Tragedy of al-Zahra’: Doubts and Responses

Introduction

In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful; all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessings with the best of Allah’s creation: Muhammad and with his pure Progeny (as) and truly sincere companions.

Before starting my plain and honest discourse, I would like to attract the attention of all brethren readers to the following:

I hope that they all will read what I present to them slowly and in-depth without any prior notion that may cause them to pass a negative judgment in advance on this book, a judgment that may be greatly unfair and slanted. I also request them not to be in awe of any ideologist whose theory is presented to them to the degree that they do not subject such a theory to judgment, and that they be fair and conscientious.

Nothing should bind them to take what they read for granted even if the writer would like them to do just that... They also ought not reject what they read or hear based on fanaticism in favor of or against this person or that. Rather, what is aspired is that when there is right or wrong, they should accept what is right and reject what is wrong, acting on the statement of the Almighty saying,

“Those who listen to the word then follow the best thereof: these are the ones whom Allah has guided, and these are the men of understanding” (Qur’an, 39:18).

A good idea in any book should not be the reason for accepting a wrong one in it, even if it may be by mistake. Likewise, a wrong idea should not be the reason for rejecting a right one.

The most urgent and sensitive demand is that they should require us__ and they should require others as well__ to provide them with whatever convinces them, pleases their commonsense and satisfies their conscience so they may thus win the pleasure of Allah, the most Glorified One, and the pleasure and intercession of His prophets and the latter’s successors (as); they should accept no blame in following Allah’s path. Right ought to be followed. There is neither might nor power except in Allah; on Him do I rely, and to Him is my return.