Sorrows Sufferings [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

(14) THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH

A day dawned, when there was a stir
in the prison

The jailors were puzzled; what could
be the reason

The Queen of Damascus, was visiting
the prison

To even imagine such a thing, was
an act of treason!

Zainal Abedeen was in prayers, a
guard entered the cell

Fizza, the oldest amongst prisoners,
he turned to tell

About the visit of Her Highness,
Queen Hind, and to ensure,

That not a word of complaint was
uttered, by way of censure.

With her ladies-in-waiting, Hind
entered the cell

Gloomy, was the dungeon, unventilated
and dark, as hell

With bowed heads, and faces covered
with long tresses,

The ladies were sitting, with torn
and tattered dresses.

An emaciated figure, with heavy
chains and manacles

Was busy with prayer, though unable
to stand in shackles

A lady, with her head, lay prostrate
on a small grave

In a corner of prison, portraying
the sad and pitiable tale.

Hind, was perplexed; she was
dumb-founded

Approaching the grave, the lady
she sounded

"My good lady, do let me know, who
are you

For what crimes, you are behind
the bar?"

"Which family you belong to? Whose
grave is this?

Untold sufferings, your sorrowful
face reveals."

The lady burst into sobs; her lips
were sealed

Gently stroking her head, Hind herself
kneeled.

Another lady sat in a corner, surrounded
by others

She must be the one, who was, perhaps,
their elder

This was the lady, who had roared
like a lion

To hurl defiance at the court of
the tyrant.

"What are the reasons for your
sufferings and plight"

Hind inquired of Zaynab; her tone
was so polite

"My husband is evading, annoyingly,
my repeated inquiries

On grounds, that they relate to
governmental diaries."

"Lady Fatima, I am seeing frequently
in my dreams

In a most disconsolate state, she
is, so it seems;

I am perplexed, I am unable to
understand

What all this means. Explain to
me if you can"

"In the laps of luxury, Hind, you
are comfortably living,

Tortures, beyond human endurance,
my children are facing;

You are, no doubt, utterly in the
dark of what has happened,

To my near and dear ones, and my
beloved son, Husayn."

"My Lady's coming and her constant
lamentations

has it any connection with your
incarceration

I really wonder, how can it at all
be true

Prophet's family, to do anything
with you."

The eyes of the two ladies met,
for a moment

One depicting a soulful of agony
and torment,

The other reflecting bewilderment
and inquiring

Zaynab burst into sobs, trying to
control her feelings.

She had not recognised her, so much
the better

It saved her the humiliation, to
narrate the torture

She partially covered her face,
with her long hair

Hoping that Hind would soon go away
and leave her.

Hind, suddenly remembered that,
she had seen

In better times, the venerable lady
had been

With a gasp, she cried, "Are my
eyes deceiving me?

Is that Lady Zaynab, O' no! how
can it be?"

"How can I, even entertain such
a thought?

I feel, I am getting demented, O'
my Lord!

For the sake of Lady Fatima, I,
beseechingly, implore you

Are you related to Lady Zaynab?
Is it true?"

"Hind, Zaynab died long ago on Karbala's
plain,

with youths of her family, who were
slain;

the shadow of Zaynab, is now before
you

Those who can recognise her are,
indeed, few."

Covering her face, her tears, she
tried to hide

Falling prostrate at her feet, Hind
cried

"Lady, forgive my utterly unpardonable
neglect"

begging forgiveness, she expressed
profound regret.

Zainal Abedeen had just completed
his prayers;

Turning to him, "O' my Imam, your
forgiveness I crave,

It was sheer thoughtlessness, for
not probing deep

I do not know how I could eat, drink
or even sleep."

"When my suspicion was aroused,
on that first day

when someone demanded, the young
girl, Sakina as a slave;

she must be the beloved daughter
of my Lord Husayn.

Was she enslaved, by some brute,
with a wicked brain?"

Zaynab stood up and going slowly
towards Hind

"In vain, you are looking for my
beloved Sakina

she is sleeping peacefully in that
yonder grave

relieved of sufferings, she had
courageously braved."

"May I ask, what was the cause of
her untimely death?"

this fragrant rose bud withered
away, unsung, unwept

she narrated the sufferings, she
had bravely endured

how her earlobes kept bleeding,
how her body turned blue.

Recounting her sufferings, Zaynab
and others were crying

Only one lady, sitting near the
grave, was quietly lying

Seeing her loosing consciousness,
Zaynab immediately rushed

Putting her head on her lap, she
was very carressingly brushed.

Hind, ordered cold water, from her
nearby palace

She sprinkled it on Umm Rabab's
ash white face

Opening her eyes with a dazed look,
she glanced

She faintly uttered, as if she was
in a trance.

Her grief stricken mind had created
a protective shield

To resist the cruel impact, of what
fate had purposefully built

To escape the grief laden atmosphere
around the grave

Of her darling daughter, who had,
all sufferings braved.

Zaynab felt, she must be awakened
from this stupor

Or else she would loose her sorrowing
mind, for ever;

She gently explained, that Sakina
had joined her father,

At this, she returned, to the word
of reality with a shudder!

Hind, excusing herself, to the palace
she hurried

Moawiyah, her son, was the only
male issue of Yazid

Only they had access to him, without
announcement

They found Yazid, pacing up and
down, himself denouncing.

Yazid was surprised to see Hind's
hair disheveled;

Her eyes full of tears, charges
she defiantly leveled

Both mother and son, spared no words
to make it plain,

"Set free this very day, the family
of Imam Husayn."

The cup of cruelty had got filled
to the brim

Yazid was aware, the situation was
getting grim;

Realization had dawned that time
was running out

Nemesis might overtake him, unless
he had stopped the rot.

He was having nightmares, with Prophet
upbraiding him

Everyday, he was having most horrifying
and frightening dreams

"O' Yazid, what had my Husayn done
to deserve your vengeance

What made you bestow upon my family
such inhuman penance."

"Is your hatred, for me and my family,
not yet satisfied

Such tortures, you are inflicting,
as can not be narrated."

He was brooding about ways, to resolve
the dilemma

Which was his own creation, a self
created drama!

Now his own son, his own flesh and
blood

With Queen Hind, was flinging at
him mud

The time was now ripe to act with
grace

A little delay, and he would loose
the race.

"A strange way for pleading for
mercy, you have

Could you not find, a better way,
to remonstrate

I accede, to your request, to set
the prisoners free

I shall summon my court and announce
my decree."

"Now, both of you may rest, in peace,
till they are free

Let me have some respite, after
the shock you have given me."

"Peace, did you say?" in surprise,
Hind burst out and cried

"Can we ever have peace, after knowing
what has transpired."

"For these unforgivable atrocities
and unpardonable sins

Make best amends, to Lady Zaynab
and Zainal Abedeen

Restore them to the place of honor,
which is their right."

It is through them, that God sheds
His Merciful Light!

Decked, in a jeweled dress of silk
and brocade

Yazid sat on the throne; of solid
gold it was made

With full display of regalia, of
Ommayad's courts

It was late in the evening, all
had assembled in the Fort.

With all solemnity, the ushers announced
in the Fort

The grandson of Prophet Muhammad,
was entering the court

His garments tattered, but with
dignity in his bearing

Zainal Abedeen entered, with everyone
admiring his daring.

There was a radiance on his countenance;
a "halo" on his face

It inspired awe in their hearts;
they stood up out of grace

Yazid got up from his throne, seei9ng
the spontaneous gesture

Impelled by an uncontrollable force
of undiscriminating nature.

With a slow halting gait, Zainal
Abedeen walked to the pulpit

His aching lacerated legs, made
walking an ordeal, a bit

The rustling of the curtain, indicated
the ladies had entered

Seated behind the pulpit were the
ladies, with Zaynab centered.

Yazid offered condolences; his words
sounded hollow

Cursing his lieutenants; he tried
to paint a "halo"

He pleaded innocence, as if he had
in it no hand

He expressed profound regret, for
all that happened.

He told the Imam, that they were
all know free

He offered any amount, they wished
as blood money

Seeing the Imam's face turning red
with rage

He urged it in the name of religious
usage.

Zaynab, who was listening from behind
the curtain, cried out

"On the day of judgement, you shall
be answerable, no doubt

You offer, what you possess, on
that day, to Prophet Muhammad

It is not for us, to accept any
money, for the Martyr's blood!"

Yazid was abashed by the daughter
of Ali's bold retort

He had seen her courage, even as
a prisoner in his court

He changed the subject and addressing
Zainal Abedeen

He declared, "You are free to demand
from me anything."

"At your disposal, is a house of
status and position befitting

Highest honor and respect will be
extended to you beings."

"All we want is the severed heads
of our near and dear ones

Our looted property and clothes,
though tattered and torn."

Yazid, expressed extreme surprise,
at the simple request

They had not even ornaments, at
the time of their arrest

He could not see anything of value,
in the things looted;

The immense sentimental value, which
in them, was rooted.

He ordered restored of all their
belongings, forthwith

He endeavored their every desire,
every wish, to meet

Medina, via Karbala, they wished,
to immediately return

Canopied camels and best horses;
the purchase was done.

The local citizens paid their respectful
condolences

To serve them, they vied with one
another, for chances

"Stay on in Damascus, for sometime",
they all jointly pleaded.

For burial rites, their presence
in Karbala, was needed.

The entire city turned out to bid
them adieu

Hind, had remained all along with
Zaynab, now knew

Time of parting was near; was
unimaginably sad,

When you live and venerate someone,
more than your dad.

She begged for forgiveness, for
the past neglect, from each one

She was about to leave, when came
a call from someone

Umm Rabab expressed, to Zaynab,
her departing wish

To visit the grave of Sakina, to
bestow a farewell kiss!

The disconsolate mother fell on
Sakina's tiny grave

With a heart-rending shriek; vent
to her feelings she gave

Turning to Hind, and other ladies
of the unhappy town,

"Occasionally, offer Fateha," she
cried, and fell in a swoon.