Arrival of captives’ caravan to Shaam

Book:  A review on the story of Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) martyrdom

Writer:  Ayatullah Professor Hussein Ansarian

Syed Ibn Tavoos[1] and Allame Majlesy have written about Ahle Bait (God bless them) arrival to Shaam town thus:

When Yazid hirelings brought Ahle Bait (God bless them) near of Shaam, Ome Kulsume said to Shemr “I have a request.” Shemr said “what’s that? She said “here is Shaam town, enter us from a door where a few people are moving so that they don’t watch us and put the cut off heads ahead of us so people occupied by watching those heads and don’t pay attention to us.[2]

But Shemr ordered against the request of Imam Ali’s (God bless him) daughter to enter Ahle Bait (God bless them) from Saat door where a lot of people were living and ordered to put the cut off heads among their litters. They moved Ahle Bait (God bless them) in this condition and conveyed them to the near of Jame mosque where was the residence of captives.[3]

A old man who was from Shaam thought that all of these captives are infidels so he came near and said “I thank God that killed and perished you, and purged towns from your men.” When he silenced, Imam Sajjad (God bless him) asked from him “have you recited holy Qraun?” he answered “yes I have recited it.” Imam Sajjad (God bless him) asked “have you recited this verse: ﴾No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin﴿.[4]

He answered “yes I have recited it. Imam Sajjad (God bless him) asked “have you recited this verse: ﴾And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to Allah, and to the Messenger, and to near relatives﴿[5] He answered “yes I have recited it. Imam Sajjad (God bless him) asked “have you recited this verse: ﴾And render to the kindred their due rights﴿[6] He answered “yes I have recited it. Imam Sajjad (God bless him) asked “have you recited this verse: ﴾And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye Members of the Family, and to purify you a thorough purification﴿[7] He answered “yes I have recited it.”

Imam Sajjad (God bless him) said “O old man! Indeed we are the members of the family, who were talked about in the Purification verse” The old man extremely became upset and raised his hand toward sky and said “O God! I repent. O God I detest from Ahle Bait’s (God bless them) enemies and their killers.” And then he said “O the son of Holy prophet! Have my penitence been accepted?” Imam Sajjad (God bless him) said “Yes, if you repent, God will forgive you and you would be considered with us” When Yazid heard this news, he ordered to kill the old man immediately.[8]

Sahl Saedy who was Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) companion said “I was going to Jerusalem and when I reached the Sham, I found myself in a city with long rivers and heavy trees, while its people had hung the decorations everywhere happily and excitedly, and their women were playing the drums and the tambourines, so I said to myself “maybe the people of Sham has an Eid (festival) that we are not aware of it!”

 I saw some people talking among themselves, so I said “do you have an Eid that we do not know?” They said “O old man, we see that you are a stranger,” I said “I am Sahl Saedy, I had seen the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and narrated his Sayings.” So they said “O Sahel, it is a wonder that the sky does not rain blood, and the earth does not swallow its people!”

I said “why is that?” They said “this is the head of Hussein (God bless him), the grandson of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), it is being carried as a gift from Iraq to Sham and it is almost here.” So I said “It is a wonder! As the head of Hussein (God bless him) is given as a gift and the people are pleased?” then I said “which door they are bringing them?” he said “Saat door.”

 I came to Saat door, I saw that they are carrying the martyrs’ head on lances and they had sat up Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) that was the most resemble people to Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) on a flag. I saw a girl who was behind that flag and was on a camel which was without litter. I went ahead and asked her “whom daughter are you?” she answered “I am Sakina, the daughter of Imam Hussein (God bless him).”

 I said “Sahl Saedy, your ancestor’s companion, if you have any order, tell me to do that.” She said “say to lances’ holders to keep away these lances from us so that people pay attention to them and don’t watch to the Holy Prophet’s (God bless him) household.” I went near those who were holding the lances and said to them “take this forty red golden Dinar from me and keep away these cut off heads from Ahle Bait (God bless them).[9]

Menhal-Ibn-Amar says: one day I visited Imam Sajjad (God bless him) in Shaam and said to him “how are you spending your days?” he answered “like Bani Esraeel among the pharaohs that they (the pharaohs) killed their sons and kept alive their women. We as Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) descendants were involved and martyred and dispersed.”[10]