The Captivity Journey

The Speeches of the Family of Prophecy (R) in the Streets of Kufa

The Speech of Sayyeda Zeinab, the Daughter of Ali (L)

When Al-Aqeela Zeinab (O) saw that the huge crowds of the people of Kufa had filled up the streets, she precipitated explaining what had happened to the family of the Prophet, and she held them responsible for breaking their promise and allegiance and causing the killing of the beloved grandson of the Messenger of Allah (P). She was prickling their conscious and grieving their hearts by pointing out the magnitude of the sin they have committed. She gesticulated to the people to be silent, so they all held their breaths and the bells stopped ringing, and then she said:

"Thank God, and Peace be upon my Grandfather, Muhammad, and his kind and pure progeny, then…

O people of Kufa, O you people of treachery and deceit. Are you crying?! May your tears never stop!  And your weeping shall never be stilled. Indeed you are just like that lady who untied her yarn after she had worked hard knitting it.

You take your oaths to deceive and cheat each other. Is there any one among you but a shameful arrogant, repugnant and revolting, who speaks what he does not mean, who is the aim of the enemies (proverb), like sheep feeding from adung, or like silver on a dead body!4 Oh how bad is what you made for yourselves, that brought Allah’s wrath upon you and you shall forever be in torment!

Are you crying and weeping?!! Indeed by God, do cry a lot and laugh a little, since you have gained its shame and disgrace, and you will never be able to wash it away, how can you wipe off killing the descendant of the last Prophet, the core of the prophecy, the master of the Heaven’s youths, the haven for good people, the refuge from calamities, the light for your arguments, and the core of the Sunna (rules set by the Prophet). How bad is what you are baring, demise and distraction are for you. As your striving had failed, your hands are tied, and the deal was lost, as you came out with the rage of Allah, and humiliation and degradation shall be your destiny!

Woe to you O people of Kufa! Are you aware which liver of the Messenger of Allah you had torn?! Which dignified granddaughter you had exposed?! Which of his blood you had shed, and which sanctity of his you have revoked?! Indeed you have done it, loud and clear, black and dark, enough to fill the earth and the sky of your bad deeds.

Is it a wonder to you that the sky rained blood?!! Indeed the torture of the afterlife is more degrading and you shall not be helped! Do not be taken by the awaiting time, as God might hasten to punish you, and He shall take the revenge and your God is watching!"

Thus people were puzzled and crying while had put their hands in their mouths.

An old man cried until his beard got soaked, while he was saying: "You are worthier to me than my father and mother, your old men are the best seniors, your young men are the best youth, your ladies are the best women,

and your offspring is the best offspring, which shall not be defeated or distressed"

The Speech of Fatima Bint Al-Hussain Q:

Then, Fatima Bint Al-Hussain (Q) had lectured saying: … "Then, O people of Kufa, O people of cunning, treachery and hauteur. Indeed God had afflicted us, Ahlu El-Bayt, by you, and had tested you by us. So, He made our performance good, He gave us His knowledge and apprehension. We are the depositary to His knowledge, the container for His wisdom and apprehension, and His proof on earth in His lands for His worshipers. He dignified us with His dignity, and He vividly distinguished us from many of his creations with his Prophet, Muhammad (P). So, you accused us of lying and disbelieving! And you considered your fight against us to be legitimate! And our money is for you to plunder! …. As you have murdered our Grandfather before, the Prince of believers, Ali (Q), your swords are soaked with our blood being the family of the Prophet (R) due to an old animosity!!

Your eyes are rested for that and your hearts are pleased, out of calumny to Allah, and you plotted conspiracies and Allah is the Best of those who plot…".

So, the cries got louder and the people said: "That is enough, O daughter of the kind people! Indeed, you have burned our hearts, hurt our throats, and flamed up our souls". So, she stopped.

The Speech of Um Kalthoum Bint Ali Q:

Um Kalthoum had raised her crying voice and addressed the people saying: "O people of Kufa, shame on you! You let Hussain down and murdered him; you plundered his money and inherited him?! And you captivated his women and harmed him?! So demise and perish shall be for you… You had killed the best of men after the Prophet P! Thus mercy had been removed from your hearts. Indeed, the party of Allah will be the victorious and the party of Satan will be the losers".

So the people cried louder and started to whimper and groan, the women spread their hairs (sign of distress) and started putting dirt on their heads, they scratched their faces and hit their cheeks, and wished for torment and destruction. And the men cried as it was never seen people crying more than that day.

While the people were crying loudly, Imam Zein El-Abedeen (Q) signaled to them to be quiet, so they did. Then he got up, thanked and praised Allah, and he mentioned the Prophet Muhammad (P) and praised him, then he said:

"O people! For he who knows me, I do not need to introduce myself to him, and for he who does not know me, Indeed I am Ali the son of Hussain the son of Ali Bin Abi Taleb (Q), I am the son of whose sanctity was breached, whose boon was robbed, whose money was stolen, and whose family was captivated. I am the son of who was slaughtered on the Furat’s docks for no personal hatred or revenges! I am the son of who was killed unjustly, which by itself is enough to be proud of!

O people! I do ask you By Allah, do you know that you have written to my father and deceived him?! And you pledged to him your allegiance and you assured him with your lives, to then fight against him!

How bad is what you brought to yourselves! And what a bad decision! How are you going to face the Messenger of Allah (Q) when he tells you: You killed my progeny and violated my sanctity, so you are not of my Nation?!!"

So, the voices became louder coming from all directions, while people were saying to each other: you are doomed and you do not know it!