Today, in the thirty-ninth episode of our series, we look at another incident which happened during the journey of the caravan of the noble captives of the illustrious household of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) from Iraq to Damascus in Syria through a circuitous route by-passing major towns, so as not to aroused the sympathies of the people for the martyrs of Karbala, and possible revolt against the Omayyad regime.
The Omayyad soldiers who were carrying the blessed head of the Prophet’s grandson Imam Husain (AS), met with resentment, hostility and protests in many towns and cities in which they attempted to stop for a rest. The long and grueling journey from Kufa to Damascus – known as the “Journey of Tears” for the children and womenfolk of the Prophet’s Household – took over twenty days to complete. The residents of many towns and cities did not want the Omayyad soldiers to enter their town, once they realized that the soldiers were carrying the severed heads of the martyrs of Karbala, along with the chained members of the Prophet’s blessed household. The resentment and hostility of the local population was such that Omayyad soldiers preferred not to enter many towns and cities along their way, instead they camped out of the town, spent the night there, and continued their journey to Damascus in the morning.
For instance, the Omayyad soldiers and their caravan of captives approached the town of Qinnasrin, near Aleppo in northern Syria, as they made their way towards Damascus. But the people of Qinnasrin, once they realized the “captives” were actually members of the Prophet’s household and the severed heads was actually those of the Prophet’s grandson Imam Husain (AS) and other members of the Ahl al-Bayt, they became very hostile. They locked their houses and shut all doors and windows. They heaped curses on the Omayyad regime, and they went on rooftops and pelted the soldiers with stones as Yazid’s army passed through the town. The Omayyad army quickly exited the place.
Another town were Yazid’s army was greeted with resentment and hostility was the town of “Shizer” in Hama province in Syria. As the caravan carrying the heads of martyrs of Karbala and the noble captives of the Prophet’s Household reached Shizar, an old man, a supporter of the Ahl al-Bayt, gathered the people round and said: “O people! They are carrying the head of Imam Husain (AS), the son of the Prophet’s venerable daughter Hazrat Fatema (SA)! Let us join together and make a pact, not to allow these wretched, wicked, unbelieving people enter our town.”
When the approaching Omayyad soldiers realized the hostile reception which awaited them, they decided not to enter the town at all, preferring to go round the town instead, since entering the town would have led to a battle with the local population.
Another example was when Yazid’ soldiers reached the city of Hama in Syria. Again, the people went inside their homes, shut all doors and windows, took to the rooftops, and shouted with one voice: “By Allah, we won’t allow you into this town, unless you kill us all to the last man!!”
The Omayyad soldiers heard what the local people were shouting. They decided to take a rest outside the city instead of entering Hama. They by-passed it and continued on their journey to Damascus.
source : irib
