Sayyida Sakina bint al-Hussayn was the beloved daughter
of the Master of Martyrs Imam Hussayn (a.s.). Her mother was Sayyida Rubab(s.a.).
She was the favorite of her uncle Hazrat Abbas ibn Ali (a.s.), the Moon of Banu
Hashim. He was always ready to meet any of her wish. Her infant brother was Ali
al-Asghar who was martyred by a beastly Yazid’s army man at Karbala. She was full
of love, very religious from very early age, loved reciting Qur’an and never
missed her prayers. From the age of 2, she took great care to make sure that
her head and face were properly covered when in public.
When Muawiya died, he had already nominated his sinful
son Yazid (l.a.) as the Khalifa of Muslims. This was in contravention of a Peace
Treaty with Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.). Yazid (l.a.) forthwith asked for the
allegiance from Imam Hussayn (a.s.). It is a tragedy that within 40 years of
the demise of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), a vicious sinner became his
successor! Naturally, the grand son and the Prince of the Youths of
Paradise-Imam Hussayn (a.s.) could not confirm Yazid (l.a.) as the successor of
his grand father (s.a.w.a.s.). Imam Hussayn (a.s.) left Madinah with his family
for Makkah and later to Karbala. Sayyda Sakina was also travelling with the
Imam (a.s.)
When the caravan reached near Karbala, an army of one
thousand horsemen headed by Hurr tried to stop Imam Hussayn (a.s.). The Imam
(a.s.) saw that the enemy was thirsty, hence he (a.s.) first advised his
brother Hazrat Abbas (a.s.) to quench their thirst. Sayyida Sakina witnessed
this. They reached Karbala on Muharram 2nd. 61 A.H. and the
Yazid (l.a.)’s army stopped water to reach the Imam (a.s.) ‘s camps. Like other
children, Sayyida Sakina also remained thirsty for three days. Her uncle Hazrat
Abbas (a.s) was sent by the Imam (a.s.) to get some water for the children, but
he was martyred while bringing water for the children (specially for Sayyida
Sakina). After the martyrdom of her uncle Abbas, she never asked for water nor
talked about thirst. Imam Hussayn (a.s.)’s righteous companions and
relatives consisted of only 72 against the 30,000 beastly army of Yazid (l.a.)
By the afternoon prayers, everyone was martyred including
the 6-month-old Ali al-Asghar by an arrow to his neck when the Imam (a.s.) had
taken the infant to ask for water. Instead of giving water, the stone hearted
Hurmula (l.a.) sent an arrow towards the baby! Soon after Imam Hussayn (a.s.)
fought the enemy and was slaughtered by Shimer (l.a.). The Imam (a.s.)’s camps were
looted and set on fire; the women’s head covers were snatched. Shimer (l.a.)
slapped Sayyida Sakina, forcibly snatched her earrings caused bleeding to her
ears. After Sham-e-Ghareeban, Sayyida Sakina searched for her father and was
attracted by the voice from the headless body of her father. She went near it,
complained about the atrocities and slept on her father’s corpse! She was
retrieved by her aunt Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) and brought near the burnt remains
of the tents. Later, that evening, the widow of Hurr brought some water
for the bereaved family of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). When she was given
some water, she asked why Sayyida Zaynab was not drinking water first. She replied,
“Because we want to give it to the youngest in the family.” she started to go
toward battlefield. Sayyida Zaynab inquired, “Where are you going?” Sayyida Sakina
replied, “To give the water to my infant brother Ali Asghar as he is the
youngest.”
Next day the women were made to sit on the bare backs of the
camels. Once, she fell from the camel, then Shimer (l.a.) tied her to the bare
back of the camel. When the camel moved fast her body was injured causing
bleeding! At one time, the arms of women
captives and the neck of Sayyida Sakina, were fastened in one rope. When an
elder tried to stand up this caused suffocation of Sayyida Sakina. These
oppressions and atrocities were not committed by non-Muslims but by the so
called Muslims who believed in Allah (s.w.t.) and the Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s) but slaughtered His Progeny, desecrated his daughters while taking
them without head covers from city to city, their hands were tied behind their
necks. They were taken first to Kufa, then to Damascus in Yazid’s court. They
were put in a prison which had no light or roof. She used to cry and remember
her father. When she used to see the birds flying to their nests in the
evening, she would innocently ask her aunt Zaynab (s.a.), “Will Sakina ever be
going home like those birds flying to their homes?” One day, she saw
her father in dream telling her that soon she will join him. She woke up, cried
and kept calling her father, everyone was awake and tried their best to console
her. Yazid (l.a.) ordered her father’s head be send in the prison. She took the
head in her lap, talked to it, cried and then passed away. Imam Sajjad (a.s.) dug a
grave in the prison and buried her sister in her clothes as they were stuck to
her body due to fire in the night of Ashura, in Karbala!
Source:
ezsoftech.com, Wikipedia, military.wikia.org, AL-Islam.org/Journey of Tears
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