The Role of Lady Zaynab (A.S) in the Ashura Movement

In the Ashura Movement one of the important figure who played a decisive role was Lady Zaynab (Alayha Salam)[1] sister of Imam Hussain (Alayhi.Salam)[2]. She was grown up in the lap of Prophet Mohammad (A.S). During the caliphate time of Amir al Muminin Ali (A.S) she was teaching Quran and its interpretation. She was in the Ashura movement side by side with her brother and they entered Karbala together, but her main role was revealed after the Ashura incident. Hussain and Zaynab both entered a battle, Hussain in the battle of Karbala and Zaynab in the battle against Ibn Ziad and Yazid, Hussain was martyred and Zaynab witnessed and continued his path and goals.

Lady Zaynab (A.S) is the second female figure of Islam after Lady Zahra (A.S) and is the role example of Muslim women. She taught the woman to be the bearer of honor, the messenger of patience and endurance. She learned and taught the meaning of being a woman, being supportive and decisive, being a manager and resourceful example in the school of Islam.

Lady Zaynab (A.S) was the shining star of the Ashura event that led the movement of Karbala with her brother. If she was removed from the history of Karbala, the epic of Imam Hussain (A.S) was eradicated. Her speech at the court of Ibn Ziad and Yazid caused disgrace to the Umayyad family, so that Muslim people found out who Yazid had martyred.

The person who kept Ashura alive and delivered the message of the martyrs, recorded the event of Karbala, and with her victorious and righteous sermons, he disgraced the enemies of Islam and completed the Husseini movement and brought the desired result, was Zaynab Kubra (S.A). She did not let the warmth blood of Hussain (A.S) turn cold which made eternal peace for freedom and humanity.

Although Lady Zaynab (A.S) did not live long after the events of Karbala, she founded the seeds of wisdom, consciousness and awareness in Muslim society and founded a socio-political movement against the Umayyad dynasty that after a period of time terminated their ruling.

Lady Zaynab is a good example for modern women in the social and personal life, that women could be proud and great in society without presenting the body and other aspects of life. Knowledge, modesty, patience, persistence, rationality, insight, conscientiousness, and observance of divine limits were among her characteristics, and all women of the world should follow her example. She proved that a woman can complete and manage a historical movement such as Ashura.[3]

In short, the role of Lady Zaynab in the Ashura Movement can be described as follows:

1. Companionship in Jihad with her brother Imam Hussain.
2. Defending Imam Sajjad (A.S) and preventing him from being killed.
3. Taking care of women and orphans of Ahl Al-Bayt (A.S) after event of Ashura.
4. Delivering message of Karbala and Martyrs to people and make them aware of their goals.
5. Neutralizing the negative propaganda of the Umayyad regime and disgracing them.
6. Establishing the anti-oppression and justice movement.
7. Being an example of Muslim women that they could be proud and great in the society without presenting the body and other aspects of life.