Ashura stations: Incident pertaining to an envoy of the Roman king in the court of Yazeed.

Imam Ali Zayn al-Abideen (peace be upon him) relates, that when the head of Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him) was brought to Yazeed, he ordered an assembly of wine. The blessed head was brought and he kept it in front of him and started drinking wine near it. One day an envoy of the Roman king, who was among the noble and elite Romans, was present there. He asked, “O Arab king! Whose head is this?” Yazeed replied, “What is your business?”

He replied, “Whenever I return back to our King, he inquires from me all that I have seen here, therefore it shall be my pleasure to narrate to him regarding the incident pertaining to it, so that he too may accompany you in your joy and merry”.

Yazeed replied, “This head is of Al-Hussayn bin Ali bin Abi Talib”. The Roman asked, “Who is his mother?” and Yazeed replied, “She is Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet of Allah (Allah’s prayers be upon him and upon his holy Household)”. The Christian said, “Woe be to you and your devoutness! My religion is better than yours’. My father is from among the progeny of (Prophet) Dawood (peace be upon him), while there exists numerous forefathers between us. Yet the Christians honor me due to this, and gather the dust of my feet as good omen saying that I am from the Progeny of Dawood (peace be upon him). While you killed the grandson of your Prophet, when there was not more gap between them accept of a mother? Then what is this devoutness amongst you?”

Then he continued, “O Yazeed! Have you heard the incident of ‘Kaneesae Hafir’?” Yazeed replied, “Tell me, so that I may hear it”. Then he narrated the incident of the Christians who respected the hooves of the ass, which the companions of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) rode, while we forgo it for the sake of brevity. Then he reprimanded Yazeed and said, “This was the opinion of the Christians regarding the hooves of the ass driven by (the companions of) Isa (peace be upon him), while you killed the grandson of your Prophet? May Allah, the Almighty, not grant affluence to you, and may He not accept your devoutness”.

Hearing his Yazeed said, “Kill this Christian, so that he may not defame me in my own kingdom”. When the Christian heard this, he said, “Do you desire killing me?” Yazeed replied in the affirmative. The envoy said, “Then know, that tonight I saw your Prophet in a dream, who told me: O Christian! You are from among the inhabitants of Paradise. I was astonished by his words, but now I say: I bear witness that there is no other Deity accept Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad (Allah’s prayers be upon him and upon his holy Household) is the Messenger of Allah, and that Ali is the Waliy of Allah”. Saying this he arose, and taking the head of Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him), pressed it to his chest and kissed it until he was killed. (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon him).