Malik M Aslam Awan
House of Ali has been blessed by Allah Almighty, that Imam Hussain the embodiment of submission before the Will of God, sacrificed his life along with his loyal and submissive companions but did not bow before the Yazeed’s malicious will, to accept his evils as part of religion. After the merciless assassination of Hussain, Sayyeda Zainab upheld the banner to accomplish the sacred mission of Imam Hussain. Immediately after the heart wrenching, catastrophic incident of Karbala the camps of women and children were set ablaze by Yazeedi forces and made, all women and children, war captives. Women and children were forced to travel barefooted and bareheaded, while the heads of all the martyrs of Karbala were beheaded from their corpses and put on spears. Sayyeda Zainab, who was an emblem of forbearance and unmatched fortitude with all her family women were driven to travel by foot towards Kufa, the provincial headquarter of Yazeed, where Ubaidullah ibne Ziad was waiting the arrival of the bereaved family. Ubaidullah ibne Ziad wanted to put the family of Imam Hussain in further ignominy to quench his barbaric nature. Ubaidullah ibne Ziad further humiliated the devastated family of Imam Hussain and sent them to the court of Yazeed.
Reaching the court of Yazeed – the embodiment of vice and cruelty – Sayyeda Zainab and other family members of Hussain had to face unbearable desecration, cruelty and barbarity of Zazeed. Driven by his malicious nature Yazeed perpetrated unimaginable barbarities upon the family of Imam Hussain. Allah Almighty had bestowed the house of Ali with unique honour, he himself sacrificed his life to accomplish the religious duties, his sons Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain, with Al-Abbas, also, embraced martyrdom in the way to win the blessings of Allah Almighty. Imam Hussain, in the land of Karbala, had to bear unbearable cruelties of Yazeedi forces, his minor children were mercilessly slained before his eyes. All his devoted and loyal companions, exhibited their unmatched devotion and embraced martyrdom, but neither Imam Hussain, nor his companions thought to budge even an inch from their right and just stand. His bravery and just stand to remain firm against Yazeed, received worldwide praise and acknowledgement, that Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela of modern age and so many other dignitaries, while expressing their devotion and zeal to fight against cruelties, have quoted Imam Hussain, that they would stand against cruelty like Imam Hussain, following him in his struggle against a system based on injustice. After assassination of Imam Hussain (AS) and his devoted companions, Yazeed celebrated his conquest and rejoiced that there is none in the world to challenge his cruel and biased authority.
Yazeed ordered the assassination of Ali, the son of Hussain, but Sayyeda Zainab fell on the body of her dear nephew to save him and shouted that you will have to kill me before killing Ali Abid-Zain ul Abdain. Fearing the reaction of Muslim community, he refrained from the incarnation of his will. Sayyeda Zainab delivered several sermons before Yazeed, to elaborate the innocence and martyrdom of Imam Hussain. She rhetorically expounded that the luxuries of Yazeed were transitory and short lived, while Imam Hussain had embraced martyrdom and all of the martyrs of Karbala had won the blessings of Allah Almighty and now are in eternal peace and happiness in heavens, with their grandfather of Last Prophet (SAW) and Hazrat Ali, Sayyeda Fatima, brother Hassan and other martyrs. The sermons delivered by Sayyeda Fatima caused unrest and panic in the heart of Yazeed and his merciless companions, that they hurried to release all the captive family of Hussain (AS) and managed their travel to Madina. Her sermons against the barbarity, cruelty of Yazeed were so eloquent, pervasive and efficacious that the tremors in the court of Yazeed augmented the fear in the hearts of Yazeedis. Her sermons were the exhibition of eloquence, upright belief in the oneness of God Almighty. She stood firmly even against the bitterest odds and the cruelties of Zazeed. Her sermons were so rhetoric that her words still appeal the intellectuals and sane minds all around the globe and will remain afresh and reminiscent all minds in the times to come and people will always quote her bravery, eloquence, firm and unflinching stand, whenever there may arise the circumstances to stand and fight against barbarism, cruelty and injustice.
The struggle and memories of Princess Sayyeda Zainab will always be a beacon of light in the struggle against injustice and barbarism. Muslims all around the globe recall her struggle and services to maintain norms, principles and sanctity of Islam and pay tribute to Imam Hussain and Princess Zainab in the early days of Moharram and all around the year. Allah Almighty had crowned Hussain and his family with success in this world and the world hereafter, while Yazeed and his companions have become a metaphor of vices, cruelty, barbarism and will be hated and cursed till the doomsday. Sayyeda Zainab, a glowing luminary of the house of Ali died in 622 A D and left her sorrowful but encouraging memories in the minds of the Muslims, to be ever reminiscent of her struggle against the evil forces of all times to come. She had delivered a strong message to the whole world, to remain firmly stand against the bitterest odds and fight till the end of life, life is ephemeral but the Divine blessings and reward is eternal and everlasting, ending in happiness, knowing no bounds. Muslims all around the world irrespective of their sectarian trends, hold Imam Hussain (AS), Sayyeda Zainab (RA) and their great father Ali (AS) in the highest esteem and honour.
—The writer is a freelance columnist and independent analyst based in Lahore.
