SAYYIDA SAKINA, THE BELOVED DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF MARTYRS, IMAM HUSAYN (A.S.)

 

Sayyida Sakina was born on 20 Rajab 56 A.H. in Madinah. She was the most beloved daughter of The King of Martyrs, Imam Husayn (a.s.) and she in turn loved her father and used to sleep on his chest. Imam Husayn (a.s.) used to say: “A house without Sayyida Sakina would not be worth living in!” She loved all her brothers and sisters specially her younger brother Ali al-Asghar who was about six months old in Karbala. Moreover, she had a special relationship with her uncle, Abbas ibn Ali (a.s.) and he also loved his niece more than his own children.

She was deeply religious, enjoyed reading the Glorious Qur’an, would pray salat (namaaz) regularly and was always dressed-up in Islamic attire including head-cover. She was about 5 years old in Karbala.

In Karbala, after 7 Muharram, Yazid (l.a.)’s army did not allow the water inside Imam Husayn (a.s.)’s camp. Sayyida Sakina shared whatever water was left with other children. As the days passed, the desert heat made the children uncomfortable without water. On the Day of Ashura, when all the companions and the family members of Hashmi youths had attained martyrdom, Hazrat Abbas ibn Ali (a.s.), the Commander of the Imam (a.s.)’s band of warriors, sought permission for Jihad. Imam Husayn (a.s.) refused to grant permission saying that he was the Commander of Imam (a.s.)’s army. In the meantime, Sayyida Sakina, along with some 42 children, brought a dry waterbag (mashk) and Imam Husayn (a.s.) reluctantly permitted Hazrat Abbas (a.s.) only to get some water. Hazrat Abbas (a.s.) courageously fought his way and landed his horse in the River Euphrates. Neither he nor his faithful horse drank a drop of water. He filled the water-bag with water and was galloping towards the camp when the treacherous enemy cut-off both of his hands from behind, but he still held tight the water-bag in his teeth, but the arrows of the enemy pierced the water-bag and the water flowed away. Hazrat Abbas (a.s.) attained martyrdom. After that time, she never asked for water anymore! 

The famous Marsiah writer, Mir Anees had described the last meeting between Imam Husayn (a.s.) and Sayyida Sakina. The expert Mir Anees had painted a grim picture of this painful departure in many Marsiyas. A couplet is mentioned here; “Neend Aeygi Jab Apki Bu Paungi Baba * Main Raat Ko Maqtal Mein Chali Aungi Baba.” “I can sleep only when I am near you * At night I will come to you in the battlefield.” After the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.), the accursed Shimer slapped Sayyida Sakina, forcibly snatched her earrings tearing her ear lobes. The barbaric Yazid (l.a.)’s army looted the sacred household of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and set the camps on fire. The sacred ladies were deprived of their head covers; the children ran out of the burning camps. Sayyida Sakina’s clothes also caught fire, and when one of the reporters tried to extinguish the flames, she warned the man not to touch her as she was the member of the sacred Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). She was running in the battlefield crying: “Father! O Father, where are you?” As the butchers of Karbala, had already severed the pious heads of the martyrs, the bodies in the battlefield were unrecognizable.

As night fell, the “Sham-e-Ghareeban” became sorrowful and painful. The Sani-e-Zahra, Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) took charge of the caravan and along with her sister, Umme Kulsoom (s.a.), they started counting the children and could not find Sayyida Sakina. They went in the battlefield and searched her and at last found her sleeping on the trampled chest of Imam Husayn (a.s.). She woke her up and Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) inquired as to how she recognized her father? Sayyida Sakina replied: “I was running around in the battle-field and calling my father, when a voice came from this trampled body calling me towards him” The widow of Hazrat Hurr, the deflected commander of Yazid (l.a.) army, brought some water and food into AhlulBayt’s burnt down camp site, Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) gave some water to Sayyida Sakina. She inquired why water was given to her first? Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) replied that she was the youngest. She took the water towards the battlefield for her martyred six months old baby brother, Hazrat Ali al-Asghar, who was the youngest in the family! 

The children at Karbala were in no way connected to the “allegiance” to Yazid (l.a.). In any humane and civilized Muslim society, the survivors of this catastrophic carnage are pacified and offered kind words of consolations. In the tragedy of Karbala, the so-called Muslims did not stay even at the level of humanity! It was the height of barbarism and butchery, un-parallel in human history. 

On the 11 Muharram, the daughters of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) , along with other females, were made captive, their hands were fastened behind their backs and made to sit on the camels without seats and routed through the battlefield, where the bodies of their loved ones were scattered all over the battle-field. Imagine the sorrow and grief of the women who saw their loved-ones un-buried (against the dictates of Islamic customs). The caravan proceeded towards Kufa. In Kufa, the markets were decorated in celebration of the massacre at Karbala and the procession of Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s)’s captive family! Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) was made to go through the bazars without head-cover while her mother, Lady of Paradise, Sayyida Fatimah Zahra (s.a.)’s funeral was taken out at night and not seen by anyone! On the way from Kufa to Damascus, at one point, Imam Husayn (a.s.)’s head will not move forward. On inquiry it was found that Sayyida Sakina had fallen from the camel and Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) walked back and saw that she was sitting in the lap of a sacred lady in black attire concealing her identity. When Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) tried to thank her, she disclosed her identity; she was the Lady of Paradise, Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) who was all along with the Holy Caravan from Madinah.

The oppressive armed men, to cause pain and misery, hurriedly completed the journey in two days, which normally takes sixteen days! In Damascus, the sacred members of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) were imprisoned in a prison without roof when the scorching sun light fell on them while they were exposed to the chill at night!

While in the court of Yazid (l.a.), he was desecrating Imam Husayn (a.s.)’s head by hitting his lips and teeth with a cane. At one time, he wanted to test Sayyida Sakina’s love for her father. He (l.a.) challenged Sayyida Sakina to call her father’s head to come to her lap. She responded and raised her little hands and called her father to come to her. Imam Husayn (a.s.)’s head rose from the big plate and flew into the waiting arms of Sayyida Sakina.

Sayyida Sakina used to sit at the gate of the prison and witness that birds were returning to their nests in the evening. She would ask her aunt Sayyida Zaynab (s.a.) as to where those birds were going, she would reply that they were going to their homes. Sayyida Sakina would ask her aunt as to when they were going back to Madinah. Unfortunately, it was not destined that she will ever return to Madinah! 

In the prison, one night, she woke up from her sleep and cried continuously. The family members tried their best to pacify and console her. She said: “O dear aunt, where is my father? A few minutes ago, I was with my father and he kissed me and said that “my dear Sakina you will soon be with me” But where is my father now?” When Sayyida Sakina described her dream, all the sacred ladies started to cry and when this noise reached Yazid (l.a.)’s quarters, he sent the severed head of Imam Husayn (a.s.) to the prison. As soon as she received her father’s head, she held it tight to herself and cried even more and said to her father: “Who cutoff my father’s head? Who martyred my father? Why we are kept as captives?” With these words of sorrow, she suddenly became quiet. Everyone thought that she might have slept again, but alas! Sayyida Sakina had gone into the eternal sleep. Imam Sajjad (a.s.) dug a grave in the prison and buried her little sister in her torn clothes as it was completely attached to her flesh after the burning of the camps on Ashura!

May Allah curse the oppressors of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) till the Day of Resurrection. Ameen 

            Sources: Islamicoccasions.com, WIKIPEDIA, WIKIVISUALLY, Infogalactic.com