Imam Hussain and Bibi Shahr Banu

Koh-E-Bibi Shahr Banu Near Tehran in Iran.Courtesy: Google Images 

Dr. Mazhar Naqvi

"Born of the race of Yazdigird the King

From Nushirwan my origin I trace.

What time kind Fortune naught but joy did bring

In Ray's proud city was my home and place.

There in my father's palace once at night

In sleep to me came Fatima ' the Bright ' ;

' O Shahr-banu ' — thus the vision cried —

' I give thee to Husayn to be his bride ! '

Said I, ' Behold Mada'in is my home,

And how shall I to far Madina roam ?

Impossible ! ' But Fatima cried, ' Nay,

Hasan shall hither come in war's array,

And bear thee hence, a prisoner of war,

From this Mada in to Madina far,

Where, joined in wedlock with Husayn my boy,

Thou shalt bear children who will be my joy.

For nine Imams to thee shall owe their birth,

The like of them hath not been seen on earth ! "

This wonderful translation of a Persian play By Browne Edward describes how the marriage of Imam Hussain with Janab-E-Shahr Banu was predicted by Bibi Fatima in a dream. Every year in Iran passion plays are enacted with Janab-E- Shahr Banu -  as the main character. The drama titled as  " The Passing of Shahr Banu," portrays her speaking  that one day when she was fast asleep in the palace of her father King Yezdigird, Bibi Fatima –The illuminated one, appeared in my dream. She told Shahr Banu that she has given the princess to her son Hussain as his bride. Shahr Banu wondered over the declaration and asked how could she be in Medina being too awayt from the holy city. She got the answer from Bibi  as prisoner of war she would be in Medina, marry Hussain and be considered as mother of nine Imams who will be unparalleled on earth.  The time proved prophecy correct. Shahr Banu, with two sisters, was brought to Medina from Ctesiphon as captives. The Caliph ordered them to be sold as slaves, but Hazrat Ali intervened and Shahr Banu was given to Imam Husain. The marriage was of much significance because it included the blue blood of the royal house of Sasan in the veins of those blessed with  the pure and pious blood of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad.  Imami scholars also claim that Hazrat Ali too had foretold the birth of the next Imam, for he said to imam Hussain  "Treat this lady kindly, for she will bear you the best of the people of the Earth after you. She is the mother of the trustees (of authority), the pure progeny".

The blogger has given a detailed description of the marriage of Imam Hussain with Shahr Banu because today is 3^rd Shaban – the birth anniversary of Imam Hussain. He was  born in  4th year of Hijrah in Medina. The  Prophet had rejoiced upon hearing the news of his birth and reached the house of his beloved daughter  to see the  child. When Imam Hussain was brought to him wrapped in  a white cloth the  Prophet  picked him up in his lap and recited the Azaan in his right ear and iqamah in the left one.. On the seventh day of the birth, an angel came from the God and he said, "Just as Haroon was the brother, sympathizer, and helper in each and every difficulty of Moses  similarly Ali is your sympathizer, helper and brother in each and every matter of yours. Therefore, keep the name of this child upon the name of Haroon's son "Shabeer,"  the Arabic translation of which becomes 'HUSSAIN. Usually, his name brings tears only and azadari is performed to recall his martyrdom. No doubt Muharram has kept alive his memory and mission both. But much rejoicing should also  be done on his birth day .If the birth anniversary of the savior of Islam is not celebrated with pomp and show who else deserves?( Browne Edward G.is author of ‘A literary history of Persia and the translation has been taken from the book of John Norman Hollister titled as The Shia of India )