On Chehlum, lets us resuscitate the message of lady Zainab, who stood tall without bowing down before the brutes

The pre-Islamic period in Arabia is known as the 'age of ignorance'. Scudding away from the noble attributes of human principles, Arabs were treading the path of retrogression and abhorrence. Practising all sorts of evils and vices, they were habitual of wreaking vengeance, killings on non-issues, group quarrels and tribal animosities, lasting for generations. They used to bury their newly born daughters alive. They had no sense of equality, human values, decency and brotherhood.

In this crucial moment, Prophet Mohammad brought the message of love, tolerance, humanity, kindness, compassion, forbearance, liberty, equality and securing justice for the persecuted. However, the conflict between good and evil remains perpetual. Both persist in their efforts to sustain. Mohammad was the messenger of peace but there inhabited a Satanic group of

'Ommayads' did not tolerate the sojourn of humanity and excellence and opposed the Prophet's teachings with heavy hands. Ommaya's grandson Abu Sufiyan forced the Prophet to migrate from Mecca to Medina. From this migration began the Hijri era of Islam. In Medina, the Prophet established the caliphate for administering the systematic "rule of law".

After the demise of the Prophet, the Muslim community was torn by conflicting claims of leadership. In total disregard to the Prophet's declaration of Hazrat Ali as his successor in the Gadeer e Khum area while returning from his last Haj, Muslim tribal leaders declared Abu Bakar as the first caliph, followed by Omar, Usman and then Hazrat Ali.

Muawiya of the Ommayad clan with the view to usurp the caliphate, mischievously and secretly planned the assassination of Hazrat Ali and his elder son Imam Hasan and declared himself as caliph and leader of the faithful. After Muawiya's death, his son Yazid usurped the seat of the caliphate forcibly and declared himself the so-called spiritual leader of the faithful. Yazid was a hardcore criminal, tyrant, great drunkard and libertine. The barest mention of his objectionable character is taboo in this civilised society.

After declaring himself as self-proclaimed caliph and leader of the faithful, accursed Yazid compelled Imam Husain, the younger grandson of the Holy Prophet Mohammad to acknowledge him as commander of the faithful.

Husain was known throughout the Arab world for his wisdom, compassion and piety. On the contrary, Yazid's immoral activities indicated the deliberate intentions of making vulgar and vociferous alterations to the established Islamic values. Imam Husain refused Yazid's allegiance. Husain as the Prophet's grandson and successor had to do his duty to save Islamic values against transgression as accursed Yazid was committed to defacing and disfiguring the true faith and then a pseudo-religion would emerge under the guise of Islam.

On Imam Husain's refusal of his allegiance, on 10th October, 680 AD, Yazid brutally assassinated Imam Husain and 71 of his family members in the desert of Karbala with mercury touching 50 degrees C, after keeping them hungry and thirsty for three days. When Husain asked the enemy to give water to his 6-month-old infant son Ali Asghar, the child was killed with an arrow, the buoyancy of whose innocent blood refloated the sinking ship of humanity.

After the massacre of 72, the bodies of the martyrs were trampled with the hoofs of the horses. Their heads including that of the infant were severed and mounted on lancers. The tents of Husain's family were torched. The innocent children, including the 4-year-old beloved daughter of Husain, Bibi Sakina, ladies and the only surviving ailing son of Husain, Zainul Abedeen were made prisoners and paraded from Karbala to Syria, a long distance of 2700 km, on the bare backs of Camels to be produced before the accursed Yazid.

Here in his secretariat, accursed Yazid played another trick by concealing the real identity of the victims. Yazid through his state-sponsored propaganda apparatus was now portraying the Prophet's Household as renegades. Yazid would have succeeded in his evil designs had Husain's sister Zainab and son Zain ul Abedeen not risen to the occasion.

Lady Zainab through her bold and eloquent sermons in that very state of captivity, bound in chains with the heart-rending spectacle of the severed heads of her brothers, sons and nephews, mounted on lancers before her, protected the withered tree of Islamic values and humanity before the fierce gales of disaster.

When Zainab and her remaining family members whose necks were bound in one long chain, which included the neck of a 4- year old Husain's daughter Sakina, were brought to the court of Yazid with 700 courtiers and ambassadors of other states sitting over there, Zainab exposed Yazid's tyranny and false propaganda through her bold and eloquent sermons. She said," What Yazid! By closing down all existence, imprisoning, chaining and parading us without food and water from place to place, have you thought that you have lowered our image and considered yourself to be a respectful person? Or you are under the wrong impression that the tragedy we met at your hands has elevated your status and therefore you are acting most arrogantly! You have caused this dilapidated condition of ours for no fault that where from our guardian- less caravan passes, huge throngs of spectators assemble to glance at us. She further said, "Oh the son of our freed slaves, is this justice?"

Lady Zainab again said fearlessly, "Oh Yazid! Be sure that the most inhuman treatment you have meted to us doesn't guarantee your success but the momentary respite given to you by the Almighty." Zainab quoted the verse of the Holy Quran, " And let not those who disbelieve think that our granting them respite is better for their souls; we grant them respite only that they may add to their sins; and they shall have a disgraceful chastisement."

Zainab unveiled the truth. The sermons had an electrifying effect on the misguided people. Soon after hearing her most influential sermons her, the large conglomeration of the people realised that these prisoners were none but the Household of the Holy Prophet. Most of them started weeping and the tyrant Yazid had to make a hasty retreat towards his palace. In a few months, Yazid was compelled to free the captives of the Holy family. Through her literary and philosophical sermons, she introduced Husain and his mission to the masses.

 Lady Zainab's balance of mind, tolerance, patience, fearlessness, determination and spiritual stamina under heavily burdened adverse circumstances is beyond imagination and deserves full credit for the exemplary courage and aplomb with which she handled the ugly and the most difficult situation. Lady Zainab has proved how to stand tall without bowing down before the brutes in human form.

(The writer is a legal journalist and author. The views expressed are personal)