ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Journey of Tears The Third Journey - Karbala’ to Kufa Dawn breaks out on the desolate sands of Karbala’. What was the battle field yesterday, is a stretch of desert covered with the bodies of the slain. In the corner where there had stood Imam Husayn's camp the mourning widows and orphans have completed their morning prayers. Imam Zain ul 'Abideen is in sijdah glorifying Allah.

Umar Sa'ad walks over with a few soldiers and orders the women and the children to be tied with ropes as captives. There is a renewed wailing. Our fourth Imam consoles them. He himself is put under heavy chains. Yazid's soldiers spend the day burying their dead. The bodies of the grandson of the Prophet of Islam and the other martyrs are left unattended. Imam Zain ul 'Abideen pleads to be allowed to bury but all his pleas go unheeded. Another night in Karbala’ followed by another dawn!

The prisoners remain tied. Our Imam suffers the discomfort of the chain. His wrists and ankles are bruised. On the morning of the 12th Muharram the enemy brings unsaddled camels upon which the women and children are made to mount. A huge procession is being prepared. At the head of the procession is Umar Sa'ad followed by the officers. Then a few foot soldiers carrying lances upon which are mounted the heads of the martyrs. In their midst is our fourth Imam, chained and shackled.

Then the camels carrying the women and children as prisoners. Shimr and the rest of the infantry bring up the rear. The journey to Kufa begins. Yes, the tale of Karbala’ is a tale of five sad journeys! Now begins the third journey of tears. We look at the travellers. Some of those who had set out on that first journey, from Mecca to Madina, can be seen but the rest can not. No! They also can be seen if we look around! They are lying slaughtered on the sands of Karbala’.

Who is the hero and who is the heroine of this third journey? We see the hero, hand-cuffed, chained, exhausted with the long illness and the great suffering, our Fourth Imam, Zain ul 'Abideen. And the heroine? Yes we see the lady. She is bare-headed. Her face full of pain and yet reflecting courage and the strength of her spirit! She knows that for the sake of Bibi Sakina and the other ladies she can not possibly give in to her grief and sorrow. Yes, it is Bibi Zainab!

Umar Sa'ad cruelty is not exhausted. He decides to lead the procession past where the bodies of the martyrs lie.