Sermon of Sayyida Zaynab at Yazid Court in Damascus

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The sermon of Lady Zaynab (a) in Damascus or the sermon of Lady Zaynab (a) in Yazid's gathering is a sermon delivered by lady Zaynab (a) after the Event of 'Ashura when the caravan of the captives of Karbala was taken to the gathering of Yazid b. Mu'awiya in Damascus. This sermon as well as the remarks of Imam al-Sajjad (a) greatly affected the audiences and changed the gathering in favor of Ahl al-Bayt (a).

The central issues of the sermon are as follows: praising God and sending regards to the Prophet Muhammad (s), the divine tradition of indulging unbelievers, the wrongness of Yazid's behaviors, cursing Yazid's companions, the fate of oppressors, complaining to God about the oppression, and the eternity of Ahl al-Bayt (a).

Yazid's Meeting

After the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the Day of Ashura', his household were imprisoned by the enemy. The caravan of the Captives of Karbala was first taken to the court of Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad in Kufa and then to the court of Yazid in Damascus. Prominent figures of Syria were invited by Yazid to his palace on the occasion of his victory. When they entered the palace, the captives as well as the heads of the martyrs of Karbala were taken to the meeting.^[1]

In Yazid's meeting, as soon as Lady Zaynab (a) saw the bloody head of her brother, Imam al-Husayn (a), she sadly cried:

"O al-Husayn! O God's beloved! O the son of Mecca and Mina! O the son of Fatima al-Zahra (a), the lady of all ladies in the world! O the son of Mustafa (s)!"

The transmitter of the story said: "I swear to God that with Zaynab's (a) cry, everyone in the meeting cried, while Yazid was silent!"

Yazid ordered his staff to bring his wooden stick with which he hit Imam al-Husayn's (a) lips and teeth. Abu Barza al-Aslami (one of the Prophet's (s) companions who was present at the meeting) told Yazid, "O Yazid! Do you hit the teeth of al-Husayn (a) the son of Fatima with your wooden stick? I saw the Prophet (s), with my own eyes, kissing al-Husayn's (a) as well as his brother al-Hasan's (a) lips and teeth and saying, 'you two, are the masters of the youths in the Heaven. May God kill and curse people who kill you. God has prepared the hell for them and wretched is the destination'."

Yazid was angered by his speech and ordered his staff to kick him out of the meeting. He then recited the following poems (which were originally composed by Ibn al-Ziba'ari after the Battle of Uhud):

I wish my seniors in Badr witnessed

the cries of Khazraj out of the strikes of spears

so they shouted happily

and said: O Yazid! Bravo!^[2]

After the recitation of this poem, Lady Zaynab (a) stood up and delivered a sermon.

Contents

Lady Zaynab (a) began her sermon by praising God and sending regards to the Prophet (s) and a Quranic verse concerning the fate of wrongdoers. She then appealed to a Quranic verse regarding the divine tradition of allowing time to unbelievers, and then reprimanded Yazid for his oppression of Imam al-Husayn's (a) household, walking them in cities. She said that Yazid did this for the vengeance of the Battle of Badr. She went on to remind the bad fate of Yazid and curse the killers and oppressors at the Battle of Karbala. At the end, she pointed out that revelation and prophethood specifically belong to Ahl al-Bayt (a) and that Yazid's efforts to wipe them out is vain.

1. Jaʿfarī, Tashayyuʿ dar masīr-i tārīkh, p. 80.
2. Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 45, p. 132-133.


Text: Sermon of Lady Zaynab (a) in Damascus

Sayyidah Zainab (a), the daughter of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (a), arose and said:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَ آلِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ كَذَلِكَ يَقُولُ «ثُمَّ كانَ عاقِبَةَ الَّذِينَ أَساؤُا السُّواى‏ أَنْ كَذَّبُوا بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَ كانُوا بِها يَسْتَهْزِؤُنَ» (سورة الروم، آیة ۱۰)

"All praise be to the Lord of the worlds! And blessings of Allah upon His Messenger and his entire progeny! How true has Allah, the Glorious, said: 'Then evil was the end of those who wrought evil, for they belied the Signs of Allah, and at them they used to mock.'^[1].

أَظَنَنْتَ يَا يَزِيدُ حَيْثُ أَخَذْتَ عَلَيْنَا أَقْطَارَ الْأَرْضِ وَ آفَاقَ السَّمَاءِ فَأَصْبَحْنَا نُسَاقُ كَمَا تُسَاقُ الْأُسَرَاءُ أَنَّ بِنَا هَوَاناً عَلَيْهِ وَ بِكَ عَلَيْهِ كَرَامَةً وَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ‏ لِعِظَمِ خَطَرِكَ عِنْدَهُ فَشَمَخْتَ بِأَنْفِكَ وَ نَظَرْتَ فِي عِطْفِكَ جَذْلَانَ مَسْرُوراً حَيْثُ رَأَيْتَ الدُّنْيَا لَكَ مُسْتَوْثِقَةً وَ الْأُمُورَ مُتَّسِقَةً وَ حِينَ صَفَا لَكَ مُلْكُنَا وَ سُلْطَانُنَا فَمَهْلًا مَهْلًا أَ نَسِيتَ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى «وَ لا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّما نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ إِنَّما نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدادُوا إِثْماً وَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ مُهِينٌ» (سورة آل عمران، آیة ۱۷۸)

O Yazid! Now when you have locked the paths of the earth and the horizon of the heavens upon us, and driven us similar to the captives, do you presume that we are degraded in the eyes of Allah while you are endeared? While you have acquired an eminent and lofty status near Allah due to this? So you look down upon us and become arrogant, elated, and you rejoice that the world has turned towards you? You assume that your task is organized, while your sovereignty and kingdom pleases you? Gradually you seem to have forgotten the words of Allah, the Mighty, the Sublime, 'Let not those who disbelieve think that Our giving them respite is good for their selves; We only give respite to them that they may increase in sins, and for them is a disgraceful chastisement.'^[2].

أَمِنَ الْعَدْلِ يَا ابْنَ الطُّلَقَاءِ تَخْدِيرُكَ حَرَائِرَكَ وَ إِمَاءَكَ وَ سَوْقُكَ بَنَاتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص سَبَايَا قَدْ هَتَكْتَ. سُتُورَهُنَّ وَ أَبْدَيْتَ وُجُوهَهُنَّ تَحْدُو بِهِنَّ الْأَعْدَاءُ مِنْ بَلَدٍ إِلَى بَلَدٍ وَ يَسْتَشْرِفُهُنَّ أَهْلُ الْمَنَاهِلِ وَ الْمَنَاقِلِ وَ يَتَصَفَّحُ وُجُوهَهُنَّ الْقَرِيبُ وَ الْبَعِيدُ وَ الدَّنِيُّ وَ الشَّرِيفُ لَيْسَ مَعَهُنَّ مِنْ رِجَالِهِنَّ وَلِيٌّ وَ لَا مِنْ حُمَاتِهِنَّ حَمِيٌّ وَ كَيْفَ يُرْتَجَى مُرَاقَبَةُ مَنْ لَفَظَ فُوهُ أَكْبَادَ الْأَزْكِيَاءِ وَ نَبَتَ لَحْمُهُ مِنْ‏ دِمَاءِ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ كَيْفَ يَسْتَبْطِئُ فِي بُغْضِنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ مَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَيْنَا بِالشَّنَفِ وَ الشَّنَئَانِ وَ الْإِحَنِ وَ الْأَضْغَانِ ثُمَّ تَقُولُ غَيْرَ مُتَأَثِّمٍ وَ لَا مُسْتَعْظِمٍ «لَأَهَلُّوا وَ اسْتَهَلُّوا فَرَحاً/ ثُمَّ قَالُوا يَا يَزِيدُ لَا تُشَلَ‏»

Is this the custom of justice that you sit your women-folk and maids behind the veils, while you captivate and parade the daughters of the Prophet of Allah (s)? You snatch the veils off them and leave them open, while their enemies parade them from one town to another, and the inhabitants of every stream and town have a glimpse of them? And all intimate and non-intimate look at them, as also the mean and noblemen, when they do not have along with them their men or support? What vigilance can one expect from them who have eaten the liver of the virtuous ones, and whose flesh has emerged (by consuming) from the blood of martyrs? How could he lessen his envy towards us, who looks at us, the Ahl al-Bayt (a), with the sight of arrogance, enmity and resent? And he boldly declares that 'they would have hailed me with cries and said: O Yazid may your hands never stupefy'!

مُنْتَحِياً عَلَى ثَنَايَا أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ سَيِّدِ شَبَابِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ تَنْكُتُهَا بِمِخْصَرَتِكَ وَ كَيْفَ لَا تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ وَ قَدْ نَكَأْتَ الْقَرْحَةَ وَ اسْتَأْصَلْتَ الشَّافَةَ بِإِرَاقَتِكَ دِمَاءَ ذُرِّيَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ نُجُومِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ آلِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَ تَهْتِفُ بِأَشْيَاخِكَ زَعَمْتَ أَنَّكَ تُنَادِيهِمْ فَلَتَرِدَنَّ وَشِيكاً مَوْرِدَهُمْ وَ لَتَوَدَّنَّ أَنَّكَ شَلَلْتَ وَ بَكِمْتَ وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ قُلْتَ مَا قُلْتَ وَ فَعَلْتَ مَا فَعَلْتَ

Then you turn towards the teeth of Abu 'Abd Allah (a), the Master of the youth of Paradise, and strike it with the stick of your hand? Then why would you not say so? You have sent the wound to its bottom, and you have uprooted the origins by shedding the blood of the Progeny of Muhammad (s) and the stars of earth from the descendants of 'Abd al-Muttalib. Then you call out to your forefathers and in your assumption you summon them? Very soon you too shall face their conclusion, and then you will desire you were paralyzed and were dumb so as not to have uttered these words, nor would you have possessed this character.

اللَّهُمَّ خُذْ لَنَا بِحَقِّنَا وَ انْتَقِمْ مِنْ ظَالِمِنَا وَ أَحْلِلْ غَضَبَكَ بِمَنْ سَفَكَ دِمَاءَنَا وَ قَتَلَ حُمَاتَنَا فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا فَرَيْتَ إِلَّا جِلْدَكَ وَ لَا حَزَزْتَ إِلَّا لَحْمَكَ وَ لَتَرِدَنَّ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص بِمَا تَحَمَّلْتَ مِنْ سَفْكِ دِمَاءِ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ وَ انْتَهَكْتَ مِنْ حُرْمَتِهِ فِي عِتْرَتِهِ وَ لُحْمَتِهِ حَيْثُ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ شَمْلَهُمْ وَ يَلُمُّ شَعَثَهُمْ وَ يَأْخُذُ بِحَقِّهِمْ «وَ لا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْواتاً بَلْ أَحْياءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ» (سورة آل عمران، آیة ۱۶۹)

O Lord! Take away our rights from them and seek revenge from our oppressors, and send forth Your wrath upon those who have shed our blood and killed our aides. By Allah! You have torn your own skin and have ripped your own flesh, and you shall go to His presence with the heavy burden of having shed the blood of the progeny of the Prophet (s) and violating the sanctity of his family and adherents, at a place where Allah will have united their dispersed ones and increased the quantity of their scattered ones, and present to them their rights. 'And reckon not those who are slain in the way of Allah, to be dead! Alive they are with their Lord being sustained.'^[3].

وَ حَسْبُكَ بِاللَّهِ حَاكِماً وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ ص خَصِيماً وَ بِجَبْرَئِيلَ ظَهِيراً وَ سَيَعْلَمُ مَنْ سَوَّلَ لَكَ وَ مَكَّنَكَ مِنْ رِقَابِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا

Allah is sufficient as a judge upon you and the Prophet will be your enemy supported by Jibra'eel. Very soon will your father, who set forth the kingdom for you and sat you upon the neck of the Muslims, realize what an evil place awaits the oppressors.

وَ أَيُّكُمْ شَرٌّ مَكاناً وَ أَضْعَفُ جُنْداً وَ لَئِنْ جَرَّتْ عَلَيَّ الدَّوَاهِي مُخَاطَبَتَكَ إِنِّي لَأَسْتَصْغِرُ قَدْرَكَ وَ أَسْتَعْظِمُ تَقْرِيعَكَ وَ أَسْتَكْثِرُ تَوْبِيخَكَ لَكِنَّ الْعُيُونَ عبْرَى وَ الصُّدُورَ حَرَّى أَلَا فَالْعَجَبُ كُلُّ الْعَجَبِ لِقَتْلِ حِزْبِ اللَّهِ النُّجَبَاءِ بِحِزْبِ الشَّيْطَانِ الطُّلَقَاءِ فَهَذِهِ الْأَيْدِي تَنْطِفُ مِنْ دِمَائِنَا وَ الْأَفْوَاهُ تَتَحَلَّبُ مِنْ لُحُومِنَا وَ تِلْكَ الْجُثَثُ الطَّوَاهِرُ الزَّوَاكِي تَنْتَابُهَا الْعَوَاسِلُ وَ تُعَفِّرُهَا أُمَّهَاتُ الْفَرَاعِلِ وَ لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَنَا مَغْنَماً لَتَجِدَنَّا وَشِيكاً مَغْرَماً حِينَ لَا تَجِدُ إِلَّا مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاكَ وَ ما رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ (سورة الحج، آیة 10) فَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمُشْتَكَى وَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُعَوَّلُ.

And what an evil place you have acquired and what a feeble army you possess. Nonetheless, the unpleasant circumstances have made me speak to you; while I consider your status to be quite low and your reproach to be large, as also I consider scoffing you abundantly. But the eyes are manifest and hearts volley. Beware! It is astonishing that the army of the noblemen of Allah be killed at the hands of the army of the freed-ones, the Satans. These are the very hands that have clenched our blood, and these are the very jaws that have devoured our flesh. While these are the chaste and radiant corpses who are guarded, time and again, by the wolves, and hyenas strew sand upon them. And now when you consider us to be booty, 'this is for what sent before your hands (what you did in your life), and that (verily) Allah is not unjust to his servants'^[4]. I complain to Allah and rely on Him Alone.

فَكِدْ كَيْدَكَ وَ اسْعَ سَعْيَكَ وَ نَاصِبْ جُهْدَكَ فَوَ اللَّهِ لَا تَمْحُو ذِكْرَنَا وَ لَا تُمِيتُ وَحْيَنَا وَ لَا تُدْرِكُ أَمَدَنَا وَ لَا تَرْحَضُ عَنْكَ عَارَهَا وَ هَلْ رَأْيُكَ إِلَّا فَنَدٌ وَ أَيَّامُكَ إِلَّا عَدَدٌ وَ جَمْعُكَ إِلَّا بَدَدٌ يَوْمَ يُنَادِي الْمُنَادِي أَلا لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ(سورة هود، آیة ۱۸)

Then you may lay whatever traps you have, and take thou whatever steps you desire, and endeavor as much as you want. By Allah! You shall never be able to wipe out our remembrance nor oust our inspiration from the midst, nor will you be able to wipe off the disgrace of this episode. Your opinion is erroneous, and your days less, while your group is scattered on the day when the caller will announce: 'Beware! (Now) Verily the curse of Allah is on the unjust.'^[5].

فَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ الَّذِي خَتَمَ لِأَوَّلِنَا بِالسَّعَادَةِ وَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ وَ لِآخِرِنَا بِالشَّهَادَةِ وَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَ نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُكْمِلَ لَهُمُ الثَّوَابَ وَ يُوجِبَ لَهُمُ الْمَزِيدَ وَ يُحْسِنَ عَلَيْنَا الْخِلَافَةَ إِنَّهُ رَحِيمٌ وَدُودٌ وَ «حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ». (سورة آل عمران، آیة ۱۷۳)

Praise be to the Lord of the worlds, Who ended felicity upon our beginning with forgiveness, and Who destined martyrdom for our conclusion with blessings. I desire from Allah to complete His reward upon them, and increase it further, and to turn with fairness their succession upon us, for He is Merciful and a Friend. 'Allah is (quite) sufficient for us and the most Excellent Protector is (He)'^[6]."

Notes

1. Quran 30:10   2. Quran 3:178  3. Quran 3:169  4. Quran 22:10  5. Quran 11:18  6. Quran 3:173


References

Translation from Bhujwala (Al Husaynee), Aejaz Ali T. Nafasul Mahmum, Relating to the heart rending tragedy of Karbala. Retrieved from al-Islam.org

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