(Reference :
Book name:History of Bibi Sakina(sa)
Author Name:Sakina Hassan Askari
)
1) Shaame Ghareebaan->
The sun of Ashoor set and the sky grew dark. The cruelty of the forces of Yazeed increased. First of all they looted the body of the Imam and took away his armour, his helmet, his clothes and even his rings. They trampled his body and then galloped towards the tents. They looted anything they could find and took away the veils that covered the heads of the ladies. A yazeedi soldier snatched Bibi Sakina’s (AS) earrings from her ears with such force that they started to bleed. The four year old orphan of Imam Hussain (AS) screamed in pain. ”Baba My Baba! Where are you?” Then the tents were set on fire. Bibi Sakina AS‘s dress caught fire. She ran out and the fire seemed to blaze even more
Hameed ibn Muslim, a reporter in Yazeed’s army, writes that he saw a little girl whose clothes were on fire, running this way and that. He tried to put it out. She said to him “We are the Ahlebait. Don’t come near.” When the fire was out, she saw that the man appeared kind so she asked, “Can you tell me the way to Najaf?” He said “Why do you ask?” Bibi Sakina (AS) said, “My grandfather Ali (AS) is in Najaf. He helps anyone who is in need. I will go and ask him to help us.” The widows and the helpless orphans ran from one tent to another and were scattered everywhere. Bibi Zainab (AS) and Bibi Kulsoom (AS) gathered all the widows and orphans together and counted them. They realised that some children were missing. They went looking and found that two children were lying on the ground. When they picked them up, they began to weep as they realised that these two children were both dead. “I can’t see my daughter Sakina anywhere” sobbed Umme Rubaab.
“You stay here. I will go and look for Sakina,” said Bibi Zainab (AS) and went towards the battlefield calling, “Sakina, Sakina, where are you?” Finally she found Sakina (AS) clinging to a headless body, hugging him with both her hands. She was sobbing: “Baba, come back! It’s dark here! They have looted our home. They have burnt our tents. They have taken my earrings. My ears hurt. They’re bleeding.” “How did you know that this was your father Hussain?” asked Bibi Zainab (AS). Bibi Sakina (AS) replied, “I came crying Aina Abi? Aina Abi? Where are you father? Where are you father?” And a sound came from here, saying “Illayya Illaya ya bunayya. Come here, come here, my daughter!” “Let’s go. Your mother is waiting for you Sakina.” said Bibi Zainab (AS) and picked up her darling niece to take her back to her mother, Umme Rubaab. Late that night, someone remembered that the widows and orphans were still hungry and thirsty. A little food and water was brought to them. Bibi Zainab (AS) called Sakina first and gave her some water. “Why do you give this to me before everyone else?” she asked. “You are the youngest, Sakina.” replied Bibi Zainab (AS). Bibi Sakina (AS) took the water in her hands and started to go towards the battlefield. “Where are you going?” asked her mother. “I’m going to give this water to Asghar, my baby brother. He is younger than me.” Everyone wept.
2-> In Koofah:
The next morning, the heads of Imam Hussain (AS) and all his family were put on spears and lances. The ladies were made to travel on the bare backs of camels. They were tied up in ropes. Our fourth Imam Zainul Abedeen (AS), who could hardly stand was put in chains. They were all taken to Koofah to the court of Ibn Ziyad, the governor of Yazeed. The journey through the desert took four days. Koofah was once the capital city where Imam Ali (AS) had once ruled. Now his family were being brought there as captives. The head of Imam Hussain (AS) was on a lance, all his family including his sister Zainab (AS) was being taken through the streets and young Sakina (AS), by her side was so thirsty.
The people of Koofah had been told by Ibn Ziyad that the Khalifa had gained victory over a rebel and so they had come out in huge numbers to celebrate. Everywhere there were sounds of rejoicing. The very people, who had invited Imam Hussain (AS) to Koofah to be their guide, now were ready to mock and jeer. As they passed through a narrow lane, they stopped. In that street, lived Umme Habeeba, who had once served as a servant in the house of Bibi Zainab (AS). She saw heads on lances, she saw a young man who could hardly walk being dragged in chains and she saw a little girl sitting on the bare back of a camel looking so sad and weak. Umme Habeeba did not realise that these people were the family of Imam Ali (AS) and Bibi Fatima (AS), the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW. “Let me bring you some water” said Umme Habeeba and as she gave the water to Bibi Sakina (AS) she said “When you drink the water, please do two duas for me” Bibi Zainab (AS) said “Sakina do the dua first, then drink the water.” Then turning to Umme Habeeba, Bibi Sakina (AS) asked “What are the two duas ?”
Umme Habeeba said, “My husband is on a journey. Please pray that he returns safely so that my children are not orphans like you. Secondly please pray that I get the ziarat of my Maula Hussain and his sister Zainab.” Bibi Sakina (AS) lifted her hands in prayer. Bibi Zainab (AS) turned to Umme Habeeba and asked “Would you recognise Zainab if you saw her?” Umme Habeeba was shocked at the question and realised that it was her Imam’s family who were in the streets of Koofah. Hussain had been killed in Karbala. Zainab and the rest of the ladies were without their veils and the orphan was four-year-old Sakina, the sweet daughter of Hussain. The family of Imam Hussain (AS) was then taken to the court of Ibn Ziyad. The holy Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) was dragged in chains and the ladies and children brought before the evil governor of Yazeed.
3->From Koofah to Shaam:
The journey from Koofah to Shaam was long and difficult. The camels were made to run and many children fell and died. The mothers would weep and cry but no one listened or stopped. The head of the Imam was carried on a lance by a wicked man called Khooli. One day as they were travelling, the lance carrying the Imam’s head suddenly stopped. Khooli tried very hard to move it but could not. He came with a whip to Imam Zain ul Abedeen (AS) and said,”Come and see why your father’s head has stopped. I will thrash you with this whip if you don’t come and get your father’s head to move.” When the Imam came to his father’s head, he saw that there were tears in his father’s eyes and he was looking towards the desert. His aunt Zainab said “Sajjad, your sister Sakina is missing.” Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) went looking. He found that she had fallen off the camel. Bibi Zainab (AS) ran towards the desert. She saw a lady, dressed in black, wiping away Sakina‘s tears and talking kindly to her. “May Allah reward you for your kindness to my brother Hussain’s orphan” said Zainab. ”Don’t you recognise me? I’m your mother Fatima” came the reply. Bibi Zainab (AS) took Sakina in her arms and brought her back. The lance carrying the Imam’s head could now be moved. But cruel Shimr came up and tied up the orphan all by herself to the back of the camel with ropes. As the journey continued and the camels were made to run, the rough skin of the camel hurt Bibi Sakina (AS) so much that she was soaked in blood. The journey to Damascus continued, with more pain and sadness. As the walls of the city of Damascus came in sight, the caravan was stopped. It was the 1st Safar 61 A.H. Word was sent to Yazeed and he ordered that the city be decorated to celebrate his “victory” over Hussain (AS).The family of the Prophet was made to wait outside the city for three days while the streets and lanes were hung with flags and decorations. It was the hardest time for our fourth Imam and the ladies.
4->Bazaar e Shaam:
After waiting for hours at the door of the city of Damascus, the family of Imam Hussain (AS) were taken through the bazaar, which was crowded with people, who had come out to celebrate. People lined every street. There was dancing and singing on the roads. In the front of procession on lances were the heads of the martyrs of Karbala. Alongside were the ladies, bare headed as their head scarves had been snatched. The fourth Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) was dragged along the street, mocked and jeered. As they passed through the crowded streets, they were jostled and went from one side to the other. In the covered bazaar, there were balconies from where the women of Shaam watched the procession go by. They started throwing dates, sadqa (alms), on the family of the Prophet. Bibi Zainab cried “Sakina, I know you are very hungry but don’t touch the dates. Bibi Kulsoom (AS) turned to the women and said “Don’t you know we are the family of the Prophet. Sadqa is haraam for us.
5)->In the Darbaar:
At the end of the Bazaar were the doors to the palace of Yazeed. But they were not ready and the Ahlebait had to wait for hours yet again. Then they were told to wait because Yazeed was busy playing chess. Finally there was a loud call that they were to be brought before Yazeed. A rope was brought and all the ladies and children were tied up with one rope and dragged along like slaves. If anyone fell, they would be whipped. Bibi Sakina (AS) saw that her aunt Bibi Zainab (AS) was trying hard to control her tears. It was a very difficult time for the holy family. The Darbaar of Yazeed had ambassadors from other countries, leading citizens and more than seven hundred important men, sitting in their finery. Yazeed sat on his throne, sipping wine and poking fun at the Prophet, the Quran and Islam. The head of Imam Hussain (AS) was placed at his feet in a silver salver and Yazeed kept hurting it with a cane. The fourth Imam and the ladies were forced to stand in front of Yazeed and listen to his boasting about his evil deeds. Yazeed, drunk as he was, started misusing the Quran saying that Allah had granted him victory over Imam Hussain (AS). Bibi Zainab (AS) could bear it no more. She boldly spoke in the manner of her father Ali (AS) and reminded Yazeed that his victory was short-lived. She spoke so powerfully that there was a stunned silence in the court. Yazeed then turned to Imam Hussain’s little daughter Sakina and asked “Why do you keep lifting your feet up and down?” Bibi Sakina (AS) boldly replied “Can’t you see? The same rope that is round the arms of the ladies is around my neck, too. When they stand up, it lifts me up. When they bend down to help me, they are in pain.” Yazeed ordered that the rope be loosened, and continued: “Why do you cover your face with your hands?” “O Yazeed! we have no veils to cover our faces. My aunts and mother have long hair to hide their faces. My hair is short so I am hiding my face with my hands.” Yazeed then asked “Did your father love you?” Bibi Sakina (AS) replied “Yes, my father Imam Hussain (AS) loved me very much.” . “Let us see whether you can make him come to you” said the tyrant. Bibi Sakina (AS) spread her shirt, looked at her father and said “Baba your love for me is being tested. Come to me.” Everyone in the court was amazed when they saw the head of the Imam rise and go to Sakina. There was loud weeping in the darbaar. One of Yazeed’s evil men stood up and said “Give me this girl as a slave.” Bibi Sakina (AS) began to weep and looked sadly at her aunt Zainab. Bibi Zainab (AS) angrily shouted, “How dare you! Have you lost all sense of shame that you want to make the grandchild of the Prophet a slave!” Just then Hinda, who was the wife of Yazeed but had the love of Ahlebait in her heart, heard the name of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and came out from behind the curtain. Yazeed felt embarrassed that his own wife had come out without a veil and quickly dismissed the court and ordered that the family of Hussain (AS) be sent to the ruins, a prison.
6-> Zindaan e Shaam:
Not far from the grand palace of Yazeed was a ruin, where the walls were crumbling. The floor was damp and cold, there was no light or flow of air. It was a cramped space, where all the ladies of the Ahlebait and the fourth Imam were sent to spend their time in prison. The place was so cold at night that no one could sleep and during the day the sun blazed down to make it extremely hot. They would get hardly any food to eat or enough water to drink. They spent their time in namaz and dua. Bibi Sakina (AS), four years old, found it very, very hard. Everyone tried to console her but she cried night and day. Sometimes she thought of her baby brother Asghar, sometimes she remembered her uncle Abbas;but most of all she missed her father Imam Hussain (AS). “When will I see my father?” she would ask her aunt. When the long day passed and Bibi Sakina (AS) saw birds flying in the sky, she would ask Umme Rubaab, her mother,”Where are these birds going?” Her mother would say, “They are flying home.” Bibi Sakina (AS) asked “When will we go home? When will we go back to Madina?” One night Bibi Sakina (AS) was very restless. She missed her father and nothing would comfort her. Her aunt told her a story, her mother hugged her but she sobbed “Baba, my Baba” At last she fell asleep. But soon Bibi Sakina (AS) woke up with a shriek. She cried,”Where are you Baba? Where are you?” She had seen her father in her dream, but had woken up to the same darkness and the sound of the chains round her brother’s feet and the sobs of her aunts and mother. She started to weep and there was such pain in her cries, that all the ladies started weeping too. The cries were heard as far as the palace of Yazeed. He asked, “What is the problem now? Why are they crying?” The guards said “Hussain’s four year old daughter is very restless and won’t stop crying” “Send her father’s head to the prison” came the order. When this was done and the head of Imam Hussain (AS) was brought to the door, Bibi Sakina (AS) ran to the door and took the head in her hands. She sat down and started to tell her father everything. She told him how she missed him. She told him how her ears hurt. She told him how dark it was in the prison. She told him how sad everyone was. She cried again and again, “Where were you, my Baba?" Then she became quiet, very quiet. Her mother Umme Rubaab thought she had fallen asleep at last. But when morning came and Sakina still hadn’t moved, her aunt Zainab (AS) came near, “Wake up Sakina “But there was no reply. Imam Zainulabideen (AS) came near, touched his little sister and said “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajaoon From Allah we come and to Allah is our return.”
Orders came from Yazeed to bury Sakina within the prison. A small grave was dug and as a shaheeda, Bibi Sakina (AS) was laid to rest, still in her blood-stained dress. Umme Rubaab had seen her baby Asghar buried in Karbala by Imam Hussain (AS) on the day of Ashoor. Now in Shaam, her beloved daughter Sakina was being lowered into the ground by Imam Zainulabideen (AS). When people asked what happened in the prison, vague replies were given by Yazeed. Different names were used to create confusion. Soon after, he decided to release the Ahlebait, but the mazar of Bibi Sakina (AS) still stands in Damascus as a witness to his cruelty. We pay our respects to this great personality who in her childhood stood as an example of true Islam.
Book name:History of Bibi Sakina(sa)
Author Name:Sakina Hassan Askari
)
1) Shaame Ghareebaan->
The sun of Ashoor set and the sky grew dark. The cruelty of the forces of Yazeed increased. First of all they looted the body of the Imam and took away his armour, his helmet, his clothes and even his rings. They trampled his body and then galloped towards the tents. They looted anything they could find and took away the veils that covered the heads of the ladies. A yazeedi soldier snatched Bibi Sakina’s (AS) earrings from her ears with such force that they started to bleed. The four year old orphan of Imam Hussain (AS) screamed in pain. ”Baba My Baba! Where are you?” Then the tents were set on fire. Bibi Sakina AS‘s dress caught fire. She ran out and the fire seemed to blaze even more
Hameed ibn Muslim, a reporter in Yazeed’s army, writes that he saw a little girl whose clothes were on fire, running this way and that. He tried to put it out. She said to him “We are the Ahlebait. Don’t come near.” When the fire was out, she saw that the man appeared kind so she asked, “Can you tell me the way to Najaf?” He said “Why do you ask?” Bibi Sakina (AS) said, “My grandfather Ali (AS) is in Najaf. He helps anyone who is in need. I will go and ask him to help us.” The widows and the helpless orphans ran from one tent to another and were scattered everywhere. Bibi Zainab (AS) and Bibi Kulsoom (AS) gathered all the widows and orphans together and counted them. They realised that some children were missing. They went looking and found that two children were lying on the ground. When they picked them up, they began to weep as they realised that these two children were both dead. “I can’t see my daughter Sakina anywhere” sobbed Umme Rubaab.
“You stay here. I will go and look for Sakina,” said Bibi Zainab (AS) and went towards the battlefield calling, “Sakina, Sakina, where are you?” Finally she found Sakina (AS) clinging to a headless body, hugging him with both her hands. She was sobbing: “Baba, come back! It’s dark here! They have looted our home. They have burnt our tents. They have taken my earrings. My ears hurt. They’re bleeding.” “How did you know that this was your father Hussain?” asked Bibi Zainab (AS). Bibi Sakina (AS) replied, “I came crying Aina Abi? Aina Abi? Where are you father? Where are you father?” And a sound came from here, saying “Illayya Illaya ya bunayya. Come here, come here, my daughter!” “Let’s go. Your mother is waiting for you Sakina.” said Bibi Zainab (AS) and picked up her darling niece to take her back to her mother, Umme Rubaab. Late that night, someone remembered that the widows and orphans were still hungry and thirsty. A little food and water was brought to them. Bibi Zainab (AS) called Sakina first and gave her some water. “Why do you give this to me before everyone else?” she asked. “You are the youngest, Sakina.” replied Bibi Zainab (AS). Bibi Sakina (AS) took the water in her hands and started to go towards the battlefield. “Where are you going?” asked her mother. “I’m going to give this water to Asghar, my baby brother. He is younger than me.” Everyone wept.
2-> In Koofah:
The next morning, the heads of Imam Hussain (AS) and all his family were put on spears and lances. The ladies were made to travel on the bare backs of camels. They were tied up in ropes. Our fourth Imam Zainul Abedeen (AS), who could hardly stand was put in chains. They were all taken to Koofah to the court of Ibn Ziyad, the governor of Yazeed. The journey through the desert took four days. Koofah was once the capital city where Imam Ali (AS) had once ruled. Now his family were being brought there as captives. The head of Imam Hussain (AS) was on a lance, all his family including his sister Zainab (AS) was being taken through the streets and young Sakina (AS), by her side was so thirsty.
The people of Koofah had been told by Ibn Ziyad that the Khalifa had gained victory over a rebel and so they had come out in huge numbers to celebrate. Everywhere there were sounds of rejoicing. The very people, who had invited Imam Hussain (AS) to Koofah to be their guide, now were ready to mock and jeer. As they passed through a narrow lane, they stopped. In that street, lived Umme Habeeba, who had once served as a servant in the house of Bibi Zainab (AS). She saw heads on lances, she saw a young man who could hardly walk being dragged in chains and she saw a little girl sitting on the bare back of a camel looking so sad and weak. Umme Habeeba did not realise that these people were the family of Imam Ali (AS) and Bibi Fatima (AS), the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW. “Let me bring you some water” said Umme Habeeba and as she gave the water to Bibi Sakina (AS) she said “When you drink the water, please do two duas for me” Bibi Zainab (AS) said “Sakina do the dua first, then drink the water.” Then turning to Umme Habeeba, Bibi Sakina (AS) asked “What are the two duas ?”
Umme Habeeba said, “My husband is on a journey. Please pray that he returns safely so that my children are not orphans like you. Secondly please pray that I get the ziarat of my Maula Hussain and his sister Zainab.” Bibi Sakina (AS) lifted her hands in prayer. Bibi Zainab (AS) turned to Umme Habeeba and asked “Would you recognise Zainab if you saw her?” Umme Habeeba was shocked at the question and realised that it was her Imam’s family who were in the streets of Koofah. Hussain had been killed in Karbala. Zainab and the rest of the ladies were without their veils and the orphan was four-year-old Sakina, the sweet daughter of Hussain. The family of Imam Hussain (AS) was then taken to the court of Ibn Ziyad. The holy Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) was dragged in chains and the ladies and children brought before the evil governor of Yazeed.
3->From Koofah to Shaam:
The journey from Koofah to Shaam was long and difficult. The camels were made to run and many children fell and died. The mothers would weep and cry but no one listened or stopped. The head of the Imam was carried on a lance by a wicked man called Khooli. One day as they were travelling, the lance carrying the Imam’s head suddenly stopped. Khooli tried very hard to move it but could not. He came with a whip to Imam Zain ul Abedeen (AS) and said,”Come and see why your father’s head has stopped. I will thrash you with this whip if you don’t come and get your father’s head to move.” When the Imam came to his father’s head, he saw that there were tears in his father’s eyes and he was looking towards the desert. His aunt Zainab said “Sajjad, your sister Sakina is missing.” Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) went looking. He found that she had fallen off the camel. Bibi Zainab (AS) ran towards the desert. She saw a lady, dressed in black, wiping away Sakina‘s tears and talking kindly to her. “May Allah reward you for your kindness to my brother Hussain’s orphan” said Zainab. ”Don’t you recognise me? I’m your mother Fatima” came the reply. Bibi Zainab (AS) took Sakina in her arms and brought her back. The lance carrying the Imam’s head could now be moved. But cruel Shimr came up and tied up the orphan all by herself to the back of the camel with ropes. As the journey continued and the camels were made to run, the rough skin of the camel hurt Bibi Sakina (AS) so much that she was soaked in blood. The journey to Damascus continued, with more pain and sadness. As the walls of the city of Damascus came in sight, the caravan was stopped. It was the 1st Safar 61 A.H. Word was sent to Yazeed and he ordered that the city be decorated to celebrate his “victory” over Hussain (AS).The family of the Prophet was made to wait outside the city for three days while the streets and lanes were hung with flags and decorations. It was the hardest time for our fourth Imam and the ladies.
4->Bazaar e Shaam:
After waiting for hours at the door of the city of Damascus, the family of Imam Hussain (AS) were taken through the bazaar, which was crowded with people, who had come out to celebrate. People lined every street. There was dancing and singing on the roads. In the front of procession on lances were the heads of the martyrs of Karbala. Alongside were the ladies, bare headed as their head scarves had been snatched. The fourth Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) was dragged along the street, mocked and jeered. As they passed through the crowded streets, they were jostled and went from one side to the other. In the covered bazaar, there were balconies from where the women of Shaam watched the procession go by. They started throwing dates, sadqa (alms), on the family of the Prophet. Bibi Zainab cried “Sakina, I know you are very hungry but don’t touch the dates. Bibi Kulsoom (AS) turned to the women and said “Don’t you know we are the family of the Prophet. Sadqa is haraam for us.
5)->In the Darbaar:
At the end of the Bazaar were the doors to the palace of Yazeed. But they were not ready and the Ahlebait had to wait for hours yet again. Then they were told to wait because Yazeed was busy playing chess. Finally there was a loud call that they were to be brought before Yazeed. A rope was brought and all the ladies and children were tied up with one rope and dragged along like slaves. If anyone fell, they would be whipped. Bibi Sakina (AS) saw that her aunt Bibi Zainab (AS) was trying hard to control her tears. It was a very difficult time for the holy family. The Darbaar of Yazeed had ambassadors from other countries, leading citizens and more than seven hundred important men, sitting in their finery. Yazeed sat on his throne, sipping wine and poking fun at the Prophet, the Quran and Islam. The head of Imam Hussain (AS) was placed at his feet in a silver salver and Yazeed kept hurting it with a cane. The fourth Imam and the ladies were forced to stand in front of Yazeed and listen to his boasting about his evil deeds. Yazeed, drunk as he was, started misusing the Quran saying that Allah had granted him victory over Imam Hussain (AS). Bibi Zainab (AS) could bear it no more. She boldly spoke in the manner of her father Ali (AS) and reminded Yazeed that his victory was short-lived. She spoke so powerfully that there was a stunned silence in the court. Yazeed then turned to Imam Hussain’s little daughter Sakina and asked “Why do you keep lifting your feet up and down?” Bibi Sakina (AS) boldly replied “Can’t you see? The same rope that is round the arms of the ladies is around my neck, too. When they stand up, it lifts me up. When they bend down to help me, they are in pain.” Yazeed ordered that the rope be loosened, and continued: “Why do you cover your face with your hands?” “O Yazeed! we have no veils to cover our faces. My aunts and mother have long hair to hide their faces. My hair is short so I am hiding my face with my hands.” Yazeed then asked “Did your father love you?” Bibi Sakina (AS) replied “Yes, my father Imam Hussain (AS) loved me very much.” . “Let us see whether you can make him come to you” said the tyrant. Bibi Sakina (AS) spread her shirt, looked at her father and said “Baba your love for me is being tested. Come to me.” Everyone in the court was amazed when they saw the head of the Imam rise and go to Sakina. There was loud weeping in the darbaar. One of Yazeed’s evil men stood up and said “Give me this girl as a slave.” Bibi Sakina (AS) began to weep and looked sadly at her aunt Zainab. Bibi Zainab (AS) angrily shouted, “How dare you! Have you lost all sense of shame that you want to make the grandchild of the Prophet a slave!” Just then Hinda, who was the wife of Yazeed but had the love of Ahlebait in her heart, heard the name of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and came out from behind the curtain. Yazeed felt embarrassed that his own wife had come out without a veil and quickly dismissed the court and ordered that the family of Hussain (AS) be sent to the ruins, a prison.
6-> Zindaan e Shaam:
Not far from the grand palace of Yazeed was a ruin, where the walls were crumbling. The floor was damp and cold, there was no light or flow of air. It was a cramped space, where all the ladies of the Ahlebait and the fourth Imam were sent to spend their time in prison. The place was so cold at night that no one could sleep and during the day the sun blazed down to make it extremely hot. They would get hardly any food to eat or enough water to drink. They spent their time in namaz and dua. Bibi Sakina (AS), four years old, found it very, very hard. Everyone tried to console her but she cried night and day. Sometimes she thought of her baby brother Asghar, sometimes she remembered her uncle Abbas;but most of all she missed her father Imam Hussain (AS). “When will I see my father?” she would ask her aunt. When the long day passed and Bibi Sakina (AS) saw birds flying in the sky, she would ask Umme Rubaab, her mother,”Where are these birds going?” Her mother would say, “They are flying home.” Bibi Sakina (AS) asked “When will we go home? When will we go back to Madina?” One night Bibi Sakina (AS) was very restless. She missed her father and nothing would comfort her. Her aunt told her a story, her mother hugged her but she sobbed “Baba, my Baba” At last she fell asleep. But soon Bibi Sakina (AS) woke up with a shriek. She cried,”Where are you Baba? Where are you?” She had seen her father in her dream, but had woken up to the same darkness and the sound of the chains round her brother’s feet and the sobs of her aunts and mother. She started to weep and there was such pain in her cries, that all the ladies started weeping too. The cries were heard as far as the palace of Yazeed. He asked, “What is the problem now? Why are they crying?” The guards said “Hussain’s four year old daughter is very restless and won’t stop crying” “Send her father’s head to the prison” came the order. When this was done and the head of Imam Hussain (AS) was brought to the door, Bibi Sakina (AS) ran to the door and took the head in her hands. She sat down and started to tell her father everything. She told him how she missed him. She told him how her ears hurt. She told him how dark it was in the prison. She told him how sad everyone was. She cried again and again, “Where were you, my Baba?" Then she became quiet, very quiet. Her mother Umme Rubaab thought she had fallen asleep at last. But when morning came and Sakina still hadn’t moved, her aunt Zainab (AS) came near, “Wake up Sakina “But there was no reply. Imam Zainulabideen (AS) came near, touched his little sister and said “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajaoon From Allah we come and to Allah is our return.”
Orders came from Yazeed to bury Sakina within the prison. A small grave was dug and as a shaheeda, Bibi Sakina (AS) was laid to rest, still in her blood-stained dress. Umme Rubaab had seen her baby Asghar buried in Karbala by Imam Hussain (AS) on the day of Ashoor. Now in Shaam, her beloved daughter Sakina was being lowered into the ground by Imam Zainulabideen (AS). When people asked what happened in the prison, vague replies were given by Yazeed. Different names were used to create confusion. Soon after, he decided to release the Ahlebait, but the mazar of Bibi Sakina (AS) still stands in Damascus as a witness to his cruelty. We pay our respects to this great personality who in her childhood stood as an example of true Islam.
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