ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Victory of Truth: The Life of Zaynab bint Ali Sacrifice - Karbala The tenth day of Muharram, 'Ashura, dawned. Before going into battle Imam Husayn [a.s.] went into the tent of his son Zayn ul-Abidin [a.s.] who was lying ill on a sheep's skin, too weak to join his father in battle. He was being tended to by his aunt Zaynab [a.s.]. Husayn [a.s.] bade him farewell, saying, "My son, you are the best and purest of my children.

After me you will be my successor and deputy. Take care of these women and children during captivity and the rigours of travel. Console them.

My son, convey to my friends my Salam (greetings of peace) and tell them their Imam has been killed away from his home and that they should mourn for me." Sighing deeply, he turned to Zaynab [a.s.] and the other women of the Bani Hashim and said, "Take heed and remember that this my son is my successor and Imam and is to be obeyed by everyone." Then to Zaynab [a.s.] he said, "After killing me my enemies would take off the clothes from my body.

Therefore please bring me some old and tattered dress to wear so that they might not undress me and leave me naked." Zaynab [a.s.] did as he requested. That same day, Zaynab [a.s.] brought to him her two sons Aun and Mohammed and said to him, "O my brother, if women were permitted to fight I would have courted death to save you. But it is not allowed. Accept therefore the sacrifice of my two sons." The bloody battle raged all day.

One by one Imam Husayn's sons, kinsmen and supporters were butchered on the battlefield. When Zaynab's sons were killed she bore their death with fortitude. She did not come out of her tent, nor did she loudly lament for she did not wish to cause grief or shame to her brother. But when the corpse of Ali Akbar [a.s.] (the son of Imam Husayn [a.s.] was brought to the tents of the women Zaynab [a.s.] was distraught.

Oblivious of her veil she came out of her tent and clasped the body saying, "O my son, would that I had become blind, or had been buried beneath the ground so as not to have seen this day." Their enemies did not even give them access to any water that might soothe their parched throats. Their water supplies had long since been finished. When the Imam was taking his final leave of the ladies, Zaynab [a.s.] asked that he try to get a little water for his dehydrated infant son Ali Asghar [a.s.].