Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at a mourning ceremony marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Hazrat Zainab (PBUH), Hojatoleslam Hashim Abbas said the Lady of Karbala played an irreplaceable role in ensuring that the sacrifice of Imam Hussein (PBUH) and his companions was not silenced or distorted by the Umayyad regime.
The ceremony was held at the historic Husayniyya Dalan in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and was attended by a large gathering of devotees of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), alongside scholars, preachers, and religious figures. The event formed part of a series of commemorations honoring Hazrat Zainab (PBUH), widely revered as the “Messenger of Ashura” and the embodiment of patience and resistance.
Addressing the gathering, Hashim Abbas elaborated on various dimensions of Hazrat Zainab’s life, focusing particularly on her role in the aftermath of Ashura. He noted that while the battlefield of Karbala witnessed the physical martyrdom of the righteous, it was Hazrat Zainab (PBUH) who carried that struggle forward on the intellectual, moral, and historical fronts.
Historic and Divine Status of Hazrat Zainab (PBUH)
Referring to her unique historical and spiritual stature, Abbas said Hazrat Zainab (PBUH) was not merely the guardian of the women and children of Karbala, but also the chief narrator and interpreter of the Ashura uprising. “Through her profound insight, unshakable faith, and extraordinary courage, she ensured that the eternal message of Ashura reached the conscience of humanity,” he said.
He emphasized that her sermons in Kufa and in the court of Yazid in Damascus were among the most decisive moments in Islamic history. “These speeches stripped tyranny of its false legitimacy, exposed the reality of Umayyad oppression, and awakened societies that had been numbed by fear and propaganda,” he added.
Symbol of Patience, Resistance, and Moral Victory
The Bangladeshi scholar described Hazrat Zainab (PBUH) as the perfect embodiment of patience, perseverance, and steadfastness on the path of truth. “Her defiance of the ruling tyranny demonstrated that captivity does not signify defeat,” Abbas said. “On the contrary, it marked the beginning of a historic victory of truth over falsehood.”
He added that Hazrat Zainab (PBUH), through her eloquence and moral authority, transformed Yazid’s court from a scene of supposed triumph into a forum of humiliation and moral disgrace for the oppressors. “She proved to the world that the blood of a martyr can never be extinguished, and that injustice ultimately collapses under the weight of truth,” he said.
Life, Lineage, and Legacy
Hazrat Zainab al-Kubra (PBUH) was born on the 5th of Jamadi al-Awwal in the fifth or sixth year after Hijra in Medina. She was the daughter of Amir al-Mu’minin Imam Ali (PBUH) and Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (PBUH), and the granddaughter of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). She later married Abdullah ibn Ja’far, and their marriage was blessed with three sons—Ali, Awn, and Ja’far—and a daughter, Umm Kulthum.
From an early age, Hazrat Zainab (PBUH) was known for her sharp intellect, exceptional memory, and profound spiritual depth. She maintained a close relationship with the teachings of Islam and the sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), qualities that later enabled her to confront tyranny with knowledge, wisdom, and moral clarity.
Following the tragedy of Karbala, Hazrat Zainab (PBUH), alongside Imam Sajjad (PBUH), assumed leadership of the caravan of captives. During their forced journey through Kufa and the Levant, she transformed humiliation into resistance, ensuring that the objectives of the Hussaini movement were communicated clearly and fearlessly to the wider Muslim world.
According to historical accounts, Hazrat Zainab (PBUH) lived for approximately one year and six months after the Ashura tragedy. While historians differ regarding the exact place of her burial, a widely accepted view holds that she passed away on Sunday, the 15th of Rajab, in the year 62 AH.
Speakers at the Dhaka ceremony concluded that the legacy of Hazrat Zainab al-Kubra (PBUH) remains a timeless source of inspiration for oppressed nations, reminding humanity that truth, when defended with faith and courage, can transform even the darkest moments of history into beacons of resistance and awakening.
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