According to different historical accounts, between the 6th and 13th Saf

ar is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Bibi Sakina bint al-Hussain(as) - the

beloved 4-year-old daughter of Imam Hussain(as) who died in the prison of Damasc
us after the family of the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) taken as prisoners after the
events of Karbala and emprisoned in Damascus. She is also known as Ruqqayya bint
-al-Hussain(as) in the Arab world.
On this occasion of mourning in the household of the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw), I
extend my condolences to the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw), his Ahl-e-Bait(as), Imam-e
-Zamana(as) and to all Momineen and Mominaat.
From the time when Imam Hussain(as) was martyred in the battlefield, Bibi Sakina
(as) forgot to smile. Kufa saw her as a little girl forever lost in thought. Qui
te often she would sit up at night. When asked if she wanted anything, she would
say, "I just heard a baby cry? Is it Asghar? He must be calling out for me!"
Knowing that her weeping upset her mother, Bibi Sakina(as) would cry silently an
d quickly wipe away her tears. In the prison in Damascus she would stare at the
flock of birds flying to their nests at sunset and innocently ask Bibi Zainab(s.
a.), "Will Sakina ever be going home like those birds flying to their homes?"
Then one dreadful night Bibi Sakina(as) went to bed on the cold floor of the pri
son. For a long time she stared into the darkness! She might have been asleep fo
r only a while when she woke up and said to her aunt Zainab(s.a.) Phuphi amma I s
aw my father he was calling me saying O Sakina
O my child I have come to take yo
u with me. Come to me my child
and Bibi Sakina(as) started crying. She cried and c
ried for her father so much that to console her the sacred head of Imam Hussain(
as) was sent to her in the prison. She hugged the head of Imam Hussain(as) and s
tarted telling her story:
Baba! What a change it is, I used to sleep on your chest, today you are on my ch
est.
Baba! I used to sleep on your chest but after you I could not sleep at all.
Baba! I was not given water after you left us.
Baba! I was tied to the bare back of a camel.
Baba! you used to hold me in your arms, then brother Akbar would take me, then m
y chacha Abbas would hold me and then my brother Qasim then my mother. I never l
aid my feet on the groud but after you Baba, I was made to run with the camels a
nd made to walk miles.
Baba! Whenever he wanted to
Shimr slapped and beat me.
Baba! The earrings you gave me on Eid day were snatched away by Shimr.
My little ears are hurting from that pain till today.
Baba! Baba! Baba .
Everyone in the prison wept with Sakina trying to console here and then, all of
a sudden, Sakina became quiet. Her aunts thought she has finally slept so they d
id not disturb her.
The time for the morning prayers came. Her mother called out: "Wake up, Sakina!
Wake up, it is time for prayers, my child!" There was only the painful silence!
Our fourth Imam Zain-ul-Abideen(as) walked up to Sakina(as) and caressed her and
put his hand on her forehead. It was cold! He put his hand near the mouth and t
he nose. Bibi Sakina(as) had stopped breathing. In between sobs Imam Zain-ul-Abi
deen(as) recited: "INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAYHI RAAJI-OON!". All the ladies of ah
lul-bait gathered around and started weeping Haey Sakina(as) haey haey Sakina(as
).
How was Hazrat Sakina(as) buried
-------------------------------Bibi Zainab(s.a.) held the still child while Imam Zain-ul-Abideen(as) dug a grav

e in the cell. They tried to change her dress and put a proper kafan but her dre
ss was so glued to her body with her blood that it would not come out without hu
rting her tender body. In tears they decided to bury her in her blood-soaked clo
thes.
As the grave was being filled up after the burial Hazrat Umm-e-Rubaab
her mother
- let out a scream! How could anyone console Bibi Rubaab(as)? What could they s
ay? They huddled around her, and the prison walls began to shake with the cry: "
Ya Bibi Sakina(as), YA MAZLOOMAH!!" Bibi Rubaab(as) put her cheek on Bibi Sakina
(as)'s grave and cried out: "Speak to me, Sakina! Only a word, my child! Speak t
o me!! I lost my little Asghar in Karbala and now you are leaving me!!!"
Ala lanat allahe ala qaumiz zalimeen