The World Finally Speaks At Karbala Tribunals

The Fifth News Conference

Everyone was anxiously looking forward to attend this news conference that was announced after the end of the 11th court session which is considered to be one of the most heated sessions. There seemed to be a display of talents of the defense and prosecution teams, and that young attractive prosecutor became the talk of everyone in the world. He did a great job such that everyone started speculating about the critical situation that the defense was in.

Due to the fact that the previously scheduled news conference was canceled, everyone was anxious for this news conference. The hall became crowded with journalists and news correspondents from everywhere as they awaited the arrival of the representatives of the prosecution and defense teams. Then the young prosecutor walked in with tranquility and self-confidence accompanied by two members of his team. He took his place in front of the podium and the news conference began…

Correspondent: How do you feel now as you approach the end of this trial? And how do you evaluate your performance at the end of this journey?

Prosecutor: We feel a sense of comfort and tranquility as we have done our duty thanks to God! I think that a great number of people in the world now realizes the magnitude of this tragedy which Imam Al-Husayn (as) and his family has been subjected to. They now know what happened in Karbala and who was responsible for it and the facts behind it.

This is indeed the true gain! As for our performance, it is a personal honor for me to be appointed by my colleagues to take lead of prosecution in this case. It is a privilege, honor, and pleasure for me to stand in the courtroom defending the rights of the victims of Karbala, most notably Imam Al-Husayn (as), in a just trial leading to convictions and punishment of criminals.

I feel that I should have exerted more effort in this case, and I also feel far off from what I should do in this case. So I apologize to Imam Al-Husayn (as) for my shortage in this regards and I hope that he forgives me.

Correspondent: Do you feel that you are approaching the final victory?

Prosecutor: Yes, without a doubt and I have full confidence in the respected judges and jurors.

Correspondent: Sir, allow me to ask this question…are you a Sunni or a Shia?

Prosecutor: I support truth and justice. I love righteousness and justice. I am a follower of both of them and am loyal to them.

Correspondent: Sir, why do you reject the possibility that Yazid ibn Muawiya was really innocent from shedding the blood of Al-Husayn and that the whole responsibility falls on the shoulders of Ibn Ziyad regarding what happened in Karbala?

Prosecutor: Because that contradicts the reality and the evidence which we presented and you can refer to them as you like. All of the letters and documents from Yazid to his governor in Al-Madina and to Ibn Ziyad, as well as his expression of joy and the poetry which he recited when he received the captives…all of that clearly proves that he is the primary criminal and the chief delinquent responsible for what happened in Karbala!

Correspondent: There is a group of Muslims who vindicate Yazid from the blood of Al-Husayn (as) and consider Yazid to be one of the ‘companions’ of the Prophet. For that reason, they sanctify him and whenever they mention him, then say “May Allah be pleased with him”. So why don’t they view the case the way you see it?

Prosecutor: Sir, that is due to historical deception which affects the human thought process; hence man follows misguidance thinking that it is truth, and supports fabrication believing that it is reality. This historical deception was fabricated and propagated by the political power and authority during the Ummayad era through suffocating the truth, terrorizing the narrators, and threatening them.

In exchange for endorsement of fabricated narrations, these untrusted narrators were given privileges and brought closer to the ruling authority. As a result, fabrication of historical facts grew and increased with time; then the future generations followed one after the other.

Another key factor was blind imitation, when a person’s mind becomes blind and becomes a tool for fanaticism and bias for the beliefs of his forefathers, ancestors, and elders, even if what they say contradict logic, truth, and historical events. These two factors are the reasons for the presence of this group of Muslims, unfortunately.

Correspondent: If you were in the shoes of the defense, what can you do to save their case?

Prosecution: It is not possible and I cannot accept the idea of being in the position of one who defends a criminal, a cold-blooded killer, and an oppressor! Those are not in need of defenders; rather, they are in need of executors!

Correspondent: It is said that Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali is one of your grandfathers and that you are from his progeny. Is that true?

Prosecutor: Al-Husayn (as) is the father of every freeman anywhere. Every person who loves righteousness, supports the oppressed, seeks justice and equity, and searches for the truth, his father then is Al-Husayn, his grandfather is Al-Husayn, and such person is from the tree of Al-Husayn!

I will stop here and thank you all. (The prosecutor leaves the hall, then the defense lawyer enters accompanied by two members of his defense team and he stands behind the microphone in preparation to receive questions of the media).

Correspondent: Sir, do you still have hope in winning this case and what is the probability of winning it?

Defense Lawyer: Yes, yes we have a lot of hope. Rather, we are confident of winning it and I think that our message has reached the jurors and judges and that they understand it. I can say that we think we are on our way to achieving victory by at least 90% if not more.

Same correspondent: Sir, don’t you think that you are exaggerating a lot in your confidence and predictions, for the majority of us see that you are on your way to losing this case.

Defense lawyer: Praise be to Allah that you are not among the judges and jurors! I think that they have a different opinion than yours, and thank God once again that the media are not the ones who will decide the fate of this case!

Correspondent: Sir, why didn’t Yazid fire his governor Ubaidullah ibn Ziyad, try him, and punish him if he really thought that he is the cause behind the massacre of Karbala?

Defense Lawyer: He did not fire him because Al-Kufa was still unstable and filled with mischief after the murder of Al-Husayn (as). Only few months passed and the revolt of the Repenters / Tawabeen took place under the leadership of Sulaiman ibn Sard Al Khuza’iy. So he could not fire him until Yazid himself died.

Correspondent: Is the majority of the Sunni Muslims with your opinion in vindicating Yazid from the blood of Al-Husayn (as)?

Defense: Yes, those of them who possess the knowledge of Ahl Al Sunna Wal Jama’a. As for the ignorant, they follow any rumor and those who fabricate narrations. We do not deny that some of the early Muslim scholars blamed Yazid and criticized him for killing Al-Husayn, but in the end they said that he repented and made his repentance apparent by treating the family of Al-Husayn in a positive manner and arranging them to be escorted back to the holy city of their grandfather the Prophet (S) in an honorable and dignified way.

Another correspondent: Does your position of defending the murderers of Al-Husayn (as) indicate that you are against Al-Husayn and his mission? And by the way, just a small correction, the rebellion of the repenters (Al Tawabeen) took place almost five years after Karbala and after the death of Yazid!

Defense: Not at all! There is no person in the whole Islamic Nation who doesn’t respect Al-Husayn. As for the talk about his murder and murderers, this only aroused the mischief / fitna. And we have been ordered not to arouse mischief because it is not for the benefit of the nation and it creates disunity, and thank you for the correction!

Correspondent: Don’t you think that Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali was more worthy of the Caliphate than Yazid?

Defense: The matter is not about my opinion and what I think. It is about the Islamic law, and Yazid was given a legitimate pledge of allegiance. Sure, Al-Husayn was more worthy of the Caliphate, but what happened has already happened and Yazid has become the Caliph, hence his obedience becomes obligatory.

Same correspondent: Even if his behavior is unIslamic and he openly disobeys and indulges in corruption, and drinks wine??!

Defense: This is not confirmed and it has been introduced by the enemies of Islam.

Same correspondent: Rather, it is confirmed and repeatedly narrated in many books!

Defense: I think we have deviated from the topic. I apologize for I’ll need to end this news conference due to our many engagements in preparation for the next court session as it will be a decisive session. Thank you all and salam alaikum!

(He walked out quickly with his team members and everyone started to depart. Every 2 or 3 persons were conversing and discussing…and everyone was anxiously waiting for Thursday’s court session which will witness the closing statements for both the prosecution and the defense teams. It will be the semifinal stage of this suspenseful and exciting trial)!