By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz

 

We are on the eve of the first day the month of Safar. It is the day that refreshes our memories of the immortal saga of Imam Husain (AS) with the forced entry of the noble captives of the heartrending tragedy of Karbala in the court of the tyrant Yazid in Damascus.

 It is the day that proved true the famous phrase of the Holy Qur’an “Shajarat al-Maloona” or the “Accursed Tree” for the Omayyad clan which had usurped the caliphate and whose distortion of the teachings of Islam God had revealed decades earlier to Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) in a vision.

 “When We said to you, ‘Indeed your Lord comprehends all mankind,’ We did not appoint the vision that We showed you except as a test for the people and the tree cursed in the Qurʾan. We deter them, but it only increases them in great rebellion.” (17:60)

 The prime pagans of Arabia, such as Abu Sufyan and his son Mu’awiya had only paid lip service to Islam on the surrender of Mecca to the Prophet in 8 AH.

 They were heathens deep down in their hearts and hypocrites in the true sense of the word as was borne out by their plots against Muslims after the departure of the Prophet from the world, and their acts of enmity against the Blessed Family the Ahl al-Bayt, especially Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) and his Infallible Sons, Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS).  

 Mu’awiya had rebelled against Imam Ali (AS) and imposed the deadly War of Siffin that led to the death of tens of thousands of Muslims including some of the prominent companions of the Prophet, such as Ammar Yasser and Owais Qarani.

 After the martyrdom of Imam Ali (AS), he terrorized Muslims and bribed tribal chiefs to betray Imam Hasan Mujtaba (AS) in order to seize rule of the Islamic state upon which he installed his openly infidel son Yazid as ruler, in violation of the clauses of the treaty with the Prophet’s elder grandson, whom he martyred through a fatal dose of poisoning.

 Now in 61 AH, the libertine Yazid, after ordering the massacre of the Prophet’s younger grandson Imam Husain (AS) at Karbala, forced the ladies and children of the noble Ahl al-Bayt to be brought in chains and fetters to his capital.

 Thus, on the first of Safar, 20 days after the epic of Ashura (Muharram 10), the noble captives along with the severed heads of the martyrs mounted on lances, were paraded through the streets of Damascus and brought to his presence.

 The only grownup man amongst the noble captives was the 23-year old Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) – the son and successor of Imam Husain (AS) – who despite his sick health was clasped in chains and fetters, along with his wife, his 4-year old son, Imam Baqer (AS), his sisters, including 4-year old Ruqaiyya (SA) and his aunt, Hazrat Zainab (SA), the indomitable daughter of the Prophet.

 What a pathetic sight it was! Even in such a sorrowful state, the household of the Prophet carried themselves in dignity. They were pictures of patience, despite the gruesome sight of the heads of martyrs mounted on lances, and the noble ladies and children tied in a rope. This was their unique jihad. It was a jihad to make Islam triumph in the court of the cowardly enemy.

 When the noble captives entered the palace they were shocked to see Yazid sitting on a gilded throne with a goblet of wine in his hand, while in front of him was the head of Imam Husain (AS) in a tray. He had a cane in his other hand and was showing disrespect to the severed head.

 The tyrant was elated at what he considered the humiliation of the Household of the Prophet and openly wished that his infidel ancestors who in trying to attack the Prophet had been slain in the Battles of Badr and Ohod were alive this day to witness his apparent victory over Muslims.

 He went on to recite a couplet as further proof of his lack of faith in Islam, by saying: “The Hashemites played the game of kingdom; neither any message descended [from heaven] nor revelation.”

 At this blasphemy, Hazrat Zainab (SA) delivered one of her most eloquent sermons that had a profound effect on the gathering in Damascus, which included the ambassador of Byzantine or the Eastern Roman Empire, and was unaware of the identity of the martyrs and the captives:

 “All praise belongs to God, the Sustainer and Preserver of the Universe and His blessings be showered on my grandfather Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). The holy Qur’an says (Ayah 10 of Surah Roum): “Then evil was the end of those who wrought evil, for they belied the signs of God and mocked at them.”

 “O Yazid! You think that you have made our life miserable and you have made us prisoners, and because we have been presented in your court you feel elated. You think that we have been disrespected and dishonoured by God and that you have been honoured and elevated to this position by Him. This apparent success of yours makes you puff with pride at our disaster. You feel that you have conquered the world and feel that you are well set in power and control. Only time will teach you a bitter lesson. (Ayah 177 of) Surah Aal-e Imran points out to people like you who are destined to go to hell, when God says: “Let not those who disbelieve, think that Our giving them respite is good for themselves. We only give them respite so that they may increase in sins and for them is a disgraceful chastisement.” 

 “O Yazid! Your misdeeds have clearly proved your rebellion towards God and the message the Prophet brought to this world, and this has proved beyond doubt that you refuse to honour the Prophetic Message sent by God. This behaviour of yours does not come as a surprise, for your ancestors chewed the liver of the Prophet’s uncle Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, mutilated his body, had his liver taken out, sucked it and quenched her thirst for vengeance at the Battle of Ohud. You belong to this clan, which always opposed the Prophet and gathered armies from various clans to oppose him. The offspring of such rabble and monsters are the enemies of God and His Prophet.”

 At this, the whole court realized the grave sin Yazid had committed. When it 

was the turn of Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) to speak, he delivered an electrifying sermon on the God-given merits of the Ahl al-Bayt that stunned the filthy tyrant. As the people of Syria, shocked at the unpardonable crime their ruler had committed, started weeping, Yazid ordered the muezzin (caller to prayer) to recite the Azaan, although it was not yet time for the ritual prayer.
When the muezzin said: “Allahu Akbar”, Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) said: “You have acknowledged as great the Greatest One Who cannot be measured and cannot be perceived by senses; there is nothing greater than Allah.”
When the muezzin recited: “Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah,” (I testify there is no god except Allah), the Imam said: “My hair, my skin, my flesh, my blood, my brain, and my bones bear witness that there is no god but Allah.”
When the muezzin chanted: “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allah,” (I testify that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah), the Imam turned to Yazid and asked him: “O Yazid, is Muhammad (SAWA( your grandfather or mine? If you say that he is yours, then you are a liar, and if you admit that he is mine, then why did you kill his grandson and family?”
Yazid stormed out of the court in anger, while the people of Syria on realizing the identity of the noble captives, started protesting at the unpardonable crimes the Omayyad regime has committed.
Thus, with their bold sermons, the noble aunt and nephew ripped off the mask of hypocrisy from the face of the ungodly Omayyad regime (the “Shajarat al-Maloona” or the Accursed Tree mentioned by God in the Holy Qur’an), and exposed Yazid in his true heathen colours.