Imam Sajjad (a.s.). He says, “My aunt was
tending to me when my father came to the tent where weapons were
sharpened to survey Jaun’s work. Suddenly, I heard my father murmuring
the following lines, which he repeated twice or thrice:
‘Time, shame on you as a friend! At the day’s dawning and the suns’
setting.
How many a companion or seeker will be a corpse! Time will not be
satisfied with any substitute.
The matter will rest with the Mighty One’.”5
In these verses, Imam Husain (a.s.) pointed out the disloyalty of this
world. He meant that sometimes the world smiles like a merciful friend
and people get fascinated and start thinking that it would remain same
forever. However, the world turns away its eyes and becomes unkind.
Life no longer remains as sweet as honey and it becomes bitter. Reliable
friends leave one alone and some become bitter foes. No one knows what
is going to happen tomorrow. Honor, power, health etc. are temporary. Is
there anyone who did not face failures in life? Is there anyone who did not
have to bear disasters?
(Irshad, Shaykh Mufeed, Pg. 232; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 45, Pg. 1)
The Imam is discretely saying that many young men will be martyred the
next day.
Imam Sajjad (a.s.) says that he understood the purpose of his holy
father. He was informing about his own death. Lady Zainab (s.a.) also
heard these verses but a meaningful silence continued between us.
Imam Sajjad (a.s.) was suffocating but he kept his calm. Lady Zainab’s
(s.a.) heart also filled with sorrow but she did not cry because Imam
Sajjad (a.s.) was ill. Both controlled their tears till Lady Zainab (s.a.)
could hold no more and she burst into tears because she was a woman
and women are kind-hearted by nature. She said, “I should not have lived
to see this day.” She went to Imam Husain (a.s.) and said, “Yes, O brother!
I should have died before seeing this day. You are the memory of those
who would go away and you are our support.” Imam (a.s.) consoled her
saying, “O sister! Be patient lest the devil would take away patience from
you.6 What are you saying? What is making you sad? Death is a reality.
Grandfather, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was better than me. Father Ali,
Mother Fatimah and brother Hasan were better than me, but all of them
went away. I am also going; but O sister! Remember that you have to lead
this caravan after me. You would accompany this caravan. You will have
to look after my children.”
Lady Zainab (s.a.) replied in a broken voice:
“Brother! All these circumstances are fine but whenever someone
from the abovementioned personalities passed away from this
world, others were present with me. My heart remained happy
seeing you after brother Hasan went away. If you also go away
leaving Zainab (s.a.) alone, what will remain for Zainab (s.a.) in the
world?”