Prisoners after Karbala: After the martyrdom, the women and children of the camp were taken prisoner. Among them were Bibi Zaynab (sa), the sister of Imam Husayn (as), and his son, Imam Zayn al-Abidin (as), who was ill and survived.
Zaynab speaks in court: They were taken first to Kufa, and then to Damascus, the capital of Yazid. There, in the court of Yazid, Bibi Zaynab (sa) stood up and spoke with great courage. She told the truth of Karbala to the faces of those who had ordered it.
The story spreads: Because of her speeches, and because of the sermons of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (as), the story of Karbala spread across the Muslim world. The killers had wanted to bury the truth in the desert. Instead, Bibi Zaynab (sa) carried it to every city.
Life and message: That is why we say: Imam Husayn (as) gave his life at Karbala, and Bibi Zaynab (sa) gave his message to the world.
Example
A letter carried worldwide: Think of a letter that the sender dies to write, and a sister who carries it across the world so that everyone can read it. Bibi Zaynab (sa) was that carrier — she made sure the world would never forget Karbala.
Key Terms
- Bibi Zaynab (sa) (بی بی زینب سلام اللہ علیہا) — the sister of Imam Husayn (as), who carried the message of Karbala after it
- Imam Zayn al-Abidin (as) (امام زین العابدین علیہ السلام) — the son of Imam Husayn (as), the fourth Imam, who survived Karbala
- Damascus (دمشق) — the capital of Yazid, where the prisoners were taken
Quran or Hadith
None quoted in this topic.
Fresh diagram to be drawn: Simple map — Karbala to Kufa to Damascus, showing the journey of the prisoners.
- Bibi Zaynab (sa) and Imam Zayn al-Abidin (as) were taken prisoner after Karbala.
- In Yazid's court in Damascus, Bibi Zaynab (sa) spoke the truth with great courage.
- Because of her, the story of Karbala spread across the Muslim world.