BIBI ZAYNAB (SA)'S JOURNEY OF COURAGE

It is said that, next day after the blood-bath of the Progeny of the Holy Prophet (SAWS), the caravan of the imprisoned daughters of the Prophet and the chained Imam Ali, Zaynul Abedin (AS) was heading towards Kufa. The ladies were made to sit on the unsaddled camels. Their hands were tide at their backs. The camels were deliberately routed through the battle-field where the slaughtered head-less bodies lay open without cover. It was the height of barbarism and cruelty committed by the so called Muslims!

Kufa was being decorated and people were told that a rebel group was coming whose males were killed and their women were made captive. As soon as the prisoners entered the city, Bibi Zaynab(SA) stood on the camel looking at the crowd in anger, she said in a loud and clear voice, “Praise be to Allah and blessings on my grandfather Muhammad, His beloved Prophet. Woe unto you, O people of Kufa. Do you know whom you have killed?

Do you know what pledge you have broken? Do you know whose blood you have shed? Do you know whose honor you have defiled?

There was a stunned silence. A gentle sound of crying was heard. There was a blind old man who was the companion of Imam Ali (AS). When he heard Bibi Zaynab’s voice, he thought that Imam Ali had come back. The sound of crying grew louder.

Bibi Zaynab(SA) continued, “And well may you weep, O people of Kufa! The crime which you have committed against your Prophet is so great that the skies shook, earth trembled, and mountains crumbled down. You have killed your Imam, and by doing so lost your shelter against hardship, evil and kufr! His blood stains your souls. Nothing can protect you from the anger of Allah for having killed the son of the last of his Prophets! People could no longer control their wailing. Umar Sa’ad was frightened and quickly led the prisoners in the governor’s palace. Ibne Ziad was sitting on the throne and was poking his cane on Imam Husayn (AS)’s face. There was an old companion of the Holy Prophet (SAWS), Zaid Bin Arqam, who cried out saying, “Take away your cane from those lips!

By Allah, I have seen the lips of the Apostle of Allah on those lips.”

Ibne Ziad pointing towards Imam Zainul Abedin said, “Who is this young man?” “He is Ali ibnul Husayn”. Ibne Ziad ordered that the Imam be killed. Bibi Zaynab rushed forward and planted herself in front of the Imam and said, “You have to kill me first” She said looking at ibne Ziad with such defiance, determination and anger that ibne Ziad got up and walked away ordering that the prisoners be locked up.

Bibi Zaynab (SA)’s speeches had stirred Kufa and there was lot of unrest. Hence sensing trouble, he promptly dispatched the prisoners to Damascus (Shaam).

Unlike the journey to Kufa, this one was kept secret and the prisoners were sent at night.

This journey was very long and painful in the scorching heat of the desert. It took twenty days to reach Damascus. Imam Zainul Abedin (AS) was made to walk and if he slows down they would flog him and on Bibi Zaynab (SA)’s intervention would stop the flogging.

Yazid’s court was filled with dignitaries and he was uncovering the Bani Umaiyyah’s strategy in apparently accepting Islam while keeping their hatred in their hearts. He recited some couplets whose meaning was, “If my venerable ancestors, who fell at Badr fighting Muhammad, had witnessed how supporters of Muhammad’s faith were thrown into confusion with thrusts given by my spears, they would be blessing me today. The Banu Hashim played a trick to win power. There was never any wahi to them nor did they receive any revelation.” He also misquoted an ayat of Noble Qur’an, “Allah grants honor to whom He pleases and brings disgrace upon whom He pleases.”

Bibi Zaynab (SA) could not stand any more. She was filled with wrath and anger. In a loud and clear voice she addressed Yazid, “O Yazid, do you think that it is Allah who has caused you to commit all these foul deeds? Do you blame Rahman and Raheem for the oppression we have suffered? Do you blame Allah for the death of the beloved grandson of His most beloved Prophet? How dare you make these false accusations against the Almighty? No, Yazid, it was not Allah. It is you with your insatiable ambition and greed for wealth and power, who are the only cause of the suffering inflicted not only on the Household of the Holy Prophet but on Islam itself”!

Do not forget what Allah has said in Holy Book, “Let not the unbelievers take it that the respite We give them would do them any good. We allow them time in order that they might continue to indulge in sins to their heart’s content. Indeed a humiliating punishment has been kept ready for them.

Do you think by killing the grandson of the Holy Prophet and bringing us to your palace as prisoners, you have scored a victory against Islam? No, Yazid no, Husayn with his blood has made sure that tyrants like you will not be able to use Islam as a toy to carry out their evil designs. The victory is not yours. The victory is of Husayn! The victory is of Islam! Yazid was stunned. The people who were sitting there could not believe their ears. They were moved by this courageous lady. The lady who had seen and experienced great sufferings dared defy the very man who was responsible for it. They asked one another as to who the lady was. When they were told that she was the grand daughter of the Holy Prophet (SAWS), they admired her courage!

At another occasion, Bibi Zaynab (SA) referring to his grandfather Abu Sufiyan and other Umaiyyah clan were set free at the time of Conquest of Makkah, she said, “O son of the freed ones! Is it justice that you keep your women and slave-girls in seclusion but have made the helpless daughters of the Holy Prophet ride on swift camels and given them in the hands of their enemies so that they can take them from one city to another?

You shall go before Allah soon. You shall meet your ancestors. At that time you will wish that you have been blind and dumb and had not said that it was a day of rejoicing for your ancestors.”

At this stage the daughter of Imam Ali (AS) prayed to Allah and said, “O Lord, procure our right and take revenge upon those who have oppressed us.” Then she turned towards Yazid and said, “You will soon go before the Prophet of Allah and see with your own eyes that his children are in Paradise. O Yazid, on that day when Allah will be the judge and Muhammad will be the petitioner, and your limbs will give evidence against you, and your father, who made you the ruler of the Muslims, will receive His punishment. O enemy of Allah and O son of enemy of Allah! I swear by Allah I consider you to be humble and not fit even to be reprimanded and reproached. You may employ your deceit and cunning efforts, but I swear upon Allah that the shame and disgrace which you have earned by the treatment meted out to us cannot be eradicated. I thank Allah Who has concluded the tasks of the Chiefs of the Youth of Paradise with prosperity and forgiveness and accommodated them in Paradise.”