Introduction

Author’s Introduction

Choosing the Tragedy of al-Zahra’ as a Topic

To The Reader

Preface

Part 1: Al-Zahra’ (sa) And Her Tragedy

Part 2: Al-Zahra’ (sa) And The Unknown

Part 3- Digression: Khalid ibn al-Walid and his Father

Part 4: What Al-Mufid Says

Part 5: Kashifal-Ghita’ And Sharafud-Din

Part 6: “Their Love And Respect Deter Them”

Part 7:  Why Did Al-Zahra’ Have To Open The Door?

Part 8: From Here And There

Part 9: “I Know Not About The Nail...”

Texts And Legacies

Texts And Legacies From The Fourteen Infallible Ones

Oppressing Al-Zahra’: Centuries-Old Sectarian Arguments

Al-Muhsin In Texts And Legacies

Incident In The Wording Of Traditionists And Historians

Conclusion

The events which al-Zahra' had to undergo and the tribulations were not
directed against just her own self, or against her personality as an
individual, as much as transgressing firm Islamic principles in order to
reach what those who carried them out could not otherwise reach or
achieve, matters which they had no right to attain. Al- Zahra' in fact,
was a mighty bulwark that stood in the way of the achievement of such
unjustified and illegitimate ambitions. This issue emphasized and
confirmed the illegitimacy and illegality of such ambitions according to
the nation's level of awareness, in her conscience, and in the Islamic
and human consciousness as well. This brief review aims at displaying
those inquiries which produced some sort of doubts among some people
then register observations and provide explanations which clarify things
and, God willing,polish the right image and perfect its necessary
characteristics, providing explanations or answers to other questions or
doubts raised about other issues relevant to al-Zahra' .


Tragedy of al-Zahra’: Doubts and Responses

Author’s Introduction
=====================

About four months ago, [the original Arabic text of] my book titled
*Tragedy of al-Zahra’: Doubts and Responses* stirred an artificial
uproar the obvious purpose of which was to achieve more than one goal.
But I am not going to discuss this goal right here, though. Yet I have
felt the need to clarify why I have written this book and the reason why
I chose this issue specifically, i.e. the issue of al-Zahra’ (sa) rather
than any other, aspiring brevity and restricting the discussion to what
is necessary without delving into undue details and without tackling
many of our issues which may embarrass some people or cause them to lose
balance.

This is exactly what happened when they felt that my afore-mentioned
book came close to such issues; so, what would be the outcome if I go
beyond that to state openly then to explain what I state?! For this
reason, I will restrict myself to briefly touching on some such issues,
simply displaying them without the attempt to explain them except
whenever necessary, leaving to the kind reader the option to draw his
own conclusion; so, let me say the following:


