It was Friday in Syria and people were getting ready for prayers. Yazid
was forced to attend the prayer because perhaps he had to lead the
prayer (at present I cannot be certain about it). It is necessary that two
beneficial sermons be given before Friday Prayer. After that Prayer should
start because these two sermons substitute for two units of Zuhr prayer
and Friday Prayer consists of only two units.
At first, the government speaker mounted the pulpit. He praised Yazid
and Muawiyah as usual and associated goodness with them. Then he
spoke ill of Imam Ali and Husain (a.s.) and cursed them as if God forbid,
they had given up the religion and committed such acts.
Imam Sajjad (a.s.) called out aloud. “O speaker! You are selling the
pleasure of the Creator for the sake of gaining the pleasure of a creature.”
Lohoof, Pg. 188; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 45, Pg. 137.
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Then he said, “O Yazid! Can I stand on these pieces of wood and speak?”
How strange is this! The Ahle Bayt of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) kept even
minute things in mind. For instance, Yazid was called ‘the Commander
of the Faithful’ in his court but Ahle Bayt did not call him so and did not
even call him by is agnomen. They called him by his name i.e. ‘Yazid’.2
Both Imam Sajjad (a.s.) as well as Lady Zainab (s.a.) followed the same
practice. At that time. Imam Sajjad (a.s.) did not called the pulpit ‘a pulpit’
but called it ‘pieces of wood’. The three step wood seen from that place
had such a lowly speaker mounted on it. Imam (a.s.) asked whether he
was permitted to mount those pieces of wood and speak a few words.
Yazid denied the permission to him. The people gathered there
supported Imam Sajjad (a.s.) because he was from Hijaz and they knew
that the conversation of the people of Hijaz was very interesting. They
also insisted Yazid to permit him because they wanted to see the Imam’s
style of speaking, but Yazid did not allow. His son said, “Father! Please
permit him. We want to hear this youth from Hijaz.” Yazid said, “I fear
these people.” However, the people insisted so much that Yazid was forced
to allow him. He also realized that if he asked for more justification, it
would further expose his helplessness and fear; so he gave the permission.
Look, Imam Sajjad (a.s.) was ill and a captive at that time because of
Divine Will (after that, he did not remain ill and led a normal life like
other Imams). Also, as commonly narrated from the pulpits, the Imam
was tied in chains and had a heavy iron collar put around his neck. He had
traveled forty stages in such a state to reach Syria. In spite of this, when
he mounted the pulpit, what did he do? He created such an enthusiasm in
the people that Yazid began to regret his mistake.
O Muezzin! Keep quiet
He began to feel that people would soon pounce upon him and kill him.
Thus, he thought of a way to save himself. The time of prayer had arrived.
He ordered the Muezzin to recite the Azaan (call for prayer) as the prayer
was getting delayed. As soon as the Muezzin raised his voice the Imam
Biharul Anwar, Vol. 45, Pg. 138; Maqtal-e-Husain, Muqarram, Pg. 352.
232
became silent. The Muezzin called out, “Allah is the greatest, Allah is the
greatest”. Then he said, “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah”
and the Imam repeated those words. When the Muezzin said, “I bear
witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”, the Imam took off his
turban and said, “O Muezzin! For the sake of Muhammad, keep quiet.”
Then he turned towards Yazid and said, “O Yazid! Who is this messenger
whose testimony is being given? Is he your grandfather or mine?” Then
the Imam turned towards the people and said, “O people! Do you know
who we are? Whom you have held captives? Who is my father, Husain
who is martyred?”
Biharul Anwar, Vol. 45, Pg. 139; Maqtal-e-Husain, Muqarram, Pg. 353.