ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Journey of Tears The Fourth Journey - Kufa to Shaam Bibi Zainab's speeches had stirred Kufa. The people of Kufa were filled with remorse. There was unrest in the city. In the market place they were whispering: 'What have we done? How could we invite the Prophet's grandson and then desert him to be mercilessly butchered at Karbala’? How can we permit the Holy Prophet's grand daughters be paraded in the streets like slaves?

What have we done?' Ibn Ziyad feared that the people of Kufa might rise against him. He ordered that the prison be strictly guarded. No one was allowed to visit them. Only the most trusted guards were allowed in or around the prison. In the mean time messengers ran between Kufa and Damascus.

Although at first Yazid had ordered that the captives be detained at Kufa until he had completed all the arrangements for their entry into Shaam (Damascus), because of the mood in Kufa, Ibn Ziyad was anxious to have the prisoners out of Kufa as soon as possible. It was agreed that they be taken to Shaam. Once again the prisoners were assembled and a procession left Kufa. But this time the departure was kept secret from the people of Kufa and took place at night.

So began the fourth journey of tears! It was a long and difficult journey. Who was the hero and who was the heroine of this journey through the Iraqi and the Syrian deserts? Was it Bibi Rubaab, who from her unsaddled camel kept on staring at Ali Asghar's cradle loaded on another camel carrying the goods looted from Husayn's camp during the Shaam al-Gareeba?

Was it Bibi Sakina who now sat mournfully on her mother's lap staring at the 'alam of Hazrat Abbas and her mashk still tied to the 'alam, and who kept whispering: “I am not thirsty, Uncle, I am not thirsty!” Was the hero Imam Zain ul 'Abideen who was made to walk all the way, the hot chains eating into his flesh? Some times our Fourth Imam would faint. His captors however knew no pity. They would flog him if he slowed down or fainted.

On these occasions Bibi Zainab would intervene to stop the Imam from being flogged to death. This was the journey of which the hero was the valour of Hazrat Ali which ruled the heart of Imam Zain ul 'Abideen and the heroine was the sabr of Fatimah Zahra which inspired Bibi Zainab. The journey from Kufa to Shaam was a long one. It took over twenty days. The women and the children were exhausted. Their suffering was great!