Shi'i narrative Sukayna bint Husayn

1 shi narrative

1.1 in karbala
1.2 journey karbala damascus, via kufah
1.3 death , aftermath

shi narrative

the story of sakinah 1 of many emotional stories shī‘ī muslims tell husayn , martyrdom @ hands of yazid s troops. battle of karbala , subsequent events @ court of yazid explained , mourned annually during commemoration of Āshūrā’. according these religious narrations, sakinah suffered fatigue , thirst on forced march damascus, , later cold , starvation in yazid s dungeon.

according shi narrations, sayyidah ruqayyah born on 20th of rajab, 56 ah. years said have been spent in medina. beloved daughter of imam husain grandson of islamic nabī (arabic: نَـبِي‎, prophet) muhammad. when went bed @ night, want spend time father, , used sleep on chest every night. al-husain heard saying house without not worth living in. tell stories of great-grandfather, , of battles fought grandfather, ali ibn abi talib.

there special bond between sakinah , paternal uncle, abbas. loved more did own children. if requested anything, not rest until had fulfilled request. during journey medinah mecca, mecca karbala, abbas seen riding mehmil (a special saddle made women) in sat, make sure had wanted. sakinah loved uncle much. while in medinah, several times day visit house in al-‘abbas lived family , mother, ummul banin.

she accompanied father when traveled mecca kufah in iraq. on 2nd of muharram, 61 ah (680 ce), al-husain , 72 of family members , companions forced camp in plains of karbala yazid s army of 30,000 men. yazid ibn muawiyyah practical caliph desired religious authority obtaining allegiance of husain, imam not give principles. on 10th of muharram, known ‘ashura’, imam s household attacked, of companions killed, , survivors made captives. survivors included imam s sisters, wives, , daughters, including sakinah, relatives of companions of imam, , son, ali zaynul‘abidin, did not participate in battle, due illness.

in karbala

on 2nd of muharram, yazid s army began gather @ karbala. husain said sister zaynab, time has come sukainah used going sleep without me. sakinah follow father @ night, , al-husain had gently take zaynab or rubab.

on 7th of muharram, order of yazid, army prevented husain getting water euphrates. water became scarce in camp of husain. sakinah shared whatever little water had other children. when there no water @ all, thirsty children looked @ eyes full of hope. situation got bad lips parched thirst. soon, sayyedah sakinah came out holding dried mashq (arabic: مـشـق‎, water bag), leading 42 other children, each holding dry water bag. children shouting if in chorus, al atash, ya ammahu! (the thirsty, o uncle!). walked al-‘abbas , told him children had come asking water. see thirst, aggravated scorching heat of desert, squeezing young lives out of them. al-‘abbas went al-husain , requested permission go , water sukainah , other children. husain rejected request once again, saying him army s commander, , because of that, not go , fight. abbas used sakinah s request gain al-husain s permission, , husain agreed. abbas put sakinah s mashq on ‘alam (arabic: عـلـم‎, flag), mounted horse, , rode husain.

when abbas went water, children gathered around sakinah little cups, knowing abbas brought water, first make sure had before taking herself. sakinah standing next husain, eyes fixed on flag of abbas. abbas reached river bank, fighting yazid s men tried block way, killing spear tried stop progress. thousands of yazid s men avoided abbas while going towards river, , whole army of yazid disappeared because scared of abbas – bravery known among arabs. bent down fill mashq, flag disappeared sight. sakinah frightened , looked @ father, said, sayyedah sakinah, uncle abbas @ river bank. smiled , said, al-Ḥamdu lillāh (arabic: الـحَـمـدُ لله‎, praise allah), , called out children welcome abbas.

with water bag filled, abbas wanted water anxiously waiting children possible. seeing him gallop towards camp of husain, umar ibn sa‘ad shouted enemy ranks if single drop of water reached al-husain s camp, impossible fight them on battlefield. when arrows coming sides, abbas had 1 thought in mind, how protect water bag. lost both arms during attack, trying save water bag. flag fell onto ground. sayyedah sakinah not see longer. looked @ father, turned face away. sakinah began tremble fear , eyes filled tears. raised hands , prayed, o god! not let them kill uncle abbas, not ask water again, , ran inside tent mother.

after al-husain , army martyred, forces of yazid, among whom shimr, came tents. looted belongings of husain , supporters, including ladies hijabs. when sakinah cried father, instead of comforting her, shimr slapped face , pulled earrings ears, leading them bleed. fire set tents, , sakinah s dress affected it. ladies , children ran 1 tent another. sakinah ran battlefield screaming: father, you? father, father, speak me, father.

as night descended, since al-husain s head cut off yazid s army, zaynab took on herself protect women , children. gathered women , children 1 small space in between gutted tents. ali zaynul-abidin lay on ground surrounded widows , orphans. eventually, there no fire , no light, except of moon. however, zaynab noticed sakinah missing. asked rubab, did not know sukainah was, panicked, , ran out of tents looking her. eventually, in desperation, zaynab went place body of al-husain lay, , cried, o brother, sayyedah sakinah, left in care, found. shall in wilderness? then, moon came out behind cloud , zaynab saw sakinah lying on father s body, sleeping on chest used to. shook child awake , said, oh, sayyedah sakinah! how did recognize father? person can recognized face or clothes wear. father beheaded , clothes covered red scars of blood. sukainah replied innocently, wanted tell father people had done me. wanted tell him how shimr had robbed earrings father had lovingly given me. wanted tell him how had ripped them ears leaving earlobes torn , bleeding. wanted tell him how beast had mercilessly slapped me when cried in pain. when running aimlessly in desert thought heard father s voice telling me here, ilaiya ilaiya sakinah. followed voice , found him lying here. told him , felt sleeping on chest way did, last time. kept head on chest , slept till came.

zaynab took jug of water , went sakinah, had fallen fretful sleep, , stroked uncombed hair. sakinah opened eyes. , zaynab said, here water sukainah, please drink little. have been thirsty long. on hearing word water , sayeda sakina cried out hopefully, has uncle abbas come back? when told hurr s widow had brought water, got up, went hurr s widow, thanked her, , asked zaynab, have drunk water? zaynab shook head. sakinah asked, why ask me drink water? zaynab said, because, dear, youngest. sakinah replied, no, asghar youngest.

journey karbala damascus, via kufah

the next day, caravan of captives made start traveling towards kufah. ali zaynul-abidin, regardless of being ill, bound in heavy chains , forced walk barefooted women, including granddaughters of muhammad, forced sit on bare backs of camels, necks , hands tied tightly ropes. people in caravan suffered tortures of journey, , when reached al-kufah, forced march through public roads or streets. suddenly, camel on sakinah , zainab stopped near house. zaynab s eyes fell on sakinah , knew had say. asked her, , sakinah answered, want ask something, know dear aunt, @ moment impossible fulfill it. when zaynab insisted, sakinah replied, o dear aunt, throat dry, not think can endure thirst anymore. words heard women had climbed on top of houses see holy caravan march clearly. among these women, sympathetic woman got crowd , rushed home bring water sayeda sakina.

from kufah, next phase of journey take prisoners yazid s capital, damascus in ash-sham. sukainah tied rope on bare camel. @ 1 point in journey, sayyedah sakinah fell camel. caravan did not stop, except family members noticed it. after incident, army changed formation of prisoners. brother, ali ibn husain tied chains on neck , feet, son, muhammad al-baqir, on back, , same rope tied onto sister s neck. avoid strangling sakinah, ali avoided standing straight.

even @ these times of hardship , misery, sayyedah sakinah thought of others first. consoled mother on death of ali asghar, , when saw other woman or child weeping, put little arms around her. in days, used take 32 days on camel reach damascus, family members of husain taken in such way took them 16 days reach there.

yazid thought had won throne, , imposed torments upon women , children , companions of imam. imam s relatives, zaynab, ali zaynul-abidin, fatimah al-kubra, , others delivered sermons, , argued case in front of yazid s entire court.

death , aftermath

an iranian child in mourning of muharram red headband written o ruqayyah .

in dungeon, zainab tried console sayyedah sakinah , said meet father. 1 night, when sakinah asleep, woke crying , started father everywhere. women tried console stop crying, continued: o dear aunt, father? few minutes ago father, , kissed me , said dear sakinah me. father now? @ this, women started cry, , crying heard yazid @ court. yazid sent severed head of al-husain prison, , when sakinah received head of father, started cry more , held tight , asked father: cut off father s head, martyred father, why held captives? these words of sorrow, sakina quiet. thought sakinah had gone sleep again, had died, @ age of 4 or five.

her body buried in dungeon. zaynab held still child ‘ali dug grave sister in dungeon. clothes burnt in karbala, , due injuries, had intermingled flesh. therefore, buried in same burnt, ripped clothes in dungeon of syria. grave being filled after burial, mother let out scream. of women huddled around her, , prison walls began shake cry, ya sakina, ya mazloomah! (o sakina, o oppressed one!). yazid decided release them prison, allowing them return al-medinah. rubab nevertheless come grave, placing cheek on , cry out, speak me sakinah. word, child, speak me.

centuries later, ‘Ālim (arabic: عـالـم‎, scholar) had dream in sakinah asked him move body grave site, due water pouring grave. , people opened grave, , saw ground water indeed entering grave, besides body still intact. sakinah s body moved original burial place, dungeon, , reburied masjid located.