Hazrat Zainab and Her Exemplary Role

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

“The bearer of the standard is thy choice.'

'The King of Heaven must choose,' Zainab replied.

'Thou were declared our mother with one voice',

Answered Husain, 'the day that Fatima died.

So now must thou decide; for thee to say

Which one will bear the standard to the fray…..'

“The King who has no equal [Husain] found his voice,

 As tears came to his eyes: 'To thee my thanks.

My sister [Zainab], thou hast uttered Ali's choice.

Go call Abbas, the terror of the ranks.'

Akbar [Husain’s son] called his uncle reverently:

'The King awaits. My aunt has chosen thee.”

The English translation of the above stanzas from the elegiac poetry (Marsiya) of Mir Anees highlights the mutual reverence between Imam Hussain and Hazrat Zainab. The conversation between them portray Bibi Zainab as a counselor and decision-maker. Imamis need to expose the extraordinary courage of Hazrat Zainab who maintained her calm, composure and fortitude after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and burning of tents by Yazidi soldiers on 10^th Muharram. Often, she is portrayed as a wailing lady in the religious gathering organized to mourn martyrs and survivors of Karbala. There is nothing wrong in it, for Bibi Zainab had witnessed the slaughtering of her brother, martyrdom of her own sons, brothers and other companions of imam. She mourned them constantly but never allowed her grief and trials to dominate the responsibility of that her brother had left her on shoulders.   

She took charge of the survivors after Imam Husain, led them in bondage to Kufa and Damascus, silenced the onlookers by her oratory skills and narrated the barbaric killing of her innocent brother in most trying conditions. She became the living spokesperson for prophet’s family and   her addresses brought Yazidi empire on the brink of collapse. By holding the first majlis to mourn the death of her brother and other martyrs in the very house that was offered to her in Damascus only indicate helplessness of Yazid against her. Prior to it, she confronted Yazid face- to- face in his court when he noticed her among the captives and asked “Who is this woman”. The daughter of Ali came forward and thundered “Ask me. I will tell you myself. I am Mohammad’s granddaughter. I am Fatima’s daughter.”She also saved the life of Imam Sajjad through her exemplary courage. Maulana Syed Ali Naqi, one of the most reputed scholars on Hussaini revolution, has praised Bibi Zainab in these words “She is the voice of truth in the face of a tyrannical government and an oppressive sultanate – Can there be any doubt that each and every sentence of her speech was more brutal for Yazid than the wounds wrought by thousands of swords and spears”.

Hazrat Zainab is rightly characterized as Imam Hussain’s female counterpart as it was she who raised the voice of truth to kill falsehood. She exhibited to the world as to how one should confront adversity with courage and patience? Her life after Karbala also tells women to come forward to face the challenges if devoid of men’s support for any reason. Mir Anees deserves praise for his projection of Bibi Zainab as a decision-maker and counselor to Imam of his time. Thus, he revealed to the entire world how Allah had blessed Bibi Zainab with wisdom of highest order.(The article has been posted in view of the commencement of Arbaeen as a tribute to Messenger of Karbala.)