Shafaqna English– A scholar from the Women’s Seminary said: Undoubtedly, today more than ever, we are in need of redefining the role of Muslim women based on historical models rooted in spirituality and wisdom.
Seyyedah Masoumeh Tabatabaei, in an interview with Shafaqna, stated that Imam Hussain (AS), during the battle of Karbala, conveyed a message that went beyond religious boundaries and called all of humanity to the value of freedom. She said: Ashura is not just a historical event; it is a living culture, a vibrant educational school in which values such as freedom, justice-seeking, responsibility, and truthfulness are embodied.
Imam Hussain (AS), on the battlefield of Karbala, said something beyond the bounds of belief: “If you do not follow a religion and do not fear the afterlife, at least be free in your worldly life.”
This, she noted, is a call to all of humanity, not just people of faith. It is a luminous and strategic statement for the elevation of humanity in both material and spiritual dimensions. From Ashura emerge individuals who do not remain silent in the face of oppression and who see social responsibility in defending truth, acting at the right time and with maturity—just as the Quran states:
“You are the best nation raised for mankind: you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.” (Aal-e-Imran: 110)
She referred to Lady Zainab (SA) as the narrator of truth and the enduring voice of Ashura, saying: Her mission can be summarized in this line of poetry:
“Karbala would have remained Karbala, had Zainab not been there…”
If Imam Hussain (AS) Gave His Blood, Lady Zainab (SA) Gave It Meaning. She was not merely a survivor; she was the great narrator of Karbala. In the face of Yazid’s propaganda machine, Lady Zainab (SA) stood firm and, through her powerful sermons in Kufa and Damascus, exposed the oppressive nature of the Umayyad regime.
She emphasized: ”Had it not been for Zainab’s timely action and sense of mission, the Ashura uprising might have been buried in history under the suffocating propaganda of the Umayyads. Her historic words in Yazid’s palace still echo today: “So plot your plots and exert your efforts… By Allah (SWT), you will never erase our memory.” (Al-Ihtijaj, Al-Tabarsi)
Zainab (SA) demonstrated that a Muslim woman not only can, but must, be the voice of truth in critical moments. She is a living example of the Quranic verse:
“Do not conceal testimony, and whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful.” (Al-Baqarah: 283)
Tabatabaei stated: ”The women of Ashura represent complete image of active Muslim woman in Islamic tradition. Ashura is a unique scene of conscious female presence in Islamic history. Women who, alongside men, played vital roles—through faith, speech, martyrdom, and patience. Wahab’s mother, after her son’s martyrdom, entered the battlefield herself.
Rubab, the wife of Imam Hussain (AS), holding her infant child, embodied ultimate motherhood and surrender. On the eve of Ashura, Lady Zainab (SA) uttered a phrase that still stirs the soul: “O’ Allah, accept this sacrifice from us.”
She added: These women are a full manifestation of Verse/Ayah 35 of Surah Al-Ahzab, where God says: “Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women… the truthful men and truthful women… Allah (SWT) has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.”
In Islamic tradition, a woman is not a marginal figure. The woman of Ashura is a historical agent—aware, brave, and responsible. From the dawn of Islam to this day, wherever a significant and influential event has occurred throughout history, women have stood alongside men—with strength, with faith, and while preserving modesty and feminine dignity.