When the women of the Prophet's household reached the outskirts of Damascus, they were forced to halt. Yazid was informed of their arrival, and he set a day for their march into the city. On the morning of the appointed day, the Prophet's family was taken to Damascus. They were bound with ropes and herded together like cattle. If any stumbled, they were whipped. The streets had been decorated and the sound of music filled the city. People crowded together, wearing festive clothes, and cheered as they saw the procession, in which, as usual, the heads of the martyrs were carried in front. With dignity and self-respect, the prisoners paraded through Damascus. Zainab even threw aside the food that some had offered them out of pity.

The son of one of the enemies of the Prophet (sa) who had waged war against Imam Ali (as) was among the crowd. When he saw Imam Al-Sajjad (as), he asked him in a harsh manner who was the victor now. The Imam replied to him:

"If you want to know who the victor is, then (be alert) when it is time for prayer and the Adhan and Iqama are recited."

In this way, the prisoners were paraded until the afternoon, when they reached Yazid's palace. There he sat on his throne and was greatly pleased when he saw the forty-four bound prisoners arrive. The head of Imam Hussein (a.s.) was brought to him on a golden platter. He struck the Imam's lips with his stick and said:

"O Hussein! You have paid the price for your rebellion."

When Zainab (as) and her companions saw this display of arrogance, they burst into tears, after which many of those present were ashamed of his action. But Yazid remained gloating and said:

"My ancestors who were killed in Badr have been avenged today. Now it has become clear that Bani Hashim had only staged a play to gain power and that there were no Divine revelations."

However, Zainab (as) was not afraid. She stood up and said bravely:

"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and blessings be upon my grandfather, the Leader of the Divine Messengers. O Yazid, Allah says, and His word is the truth, that: 'Evil was the end of those who did evil, because they rejected the signs of Allah and took them in mockery.' [1]

O Yazid, do you think that you have succeeded in blocking the heavens and the earth from us, and that we have become your prisoners because we have been brought to you in ranks and you have secured control over us? Do you think that we have been insulted and dishonored by Allah and that you have been given honor and respect by Him? You have become boastful of this apparent victory, that you have become confident and have begun to triumph and feel proud of this prestige and honor.

You think that you have attained worldly goods, that your affairs have been stabilized, and that our dominion has fallen into your hands. Wait a moment. Do not be so cheerful. Have you forgotten the saying of Allah: 'And let not the disbelievers think that We grant them respite, that it is for their good. We grant them respite only that they may increase in sin, and a humiliating punishment will be theirs.' [2]

O son of the freed slaves, is it then your justice that you keep your own daughters and your maidservants veiled, while the daughters of the Prophet of Allah are paraded and exhibited from place to place. You have disgraced us by uncovering our faces. Your men took us from city to city where the people of all the world, whether they were settled on hills or on riverbanks, looked at us. The near as well as the far, the poor as well as the rich, the lowly as well as the distinguished – all cast their eyes upon us, while our position is such that none of our relatives could help or support us.

O Yazid, whatever you do proves your rebellion against Allah and your denial of His Prophet (sa) and the Book and Sunnah which the Holy Prophet (sa) brought from Allah. Your deeds will not cause astonishment, because one whose grandmother chewed on the liver of the martyr, whose flesh was made by malignant people, who fought against the Leader of all the Messengers of God, who mobilized the parties to fight against him and drew their swords against him, would clearly surpass all the Arabs in disbelief, sinfulness, transgression, and enmity towards Allah and His Prophet.

Remember that the evil deeds and sinful actions that you have committed are the result of the lack of faith and the old hatred you bear because of your ancestors who were killed at Badr.

One who casts his hostile glance, malice and hatred upon us does not hesitate to practice enmity upon us. He proves his lack of faith, declares it with his tongue and triumphantly proclaims: 'I have killed the sons of the Prophet of Allah and made his descendants prisoners' and wishes that his forefathers had lived to see his exploits and to have exclaimed: 'O Yazid, may your arms not lose their strength'.

[1] The Holy Koran: 30, 10
[2] The Holy Koran: 3, 178

O Yazid, you strike the lips of Imam Hussein with your stick in front of this crowd, while these lips were used to being kissed by the Prophet of Allah, and again your face reflects pleasure and joy.

By my life, by killing the lord and the youth of Paradise, the son of the leader of the Arabs (Ali) and the shining sun of the offspring of Abdul Muttalib, you have deepened our sorrow and detached us completely.

By killing Hussein ibn Ali (as), you have earned proximity to the rank of your infidel ancestors. You proclaimed your deeds with arrogance and if they could see you, they would applaud your action and pray that your arms will not be paralyzed.

O Yazid! If you had the heart to consider your deeds, you yourself would certainly wish that your arms were paralyzed and cut off from your elbows, and you would wish that your parents had not given birth to you, because you would know that Allah has become displeased with you.

Allah, grant us our rights. Avenge those who oppressed us.

O Yazid! You did what you wished, but remember that you have cut your own skin and flesh into pieces. Soon you will be brought into the presence of the Prophet. You will be burdened with the weight of your sins, committed by shedding the blood of his offspring and by dishonoring his family. The place to which you will be brought will be in front of all the members of his family. The oppressed will be avenged and the enemies will be punished.

Yazid! It does not seem that you will swell with joy after the killing of the Prophet's offspring. 'Do not think that those who are killed in the cause of Allah are dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, (and) provided for (in every way), rejoicing in what Allah has given them of His grace.' [3]

Allah is sufficient for you. The Messenger of Allah is your opponent and Gabriel is our support and help against you.

Those who have made you the leader and burned the Muslims with your leadership will soon find out what awaits them. The end of all tyrants is severe pain.

O Yazid! I speak to you only to warn you of the severe chastisement that is prepared for you, so that you may be filled with regret, for you are one of those whose hearts are hardened, whose souls are rebellious, and whose bodies are occupied with disobedience to Allah, while they are cursed by the Messenger of Allah. You are one of those whose hearts are made a dwelling place for Satan, and in which he has begotten offspring.

How astonishing that the virtuous people, the sons of the Prophets and the Vicegerents, are at the hands of the freed slaves, evildoers and sinners. Our blood is shed by their hands and our flesh is served as food for them. We feel sorrow for those whose bodies lie shrouded and unburied on the battlefield, wounded with arrows.

O Yazid, if you consider our defeat as your achievement, then you must pay its price. Allah does not do injustice to His servants. We place our trust in Allah. He alone is our Help and our Refuge, and on Him alone we will rest our hope.

You may plan and try as much as you can. By Him Who honored us with the revelation, the Book and the Prophethood, you will not be able to attain our status, nor reach our position, nor can you affect our mention, nor remove from yourself the shame and dishonor that is your fate because you wronged, wronged and oppressed us. Your words are weak and your days are numbered. Beware of the Day when the Herald will proclaim the curse of Allah upon the oppressors and the unjust.

Praise be to Allah, Who gave a good end to His friends and granted them success in their intentions, and then called them to His Grace, Pleasure and Bliss, while you threw yourself into evil and mischief by committing injustice against them.

We ask Allah to favor us with full reward through them, and to grant us the good Khilafah and Imamat. Indeed, Allah is Beneficent and Most Merciful to His creatures."

[3] The Holy Koran: 3, 169-170

Kufa var anset som værende muslimernes hovedby. Imam Ali (as) gjorde det til sit hovedstad i løbet af sit khilafat, og her boede Zainab (as) og Um Kulthoom (as) engang respekterede og elskede. Nu kom de til denne by som fanger.

Det var nat da de ankom til byen og Ibn Ziyads palads var lukket, så de blev tvunget til at ligge i lejr udenfor. Da han blev informeret om deres ankomst den næstkommende dag, beordrede han at en stor højtidelighed skulle finde sted, hvor alle var inviteret uden skelnen. Imam Hussein (as) hoved blev sat på et guldfad nær tronen, og hovederne af martyrerne skulle også udstilles. Kufierne var blevet fortalt, at en stamme havde begået fredsbrud imod muslimerne, men at muslimerne havde sikret sejren og på grund af dette var der en festlighed.

Festligt klædt og i forventning om en munter festlighed, strømmede folk på gaderne og markedspladser, imens at sejrsmusikken blev spillet da fangerne ankom. Men der var kun få, der gættede sandheden og kiggede på med nedslåede øjne. En kvinde, der genkendte Zainab (as) og hendes ledsagere af utilslørede kvinder, farede imod hendes hus og bragte dem alle hoveddækker og lagener til at dække deres kroppe. Men de blev ikke tilladt at beskytte deres ærbarhed og soldaterne tog slørene fra dem.

"Lovprist være Allah og Hans velsignelser være over Mohamad og hans rensede afkom. Således, O folk, der bedrager, svigter og udtænker, det er jer der græder. Må Allah ikke stoppe jeres tårer og må jeres hjerter brænde uophørligt med sorgens og skadens ild. Jeres eksempel, er som en kvinde, der ihærdigt forbereder en stærk reb for derefter at omvinde det og spilde hendes anstrengelser.

I sværger sådanne falske ed, som ingen sandhed indeholder. Ved, at I intet har undtagen forfængelig snak, falsk hovmod, fortræd, ondskabsfuldhed, ondsindethed, hadskhed, usandfærdighed og spytslikkeri. Ved at jeres position ikke er andet end som husassistenter og købte piger, som er de usleste væsner. Jeres hjerter er fulde af fjendskab og hadskhed. I er som vegetationen, der gror i et beskidt jordbund og er endnu grøn, eller som mørtlen påført på gravene.
I burde vide at I har forøvet en virkelig morbid gerning og har tilberedt jer en slet tilvejebringelse til jeres kommende liv, for Allahs vrede er over jer og Hans forbitrelse vil falde over jer.

Nu græder I højlydt og jamrer over min broder! Ja, græd, fordi det sømmer sig for jer at græde. Ja, græd rigeligt og grin mindre, fordi I har bragt skam over jer selv ved at dræbe jeres tids Imam. Pletten af hans blod er nu på jeres klæder og I kan ikke fjerne den, ej heller kan i sikre frifindelsen fra ansvarligheden for drabet på sønnen af Allahs sidste Profet, Lederen af de unge i Paradiset. I har dræbt en person, der var jeres støtte, kenderen af sunnah og den yderste voldgiftsmand i tiden for jeres gensidige ordstrid. Han var grundlaget for jeres tale og handlinger. Han var jeres tilflugtssted ved genvordigheder. 

Da Zainab (as) så at nogle mænd og kvinder havde indset hvad der virkeligt var sket; grædende og jamrende, bedte hun dem om at være stille og talte til dem med gennemtrængende veltalenhed og indsigt: 

Ved, at I er kendt skyldige i den mest grufulde forbrydelse og har forberedt jer den værste tilvejebringelse i Dommedagen. Forbandelserne være over jer og må undergangen indhente jer. Jeres anstrengelser er gået til spilde og I er blevet ruineret. I har udført en tabende handel. I er blevet til ofre for Allahs vrede og er faldet i skændsel og fornedrelse.

Folket af Kufa, ve over jer. Har I indset hvilket stykke af Mohamads hjerte I har skåret over, hvilken løfte I har brudt, hvis blod I har udgydt og hvis ære I har vanhelliget? I har ganske vist begået sådan en forbrydelse, der lader himlen falde ned over jorden, jorden må skælve og bjergene smuldrer i stykker. Ved at dræbe jeres Imam, har I begået en slet handling af oprørsk natur og ubesindighed overfor ophøjetheden. Ved synet på alle disse handlinger, vil I da undre jer hvis blod ville regne ned fra himlen? I hvert et tilfælde burde I være indstillet på at tugtelsen af den Kommende Verden vil være voldsom. I denne forbindelse vil der ikke være nogen til at hjælpe jer. Anse ikke tiden og muligheden givet til jer fra Allah som lille eller uvigtig, og vær ikke tilfreds med det for hvis Allah ikke er hurtig til handle, så indebærer det ikke i sig at Han er ude af stand til det. For ham, er der ikke frygt for, at hævnens time forbigår. Allah holder sandelig øje med jer."