Al-Allamah al-Majlisi narrates in Biharal-Anwar that after the tragedy of Karbala and the forced journey of the women of the Prophet’s household—led by Lady Zainab (pbuh), along with the wives and daughters of Imam Hussain (pbuh)—they were taken from one land to another until they arrived at the palace of Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad. Ibn Ziyad sat with a group of people and ordered the head of Imam Hussain (pbuh) to be placed before him. Then, the women and children of Hussain’s household were brought in. Lady Zainab(pbuh) sat in disguise, but when asked about her identity, it was revealed: “This is Zainab, the daughter of Ali (pbuh).”

Ibn Ziyad turned to her and said:  
“Praise be to Allah, who has disgraced you and exposed your lies.”
She replied:  
“Only the corrupt are disgraced, and only the wicked are exposed—and that is not us.”
Ibn Ziyad then asked:  
“How do you see what Allah has done to your brother and your family?”  
Lady Zainab (pbuh) answered:  
“I have seen only beauty. These are people for whom Allah decreed martyrdom, and they advanced to their resting places. Soon, Allah will gather you with them, and you will dispute before Him.”   

Since that day, these words have lived in the hearts and beliefs of the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (pbut). This was not merely an expression of patience but a doctrinal declaration from a woman who embodied the wisdom of prophethood and reached the pinnacle of awareness and insight. Zainab did not view Karbala as a tragedy but as the most beautiful manifestation of truth amidst the darkness of tribulation—and this is clarification (Tabyeen) in its highest form.

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‍The Role of Lady Zainab (pbuh) in the Project of Clarification

‍Lady Zainab (pbuh) was not merely a witness to Karbala; she was the bridge that carried the revolution from the battlefield into the consciousness of the Ummah. Her role complemented that of Imam Hussain(pbuh). After his martyrdom, she ignited the flame of clarification, confronting Yazid in the heart of his palace with words that shook thrones and exposed the falsehood of tyranny: 

“I find you insignificant in my eyes, yet your rebuke is great, and your scolding is excessive… But eyes weep, and hearts grieve… You may take us as spoils of war, but soon you will find us a burden, when you face what your hands have wrought, and your Lord is not unjust to His servants… So plot your plots, exert your efforts, and strive as you may—for by Allah, you will never erase our memory, nor silence our revelation, nor washaway this disgrace. Your opinion is nothing but folly, your days are numbered, and your gathering will scatter—on the day when the caller will proclaim: ‘Indeed, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers!’”   

In this way, Lady Zainab (pbuh) played a powerful media role after the tragedy of Karbala, utilizing the most effective communication tool of her time: public oratory. Speeches were a direct and impactful means of influencing public opinion, and the prophets and Imams (pbut)used them to spread their message.   

With exceptional brilliance, Zainab (pbuh)conveyed the message of Hussain’s uprising despite the Umayyad regime’s intense media blackout. She did not rely on words alone but employed rhetorical mastery—metaphors, analogies, and Quranic citations—making her speech resonate deeply in the hearts of the people.   

Despite her captivity and humiliation, she never ceased her mission. She became the voice of Hussain’s resistance media, exposing the crimes of the Umayyads and thwarting their attempts to market their false victory. Zainab was not merely mourning—she was explaining, refuting, teaching, and awakening the Ummah!

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‍The Figures of Clarification in Karbala  
The project of clarification was not limited to Hussain and Zainab alone. Several key figures played pivotal roles in revealing the truth amidst tribulation, including:   

- Al-Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi: He embodied clarification in its highest form when he returned to the side of truth, setting an example of confronting one’s ego and making difficult choices.  

- Zuhayr ibn al-Qayn: Once known for his inclination toward Uthman, he witnessed clarification in Hussain’s stand and became one of his most loyal supporters.

- Abbas ibn Ali (pbuh): He personified honesty and clarity in stance, becoming the standard-bearer of physical and spiritual clarification on the battlefield.  

These figures fulfilled the role of prophets in moments of collective collapse—they stood firm on divine promise and confronted the distortion of truth through action, speech, and unwavering stance.  

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‍“I Have Seen Only Beauty” – APerspective of Insight, Not Emotion   

Through clarification, it becomes clearthat the “beauty” Zainab saw was not in apparent victory but in:  
- The clarity of purpose,
- The steadfastness of Hussain,  
- The spread of truth,  
- And the unmasking of tyranny.  

 It was beauty in vision, not in thescene—divine beauty, not worldly.   

Zainab spoke these words because she sawwith the eye of certainty and lived the spirit of the Quran:  
“Who, when disaster strikes them, say:‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we will return.’” (Quran 2:156)   

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‍Ashura Today: How Do We Perceive Beauty AmidstTribulations?

‍In our time—where values are distorted,truths are obscured, and many who claim to follow Islam hesitate to defend theoppressed—we must re-read Karbala through the lens of clarification.

We must be like Zainab, al-Hurr, andAbbas—masters of clarification, seeing beauty in adhering to truth, not insuperficial outcomes.   

‍Zainab: The Eternal Voice ofHussain  

‍Zainab (pbuh) was not merely Hussain’sshadow—she was his voice after martyrdom, the beauty of his spirit in the landof captivity, and the clarification of his bleeding blood on the pulpits oftyranny.  When we raise the slogan “I have seen onlybeauty” this year, we are not merely mourning Karbala—we are opening our eyesto its lessons and drawing from it our awareness in this age of trials.