Presenting this sermon of Bint-e-Ali on the occasion of Arba’in when Hadrat Zainab Bint-e-Ali (A.S.) along with other holy ladies and children of Ahl-ol Beit (A.S.) came to Karbala …

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Allah's blessing be upon His Messenger Muhammad and his entire progeny. True are the words of Allah, who says, "Then the end of those who committed evil was that they disbelieved in Allah's signs and they were ridiculing them." (30:10)

Do you, Yazid, think that - when you blocked all our avenues of the earth and the horizons of the heavens before us, so we were driven as captives - that we are worthless in the eyes of Allah and that you are respectful in His eyes? Or is it because you enjoy with Him a great status? So, you look down at us and become arrogant, elated, when you see the world submissive to you and things are done as you want them, and when our authority and power became all yours?

But wait! Have you forgotten that Allah said, "Do not regard those who disbelieved that we grant them good for themselves? We only give them a respite so that they may increase their sins, and for them there is a humiliating torment." (3:178)

Is it fair, O son of the "Released Ones" that you keep your ladies and bond maidens in their chambers (under protection), and at the same time you drive the daughters of the Messenger of Allah as captives with their veils removed and faces exposed, taken by their enemies from one land to another, being viewed by those at watering places as well as those who man your forts, with their faces exposed to the looks of everyone - near or distant, lowly or honourable, having none of their men with them nor any of their protectors?

But what can be expected from one descended from those whose mouths chewed the liver of the purified ones and whose flesh grows out of the blood of the martyrs? How can it be expected that one who looks at us with grudge and animosity, with hatred and malice, would not hate us - the Ahlul Bayt? Besides, you, without feeling any guilt or weighing heavily what you recite saying, They would have been very much delighted, Then they'd have said, "May your hands, O Yazid, never be paralyzed."

How dare you hit the lips of Abu Abdillah (A.S.), the Master of the Youths of Paradise? But why should you not do so, since you stirred a wound that almost healed, and since all mercy is removed from your hear, having shed the blood of the offspring of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, and the stars on the earth from among the family of Abdul-Muttalib? Then you cite your mentors as if you speak to them. Soon shall you be lodged with them, and soon shall you wish you were paralyzed and muted and never said what you said nor what you did.

O Allah, take what belongs to us out of his hands, seek revenge against those who oppressed us, and let Your wrath descend upon whoever shed our blood and killed our protectors! By Allah, you have burnt only our skin, you have cut only our flesh, and you shall com face to face with the Messenger of Allah, peace of Allah be upon him and his progeny, bearing the burdens of the blood which you have shed, the blood of his offspring, and of his sanctities which you violated, when Allah gathers them together and seeks equality on their behalf.
"And do not reckon those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead. Nay! They are living with their Lord, receiving their sustenance." (3:169)

It is quite sufficient that Allah is your judge and Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon his progeny, is your opponent and (Archangel) Jibraeel as the supporter (of Muhammad). All those who instigated you to do what you did and all those who put you in charge due to which you are a playing havoc with the lives of the Muslims will know for certain how evil the end of the oppressors is and which of you shall have the worst place and will be the least protected?

Although calamities have forced me to speak to you, I see you trivial in my eyes and find your verbal attacks great and regard your rebukes too much to bear, but the eyes are tearful, and the chests are filled with depression. What is even stranger is that the honoured Party of Allah is being killed by the Party of the "Released Ones" - Party of Shaytan. Such hands are dripping with our blood; such mouths are feeding on our flesh, while those sacred and pure corpses are offered as food to the wild beasts of the desert and are dirtied by the brutes. If you regard us as your booty, you shall soon find us as your opponents -that will be when you find nothing but what your hands had committed.
"And your Lord never treats His servants unjustly." (41:46)
To Allah is my complaint, and upon Him do I rely.

So scheme whatever you wish to scheme, and carry out your plots, and intensify your efforts, for, by Allah, you shall never be able to obliterate our mention, nor will you ever be able to kill the revelation (that was revealed to us), nor will you ever exalt our position, nor will your shame ever be washed away. Your view shall be proven futile, your days limited in number, and your wealth wasted on the Day when the caller calls out,
"The curse of Allah be upon the oppressors." (11:18)

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, who sealed the life of our early ones with happiness and forgiveness, and that of our last ones with martyrdom and mercy. We plead to Allah to complete His rewards for them, grant them an increase, and recompense us pleasingly. He is the most Merciful, the most Compassionate, Allah suffices us, and He is the best Guardian.