Hazrat Bibi Rukeya
(AS) (also known as Bibi
Sakina (A.S)) was the
youngest daughter of Imam
Hussain (A.S). Sakina is a
derivative of "Sakoon"
meaning "Peace". Imam
Hussain (A.S) used to pray
for a daughter in his night
prayers, a daughter who
would give him peace, and
Allah (SWT) granted him his
wish and blessed him with
Bibi Sakina (AS).
BIbi Sakina
was the most beloved
daughter of Imam Hussain (A.S)
and used to sleep on his
chest every night. She was a
lively child, full of love
and happiness. Being the
daughter of the holy Imam,
she was different from other
children of her age in many
ways. She was very religious
and enjoyed reading the Holy
Quran and never missed her
prayers. From a very early
age, she took great care to
make sure that her head and
face were properly covered
when in public.
Imam Hussain
(A.S) was often heard
saying, "A house without
Sakina (A.S) would not be
worth living in" She always
had a sweet and cheerful
smile and a very friendly
nature. Everyone loved
Sakina (A.S). Other children
sought her company as much
as the grown ups did. She
was very generous and always
shared whatever she had with
others.
Like any
other four-five year old
when Sakina went to bed at
night she wanted to spend
some time with her father.
Imam Hussain (A.S) would
tell her stories of the
Prophets (A.S) and of the
battles fought by her
grandfather Imam Ali (A.S).
She would rest her head on
her father's chest and Imam
Hussain (A.S) would not move
from her until she fell
asleep.
There was a
special bond between Bibi
Sakina (AS) and her paternal
uncle, Hazrat Abbas bin Imam
Ali (A.S). He loved her more
than he did his own
children. If Sakina (AS)
requested for anything,
Abbas (A.S) would not rest
until he fulfilled her
request. There was nothing
that Abbas (A.S) would not
do to make Sakina (A.S)
happy. During the journey
from Madina to Mecca and
then Mecca to Kerbala, Abbas
(A.S) was often seen riding
up to the mehmil (a special
saddle made for women) in
which Sakina (A.S) sat to
make sure that she had
everything she wanted.
Sakina loved her uncle just
as much. While in Madina she
would, several times a day,
visit the house in which
Hazrat Abbas lived with his
family and his mother,
Ummul-Baneen (A.S).
When from the
2nd of Muharram the armies
of Yazid bin Muaweyah(L.A)
began to gather at Kerbala,
Imam Hussain (A.S) said to
his sister Lady Zainab (A.S),
"The time has come for you
to get Sakina used to going
to sleep without my being
there". Bibi Sakina (A.S)
would follow her father at
night and Imam Hussain (A.S)
had to gently take her to
Lady Zainab (A.S) or Lady
Rubaab (A.S)(Bibi Sakina's
mother).
At Kerbala
when from the 7th of
Muharram water became
scarce, Sakina (A.S) shared
whatever little water she
had with other children.
When soon there was no water
at all, the thirsty children
would look at Bibi Sakina
(A.S) with their eyes full
of hope, and because she
could not help them she
would have tears in her
eyes. Bibi Sakina's (A.S)
lips were parched with
thirst.
Several times
Hazrat Abbas (AS) asked Imam
Hussain (A.S) for permission
to go and fight the armies
of Yazeed (L). Each time
Imam Hussain (A.S) would
reply "Abbas, you are the
captain of my army; you are
my Alamdaar, (the standard
bearer)". Hazrat Abbas (A.S)
would never argue with Imam
Hussain (A.S).
Just then
Bibi Sakina (AS) came out
holding a dried up mashk
(water-bag). The little
princess of the generous
Imam leading 42 children,
each with a dry water-bag.
The children were shouting
as if in chorus
Thirst,
consuming thirst, is killing
us.
She walked up
to Hazrat Abbas (A.S) and
told Abbas (AS) that the
children had all come to her
asking for water. He could
see that thirst, aggravated
by the scorching heat of the
desert, was squeezing their
young lives out of them.
Abbas (A.S) went to Imam
Hussain (A.S) and requested
his permission to go and get
water for Sakina (A.S) and
the other children. Imam
Hussain then gave his
permission. Abbas put
Sakina's (A.S) mashk on the
Alam (Flag), mounted his
horse and rode up to Imam
Hussain (A.S).
Abbas (AS)
said "I have come to say
goodbye". Imam Hussain (A.S)
said "My brother, come and
embrace me". Hazrat Abbas
(A.S) dismounted his horse.
There were tears in Imam's
(A.S) eyes. As Hazrat Abbas
(A.S) prepared to mount his
horse, Imam Hussain (A.S)
said, "My brother, I want a
gift from you. I want your
sword". Hazrat Abbas (A.S),
without uttering a word,
gave his sword to Imam
Hussain (A.S) and rode into
the battlefield, armed only
with a spear and holding the
Alam. Each action of Imam
(A.S) varified that he was
not out there to fight
When Hazrat
Abbas (A.S) went to get the
water, the children gathered
around Bibi Sakina (A.S)
with their little cups,
knowing that as soon as
Hazrat Abbas (A.S) would
bring water, Bibi Sakina
(A.S) would first make sure
that they had some before
taking any herself.
Sakina (AS)
was standing next to Imam
Hussain (A.S), also with her
eyes fixed on the Alam of
Abbas (A.S). Abbas (AS)
reached the river bank
fighting Yazid's men trying
to block his way, killing
many with his spear. Abbas'
(AS) bravery was well known
among the Arabs and the
Yazidi troops started to
flee in different
directions. As he bent down
to fill the mashk, the Alam
disappeared from sight.
Sakina (A.S) was frightened
and looked at her father.
Imam (AS) said, Sakina (A.S),
your uncle Abbas is at the
river bank. Sakina smiled
and said, Alhamdulillah (all
praise is for Allah) and
called out all the children
to welcome Abbas.
With the
water-bag filled, Abbas (AS)
wanted to get the water to
the anxiously waiting
children as quickly as
possible. Seeing him gallop
towards the camp of Imam
Husain (AS), a Yazidi
commander shouted from the
enemy ranks that if even a
single drop of water reaches
Hussain's camp, it would be
impossible to fight them on
the battlefield.
When arrows
were coming form all sides,
Abbas had only one thought
in his mind, how to protect
the water-bag than his life.
Hazrat Abbas (A.S) lost both
his arms during the attack,
trying to save the
water-bag. The Alam fell
onto the ground. Bibi Sakina
(A.S) could not see it any
longer. She looked at Imam
Hussain (A.S), but he turned
his face away. Bibi Sakina
(A.S) began to tremble with
fear and her eyes filled
with tears. She raised her
hands and prayed, Ya Allah!
Do not let them kill my
uncle Abbas (A.S), I will
not ask for water again and
ran inside to her mother
(A.S).
When Bibi
Sakina (A.S) saw Imam
Hussain (A.S) bringing the
blood drenched Alam (Flag)
she knew that her uncle
Abbas (A.S) had been
martyred.
Then came the
time when the earth shook
and Bibi Sakina (A.S) became
an orphan. The tyrannical
forces of Yazid (L.A) came
to the tents. They looted
all the belongings of the
holy Ladies (A.S). They even
snatched away the hijab of
the holy ladies (A.S). Bibi
Fatima (A.S) daughters were
left bare-headed. Shimr
(L.A), the most evil of
Yazid's men, came too.
Sakina was crying for her
father. Instead of
comforting words, Shimr
(L.A) slapped Sakina's face
and pulled off earrings from
her ears. Blood poured from
little Sakina's ears. Surely
they would stop now. But
they did not. One-by-one
they set fire to the tents.
The helpless ladies and
children ran from one tent
to another. Little Sakina's
dress was on fire, her ears
were bleeding. All Sakina
wanted was her dear father.
She ran to
the battlefield screaming:
"Father, where are you?
Father, father, speak to me
father."
As the night
descended, since Imam Ali
bin Hussain (AS) also known
as Zain-ul Abideen (A.S),
was unconscious due to his
illness, Bibi Zainab (A.S),
the daughter of Imam Ali (A.S),
took it on herself to
protect the ladies and
children. She gathered all
the ladies and children, in
to one small space in
between the gutted tents.
Imam Zain-ul Abideen (A.S)
lay on the ground surrounded
by these widows and orphans.
There was no fire, no light.
Only the moon cast its dull
light.
On the night
of Ashura (also known as
Sham e Ghreeban), when Imam
Hussain (A.S) and his
companions were lying
headless in the battlefield,
back in the tents, Bibi
Zainab (A.S) was gathering
all the children and the
ladies together. She noticed
that little Sakina (A.S) was
missing. She asked Bibi
Rubab (A.S), but even she
did not know where Bibi
Sakina (A.S) was. The two
holy ladies panicked and ran
out of the tents looking for
her.
The two
ladies searched everywhere
for the young girl but in
vain. Finally, in
desperation, Bibi Zainab
(A.S) went to the place
where the body of her
brother Imam Hussain (A.S)
lay and cried, "O my
brother, Sakina, who you
left in my care, is nowhere
to be found. Where shall I
look for her in this
wilderness?" Just then, the
moon came out from behind a
cloud and Bibi Zainab (A.S)
saw that little Sakina (A.S)
lay on her father, sleeping
on his chest like she always
used to.
She shook the
child awake and said, Oh,
Sakina! How did you
recognize your father? A
person can be recognized by
their face or the clothes
they wear. Your father has
neither. Bibi Sakina (A.S)
replied innocently, I wanted
to tell my father about what
the people had done to me. I
wanted to tell him how Shimr
had robbed the earrings that
my father had so lovingly
given me. I wanted to tell
him how he had ripped them
from my ears leaving my
earlobes torn and bleeding.
I wanted to tell him how the
beast had mercilessly
slapped me when I cried in
pain. When I was running
aimlessly in the desert I
thought I heard my father's
voice telling me he was
here. I followed the voice
and I found him lying here.
I told him everything and
then I felt like sleeping on
his chest the way I always
did, for the last time. So I
kept my head on his chest
and slept till you came.
Noor Ali Merchant, in his
poem titled "Sorrows and
Sufferings" describes the
event as,
Zaynab
counted the children; one
was missing
To her dismay, it was Sakina,
her darling
"Tell me Sakina, where are
you my child?"
In wilderness, the echo was
the only reply.
Frustrated,
she ran towards the
battlefield
"Sakina is lost, your
darling child
Hussain, where shall I look
for her?"
She imploringly sobbed, in
utter despair.
The silvery
moon, behind the clouds was
hid
The clouds dispersed, the
ground was lit
Lying with her head on
Hussain's chest
Little Sakina was sleeping
in her usual nest.
"Sakina, my
child, I have come here
After searching the desert,
my dear
Your father's beheaded body,
how could you find
In this dark night, with
your frightened mind?"
"An
irresistible urge seized me,
though dampened
To tell my father all that
had happened
How they snatched my
earrings, after his death
The slaps I received, the
treatment we met."
"Running aimlessly in the
desert I cried
Tell me dearest father,
where do you lie
Sakina, my darling Sakina,
come here, come here!
I heard him calling and
found my father dear."
"I narrated
to him, all I had endured
It lightened my heart: I was
re-assured
An urge to sleep on his
chest, for the last time
I placed my head in the nest
of mine."
With Sakina,
Zaynab hurried to the camp
Again it was dark; there was
no lamp
All were anxiously waiting
in the ghostly night
Praying silently to God, the
Eternal Light.
In the dark desolate
dungeon, the caravan halted
The scorpions and snakes
took fright and bolted
Zaynab and Zainal Abedeen,
prostrated themselves in
prayer
Without a word of complaint,
without any demur.
Umar Sa'ad
(L.A) asked Hur's widow to
take some food and water to
the ladies and the children.
As she neared to where they
were resting, Bibi Zainab
recognized her. She stood
up, went towards Hur's widow
and offered her condolences
for the martyrdom of Hur.
This gesture on the part of
Bibi Zainab (A.S), who had
suffered so much, lost so
many, and carrying so much
grief in her heart, is a
lesson in real Islamic
manners which the world
should never be allowed to
forget.
Hur bin
Reyahi (RA) was a general in
Yazid's army but left the
Satanic camp and joined Imam
Hussain (AS). Hur had
realised and accepted the
holy status of the Prophet's
grandson.
Bibi Zainab
(A.S) took the jug of water.
She went to Sakina who had
fallen into a fretful sleep.
Gently she stroked the
Sakina's (A.S) uncombed
hair. Bibi Sakina (A.S)
opened her eyes. Bibi Zainab
(A.S) said, "Here is some
water Sakina, please drink a
little. You have been
thirsty for so long. On
hearing the word 'water'
Sakina cried out hopefully,
has my uncle Abbas come
back?
When she was
told that Hur's widow had
brought the water, she got
up, went to Hur's widow,
thanked her and then asked
Bibi Zainab (A.S), Have you
all drank water? Bibi Zainab
(A.S) shook her head. Bibi
Sakina (A.S) asked, why then
do you ask me to drink
water? Bibi Zainab (A.S)
said, because, my dear, you
are the youngest". Sakina
(A.S) replied, no, Asghar is
the youngest. Bibi Sakina
(A.S) took the jug of water,
ran towards where Asghar
(A.S) lay buried, crying O
Asghar, O Asghar.
Ali Asghar
was Bibi Sakina's baby
brother. The Yazidees killed
the six-month-old child with
an arrow when Imam Hussain
(AS) requested them to give
him some water as he was
dying of thirst.
This was how
the homeless spent their
night at Kerbala. This was
Sham-e-Ghareban, the night
of the homeless. They had
lost everything. Their men
had died. Their children had
been killed. In this
desolate desert the fourth
Imam, Imam Zain-ul Abideen (A.S),
the women and the remaining
children are huddled where
only a few hours earlier
stood their camps. Abbas (A.S),
Qasim (A.S) and Ali Akbar (A.S)
had taken turns to guard the
camps. Now, the daughters of
Imam Ali (A.S) and Bibi
Fatima (A.S), Bibi Zainab (A.S)
and Bibi Kulthoom (A.S), lay
awake to make sure that Imam
Zain-ul Abideen (A.S) and
the children were not
attacked.
The next day,
the caravan of the
unfortunate was made to
start traveling towards
Kufa. Imam Zain-ul Abideen
(A.S), frail with illness,
was bound in heavy chains
and forced to walk
barefooted as the Ladies,
including the
grand-daughters of the
Prophet (pbuh&hp), were
forced to sit on bare backs
of the camels and with their
necks and hands tied tightly
in ropes.
The caravan
suffered the tortures of the
journey and when they
reached Kufa they were
forced to march through
public roads and through the
streets of Kufa.
Suddenly the
camel on which the holy
daughter of Imam Hussain
(A.S), Bibi Sakina (A.S) and
the holy sister of Imam
Hussain (A.S) , Bibi Zainab
(A.S) were seated, stopped
near a house. Bibi Zainab's
(A.) eyes fell on Bibi
Sakina (A.S) and immediately
knew that she had something
to say. She asked her and
Bibi Sakina (A.S) answered,
I am about to say something,
I know my dear aunt, that at
this moment it is impossible
for you to fulfill it. When
Bibi Zainab (A.S) insisted,
Bibi Sakina replied, O my
dear aunt my throat is so
dry I do not think I can
endure my thirst anymore.
Bibi Sakina's words were
heard by the women who were
on the top of the houses so
that they could see the holy
caravan march clearly. Among
these women, a goodhearted
lady immediately got up from
the crowd and rushed home to
bring water for Bibi Sakina
(A.S).
But when she
came near the camel and near
Bibi Zainab (A.S) she asked
for a favor in return and
said to Bibi Zainab (A.S)
that when this thirsty child
has tasted this water I want
her to pray for me. On
hearing this Bibi Zainab (A.S)
prevented Bibi Sakina (A.S)
from tasting the water and
said to her, Dear Sakina,
first fulfill this lady's
request. Bibi Zainab (A.S)
asked the lady what Sakina (A.S)
should pray for and she
answered that, My first wish
is that may my children
never be orphans like you ,
please pray for me oh my
dear child , I see that you
are an orphan and I am aware
of that God always listens
to the prayer of an orphan.
Bibi Sakina (A.S) raised her
little hands and prayed for
the lady.
Then Bibi
Zainab (A.S) asked her about
her second wish? The lady
answered, My second desire
is that I wish to visit
Madina, please pray for me
that God will give me the
opportunity to visit the
holy city. On hearing the
name of Madina, Bibi Zainab
(A.S) asked the lady why she
wanted to go to Madina. She
answered, Because it is my
wish to visit the Holy
prophet's (P.B.U.H&F) grave
and I would also like to
meet my holy lady Bibi
Fatima (A.S). Bibi Zainab
(A.S) replied, But don't you
know Bibi Fatima (A.S) is no
longer alive? So what, the
lady said, I have also
served her holy daughters
Bibi Zainab (A.S) and Bibi
Umm-e Kulthom (A.S). I will
go to Madina to have my last
chance to have the honor to
meet them. Now Bibi Zainab
(A.S) asked her one final
question.
Dear Momina,
if you would see your lady
Zainab (A.S) would you
recognize her? She
immediately answered, Of
course I would. Bibi Zainab
(A.S) removed her hair from
the face and cried, Then
your prayer has been
answered, behold Umm-e
Habiba, it?s me Zainab
(A.S), then why don't you
recognize me, don't you
recognize us all?
Umm-e Habiba
began to cry and said, Oh
God, what crime have they
committed so that they are
being tortured this
brutally? Bibi Zainab (A.S)
continued, We are the
children of the Holy prophet
(P.B.U.H&F), your master
Imam Hussain (A.S) has been
martyred along with his
devotees and left unburied
on the burning sand in
Karbala, their heads have
been taken and raised on the
lances . Look ahead Umm-e
Habiba, your master's head
is in front of you, the head
which lips are reciting the
holy Quran.
From the time
when Imam Hussain (A.S) fell
in the battle field, Sakina
forgot to smile. Kufa saw
her as a sober little girl
lost in thought. Quite often
she would sit up at night.
When asked if she wanted
anything, she would say, "I
just heard a baby cry? Is it
Asghar? He must be calling
out for me.
From Kufa,
the next phase of the
journey started for the holy
prisoners. This journey was
to take them to Damascus, in
Syria, which was the capital
of Yazid (L.A).
Bibi Sakina
(A.S) was tied, with a rope,
on a bare camel. At one
point in the journey, Bibi
Sakina (A.S) fell from her
camel. The caravan didn't
stop. No one, apart from the
holy prisoners (A.S),
noticed the fall of this
little princess (A.S). Noor
Ali Merchant, in his poem
titled "Sorrows and
Sufferings" describes the
event as,
Through the
desert of Mesopotamia they
marched on
Falling every few feet, due
to sheer exhaustion
Ali Zain-ul Abideen was
mercilessly whipped
Even if he stumbled, even if
he tripped.
Sakina fell
down from the camel's
bare-back
Zaynab raised an alarm; she
was taken aback
The soldiers were
intoxicated, they paid no
heed
Without any succor, she
would perish indeed!
In
desperation, Zaynab turned
towards the spear
"Hussain, fallen down is
your daughter dear;
I am helpless, my feet and
hands are bound."
The spear, with Hussain's
head, got planted down!
Khooli jumped
down, to uproot the spear
The stooges rushed forth,
from far and near
The spear remained stuck as
if cemented
The impact would be great,
if soldiers got scent.
Shimr
approached Ali; his anger
was boiling
The Imam looked at the head;
tears were trickling
He turned his gaze, Zaynab
caught his weeping eye
"Sakina has toppled over,
the child may die!"
Shimr picked
up the unconscious exhausted
child
Dumping her in Zaynab's
arms, rushed the hostile
Khooli could now lift the
spear from the ground
The caravan proceeded
quietly, onwards bound
After this
incidence, the wretched army
changed the formation of the
holy prisoners (A.S). Imam
Zain-ul Abideen (A.S), was
already tied with chains in
his (A.S) neck and feet, The
wretched army tied his (A.S)
son, Imam Mohammed Baqir
(A.S)- the fifth Imam, on
Imam Zain-ul Abideen's (A.S)
back and then the same rope
was tied on his sister, Bibi
Sakina's (A.S) neck, so that
Imam Zain-ul Abideen (A.S)
could not stand straight. If
he did stand straight, the
rope used to get tight and
strangle Bibi Sakina (A.S).
Even at these
times of hardship and
misery, Imam Hussain's
little princess always
thought of the others first.
She would console her mother
on the death of Ali Asghar
(A.S) and when she saw any
other lady or child weeping
Sakina would put her little
arms around her.
In those
days, it used to take thirty
two days, on a camel, to
reach Damascus, but this
holy family (A.S) was taken
in such a way that it only
took them sixteen days to
reach Damascus.
After the
tragedy of Kerbala, sixteen
days of suffering the
miseries, the tortures and
calamities for the
Ahl-e-Bait - Prophet's
family (A.S), they reached
Damascus. When Yazid (L.A)
heard the news of the
caravan reaching the
outskirts of Damascus, he
ordered them to stop, while
he and the people of
Damascus prepared for
celebrations and
jubilations. This caravan of
holy prisoners was made to
wait out side Damascus for
four days.
Someone asked
Imam Zain-ul Abideen (A.S),
after the holy family (A.S)
was released from the
Zindan-e-Sham (Dungeons of
Syria), as to what was the
hardest part in that whole
period, and Imam (A.S) had
replied that the hardest
part was the time when the
holy family (A.S) was made
to stop outside Damascus for
four days. They were treated
like animals, with their
hands tied; and no food or
water was given.
Then they are
asked to enter the city, the
holy ladies (A.S) were
forced to pass through the
bazaar with out their hijab
(veils), while the locals
were cheering and singing,
finally they reached the
court of Yazid (L.A).
The holy
family of Imam Hussain (A.S)
was now facing Yazid (L.A).
They were acting with
patience on his actions as
it was Imam Hussein's (A.S)
will that they should do so.
Every lady, every child was
standing in front of Yazid (L.A)
tied in ropes and with no
veils and Imam Zain-ul
Abideen (A.S) bound in heavy
chains.
The shocking
scene is that the evil Yazid
(L.A) is drinking wine and
in front of him in a tray is
the severed head of Imam
Hussain (A.S) and Yazid
(L.A) is hitting the mouth
and teeth of the holy Imam
with a stick.
Suddenly
Yazid's eyes fell on the
four year old girl who was
standing with her one hand
on her face and the other
hand on her neck. Yazid
(L.A) asks his men who this
child is and gets the answer
that this is the most
beloved daughter of Imam
Hussain (A.S), Sakina (A.S),
and it is known that Bibi
Sakina (A.S) never fell to
sleep until she laid her
head on her father's chest.
Is that true? Yazid (L.A)
said and ordered to talk to
her and when Bibi Sakina
(A.S) approached Yazid
(L.A), he wanted to test
this love of her father Imam
Hussain (A.S) in front of
hundreds of courtiers.
Yazid (L.A)
said to Bibi Sakina (A.S),
if that is true what I have
just heard then try to call
upon your father and we'll
see if your father's head
will come to your lap. Bibi
Sakina (A.S) raised her
little hands and prayed to
God and then turned herself
towards the head of her holy
father (A.S) and said with
tears flowing from her eyes,
O my dear father please come
to your daughter. This evil
Yazid is putting our love to
the test.
At once the
severed head of Imam Hussain
(A.S) rose from the tray and
came miraculously to Bibi
Sakina (A.S) who started to
kiss her father's holy head
and rubbed her face to her
father's face.
While in the
court, Yazid tried to
humiliate the Ahl-e-bait
(A.S), but every time, would
get humiliated him self. At
this time, one wretched soul
who was one of Yazid's (L.A)
servant, to please Yazid
(L.A), came up with an idea,
and asked Yazid (L.A) to
give the little princess
(A.S) to him, so he could
have her (A.S) as his slave.
This enraged the daughter of
Imam Ali (A.S), Bibi Zaynab
(A.S). Noor Ali Merchant, in
his poem titled "Sorrows and
Sufferings" describes the
event as,
A subservient
courtier, anxious to curry
favor
Bowed before him, thinking
himself too clever.
"Your
Majesty, your indulgence I
crave
Bestow that girl, Sakina, on
me as a slave."
Zaynab standing nearby, with
her head bowed
Was furious, and infuriated
as never before.
"You,
wretched soul; no shame you
have
Prophets grandchild, you
wish to enslave
Is there none amongst you,
even to protest?
Against the shocking and
shameless request."
Hearing this,
the people present at court
got shocked, and Yazid (L.A)
sensing that people might
get angry and a revolt might
take place, said no to the
servant's request.
Meanwhile, Hind, Yazid's
(L.A) wife, who had been a
servant of Bibi Zaynab
(A.S), was passing from that
area. She heard the voice of
Bibi Zainab (A.S), and
rushed towards the court.
She entered the court
without her veil in a
frenzied style. Yazid (L.A),
who knew that his wife Hind
was very devoted towards
Ahl-e-Bait (A.S), quickly
ordered the court be
adjourned, and the Holy
Ahl-e-Bait (A.S) be taken to
the prison. Yazid (L.A)
calmed his wife by telling
her that it was a group of
rebels and not Ahl-e-Bait
(A.S).
Yazid's (L.A)
servants, by the order of
their master, placed the
holy prisoners in a dark and
unclean prison room. After
being released, when Imam
Zain-ul Abideen (A.S)
reached Madina, people asked
him about this jail room.
Imam (A.S) said, It was a
very old and unclean house,
even the ceiling had fallen
down. And since it had no
ceiling, the holy Ahl-e-Bait
(A.S) were unwrapped to the
heat and cold.
After so many
trials and humiliations with
the Ahl-e-Bait (A.S), Yazid
continued with his terror
and then put the Ahl-e-Bait
(A.S) in prison in a dark
underground cell and gave
them so little food that was
barely enough for every one.
In this prison the little
princess Sakina had troubles
to go to sleep every night
as she missed er father Imam
Hussain (A.S). Bibi Zainab (A.S)
used to try to console Bibi
Sakina (A.S) that she should
soon meet her father and
with these words tried to
make her go to sleep.
It was dark
inside, despite the sun's
bright rays
The stone walls were damp,
crumbling with decay
Looks of sorrow and
despondency, was on each
face
Of joy and laughter, there
was not even a trace.
The faces
depicted sufferings, beyond
human endurance
Prayer was the solace, they
enjoyed, without hindrance
A few stale morsels of bread
and a little water
Was their daily ration, in
these horrible quarters.
"Stone walls
do not a prison make nor
iron bars a cage,"
Was equally true in that
merciless land and cruel age
Though in shackles, every
night their spirits soared
high
To heights sublime, beyond
all plains, in the heavenly
sky.
(Noor Ali Merchant, Sorrows
and Sufferings)
Knowing that
her weeping upsets her
mother, Bibi Sakina (A.S)
would cry silently and
quickly wipe away her tears.
In the prison, at Syria, she
(A.S) would stare at the
flock of birds flying to
their nests at sunset and
innocently ask Bibi Zainab
(A.S), will Sakina be going
home like those birds flying
to their homes?
One night
Bibi Sakina (A.S) was asleep
and she suddenly woke up
crying and started to look
for her father everywhere.
All the Holy ladies tried to
console her so she would
stop crying but she didn't
get any peace and continued
crying, O my dear aunt ,
where is my father , a few
minutes ago I was with my
father and he kissed me and
said to me that my dear
Sakina you will soon be with
me. But where is my father
now??
When Bibi
Sakina told her dream, all
the holy ladies (A.S)
started to cry and now this
noise of crying was heard by
Yazid (L.A) at his court.
Yazid (L.A) sent a servant
to ask why the little
princess (A.S) was crying.
The servant was informed
that Bibi Sakina (A.S)
missed her father and that
is why she was crying. They
informed Yazid (L.A) of the
situation, and Yazid (L.A),
for his sadistic pleasure,
sent the severed head of
Imam Hussain (A.S) to the
prison and when Bibi Sakina
(A.S) received the head of
her father she started to
cry even more and held it
very tight and asked her
father, who cut off my
father's head, who martyred
my father, why are we held
as captives?
With these
words of sorrow suddenly
Bibi Sakina (A.S) was quiet
and there was a silence in
the cell. Everyone thought
that Bibi Sakina (A.S) had
finally gone to sleep again
but this was not a temporary
sleep, Bibi Sakina (A.S) had
now gone into a permanent
sleep to meet her holy
father. Bibi Zainab (A.S)
summoned Imam Zain-ul
Abideen (A.S) to check the
status of Sakina as they
thought she had fallen
unconscious. When the Imam
(A.S) went over to check on
his sister (A.S), he noticed
she had stopped breathing.
All the Bibis (A.S) were
crying standing around Bibi
Sakina (A.S).
Sakina, woke
with a shriek, in the dead
of the night
She had seen her father's
heavenly soothing light
"O' Sakina, you have
suffered enough, come with
me
the days of your sufferings
are over; O' where is he?"
It was just a
dream, what a
disappointment!
It was not a reality, to her
bewilderment
Her uncontrollable
lamentations, gathered a
crowd
The ladies also lost control
and wailed aloud.
Hearing the
wails, Yazid sent slaves to
inquire
Pacing up and down, he had
not yet retired
On knowing the cause, his
crooked mind strived
A devilish scheme, he soon
mischievously contrived.
Yazid's men
entered with a covered tray,
"I do not want food, please
take it away
I want my father; promises
he did give
Without taking me, why did
he leave?"
They removed
the cloth; Sakina beheld the
face
Even in death, it was full
of heavenly grace
With a cry, she flung
herself on the wooden tray
Hugging to her heart, she
snatched the face away.
Inconsolably,
she bent down over the head
Putting, her cheeks, against
that of her dad
Within a few moments, her
sobbing had stopped
Her mortal remains, she had
quietly dropped.
"How long
will you lie on your
father's head?"
Zaynab touched her hand; she
was shockingly dead
Sakina had gone with her
father, never to return
Hussain had kept his
promise, as he had always
done
(Noor Ali Merchant, Sorrows
and Sufferings)
Left) The
grave of Syeda Sakina (SA)
inside the dungeon. She was
later moved to Damascus city
and is now burried near the
palace of Yazeed.
Bibi Sakina (A.S)
was buried in the same
dungeon. Bibi Zainab (A.S.)
held the still child as Imam
Zain-ul Abideen (A.S) dug a
grave for her sister in the
dungeon. Her (A.S) clothes
were burnt in Kerbala, and
due to injuries, had
intermingled with her flesh.
Therefore, she was buried in
the same burnt, ripped
clothes right there in he
Dungeon of Syria (Zindan-e-Shaam.)
As the grave
was being filled up after
the burial the mother let
out a scream. All the ladies
huddled around her, and the
prison walls began to shake
with the cry, Ya Bibi Sakina
(A.S), Ya Mazloomah. (O
Sakina! O Oppressed one!)
When the time
came and they were released
from the prison, Bibi Rubaab
(A.S) came to the grave of
her beloved daughter (A.S),
put her cheek on Bibi Sakina
(A.S)'s grave and cried out,
Speak to me
Sakina. Only a word, my
child, speak to me.
Right) The
entrance to the shrine of
Syeda Sakina (AS) near the
palace of Yazeed (L) in
Damascus.
Bibi Sakina (A.S)'s
body was removed from its
original burial place,
Dungeon of Syria, some
centuries later, when a
pious man of Damascus was
informed in his dream that
water was pouring into the
grave of this young Hashmite
princess (A.S). Upon
confirmation that ground
water was actually entering
the grave, Bibi Sakina (A.S)'s
body was buried in a new
shrine near Yazeed's palace,
where she rests today. Her
body was in the condition
that if she had been buried
the same day.
It was her
father Imam Hussain (A.S)
who was brutally killed in
Kerbala. It was her baby
brother Ali Asghar (A.S) who
had an arrow shot through
his neck. It was her beloved
uncle Abbas (A.S) that had
both his arms cut off. It
was she who spent her last
days in a dungeon. The
little princess of Imam
Hussain (A.S). The only
person to never make it out
of that desolate dungeon.
She was Bibi Sakina (A.S),
the young Hashemite
princess.
(Left) The Zareeh of Syeda
Sakina (AS) in the shrine
near the palace of Yazeed
(L)
My Salutaions
to the little princess of
Imam Hussain (AS)
My salam on
you, O Grand-daughter of Ali
(A.S), Amir-ul-Momineen.
My salam on you, O
Grand-daughter of Bibi
Fatima (A.S), The Radiant.
My salam on you, O daughter
of Hussain (A.S),
Mazloom-e-Kaerbala.
My salam on you, O niece of
Abbas Alamdar (A.S).
My salam on you, O niece of
Bibi Zaynab (A.S).
My salam on you, O sister of
Ali (A.S), Zain-ul Abideen
My salam on you, O noble
one, from nobel linage.
My salam on you, O pious,
pure one.
My salam on you, O young
Mazloomah.
My salam on you, O who
suffered and was oppressed.
My salam on you, O who was
held captive.
My salam on you, O who is
buried far from home.
My salam on you, O who never
made it out of that desolate
dungeon.
My salam on you, O young
Hashemite Princess (A.S).
My salam on you, O Bibi
Sakina-bint-Al Hussain (A.S).
My salams on
you and May Allah (SWT)
grant you abundant peace and
blessings.
Allah's (SWT)
choicest blessings be upon
Mohammed and his holy
progeny.
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