Love for the prophet’s family

Ziyārat of Sakīna binte Ḥusayn

Born to Imām Ḥusayn  and Umm al-Rubab , Lady Sakīna – also known as Ruqayyah, was the youngest daughter of the Imām and one of the youngest victims of the tragedy of Kerbalāʾ. As a child, she was vivacious, full of love and happiness and even though only very young when she left this world, was attached to the religion, loved to recite the Qurʾān and never missed her prayers. There was a special beyond between her and her uncle, Abūl Faḍl al-ʿAbbās and as such, whenever she asked for something, al-ʿAbbās would try and ensure to fulfill her requests. In fact, on the way from Madina to Mecca and then to Kerbalāʾ, al-ʿAbbās accompanied the young Sakīna in her caravan to ensure that her requests were attended to.

Seeing her father brutally killed and decapitated in Kerbalāʾ and all of her family members and friends of the family also slaughtered no doubt contributed to the grief and sorrow she felt which led to her untimely death at the age of 6 in the dark, dreary prison in Damascus where she was laid to rest...

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

أَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ

O Allah! Bless Muḥammed and the progeny of Muḥammad and hasten their ease.

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بِنْتَ النَّبِيُّ الْمُصْطَفَى،

Peace with you, O daughter of the Chosen Prophet,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بِنْتَ الْوَلِيُّ الْمُرْتَضَى،

Peace with you, O daughter of the Pleased wali,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بِنْتَ الْبَتُولِ الطَّاهِرَةِ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ،

Peace with you, O daughter of the pure Batūl, Fāṭima al-Zahrā,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بِنْتَ خَدِيـجَةَ الْكُبْرىٰ،

Peace with you, O daughter of Khadīja the Great,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بِنْتَ خَامِسِ أَصْحَابِ الْكِسَآءِ،

Peace with you, O daughter of the fifth of Aṣḥāb al-Kisāʾ¹⁴,
أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا فَلَذَةِ كبِدٍ الْـمُرَمَّلِ بِالدِّمَآءِ،

Peace with you, O portion of the liver of the one who was totally covered with blood,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا طِفْلَةَ الْمَقْتُولِ ظُلْماً بِكَرْبَلَاءِ.

Peace with you, O child of the one who was unjustly killed in Kerbalāʾ,



أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا مُدَلَّلَةَ الْـحُسَيْنِ الشَّهِيدِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ رَحْـمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكِاتُهُ.

Peace with you, O pampered one of al-Husayn the Martyr, with him be peace, and Allah’s mercy and blessings be with you.

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا رَبِيبَةَ بَيْتِ التُّقَى،

Peace with you, O one brought up in the house of piety,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا وَلِيدَةَ دَارِ الإِبَاءِ،

Peace with you, O one born in the house of self-esteem,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا صَغِيرَةَ رُكْنِ الْهُدَى،

Peace with you, O small one of the Pillar of Guidance,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا شَهِيدَةَ الْـحُزْنِ وَ الْبُكِاءِ،

Peace with you, O martyr of grieving and weeping,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا قَتِيلَةَ الصَّبْرَ عَلىٰ الْبَلَاءِ،

Peace with you, O one who was killed by patience at adversity,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا كَثِيرَةَ الشَّجَبِ وَ النِّدَآءِ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكِاتُهُ.

Peace with you, O one who much denounced and pleaded, and may Allāh’s mercy and blessings be with you.

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الْبَاكِيَةِ الشَّاكِيَةِ النَادِبَةِ،

Peace with the weeping, complaining, mourning one,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الأَسِيرَةِ الْـمُنْتَحِبَةِ،

Peace with the wailing captive,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى الْيَتِيمَةُ عِنْدَ الصِّبَا،

Peace with the one orphaned while still a child,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ صَاحِبَةِ الْـحُزْنِ الْعَظِيمِ لِفَقْدِهَا مَنْ هُوَ بِهَا وَدُودُ رَحِيمُ،

Peace with the one of the great grief at the loss of one who was affectionate and merciful to her,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ ذَاتِ الْقَلْبِ الكَظِيمِ،

Peace with the one of the grief-repressing heart,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ ذَاتِ الْعَيْنِ السَّكُوبِ،

Peace with the one of the over-flowing tearful eyes,

وَ الأَنَة الَّتِي تَقْطَعُ الْقُلُوبِ

With the one having a moaning that tears the hearts apart

بِمَا تَضَافَرَتْ عَلَيْهَا النُّدُوبِ،

Due to the successive of calamities,

بِمَا جَرَى فِي أَرْضِ الْكُرُوبِ،

Due to what happened to her in the land of afflictions,

وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكِاتُهُ.

The mercy of Allah and His blessings be with you.

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ بَّالسِّيَاطِ لَوَّعُوها،

Peace with the one who was pained and whipped,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الـمُنحَنِيَةِ عَلىٰ الأَجْسَادِ الَّتِي صَرْعُوهَا،

Peace with the one who kept bending on bodies which they killed,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنْ عَنِ النِّيَاحَةِ مَنَعُوهَا،

Peace with the one whom they prevented from wailing and cries,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الأَسِيرَةِ الْمَقْطُوعَةُ،

Peace with the captive severed from all ties,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الْـمَهْضُوْمَةِ الْـمَفْجُوعَةِ،

Peace with the wronged and afflicted one,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ حَالِهَا فِي شَجْبٍ وَ عويلْ،

Peace with the one whose condition was denouncing and wailing,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ عُمْرِهَا بَعْدَ الْمُصَابِ قَلِيلْ،

Peace with the one who did not live long after the calamity,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنْ غَابَ عَنْهَا الْـحَامِي وَ الْكَفِيلْ

وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكِاتُهُ

Peace with the one from whom the protector and guardian was absent, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings be with you.

سَلَامِي لِمَنْ شَهَادَتُهَا بِالنَّازِلَةِ الْكُبْرٰى،

My salutation goes to the one who was martyred in the supreme catastrophe,

وَ حُزْنِي لِمَنْ مُصِيبَتَهَا فَجِيعَةٌ عُظْمٰى

I grieve for the one whose tribulation is a great calamity,

حَيْثُ جَنَّ عَلَيْهَا الظَّلَامِ

When the dark overwhelmed her,

وَ قَدْ أَدْخَلْتِ خَرَابَةِ الشَّامِ

when she was lodged in the House of Ruin in Sham (Syria)

مَعَ عَمَّتِهَا الَّتِي جُـمَعَتْ وَلِّهَا الأَيْتَامِ

with her aunt who gathered the orphans around her,

وَ حَيْثُ سَكِنَتْ مِنَ النَّوَاحِ

when wailers took to silence,

وَ هَدَأَتْ أَنْفَاسَ الْـحُزْنِ وَ الصِّيَاحِ

when the breaths of grief and wailing calmed down

وَ بَاتُوا مُلْتَمِسِينَ الصَّبَاحِ،

when they spent the night seeking the morn,

فَفَزَعَتِي يَا رُقَيَّةَ مِنَ الْمَنَامِ

so you, O Ruqayya, were frightened in your sleep,

وَ بَدَا مِنْكِ النَّوْحِ وَ الإِهْتِضَامِ

and you took to wailing, complaining,

وَ نَدَبْتِ أَبَاكِ بِأَشْجىٰ الْكَلَامِ

mourning your father with the most somber of words.

فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الصَّوْتُ إِلىٰ يَزِيدِ ( لَعَنَهُ اللهُ )

When the sound reached the cursed Yazid,

أُمِرَ بِالطَّشْتِ وَ فِيهِ رَأْسِ الشَّهِيدِ،

he ordered to bring in the washbowl where the head of the Martyr was placed.

وَ بَيْتُ مَا كِانَ يَرْمِيَ وَ يُرِيدُ،

He hid his thoughts and what he wanted to do.

وَ بَدَأَ بِالشَّمَاتَةِ وَ الظُّلْمِ الشَّدِيدِ،

He started expressing elation at your calamity, showing such a great injustice,

نَاوِياً تَقْطِيعُ قَلْبِكِ بِمَا يَفُتُّ الصَّخْرِ وَ الْـحَدِيدَ،

with the intention to cut your heart to pieces by doing something from which the stone and the iron crumbles:

فَخِيَمِ الْـحُزْنُ عَلىٰ النِّسْوَةِ الْهَاشِمِيَّةِ

Grief cast its shadow on the ladies who descended from Hashim

حِينَمَا رَأَيْنَ رَأْسُ صَاحِبِ الْغَيْرَةَ وَ الْـحَمِيَّةِ،

on seeing the head of the man of fervor and manliness.

وَ صِرْتِ أَنْتِ تَنْظُرِينَ إِلىٰ تَاجِ الْعِتْرَةِ الأَبِيَّة،

You kept looking at the Crown of the dignified ʿItra [family of the Prophet Muḥammad],

وَ قَدْ دَهَاكِ الْمَنْظَرِ يَا رُقَيَّةَ،

and the sight shook you, O Ruqayya,

وَ قَدْ تَسَربَلَتْ بِالدِّمَاءِ شَيْبَتَهْ،

as the blood drenched his beard,

وَ تنكثتْ بِالْقَضِيبِ شَفَتِهْ،

as his lip was hard pressed with the iron rod,

وَ شَحْبَةُ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ وَجْنَتهُ،

as his cheeks were dried by thirst,

وَ قَدْ شَخَصَتْ عَيْنَاهُ إِلىٰ السَّمَآءِ،

as his eyes were affixed on the heavens
حِينَمَا وَجْه ذَاكَ النِّدَآءِ:

as he directed this address

إِلٰهِي تَرَكْتُ الْـخَلْقَ طُرّاً فِي هَوَاك - - -

“O Lord! I have abandoned all creation when I loved You…

وَ أَيْتَمْتُ الْعِيَالِ لِكِيْ أَرَاك

orphaned my children so I may see You;

فَلَوْ قَطَعْتَنِي فِي الْـحَبِّ إِرْباً - - -

therefore, if You cut me to pieces while loving You…

لَمَّا مَالِ الْفُؤَادِ إِلىٰ سِوَاك

my heart will never prefer anyone over You.”

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنْ لِسَانِ حَالِهَا يَقْطَعُ الْقُلُوبِ،

Peace with the one whose condition cuts the hearts to pieces,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ صَاحِبَةً الْـخَطَّابِ الْعَجِيبِ

Peace with the one who delivered the amazing speech

لِصَاحِبِ الْـخَدِّ التَّرِيبِ

in defense of the one whose cheeks were ruffled with the dust,

أَبِيكِ أَبَا عَبْدِاللهِ الْـحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ،

your father, the Abā ʿAbdillāh, al-Ḥusayn, peace with him.

حِينَ نَادَيْتِ: يَا أَبَتَاهْ! مَنْ خَضَبَ الشَّيْبِ الْعَفِيفِ؟

It was then that you called out: “O father! Who drenched the virtuous beard with blood?

مَنْ قَطَعَ النَّحْرِ الشَّرِيفِ؟

“Who severed the holy neck?

مِنْ أَيْتَمَنِي عَلىٰ صِغَرِ سِنِّي ؟

“Who made me an orphan though I am still a child?”

إِلَيْكِ يَا رُقَيَّةَ إِنِّي . . . .

To you, O Ruqayya, I express my puzzlement:

أَحَارُ فِيمَا تُبْدِينَهُ مِنَ النَّشِيجِ؟

How can I describe your whimper?

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ انْكِبَّتْ عَلىٰ رَأْسِ أَبِيهَا شائقة،

So peace with the one who fell on the head of her father anxiously,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ حُضِنَتْ رَأْسِ حُمَّاهَا ضَائِقَةِ،

Peace with the one whose feverish head was hugged,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ أَحْوَالِهَا عَنْهَا نَاطِقَةِ،

Peace with the one whose condition spoke for her,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ رُوحِكِ الصَّاعِدَةِ بَعْدَ وُقُوعِكِ عَلىٰ الرَّأْسِ الشَّرِيفِ،

Peace with your ascending soul after you fell on the sacred head,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ جَوَارِحِكِ الذَّابِلَةِ مِنَ السِّيَرِ الْـحَثِيثِ،

Peace with your withering senses due to incessant walking,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الرُّوحِ الْمُوَدَّعَةِ لِلجَّوَارِحِ الْـمُتَحَسِّرَة

Peace with the soul that bade farewell to the sighing senses,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ الْـجَسَدِ الْمُفَارِقِ لِلرُّوحِ الـمُتَفَطِّرَة،

Peace with the body the fractured soul of which departed,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنِ أَبْكَتِ النِّسَآءِ مُصِيبَتَهَا

Peace with the one who caused women to weep

لِهَوْلِ مَا رَأَوْهُ مِنْهَا وَ لِعِظَمِ مَا جَرَى عَلَيْهَا،

On account of the horrific site of what they saw,

حِينَمَا جِي‏ءَ بِرَأْسِ أَبِيهَا إِلَيْهَا...

On account of what happened to her and the woe, when her father’s head was brought to her…

فَقَالَ الإِمَامُ زَيْنُ الْعَابِدِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ:

إِرْفَعُوهَا فَلَقَدْ فَارَقَتْ رُوْحُهَا الدُّنْيَا . . .

Imām Zaynul ʿĀbidīn, peace with him, said, “Lift her, for her soul has departed from this life…”

فَرَفَعُوكِ، وَ إِذَا أَنْتِ مَيْتَةُ...

So they lifted you, and you were dead…

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ مَنْ زَادَتْ مُصَابِ آلِ الْبَيْتِ.

Peace with the one who intensified the calamity of the people of the house [Ahl al-Bayt].

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا صَاحِبَةً النَّفْسِ الأَبِيَّة،

Peace with you, one with the self-esteemed soul,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا سَلِيلَةَ الْـحُسَيْنِ الْمَسْبِيَّةِ

Peace with you, O captive descendant of al-Ḥusayn,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلىٰ ابْنَةِ الأَنْوَارِ الْمُحَمَّدِيَّةُ

Peace with you, O daughter of the Muḥammadī celestial lights,

أَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا غُصْنَ الشَّجَرَةِ الْعَلَوِيَّةِ الْفَاطِمِيَّةِ،

Peace with you, O branch of the ʿAlawī Fāṭimī Tree,

يَا صَغِيرَةً الْـحُسَيْنِ ... يَا رُقَيَّةَ،

O little one of al-Ḥusayn, O Ruqayya,

وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكِاتُهُ.

The mercy of Allah and His blessings be with you.

لَقَدْ عَظُمَتْ مُصَائَبِنَا بِكِ يَا ابْنَةَ الْـحُسَيْنِ،

Our calamities have been aggravated because of you, O daughter of al-Ḥusayn,

وَ شَخَصَتْ أَعْيُنُنَا إِلَيكِ بِالدَّمَعَ السَّخِينِ،

Our eyes are affixed on you with warm tears,

وَ شَحْبَتْ أَلْوَانُنَا بِنَشِيجِ الْوَالِهِ الْـحَزِينِ،

Colors of our faces have been robbed by wailing,

وَ تَكَبَّدَت قُلُوبَنَا مِنْ أَسْهُمِ الْـحِقْدُ الدَّفِينِ

Our hearts have suffered due to the darts

لآِلِ أُمَيَّةَ الظَّالِمِين،

Of the hidden animosity of the oppressive Banu Umayyah,

وَ تَـجْمَعَت أَرْوَاحُنَا هُنَا بِحَضْرَتِكِ بِالشَّوْقِ وَ الْـحَنِينِ وَ بالزَفرَةِ وَ الأَنِين،

Our souls have gathered here in your presence with anxiety, affection, sighs and moaning,

تَنْدُبُ الْآلِ الطَّاهِرِين،

The Purified Ahl al-Bayt are they mourning,

وَ تَشْكُو لَوْعَةَ الْمُصَاب،

Complaining about the anguish,

وَ شِدَّةِ الاكتئاب،

the severity of grief,

وَ عَسُرَتْ الْعَذَابِ،

the hardship of the pain,

وَ غُصَّةُ الْفِرَاقِ،

The strangulation of the separation,

وَ حَرَارَةُ الإِشْتِيَاقِ...

The warmth of the affection…

وَ نَرْجُوا مِنَ اللهُ بِكُمْ لَنَا عِوَضاً

We plead to Allah to compensate us for having lost you

بِكِثْرَةِ الثَّوَابِ،

with abundance of rewards,

وَ حُسْن الْمَآبِ.

with the goodly Return to Him.

نَسْأَلُ اللهَ بِالشَّأْنِ الَّذِي لَدَيْكِ،

We plead to Allah through the status which you enjoy with Him,

وَ بالشرف الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْكِ،

O Sakina, through the honor which is before you,

وَ بِالْمَقَامِ الَّذِي تُشْرِقُ مِنْهُ أَنْوَاُرِكِ،

through the place from which your lights shine,

أَنْ تَكُونِي شَفِيعَةُ لِلْمُذْنِبِ الْـحَقِيرْ،

that you will intercede on behalf of the lowly sinner

وَ اللَّائِذُ الْمُسْتَجِيرْ،

the fugitive seeker of a safe haven,

وَ الْمُضْطَرُّ الْكِسِيرْ،

the heart-broken helpless supporter of yourselves,

مِنْ شِيعَتِكُمْ وَ مُـحِبِّيكُمْ،

the repentant lover of Ahl al-Bayt,

التَّائِبِينَ إِلىٰ الْعَلِيمُ الْبَصِيرْ،

who repents to Allah, the all-Knowing, the all-Seeing,

بِأَن يَنَالُ بِكُمْ تَمَامَ ثَوَابِ الزِّيَارَاتِ،

so he may attain, through you, O Ahl al-Bayt, the perfect rewards of Ziyārāt,

وَ يُفْلِحُ بِآخِرَتِهِ بمُضَاعَفَةِ الْمَثُوبَاتِ،

so he may achieve success in his Hereafter when his rewards are doubled,

وَ غُفْرَانِ الْـخَطِيئَاتِ،

and sins forgiven,

إِنَّ رَبِّي بِمَا يَشَآءُ لَطِيفْ،

surely my Lord is most Gracious

وَ هُوَ بِكُمْ مُجِيبُ عطوف،

surely He answers the pleas,

وَ هُوَ لَكُمْ رَحِيمُ رَؤُوفُ.

expresses affection, Merciful to you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and Kind.

وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ سَادَتِي وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكِاتُهُ.

Peace with you, masters, the mercy of Allah and His blessings be with you.

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمْ تَحَمَّلْتُمُ الْمُصَاب،

I testify that you tolerated whatever afflicted you,

وَ أَنَّكُمْ أَحْيَاءُ بِنَصِّ الْكِتَابِ،

that you are alive according to the text of the Book (Qurʾān),

حَيْثُ قَالَ سَرِيعُ الْـحِسَابِ:

where the One Who is swift in reckoning says,

وَ لا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ أَمْواتاً بَلْ أَحْيَآءُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

“And do not reckon those who are killed in the way of Allāh as dead. Nay! They are living with their Lord, receiving their sustenance.”

أَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the Progeny of Muḥammad!

أَللّٰهُمَّ أَنِّي أَسْأَلُكِ بِالْمُصِيبَةِ الْعُظْمَى وَ بِالنَّازِلَةِ الْكُبْرَى،

Lord! I plead to You through the medium of the great calamity and the momentous affliction,

وَ بِمَا جَرَى فِي كِرْبَلَاءَ،

to what went on in Kerbala,

أَنْ تُصَلِّي عَلىٰ مُـحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُـحَمَّدٍ،

to bless Muḥammad and the Progeny of Muḥammad,

وَ أَنْ تَقِيَنَا شَرِّ الاسواء،

and to spare us the ills of everything that is evil,

وَ تَهُبُّ لَنَا الظُّلاَمَاتِ،

to overlook our own injustices,

وَ تُقَوِّينَا عَلىٰ مُجَاهَدَةَ الْمُنْكِرَاتِ،

to strengthen us so we may resist the committing of what You abhor!

أَللّٰهُمَّ أَنَا نَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِصُرْعَةِ رُقَيَّةَ الْيَتِيمَةُ،

Lord! We direct ourselves to You through the medium of the shock that killed Ruqayya the orphan,

وَ بهاتيك الفاجعة الْعَظِيمَةِ،

through the medium of the momentous calamity

وَ بِتِلْكِ الْمُصِيبَةِ الشَّدِيدَةَ،

through the medium of the severe affliction,

وَ مَا نَزَلَ بِالْعِتْرَةِ الـمَجِيدَةِ،

through the suffering of the glorified ʿItra

وَ بِجَاهِ رَوْحَهَا الطَّاهِرَةِ،

through the medium of Sakina’s pure soul,

وَ جَوَارِحِهَا الصَّابِرَةِ،

and persevering senses,

وَ أدمُعِها السخيَّة،

and generous tears,

وَ بِمَا هِيَ عِنْدَكِ مَرْضِيَّةً...

through her status with which pleases You…

أَنْ تَقْضِي حَاجَاتِنَا وَ حَاجَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

to fulfill our needs and those of believing men and women.