Lady Zaynab: The Adornment of Her Father

Sayyida Zaynab (s.a), a fragrant flower blossom in the garden of Amir al-Mu’minin Imam Ali (a.s) and the Queen of Paradise, was the granddaughter of Sayyidul Anbiya (The Master of Prophets) Muhammad (saww) and Malika- tul-Arab (The Queen of Arabia) Sayyida Khadija-tul-Kubra (s.a).

She was born in the 5th or 6th year of Hijrah, on either the 5th of Jamadi al-Awwal or the 1st of Sha’ban. She was the third child of her parents.

According to narrations from Al-Kashani and Karbassi, it is recounted that when Sayyida Zaynab (s.a) was born, her mother, Lady Fatima (s.a), brought her to her father, Imam Ali (a.s), and requested him to name the newborn. Imam Ali (a.s) then took her to the Messenger of Allah, her grandfather, to seek guidance in naming her.

The Prophet Muhammad (saww) supplicated to Allah SWT for guidance, and at that moment, the angel Jibrael descended with a message of peace, announcing that Allah SWT had chosen the name Zaynab for her. The name “Zaynab” originates from Arabic. It combines “Zayn”, meaning beauty or grace, and “ab”, meaning father. Together, “Zaynab” signifies “the adornment or beauty of her father.”

Syeda Zaynab (s.a) truly reflected the essence of her name in her character, representing greatness, purity, courage and bravery in every aspect of her life. She stood as the adornment of her father, Ali, through her deep faith, kindness, eloquence, wisdom and strong will in difficult times.

Syeda Zaynab (s.a) witnessed many hurtful incidents throughout her life, starting from the demise of her mother, Syeda Fatima (s.a), at a young age, to the martyrdom of her father, Imam Ali (a.s), and her brother, Imam Hassan (a.s), culminating in witnessing the brutal murder of her family members in Karbala.

All these tragedies didn’t shake her courage because she was raised by the Lion of Allah, Imam Ali (a.s). Only the courageous daughter of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s), the Lion of Allah, could maintain her bravery after enduring such heart-wrenching tragedies.

Touched by the shadow of purification, she’s the reflection of satisfaction, the aim of Muhammad(saww), the voice and embellishment of her father, the prayer and cloak of her mother, the anguished heart’s cry, and the Imam’s guidance.

According to narrations, Imam Husayn (a.s) was three years old when Sayyida Zaynab (s.a) was born. Sayyida Zaynab (s.a) had immense love for her brother, Imam Husyan (a.s). According to narrations, Sayyida Zaynab (s.a) would always first look at the face of Imam Husyan (a.s) before standing to pray.

Sayyida Zaynab (s.a) supported her brother Imam Husayn (a.s) during the tragic events of Karbala, which is why she is bestowed with the title of Sharikat al-Husayn (شريكة الحسين(.

In Islamic jurisprudence, women are not allowed to participate in direct combat or physical battles, except in cases of clear necessity such as self-defense or defending the community. Sayyida Zaynab (s.a)’s jihad was one of steadfastness (sabr), resistance and eloquence in conveying the message of truth and justice after the tragic events of Karbala.

On the night of Ashura, Lady Zainab (s.a) was tenderly embracing her two sons, Aun and Muhammad. She spoke to them with love and encouragement, saying, “ My sons, you are the grandsons of Haider e Karrar and Ja’far Tayyar. I know that both of you possess great bravery. Tomorrow, you will fight the enemy with immense courage, and I am certain you will reach the euphrates. But my sons, remember one thing: do not drink the water because your uncle’s children are thirsty.”

On the day of 10th Muharram, the sounds of clashing steel and cries filled Karbala. Lady Zaynab (s.a) requested her brothers, Imam Husayn (a.s) and Abbas (a.s), to allow her sons, Aun and Muhammad, to fight in the way of Allah (swt). Lady Zaynab (s.a) did not want her brothers or nephews to go into battle before Aun and Muhammad. With her blessing, they both fought with great bravery and reached the Euphrates while fighting. Despite being thirsty, they did not drink the water and achieved martyrdom.

The patience displayed by young Aun and Muhammad reflects the greatness of Lady Zaynab (s.a) as a mother. When Lady Zaynab (s.a) received the news of her two sons becoming martyrs, she went into prostration to offer thanks to Allah. Lady Zaynab (s.a) possessed the strength of Haider e Karar. She sacrificed her entire progeny to irrigate the garden of God’s religion, yet not a tear fell from her eyes. She is the woman who always sees the beauty in God’s plans, finding strength and purpose in every trial and tribulation. 

After the martyrdom of Aun and Muhammad, she faced the heartbreaking loss of her brothers and nephews. One by one, she witnessed the martyrdom of her beloved brother Abbas, her nephew Ali Akbar, Qasim, Ali Asghar, Abdullah bin Hasan, and finally, her beloved brother Imam Husayn (a.s), among others. The battlefield of Karbala became a place of unimaginable sorrow and sacrifice.

The trial of Lady Zaynab (s.a) didn’t end with this. After the martyrdom of her beloved family members, Lady Zaynab (s.a) witnessed their heads being severed from their sacred bodies, and their bodies trampled by horses known as Aawajiyya. The army of Yazid ibn Mu’awiyah didn’t stop there; they committed further atrocities against the family of the Prophet Muhammad. They then burnt their tents, looted their belongings.

The survivors, including Imam Zain ul Abideen, Lady Zaynab (s.a), and other women and children, were captured, cruelly bound in handcuffs and chains, and taken as prisoners toward Damascus. Meanwhile, the bodies of their loved ones lay uncovered in the desolate desert of Karbala, left without burial. The most chaste and honorable ladies of the purest household on the earth were humiliated and dragged through the streets of Kufa and Damascus as captives.

Despite her patience and steadfastness, these trials caused Lady Zaynab (s.a) immense pain but could not break her strength. Even a mountain would crumble into pieces under such immense suffering. That is why Lady Zaynab (s.a) is known as Umm al-Masa’ib (Mother of Calamities). Indeed, Lady Zaynab (s.a) was a woman of great patience and gratitude. She was fully content with Allah’s will, and not a single word of complaint, nor even a thought of it, crossed her mind.

All of Yazid’s schemes were utterly thwarted when Lady Zaynab (s.a), after sacrificing her entire family on the plains of Karbala and enduring the harrowing trials of Kufa and Damascus, entered his court with unsurpassed courage, embodying the fearless spirit of her father Haider e Karrar.

Lady Zaynab (s.a) could not participate in the battlefield of Karbala because she was a woman. However, the court of Yazid became her battlefield. There, she fought to uphold the mission for which her loved ones had sacrificed their lives in Karbala, where Yazid’s army had left their sacred bodies on the plain without burial. She was resolute in honoring the blood of those great individuals.

Lady Zaynab (s.a) is known as “The Wise Lady of the Hashemites.”

She confronted this battle with great courage, wisdom, and eloquence, using resistance as her primary weapon. Embodying the spirit of her mother Lady Fatimah (s.a), she bravely fought against the oppression of her time. Imam Husayn (a.s) inherited the Zulfiqar sword, while Zaynab (s.a) inherited her father’s eloquence.

Lady Zaynab (a.s) delivered a powerful historical sermon in the court of that tyrant and wicked Yazid, shattering the towering walls of oppression, injustice, and violence to their very core.

In the bustling court, the brave daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.) quieted the crowd with a single commanding word: “Silence.”

Silence fell over the court. The bells around the camels’ necks stopped ringing, the horses ceased their neighing and clopping, and even the rustling of the leaves seemed to pause.

It felt as if even the breath of the people had been suspended. Those who had inhaled were frozen with their breath held, while those who had exhaled could not draw their breath back in.

Lady Zaynab bint Ali (s.a) began her speech by praising Allah and sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (saww).

Lady Zaynab addressed Yazid with profound condemnation, accusing him of ridiculing Allah’s signs and taking pleasure in the martyrdom of the Prophet’s children. She likened his actions to those of the disbelievers of Makkah and warned that his persistent sins invite Divine retribution. She admonished Yazid for his mistaken belief that the martyrdom of her people and their captivity implied Allah’s abandonment or his own elevated status.

Lady Zaynab argued that Yazid’s arrogance was rooted in a misunderstanding of divine justice, noting that Allah’s delay in punishment was simply to allow sinners to further their transgressions before facing ultimate humiliation. Recalling the Prophet Muhammad’s generosity during the conquest of Makkah, she highlighted his act of freeing all captives, including Yazid’s ancestors, regardless of their past deeds, underscoring the Prophet’s merciful nature. Lady Zaynab rebuked Yazid for his hypocrisy, questioning the fairness of keeping his own women and slaves in seclusion while humiliating the Prophet’s daughters by making them ride swift camels under enemy control.

She condemned his deep-seated hostility, noting his audacity in wishing his ancestors killed at Badr had witnessed his actions, and criticized him for striking Imam Husayn with a stick. She further condemned Yazid for destroying piety and virtue by shedding the blood of the Prophet’s descendants and oppressing the family of Abdul Muttalib. She warned Yazid of the impending Day of Judgment, where he would regret his actions, wishing he had been blind and mute rather than rejoicing in his cruelty.

Lady Zaynab prayed for divine justice and revenge against their oppressors, assuring Yazid that he would see the Prophet’s children in Paradise while facing his own judgment. Concluding, she reminded Yazid of Allah’s promise in the Qur’an that those slain for His cause are alive and sustained by Him (Surah Ale Imran, 3:169). Lady Zaynab expressed her disdain for Yazid, deeming him unworthy of reprimand, and predicted his downfall and the futility of his deeds on the Day of Judgment. She ended with thanks to Allah Who has concluded the task of the chiefs of the youths of Paradise with prosperity and forgiveness and accommodated them in Paradise. She prayed to Allah that He may elevate their ranks and favor them more with His kindness, for Allah is Omnipotent.

The court of Yazid, accustomed to its arrogance and false glory, found itself shaken by Lady Zaynab’s eloquence. Her words not only exposed the tyranny of Yazid but also elevated the martyrdom of her family into a beacon of truth and righteousness. Her voice, echoing through the corridors of Yazid’s court, resonated and reverberated across the ages.

Her confrontation with Yazid was not merely a verbal confrontation but a profound spiritual and moral victory. In her words, she conveyed that the true essence of Islam and the legacy of her family would remain intact, untainted by the superficial power of Yazid.

The trials she endured did not diminish her spirit but instead reinforced her status as a symbol of patience, resilience, and divine justice. She spoke with the clarity of conviction that only a soul deeply connected to divine truth could express, ensuring that the message of Karbala would inspire and resonate for generations.

Lady Zaynab (s.a) not only safeguarded the objectives of the great sacrifices of the martyrs of Karbala but also preserved the institution of Imamate. When the accursed of Umayyad tried to attack Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s), she stood firmly, shielding him with unmatched bravery.

Reflecting on the resilience and faith of Lady Zaynab (s.a) during the trials of Karbala, we remember these profound words from the Quran, In which Allah (SWT) promises great rewards for those who endure with patience:

“And We will most certainly test you somewhat by means of fear and hunger and certain loss of wealth and lives and fruits. And, (O Beloved,) give glad tidings to those who observe patience.‏ (They are the ones) who, when afflicted with some distress, say: ‘Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.’‏ It is they upon whom are bestowed successive blessings and mercy from their Lord. And it is they who are the guided ones.‏” Al-Baqarah (2:155-157)

Despite the unimaginable tragedy and devastation before her, she proclaimed, “I saw nothing but beauty.” In that moment, she was not denying the horror of what had occurred, but rather, she was witnessing the transcendent beauty of sacrifice, courage, and devotion.

She saw the beauty of her brother Imam Husayn’s unwavering stand for truth and justice, the beauty of the martyrs’ willingness to give their lives for a higher cause, and the beauty of the divine plan unfolding before her eyes. Her statement was a testament to her unshakeable trust in Allah’s wisdom and her own profound spiritual vision.