The Full Article (Arba'een 2021)
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Salam
I have seen inaccurate information on this subject even from respected circles.
So this Arba’een, I would like to shed some light on the events that took place after the tragedy of Kabala. In reality, what occurred on the 10th of Muharram 61AH is the first part of a two-part struggle.
I will address the second part in this post.
Most of the information here is from “Nafasul Mahmum” by sheikh Abbas qummi. In his book, the author cites appropriate sources so those interested in them may refer to it.
The pictures attached are mostly artworks from @for2a @mikaelbarati @nabihaiderali
The Role of Zainab binte Ali (a.s)
She sacrificed her sons Aun and Muhammad in the way of Allah at Karbala and seldom wept upon them. After the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.) she assumed the role of preserving the name of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and his mission, to secure the permanence of Islam and unveil the ugly face of hypocrisy and despotism. She faced the worst ordeals of life with unwavering forbearance and unparalleled prowess, which would even falter the feet of the most valourous of men. While her eloquent sermons at Kufa and Syria shook the very foundations of the throne of Bani Umayyah, and people listened to her words dumbfounded and in awe.
She spoke such prudently that people presumed Imam Ali (a.s.) had risen, she thus dealt a final blow to the wall of despotism.
Apart from this, she was the one who was responsible for preserving the continuity of the Progeny of Prophet Muhammad (S), since it is narrated (at several places in this book too) that at times she saved the life of Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) and was prepared to sacrifice her own self in his stead. Her sublime qualities can be established by numerous titles bestowed upon her viz. Aqeelat Bani Hashim, the intellectual among the Hashimites; Aqeelat Quraysh, the intellectual among the Quraysh; Shareekatul Husayn, the associate of Husayn; Al Alematul Ghairul Mu’allimah, an intellectual without having being trained; Al Faheematul Ghairul Mufahhimah, a knowledgeable who needs none to make her understand; Saniye Zahra, the second Zahra; Ummul Masaeb, the mother of griefs; Sahibatul Musibatul Uzma, the bearer of the grand sorrow; etc.
AFTER MARTYRDOM
The suffering of the family of the prophet didn’t end with the martyrdom of imam Hussain(a.s).
After the martyrdom of the imam (a.s) they looted his clothes and went on to plunder his tents. In the tents, there were only women and children (except for the ailing 4th imam) and to safeguard attacks from the back a trench had been dug. This left only one way out for the women as their tents were plundered and set on fire.
“It is said that then the army jointly proceeded further to plunder the tents of the Progeny of the Prophet (S) and the light of Zahra (a.s.)’s eyes, besides looting the veils off the ladies’ shoulders. The daughters of the Prophet (S)’s family and his household started wailing together and wept upon the loss of their associates and friends.”
“It is related, that the ladies were drawn out of the tents and the tents were set on fire. The women of the Prophet’s family were bareheaded, bare-feet, and marauded similar to the ones in captivity. They were disturbed and wandered while saying, “By Allah! Take us to the spot of the martyrdom of Husayn”. When their sight fell upon the martyrs, they started wailing and beating their faces.”
“Ibn Abd Rabbah in his Iqdul Fareed, relates from Hammad bin Muslimah, from Sabit, who relates from Anas bin Malik, that when we had buried the Prophet of Allah (S), Sayyidah Fatemah Zahra (a.s.) approached me and said, “O Anas! How did your heart consent when you poured earth upon the face of the Prophet of Allah (S)”? Saying this she wept and called out, “O my dear father! You consented when your Lord desired meeting you. O my dear father! The one with whom his Lord is near .......... (until the end)”.
The state of Fatemah (a.s.) was thus after the burial of her father, then what would have befallen Sakinah (a.s.) when she beheld her father’s body drenched in blood, with the head severed, and robbed off his turban and clock, with fractured and bent back? Then she described her state in the following words: “How could your heart consent when you killed the son of the Prophet of Allah (S), how could you crush his chest which was a treasury of the ‘Righteous Knowledge’”?”
Looting of the heads of the martyrs, jewelry of the women folk and Camels of the Master of the oppressed by the Kufan army
Shaikh Mufeed says that they looted the belongings, camels, and chattels of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and also the veils of the women-folk of his family.
Hameed bin Muslim says that by Allah! I have seen with my own eyes that they pulled the veils off the shoulders of the womenfolk, their daughters, or other ladies and removed them from them forcibly.
I kept a watch upon him and defended him when anyone approached him until Umar bin Sa’ad came there. He said, “None should enter the tents of the womenfolk and none should disturb this ailing child.”
“He said, “Whatever one has looted off the belongings of these women should return it back to them”. By Allah! None returned anything. Then he appointed some guards upon the tents of the ladies and of the ailing Imam and said, “Guard them, none should enter therein nor should ruin them”. Saying this he returned to his tent and called out in the midst of his associates, “Who will volunteer to gallop horses upon Husayn?”
“Sayyid Ibn Tawoos in his Iqbal says; know that it was the evening of the tenth of Muharram when the family of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and his daughters and children were captivated by the enemies. And they were besieged with grief, regret, and lament. And they spent the entire day in such a state that relating the extent of their anguish and disrespect is beyond the strength of my pen. They spent the night in a forlorn state devoid of aide and their men.
While the enemies loathed them extremely and abandoned them while considering them to be wretched. And by this means they desired seeking nearness to Umar bin Sa’ad, the apostate, the one who orphaned the children of Muhammad (S), and who injured their hearts; and of Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, an atheist; and of Yazid bin Mu’awiyah, a renegade, the apex of heresy and obstinacy.”
Road to Kufa
(Umar) Ibn Sa’ad proceeded with the captives, and when they neared Kufa the natives therein gathered for a spectacle. A narrator reports, that a Kufan woman peeped down from her balcony and asked, “You are the captives from which place?” They replied, “We are the captives from the family of Muhammad (S)”
The distance from Karbala to Kufa is around 75-80 kilometers.
Entry of the Household (Ahlul Bayt) of Imam Husayn (a.s.) into Kufa
Sermons were delivered by Sayyidah Zainab bint Ali(s.a), imam zainul abideen(a.s), and “Sayyidah Umm Kulthum bint Ali” (s.a)
Sayyidah Zainab’s (s.a) sermon was the most powerful one
“Sayyidah Zainab (a.s.), the daughter of Ali (a.s.) signaled the men to remain silent. Hizam Asadi continues that by Allah! I have never seen a modest woman more eloquent than her and she spoke in the voice of the Commander of the faithful Ali (a.s.). She signaled to the men to pay heed, their breaths stopped in their breasts and their chimes faded. She then glorified Allah and sent salutations upon the Prophet of Allah (S) and said,
“Now then! O Kufans! O men of vaunt! O treacherous men! O retreaters! Beware! May your lament never cease and may your wailing never end. Verily your similitude is that of a woman who untwirls the threads spun by herself. You have broken your pledges by deceit and there remains nothing in you except pretense, self-conceit, exorbitance, and dishonesty. You have adopted the flatter of maids and coquettishness of the enemies as your customs. Your similitude is of that of the expanse vegetation or jewelry in the graveyard.”
Muhammad Roohallah
Relating to the entry of the Household of Imam Husayn (a.s.) into the presence of Ubaydullah bin Ziyad
It is related through trustworthy authorities, that Umar bin Sa’ad dispatched ‘The Trust of Prophethood (Ahlul Bayt)’ bareheaded upon the camels devoid of litter and dealt with them as though they were captives. When they neared Kufa, Ubaydullah bin Ziyad ordered that the severed head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) be brought before them. They lined up the heads of the martyrs upon the lances and behind them, the captives were dragged until they entered Kufa. Then they were paraded in the streets and markets.
“It is narrated in Museerul Ehzan, that it is related to me, that Malik bin Anas said, that I saw Ubaydullah hitting at the teeth of Husayn (a.s.) with his cane and saying, “What good teeth you possess O Husayn”! I said, “By Allah! I consider the conclusion to be evil. I have seen the Prophet of Allah (S) kissing the place where you hit your cane”. Sa’eed bin Ma’az and Umar bin Sahl were also present when Ubaydullah was hitting at the eyes and nose of Husayn (a.s.) and was entering it into his blessed mouth.”
A man at his court said: “I have seen the Prophet of Allah (S) kissing the place where you hit your cane”.
He replied, “This day is in lieu of the day of Badr”. Then he ordered that (Imam) Ali bin Husayn (a.s.) be bound in chains and sent him to the prison along with the ladies of the house and other captives. I was along with them and saw that all the streets were full of men and women and they were beating their faces and weeping. They put them into the prison and locked the door. Then he called for (Imam) Ali bin Husayn (a.s.) and the women along with the head of Imam Husayn (a.s.), while Sayyidah Zainab (a.s.) was along with them.
May Allah reward Mukhtar fairly who took revenge from Ibn Ziyad. Shaikh Abu Ja’far Al-Tusi and Shaikh Ibn Nima relate that when the head of Ibn Ziyad was brought to Mukhtar, he was having food. He praised Allah upon this triumph and expressed, “When the head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) was brought to Ibn Ziyad, he was having his food. Then I too am having food when the head of Ibn Ziyad is brought to me”. Then when he finished his food, he arose and scrubbed his shoe upon the face of Ubaydullah. Then he gave his shoe to his slave saying, “Wash it, that I have put it at the face of an unchaste infidel”.
Road to Damascus
The distance from Kufa to Damascus is almost 1000 kilometers.
Shaikh Kaf’ami, Shaikh Bahai, and Muhaddis Kashani narrate, that on the first day of the month of Safar, the head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) was brought into Damascus. The day was considered a day of rejoicing for the Bani Umayyah and a day of mourning (for the believers). “It was considered a day of mourning by the Iraqis, while the Bani Umayyah in Syria celebrated during it”.
It should be noted here that the journey from Karbala to Kufa and then from Kufa to Syria was on camels without camel litter. Anyone who has ridden a camel would know how uncomfortable it would be without the camel litter. Especially for children, there was no balance and therefore many of them fell to the ground. But the army would not stop for the children so make them halt and to recover the children many women had to fall to the ground as well. The captives were only given the bare minimum of food and water to survive.
The monsters in the army physically and mentally abused the children. In front of children dying of thirst, they would waste water by throwing it on the ground.
Entry of the Household (Ahlul Bayt) into Syria and the blessed head in Damascus
It is related in Asarul Baqiyah of Abu Rayhan (al Biruni), that on the first day of the month of Safar, the head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) was brought to Damascus. Yazid placed it in front of him and poked at his teeth with the staff of his hand while saying, “I wish those of my clan who were killed at Badr, and those who had seen the Khazraj clan wailing (in the battle of Uhad) on account of lancet wounds, were here".
They would have hailed me with loud cries and said, ‘O Yazid! May your hands never stupefy’, for we have killed the chiefs of his (the Prophet’s) clan. I did so as revenge for Badr, which has now been completed. The Bani Hashim only played a game with sovereignty. There has come no Message (Risalah, from Allah), nor was anything revealed (as Wahy). I would not belong to the Khandaq family if I had not taken vengeance upon the descendants of Ahmad for their deeds”.”
“When we reached Damascus, we entered the women and the captives into the town during the light of the day. The oppressive Syrians said, “We have never ever seen such beautiful captives. Who are you?” Sayyidah Sakinah (a.s.), the daughter of Imam Husayn (a.s.), replied, “We are the captives of the family of Muhammad (S)”.
They were detained at the stairway of the mosque along with Imam Ali bin Husayn (Zainul Abedeen) (a.s.), who was in his youth.
“Then the captives were brought to Yazid, and the women from his family, his daughters and relatives lamented and wept. The head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) was placed near Yazid, Sayyidah Sakinah (a.s.) said, “I have not seen a more harsh man than Yazid. Nor is any infidel and polytheist worst and more tyrant than him”. He looked at the head and said, “I wish those of my elders killed at Badr see, the bemoaning of the Khazraj upon the deed of the sword”. Then he ordered that the head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) be hung upon the gate of the Mosque of Damascus.”
It is also related from Imam Ali Reza (a.s.), that the first one to consume wine in Islam in Syria (openly) was Yazid, the accursed. When the eating-carpet was spread facing the head of Imam Husayn (a.s.), it was brought for him. He drank from it and gave some to his associates and said, “Drink it, for it is an auspicious drink.”
Sayyidah Zainab (a.s.)’s sermon in the presence of Yazid, the accursed, on the first of the month of Safar
Despite all which they had suffered the family of the prophet stood firm. Can you imagine maintaining composure, giving eloquent sermons glorying and thanking Allah after all which befell them?
Excerpts from the sermon :
“All praise be to the Lord of the worlds! And blessings of Allah upon His Messenger and his entire progeny! How true has Allah, the Glorious, said: ‘ Then evil was the end of those who wrought evil, for they belied the Signs of Allah, and at them, they used to mock.’ (Surah ar-Room, 30:10).”
“Praise be to the Lord of the worlds, Who ended felicity upon our beginning with forgiveness, and Who destined martyrdom for our conclusion with blessings. I desire from Allah to complete His reward upon them and increase it further, and to turn with fairness their succession upon us, for He is Merciful and a Friend. ‘Allah is (quite) sufficient for us and the most Excellent Protector is (He)’ (Surah aal-‘Imraan, 3:173).”
Muhammad Roohallah
In the letter of Ibn Abbas addressed to Yazid, it is written that the worst reproach for him was that,
“You captivated the women-folk and children of the Prophet of Allah (S) from Iraq to Syria and plundered them and displayed your power upon us for the people to behold? You subdued us and dominated the Progeny of the Prophet of Allah (S). Then in your opinion, you avenged the blood of the infidels and wicked ones of Badr from your family. Then you revealed your hidden revenge, and you manifested your envy similar to the fire concealed in a flint-stone. You, as well as your father, took the excuse of revenge for the blood of Usman.”
Imam Ali bin Husayn (a.s.)’s sermon
It is quoted in Kamile Bahai, that Imam Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) had told Yazid to let him deliver the sermon on Friday, and he yielded. On Friday, Yazid ordered an accursed one to ascend the pulpit and abuse Imam Ali (a.s.) and Imam Husayn (a.s.) as much he could, and also praise and thank Caliph Umar and Caliph Abu Bakr. The accursed ascended the pulpit and said whatever he desired. Then Imam (a.s.) said,
“Permit me so that I may deliver a sermon”
The emotionally charged sermon caused the people in the court to start wailing and mourning. For fear of revolt, Yazid asked the call for azan to be recited (to stop the sermon and its effect on people). When the caller said “I bear witness Muhammad (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah”
“O Yazid! This Honorable and Noble Messenger is my Grandfather or yours’? If you say that he is your grandfather, then the entire world knows that you speak a lie. And if you say that he is my grandfather, then why did you kill my father with tyranny, and plunder his belongings and captivate his women-folk?”
Muhammad Roohallah
In Damascus, Syria there’s a shrine for the youngest daughter of imam Hussain.
Visiting there, it’s a small dark room that never saw light. Although now there’s (light and) a shrine there, there used to be a child there alone in the dark locked away from her family. Until she passed away from her grief and was buried there.
Dispatching of the Household (Ahlul Bayt) by Yazid from Syria to Madinah
“It is quoted in some books of Martyrdom (Maqtal), that when they desired to return back to Madinah, Yazid ordered litters to be brought for them. He ordered them to be decorated and to place upon them silken curtains, while abundant wealth was strewn in them. Then Yazid told Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (a.s.), “Take this wealth as recompense for the troubles that befell you”. Umm Kulthum (a.s.) replied,
“What a shameless and harsh man are you! You kill my brother and family members, then you offer wealth as its recompense? By Allah! It shall never happen”.
It is important to note that conditions are set by the victor, not the one who has been subjugated and defeated. The conditions for their release were set by them. This fact and subsequent events up to 1400 years later (i.e now) reveal who won and who lost.
The End
Originally posted on September 28, 2021 (Arba'een 2021)