Sermon Of Imam Sajjad (a.s.) in Kufa

After the tragic and heart rendering event of Karbala, the household of Imam Hussain (a.s.) which included the Imam Sajjad (a.s.), Janabe Zainab (s.a.) , Janabe Kulthum (s.a.) and other womanfolk and children, were taken as captives to be taken to the court of Yazeed ( Curse be on him) in the city of Damascus.

On the way this caravan neared Kufa. Kufa was a city which had many followers of Ahle Bait (a.s.) and they also had written letters to Imam Hussain (a.s.), calling him to Kufa to guide them. History has recorded that in Kufa, Janabe Zainab (s.a.), Umme Kulthum (s.a.) and Imam Sajjad (a.s.) had delivered such eleoquent sermons which shook the foundation of the Bani Ummayah dynasty and stirred the emotions of the people.

Here we bring for the readers, the sermon which Imam Sajjad (a.s.) delivered after Janabe Zainab (s.a.) delivered her sermon. 

This sermon has been recorded in Biharul Anwaar (By Allama Majlisi) Volume 45, Page 112-113 (Chapter of Events that Occurred after the Martydom (Of Imam Hussain (a.s.) ) and by Abu Mansor Tabarsi in his Al-Ihtijaj ( Page 155-156).

Ibn Ziyad (Curse be on him ) had made it famous amongst the people, that he was bringing rebels, who had stood against Yazeed (Curse be on him). The people of Kufa gathered to see them. When the household of Imam Hussain (a.s.) was taken through the city of Kufa, Janabe Zainab (s.a.) delivered a sermon which led to a huge cry amongst the people making them remorseful. Hizam ibn Sateer Asadi the narrator of this event says that after Janabe Zainab (s.a.) delivered her sermon, the people became very remorseful and started wailing. Thereafter Imam signalled them to become quiet. After extolling and praising Almighty Allah (s.w.t.) and conveying salutations on Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s), He (a.s.) said :

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ عَرَفَنِي فَقَدْ عَرَفَنِي وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنِي فَأَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ‏ أَنَا ابْنُ الْمَذْبُوحِ بِشَطِّ الْفُرَاتِ مِنْ غَيْرِ ذَحْلٍ وَ لَا تِرَاتٍ أَنَا ابْنُ مَنِ انْتُهِكَ حَرِيمُهُ وَ سُلِبَ نَعِيمُهُ وَ انْتُهِبَ مَالُهُ وَ سُبِيَ عِيَالُهُ أَنَا ابْنُ مَنْ قُتِلَ صَبْراً وَ كَفَى بِذَلِكَ فَخْراً أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ نَاشَدْتُكُمْ بِاللَّهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ كَتَبْتُمْ إِلَى أَبِي وَ خَدَعْتُمُوهُ وَ أَعْطَيْتُمُوهُ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ الْعَهْدَ وَ الْمِيثَاقَ وَ الْبَيْعَةَ وَ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ وَ خَذَلْتُمُوهُ فَتَبّاً لِمَا قَدَّمْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَ سَوْأَةً لِرَأْيِكُمْ بِأَيَّةِ عَيْنٍ تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص إِذْ يَقُولُ لَكُمْ قَتَلْتُمْ عِتْرَتِي وَ انْتَهَكْتُمْ حُرْمَتِي فَلَسْتُمْ مِنْ أُمَّتِي

“O people! Those of you, who know me, know me, while those who do not know me I am Ali, the son of Husayn, who was beheaded without any fault or error on the banks of the Euphrates. I am the son of the one whose sanctity was violated and was robbed off the blessing of his life. His wealth was plundered and his women were captivated. I am the son of the one who was killed by a collective group, while this honor (Martyrdom) is sufficient for us.

O people! I tell you in the name of Allah! Do you not know that you had written a letter to my father inviting him? You deceived him while pledging and promising to aid him and took the oath of allegiance to him. And in return you fought against him and abandoned him? May you be ruined by that what you have brought forth and may your ideologies be ugly! How shall you face the Prophet of Allah (S) when he shall say to you: You killed my progeny and violated my sanctity, you are not from among my nation”.

In the initial part of the sermon we see that Imam (a.s.) introduces himself to the people so that people know who are the captives in the caravan. Thereafter he mentions the atrocities that were committed on his father Imam Hussain (a.s) and his household. In Ziyarate Nahiyah Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s) narrates similar atrocities committed on Imam Hussain (a.s.) and his family in the following manner

Peace be upon the one whose blood was shed unjustly.	اَلسَّلامُ عَلى مَنْ اُريقَ بِالظُّلْمِ دَمُهُ،
Peace be upon the one who was bathed in the blood of his wounds.	اَلسَّلامُ عَلَى الْمُغَسَّلِ بِدَمِ الْجِراحِ،
Peace be upon the one who tasted the spears raining down over his body.	اَلسَّلامُ عَلَى الْمُجَرَّعِ بِكَأْساتِ الرِّماحِ،

Thereafter Imam(a.s.) admonishes those who had gathered by saying that they had invited Imam Hussain (a.s.) to Kufa and they were the ones who had abandoned him. He questions them as to how will they answer to Prophet (saws) on the day of Judgement.

One should contemplate on the above sentences and apply it to our relation to the Imam of the time. Our condition should also not be like the people of Kufa. Even we call our Imam every day but how much do we obey our Imam. !!

Then the sermon continues as,

قَالَ فَارْتَفَعَتْ أَصْوَاتُ النَّاسِ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ وَ يَقُولُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ هَلَكْتُمْ وَ مَا تَعْلَمُونَ فَقَالَ ع رَحِمَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً قَبِلَ نَصِيحَتِي وَ حَفِظَ وَصِيَّتِي فِي اللَّهِ وَ فِي رَسُولِهِ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ فَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةً حَسَنَةً فَقَالُوا بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ نَحْنُ كُلُّنَا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهُ سَامِعُونَ مُطِيعُونَ حَافِظُونَ لِذِمَامِكَ غَيْرَ زَاهِدِينَ فِيكَ وَ لَا رَاغِبِينَ عَنْكَ فَمُرْنَا بِأَمْرِكَ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ فَإِنَّا حَرْبٌ لِحَرْبِكَ وَ سِلْمٌ لِسِلْمِكَ لَنَأْخُذَنَّ يَزِيدَ وَ نَبْرَأُ مِمَّنْ ظَلَمَكَ وَ ظَلَمَنَا

Due to the admonishment of Imam (a.s.), the people became remorseful and guilt overtook them.

The voice of wailing of men arose and they started telling one another, “You are ruined and you do not know”.

 Then Imam (a.s.) continued,

“May Allah’s Mercy be upon him who accepts my counsel and safeguards my recommendation in the way of Allah, the Prophet of Allah (S) and his Progeny, that we possess better following while having relation with the Prophet of Allah (S)”.

Here we see that after the people regret their actions, Imam advices them to follow his orders and prays for Allah’s mercy on those who follow his orders and advices. The effect this had on the people was, they told him,

“O son of the Prophet of Allah! All of us are heedful ones, obedient and admirers of your sanctity. We shall not desert you nor turn away from you. Then command us, may your Lord have mercy upon you, we are along with you in times of conflict and peace. Then we shall seek revenge from the one who oppressed you or ourselves”.

Hearing these statements of the people, Imam (a.s.) said,

فَقَالَ ع هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ أَيُّهَا الْغَدَرَةُ الْمَكَرَةُ حِيلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ شَهَوَاتِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَأْتُوا إِلَيَّ كَمَا أَتَيْتُمْ إِلَى آبَائِي مِنْ قَبْلُ كَلَّا وَ رَبِّ الرَّاقِصَاتِ فَإِنَّ الْجُرْحَ لَمَّا يَنْدَمِلْ قُتِلَ أَبِي صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ بِالْأَمْسِ وَ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ مَعَهُ وَ لَمْ يَنْسَنِي ثُكْلُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ ثُكْلُ أَبِي وَ بَنِي أَبِي وَ وَجْدُهُ بَيْنَ لَهَاتِي وَ مَرَارَتُهُ بَيْنَ حَنَاجِرِي وَ حَلْقِي وَ غُصَصُهُ يَجْرِي فِي فِرَاشِ صَدْرِي وَ مَسْأَلَتِي أَنْ لَا تَكُونُوا لَنَا وَ لَا عَلَيْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ-

لَا غَرْوَ إِنْ قُتِلَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ شَيْخُهُ-		قَدْ كَانَ خَيْراً مِنْ حُسَيْنٍ وَ أَكْرَمَا-
فَلَا تَفْرَحُوا يَا أَهْلَ كُوفَانَ بِالَّذِي-		أُصِيبَ حُسَيْنٌ كَانَ ذَلِكَ أَعْظَمَا-
قَتِيلٌ بِشَطِّ النَّهْرِ رُوحِي فِدَاؤُهُ-		جَزَاءُ الَّذِي أَرْدَاهُ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَا

“Alas! Alas! O deceivers loaded with fraud! There is a large obstacle between you and your futile caprice. You desire to fair with me similarly as you have faired with my fathers? No, never. By the Lord of the joyous Camels of the pilgrims! The deep wounds of the martyrdom of my father and my family have not yet healed. The wounds inflicted upon the breasts of the Prophet of Allah (S), my father and his sons have not yet been forgotten. The bones of my neck are broken due to the sorrow and its bitterness exists in between my throat and larynx. And the bones of the heart are suffocating me. My desire is that you should not be of those who benefit us nor of those who harm us”.

Then he said,

“No wonder that Husayn (a.s.) is killed, similar to his father, who was better and greater than him. O Kufans! Do not rejoice upon this affliction of ours which is a great affliction, who has been lying martyred on the bank of the Euphrates, may my life be his ransom, while the retribution for his murder shall be the fire of hell”.

From the above part of the sermon we can infer that Imam shows signs of despair with the people of Kufa. He says that he does agree to their claims because their hearts are filled with caprice. This statement shows that no matter how much we claim that we love our Imam (a.s.) but if our hearts are not pure then this claims are mere lip service. We will be able to truly serve our Imam, only when our hearts are not filled with sins.

O Allah for the sake of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and for the sake of his 6-month old child Janabe Ali Asgar (a.s.), please forgive our sins and make our hearts pure. Aameen.