THE MAGNIFICENCE OF HAZRAT ZAINAB BINT ALI(RADI ALLAAHU ANHA)
In the gatherings of remembrance of the martyrs (shuhadaa) of Karbala, discussion usually are on the events leading up to the time of Asr of 10th of Muharram, and often is centered on the martyrdom of Hazrat Imaam Hussein (Radi Allaahu Anhu). However, after the martyrdom, two family members of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emerged; Hazrat Zainal A'bideen(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and Hazrat Zainab Bint Ali(Radi Allaahu Anha).
Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) was the grand daughter of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Hazrat Khadija(Radi Allaahu Anha); daughter of Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and Hazrat Fatimah(Radi Allaahu Anha); and sister of Hazrat Imaam Hassan(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu).
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ kissed Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) in-between the eyes and said that she resembled her grandmother Hazrat Khadija(Radi Allaahu Anha). Prophet ﷺ named her Zainab. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) was very brave, resilient, and powerful like her father Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu). Such attributes are rarely found in women.
Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) and Hazrat Zainul Aabideen(Radi Allaahu Anhu) are the only two exalted and undisputed personal who witnessed the events of Karbala, as well as the events that unfolded after the time of Asr of 10th of Muharram. The Ahlus Sunnah Wa Jama'ah accepts only the narrations of these exalted family members of Prophet ﷺ as authentic.
All the women from the family of Prophet ﷺ '(ahle bayet) are magnificent and exalted. But the hardship, physical and mental torture endured by Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) in Karbala is not at all easy to narrate.
Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha), unveiled and exhausted, took a lioness stand in Karbala, as her family's murderers mocked her pain. Her endurance of this horrific event is one-and-only, and unmatched.
Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) shifted to Kufah (a city in Iraq) and set up his caliphate there. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) also moved with her father and taught Quran to the women of Kufah. Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was martyred during the Fajr prayer at the Jame Masjid of Kufah. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) witnessed the horrific martyrdom of her father. She travelled to Kufah as princesses but had return to Madina as an orphaned immigrant.
Later, she travelled with her brother, Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu), from Madina through Mecca, to Kufah. In the events of Karbala, she witnessed the martyrdom of her own sons; her nephews; Qasim, Ali Akbar, and Ali Asgar(Radi Allaahu Anhum); and most significantly her beloved brothers, Hazrat Abbas and Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allahu Anhum). Her strong upbringing, piety and nobility ensured she was not weak in the face of diversity. She became the pillar for the survivors as she was shackled, and she with the survivors were taken as prisoners. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) and her family witnessed the very inhumane and merciless violence that took place in Karbala, yet she had firm control over her emotions, and displayed the highest level of patience one can have.
Hazrat Zainul Aabideen Ibne Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that in the long journey from Karbala to Madina, Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) did not delay any of her Namaaz including tahajjud. (Hazrat Zainul Aabideen(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was taken very ill and was stopped by his father from participating in the battle)
The events that unfolded as they were taken from Karbala to the throne of Yazeed is extremely disturbing, distressing and not at all easy to narrate.
While being taken away as prisoners , Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) witnessed the horrendous scene of brutally dismembered bodies of her family members scattered everywhere covered in blood. The anguish she must have gone through is unimaginable. Hazrat Zainul Aabideen(Radi Allaahu Anhu) collapsed witnessing this horrific scene, but Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) was still composed and conscious. She pleaded in the court of her grandfather, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:' 'Ya RasoolAllah ﷺ, Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and your family are martyred, their brutally
dismembered bodies are scattered everywhere covered in blood. Ya RasoolAllah ﷺ your daughters are held as prisoners'. The plea was so full of pain and sorrow that even the hostage-takers screamed with pain.
Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) addressed her martyred brother Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and said that she was taking over the command of surviving army personal. 'You conquered Karbala, I will now conquer Shaam (Syria). She made a promise to her brother that she would take care of his children and take them back to Madina in the court of her grandfather Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Her army now consisted of orphans, widows and sick Zainul Aabideen(Radi Allaahu Anhu).
Upon reaching Kufah from Karbala, Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) recalled the moment she arrived with her father Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) as princes. Now, she is entering the same very town where her father ruled, but as a prisoner.
They were presented in the court of the governor of Kufah, Ibne Ziyaad. Amongst other women was a women dressed in not so clean clothes. Ibn Zayd asked, 'who is this woman'? Someone replied, 'she is the sister of Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu), and daughter of Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu), Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha).
The shameless coward, traitor Ibn Ziyaadd addressed Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha), 'Praise be to Allah who disgraced you and revealed your sayings as false'. Astagfirullah. Ma'az Allah. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) immediately foiled his conspiracy by replying, 'Praise be to Allah Ta'ala who has honoured us with His Messenger ﷺ, and purified us from impurity. The one who is disgraced is certainly the libertive, and the one who lies is the vulgar; and we not such people. Time will tell who is the disgraced. Praise be to Allah Ta'ala'.
Then they were paraded unveiled and shackled through the very town where her father once ruled. All these while the decapitated blessed head of Hazrat Imaam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was paraded on the tip of a sword alongside them, but still he(Radi Allaahu Anhu) recited The Quran. The men, women and the children of Kufah lined up the streets and were on rooftops to watch them go by. Furious with anger, Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) addressed the people of Kufah, some of them whom she taught Quran before, as she rode on a camel. 'O the people of Kufah! Woe upon you! Do you know which part of the Prophet ﷺ you cut. You recited the kalima of Prophet ﷺ. Do you know which vow you have broken? And whose body you have shed? And which respected family you have brought to the public as prisoners? You are gazing at the women of the family of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Do you know whose sanctity you have violated. You have done that which could tear down the skies, open the earth, and make the mountains vanish. As far as the earth goes and as deep as the skies go, your obvious deed has no like, no similarity and no decency. Indeed you have done the ugliest, the most grievous and gruesome deed'.
Some women from the rooftops threw dates at them thinking that they may be hungry. Hazrat Sakina bint Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anha) was in the arms of Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha). She picked up the date and put it in her mouth. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) quickly took the date out of her mouth and said to Sakina(Radi Allaahu Anha), 'don't you know the people are giving us charity (sadqa) thinking we are prisoners and immigrants? We are Saiyads. Charity (sadqa) is forbidden (haraam) for us'.
Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) was always and in every circumstance steadfast on the teachings of Islam.
When they reached the court of Yazeed, the tyrant, the murderer was sitting on his throne with pride and arrogance. Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) delivered a sermon with most bravery that shock his gathering and still echoes through time and space.
'O Yazeed! You brought us here like prisoners. You think we are disgraced. You are mean and a cheat. Whatever you think you can do, do it. By the grace of Allah Ta'ala, you cannot remove us (ahle bayet) from the minds of the people, and you cannot fade our message (the message of Prophet ﷺ). You will never reach our glory and can never wash the stain of this crime from your hands. Your decisions will not be stable, your period of ruling will be short, and your population will scatter. On that day, a voice will come, 'indeed may the curse of Allah Ta'ala be upon the oppressors''.' The speech silenced the room.
Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) delivered a message for the ummah till the Day of Judgement that the ahle bayet are the people of strong presence, strength, confidence and faith, despite the drastic and harsh calamity that fell upon her family.
There is no doubt that Hazrat Zainab(Radi Allaahu Anha) is the shinning sun in the history of Islam and humanity.
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This article is an abridged English translations of Urdu sermons delivered by his eminence, Peer Syed Imroz Dean Saifi, Hanfi, Maturidi of Masjid Anwaar e Madina, Surrey BC Canada
If there is an inaccurate translation, please pardon it and not let it be a means to negatively reflect on the honoured presenter.
