 May Allah bless the poets and reciters who narrate to us the tragedy of Karbala, the horrors that the family of the Prophet had to go through and in particular the horrors that Bibi Zaynab, peace be upon him, had to go through on the day of Ashurah and afterwards. But one thing we must never forget, when we hear the beautiful poetry of the respected reciters and poets, including myself, we often hear of how they say that Zaynab Aleyhislam was upset, how she was crushed, how her heart was broken. But let's never forget how courageous she was as well, how patient she was, how defiant she was. Whoever thought then, about a thousand years ago, that a woman, said that Zaynab Aleyhislam could stand in the court of Yazid and shake the throne of Yazid. It's not surprising when her tongue is the door of Ali, peace be upon him. I want to take you back to after the day of Ashurah, of course, the day of Ashurah has now passed. It's the day like no other day. But the tragedy continues afterwards. When the bodies are scattered upon the plains of Karbala, from the sheikh of the Ansar, the old and wise Habib and the Mubahir, to the six-month-old infant, Ali al-Azgar, all colors, all races, all ages left with their bodies scattered, scattered, crushed and broken upon the plains of Karbala, Allah knows how much blood flowed in that day. And Allah knows how it felt to be there in that blistering heat after three days of no water as the tents are burnt by the army of Yazid, the fire flickers, the smoke chokes the young girls. It's here when they're ready to leave the courageous Sayyid Azayneb Aleyhislam turns towards the daughters of Hussain and the women of the Karbala. And she says, no, no, those aren't severed heads. They are stars that light up the sky and just like they are raised on spears, oh daughters hold your heads high. No, no, those aren't severed heads. They are stars that light up the sky and just like they are raised on spears, oh my daughters hold your heads high. Yes, it's the time we've awaited, the epilogue of the story. Our mother wept years for this noon as if it were past history. We passed the past, oh my daughters. We passed the past, oh my daughters, let us let go of our glory. The shackles await our forearms. Let them taste sweeter than honey. The shackles await our forearms. Let them taste sweeter than honey. Today my lungs I prepare to breathe in more smoke than air. The scent of death fills the sky. Daughters keep your heads raised high. There's no more time to say goodbye. For us this Yazid is waiting. Don't cast your gaze on those bodies. These excuses stop creating. Layla Akbar is gone. Layla Akbar is gone. His head on the spear they're raising. Rabab leave your hands with Abbas. Asghar doesn't need cradling. Let the wind of death and smoke sway his cradle whilst we choke the smoke on our necks we tie. Daughters hold your heads high. Oh orphans, the tents are burning. From fire your small feet scatter. But don't scream if you exit the tent and find that blood upon your feet splatters. Look at what we have plenty of. It's true that we don't have water but we have both fire and we have ash and we have enough blood to flow rivers. Don't scream if from your veils you find that our men's blood trickles. It will take decades to dry. Daughters keep your heads raised high. Be careful if you have jewelry and if an earring you are wearing. If they see one placed in your ear my beloved you'll feel it tearing. Be careful oh my love if you have jewelry and an earring you are wearing. If they see one placed in your ear my beloved you'll feel it tearing. Come and grab, come and grab onto my garment when we're marched out to their glaring. Let's not look out at these bodies. Let's not look out at these bodies white so that we won't die despairing. Bodies lie beyond the camp. From blood our feet shall be damp. Fight with your souls to not die. Daughters keep your heads raised high. You may find that your skin's colour will change from what you know of it either from the ash or from the blood or from the cheek on which you were hit. I know that you are princesses. I know that you are princesses. Candles for your eyes should be lit but instead of crowns for your heads shackles on your arms they shall fit. Other orphans' heads are white but your heads shall be struck and slapped. Your father's rights they'll deny. Daughters keep your heads raised high. When they march us past the river try to step on the burning sands. Why? Because I'm scared one of you will step on one of Abbas's severed hands. When they march us past the river try to stand on the burning sands because I'm scared that one of you will step on one of Abbas's severed hands. Forget that he sat on his horse and forget how high his flag stands. They cut up his body so much that he's scattered all over these lands. For help, for help his name, don't call. He's gone hands and eye and all our Lord gives him wings to fly. Daughters keep your heads raised high. Keep your heads high. Oh my daughters look only at the horizon but don't raise up your heads too much because the heads on the spears are risen. Keep your heads high oh my daughters look only at the horizon but don't raise up your heads too much because the heads on spears are risen. Let your tears flow till your shackles for this mission. We've been chosen. Ruqaya I am looking after. Ruqaya I am looking after and I have a special reason. What is it? In Sham, in Sham I may lose my soul when they ask me how much for this girl? In Sham I may lose my soul when they ask me how much for this girl? When we're back then we can die. Daughters keep your heads raised high. No no those aren't severed heads. They are stars that light up the sky and just like they're raised on spears daughters keep your heads raised high and just like they're raised on spears oh my daughters keep your heads raised high. Peace be upon you all the mother of