I have not seen anyone as wicked as Yazid and a polytheist...

I have not seen anyone as wicked as Yazid and a polytheist and a disbeliever worse than him or an oppressor more tyrannical than him.” [4] [1] Ibne Athir, Tarikh 4/87-88 [2] Tadhib at-Tahdhib 1/157 [3] Abdullah bin Nurullah, Awalim Imam Husain 17/422-423 [4] Abdullah bin Nurullah, Awalim Imam Husain 17/396 Yazid was helpless; because he had thought that material wealth would deceive the Ahle Bayt and he did not realize that they were the hands of the Almighty from whom Allah had kept away all impurities and purified them thoroughly.

Request of Imam Zainul Abideen (‘a) The worst of the oppressors asked Imam Zainul Abideen (‘a) to tell him what he needed. His Eminence (‘a) said: “I want you to show me the face of my father and return whatever has been looted from our ladies; because heirlooms of our ancestors were among those things. And if you want you can kill me.

Then send someone to escort my family to Medina.” Most probably the Imam’s request to see the head of his father was so that Yazid would give it to him and thus he could respectfully assign it to dust. However that oppressor declined this request, it was so because he had ordered to take the severed head around the country to instill awe and fear in people and make it a lesson for anyone contemplating an uprising.

But he accepted the demand that looted belongings of the womenfolk be returned to them. This demand of His Eminence did not imply that he was asking for the jewellery, ornaments and other belongings that were plundered in Kerbala. Rather the aim of His Eminence was to get back the exquisite heirlooms they had inherited from their great-grandfather, His Eminence, the Holy Prophet (s); like the turban, coat of mail and sword of His Eminence and other things that were more valuable than wealth.

That tyrant bowed his head and became worried about the request of the Holy Imam (‘a), then he raised his head and said to His Eminence: “You will not see the face of your father but whatever has been taken from you will be restored. As for the ladies, they shall not be returned (to Medina) except with you, as I have decided to spare your life.” [1] Journey to Medina Yazid, the tyrant ordered Noman bin Bashir to escort the survivors of the Prophet of God (s).

[2] In the same way, fearing mischief and unfavorable developments he instructed him to depart with them from Damascus at night time.