Sayeda Sakina (also known as Sukayna bint Husayn) was the daughter of Prophet Mohamed’s grandson, Husayn ibn Ali. She is an important figure in the Islamic narrative. She was born in 56 AH and died between 60-61 AH at the hands of Yazid I. Her story is intricately related to the story of Husayn’s martyrdom. It portrays the tragic end of a young, good, and faithful child.
The battle of Karbala was fought between her father, Husayn ibn Ali, and the leader of the Umayyad caliphate, Yazid I. Mohamed’s grandson was defeated in battle, as he was greatly outnumbered. Sakina, along with other women and children, were taken prisoner. The travel to Kufa and later to Damascus has taken more than a month. She died from overexertion in the dungeons, and was buried there.
The role of Sayeda Sakina in history and in Islamic religion is riddled with symbolism. As a 4-year-old child, she does not have the power to influence the world around her through her own actions. Instead, she is often a motivator for other people she is surrounded by in captivity. These people can be described through their behavior towards Sakina. Her captors are portrayed as incessantly cruel through how they treat the child, slapping her, forcing her to wear a burned dress, and tying her to the camels, among others. In their actions, they acquire no sympathy from the audience and are labeled monsters.
Her role in invoking sympathy towards Husayn ibn Ali and his cause is also important. Sakina is the innocent lamb who dies because the people she was captured by were wicked and turned away from Allah. Her martyrdom is meant to inspire others, and since her death the girl became an important figure in Shi’a branch of Islam. Her stoic suffering and selflessness shown by her attempts to get water to other children offers a vision of virtue to be followed, and wrongs committed against her and other women as grievances to be avenged.
The story of Sayeda Sakina is tragic and seeks to inspire piety and self-sacrifice. The girl’s path from Karbala to Damascus, her love of her father, and her tragic death play a prolific role in Islam. For Shi’ia, her fate is connected with sacrifice for the right cause against wrongness and falsehood.