Zainab Excerpt 1

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AFTER KARBALA MASSACRE

Tribe of Hashim believed Religious Caliphate was the right of only Ahlul Bayt, the Family of the Prophet.

Husayn said to his friends,

“Tomorrow is the final day of decision between me and my enemies. They want only me. Therefore, I happily allow you to leave me and go back. I will have no complaint against you.”

On 10 Muharram, Husayn had with him 32 men on horses and 40 men on foot. Husayn gave the Standard to his brother Abbas.

Before the slaughter began, Husayn first prasied God and then said,

“O people do not be so fast. Listen to me first. Let me do my duty to make you understand; and hear the reason why I came. If you accept my excuse, and treat me fairly, then you will be very fortunate people. But if you are not ready for this then it is your choice. Then you and your friends can use force against me. Treat me how you will. God is with me. He helps His servants. O people, you think about my lineage, and look who I am. Reflect within yourself and see the sign. Deliberate whether it suits you to kill me and insults me. Am I not the grandson of your Prophet? Am I not the son of his cousin who was first to pledge loyalty to God, and believe in His Messenger? Do you not remember Prophet’s words where he said about me and my brother that the will be leaders of youth of Paradise? If you think my words are true, and know that I have never lied, and then tell me should you fight me with unsheathed swords? But if you consider me a liar, then among you today are people who heard the Prophet say this saying. You can ask them. Then tell me whether despite that saying you cannot refrain from shedding my blood.”

Sisters and daughter of Husayn began weep and scream when they heard his speech.

One by one all men of Husayn were killed. Only his men of Hashim tribe remained. First of them to go in battlefield was Husayn’s son Ali Akbar. He was 19 years old. He was hit by a spear. He fell and enemies soldiers came and cut him to pieces. Husayn took his body and placed it among others.

Zainab came out of the camp running, “O my nephew” and fell on his body.

Then Abdullah, Jafar, Abdul Rahman, Oun and Muhammad were killed.

Then Kasim was killed saying, “O Uncle good bye.” He was so handsome, like the full moon. Husayn wept over his body saying, “By God, your uncle is so hurt that you called him and he could not help you. Alas, your uncle has so many enemies today, and he has no helper left.” He brought his body and placed it near Ali Akbar and other family members.

Husayn said to Abdullah, Jafar, and Uthman, “Time has arrived for you to sacrifice yourself. Rise and go forward and give your lives in the way of God.” They went one by one and died on the battlefield.

Husayn’s baby was crying because of thirst. He and Abbas went River Euphrates to get some water. Enemies tried to stop them but they reached the river and filled the container of water. Soldiers fired an arrow which hit Husayn. He pulled out the arrow but water was filled with blood.

Husyan threw the blood towards the sky, “O God, I complain to you about them. Look how they are treating your Messenger’s grandson.”

Abbas was attacked. He tried to fight back but for how long. He was severely wounded and fell to the ground and killed.

Husayn returned to his camp. On the way he was attacked by Shamr and his men. Husayn’s heads was full of blood. From the camp little boy Abdullah ran forward with a stick and stood in front of Husayn. A soldier struck the boy and his hand was cut. He began screaming. Husayn picked him up, “O nephew, great pain has come upon you. Try to be patient. God will also take you to your pure family.”

Husayn looked at  sky and said,

“O God, stop drops on rain for these people, and forbid them blessing of the Earth. O God, if you allow them be for a few days, then divide them, and separate them from one another, because they invited us and promised to help us, but when we came they stood against us in battlefield and killed us.”

Husayn’s head and body was gravely injured. Zainab came out of the tent, “Alas, the sky would fall on Earth.”

Husayn tried to defend himself. He said,

“God will not be angry on murder of any man then He would be on my murder. God will forgive me. But He will avenge in ways you cannot imagine.”

Husayn was struck on the arm, and it was cut off. From all side Husayn was hit by arrows. Husayn fell on the ground. Sonan took a knife and cut off Husayn’s head.

On his Martyrdom, Husayn had 33 wounds by arrows and spears, and 34 injuries made by swords.

With Husayn, 72 men, boys and children were martyred. Among them 18 were his own close relatives.

The head of Husayn was placed on a plate in front of Ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa. He was smiling while looking at it, and hit it with a cane in his hand. Then other people of Prophet’s family were brought before him. They were very weak and in old torn clothes. They came and sat in one corner of his palace.

He asked,

“Who is this woman in the centre surrounded by other women.”

One of the women prisoners replied,

“She is granddaughter of the messenger and daughter of Fatima.”

He said,

“Thank God who humiliated you and rejected you.”

Zaynab said,

“Thank God who honoured us through His Prophet, and purified us from all filth. It is not us but the wrong doers who are humiliated, and tyrants are rejected.”

He said,

“Have you not seen how God has dealt with your family.”

Zaynab said,

“It was in their destiny to be killed. They reached place of their death. Soon God will gather them and you in one place. Then before God both of you can question each other.”

He ordered her uncle Ali Zaynalabidin to be beheaded.

Zaynab leapt to her uncle and cried loudly,

“O Ibn Ziyad, for God’s sake, I beg you to kill me with him also if you order his death.”

He let Zaynalabidin go to Yazid with his women.

The heads of the killed were put on lances and taken to Yazid in Damascus.

They were brought to Yazid. The women prisoners stood before him. The heads of their father, bothers and sons were place before Yazid. Women were crying.

A young man looked at the ladies. He asked Yazid to give him the daughter of Husayn.

Zaynab said,

“You are a low life. You have no power of this, nor has Yazid.”

Yazid became angry. He said,

“You lie. I have the right. If I want I can do it.”

Zaynab said,

“No, never. God has not given you this right. But if you leave our muslim nation, and accept a religion other than Islam, then that is another matter.”

Yazid said,

“You talk like this before me! You father and brother has left the religion.”

Zaynab said,

“You, your father, and your grandfather, have learnt religion of God from my ways of father, from the ways of my brother, and from the ways of my grandfather.”

Yazid said,

“You are lying, you enemy of God!”

Zaynab said,

“You rule by force, you do injustice, you swear insults at people, and you suppress the public with your power.”

The young man in the court of Yazid again stood up and said, please give me this lady. Yazid did not give him any woman of Prophet’s family. He ordered their release. They all returned to their homes in Medina.

From Zaynab’s exchanges, we can estimate her courage and resolve.

[Source: book “Imam Husayn”, by Abu Al Anser]

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