Yes, we are speaking of the blessed days of the month of Rajab. Tuesday, May 20 was Rajab 20, the day a great lady was born. For your information, she is none other than HazratSakina (SA), so named because of the tranquility of heart ("sukoon”) her father Imam Husain (AS) used to feel at her tender sight.
Her mother was Rabab, the daughter of Imru al-Qays, the chief of the Christian Arab clan of Bakr bin Wa’el, who became a staunch Muslim following a meeting with the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibnAbiTaleb (AS).
Imam Husain (AS) used to teach her the Qur’an and the accounts of the Prophet and the heroics of her grandfather Imam Ali (AS). Sakina accompanied her father to Iraq. The little girl was greatly attached to her uncle, Hazrat Abbas (AS), the valiant standard-bearer of Karbala. On the day of Ashura when water ran out, she gave her uncle a goatskin water-carrier to fetch water from the River Euphrates. It is said that when Hazrat Abbas (AS) attained martyrdom trying to fetch waters, she felt extremely sad and never complained of thirst.
After the heartrending tragedy that reached its climax with tragic martyrdom of her father, Sakina, along with the members of her family was taken prisoner, but carried herself with dignity, both in the courts of Kufa and Damascus – where her younger sister, Ruqayya attained martyrdom in in the prison. On release from captivity and return to her hometown Medina, she became an authority on hadith and the holy Qur’an.
Sakina never married, saying no person was worthy of her hand, after the martyrdom of her betrothed, her first cousin, the son of Imam Hasan (AS) and elder brother of the martyred Qassim (AS). It is said that once in a mourning ceremony when the daughter of the 3rdcaliph, Osman ibnAffan, tried to boast: "I am the daughter of the Martyr", Sakina remained silent until the Caller for the Prayers recited the Azaan, saying: "I testify Mohammad (SAWA) is the Messenger of Allah".
At this Sakina said referring to the Prophet: "Is he my (grand)father or yours?" At this the daughter of Osman felt ashamed and replied, "I shall never ever take pride upon you".
     Well friends, as for the auspicious anniversaries of the coming days, Saturday is Rajab 24, the day when Khaybar, the impregnable fortress of the ever-rebellious Israelites, was singlehandedly conquered by Imam Ali (AS).
In a happy coincidence this year, May 24 has coincided with Rajab 24. This means we would be celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the liberation of the Iranian port city of Khorramshahr from Ba’thist occupation, on the grand anniversary of Khaybar, when Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) expressed that talismanic phrase "Nad-e AliyanMazhar al-Aja’eb” (Call Ali the Manifestation of Wonders).
     By the way, Thursday Rajab 22 is also a very blessed day, whose significance you can find in the column "This Day in History” on page 3. As those of our readers from the Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent know, it is the day of a special "Nazri” called "Koondey” attributed to the Prophet’s 6th Infallible Heir, Imam Ja’farSadeq (AS). The special dish for this day is "Puree” and "Shirberenj”
      Goodbye and God bless you, until we meet again next week a day after the Grand Occasion of Mab’as, when God formally ordained Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) as the Last and Greatest Messenger to mankind.