"How do you consider God has treated your House?

"How do you consider God has treated your House?" asked Ibn Ziyad, God decreed death for them and they went forward (bravely) to their resting-places, Zaynab replied, God will gather you and us together. You will plead your excuses to Him and we will be your adversaries before Him. Ibn Ziyad became enraged and burnt with anger. "Governor," intervened 'Amr b. Hurayth, "She is only a woman and women are not responsible for anything that they say.

Do not blame her mistakes." "God has healed my soul from your tyranny and the rebellion of your House," he said to her. Zaynab, peace be on her, became weak and wept. By my life, she cried out to him, You have killed the mature ones (of my family); you have pierced my family; you have cut down my young branches; and you have pulled out my root. If this heals you, then you have been healed. "By my life," declared Ibn Ziyad, "this is a woman who makes poetry.

Your father was a poet." What has a woman to do with poetry?, she answered. Indeed I have (things) to distract me from poetry but my heart causes me say what I am saying. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was presented to him. "Who are you?" he asked. "I am Ali b. al-Husayn" he answered. "Didn't God kill 'Ali b. al-Husayn?" "I have a brother who is also called Ali," answered 'Ali, peace be on him, "the people killed him." "Rather God killed him," affirmed Ibn Ziyad.

"God receives the souls at the time of their death [ XXXIX : 42]." "How dare you answer me like that!" shouted Ibn Ziyad angrily, "and that will be the last of you because of (your) answer to me. Take him away and cut his head off!" Zaynab, his aunt, clung on to him, pleading: "O Ibn Ziyad, haven't you had enough of our blood?" Then she clung on to him and said: "By God, I will not leave him.

If you kill him, kill me with him." Ibn Ziyad looked at her and at him, and said, "How wonderful is family relationship! I think she wants me to kill her with him. Leave him, for I see him (now) for what he is." He rose from his assembly to leave the palace and go to the mosque. He went up on the pulpit.

He praised and glorified God, then he said: Praise be to God Who has revealed the truth and the followers of the truth, and has given victory to the Commander of the faithful, Yazid, and his party, and has killed the liar who is the son of a liar and his Shia. At this 'Abd Allah b. Afif al-Azdi, who had been one of the Shiaa of the Commander of the faithful (Ali b.