The Saddest Night

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The Saddest Night

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The night after the day of Ashura is called the Shaam e Ghareebaan. It was a very difficult time for all the family of Imam Hussein (A.S) when he had been killed, the evil men of Umar ibn Saad’s army started to loot the body of the Imam. They took everything: his armor, his clothes, his shoes, his sword, even the ring from his finger. Then Umar ibn Saad ordered his troops on horseback to trample the Imam Hussein’s body.
Then they rode to the tents where the widows and the orphans were weeping. They set fire to the tents and started to take anything they could find. They snatched the earrings that Hazrat Sukayna (S.A) was wearing and her ears started to bleed. They hit the ladies with their lances and took away their chador, the hijab that the ladies had on their heads. They went to the place where the fourth Imam Zayn al-Abidin (A.S) was lying ill with fever and took away his mat. They put heavy chains around his hands, feet and neck.
The ladies and the children ran from one tent to another till there was one tent left. When the last tent was set on fire, Hazrat Zaynab (S.A) asked her nephew, the Imam: “What shall we do? Do we come out or stay inside? ”
The Imam said: “go out” so they all came out of the burning tent. Hazrat Zaynab and Umm Kulthum, the sisters of Imam Hussein (A.S) gathered all the children and the ladies together. When they counted the children, some were missing, so Umm Kulsoom (S.A) went to find them. She saw two little children on the floor. When she lifted them up, she saw that they were dead. They had been trampled by the horses of Yazeed’s army. She burst out crying: “O my Allah!”
Hazrat Zaynab (S.A) could not find her Brother Imam Hussein’s daughter Sukayna (S.A) anywhere. She went searching, to find Sukayna, and called, “Where are you my dear Sukayna?” At last, she found Sukayna by a body, which had no head. Sukayna was clinging to it crying: “O my father, my father, why didn’t you come back? Look at us. Our tents have been burnt. My earrings were snatched! Please come back.”
Hazrat Zaynab (S.A) took her little niece in her arms; “Come with me” she said. And they went back to the rest of the ladies. The army of Umar ibn Saad was happy and started to eat their dinner. They beat their drums in happiness. They kept crying. As the night passed, they said their prayer and Imam Zayn al-Abidin (A.S) went into prostration. Hazrat Zaynab (S.A) stayed awake to guard the Ahlul-Bayt. She thought of her brother Abbas, who used to do this every night. Suddenly she saw someone coming.
“Stop! We have nothing left now to loot. The children have just slept. Don’t move.” But the rider came closer. ”Stop, listen to me, I am Zeinab, the daughter of Ali”
The rider said “O Zaynab, my daughter. This is your father Ali. I have come, so you can rest. “Hazrat Zainab (S.A) cried:
O father, where were you when my Abbas lost his arms?
O father, where were you when my Akbar was killed?
O father, where were you when my Asghar was killed?
O father, where were you when my Brother Hussein’s head was cut?
O father, where were you when Sukayna was hit on her face?
O father, where were you when Ali Zayn al-Abidin was made a prisoner?
O father, where were you when my chador was snatched?
“Zaynab my dear, you have a lot more to suffer and a long journey ahead. Be patient. Allah will help you.” Came the reply.

Derived from: Shia books for children