Hazrat Zainab (SA) was the heroic lady who conveyed the message of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) to the world. Regarding the greatness of this lady, the statement made by Imam Zain al-Abidin (AS) is quite enlightening: “By the grace of Allah, you are a learned lady who has not been taught by anyone (your knowledge comes from God) and you are a lady whose understanding has not been acquired from humans (your understanding is also a divine gift)”. Hazrat Zainab (SA) is a great lady of the Islamic world and the best preaching model, especially with regard to enlightening women. In addition to being brought up in a divine family and following the example of her mother and her path, she had special and unique characteristics explaining which would edify the followers and lovers of greater jihad.
Her name was Zainab (meaning the adornment of her father) and her nickname was Aqeela Bani Hashem (lit. wise lady of Bani Hashem). She was the source of pride for Bani Hashem, and her best feature, which is less mentioned, is her skill in managing crises. She was the lady whose whole being was filled with pure love, and it was because of this pure love that she overcame the pain of foregoing her husband and children and accompanying the Imam of her time on a difficult journey.
In the course of the Ashura incident, she managed to tie her intense emotions to the source of divine revelation and control them in order to protect the truth, and it was because of her steadfastness and profound understanding of the true beauty that (in the court of Ibn Ziyad) she said with firmness: “ما رَأُیتُ إِلّا جَمیلا ” (I saw nothing but beauty). She was an outstanding role model of patience in every respect including her unconditional submission to the Imam of her time, introducing the concept of divine guardianship, sacrifice in the way of it, etc. She had observed with her own eyes how her mother shielded her Imam and finally sacrificed her life in the way of supporting Ali (AS) and became a martyr on the way of Vilayah.
Zainab (SA) had learned the lesson of obedience to Vilayah from her mother and manifested it in Karbala. On the one hand, she tried to introduce Vilayah and imamate and make them known by denying false accusations against Imam Hussain (AS) and reminding the forgotten rights of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), in the courts of Ibn Ziyad and Yazid in Kufa and Levant. And, on the other hand, she was completely submitted to Imamate; whether during the era of Imam Hussain (AS) or during the era of Imam Sajjad (AS), whom she supported until the last moment.She was a self-made scholar and an interpreter and exponent of the truth of the Holy Qur’an. She possessed innate knowledge, was eloquent, and was brought up in a household of infallibility. Hazrat Zainab (SA), without having attended any course on oratory, and in a state of thirst, hunger, fatigue from captivity, and psychological distress, addressed the people – who were not only in disharmony with her but also threw stones and dirt at her – and said: “O people of Kufa, O hypocrites, and O unfaithful people…” Her words were so effective that they awakened their sleeping consciences and made everyone – men, women, old, young, etc. – burst into tears. Khazim Asadi is quoted saying: “I swear by God, I have never seen a woman who is shy and modest, yet more eloquent than her. When she spoke, it was as if Imam Ali (AS) was speaking.”
It has been recorded in history that many eloquent orators and good speakers of Arabs were surprised by Zainab’s eloquence and the way she spoke to the understanding of the audience. They were also astounded by her grace, perfection, knowledge, and bravery. She could not be compared to anyone except Imam Ali (AS). Her tact and insight in extinguishing Yazid’s treasons reflect the prudent, guiding, and strategic role of a lady who did not allow her enemies to abuse her emotions in that critical situation and steadfastly stood by her cause and beliefs.
The extent of the tolerance and patience of this great and heavenly lady shines in the sky of human history. In spite of the back-breaking pains she was undergoing, she appeared in front of Ibn Ziyad with awe, majesty, and dignity and answered the sarcastic comments of the enemy of God and His Prophet in such a way that made him powerless and helpless. The historical speech of Hazrat Zainab (SA) among the people of Kufa was reminiscent of the sermons of her great father, Imam Ali (AS).
Facing Yazid with courage and bravery, she pointed out his failure in erasing the legacy of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (PBUH) by saying: “O Yazid, use whatever trick you can and whatever effort you can. I swear by God that you cannot erase our memory and destroy our religion and the divine revelation…”
The sermon of the Lady of Karbala, who was in pain, was so profound and penetrating that it confused and surprised the people of Kufa and made them lose their senses to such a point that they put their hands in their mouths and bit their fingers. The narrator of Hazrat Zainab’s sermon has said: “After her sermon was over, I saw people were so perplexed that they began to bite their fingers.” The above sentence, which has been narrated by an eyewitness, indicates that Hazrat Zainab’s sermon had created turmoil in Kufa.The role of the great daughter of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was so significant in the incident of Karbala that it has been rightly said: “Had Zainab not been in Karbala, the incident of Karbala would be buried in Karbala.” In other words, the fact that the epic of Ashura has remained alive is due to the enlightenment brought forth by this great lady at that critical moment.
By: Dr. Z. Mirjafari
