HUSSAINIA New Zealand

Khutba-e-Zainab
A historic khutba by Zainab binte Ali (AS), delivered in the
courtyard of Yazid after the tragedy of Karbala

After Bibi Zainab saw Yazid disrespecting the head of her brother (as) with a cane. She stood and said:

"God says, and He says the truth, the end of miscreants will be awful, those who belied the signs of God and mocked them. Oh Yazid, do you feel that you have made our life miserable and existence impossible? And you think that God has dishonoured us and that you have been honoured and elevated? This apparent success of yours is the result of grandeur of your might and lofty status for which you are proud…. You feel that you have conquered the whole world and your affairs are organised and that our domain is now under you control…

Wait! Wait! Let not your ignorance make you so elated for have you not heard God's words - Let not those who disbelieve think that our giving them respite is good for themselves. We only give respite to them so that they may increase in sins and for them is a disgraceful chastisement. (3:177)

Oh you the son of freed slaves! Is this your justice that the ladies of your house remain veiled and we the Prophet's daughters should be paraded from place to place? You have thus insulted our dignity….

Oh Yazid! Your misdeed has proved your rebellion against God…. And this action of yours comes as no surprise from a person whose ancestors chewed the liver of such saintly martyrs. The descendants of such enemies of God should naturally be the most deadly!

Oh Yazid! You are happily disrespecting the teeth of Husain even though it was the place of kissing for the Holy Prophet!

Oh Yazid! You did what you wished, but remember that you have cut your own skin, In the near future you will be taken in the presence of the Holy Prophet. On that occasion you will be burdened with the sins of the misdeed committed by you shedding the blood of his progeny and dishonouring the sanctity of his family.

Oh Yazid! It does not befit you to get inflated with joy after slaying the Prophet's progeny and reckon not those slain in the way of God to be dead: nay! Alive they are with their Lord, being sustained, rejoicing in what God has granted them" (2:168)

Oh Yazid! Feel not elated with our defeat, for you will have to pay the penalty of it on the day when you will be rewarded for your misdeeds. God is not unjust to anyone. We trust in Him. He is our place of refuge. In Him we seek sanctity and with Him rest our hopes!

You can never reach the level of our lofty position, nor can you destroy our remembrances, nor can you wipe out the ignominy you have earned for yourself by your abominable and vile performance. Your decisions are poor and your days are numbered. Your party will disperse the day when the Announcer will announce - 'GOD'S CURSE BE ON TYRANTS AND TRANSGRESSORS'.