Prison Of Syria

Historians have mentioned that in the beginning the Imam’s family had to bear a lot of difficulties in the prison of Syria were they were lodged. The four-walled prison where they were kept had no protection against sun and cold. Thus, they had to suffer day and night.1

However, not much time had passed when Yazid regretted his political move. We cannot say that he had repented for his sins; but he realized that his mistakes in politics would prove dangerous for his power.

After that he used to abuse Ibn Ziyad often. He used to say, “May Allah curse the son of Maijana! I never told him to smear his hands with Al-Husayn’s blood. I had told him to snatch his turban and bring it to me but he cut the head and brought it to me. I did not order him to kill Al-Husayn Ibn Ali (A). Ibn Ziyad killed him of his own will.”

Yazid repeated all this many times. However, they were all lies. He wanted to dissociate himself from this crime by talking in such a way and he tried to transfer his crime to Ibn Ziyad’s account in order to ensure the safety of his regime.2

In order to save his regime, he tried to shift the prisoners to a better place. If he had kept them in the same place, people would have said, “All right, we understand that Ibn Ziyad was behind everything in Karbala but he is not present here and you have all the power. Then why are you treating the prisoners so badly?” Thus, he ordered the prisoners to be shifted to a house near his palace.

After that he released Imam Al-Sajjad (A) and permitted him to go anywhere in Syria. He invited Imam Al-Sajjad (A) many a times to join him for lunch or dinner.3 He even asked the Imam one day, “Would my repentance be accepted if I repent?”4

There is no power and might except by Allah the High and the Mighty

• 1. Lohoof, Pg. 188; Muntahai ul-Amaal, Vol. 1, Pg. 771.
• 2. Irshad, Shaykh Al-Mufid, Pg. 244; Muntahai ul-Amaal, Vol. 1, Pg. 784.
• 3. Irshad, Shaykh Al-Mufid, Pg. 244; Muntahai ul-Amaal, Vol. 1, Pg. 783; Damaus Sujum, Pg. 265.
  The lecture could not be recorded further because it was end of the cassette.
• 4. Ashnai ba Qur’an, Vol 5, Pg 249-250.