The World Finally Speaks At Karbala Tribunals

The Second News Conference

After the conclusion of the Seventh court session which was the longest and most important of sessions as well as the most emotional which engaged the public opinion and the spectators all over the world, a second news conference then took place after 2hrs with both the prosecution and defense teams.

The conference hall was filled with attendees from all the media and international news correspondents. We have been told that that the defense team once again excused themselves at the last minute from attending this news conference due to their engagement in preparing for their defense rebuttal in the next court session.

The Prosecutor who has amazed the world with his competence, personality, and exceptional performance entered the hall. Signs of sadness and emotional distress were clear on his face, but he always maintained an air of respect and a strange light radiating from his face. After greeting and expressing gratitude, he started to receive questions from the different representatives of the media.

Correspondent: Do you think that you are getting very close to reaching the guilty verdict after your great performance in today’s long court session?

Prosecution: I think that we are getting closer with every court session in conveying to the judges and jurors the reality and horrendousness of what transpired in Karbala and thank you for your compliment which I don’t deserve, and for us the trial is still ongoing till the final verdict is pronounced.

Correspondent: Sir, I am a Sunni Muslim, but for the first time in my life I learn about the reality of what has happened in Karbala.

We know that the grandson of the Prophet (S) was slaughtered in Karbala, but there are many, like myself, who do not know about all the dramatic, disgraceful, surprising, and shocking events which you narrated. In your opinion, who is responsible for concealing this truth from the Islamic nation and why was the truth concealed?!

Prosecutor: I share with you the regret for the ignorance of the Islamic nation regarding what has happened in Karbala. The ones responsible for this ignorance are the Muslim scholars and the historians, and Islamic activists who invite people to Islam. They intentionally concealed the truth to avoid focusing on the negative aspects in the history of Islam, and in an attempt to draw a beautiful and idealistic picture of the Islamic history, and to avoid facing the reality of history.

By doing that they think that they are serving Islam, but in reality they are harming Islam by letting the Muslims become a prey to ignorance of their real history, whether it is bitter or sweet, black or white. This has caused a great negative effect on the nation, so it became incapable of accepting criticism at both the individual and societal level. Its state of mind says that so long as the past of the nation was flowery, then its present must also be ornamented and without any mistakes.

This is a serious problem which the nation suffers as it tries to appear every minute in a perfect and beautiful appearance in everything. But the means they use to do so is by keeping quiet on the past and present failures and hiding the mistakes as well as cover up for the wrong-doers. That’s how we reached to what the state of affairs are today in the Muslim world.

This is despite the fact that the Holy Quran has criticized the past nations and the Muslims in many different places and occasions during the revelation. Examples are in the Battle of Uhud and Hunayn as well as many other events yet no one saw that as something negative or insulting. After all, nations are supposed to learn the lessons from its past mistakes and failures, and a nation that refrains from doing so will continue to be ignorant, backwards, and scorned.

Correspondent: Sir, I am also a Muslim and I would like to ask you a question which I hope you answer me honestly. Did the events that you narrated in the courtroom really take place? Are you sure about the authenticity of all that? I am confused and cannot believe that it could happen, for the matter is very grave and I cannot believe that a Muslim can commit all these crimes after only 51 years since the demise of the Holy Prophet (S), so do you have an answer?

Prosecution: Yes sir, everything we said in the court has happened by consensus of all of the history books of Muslim historians. Historical research done by the oriental Europeans researches who studied Islamic history also confirm that. Keep in mind that we do not present except only the events which there are consensus about, and we stay away from the events which are not agreed upon by all the historians.

That is why you can fully trust the authenticity of what we have presented so far about Karbala. It is truly a very grave matter and the whole Islamic nation in particular must know it and face the reality and condemn it without confusion or hesitation! As for the second part of your question, I share with you in your surprise and wonder. However, I suggest that you study the Holy Quran very well and contemplate over it…I am sure that you will find the answer.

Correspondent: Is it true that some of those in the Kufan army of Umar ibn Sa’d were among those who fought with ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib in the Battle of Siffeen against Mu’awiya, the father of Yazid?

Prosecutor: Yes, that is true. Many of those who fought against Al-Husayn (as) and joined the army of Ibn Sa’d also fought with Imam ‘Ali (as) in Siffeen like Shebth ibn Reb’ee, Hajaar ibn Abjor, Shimr ibn Dhil Jawshan and others. But they turned on their backs and chose to fight against Al-Husayn (as) even though they were the ones who invited him to Al-Kufa.

They changed their position out of fear of the aggression of Ibn Ziyad, as we mentioned during the court proceeding. He used to threat to kill anyone in Al-Kufa who refuses to fight against Al-Husayn (as). Many of them were hypocrites too.

Correspondent: Are you ready to face the defense rebuttal case in the next court session?

Prosecution: Yes, and I don’t know how anyone can defend these evil killers who have ridden themselves of all human values! It is surely a very tough task for them and I sympathize with the defense team in this impossible task.

Correspondent: But sir, the barbarism which we heard from you regarding the events of Karbala and especially the killing of Al-Husayn (as) and his family members can not be a result of threat from Ibn Ziyad only as he was not physically present in the battlefield! So how can you explain that?

Prosecution: It can be explained in two ways:

First: The Caliphate of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan which continued on for about 19 years has filled the Islamic nation with negative propaganda against the family of the Prophet, and especially the two Imams, Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn. It reached to the point that cursing the household of the Prophet became a religious ritual and common practice performed in the Jum’ah prayers and other congregational prayers as well as in celebrations!

This resulted in the raising of generations whose hearts have filled with hatred and animosity towards the household of the Prophet (S), and all that hatred manifested itself and came out in the land of Karbala.

Second: There were many revenge claims deep-rooted in some of the Iraqi tribes against Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) due to those among them who have been killed on his hands while they were fighting against the Prophet (S) and after him against Imam ‘Ali, especially in the battles of Jamal / Camel, Siffeen, and Nahrawan. So they found in Karbala a great opportunity to take these revenges and vent these animosities.

Correspondent: During the court proceedings, we notice that you often quote the words and speeches of Imam Al-Husayn (as) before and during the battle, despite its lack of relevance to the charges directed against the defendants. What is the reason for that?

Prosecutor: Allow me to disagree with you. The speeches and words of Imam Al-Husayn (as) which we presented help us understand the condition and the atmosphere in the battlefield before and after the battle. This is very important in proving the guilt of the defendants to the respected judges and jurors and conveying the truth of what has happened in Karbala.

These speeches and words have been agreed upon by the historians and the narrators even more than the events themselves! So, presenting them as they are with all their indications, hints and direct accusations surely has a direct correlation with the allegations against the five defendants!

Thank you all and I apologize. I need to stop here due to time constraints and see you next time after the next court session by the will of Allah. Thank you and Salam Alaikum!