he then ordered to detain him in one of the rooms of the mansion.
This procedure shook the feelings of his kinsmen who, under the leadership of the traitor 'Amr ibn al-Hajjaj, pushed themselves towards the mansion. 'Amr shouted, -so as to make 'Ubaydullah hear him- "I am 'Amr, and these are the celebrities and chiefs of Midhhaj. Yet, we are not denoucing our loyalty to you nor are we mutinying against you." Furthermore, 'Amr said words of surrender and humility for which 'Ubaydullah did not care. He then asked Shurayh, the judge, to see Hani' and then tell his tribe about his state. The judge entered the cell of Hani' who shouted: "How stange this is! Have my people all died? If only ten persons from my tribe come to me they will certainly save me." When Shurayh left him, he said to his kinsmen, "I have seen your chief. He is alive. He has ordered you to go home." 'Amr shouted, "Well, he has not been killed. Thanks to Allah!" As if they have been granted the one and only opportunity to escape a lightless jail, people
of Midhhaj turned their faced back and ran away. It seems that there had been a secret agreement between the chiefs of Midhhaj and 'Ubaydullah on killing Hani', otherwise they would have attacked the mansion and saved their chief.
Muslim ibn 'aqil knew about the situation of Hani' who was an important member of the expected revolution; therefore, he declared openly the revolution against 'Ubaydullah. Thus, about four -or forty- thousand warriors joined him. 'Ubaydullah was delivering a speech when he heard the noise of the revolters whose numbers were increasing and were directing towards the Governorate Mansion. Like a dirty dog, 'Ubaydullah hurried towards the mansion. He had only thirty policemen; he therefore used the meanest means that would save him -war of nerved. Because he knew people of Kufa very well, he ordered their traitorous chiefs to slip among the troops of Muslim and spread the rumors that the arcies of Syria would soon puish those who joined Muslim's army, the government would deprive them of their salaries, and that martial laws would be applied to them. These rumors acted as that martial laws would be applied to them. These rumors acted as bombs on the heads
of the people most of whom declared, "We should not engage ourselves in question of policy!"
Before long, most of them left Muslim who led the rest to the Msjid for prayer. Even during the prayer, the others left, and Muslim, as he finished the prayer, foud himself alone! That night, he could not find a house to settle in. He therefore had to wander alone in the streets of Kufa. Only a noble lady called Taw'ah had the courage to let Muslim in. As she served him food, Muslim refused to eat or drink because he was thinking of the fate that Imam Husayn would face after the betrayal of those people. Son of Taw'ah knew the whole story and with the first sparks of that morning, he hurried to inform the ruling authorities about the matter, even though he had given his mother binding oaths that he would not tell anybody.
Three hundred horsemen, led by Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath, attacked the house of Taw'ah, but Muslim faced them with such an unprecedented courage that he inherited from his fathers. He alone could defeat those horsemen and kill a great number of them. The mean ones however began to throw stones and fireballs on him, but he too overcame. When Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath returned to 'Ubaydullah and asked for more troops and weapons, the latter said with astonishment, "I have sent you to capture one man! But he did this to your troops!" He answered, "Do you tink you have sent me to bring an ordinary man from Kufa or the neighboring? You have sent me to capture a courageous lion and a hero from the family of the best men in whose hands cutting swords are held fast." 'Ubaydullah supplied him with more troops and weapons, but Muslim, the hero, kept on fighting against them so bravely. This facing took a long time during which Muslim suffered thirst and the troops of
the ruling authorities were increasing around him, though they were too terrified to attack him. Finally, they stabbed him with their lances until they could capture him. after they had let him down, people of Kufa crowded to see how he was taken to the Mansion. Muslim courageously refused submitting to the tyrant who, as a result, ordered Bukayr ibn Hamran to take him to the surface of the mansion and behead him. He also ordered Hani' to be killed before the individuals of his tribe. The dead bodies of Muslim and Hani' were trailed on the ground in the stress as a sign of terrorism and scorning their adherents.
LEAVING FOR IRAQ
Before she left for Iraq in the company of her brother, Lady Zaynab had asked permission of her husband. and before Imam Husayn left for Iraq, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, his cousin, had tried to chane his mind, but the Imam refused. Hence, ibn 'Abbas asked him not to accompany his harem and family members, but the Imam answered, "These are the trusts of the Messenger of Allah, and I cannot trust anyone with them." Then, Lady Zaynab said to ibn 'Abbas with tearful eyes, "Son of 'Abbas, do you suggest to our leader to leave us here and go alone? No, by Allah, we either live with him or die with him. We have nothing left except him."2 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas could not control himself when he broke into tears and said, "It is truly difficult for me to leave you, cousin." One of the most excellent plans of Imam Husayn 's revolution was accompanying his harem and family members with him, especially Lady Zaynab who had the leading role in the process of the
revolution's perpetuity. As he anticipated the coming events, he planned for his sister her honorable role in perfecting his uprising, showing his sacrifice that the Umayyad tyrant attempted to cover up, and putting into circulation his principles and aims. As a matter of fact, the Imam's harem contributed actively in the renaissance of the Muslim society and the overthrowing of the Umayyad regim's false prestige. Through their enthusiastic speeches, the Imam's harem commenced the revolutions against the regime and shook the entity of their illegal state.
In this regard, Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita' says:
"Does anyone doubt the fact that if those ladies -of the Prophet's family- had not challenged the ruling regime through their situations and addresses, the blood of Imam Husayn and his sons would have gone for nothing and none would have demanded with the punishment of those killers and, accordingly, Imam Husayn had already planned for this step and had full knowledge that none would be able to accomplish this mission so perfectly except those ladies. As a result, he asked them to accompany him for adding another item to the oppression that they would encounter -when these ladies would be taken as captives- In addition and overthrow the illegal regime of the Umayyad rulers before they would eradicate Islam and take people back to the per-Islamic customs and traditions."
Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Subhi says:
"Husayn insisted on accompanying his harem and family members with him in order that people would testify of the inexcusable and inhumane crimes that their enemies would do to them. Thanks to this procedure, the issue for which Husayn fought and revolted has not been lost in the desert with his blood. Without the existence of his family members and harem, all the incidents that occured with Husayn and his enemies would have been completely forged and distorted, and all true testimonies would have been unavailable." Dr. 'A'ishah Bint al-Shati' says:
"Zaynab, Husayn 's sister, caused 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad and the Umayyad dynasty to lose the elation of victory as she poured drops of deadly poison in their cups. All the events that took place after that, such as the rebel of al-Mukhtar and the revolution of 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, and resulted in the decline of the Umayyad regime, the 'Abbasid dynasty's coming to power, and the inveteracy of Shiism; all these were the result of Zaynab's formation." To sum it up, without Lady Zaynab, the tragic story of Karbala' would have been recorded from the viewpoint of Imam Husayn 's enemies only, and the pure blood of the Imam, his relatives, and his companions, which was shed wrongly there, would have been lost in the desert.
At any rate, before he left Mecca, Imam Husayn called for general meeting during which he delivered an address:
“All praise is due to Allah, only that which Allah wants will come to pass, there is no strength save in Allah, and mercy and blessing of Allah be upon His Messenge. Death is mapped out on every human beign in the same way as a necklace leaves a mark on a girl's neck. For me, my eagerness to join my late father, the martyrs, is as same as Prophet Jacob's eagerness to see (his absent son) Joseph. I will unavoidably encouter the demise that has been chosen for me: I foresee that my limbs and organs will be severed by the wolves of deserts1 in a place between al-Nawawis and Karbala' where they will fill their hungry bellies with me. No one can escape that which has been recorded with the Pen. Only that which pleases Allah will please us -the Ahl al-Bayt; we behave steadfastly against His tests (that He presents in forms of misfortunes) and He shall certainly pay us the rewards of the steadfast ones in full. The flesh of the Messnger of Allah, peace be
upon him and his family, shall not go stray from his way and shall join him in the Sacred Position to delight him and fulfill the promise, which was made to him. Hence, he who sacrifice his soul for us and determines to meet Allah may accompany me in this journey. Tomorrow morning, I will leave, if Allah, the Exalted, wills it."
In his last moment in Mecca, Imam Husayn went towards the Holy House (Kaaba) and offered the Zhuhr noon- Prayer there. On the eighth of Dhu'l-Hijjah, 60 A.H., he left Mecca whose people saw him off with tearful eyes and depressing hearts. Throughout his journey, he used to tell the story of the martyrdom of Prophet John. In a place called al-Sifah, Imam Husayn met al-Farazdaq, the famous poet, and told him that the ruling authorities had plotted to assassinate him in Mecca.1 The Imam asked him about the reality of people of Kufa that he had come from, and al-farazdaq said: "Their hearts are with you, but their swords are against you." He agreed to these words, but continued his journey so steadfastly. In a place called Dhat-'Irq, the Imam met Abu Hirrah who asked him why he had left Mecca. The Imam answered: "Woe to you, Abu Hirrah! When the Umayyads usurped my properties, I treated it patiently, when they insulted my honor, I also treated it patiently,
and when they attempted to shed my blood, I escaped. By Allah I swear that because the oppressive party will kill me, Allah shall dress them with comprehensive humiliation and shall cause cutting swords to serve them, Allah shall also give a free hand to rulers who will humiliate them to the degree that they will be more humble than people of Sheba; a woman ruled them and had full hand on their properties and souls." The Imam then left this man who could not understand the meaning of supporting the right and defending Islam.
In a place called al-Khuzaymiyyah, Lady Zaynab approached the Imam and asked about their fate. He answered that she would have to face terrible difficulties and adversities. he said, "Sister, all that which is going to be is going to be."1 In a place called Zarud, the caravan of the Imam received a very bad news; Muslim ibn 'Aqil was martyred in Kufa. The caravan burst into tears, and the Imam turned towards the family of the martyr and asked, "Muslim has been martyred. What do you now see?" They answered so firmly, "We will not go back unless we revenge for him or join him." These words showed the determination of those heroes and made the Imam trust his issue more.
That noon, Imam Husayn took a siesta and saw a horrible dream. He woke up in terror, and his son, Ali al-Akbar, hurried adn aksed about that terror. The Imam told his son that he had seen in sleep a horseman saying, "You are mending your paces while your deaths are taking you hurriedly to Paradise." Explaining this dream, the Imam told that they would be killed. The son asked, "Are we not the right party?"
"Of course, we are. I swear it by Him to Whom all creatures shall return," answered the Imam confidently. The son concluded, "O father, we then shall never care about death." This statement relieved the Imam who expressed his gratitude for such a situation.2 As they reached a place called Shuraf, the Imam gave the orders of fetching as much water as possible from the springs there. Afew steps after these springs, one of lthe companions saw something like date-palm trees and shouted to make the others notice. Some of those who had full knowledge of that arearealized that it was nothing but arrowheads and ears of horses. Imam Husayn , too, realized that these were the vanguards of the Umayyad army. He therefore asked his companions whether they knew a near place to hide in. some referred to Mount Dhu-Husam to the left. As the Imam's caravan directed towards that mountain the massive troops -of about more than one thousand horsemen as some historians have
confirmed- under the commandment of al-Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi whom 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad commissioned to wander through the desert until he would meet and capture the caravan of Imam Husayn , approached. It was middy and al-Hurr's troops were too thirsty to continue their march. Seeing this, the Imam felt pity for them and ordered his companions to give them from the water they had with them. Even the horses were given water. After that, the Imam delivered an articulate sermon to the troops of that army:
People: This only and argument intended to release me from the responsibility that lies on me with regard to Allah and you. I came to you only after I had received your misseves and your messengers who asked me to come to you since you had no leader and since you desired to be guided to the right guidance through my leadership to you. If you are still bearing this very tendency, then here I am. Show me pledges and covenants due to which I will be sure of your intentions. But if you dislike my coming to you, I will leave you and return to the place from which I came. Because most of the individuals of that army were among those who sent missives and asked the Imam to come to them and paid homage to him via his representative Muslim ibn 'Aqil, they could not answere him. As time of the Zhuhr Prayer fell, the Imam ordered the muezzin to declare it. He then turned his face to al-Hurr and asked whether he would lead the collective prayer for his companions.
"We will follow you in prayer," answered al-Hurr politely. When they performed the 'Asr -afternoon- Prayer, the Imam delivered another sermon:
“People: if you fear Allah and recognize the people of the right, this will surely please Him more than anything else. We -the Ahl al-Bayt are worhier of holding the position of leadership than those who claim it falsely and governed you by means of wrong and oppression. If you will dislike us and ignore our right and change your minds that you had expressed in your missives you sent to me, I will surely leave you...”
As he knew nothing about these missives, al-Hurr asked the Imam, "What are these missives you are mentioning?" The Imam, thus, ordered one of his companions to fetch them and show to al-Hurr who, as soon as saw them, was shocked, he then said, "We are not among those who wrote these missives." Afterwards, the Imam wanted to leave that place and return home, but al-Hurr prevented him and said, "I will not leave you until I lead you to Kufa to be present before 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad." "Death is nearer to you than doing so," the Imam answered and ordered his companions to ride and direct said to him, "What do you want from us?" "I want to lead you to 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, answered al-Hurr." "I will not follow you," said the Imam. "And I will not leave you," answered al-Hurr.
War was about to break out, but al-Hurr could save the situation by saying, "I was not ordred to fight you. I was only ordered not to leave you before I lead you to Kufa. If you refuse, you may take a way that takes you neither to Kufa nor Medina so that I will write a report to 'Ubydullah and hope Allah will save me from fighting you." Hence, the Imam's caravan took another way southward between al-'Udhayb and al-Qadisiyyah,1 and al-Hurr's army watched them. In a place called al-Bayda, the Imam delivered a sermon:
“People : the Messenger of Allah said, "For anyone who knows an unjust ruler that is violating Allah's sanctities, breaking the pledge of Allah, going against the Sunnah of the Prophet, and treating the servants of Allah with means of sin and oppression, and avoids denying so by a deed or a word, it will be incumbent upon Allah to take him to the place he deserves (i.e. Hell)." Those individuals -the Umayyad ruler- have adhered to the obedience to the Shaitan, deserted the obedience to the All-beneficent (Lord), made public sinfulness, defied the doctrinal provisions, dedicated the treasuries to themselves, deemed lawful thing that Allah has dicided unlawful, and deemed unlawful things that Allah has decided lawful. I am worthier of holding this positon than those who destorted (the principles of Islam). I have received your missive and your messengers who reported to me that you paid homage to me and that you would neither let me down nor disappoint
me. If you keep your homage, you will certainly do the right thing. I am Husayn son of Ali and Fatima; daughter of the Messenger of Allah. My soul will be with yours and my harem will be with yours. (They will face the same fate that you will face.) I however am the example that should be followed. But if you break your homage and pledge, this is in fact not strange from you. You have already done it with my father, brother , and cousin Muslim (ibn 'Aqil). He who believes you is surely deceived. Anyhow, you have only missed your opportunity of success and neglected your chance of safety. He who breaches is only doing ill to himself. Allah will surely find me a substitution. Peace, Allah's mercy, and His blessings be upon you. After this sermon, al-Hurr said to the Imam, "I only want to advise you. I am sure that you will be killed if you fight, I swear it." The Imam answered, "Do you threaten me with death? Will misfortunes depart you if you kill me? I
really do not know what to say to you. But, I will copy the saying of that man from the (tribe of) Aws whose cousin threatened with death while he was going to defend the Prophet.”
He poetized :
I will go on, and death is not shameful for the hero
Who intends good and fights for his Islam
And sacrifices his soul for the righteous men
And defies the perished one and departs the wrong ones
If I live, I will not regret, and if I die, i will not be blamed
It is certainly sufficien humility to live in humbleness.
As he heard these words, al-Hurr left the Imam and realized that he had decided to sacrifice his soul for sake of saving the Muslims from the oppression and wrong of the Umayyad rulers.
Lady zaynab, too, recognized that her brother, by saying these words, had decided to sacrifice himself and attain martyrdom. She therefore felt very sad and supplicated to almighty Allah to give victory to him. Al-Tarimmah led the Imam's caravan because he knew the area better. The caravan however went on and the troops of al-Hurr were preventing it from directing towards the desert and trying to push it towards Kufa. Meanwhile, a rider appeared, It was a man carrying a message from 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad to al-Hurr: " As soon as you receive this message, lead Husayn to a derelict place in the desert where there is no shelter or water. I have also ordered this messenger to haunt you until you carry out this order."
# In Karabala
Imam Husayn wanted to reside in a place near a spring or a shelter, but al-Hurr pervented him and recited 'Ubaydullah's message. as the situation attained its climax, Zuhayr ibn al-Qayn, one of the sincere companions of the Imam, suggested that they would fight against al-Hurr and his troops, but the Imam rejected saying, "I will never being fighting." Al-Hurr then obliged the Imam to reside in a place, and the Imam had to respond. "What is this place called," asked the Imam. "This is Karbala," answered one of the companions. "O Allah: I seek Your protection against agony and ordeal," supplicated the Imam with teary eyes.
He then turned towards his companions and said: This is the place of agony and ordeal. This is the place where we, as our riding animals, will reside and our blood will be shed. Al-'Abbas, accompanied by the horses of the Prophet's household and the Imam's companions, hurried to pitch tents for the harem, headed by Lady Zaynab, who were reigned by horror as they imagined the coming events on this land. The Imam then raised his hands upward for supplicating to Allah and said:
“O Allah: We, the household of Your Prophet Muhammad, have been banished away from the sanctum of our grandfather and have been aggressed by the Umayyads. O Allah: Take vengeance upon those who oppressed us and support us against the wrongdoers.”
He then turned his face towards his household and companions and said:
“This world has changed, snubbed, and its good has turned tail. Nothing has remained from it except a thing that is as scanty as the leftover of a cup and a mean life that is like a noxious grazing . Have you not noticed that the right is ignored and the evil is not forbidden? This is sufficient for making the believers desire for meetiing Allah rightfully. I do not see death but as happiness and do not consider life with the wrongdoers but as boredom. People are certainly slaves of this world. The religion is only a slaver on their togues. They turn it wherever their livelihood demands. If they are examined by misfortunes, the religious will be very little.”
By these words, Imam Husayn informed his household and companions about the coming ordeals they would face, and declared his readiness to fight against the wrongful party to the last spark of his life. As they heard his words, those unmatched individuals who paved the way of freedom to humankind through their unparalleled situations spoke before their leader to show him their readiness to participate and continue the way whatever the sacrifices would be.
The first companion to speak was Zuhayr ibn al-Qayn:
"Son of Allah's Messenger: We have undrestood your words. We may stop supporting you if we undrestand that this world will perpetuate for us for good... etc."
Another hero, namely Burayr ibn Khudayr, said similar words. The other heroes declared their situation of perseverance on their principles and readiness to sacrifice their souls for their leader. The Imam thanked them for their feelings and blessed them.
In Kufa, 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad felt happy when he was informed that the vanguards of his army seized Imam Husayn . He therefore began to plan for the next step; whom should he choose for the commandment of the army to kill the Prophet's dearest one? As he reviewed the names of the candidates, he could not realize any individuals meaner and more vicious than 'Umar ibn Sa'd. At first, 'Umar refused to fight against the Imam, but 'Ubaydullah threatened he would dismiss him from the governorship of Ray -currently Tehran-. Thus, he accepted and began his campaign towards Karbala' with four thousand horsemen who joined the army of al-Hurr there. 'Umar ibn Sa'd was chosen for the most horrible crime, and he showed no blemish when he led armies to fight against the divinely selected Imam. he surrounded the Imam from every side, laid siege to him, and blocked all the ways in order to prevent anybody from joining or supporting him.
In kufa again, 'Ubaydullah gathered people and spoke : "O people: As you tried the descendants of Abu Sufyan, you have found them as exactly as you like. You have also known your leader, yazid, as good and praiseworthy man. he treats his subject kindly, gives everybody his deserved share of the public treasury, and honors people out of his wealth. He has ordered me to give each of you one hundred dirhams monthly as an addition to your fixed shares of the participate in the campaign against his enemy Husayn . Hence, you should listen to and obey him..."1 Unfortunately, most of them carried out these orders and composed a huge army against the Imam's small group. Afterwards, they traveled to Karbala' and occupied the two banks, as well as all the branches, of the River Euphrates.
Some historians, however, have mentioned that three days before the encounter, Imam Husayn was deprived of water. This in fact was the most horrible misfortune he had fo face. The strange thing is that the band of the Umayyad army took pride in this criminal act that challenged all humanitarian values. One of them, for instance, shouted at Imam Husayn , "Husayn: you can see water flow like reptiles. You will not taste it before you die..."
Expressing his joy at this situation, 'Amr ibn al-Hajjaj addressed, "Husayn, this is the Euphrates.Dogs, donkeys, and even pegs are licking its water. But we shall prevent you from having a single drop from it ..." No single law or code on this earth allows any person, under any circumstances, to deprive women and children of water except the laws of the Umayyad dynasty whose individuals, from the first spark of Islam, advised each other to prevent the Prophet's household from holding any position of leadership. Facing this ordeal of the scarcity of water, Lady Zaynab undertook the difficult mission of gathering the thirsty children and women and trying to comfort them and promise with water. Her heart melted away as she saw those children and babies cry out of thirst while she had nothing to give. Imam Husayn then asked 'Umar ibn Sa'd to meet him individually. The criminal came with his son and servant to the Imam who asked his brother
al-'Abbas and his son Ali al-Akbar to attend that meeting. The Imam then asked 'Umar to think about the matter more seriously and to anticipate the inescapable misfortunes that he would certaninly face in this world and the world to come if he would fight against him. 'Umar however tried to tender his excuses, but the Imam proved all them worthless.
Finally, the Imam recognized that 'Umar would never change his mind; therefore, he said to him, 'What is matter with you? My allah kill you on your bed~ May allah never forgive you on the day when you will be resurrected! I foresee that you, If you do it, will not even be able to satisfy your appetite from the wheat of Iraq." Mockingly, 'Umar answered, "It will be enough for me to have from its barely!"
Indeed, Almighty Allah responded to the supplication of Imam Husayn concerning 'Umar: the sodiers of al-Mukhtar slew him in his bed. In the land of Karbala', Lady Zaynab faced the progression of calamities with the weapon of patience and steadfastness. At the night of the ninth of Muharram, the Umayyad armies advanced towards Imam Husayn 's small group. The Imam was about to take a nap when his sister, Lady Zaynab, hurried to him with horror after hse had heard the souds of the foes coming towards them. She waked him up saying, "Brother the enemies are approaching us." He answered, "I have just seen the Messenger of Allah, my father Ali, my mother Fatima, and my brother al-hasan in sleep and they told that I will join them very soon." these words acted as a thunderbolt on Lady Zaynab and tore her sensitive, tortured heart. She therefore had nothin to do but slapping her face, shouting, "Alas for this!" The Imam tried to relieve her by saying, "Alas is
not yours, sister. Please, be quiet. May the All-beneficent have mercy upon you."
Al-'Abbas, who did not leave his brother for a songle moment, turned his face to him and said, "They have come to you." The Imam asked him to identify their intents.
He said to him, "May I sacrifice myself for you, brother! Ride on and meet them to ask about their intentions." With twenty horsemen, al-'Abbas hurried towards that army and asked wht they wanted. "The governor has ordered us to call you to submit to his orders, therwise we will fight you," answered they.1 Al-'Abbas turned back to tell his brother about their intention. Meanwhile, Habib ibn Muzhahir delivered a sermon to that army; he admonished and warned them against the divine punishment they should face if they fight against the family of the Prophet. However, some of them answered him impudently.
When he heard the words of his brother, Imam Husayn said to him, "Go back to them and try your best to delay them until tomorrow morning so that we, on this night, will have time to pray to our Lord Who knows that I love praying to Him, reciting His Book, and supplicating to Him." Al-'Abbas conveyed these words to the Umayyad army 'Umar ibn Sa'd, because he feared that others would report his situation to the governor, offered the suggestion to Shamr who was his only competitor. He did not say anything, but 'Amr ibn al-Hajjaj intruded, "How strange this is! Even if they are from the non-Arabs, we will respond to their demand! In fact, 'Amr did not want to confess that their adversary pary was the beloved grandson of the Prophet and the Chief of the Youth of Paradise. This is because he anticipated that others would report any single word he would say to the ruling authorities. Because many others supported 'Amr's opinion, 'Uma ibn Sa'd accepted to
postpone waging war against the camp of the Imam. he ordered one of his soldiers to approach the camp of the Imam and declare that the fighting would be postonet to the next day. Thus, the fighting was postponed for a night and 'Umar ibn Sa'd's army waited whether the Imam would respond to them or fight. The Imam gathered all of his followers and gave a sermon:
I praise Allah with the best words of praise and thand Him for good times and bad times. o Allah: I do praise Youfor Youhave honored us with prophecy, have taught us the Qur'an, have given us undestanding of the religion, have conferred upon us with ears and hearts, and have not made us idol-worshippers. Indeed, I so not know any followers better than my followers nor any family better than my family. May allah reward you all. Indeed, I think tomorrow will be the deciseve day with these people, I have allowed you all to leave me alone and go on your own way. During this night, any one of you may leave. Any of you may take one of my family and leave and you may scatter in the murk of this night. Indeed, I am the one they want. When they get me, they will not go after anyone else.
As soon as the Imam finished his sords, Abu'l-Fadl Al-'Abbas, representing the Ahl al-Bayt, said to his brother: "Why should we do so? Is it for that we will live after you? No! We supplicate to the Lord to forbid it."2 The same situation was shown from the sons of 'Aqil, and the other companions who showed their readiness to sacrifice their souls for their Imam. Hence, everybody spent that night with worship and acts of obedience to Allah. They were waiting for the dawn of that day on which thy sould obtain their highest goal in this life; martyrdom.
LADY ZAYNAB'S PANIC
Imam Ali ibn Husayn zayn al-'Abidin, the only survivor of th tragedy of Karbala', later on reported : My aunt Zaynab was nursing me on that night (the night before the tenth of Muharram) when my father isolated himself in a tent. Only Juwayn, the servant of Abu Dharr, was with him mending his sword. The Imam then cited ( the following poetic verses):
O days, fie upon you! How bad mates you are!
Too many those who, in morns ad even, are
Dead of alone in isolation
Days never chage and never alternation
Every mortal shll take a way to termination
The inevitable shall imminently occur
All matters to the Most High recur.
He repeated these words twice or thrice until I undestood his purpose. Hence, I could not control my tears. However, I tried my best to stop weeping and keep silence. I understood that we would suffer horrifying ordeals after him. My aunt Zaynab, like other women who are prevailed by tenderheartedness, could not control herself. She ran towards him with uncovered head and souted berore him: Oh, for my losing you! Oh, for my grief for you! May demise deprive me of life! Oh, for Husayn ! Oh, for my master! Oh for the only remaining one of my family members! Is it true that you have submitted to death and despired of life? Only this day have my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, my mother, Fatimah al-zahra, my father, Ali al-Murtada (the Pleased One), and my brother, al-Hasan al-Zaki (th ePure) died. You are the successor of the bygone ones and the lasting of the survivors."
Hearing these words from his beloved sister, Imam Husayn looked at her and said: "O dear sister: do not let Shaitan seize your toleration." The Imam's eyes overflowed with tears and added, "After they had made me revolt, they wronged me." She then shouted:
Oh, woe! Do you take your soul by force? This is indeed more painful and more difficult for me to tolerate. She then slapped her face, tore her cloth, and fell to the ground losing conscoiusness. The Imam hurried to pour water on her face. Ehen she regained consciousness, he consoled her with the following words : ( 160 )
O dear sister: Fear Allah, console yourself with the consolation of allah, and know that inhabitants of this earth shall inexorably die and the inhabitants of the heavens shall not survive forever. Also, be it known to you that everything shall perish except Almighty allah Who has created all the creatures out of His omnipotence and they all shall return to Him. He is Single and One. My father is better than I am and my brother is better than I am, and every Muslim must take and example from the messenger of Allah. O dear sister: I put you under this oath and please you not to breat it: never tear a piece of your cloth (as a sign of your sadness for me), never slap your face (for mourning at my death), and never invoke woe and perdition when I willbe slain. Imam Husayn , then, accompanied her to my tent.
To the conpanions of the Imam, that night was the brightest in their lives; they could not wait for the dawn of the next day on which they would join the heavens and settle in the endless bliss. Habib ibn Muzhahir, for instance, was so cheerful, and when he was asked why, he answered, " It is only a few ours and those tyrants attack us withh their swords to made us embrace the women of Paradise. This time then is the worthiest of cheer." Similar words were said by the other companions who were full of deep-rooted and unshakable faith.
At that night, too, Imam Husayn took a nap, and when he woke up, he told his family members and companions about his dream: "I dreamt that dogs attacked me so savagely that they bit me. The most savage among them was a spotted one. As much as I understand from this dream, I foresee that I wil lbe slain by a leprous man, I then saw, in dream too, my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, with a group of his companions addressing to me: You are the shahid of Muhammahd's family: The inhabitants of the heavens, especially th elevated ones, are glad because they anticipate thay you will join them very soon. Tonight , be my guest. Please, hurry up and do not be slow.1 At that night, too, clouds of panic and terror covered the harem totally. They did not see a single moment of ease as each one of them imagined the horrifying future after te demise of their lord, Imam Husayn ,and their protector, Abu's-Fadl al-'Abbas, as well as their family men, they had no
weapon other than weeping and praying to Almighty Allah.
The most grievous one among them was their chiefess, Lady Zaynab, who watched all the evbet so attentively and already knew that all the resposibility would be hers. She also anticipated that none of her family men would survive after tomorrow; the black tomorrow. Owing to her great concent about her brother, Lady Zaynab, on that night, watched the tents of the companions and the Hashemites so that she would be aware of their real situation and, hence how would they behave tomorrow. She first went slowly near the tent of her brother, Abu'l-Fadl al'Abbas, to listen to in while he was delivering instruction to Hashemite warriors:
Al-'Abbas asked, "Brothers, nephews, and cousing: what are you goning to do in the morning?" "You decided, and we carry out," they said.
Couragieously, al-'Abbas said, "Our companions and supporters are not our relatives, And a heavy burden must be carried by its own people. Next morning, we will be the first to fight and will precede our companions to death so that people will not blame us." Before he ifnished, they all shouted in one voice, "We all agree to this opinion." This conversation gave some hope to Lady Zaynab who, then, directed towards the tent of the companions to listen to them.They were gathering in the tent of their head, Hbib ibn Muzhahir, who asked them, "O companions: what are you going to do in the morning?" "You decide, and we carry out," they said.
Habib spoke, "Next morning, wewill be the first to fight and will precede the Hashemites to death. We should never see a Hashemite person stained with blood. Otherwise, people will blame us and say that we made them fight before us so that we sould save our souls." All the conpanions shouted in one voice, "We all agree to this opinion, Habib." Lady Zaynab hence understood that the companions would never let Imam Husayn down and would defend him to the last spark of their lives. She therefore directed towards the tent of the leader, Imam Husayn 9a), to report these news to him, The Imam thanked for them these situation and told his sister that those individuals were the choice of the Almighty Allah.
# Even The Newborn
'Abdullah, the six-month old baby of Imam Husayn , was fainted because of thirst. So, his mother carried him to Lady Zaynad so that she might do something. Lady Zaynab took the baby to her brother, Imam Husayn , and please him to fetch water for him. The Imam took the baby, kissed him very often, and carried him before the Umayyad army hoping their hearts would feel pity for the baby and give him some water. This situation had nothing to do with those heartless, inhumane creatures, and instead of sympathizing with the baby, they threw him with a dart that settled in his neck. Feeling the heat of that dart, the baby took his two hands away from his swaddle and began to flutter like a slain bird on his father's chest. Finally, he raised his head to the heavens and breathed his last breath before his father's eyes. The Imam, so steadfastly, handed the slain baby to Lady Zaynab, raised his two hands, which were full of the baby's blood, towards the heavens,
and complained to the Creator.
THE GRAND ADVERSITY
With self-possession and unprecedented resoluteness, Imam Husayn stood completely lonely in the midst of the battlefield while he was surrounded, from every side, by his brutal foes some of whom were surprised at his courage even as the others could not hide their amazement. Despite everything, Imam Husayn attacked his enemies and caused them losses.
He then returned to the tents to bid farewell and give his last instructions to the harem. He ordered them to depend upon Almighty Allah by means of patience and steadfastness, He then turned his eyes towards his sister, Lady Zaynab, and instructed her to adhere to patience and try her best to hide her tears and irritation. He finally ordred her to be the guardian of the children and harem.
When he was about to leave, his harem surrounded him with teary eyes and grievous hearts. The extremely ailed, Ali Zayn al-'Abidin, asked his aunt, Lady Zaynab, to give him a stick and a sword; s stick to help him stand erectly, and a sword to defend his father. Seeing this situation, Imam Husayn asked his sister to prevent Ali from proceeding to the battlefield, and she did, yet forcibly. Finally, gave the last instrucions to the harem: dress heavy loincloth, ready themselves for misfortunes, and submit completely to Almighty Allah. The Imam's last words to them were:
Prepare yourselves for the imminent misfortunes. You should know that Allah shall guard, protect, and save you from the evils of those enemies, He shall confer uon you with a good end result, shall punish you enemies with the most grievous chastisement, and shall award you for this adrersity with the best graces and blessins. You therefore must not complain and must not say things that discredit you. He then supplicated to his Lord and complained to Him against the misfortunes he had to suffer. He said :
O Lord, I take patience over Your providence. There is no god save You. You are the helper of the succor-seekers. Except You, I have no lord nor deity. I take patience over Your rule. You are the helper of the shelterless. You are the everlasting Subsistent. You are the Watcher over each and every soul as to what it earns. ( I implore to You to) judge between us, and You are the best to judge. From every side, the criminal, filthy gang of the Umayyad army attacked Imam Husayn ; they struck him with swords and stabbed him with lances.1
When he rested on the ground, no one of them had the courage to put him to death. He therefore rested there for a long time. Seeing this situation, Lady Zaynab stood at her tent's open and mourned for the Imam so sadly. She shouted, 'Oh, for my brother! Oh , for my master! Oh, for the rest of my household! would Allah the heavens had fallen upon the earth! Would allah mounains had been made to crumble on plains!" She then shouted at 'Umar ibn Sa'd, "How do you accept to watch Abu Abdullah while he is being slain?" As an answer, the cursed 'Umar turned his face away from her while his tears were shedding on his beard. Because she could no longer see her brother in such a state, Lady Zaynab had to return to the tents to watch over the children and harem who would soon be without protection.
'Umar ibn Sa'd thenordered the commanders of his army to put the Imam to death, but none of them agreed except Shamr. He walded towards the Imam and cut off his head. The Imam 's horse began to neigh aloud and try to kick the enemies with its legs. It then smeared its face with the blood of the Imam and directed towards the tents of the harem.
Lady Zaynab ran towards the pure body ofImam Husayn and saw how it was torn by the swords and lances of those ruthless fiends. Before that body, she stood with pefect dignity and modesty -though the the surrounding of the enemies- glanced at the heavens, and said that statement, which has lit up with the purest spirit of faith and sincerity to Almighty Allah. She said: O Allah, accept from us this offering. Lady zaynab received that misfortune with steadfastness because it was for sake of Almighty allah and for keeping His religion as pure and genuine as it was revealed from the Heavens. By these words, she showed the real meaning of the Prophetic heritage and the perseveranceon the carrying out of her father's will.
After they had slain and marauded the Imam, the Umayyad army, according to the orders of their commandment, carried firebrands and directed towards the tents of the Imam's camp to put them on fire. When these tent wee put on fire, the children and harem had to leave them fleeing to nowhere. The ladies of the Prophet's family had t run from one tent to another, while the children, descendants of the Prophet, were crying and trying to cling to their guardian, Lady Zaynab. Furthermore, some of them ran aimlessly.
These hours were the harshest misfortunes that the Prphet's family had ever suffered. Thoughout his life Imam Ali Zayn al='Abidin could not forget these hours: He used to remember them with grief, saying "Whenever I look at my aunts and sisters, tears turn in my eyes. I remember when they were running from a tent to another while the enemies were shouting : put the houses of the wrongful ones on fire." Moreover, the criminal usurped everything these tents included. They also stroke the ladies of the Prophet's household with the lower parts of their lances while the ladies were resorting to each other for protecton. They also usurped theirs jewelries.
The criminals attacked the ailed Ali Zayn al-'Abidin. Shamr determined to kill him, but another man rebuked and tried to prevent him. However, Shamr did not heed; he ran towards the ailed to kill him. Lady Zaynab hurried towards her nephew, held on to him, and said, "No, you should first kill me before you kill him."1 Because of this situation, the cursed Shamr stopped. Out of his brutality, Umar, under a promise of awards, asked for volunteers to drive their horses to run over the chest and back of the body of Imam Husayn , ten wicked horsemen stood up, rode their horses, and trampled upon the body of the Imam.
Night came, and it was the cruelest night in the life of te Propht's household. Despite everything, Lady Zaynab went into her mission as guardian of her martyred brother's children and harem; she hurried to pick up the children in that desolate desert and gathered the all in one place. She then comforted and solaced them with words of patience while the dead bodies of their fathers and brothers spread in that area and the criminals whom were assigned for watching the children and harem surrounded them.
At that cruel night too, Lady Zaynab gathered her powers, stood up, and offerred a thanksgiving prayer to the Almighty Lord for the adversities and misfortunes she suffered. She also implored to the Lord to have these sacrifices in acceptance. She also offered the Night Prayer, but in the state of sitting because she had no further power to stand up. The next day, the criminals decided to take the children and harem as captives to Kufa.The ladies however begged the criminals to make them pass by the dead bodies of Imam Husayn and the other martyrs. When her eyes fell on the severed, headless body of Imam Husayn , Lady Zaynab shouted with a grief-stricken voice:
Oh, Muhammad! May the King of the Heavens bless you! This is Husayn! He is stained with his blood and his limbs are severed! And these are your daughters! They are taken captives! Complaining (about this) is only to Allah, to Ali al-Murtada (the Pleased One), to Fatimah al-Zahra', and to Hamzah the chief of martyrs. This is Husayn in the desert! Winds are blowing his body! He is beig killed by bastards! Oh, for my grief! Oh, for my bereavement! This day only has my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, died. Oh,companions of Muhammad! These are the descendants of al-Mustafa -the Divinely Selected Prophet- They are pushed like captives.
The only saved man, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin, could not control himself whin he saw the dead bodies of his father and the other martyrs thrown away in the desert. His grief was about to kill him, but Lady Zaynab, noticing his nephew's behavior, hurried to him and said:
“O the legacy of my grandfather, father, and brother : What for is it that I see you plead for death? Do not be sad for what you see. It is, by Allah to your grandfather and father. Allah has certainly made a convenant with some people, whom are not known by the tyrants on this earth but they are well known by the inhabitants of the Heavens, that they shall gather these severd organs and these bloodstained bodies to bury them. They shall also hoist in this land, al-Taff, a flag on the tomb of your father the master of the Martyrs. Throughout days and ages, the mark of this tomb shall never be obliterated and its figure shall not blotted out. Nevertheless, the heads of atheism and the spreaders of deviation shall exert all efforts for obliterating it, yet this shall make it more and more elevated instead.”
# Lady Zaynab in Captivity
Bound with ropes and forced to ride on saddleless, lean camels, the ladies and orphans of the Prophet's family were taken as captives to Kufa. Their caravan was very horrible; clarion were blown and flags wereflutteringn. Let us listen to the story from an eyewitness: Muslim, the plasterer, reports: While I was plastering doors of the Governorate Mansion of Kufa, sounds of clarions attacked my hearing from every side. "Why is Kufa clamoring?" I asked one of the servants in that mansion. "The head of a mutinous who rebelled against Yazid is now entering the city," answered the servant. "Who is that mutinous?" asked I. "It is Husayn ibn Ali," answered the servant.
This answer acted upon me like a thunderbolt. I slapped my face so strongly that I feared on my eyes. As hurriedly as possible, I sashed my hands from the plaster and left the amnsion. While I stood among people who were waiting for the caravan of the captives and the cut off heads, forty camels carrying woman and children appeared. I saw Ali ibn Husayn on a saddleless camel, As both sides of his meck were bleeding because of chains and he was handcuffed, he was weeping an saying, "O evil nation! Curse you! You have not regarded us in favor of our grandfather. What will you sya on the Day of Resurrection when Allah will gather us with the Prophet? As if we have not guided you to the religion, you are, now, taking us on naked camels, by force."
In view of this horrible situation, wome of Kufa began to mourn and cry, One of them approached one of the captured ladies and asked, "To whom do you belong?"
The lady answered, "We belong to the Ahl al-Bayt."
As she heard this astounding answer, the Kufian lady, with the others who were nesxto to her, screamed aloud and hurried to ther house to bring any covers she had and throw on the captive ladies so that people would not lood at them. Another lady brought some food and dates and threw at the captive children who were harshly hungry, but Lady Ummu-Kulthum shouted at them, "It is Haram -unallowable- for us, the Ahl al-Bayt, to have from alms." Hearing this statemet, the hungry children threw the food from their hands an deven mouths.
LADY ZAYNAB'S FIRST ADDRESS
As she saw the crowds blocking all streets of Kufa an surrounding the caravan. Lady Zaynab decided to deliver a speech aiming at uniting the public opinion, referring to the grand misfortune that the Umayyad gang brought to the Islamic ummah by killing the actual leader, Imam Husayn , and charging people of Kufa with that crime, because it wasthey who breached their promises of supporting the Imam 9a) and protecting him. Nevertheless, they as if it ot they who caused that massacre, nourned for the Imam and wept for the captivity of his harem and children. Lady Zaynab asdked everybody to keep silent, and then she, calm, composed, and courageous, said:
“All praise is due to Allah. Blessing be upon my father Muhammad and upon his good and righteous progeny. Well now, O people of Kufa; people of deception and perfidy! Do you weep? May your tears never cease, and may the resounding of this calamity never stop. Your similitude is she who unravels her yarn, disintegrating it into pieces after she has spun it strongly, you make your oaths to be means of deceit between you. Is there anyone among you who is not a boaster of what he does not have, a charger of debauchery, a conceited liar, a man of grudge without any justification, submissive like bondmaids, of feeble before the enemies, just like a pasture in relics or like a dirty piece of cloth on a grave? Truly bad is that which your souls have committed. You have reaped theWrath of Allah, remaining in the chastisement for eternity. Do You really cry and sob? By Allah, you should then cry a great deal and laugh very little, for you have earned nothing but
shame and infamy, and you shall never be able to wash it away, How could you do so? The descendant of the bearer of the Last Message, the very essence of the Message,master of the youths of Paradise, the refuge of the righteous from among you, the one who saves you from calamity, the beacon of your guidance, and the keeper of your traditions has been killed. O how horrible is the sin that you bear! May you be distanced and crushed. The effort is rendered futile, perdition overtakes the hands, the deal is lost, and you earned nothing but wrath from Allah and His Messenger. You are doomed with servitude and humiliation. Woe unto you, O people of Kufa! Do you know whose heart you have burned, what a feat you have labored, what blood you have, and what sanctity you have violated? you have done a most monstrous deed, something for which the heavens are about to split asunder and so is the earth, and for which the mountains crumble. You have done something
most uncanny, most defaced, duskiest, most horrible, as much as the fill of the earth and of the sky. Do you wonder why the sky rains blood? Surely, the torment of the Hereafter is a greater chastisement, and you shall not be helped. Let no respite elate you, for rushing does not speed it up, nor does it fear the loss of the opportunity for revenge. you Lord is waiting in ambush to do so.”
Because he recognized that the situation could no longer stand the words of his aunt, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin interrupted her speech, saying, "That is enough, aunt, Thanks to Allah, you are a learned lady whom none taught and you can comprehend without being made to do so."
ECHO OF THE SPEECH
Lady Zaynab's eloquent speech, which is compared to Imam Ali's speeches, rebuked people of Kufa so effectively, exposed their false faith in Islam, falsified their deceitful tears, and introduced them as the most ignoble criminals as they contributed strongly in the murder of killing Imam Husayn , his household, and his companions. With the utterance of justice and honesty and the voice of courage and right, Lady Zaynab hit people of Kufa and pointed to their lowliness and rotten-heartedness. Their forgery and falsehood could not deceive her as she reproached them for their crimes and ascribed to them the meanest characters. Moreover , she commented on their weeping by saying that they should have wept for the big crime of disappointing the Imam and letting him down.
Furthermore, this speech made them amazed and perplexed. They put their hands on theirs mouths without knowing what to do. An old man, for instance, approached her with teary eyes, saying, "my father and mother be sacrificed for you. Your men are the best men, your youths are the best youths, your women are the best women, and your progeny will never die away or become low." Then, Lady Fatima, Daughter of Imam Husayn, delivered an eloquent speech similar to her aunt's. Because her words were so strong and had bearings on them, people of Kufa begged her to stop. She responded, but people could not stop their wailings and weeping. Then, Lady Ummu-Kulthum spoke similar words that touched people so deeply that women began to slap their faced and men to weep incessantly. Then, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin spoke. He proved they were not true Muslims and that they had a share in the crime of killing the Imam. They therefore said to each other, "We have certainly
perished." They then asked him to stop, and he did as their cries and wailing rose.
BEFORE THE GOVERNOR
'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, son of the ill-famed Marjanah, was sitting on his throne in the Governorate Mansion when the captive ladies and children of the Prophet's family were obliged to be before him. They were living horrible hours in the humility of captivity and under the swords of those miscreants who were there to congratulate him for his triumph and narrate to him their crimes in Karbala', while he was listening arrogantly and joyfully. With a baton he had in the hand, 'Ubaydullah was whacking the holy head of Imam Husayn and expressing his gloating over him by sayin, "I have never seen such a face."
Before he had finished his malicious statement, Anas ibn Malik, the companion of the Holy Prophet, said to him, "Yes, he looks like the Prophet." This statememt silenced 'Ubaydullah who could not find a word to answer. After he had quenched his wicked, thirsty soul from the Prophet's family, 'Ubaydullah turned his face towards the captives. There was a lady trying to hide herself in a remote side of the session. Dignity and sublimity were drawn very dressed. As soon as his eyes fell on her, he asked, "Who is that lady taking the remotest sideof this session."
The lady did not answer because she despised and slighted him. He repeated his question more than once until one of the ladies answered, "This is Zaynab, daughterof Fatimah, daughter of the Messenger of Allah." He therefore tried to show his gloating over her misfortunes by sayin, "Thanks Allah Who unmasked, killed, and belied your revolution."
Pattering her courageous fathers and brothers, Lady Zaynab replied him :
"Thanks Allah Who honored us with His Prophet and purified us from uncleanness thoroughly. It is only the lewd whom is unmasked , and it is only the dissolute whom is belied. We are not any of these two. Indeed, we are not any of these two , son of Marjanah!" As he received these shocking words, 'Ubaydullah had nothing to say. he therefore spoke a word of wreak as an attempt to cover up his failure and incapability to answer. he addressed her, "How do you see that which Allah has done to your brother?" Bravely and steadfastly, Lady Zaynab answered with words of triumph:
"It was nothing but good. Those were people whom Allah knew they would be killed. They therefore came to the places where they would be slain. Allah will gather you with them for judgment and sentence. See, who will be the triumphant on that day. Woe shall be you, son of Marjanah, then." These words of reproach and despise made the bastard governor lose his temper to the degree that the stood up to strike Lady Zaynab, but 'Amr ibn Hurayth warned him against so, saying, "She is only a woman, and woman's words should not be considered." Nevertheless, 'Ubaydullah returned to gloat at the misfortunes of the Ahl al-Bayt by addressing Lady Zaynab, "At least, Allah has cured my heart and wreaked myself upon your tyrant master and the disobedient rebels of your family members."
These words filled Lady Zaynab's heart with sorrow and grief as she recollected the images of her protectors. Hence, she said to him : "I swear by my life, you have killed my protector, pulled up my branches, and uprooted my roots. So, if this heals your heart, then you are indeed healed."
Out of his uncontrollable rage, 'Ubaydullah said, "This one is rhymist. Her father was rhymist and poet. I swear it."
Lady Zaynab answered, "I a too engaged to use rhyme. Women have nothing to do with rhyme."
As he found nothing to say, 'Ubaydullah turned his face towards Imam Zayn al-'Abidin and asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Ali son of Husayn ," answered the Imam.
"But Allah has killed Ali ibn Husayn ," shouted the filthy criminal.
"I had a brother called Ali, too. You have killed him, and on the Day of Resurrection, you will be interrogated about this," replied the Imam with composure.
"No, it was Allah who killed him," barked 'Ubaydullah furiously.
Imam Zayn al-'Abidin answered with words of almighty Allah:
"Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, (39:42)"
"And a soul will not die but with the permission of Allah the term is fixed.(3:145)"
This answer bewildered the tyrant who did not expect to hear such strong evidence extracted from the Holy Qur'an, because he forgot that the holy Qur'an was revealed in the houses of those individuals and the one to whom the holy Qur'an was revealed is their grandfather and origin. Hence, he showed his arrogance saying, "How dare you answer my words? How dare you refuse my saying?" He then ordered one of his headmen to cut off Imam Zayn al-'Abidin head. But Lady Zaynab hurried to embrace her nephew and address 'Ubaydullah, "Son of Ziyad, suffice you what you have shed of our blood. Have you really spared anyone other than this? If you want to kill him, kill me with him as well." 'Ubaydullah was amazed by such situation of heroism and altruism. He therefore ordered, "Leave him for her. How strong the tie of kinship is! She wanted to be killed with him."
Thanks to Lady Zaynab, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin was saved from that tyrant. In a chamber lying next to the Kufa Masjid, the captive harem and children of the Prophet's family were detained and mistreated. Each one of them received a single loaf of bread for a whole day, and Lady Zaynab, however, used to distribute her share among the children and abstain from food for the whole day until feebleness attacked her notably to the degree that she chould no longer stand up for prayer. Noticing this, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin expressed his panic to his aunt who had to tell him the reason. In view of Lady Zaynab's remarkable reputation throughout the Islamic state, the ladies of Kufa competed with each other in having the honor of visiting her, but she refused completely to receive anyone, declaring, "None should ever visit us except bondmaidens, for they have been captured, and so have we been."
The ruling authorities were waiting for the orders of the tyrant 'Yazid regarding the captives, and a few days later, they received his orders of sending them to Damascus.
With the caravan of the captives, the holy head of the martyrs were carried on spearheads so that, like people of Kufa, people of Syria would see them, and this would gladden the tyrant.
THE CAPTIVES IN DAMASCUS
Tied up with ropes, forced to ride saddleless, lean camels, and being in the utmost state of humiliation, the harem and children of the prophet's family were taken to Syria. Throughout their journey, they did not say a single word and did not ask anything from the drivers of their caravan. Being close to Syria, the caravan stopped so that enough time would be given to adorn the city with manifestations of festivity and to gather people to witness this false victory of their ruler. The caravan was about four parasangs [20 km] away from Syria when its people recieved them with joy, carrying drums and trumpets, and wearing their best dresses -all this was for showing their delight for the massacre of the Prophet's family. Let us listen to the scene as described by and eyewitness:
Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Sa'idi narrated:
Intending to visit Jerusalem, I passed by Damascus, but it was different -the city was exaggeratedly adorned with colorful gilding, its people were highly joyful, and their women were playing tambourines and drums. I thought that people of Damascus had a festivity that we did not have. Noticing some people talking secretly, I approached them and asked, "Do you people of Syria, celebrate a festivity that we do not know?"
"It seems that you are strange, are you not?" asked they.
"Yes, it is. I, Sahl ibn Sa'd, am one of those who met the Messenger of Allah," answered I. They said, "Sahl, do you not think that it is very strange that the heavens are not raining blood and the earth is not sinking with its inhabitants?" "What for is that?" asked I.
"All these are expecting the arrival of Husayn 's (cut off) head from Kufa," they revealed. "How strange this is! The head of Husayn is being forwarded while people are crowding cheeringly! From which gate will the head enter the city?" asked I. As they pointed at the Gate of al-Sa't, I hurried there. Aqueue of banners began to enter, but my eyes fell on a horseman who had in the hand a banner without a spearhead on which lied a head most similar to that of tha Holy Prophet. That was the head of Husayn ! On saddleless, lean camels, the captives appeared. As I reached one of the captives ladies, I asked about her identity. "I am Sukaynah daughter of Husayn ," she replied.
"And I am Sahl, the companion of your grandfather the Messenger of Allah, ask for anything and I will do it for you," I offered. Grievously, she asked, "Ask the bearer of Husayn 's head to precede us for a considerable distance so that people will look at head and ignore looking at us -the family of the Messennger of Allah."
So, I ran towards that horseman, bribed him with four hundred dirhams, and asked him to hurry forwardly away from the captive ladies, and he did.
In that situation too, an old Syrina man leaning on a stick who was gloating at the humility of those captives approached Imam Ali Zayn al-'Abidin and said wreakfully, "Praise be to Allah who eradicated you and empowered the emir to triumph over you."
Out of his keenness and perspicacity, the Imam noticed that the old man was deceived by the wrong rumors that the ruling authorities spread against the Ahl al-Bayt. He therefore asked, "Old man, have you recited the Holy Qur'an?" This statement shocked the old man who wondered and, thus, answered affirmatively. The Imam then asked him whether he had seen the following Quranic Verses: "Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives. (16:26)" "And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near relatives. (8:41)" Amazingly, the old man answered that he had recited these Verse.
The Imam thus declared, "Only is it we who are intended in Allah's remark 'the near relatives' in these Verses." Furthermore, the Imam asked the old man whether he had recited Allah's saying: "Allah only desires to keep away the unclianness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying. (33:33)" With astonishment, the old man answered that he had recited this Verse, too. The Imam hence said, "Only is it we who are the 'People of the House' whom Almighty Allah has purified thoroughly." This fact changed the old man completely and made him feel sorry for the days on which he could not descern the reality of the Umayyad rulers and their authorities. Even his tongue was tied up by the new fact; he therefore said to the Imam falteringly, "Please, tell me by Allah! Is it you truly those ones?"
"Yes, it is, I swear it by our grandfather, the Messenger of Allah," replied the Imam confidently. Feeling sorry for the words that he first showered at the Imam, the old man threw himself on the hands of the Imam to kiss them heavily as signs of remorse, declaring, "I disavow those who killed you."
# Yazid's Gloating
Yazid, the cursed, was sinking in waves of joy and wreak as he knew about the arrival of the captives' caravan. Shamr ibn Dhi'l-Jawshan and Makhfar ibn Tha'labah presented the head of Imam Husayn to him , and he permitted all lowly people of Damascus to gather at his palace and congratulate for this 'false' triumph and revenge over the Prophet and his family.
The holy head was placed before the tyrant who went on beating it with a stick he had in the hand. he then began to say staement showing his limitless malice towards the Imam, his people, and the Divine Message that the Holy Prophet conveyed to humankind -the message humiliated Yazid and his people since they had stopped against it, sparing no single effort.
Abi Barazah al-Aslami, seeing this horrible scene, could not control himself; so he addressed Yazid, "How dare you beat the mouth of Husayn with your stick? I swear I have seen the Holy Prophet kiss this mouth so frequently. However, on the Day of Resurrection, 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad will be your interceder, whole the interceder of Husayn will be Muhammad."1 The filthy policemen of Yazid tied all the captives in one rope beginnig with the neck of Imam Zayn al-'Abidin, to Lady Zaynab's, up to the last child. They forced them to walk in such a manner, and whenever any of them would stumble, the policemen would whip heavily, Moreover, they surrounded them with cries of triumph.
With this humiliative scene, the captives were place before the tyrant Yazi. Imam Zayn al-'Abidin looked at the
tyrant and said, "What if the Messenger of Allah sees us in such a manner? What will be his impression?" These words affected everybody, including the tyrant himself, and thus the attendants wept. As he turned his face towards the captive harem of the Prophet's family, Yazid said, "Woe to son of Marjanah! If you related to him in any tie, he would not do this to you." This is completely untru, because son of Marjanah would not have done anything unless he had followed the orders and instructions of Yazid the tyrant.
He then turned his face towards Imam Zayn al-'Abidin and said, 'Well Ali ibn Husayn ! Because your father desregarded my kinship wiht him, ignored my right, and attempted to seize my authority, Allah did this to him." The Imam's answer to this false claim was a statement from the Holy Qur'an -the words of Almighty Allah:
"No evil befalls on the earth nor in your own souls, but it is in a book before We bring it into existence; surely, that is easy to Allah. So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you; and Allah does not love any arrogant boaster." (57:22-3) This answer enraged Yazid who tried to find a suitable reply and, hence, he recited another Quranic Verse:
"And whatever affliction befalls you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought, and (yet) He pardons most (of your faults)." Imam Zayn al-'Abidin, the most knowledgeable of the Holy Qur'an, said, "This Verse concerns only those who wrong others, and does not concern those whom are wronged."1
LADY ZAYNAB'S SECOND ADDRESS
When he recollected thse bitter days of his father and grandfather who led campaigns against Husayn 's grandfather and the failure that chased them even in their own homes, Yazid showed his great rejoicing at the current situation as the family of the Prophet were captives between his hands and the heads of the Prophet's grandsons were thrown before him. He then quoted poetic verses said during the Battle of Uhud, with suitable changes, saying:
I wish my forefathers at Badr had witnessed
How the Khazraj are by the thorns annoyed,
They would have been very much delighted,
Then they'd have said, "may your hands, O Yazid,
never be paralyzed
We have killed the masters of their chiefs
And equated it with Badr, and it has been so indeed,
While no news from the Heaven had come, nor was
there anyting revealed
I will disavow the Khandaf if I will not seek revenge
From Ahmed's children for what he did to us!
{ Note: Badr was battle in which his kinsmen were killed at the hands of Husayn 's father. This is clear-cut evidence on Yazid's disbeliesf in Islam and the Divine Mission of Prophet Muhammad. ]
Reacting to these verses, Lady Zaynab uprose against the tyrant and said:
“All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Allah's blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad and his entire progeny. True are the words of Allah Who says, "Then the end of those who committed evil was that they disbelieved in Allh's Signs and they were ridiculing them. (30:10)" Do you, Yazid, think that -when you blocked all the avenues of the earth and the horizons of the heavens before us, so we were driven as captives- that we are worthless in the sight of Allah and that you are respectful in His eyes? Or is it because you enjoy with Him a great status? So, you look down at us and become arrogant, elated, when you see the world submissive to you and things are done and you want them, and when our authority and power became all yours? But wait! Have you forgotten that Allah has said, "Do not regard those who disbelieved that we grant them good for themselves? We only give them a respite so that they may increase their sins, and for them there is
a humiliating torment. (3:178)" Is it fair, O son of the 'Released ones', that you keep your ladies and condmaidens in their chambers (under protection), and at the same time you drive the daughters of the Messenger of Allah as captives with their veils removed and faces exposed , taken by their enemies from one land to another, being viewed by those at watering places as well as those who man your forts, with their faces exposed to the looks of everyone -near or distant, lowly or honorable, having none of their men with them nor any of their protectors? But what can be expected from one descended from those whose mouths chewed the livers of the purified ones and whose flesh grows out of the blood of the martyrs? How can it be expected that one who looks at us with grudge and animosity, with harted and malice, would not hates us- the Ahl al-Bayt? Besides, you, without feeling any guilt or wieghing heavily what you say, recite saying, They would have
been very much delighted, Then they's have said, "May your hands, O Yazid, never be paralysed.” How dare you hit the lips of Abu 'Abdullah, the master of the Youths of Paradise? But why should you not do so, since all mercy is removed from your heart, having shed the blood of the offspring of Muhammad, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his Progeny, and the stars on earth from among the family of 'Abdul-Muttalib? Then you cite your mentors as if you speak to them. Soon shall you be lodged with them, and soon shall you wish you were paralyzed and muted and never said what you said nor did what you did. O Allah, take what belonges to us out of his hands, seek revenge against all those who oppressed us, and let Your wrath descend upon whoever shed our blood and killed our protectors! By Allah, you have burnt only your own skin, you have cut only your own flesh, and you shall come face to face with the Messenger of Allah, peace of Allah be upon
him and his progeny, bearing the burdens of the blood which you have shed, the blood of his offspring, and of his sanctitie which you violated, when Allah gathers them together and seeks equity on their behalf. "and do not reckon those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead. Nay! They are living with their Lord, receiving their sustenance.(3:169)" It is quite sufficent that Allah is your Judge and Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, is your opponent, and (Archangel) Gabriel as the supporter (of Muhammad). All those who instigated you to do what you did and all those who put you in charge due to which you are playing havoc with the lives of the Muslims will know for certain how evil the end of the oppressors is and which of you shall have the worst place and will be the least protected? Although calamities have force me to speak to you, I see you trivial in my eye and find your verbal attacks great and I regard your
rebuke too much to bear, but the eyes are tearful, and the chests are filled with depression. What is even stranger is that the honored Party of Allah is being killed by the Party of the 'Released ones' -Party of Shaitan. Such hands are dripping with our blood; such mouths are feeding on our flesh, while those sacred and pure corpses are offered as food to the wild beasts of the desert and are dirtied by the brutes, If you regard us as your booty, you shall soon ding us as your opponents -that will be when you find nothing but what your hands had unjustly.(41:46)" To Allah is my complaint, and upon Him do I rely. So scheme whatever you wish to scheme, and carry out your plots, and intensify your efforts, for, by mention, nor will you ever be able to kill the revelation (that was revealed to us), nor will you ever exalt to our position, nor will your shame ever be washed away. your view shall be proven futile, your days limited in number, and your wealth
wasted on the upon the oppressors.(11:18)" All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Who sealed the life of our early ones with happiness and forgiveness, and that of our last ones with martyrdom and mercy. We plead to Allah to complete His rewards for them, grant them an increase, and recompense us pleasingly; He is the most Merciful, the most Compassionate. Allah suffice us, and He is the best Guardian.”
WORDS ABOUT THE ADDRESS
This address has been a completion of Imam Husayn 's uprising and one of the most marvelous revolutionary speeches in Islam. By such sweeping, Lady Zaynab smashed the despotism of Yazid and inflicted disgrace and dishonor on him and on those who caused him to reach such a position. About this address, Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghitta' says:
"Can the brush of the best painter or the pen of the most eloquent writer depict the reality of Yazid's arrogance, pride, and elation for having the world submissive to him and tasting the pleasure of conquest in a way better and more effective than that depicted by the words of Lady Zaynab in this speech? And can anybody refute all the claims of an opponent in such a way full of expressiveness, substantiation, and even reproach and censure? Moreover, Lady Zaynab, as if all her words of reprimand were not enough, proved before the tyrant and the attendants the inescapable abject resutl of the wrong and the pleasant end result of the right. Using a courageous, brave language, she showed Yazid his lowly, mean, ugly, and shameful reality"
Dr. Tawfiq al-Fukayki says:
"Join me to contemplate on this far-reaching speech that contained all arts of rhetoric, style of oratory manifestation of expressiveness, significances of enthusiasm, power of allegation, and authority of defense of freedom and belief, in such a forthright way that was sharper than swords. For Yazid, to jump on addres' fangs or to be rargeted by pointed spears was easier than hearing these words that slapped his unshamed face in his own house and in the middle of the capital of his illegal, despotic state. Throughout ages, this historical, sweeping speech has beed spreading the unparalleled interpidities, the unwonted courage, and the high ideals of Lady zaynab. It is finally a never-ending literature that screams in the faces of the tyrants throughout generations."
CONTENTS OF THE ADDRESS
The great speech of Lady Zaynab has been an extension of the uprising of Karbala' and a good representation of its values and goals, Let us now refer to some goals that the speech achieved : 1) Lady Zaynab referred to the false elation of Yazid who thought of himself as victorious in that encounter. She uncovered the truth that his military superiority was transient and that Almighty Allah let the unbelievers enjoy bliss in this world so that their sons will increase and, thus, they will have a painful chastisement on the Day of Resurrection.
2) She reproached Yazid for taking tha harem of the Prophet's Household as captives. While it was the Holy Prophet who freed Yazid and his unbelieving family on the Conquest of Mecca while they were captives of the Islamic armies. Instead of thanking the Prophet who saved him from slavery, Yazid rewarded his family very badly.
3) She referred to the hereditary, educational, and psychological motives beyond Yazid's slaying the Prophet's family. She referred, as an instance, to his grandmother, Hind, who chewed the liver of Hamzah out of her limitless malice against the Prophet and the Hashemites, She also referred to Yazid's grandfather Abu Sufyan who was the leading enemy of Islam and who led campaigns against the Prophet and his Divine Mission. Not forgetting Yazid's father, Lady Zaynab referred to Muawiya who slain innocent Muslims and violated all what Allah has deemed respected. 4) She disapproved of Yazid's citing poetic verses in which he wished his forefathers whom were killed at the hands of Imam Ali, as well as Muslim warriors, during their conflicts against the holy Prophet to be witnessing him so that they would take revenge upon the Holy Prophet. She also asserted to yazid courageously that he would certainly face tha same fate of those cursed forefathers.
5) She shed lights on an important point; the tyrant, by slaying Imam Husayn and his pure family members and companions, has in fact slain himself, none else. The souls of the martyrs are pure, alive, abiding, and covered by auras of glory. Disgrace and loss would be Yazid's only.
6) She mentioned those who paved the way to Yazid to hold such a position with words of scolding as she added them to Yazid. This point should studied carefully.
7) She referred to her high standing and unreachable honor as another way of making little of the tyrant. Despite all the misfortunes that inflicted on her and weakened her, she showed her power and scolded the tyrant so harshly that he could not find any answer.
8) She proved that all Yazid's endeavors to eradicate the immortal good mention of the Ahl al-Bayt would fail, because they represent the right, which will inevitably triumph.
Thus, days have proved that Imam Husayn and his party were the triumphant, while Yazid and his party have been always the losers. At any rate, the speech of Lady Zaynab includes tens of lessons not all of which can be contained in this brief study. It is quite enough to say that this speech was one of the deathblows that snapped the Umayyad State. Having seen the collapse of his pride and arrogance, Yazid could not find any words to answer except citing a poetic verse not related to the subject in any extent. Moreover, the political atmospheres were overclouded against him whose perplexity, owing to the scandalous situation that Lady Zaynab put him in, disabled him to do anything. He once tried to find himself excuses for his crime and, at other times, tried to make a comparison between the Imam and himself.
# Lady Zaynab and A Syrian Man
A Syrian man who attended the session of Yazid looked at Lady Fatimah daugher of Imam Husayn in captivity and said to Yazid, "Give this girl to me to serve me." As she heard this shocking statement, the lady trembled and grabbed hold to her aunt's cloak. Lady Zaynab shouted at the Syrian man, "You, the mean one, have lied. Neither you nor can even your leader (i.e. Yazid) do this." This statement enraged Yazid who said, "I could if I would." Lady Zaynab answered, "No, you can not do it unless you abandon our religion and take another for yourself." As Yazid realized the big insult that Lady Zaynab targeted at him by these words, he shouted at her, "How dare you say such words in my face? It was your father and your brother who abandoned the religion!"
Indifferent to the tyrant's authority and ability to punish Lady Zaynab replied him so confidently saying, "Only by the religion of Allah and that of my father and grandfather you and your father were guided, if you are really Muslim." By these words, Lady Zaynab unmasked the tyrant who claimed Imam Husayn and his family's being apostates. As a result, people of Syria realized that the captives were the Holy Prophet's family about whom many Quranic Verses were revealed from the Almighty Lord, and that Yazid was no more than a faithless liar. "You have lied, enemy of Allah!" these were the only words that Yazid could find to answer Lady Zaynab whose answer was, "You are a dominant ruler! You can revile [at anybody] unjustly and you prevail on anyone through your authority."
The tyrant's rage decreased and he had to nod down meanwhile, the Syrian man repeated his request, but Yazid shouted at him, "May Allah inflict upon you a swift death!" Hence, Lady Zaynab could control her self-power and self-will that she inherited from her forefathers to face the tyrant and to triumph upon him.
An author says:
"Despite her weakness and submission, Lady Zaynab could achieve the first decisive victory over an authoritative and strong tyrant. More than once, she confuted Yazid and declared before everybody his ignorance and irreligiousness, since it is, according to Islamic laws, not acceptable to regard Muslim women as captives or to be treated as such in wars."1 Anyhow, the Syrian man's request was seemly the opening of a long articles of criticism and reproach against Yazid and the beginning of the Syrian was not so dull, especially after he had heard the reply of Lady Zaynab that proved Yazid's having been excluded from Islam if he would respond to the Syrian man's request. This proveds that the man only intended to disgrace Yazid.
MOANING FOR IMAM HUSAYN
Ladies of the Prpphet's family then asked the tyrant to give them a house in which they would consolation ceremonies for Imam Husayn since they were unable to show their grief before the policemen of Yazid, and if they did, they would be answered by whips and words of insult. In this regard, Imam Ali Zayn al-'Abidin says, "The policemen's spears would fall down on the head of anyone of us who would shed even a single tear." Yazid however had to respond to the Ladies' request and, hence, all of them wore in black and moaned for their Imam and martyrs for seven days ceaselessly.
BACK TO MEDINA
Havind seen the influential results of the addresses of Imam Zayn al-'Abidin and Lady Zaynab, Yazid anticipated a rebel of at least a disorder in the capital of his state. He therefore decided to send the Prophet's family away from Damascus to their hometown, Medina. He gathered them in his palace and poured very much money on a silky carpet as blood money for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn , his household, and his companions. This situation infuriated the Ladies so terribly that they all spoke. Lady Zaynab said,
"You are surely shameless and boastful! You kill my brother and family members, and then you want me to accept money as recompense!" Lady Sukaynah said, "I have never seen such hard-heartedness, and I have never seen an infidel and polytheist more vicious than you are ... etc." Hence, the tyrant, who thought that the Ahl al-Bayt can be submitted by money or any other transient material, failed to subjugate the Prophet's household since he did not believe that the almighty Allah "only desires to keep away the uncleanness from them and to purify them a (thorough) purifying."
He then ordered al-Nu'man ibn Bashir to accompany the Prophet's family to Medina and to take care of them along this journey. He also decided to begin that journey at night so as to evade any expected disorder or revolt. Abd al-Malik al-Salami, carrying out the orders of 'Umar ibn Sa'd, conveyed the news of Imam Husayn 's martyrdom to Medina before the captives' arrival in there. As much as this news delighted the ruler of Medina, it depressed the people who could not control themselves as their cries and weeping covered the whole city. The ruler however ascended the minbar of the Prophet's Masjid and declared his happiness and schadenfreude over the Imam and his party. 'Abdullah ibn al-Sa'ib criticized the ruler, sayin, "Had Fatimah been alive, she would weep for her son."
[ Note: Prophet once said, "On the Resurrection Day, my daughter Faimah shall come with dresses painted with her son's blood in her hand. She shall hang to one of the pillars of the (Divine) Throne and say "O the All-just! judge between my son's killer and me. The Lord then will judge for my daughter. I swear it by the Lord of the Paradise."]
But the ruler shouted at him and said meaningless words. For the martyrdom of their cheif, the Hashemites cried waile, and held ceremonies on that occasion. 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far, Lady Zaynab's husband, held obsequies attended by groups of people to console him for the misfortune. Yazid then sent the head ofImam Husayn to Medina so as to spread horror and fear among its people. The ruler of Medina denied this deed, while Marwan ibn al-Hakam welcomed and showed his malice against the Prophet and his religion. As he looked in the face of the Imam, he remembered his forefathers who were killed at the hands of the Imam's father and grandfather. He then turned his eyes towards the Holy Prophet's tomb and said, "Muhammad, this is for that day of [the battle of] Badr."
During their way to Medina, the captives of the Ahl al-Bayt asked the policemen who accompanied them to take a way leading to Karbala', and they did. Once they arrived in there, the ladies received the tomb of Imam Husayn with cries and wails. They spent three days there during which their tears did not stop shedding.
As Imam Zayn al-Abidin feared for the death of his aunt and the other ladies out of their excessive grief, he ordered them to ready themselves for travel to Medina. They left with teary eyes and hoarse voices. Medina was dressed in black because of the death of Lady Ummu Salamah, the Prophet's widow, who died a month after Imam Husayn 's martyrdom because of her grief for him. When the caravan was a few parasangs near Medina, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin resided there for a whole and asked Bishr ibn Hidhlim whether he could poetize something so that he would precede the others to Medina and declare, by some poetic verses, the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. The man entered
the city and stopped near the Prophet's Masjid to declare, in a sad tone, the martyrdom of the Imam. The publics hurried towards him for more information about the fate of the others. Bishr told them about the captivity of Imam Zayn al-'Abidin and the other ladies of the Prophet's household. They, crying and weeping, hurried to the suburbs to receive the caravan. As soon as the Prophet's household arrived, people surrounded them with teary eyes, and that day was similar to the day which the Holy Prophet died. In the midst of that horrible gathering, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin delivered a speech in which he touched on his father and the misfortunes they had suffered. He, accompanied by his aunt and sisters and surrounded by people, then directed towards the Prophet's Masjid. Lady Zaynab took the jambs of the Masjid's gate and shouted, "O grandfather! I am conveying to you the news of my brother Husayn 's martyrdom."
From that day, Lady Zaynab's one and only deed was weeping for her martyred people and working to continue the endless message of Imam Husayn . She used to weep whenever her eyes fell on her nephew, Imam Zayn al-'Abidin, until she because as same as dead body.
TO THE HEAVEN
The horrible scenes that Lady Zaynab had to witness did not depart her for even a single moment; her eyes were always teary and her words were only wailing for her brother and the martyrs, She used to cry the names of her brothers, sons, and nephews, and then she would be unconscious. This state turned her into a soulless, feeble body waiting for death, which would be the only relief. She was waiting for death so as to complain to her grandfather and parents about what she had seen. Thus, diseases began to attack her and she had to stay in bed for long time suffering agonies of diseases. Even in her last sparks of life, the scenes of Karbala' and Damascus were present before her eyes. However, death attacked her while her tongue was glorifying the Almighty Lord Who will take revenge upon those who wronged her.
She departed this life on Sunday, the fifteenth of Rajab, 62 AH at the age of fifty-seven.
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