Ashura stations: Imam Zayn al-'Abideen (peace be upon him) to Ibn Ziyad: Do you threaten me with murder! Did you not know that we are used to being killed, and that martyrdom is one of Allah's blessings upon us?"

The historians mention that on these days of the year 61 AH, Imam Zayn al-'Abideen (peace be upon him) stood with such courage and toughness in front of the tyrant Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad in his council, while he was imprisoned and tied with chains, he looked at him while he was beating his father’s head with a stick he had in hand out of hatred and revenge. Thus the depth of his grief, captivity and his sickness did not prevent him from confronting the tyrant even though he was threatened to be killed.

As after being defeated face to the eloquence of Lady Zaynab (peace be upon her), the arrogant and vindictive Ibn Ziyad turned to Imam Zayn Al-'Abideen (who was still sick), and he asked: "Who are you?" Imam As-Sajjad (peace be upon him) answered, "Ali, son of Al‑Hussayn." Ibn Ziyad retorted, "Was not Ali Ibn Al‑Hussayn slain by Allah?"

Imam As-Sajjad (peace be upon him) answered, "I used to have an older brother also names Ali, and he was slain by people." Ibn Ziyad retorted to intimidate him, "But Ali was killed by Allah." As-Sajjad (peace be upon him) then quoted the Holy Quran {Allah takes the souls at the time of their death} (39:42). Ibn Ziyad did not appreciate him thus responding to his statement rather than remaining silent, so he ordered him to be killed, but his aunty, the venerable lady Zaynab, put her arms around him and said, "O Ibn Ziyad! Suffices you what you have shed of our blood... have you really spared anyone other than this? If you want to kill him, kill me with him as well." Imam as-Sajjad (peace be upon him) said [to Ibn Ziyad], "Do you threaten me with murder! Did you not know that we are used to being killed, and that martyrdom is one of Allah's blessings upon us?"

If Imam Sajjad had kept quiet on account of his illness, fatigue caused by the journey, captivity and dejection, and had not proclaimed in the bazaar of Kufa what he had seen on the day of Ashura, and had not checked the enemy of an opportunity to tamper with history, how could Bani Umayya permit that the story of their indelible shame and disgrace should form a part of the history of Islam and Bani Hashim should expel their rival forever from the field of humanity, virtue and piety.

The fourth Imam addressed the people of Kufa and delivered a sermon before them. After making a sign to them to keep silent, He glorified and praised Allah, and then he said:

“O men, whoever recognizes me knows me, and whoever does not, let me tell him that I am Ali ibn al Hussain ibn Ali. I am the son of the man whose sanctity has been violated, whose wealth has been plundered, and whose children have been seized. I am the son of the one who has been slaughtered by the Euphrates neither on blood revenge nor on account of inheritance. I am the son of the one who was killed in the worst manner. This is sufficient honor for me.

“O men, I plead to you in the Name of Allah: Do you not know that you wrote to my father then deceived him? Did you not grant him your covenant, your promise, and your allegiance, then you fought him? May you be ruined for what you have committed against your own souls, and out of your corrupt views! Through what eyes will you look at the Holy Prophet (Allah’s prayers be upon him and upon his holy Household) when he says to you: ‘You killed my progeny, violated my sanctity, so you do not belong to my community’.”

Those people who blackened the face of history wept loudly and lamented, and they said to each other: “You have perished, yet you are not aware of it.”

The Imam (peace be upon him) continued his speech, saying:

“May Allah have mercy on anyone who acts upon my advice, who safeguards my legacy with regard to Allah, His Apostle, and his Household, for we have in the Holy Prophet (Allah’s prayers be upon him and upon his holy Household) a good example of conduct to emulate.”

So they all said with one tongue: “We, son of the Holy Prophet (Allah’s prayers be upon him and upon his holy Household), listen and obey, and we shall safeguard your trust. We shall not turn away from you, nor shall we disobey you; so, order us, may Allah have mercy on you, for we shall fight when you fight, and we shall make peace when you do so; we dissociate ourselves from whoever oppressed you and dealt unjustly with you.”

In response to this false obedience, the Imam (peace be upon him) said:

“Far, far away it is from you to do so, O people of treachery and conniving! You are separated from what you desire. Do you want to come to me as you did to my father? No, by the Lord of those angels that ascend and descend, the wound is not yet healed. My father was killed only yesterday, and so were his Household, and the loss inflicted upon the Holy Prophet (Allah’s prayers be upon him and upon his holy Household), upon my father, and upon my family is yet to be forgotten. Its pain, by Allah, is between both of these sides and its bitterness is sticks in my throat. Its choke is resting in my very chest. What I want you to do is that you should neither support us nor oppose us.”

Then the Imam (peace be upon him) stopped his speech, turning away from those treacherous conniving people who were the mark of disgrace against mankind.