Hussain's Head in His Daughter's Arms

Hussain’s Head in His Daughter’s Arms

Imam Hussain had a 3 year old daughter named Ruqayyah who was with the captives in Al-Sham. She cried day and night over her separation from her father. They would tell her that he was travelling, as in travelling to the afterlife, but she had a dream of her father one night and when she realized what they meant she became utterly despondent and said, “Bring me my father, the lights of my eyes.” Whenever the holy household; Zain Al-Abideen, Lady Zainab, and the rest of the women, tried quieting and calming her down, her crying and sadness would grow louder and stronger and so did the holy household’s. They couldn’t bear witness the agony of their precious Ruqayyah. They wailed and grieved; and so intense was their grief that Yazid heard and asked what the matter was. He was told, “It is Hussain’s youngest daughter. She saw her father in her sleep and started wailing and asking for him.” Yazid replied, “Give her her father’s head. Let her entertain herself.”

Yazid’s servants put Hussain’s head in a platter, covered it and then put it in her hands. Ruqayyah said, “I asked for my father, not food.” She lifted the cloth and asked, “What is this head?” They told her is was her father’s. She lifted and hugged it tightly, saying, “O’ father, who painted you with your blood? O’ father, who slit your veins? Who orphaned me so young? O’ father, who does this orphan have until she grows up?”

She then brought the holy head closer to her and cried until she fell unconscious. They tried shaking her up only to find out she has passed away. Ruqayyah’s grief over her father was so intensely heavy that her heart could not handle the pain. the waling of the holy household raised and their grief was renewed. It was said that there was not a tearless eye in Al-Sham that day.

Hussain’s Head in His Daughter’s Arms ​

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Hussain’s Head in His Daughter’s Arms