Tragedy of al-Zahra’: Doubts and Responses

To The Reader

All praise belongs to Allah; peace and blessings with Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, and with his pure Progeny.

The events which al-Zahra’ (sa) 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’ (sa) 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.

One may find, as he tries to comprehend the historic sequence of events, that one may pretend that he lives a state of hesitation in accepting any reasonable justification for them, or at least subjective opportunities, for such events to take place at all. This stirs many questions in his mind about how accurate, or how precise, those who transmitted such events actually were. For this reason, he is not too embarrassed to cast doubts even if he cannot reject the issue or openly and publicly declare it as being unacceptable.

Yet the stand of such sort of people instills within them something which they take for granted, one in which they do not doubt. It says that the answer to such inquiries, then the verification of the authenticity of those events with seriousness and precision…, will by necessity imply a straightforward indictment and an open rejection of the “legitimacy” of all the events that took place in its aftermath. He will openly and bitterly find those who coined those events and who caused all those catastrophes that surrounded the truthful al-Zahra’ (sa) as being wrong, and this is something which they wish to avoid falling into.

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’ (sa).

We provide all the above with the emphasis that we respect and appreciate everyone’s individuality, that a different view and the recording of issues as significant as these should not spoil any friendly relationship.

It is from Allah that we derive strength and seek help. We ask the most Exalted One to inspire us to say what is right, to aspire what is right, to make our intention pure, and to help us act with the purity of intention. He is our Master and the One Who guides us to the Straight Path.

Ja’far Murtada al-’Amili Sha’ban 10, 1417 A.H./December 8, 1996 A.D. Beirut, Lebanon