The journey towards Syria is filled with such calamities...

The journey towards Syria is filled with such calamities that even the most stonehearted person weeps upon hearing them. Such a perilous long journey! The heartless custodian guards of this captive caravan took their charges from Iraq towards Syria . This caravan traveled through Kufa, Dondril, Asqalan, Nasibeen, Haman, Hamas and Aleppo and reached Damascus after twenty days and entered the court of Yazid.

The streets of Damascus were decorated with resplendent embellishments as if prepared for a grand celebration. When the caravan of Ahle Bayt of Allah’s Messenger passed through these avenues, the ignorant populace was seen dancing in glee and celebrating the occasion. They clapped and shouted ridicules on the prisoners and the severed head atop the points of spears, signaling at the apparent victory of the profligate Yazid.

The martyrdom of some of the descendants of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the captivity of others was an occasion of gaiety for the Syrians. During this arduous journey the youthful Imam continued to comfort the prisoners of Kerbala and alleviated their broken hearts and sorrowful dispositions.

He used to support them in such a way that each of them was influenced by the patience, reliance and forbearance of the Imam and they all became imbued with an unsurpassed patience and bore all the calamities with a firm heart. We should remember that when the young Imam entered the court of Ibn Ziyad in Kufa along with the ladies and children tied up in ropes, Ibn Ziyad wondered how this young man had escaped alive.

So without waiting for any information from others he asked, “Who are you?” The Imam replied, “I am Ali Ibn Husain.” The tyrant asked, “Didn’t Allah kill Ali Ibn Husain?” “He was my younger brother whom the people killed”, replied Imam Sajjad (a.s), “He was also named Ali.” Ibn Ziyad at once retaliated, “No it was Allah Who killed him.” Imam (a.s) saw that the shameless governor of Kufa was trying to extol his achievements before the foolhardy populace, thus he recited the verse of Quran: God receives the souls at the time of their death.

[1] “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.” Zainab, 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.