Imam Husain Leaving Madina - Farewells
Cast:
Imam Husain
Bibi Fatema Sughra
Hazrat Ali Akber
Hazrat Abbas
Ummul Banin
Umme Salma
Bibi Rabab
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Narrator 3
Voice of The Prophet
Voice of Bibi Fatema
The family leaving with the caravan
SCENE ONE
Rehanatul Mustafa
Narrator 1: Muawiya hated Hazrat Ali and his family. Under his Rule, Sh'ias were put to death or thrown into prisons just because they were followers of Hazrat Ali and his family. Muawiya died in 60 A.H. He appointed Yazid, his son, as the next Khalifa.
As soon as Yazid became Khalifa, he wrote to his Governor in Medina to ask Imam Husayn to do the impossible. He was asking the Imam to accept him as the Khalifa of Islam.
Imam Husayn could not even consider accepting such an evil man, as Yazid, as Khalifa, as he openly broke the laws of Islam and was determined to destroy Islam,. After discussions with his family and companions, he decided to leave Medina and move to the Holy City of Mecca. We begin our play in the Holy city of Medina by the graves of Our Holy Prophet and his daughter Lady Fatema.
(Imam arrives at the Prophet's mosque, lights a candle and walks over to his grave, sits by the grave, places his cheek on it and sobs)
Imam Husain: I have come to say farewell to you O grandfather. I have to leave Madina to save Islam. Pray for me O grandfather – pray that Allah grants me patience.
Voice of the Prophet (saw): Husain! I see you now. Your body is smeared in blood, and grief and trials surround you. My followers have cut off your head. You were thirsty, but they denied you water. And they still dare to ask for my intercession. May God keep my intercession from them. Husain! Your father, mother, and brother are with me, and we are waiting for you. Your place in Jannah is ready for you, but it is so great that you must be martyred to achieve it.
Imam Husain: Grandfather, I don't want to go back to this world. Take me with you, into your grave.
Voice of the Prophet: You must go back, and be martyred. Earn the reward which Allah has prepared for you. On the Day of Judgement, you and I and your father Ali will be resurrected together and enter Paradise.
(Imam Husain walks to the grave of Bibi Fatema, unable to speak – kisses it in silent farewell, begins to walk away)
Imam Hussain: Farewell Mother dearest!
Voice from the grave of Bibi Fatema: Khudahafiz my son. Go! I too will be with you – for every step of your journey.
Recitation:
Chalaa me waadaa nibhaane x2
Salaam maa ke mazaar
Salaam nana ke roze, salaam ma ke mazaar x2
Me Tera din bacha woonga, ay mere nana,
Me apna khoon bahaa woonga, Ay mere nana,
(Husayn ja ta hain marne)x2, salaam maa ke mazaar
Salaam nana ke roze, salaam ma ke mazaar
Diye Jhalane ko nana, Tumhare roze par,
Zuroor ayegi sugra, Hare k Sham – o – sahar,
(Khuda kare rahe roshan) x2, sada tumhara mazaar
Salaam nana ke roze, salaam ma ke mazaar x2
SCENE TWO
(Imam Husain's house, Bibi Fatema Sughra sitting on her bed)
Narrator 2: Bibi Fatema Sughra is sitting on her bed praying to Allah as she wanted to leave Madina with her father, Imam Hussein. However she was very ill and she was worried that he wouldn't take her.
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Ya Allah! Do not separate me from my father! How can I live alone, without Asgher? Ever since he was born, I have spent all my time playing with him. He now smiles when he sees me – he can recognise my face. Soon he will start talking – I want to be able to hear him call my name. Please Ya Allah, let my father agree to take me with him. I do not want to be left alone in Madina.
(Footsteps heard, Bibi Fatema Sughra wipes her tears, sits up and smiles and begins to rise)
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Salaamun Alaykum, O my father.
Imam Husain: (Walks over to the bed and places his hand on her head and comforts her, and sits down)
Wa-alaykum salaam my darling daughter. My dear, when you were born, I named you after my mother Fatima. You know that your grandmother was also known as Sabira which means the patient one. I want you also to be Sabira and agree to stay in Madina with Ummul Banin and Umme Salma. Will you do that?
(Bibi Fatema Sughra looks down, nods, Imam hugs her and leaves the room. FS weeps and then pauses, smiles and nods)
Recitation:
Baba. Baba. Tanhiyi sazaa hai muje, aisi na sazaa do. Mein yeh nahi kehti ke, amaari me bitha do.
Sab bethe sawari pe, me pedal hi chalungi. Wada hai kisi ko koyi, taklif na dungi. Baba. Baba. Amaa se me har giz na kahungi ke dawaa do.
Palko se me saya ali asghar ke karungi. Amaa ki sawari se, bahot dur rahungi. Baba. Baba. Ha kehke meri jist ke kuch roz barhado.
(Mein yeh nahi kehti ke, amaari me bitha do) x2
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Uncle Abbas! Can someone please get Uncle Abbas for me?
(Enter Hazrat Ali Akber and Hazrat Abbas)
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Oh Uncle Abbas, O my dear brother Ali Akber! I know how much you love me. How can you leave me and go away? If I die, who will bury me?
Hazrat Abbas: My dear niece, you are too ill to travel. The hot desert is a treacherous place – especially for someone as ill as you.
Hazrat Ali Akber: I will promise you that I will write to you. Fatema Sughra you have to be brave as this is what Allah has destined for us and we have to make this great sacrifice and save Islam. You have to obey our Father and stay here.
Bibi Fatema Sughra: I will accept that as I do not wish to disobey my Father. I will be brave and stay here.
(Hazrat Ali Akber comes forward to hold his sister's hand and puts his arm around her to comfort her. He then rises to leave and Fatema Sughra stops him to tell him one more thing.)
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Brother Ali, promise me one thing – when you get married and return to Madina to find Sughra's grave, promise me that you and your bride will visit my grave and recite Fatiha.
(Hazrat Ali Akber and Hazrat Abbas sit by her side and then leave weeping. Light dimmed to indicate night. Sughra weeps and falls asleep. Lights on to indicate morning.)
Narrator 3: Bibi Fatema Sughra falls asleep weeping and then she wakes up in the morning as her Grandmother Umme Salma comes to wake her up
(Enter Umme Salma)
Umme Salma: My dear Fatima Sughra, the time has come.
(Bibi Fatema Sughra weeping. Enter Ummul Banin.)
Ummul Banin: The caravan is ready, come and say farewell.
(Umme Salma and Ummul Banin prop her up and take her out.)
Recitation:
Beemar hun mei tto kya, chalne ke tto hai yaraa, lejawo muje baba x2
Shabbir se roro kar, keheti ye sughra lejaawo muje baba
Bimaar.....
Sab chorke mujko jatehai, (bimar ko tun tarpate hai) x2
Kya pyar nahi mujse, kyu hogaye beparwaar, lejawo muje baba
Bimaar.......
Tanhai mei ansu barsa hun, (kya hai ye gawaara marjaawoun) x2
Viran huwa hai ghar, mein kasi rahu tanhaa (lejawo muje baba)
Bimaar.....
SCENE THREE
Narrator 3: Soon the time comes for Bibi Fatema Sughra comes to bid her family farewell as they leave for their long journey.
(Sughra saying Khuda Hafiz to everyone.)
Imam Husain: Be brave my dear.
Bibi Rabab: Sughra, khuda hafiz my dear child. I will remind Asgher of you everyday.
(Bibi Fatema Sughra, clinging to Asgher, Asgher refusing to go to his mother.)
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Mother, he does not wish to leave me, let him stay here with me.
(Imam Husain steps forward, whispers in Asgher's ears. Asgher then leaps to Imam's arms.)
Imam Husain: Khadahafiz my child
(The caravan starts moving.)
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Asgher! Ali!
(She falls to the floor and weeps.)
Recitation:
Jaane wale karbala ke, karbala lechal mujeh x4
SCENE FOUR
(Bibi Fatema Sughra following the actions of the narrator.)
Narrator 2: Days passed into months, Ramadhan passed, and Eid was a difficult day for Sughra. She kept thinking of Asgher (She picks up his shirt and holds it to her cheek) and Akber and her sister Sakina. Then came Muharram. For some reason, Sughra's restlessness increased.
One night she got up. She felt thirsty.
(Bibi Fatema Sughra fills cup with water brings it to her lips and stares at it and screams. Cup falls out of her hand)
Bibi Fatema Sughra: Asgher!!
Umme Salma: (running in) What is it?!! What is the matter Sughra?
Bibi Fatema Sughra: (Shaking, runs to Umme Salma) O Grandmother! As I lifted the cup to my mouth, I saw Ali Asgher's reflection in the water. I saw him spread out his little arms towards me. And then I heard him speak, he was saying "al-atash, Ya ukhti Fatima" My asgher is thirsty O Grandmother – why did I get this dream?
Narrator 1: This was the 9th of Muharram, the night before Ashura – Little did Sughra know that her beloved Asgher would be shaheed the next day – still thirsty, with an arrow instead of water down his throat.
Recitation:
Dhul Gaya suraj, shamma jali, nanna mera asghar kahaa gaye,
Ye tto bata da ai hurmalaa, cheendha hai kyu tuneh nanna gala, khun mein dubi gali gali, nanna mera Asghar kuha gaye,
Dhul gayaa.........
Raat Andheri sun saan bunn, dhundhu kuhaa tuje aye gulbadan, roro pukari maa dil jail, nanna mera Asghar, kuhaa gaye...
Dhul gayaa............