"I see death as nothing but happiness, while living with the oppressors is nothing but annoyance." -
Abu 'Abdullah, al-Husain (a.s.)
That day was spent by the family of Muhammad, peace of Allah be upon him and his progeny, by continuous weeping and wailing. Its pain penetrated the hearts, incinerating them. The eyes were filled with bloody tears. You could hear nothing except the cries of those who suffered the loss of a dear one and hear the sighs of those deeply depressed. You could see only those whose hair stood up and who demonstrated their exhaustion because of the tragedy. There were those who kept covering their heads with the dust as a sign of grief, those who beat their chests in agony, those who beat their forehead and were struggling to stay alive while putting one hand on the chest and another to beat it.
People looked as though they were intoxicated, but they were not; the horror of the painful tragedy made them look like that. Had you been able to hear how those in the Higher Plane were wailing, you would have realized the cry of the cosmos and the wailing of the uris in the chambers of Paradise as they moaned and groaned, cried, sighed and lamented. All the Imams of Guidance were likewise tearful, wailing and weeping.
There is no exaggeration here at all. The Martyr had in him the fragrance of the Message, the glow of the caliphate, and the wreath of the Imamate. He is none other than the grandson of the Chosen Prophet (S), the son of Fatima al-Zahra' ('a), the chosen wali, and the brother of the other grandson of the Prophet (S), the Hujjah against the creation. Yes, he is the treasured Sign, the joined mercy, the safeguarded trust, and the gate wherewith people are tried.
His tragedy is no less worthy of such tears or condolences. Had the hearts been split into bits and pieces, and had those grieved died grieving over such a great calamity, it would still have been less than it deserves. Do you see life being worthy of anything so long as the very essence of life is he himself, the living and the pure essence? What is the value of tears shed as long as Allah's "Vengeance on Earth" is thus bereaved? Should the eye be cooled as it sees the victims from Muhammad's family slaughtered on the ground, their parts cut off, their bodies cut to pieces by the swords, lances having feasted on them, and arrows having pierced them? They were spent thirsty on the bank of the flowing Euphrates wherein the dogs wade and from which wild beasts drink while the family of Muhammad (S) was prohibited from drinking of it.
What a true follower, who emulates the great Prophet (S), ought to do is to cry as this great Prophet (S) did for the mere mentioning of his name and the remembrance of his tragedy[552], to hold mourning ceremonies commemorating the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs, and to require everyone in his house to mourn him. And let them console one another on account of what happened to al-Husain ('a) just as Imam al-Baqir ('a) has said, "May Allah increase our rewards and yours for mourning al-Husain ('a), and may He count us and your own selves among those who seek revenge for him in the company of His wali, al-Mahdi ('a), from the Progeny of Muhammad, peace be upon them."[553]
'Abdullah Ibn Sinan came once to visit Imam as-Sadiq ('a) on 'Ashura. He found the colour of his complexion to have changed. He was grief-stricken; tears were trickling down his cheeks like pearls. He said to him, "Why are you weeping, O son of the Messenger of Allah?" He, peace be upon him, answered him by saying, "Are you oblivious to the fact that al-Husain ('a) was martyred on this day?" Then he ordered him to look like one who has just been afflicted by a great calamity, to unbutton his shirt, uncover his arms, to leave his head uncovered, and to fast for an entire day and to break his fast with water one hour after 'asr time, since that was the time when Muhammad's Progeny became bereaved with that great loss. Then he said to him, "Has the Messenger of Allah (S) been alive, he would be the one to console."[554]
Imam al-Kaďim ('a) was never seen smiling during the first ten days of Muharram. He looked very sad, and on the tenth day, such sadness reached its peak, so it was his day of grief and agony.
Imam al-Riďa ('a) has said, "It is for people like al-Husain ('a) that the mourners should weep. The memory of the day when al-Husain ('a) was martyred surely causes our eyelids to swell. Our man of dignity was humiliated in the land of karb and bala'."
Saluting his gravesite, al-Hujjah from among Muhammad's Progeny, may Allah hasten his reappearance, says, "So I shall mourn you in the morning and in the eve, and with tears of blood shall I over you weep."
So, should we not abandon merriment and put on the robes of grief? Should we not cry? Should we not learn how to glorify Allah's Signs by mourning the martyr who died thirsty on the tenth of Muharram?
Al-Husain on 'Ashura
Both Ibn Qawlawayh and al-Mas'udi[556] have said that when it was the tenth of Muharram, al-Husain ('a) led the morning prayers for his band then stood up to deliver a sermon. He praised Allah and glorified Him then said, "Allah Almighty has permitted your being killed today; so, you should persevere, and you should fight." Then he prepared them for the battle in one line. They were eighty-two horsemen and two footmen. He let Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn be in the right wing and Habib Ibn Muzahir on the left. He and his family members remained in the center.[557] He gave his standard to his brother al-'Abbas[558], having found the moon of the Hashemites the best qualified of all the men with him to carry it, the most safeguarding of the trust, the most kind, the most zealous in calling for his principles, the one who was the best to unite his kinsfolk, the most valiant in protecting them, the most firm in the battle, the most composed and the most courageous.[559]
Commanding a force of thirty thousand strong, 'Umar Ibn Sa'd marched to confront al-Husain, peace be upon him. Chiefs of the Kufa quarters at that time were: 'Abdullah Ibn Zuhayr Ibn Salim al-Azdi, who headed the Medenites, 'Abdul-Raman Ibn Abu Sabrah al-Hanafi, who headed Mathaj and Asad, Qays Ibn al-Ash'ath, who headed Rabi'ah and Kindah, and al-Hurr Ibn Yazid al-Riyai, who headed Tamim and Hamdan[560]. With the exception of al-Hurr al-Riyai, all the other men took part in fighting al-Husain ('a).
Ibn Sa'd put 'Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj al-Zubaydi in charge of the right wing. On the left wing, he gave charge to Shimr Ibn Thul-Jawshan al-'Amiri. The cavaliers were commanded by 'Izrah Ibn Qays al-Ahmasi. The footmen were commanded by Shabth Ibn Rab'i. The standard was with the latter's slave, Thuwayd.[561]
They came circling around the tents, seeing how the fire was raging in the ditch Shimr shouted as loud as he could: "O Husain! Have you resorted to the fire soon enough before the Day of Judgment?" Al-Husain ('a) asked, "Who is the inquirer? It seems as if he is Shimr Ibn Thul-Jawshan!" The answer came in the affirmative, whereupon the Imam ('a) said to him, "You son of the goat herder! You are more worthy of the fire than I!" Muslim Ibn 'Awsajah was about to shoot him with an arrow, but al-Husain ('a) prohibited him saying, "I hate to start fighting them."[562]
Al-Husain ('a) Supplicates
Having cast a look at the troops that resembled a torrent, al-Husain ('a) raised his hands to supplicate thus:
"Lord! You are my trust in every adversity, my hope in every hardship! You are to me my trust and treasure for whatever afflicts me! How many worries have You removed and dissipated that over-burdened my heart, exhausted my plans, betrayed my friends, and elated my enemy which I complained to You, having placed my hope upon You? You are the Originator of every blessing and the ultimate end of every wish"[563]
The First Sermon
Al-Husain ('a) called for his camel. Having mounted it, he called out loudly enough to be heard saying:
"O people! Listen to my speech and do not rush till I admonish you with that which I owe you, and so that I tell you why I have come here; so, if you accept my excuse and believe my statement and fare with me with equity, you will be much happier, and you will see no reason to expose me to this. But if you do not accept my reason and do not fare with me with equity, then gather your affair and your accomplices, and do not feel sorry for what you do but effect your judgment in my regard and do not grant me any respite; surely my Lord is Allah Who revealed the Book and He looks after the righteous".
When the women heard his statement, they cried and wailed, and their voices grew loud, whereupon he sent them his brother, al-'Abbas, and his son, 'Ali al-Akbar, to ask them to remain quiet and not to cry. Once the ladies were quiet, al-Husain ('a) praised Allah again and glorified him, blessed Muhammad and all angels and prophets, delivering a speech that no orator before or after him was more outspoken[564]. Then he said,
"O servants of Allah! Fear Allah and be on your guard with regard to this life which, had it remained for anyone at all, the prophets would have been the most worthy of it and the most pleased with fate. But Allah created this life so that it would perish What is new in it will soon grow old. Its pleasure diminishes and its happiness is fleeting. A man's home is but a mound, and one's house is a fort; so, get ready for the next, for the best with which you prepare yourselves is piety. Fear Allah so that you may be the winners[565].
O people! Allah, the most Exalted One, created life and made it a temporary abode, taking its people from one condition to another. Conceited is whoever gets fascinated by it, and miserable is whoever gets infatuated by it. So, do not let this life deceive you, for it shall disappoint whoever trusts and desires it! I can see that you have all set your minds on doing something because of which you have caused Allah to curse you and to turn His Glorious Countenance away from you, causing you to be the object of His Wrath Kind is our Lord, and mean servants of His are you! You declared obedience to and belief in Muhammad the Messenger (S), then you put your ranks together to kill his Progeny and offspring! Satan took full control of you, making you forget the remembrance of Allah, the Great. Perdition, hence, is your lot and ultimate end! We belong to Allah, and to Him is our return. These are people who have turned apostates after having believed, so away with the oppressive people[566].
O people! Identify me and find out who I am! Then go back to your evil selves and blame them, then see whether it is lawful for you to violate my sanctity. Am I not the son of your Prophet's daughter, the son of his wali and cousin, the foremost to believe, the one who testified to the truth of what he had brought from his Lord? Is not Hamzah, the Master of Martyrs, my uncle? Is not Ja'far at-Tayyar my uncle? Have you not heard that the Messenger of Allah had said about me and about my brother: "These are the masters of the youths of Paradise"? So if you believe what I say, which is the truth, let me swear by Allah that I never deliberately told a lie since I came to know that Allah hates lying and liars, and that lying is detrimental to those who invent it.
But if you disbelieve in me, there are among you those who, if you ask them, can inform you of the same. Ask Jabir Ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansari, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Sahl Ibn Sa'id al-Sa'idi, Zayd Ibn Arqam, and Anas Ibn Malik, and they will tell you that they have heard these ahadith of the Messenger of Allah with regard to myself and to my brother. Is this not sufficient to curb you from shedding my blood?!"
Al-Shimr then said, "He worships Allah by a letter, had he known what he is saying!" Habib Ibn Muzahir said to him, "By Allah! I see you worshipping Allah on seventy letters, and I testify that you are truthful when you say that you do not know what he is saying! Allah has surely sealed your heart!"
Al-Husain ('a) then said, "If you doubt what I have said, do you doubt that I am the son of your Prophet's daughter?! By Allah, there is no son of a Prophet from the east of the earth and the west besides myself, be it among you or among others. Woe unto you! Are you seeking revenge on me for killing one of you? Or is it on account of your wealth which I devoured? Or are you seeking qia?"
None of them spoke a word to the Imam ('a), so he called out, "O Shabth Ibn Rab'i! O Hijr Ibn Abjar! O Qays Ibn al-Ash'ath! O Zayd Ibn al-Harith! Did you not write me saying, 'Come, for the fruits are ripe, the pastures are green, and you will come to troops ready for your command'?"
They said, "We did not do so."
The Imam ('a) said, "Subhan-Allah! [Glorified is Allah]. Yes, by Allah, you did exactly so!" Then he said, "O people! If you hate me, let me go away from your sight to a safe place on earth" Qays Ibn al-Ash'ath said to him, "Are you not going first to accept the authority of your cousins? They surely will not deal with you except most amicably, and they will not harm you in the least." Al-Husain ('a) said to him, "Are you the brother of your brother?! Do you want Banu Hashim to demand that you pay for the blood of someone else besides that of Muslim Ibn 'Aqil? No, by Allah! I shall not give them as the subservient ones give, nor shall I flee from them as slaves flee![567] O servants of Allah! I have sought refuge with Allah, your Lord and mine, against your stoning me, and I seek refuge with my Lord and yours against any arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning."
The Imam ('a) alighted from his she-camel, asking 'Uqbah Ibn Sam'an to tie it for him.[568]
A Miracle and Guidance
A number of men, including 'Abdullah Ibn Hawzah al-Tamimi[570], came charging in the Imam's direction. "Is Husain among you?" shouted 'Abdullah once, twice, and thrice. After the third call, al-Husain's companions said, "Al-Husain ('a) is right here; what do you want from him?" He said, "O Husain! Let me convey to you the good news of your going to hell!" Al-Husain ('a) said, "Liar! Rather, I shall meet a Lord Who is Forgiving, Gracious, Obeyed, and He accepts intercession..., but who are you?" "I am the son of Hawzah," the rogue said, whereupon al-Husain ('a) raised his hands till the whiteness of his armpits became visible as he supplicated thus: "O Lord! I invoke You to hurl him into the fire!"
Ibn Hawzah became so angry that he instantly charged at the Imam ('a). A small dry rivulet was in the way between them. As the charger leaped over it, the rider fell. One of his feet remained hooked in the stirrup. His other foot as well as leg and thigh remained hanging. The horse kept dragging him, causing him to hit the rocks and tree stumps in its way[571], finally hurling him into the burning fire of the ditch He died instantly by burning. It was then that Imam Husain ('a) prostrated to thank Allah, praising Him for swiftly responding to his invocation, raising his voice as he said, "Lord! We are the Ahl al-Bayt of Your Prophet, his offspring and kinsfolk, so do split the spine of those who oppressed us and usurped what belongs to us, surely You hear, and You are ever near!"
Muhammad Ibn al-Ash'ath [sarcastically] asked the Imam, "What kinship do you have with Muhammad (S)?" Al-Husain ('a) said, "Lord! Muhammad Ibn al-Ash'ath says there is no kinship between me and Muhammad! Lord! Show me today how You swiftly humiliate him!" Allah did, indeed, swiftly respond to the Imam's supplication: Muhammad Ibn al-Ash'ath came out of the army, alighted from his horse and started defecating. As he was thus engaged, a black scorpion bit him, leaving him polluted with his own feces[572], killing him just as the villain's private parts were thus exposed[573].
Masruq Ibn Wa'il al-Hadrami has said, "I was in the vanguard of the horsemen who came to fight al-Husain son of 'Ali ('a) hoping to cut his head off and win by it favour with Ibn Ziyad. Having seen what happened to Ibn Hawzah, I realized that there is a sanctity and a special status of Ahl al-Bayt ('a) with Allah, so I left the people saying, 'I shall not fight them and thus be hurled into the Fire.'"[574]
Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn Delivers a Speech
Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn came out on a horse with a huge tail, fully armed. He shouted out:
"O people of Kufa! Be forewarned of a torment from Allah! It is the obligation of each Muslim to admonish his brethren. Till now, we are still brethren following the same religion so long as the sword does not interfere between us. You deserve to be admonished; so, once the sword starts doing its thing, none of you shall be protected from such a torment. We will then be one group and you will be another. Allah has tried us and your own selves through the offspring of His Prophet Muhammad (S) in order to see what we and you will be doing. We call upon you to support them and to abandon the tyranny of Yazid and 'Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad, for you should not expect from them except evil so long as they rule over you. They will gouge your eyes and amputate your hands and legs. They will mutilate you and crucify you on palm trees. They will kill the best among you, and they will kill those among you who know and recite the Qur'an such as 'Ajar Ibn 'Adiy and his fellows and also Hani Ibn 'Urwah and his likes.
They taunted him and praised 'Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad and even supplicated for him. Then they said, "We shall not leave this place before killing your friend and all those who accompany him, or we safely send him and them to 'Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad." Zuhayr said, "O servants of Allah! The descendants of Fatima ('a) are more worthy of being loved and supported than the son of Sumayya! But if you do not support them, I seek refuge with Allah against you killing them! Save this man from Yazid, for by my life! Yazid will be satisfied with your obedience to him even if you do not kill al-Husain ('a)."
Shimr shot him with an arrow saying, "Shut your mouth! May Allah forever silence your voice! You have bored us with talking too much!" Zuhayr said, "You! You son of the man who urinates on his heels! I was not addressing you, for you are, by Allah, an animal, and I do not think that you fully understand even two verses from the Book of Allah! So, be prepared to be shamed on the Day of Judgment, and be prepared for a very painful chastisement!"
Shimr said, "Allah will soon kill you and your friend." Zuhayr said to him, "Are you scaring me with death? By Allah! To die with him is more pleasing to my heart than having to live forever among you, folks." He then loudly called out to them, "O servants of Allah! Let not this crude ruffian and his likes deceive you with regard to your creed!
By Allah! Muhammad's intercession shall never reach those who spill the blood of his offspring and Ahl al-Bayt ('a) nor those who kill their supporters and who protect their women." A man from among his group called out to him saying, "Abu 'Abdullah is telling you to go back, for the believer from among the family of Pharaoh had admonished his people and was quite eloquent in doing so. You have admonished these folks and you have been quite eloquent had admonishment and eloquence been of benefit for such people."[575]
Burayr Ibn Khayr sought al-Husain's permission to deliver a speech He was a mentor, a tabi'i, a qari, actually one of the most prominent qaris of Kufa's grand mosque. Among the people of Hamdan he enjoyed a great deal of honour and prestige.
Having acquired permission, he stood near the enemy and said:
"O people! Allah sent Muhammad (S) as bearer of glad tidings, a warner, a caller to Allah's Path and a lantern of noor. Here is the water of the Euphrates wherein black boars and dogs wade, yet it has been made taboo for the son of the daughter of Allah's Messenger! Is this how you show your gratitude to Muhammad (S)?![576]
They said to him, "O Burayr! You have already said too much, so spare us for, by Allah, al-Husain (S) shall suffer of thirst just as those before him had suffered." He said, "O people! Muhammad's offspring are now among you! These are his offspring, progeny, daughters and ladies; so, let us know what you have in mind, what you are planning to do with them." They said to him, "We intend to put them at the disposal of the governor 'Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad who will fare with them as he sees fit."
He asked them, "Are you not satisfied if they go back to whence they had come from? Woe unto you Kufians! Have you forgotten the letters you wrote and the pledges you made, invoking Allah to be a Witness over you and over what you said therein?! Did you invite the family of your Prophet, claiming you would defend them with your own lives, then, when they came to you, you now want to hand them over to Ibn Ziyad and even prohibited them from drinking of the Euphrates' water?! Evil, indeed, is the way how you succeeded your Prophet (S) in faring with his offspring! What is the matter with you?!
May Allah deprive you of drinking on the Day of Judgment, for surely you are a most evil people!" Some of them said to him, "Man, we do not know what you are talking about!" Said he, "All Praise is due to Allah Who blessed me with more insight than you. Lord! I invoke You to testify that I dissociate myself from the deeds of these people! Lord! Direct their mischief against their own selves so that they may meet You and You are angry with them." It was then that arrows started pouring on him, forcing him to retreat.[577]
Al-Husayn's Second Sermon
Al-Husain ('a) rode his horse and took a copy of the Holy Qur'an which he spread over his head then stood in front of those people and said, "O people! The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (S), are the arbitrators between you and me."[578]
Then he asked them whether the sword, the battle gear, and the turban that he was wearing belonged to the Prophet (S), and they all testified that they, indeed, were. Then he asked them about the reason why they were planning to kill him. "In obedience to the governor 'Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad," they said. He, peace be upon him, then addressed them in these words:
"Woe unto you, O people, shame and infamy! You sought our help in earnest, so we came to help you in apprehension, then you unsheathed your swords in violation of your vows, kindling a fire against us which we ignited against our enemy and yours. Now you have sided with your own enemies against your friends. Such enemies have disseminated no equity among you, nor do you hope for their reform; so, be forewarned of calamities! You abandoned us, keeping your swords resting in their scabbards, enjoying your comfort and ease, thinking you are acting wisely! But you opted to fall greedily upon life like the swiftest of all birds, throwing yourselves on it as butterflies fall into the fire! So, thus do you violate your vows!
May you be crushed, O slaves of this nation, splinters of the parties! You have forsaken the Book of Allah, distorted His Word, becoming the party of evil, the breath of the devil, the ones who put out the Sunnah! Woe unto you! Are you really supporting such sort of people while thus betraying us?! Yes, by Allah! It is your same age-old custom of treachery which goes back to your own roots and upon which your branches grow! You, hence, are the worst fruit, an eyesore to the beholder, a morsel to the usurper!
Truly the bastard-son who is the offspring of the bastard-son has bidden us to either unsheathe our swords or succumb to humiliation! Far, it is, from us to do either! Far, it is, from us to accept humiliation! Allah Himself refuses that we should ever be thus humiliated, and so does His Prophet, and so do the believers! Ours are honourable chambers, men of dignity, souls that refuse to prefer obedience to the lowly over dying in honour and dignity! I most surely am attacking with this family, though small in number, though being betrayed by those who promised to support me..."
Then the Imam ('a) cited the following poetry verses by Farwah Ibn Musayk al-Muradi[579]:
So if we chase, we do so headlong,
But if we flee, none chases us away,
Not out of cowardice at all,
But it is only our fate that we should be
Thus, and because of others' authority;
So tell those pleased with our calamity:
They shall meet what we have just met;
If Death spares some people his throes,
It is only because to others he goes.
Having said so, he continued his speech thus:
"By Allah! You shall not linger after this incident except as long as one stays on his horseback. The grinding stones shall then spin you, shaking you as the axis shakes; this is a promise which my father had been promised by my [grand]father, the Messenger of Allah (S): [then he cited the verse saying]:
"... then resolve your affair and (gather) your associates, then let not your affair remain dubious to you, then have it executed against me and give me no respite" (Qur'an, 10:71).
The Imam ('a) then raised his hands as he supplicated thus:
"Lord! Keep rain water from them and send upon them years like thosef of Yousuf's, and send upon them the slave of Thaqif to make them drink of a most bitter cup, for they lied to us and betrayed us, while You are our God; upon You do we rely, and to You is our destiny.[580]
Allah will not let a single one of them without having sought revenge on him on my behalf: my killer shall be killed; whoever deals a blow against me shall be dealt likewise; He shall most certainly seek victory for me, for my Ahl al-Bayt ('a), and for my supporters".[581]
Ibn Sa'ds Misguidance
al-Husain ('a) called upon 'Umar Ibn Sa'd to come forward. The latter very much hated to look the Imam ('a) in the eyes. The Imam ('a) said to him, "O 'Umar! Do you really claim that you will kill me so that the bastard-son will make you the wali of the land of Rey and Jurjan?! By Allah! You shall never have such an enjoyment! This is a promise already made; so, do whatever you wish, for you will not be pleased after my demise with either this life or with the life hereafter! It is as though I can see your head mounted on a stick and the children of Kufa tossing it from one to another, using it as a toy." 'Umar, outraged, turned his face away from the Imam ('a).[582]
Having heard his speech and his plea for help, al-Hurr came to 'Umar Ibn Sa'd and said, "Are you going to fight this man?" "Yes, by Allah," said 'Umar, adding, "a fight in the easiest part of which heads will roll down and hands will be cut off." Al-Hurr asked him, "What is your objection to his offer of departure?" 'Umar answered: "Had it been up to me, I would have accepted it, but your governor refuses."
Al-Hurr left him and stood by the others. Beside him stood Qarrah Ibn Qays whom he asked, "Have you watered your horse today?" "No," came the answer. "Do you then wish to do so?" was al-Hurr's question. Qarrah took that statement to imply that al-Hurr was reluctant to fight al-Husain ('a) and did not wish to be seen by him defecting, so he walked away from him. Al-Hurr kept getting closer and closer to al-Husain ('a). Al-Muhajir Ibn Aws asked him, "Do you want to charge at him?"
Al-Hurr remained silent. He felt chilled to the bones, so he shivered. Having seen him shiver, al-Muhajir felt terrified and said to him, "Had I been asked: 'Who is the most daring of all the Kufians?', I would have given no name other than yours; so, why do I see you look like that?" Al-Hurr said, "I am giving my soul the option between choosing Paradise or hell. By Allah! I do not prefer anything over Paradise even if it means I will be burnt alive." Having said so, he beat his horse in the direction of al-Husain ('a).[583]
Turning his spear upside down and holding his shield the opposite way, he came lowering his head, feeling too shy to look at the Prophet's family in the eyes because of having exposed them to such hardship, bringing them to such a place where neither water nor grass could be found. Loudly he spoke these words:
"O Allah! To You do I surrender, so do accept my repentance, for I have filled the hearts of Your walis and the sons of Your Prophet with fear! O father of 'Abdullah! I am repentant; so, can my repentance be accepted at all?"
Al-Husain ('a) said, "Yes. Allah will accept your repentance".[584] This statement found its place to al-Hurr's heart, filling it with joy. He took a moment to contemplate upon the eternal life and the incessant bliss. It now became clear to him what that voice, which had addressed him, meant upon his departure from Kufa. He had a dialogue with al-Husain ('a). Among what he said to him was:
"When I went out of Kufa, I was addressed thus: "O Hurr! You are given the glad tidings of [going to] Paradise!" I said to myself, "Woe unto me! How can I be given such glad tidings since I am going to fight the son of the daughter of Allah's Messenger?!"[585]
Al-Husain ('a) said to him, "You have now acquired a great deal of good and a great reward."[586] A Turkish slave was with him. [587]
al-Hurr admonishes the Kufians
Al-Hurr sought al-Husain's permission to address the people, and permission was granted to him. As loudly as he could, al-Hurr called out to the Kufians thus:
"O people of Kufa! A foolish and a bad example for others have you surely set when you invited him to come to you then grieved him and surrounded him from all directions, forbidding him from going anywhere in Allah's spacious land so that he and his family might be safe, rendering him like a captive in your hands, unable to help himself. You have prohibited him, his ladies, his children, and his companions from the flowing water of the Euphrates of which the Jews, the Christians, and the Zoroastrians drink and wherein black swine and dogs wade! Look and see how thirst has subdued them! Evil is the way whereby you have succeeded Muhammad (S) in treating his progeny! May Allah never permit you to drink on the Day of Thirst!"
His own men now started shooting him with arrows, so he was forced to retreat till he stood face-to-face with Imam Husain ('a).[588]
The First Campaign
'Umar Ibn Sa'd advanced towards al-Husain's troops and shot an arrow saying, "Testify for me with the governor that I shot the first arrow." Others followed suit.[589] Hardly any of al-Husain's men escaped being shot at by an arrow.[590]
The Imam ('a) said to his companions, "Stand, may Allah be Merciful unto you, and meet the imminent death, for these arrows are messengers of these people to you." He and his companions charged together[591] and fought for a while. By the time the cloud of dust dissipated, fifty men had been killed.[592]
Yasar, Ziyad's slave, and Salim, a slave of 'Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad, came out and challenged anyone to fight them in a duel. Habib and Burayr leaped to meet their challenge, but al-Husain ('a) did not permit them. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Omayr al-Kalbi, of Banu 'Alim, who was known as "Abu Wahab," a tall and masculine man with broad shoulders, a man who was held with very high esteem among his people, and a man of courage and martial experience, stood up.
Al-Husain ('a) permitted him saying, "I believe he is a match for both of them." "Who are you?" the challengers inquired. He identified himself to them, but they could not recognize him. One of them said, "We do not know you; let either Zuhayr or Habib or Burayr come out." Yasar stood nearby. The latter said to him, "You son of the adulteress! Do you not wish to fight me?!" then charged at him and engaged him in a sword duel.
Meanwhile, Salim attacked him, so his companions warned him saying, "The slave is now charging at you!" But he did not pay attention to him, so Salim hit him with his sword. 'Abdullah tried to protect himself from it with his left hand, getting his fingers cut off in the attempt. Then 'Abdullah swiftly turned to him with his own sword, killing him instantly. Having killed both men, he went back to al-Husain ('a) reciting rajaz (martial) poetry.
Having seen how her husband so valiantly fought, Umm Wahab daughter of 'Abdullah, who belonged to al-Nimr Ibn Qasit, took a rod and came to him saying, "May both my parents be sacrificed for you! Do defend the good ones, the offspring of Muhammad, Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny!" He wanted to take her back to the tent, but she kept persisting, holding to his clothes and saying, "I shall not leave you till I die with you!" Al-Husain ('a) called out to her saying, "May you be well rewarded on behalf of your Prophet's Ahl al-Bayt ('a)! Go back to the tent! Women are not required to fight!" She did.[594]
Duels Between Two or Four Warriors
When the rest of al-Husain's companions saw the large number of those who had been killed from their camp, two, three, or four men simultaneously sought al-Husain's permission to let them defend him and his ladies. Each member of these groups tried his best to protect the other or others as they fought. Two men, both with the last name of al-Jabiri, namely Sayf Ibn al-Harith Ibn Sari' and Malik Ibn 'Abd Ibn Saree', both cousins, came out weeping. Al-Husain ('a) asked them, "Why are you weeping? I hope after a short while you will see what will cool your eyes!"
They said, "May Allah accept us as your own sacrifice! We are not mourning our own death, but we are weeping only because we can see how you are thus surrounded while we cannot do much for you." Al-Husain ('a) prayed Allah to reward them both with goodness. They both fought near him till they were killed.[595] 'Abdullah and 'Abdul-Raman, sons of 'Urwah al-Ghifari, came and said, "People have driven us to you [against our wish]." They kept fighting al-Husain's enemy till they were both killed.
'Amr Ibn Khalid al-Saydawi and his slave Sa'd, as well as Jabir Ibn al-Harith al-Salmani and Majma' Ibn 'Abdullah al-'A'ithi[596], came out and collectively attacked the Kufians. Once they were in the latter's midst, they were soon circled. Al-Husain ('a) asked his brother al-'Abbas to go to their rescue, which he did, but not before all those men received heavy wounds. On their way, the enemy came close to them. Despite their wounds, they kept fighting till they were all killed at the same place.[597]
An Appeal for Help and Guidance
When al-Husain ('a) saw that a large number of his companions had died, he took hold of his sacred beard and said, "Allah's Wrath intensified against the Jews for having attributed a son to Him, and His Wrath intensified against the Christians who made Him one of three [Triune], and His Wrath also intensified against the Zoroastrians who worshipped the sun and the moon instead of worshipping Him.
And His Wrath intensified against people who collectively agreed to kill the son of their Prophet's daughter. By Allah! I shall never agree with them about anything they want me to do till I meet Allah drenched in my blood." Then he called out, "Is there anyone who would defend the ladies of the Messenger of Allah?!"[598]
Hearing him, the women cried and wailed.
Two Ansaris, Sa'd Ibn al-Harith and his brother Abul-Hutuf, heard al-Husain ('a) pleading for help, and they also heard the cries of his children. They were both with the army of 'Ubaydullah Ibn Sa'd. They suddenly turned against al-Husain's enemy around them and kept killing them till they themselves were killed.[599]
The Right Wing Remains Firm
Having seen how the number of their fighting men became so small, al-Husain's companions resorted to fight individually, i.e. in duels. Thus, they were able to kill a large number of the Kufians. 'Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj then shouted loudly at his men, "Do you really know who you are fighting?! You are fighting the land's knights, the people of vision, those who stay firm till death None of you comes out to fight them except that he gets killed despite their small number. By Allah! If you throw rocks at them, you will be able to kill them all!"
'Umar Ibn Sa'd said to him, "Yes, you have said the truth Your idea is the sound one; so, send word to everyone and tell them not to come out to them for any duel. True, if you fight them singly, they will finish you."[600]
'Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj attacked al-Husain's right wing, but the men were able to maintain their ground, kneeling down as they planted their lances. They were thus able to frighten the enemy's horses. When the horsemen came back to charge at them again, al-Husain's men met them with their arrows, killing some of them and wounding others.[601]
'Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj kept saying the following to his men, "Fight those who abandoned their creed and who deserted the jama'a!" Hearing him say so, al-Husain ('a) said to him, "Woe unto you, O 'Amr! Are you really instigating people to fight me?! Are we really the ones who abandoned their creed while you yourself uphold it?! As soon as our souls part from our bodies, you will find out who is most worthy of entering the fire!"[602]
Muslim Ibn Awsajah
'Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj attacked from the Euphrates' side, fighting for a while. This engagement involved Muslim Ibn 'Awsajah Muslim Ibn 'Abdullah al-Dababi and 'Abdullah Ibn Khashkarah al-Bijli attacked him, causing a huge cloud of dust which, once dissipated, showed Muslim lying on the ground drawing his last breath Escorted by Habib Ibn Muzahir, al-Husain ('a) walked towards him and said, "May Allah be Merciful unto you, O Muslim! 'Among them are those who died, and among them are those who wait, and they never changed aught in the least' (Qur'an, 33:23)."
Habib came closer to him and said, "Your being killed is truly devastating me, O Muslim! Receive the glad tidings of Paradise!" In a very faint voice, the dying hero said, "May Allah convey to you, too, such glad tidings!" Habib said, "Had I not known that I will soon be following you, I would have liked you to convey your will to me with regard to anything on your mind." Muslim said, "All I want you to do is to look after this man," pointing to al-Husain ('a), adding, "and to defend him till death" Habib said, "I will Insha-Allah do exactly so." It was then that Muslim breathed his last as he was lying between both men. His woman cried out, "Wa Muslimah [O Muslim!] O master! O son of 'Awsajah!" Ibn al-Hajjaj, feeling elated about Muslim's martyrdom, kept shouting in excitement that they killed Muslim.
Shabth Ibn Rab'i said to those around him, "May your mothers lose you! Do you really feel elated when a man such as Muslim is killed?! A great stand which I saw with my own eyes involving him was in Azerbaijan where he killed six polytheists even before the Muslim cavalry had enough time to form its ranks!"[603]
The Left Wing
Al-Shimr and his company attacked the right wing of al-Husain's army, but the latter was able to stay firm in their positions, forcing the attackers to withdraw. In that engagement, 'Abdullah Ibn 'Omayr al-Kalbi participated, killing nineteen horsemen and twelve footmen. Hani Ibn Thabit al-Hadrami charged at him, cutting his right hand off[604] as Bakr Ibn Hayy was cutting his left. He was taken captive and instantly killed.[605]
His wife, Umm Wahab, walked towards his corpse and sat at his head, wiping the blood from it and saying, "Congratulations for having earned Paradise! I plead to Allah Who blessed you with Paradise to make me join you." Al-Shimr heard her and told his slave Rustam to hit her head with a rod, which he did. She died there and then. She was the first woman to be martyred from among al-Husain's companions.[606]
'Abdullah's head was cut off then thrown in the direction of Husain's camp. His mother took it, wiped the blood from it then grabbed the pillar of a tent and ran in the direction of the enemy's camp. Imam al-Husain ('a) sent her back saying, "Go back, may Allah have mercy on you, for you are exempted from participating in jihad." She went back saying, "O Allah! Do not disappoint me!" Al-Husain ('a) said to her, "May Allah never disappoint you!"[607]
Al-Shimr now attacked, piercing al-Husain's tent with his lance and loudly shouting, "Give me a torch of fire to burn the tent and everyone in it!" The women inside the tent screamed in peril as they fled. Al-Husain ('a) called out to him saying, "O son of Thul-Jawshan! Are you calling for fire to burn my Ahl al-Bayt ('a)?! May Allah burn you with His fire!" Shabth Ibn Rab'i asked Shimr, "Have you sunk so low so as to be one who thus frightens women?! I have never seen anyone doing a worse thing than what you have done, nor a situation more ugly than yours." The rogue felt ashamed of himself, so he went away. Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn, heading a company of ten fighters, attacked al-Shimr's company till they succeeded in distancing them from their quarters.[608]
'Izrah Requests More Re-enforcements
When 'Izrah son of Qays, who was head of the cavalry division, noticed how weak his fellows were and how they failed in their mission whenever they charged, he sent a message to 'Umar Ibn Sa'd asking for more men. 'Umar Ibn Sa'd said to Shabth Ibn Rab'i, "Why don't you attack them?"
He answered: "Ya Suban-Allah! [Praise to Allah] Are you asking the dignitary of the land to shoulder such a responsibility while there are with you those who can spare him such a task?!" Shabth Ibn Rab'i, in all reality, remained all the while too reluctant to fight al-Husain ('a).
He was even heard saying, "For five years did we fight the offspring of Abu Sufyan on the side of 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib ('a) then on the side of his son [al-Hasan] after him, then we transgressed on his son [al-Husain] who is the best man on the face of earth, fighting him in support of Mu'awiyah's offspring and in support of the son of Sumayya, the adulteress! How we have strayed! By Allah! The people of this country will never be granted goodness, nor will they ever be rightly guided!"[609]
Yet he sent him al-Hasin Ibn Namir in charge of five hundred archers, and fighting intensified. Al-Husain's companions suffered most of the wounds, their horses were hamstrung. The riders were thus forced to fight on foot[610]. Yet the enemy forces failed whenever they attacked them from any direction due to the fact that their homes were close to one another. Ibn Sa'd, therefore, dispatched men with instructions to demolish those homes then surround them. Each group of three or four persons from among al-Husain's band would stand before each tent. They would attack and kill every man as he attempted to plunder, shooting him with an arrow from a close distance.
Ibn Sa'd issued his order to burn all the tents. His order was carried out. Women screamed in fright; children were dumbfounded. Al-Husain ('a) said, "Let them burn them, for once they have done so, they would not touch you with any harm. And so it was.[611]
Habib Ibn Muzahir
Habib Ibn Muzahir heard what that rogue had said, so he responded to him by saying, "Do you claim that prayers are not accepted from the Prophet's Family but yours are accepted, you ass?!" Al-Hasin charged at him, so Habib slapped the face of al-Hasin's horse, causing it to leap and throw its rider on the ground. Al-Hasin's men had to rush to his rescue and to carry him away to safety.[616]
Habib, despite his advanced age, fought them valiantly, killing as many as sixty-two men. Badil Ibn Sarim attacked him and dealt a sword blow to him as a man from Tamim hit him with his lance. Habib now fell on the ground. As he attempted to stand up again, al-Hasin hit him with his sword on the head, causing him to fall again face-long. The man from Tamim alighted and severed Habib's head. Habib being thus killed shook al-Husain ('a) who said, "It is only to Allah that I complain about what has happended to me and to my companions."[617] For a good while, the Imam ('a) kept repeating the statement: Inna-Lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajia'un [We belong to Allah, and to Him is our return].
After him, al-Hurr Ibn Yazid al-Riyai came out accompanied by Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn who was protecting him from the rear. Whenever one of them attacked and the situation became critical, the other would attack to rescue him, and they kept doing so for a while.[618] The horse on which al-Hurr was riding received hits on its ears and eyebrows, and it was bleeding as its rider was quoting the following verse by Antar Ibn Shaddad al-'Abasi:
I kept shooting them at its very mouth,
At its chest, till blood drenched it all.
Al-Hasin said to Yazid Ibn Sufyan, "Is this al-Hurr whom you wished to kill?" "Yes," said Yazid, so the first came out and challenged al-Hurr to a duel. It turned out that al-Hasin was asking for a swift death, for it did not take al-Hurr long to kill him! Ayyub Ibn Mashrah al-Khaywani shot al-Hurr's horse with an arrow, hamstringing it. The poor horse leaped, so the rider leaped from it like a lion,[619] holding his sword in his hand. He kept fighting on foot till he killed more than forty men.[620]
A company from the footmen fiercely attacked him and killed him. Al-Husain's companions carried his body and put it before the tent in front of which they were fighting. They were doing so whenever a man was killed, and al-Husain ('a), each time, kept repeating this statement: "He has been killed as prophets and the offspring of prophets are killed."[621]
Al-Husain ('a) turned to al-Hurr, who was breathing his last, and said to him, as he wiped out the blood from his face, "You are al-Hurr [which means: the free man], just as your mother named you, and you are free in this life and in the life hereafter." One of the companions of al-Husain ('a), who some say was [al-Husain ('a)'s son] 'Ali Ibn al-Husain,[622] eulogized him with the following verses which some people claim the Imam ('a) himself had composed:[623]
Prayers
Al-Husain ('a) stood to perform his prayers. It is said that he led the prayers' service before the survivors from among his companions. It was a special prayer called alat al-khawf, the prayer said by one fearing for his life. In front of him stood Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn and Sa'id Ibn 'Abdullah al-Hanafi and half of the surviving companions.[624] Other historians say that he and his companions offered their prayers individually.[625]
When Sa'id's wounds became overwhelming, he fell on the ground as he was supplicating thus: "O Allah! Curse them as You cursed the peoples of 'Ad and Thamud and convey my Salam to Your Prophet (S) and tell him about the pain of the wounds which I have received, for I desired Your rewards when I supported the offspring of Your Prophet, Peace of Allah be upon him and his progeny."[627] He turned to Imam al-Husain ('a) and asked him, "Have I carried out my obligation, O son of the Messenger of Allah?" "Yes," said the Imam ('a), "and you shall reach Paradise before I do."[628] Then the hero died. As many as thirteen arrows were found planted in his body in addition to the blows which he had sustained from swords and lances.[629]
Having finished his prayers, al-Husain ('a) addressed his companions thus:
O honourable men! Here is Paradise with its gates wide open for you, with its rivers joining one another, with its fruits ripened, and here is the Messenger of Allah and the martyrs who were killed in the Cause of Allah: they all are waiting for you to join them. They are congratulating one another on your account; so do defend the religion of Allah and of His Prophet (S), and do protect the women of the Messenger of Allah (S).
They all said to him, "May our lives be sacrificed for yours, and may our blood protect yours! By Allah! So long as blood flows in our veins, no harm shall reach you or your ladies."[630]
'Umar Ibn Sa'd dispatched 'Amr Ibn Sa'id in charge of a company of archers to shoot arrows at al-Husain's companions and to hamstring their horses.[631] Not a single horseman remained with al-Husain ('a) except al-Dahhak Ibn 'Abdullah al-Mashriqi who recounted this report:
" Having seen how the horses of our fellows were being hamstrung, I came with my horse and entered a tent belonging to our fellows. They fought most fiercely.[632]
Whoever wanted to come out to fight would bid al-Husain ('a) farewell and say, "Peace be upon you, O son of the Messenger of Allah!" Al-Husain ('a) would then respond to him by saying, "And upon you, too, be peace, and we shall soon join your company." Then he would quote the Qur'anic verse saying,
"... so of them is he who accomplished his vow, and of them is he who yet waits, and they have not changed in the least" (Qur'an, 33:23).[633]
John
John[651], a slave of Abu Tharr al-Ghifari, stood before al-Husain ('a) requesting him to grant him permission to fight.
The Imam ('a) said, "O John! You followed us seeking your good health, so you are excused." But the old man fell on the Imam's feet kissing them and saying, "I in the time of prosperity lick what is served on your tables; so, should I in the time of hardship betray you? My smell is surely bad; my lineage is lowly; my colour is black; so do bestow upon me a breeze from Paradise so that my smell will be good, my lineage will be honoured, and my colour will be whitened! No, by Allah, I shall never abandon you till this black blood mixes with yours!" Al-Husain ('a), therefore, granted him permission.[652] He killed as many as twenty-five men before he himself was finally killed. Al-Husain ('a) stood by his corpse and supplicated saying, "O Lord! Whiten his face, make his smell good, joyn him with Muhammad (S) and link him to the progeny of Muhammad (S)!"
Whoever thereafter passed by the battleground was able to smell his corpse emitting a fragrance sweeter than that of musk.[653]
Martrydom of Ahl al-Bayt
'Ali al-Akbar
None remained with al-Husain ('a) except his Ahl al-Bayt who were determined to face death with their might and to maintain their dignity. They came bidding each other farewell[661] the first being Abul-Hasan[662] 'Ali al-Akbar[663] who was twenty-seven years old. He was born on the 11th of Sha'ban, 33 A.H/653 A.D.[664], and he was a mirror reflecting the Prophet's own beauty and a model of his own sublime code of ethics, a specimen of his wise speech One poet of the Messenger of Allah (S) praised him saying:
Never have any eyes seen better than you
Never have women begotten more beautiful than you
Fault-free you have been made
As if you as you wished were made.
'Ali al-Akbar is the one who branched out of the tree of Prophethood, the man who inherited the great merits. He was truly worthy of being a caliph had it not already been determined by the Lord of the Heavens. The most Glorified One had recorded their names in the tablet brought by Gabriel ('a), to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny.
Once he was about to start his role in defending Ahl al-Bayt ('a), it rested extremely heavily for the ladies who grew up in the lap of Imamate because he was the one upon whom they rested their hopes for their protection and security, their only hope after al-Husain ('a) is gone. One of them would see the Message about to be muted with his death, while another would see the sun of Prophethood nearing an eclipse, while yet another would see Muhammad's code of ethics coming to an end.
They all surrounded him and pleaded to him saying, "Have mercy on our being strangers in this land! We cannot bear your separation!" But he did not pay them any attention because he could easily see how his enemies were to the end determined to spill his pure blood. He sought his father's permission then came out riding a horse belonging to al-Husain ('a) named Laiq.[667]
From the camp of Layla, mother of 'Ali al-Akbar and daughter of Maymuna daughter of Abu Sufyan,[668] a man shouted, "O 'Ali ! You have kinship with the commander of the faithful Yazid, and we wish to safeguard it; so, if you wish, we can grant you security." He ('a), said, "The kinship I have with the Messenger of Allah, peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him and his progeny, is now more worthy of being safeguarded,"[669] then he recited these rajaz verses, identifying his holy self and his sublime objective:
I am 'Ali son of al-Husain son of 'Ali
We, by the House's Lord, are more worthy of the Nabi.
By Allah! We shall never be ruled by the da'i
With the sword shall I defend my family
And strike like a young Hashemi, Qarashi![670]
Al-Husain ('a) could not help flooding his eyes with tears[671] and shouted at 'Umar Ibn Sa'd: "What is the matter with you?! May Allah cut off your lineage just as you have cut off mine and just as you have not respected my kinship to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, and may He send upon you someone to slay you on your own bed!"[672] Then he uncovered his hair and raised his hands to the heavens supplicating thus:
"O Allah! Bear witness against these folks that a man who looks most like Your Messenger Muhammad in his physique, manners, and eloquence[673] has come out to fight them! Whenever we missed seeing Your Prophet, we would look at him. O Allah! Deprive them of the blessings of the earth, create dissension among them, and make them into many parties, and do not let their rulers ever be pleased with them, for they invited us to support us, then they transgressed on us and fought us!"
Then he recited the Qur'anic verse saying,
"Allah surely chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of Imran over all people, offspring of one another, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing (Qur'an, 3:34)."[674]
He kept charging at their right and left wings, diving in their midst. Whenever a group of fighters met him, he would repulse them, all of them, and whenever a brave man faced him, he would kill him:
He killed a total of one hundred and twenty knights. Thirst took its toll on him, so he returned to his father to rest and to complain about suffering from thirst.[675] Al-Husain ('a) wept and said, "O help! How quickly shall you meet your grandfather who will give you a drink after which you shall never suffer of thirst." He gave him his tongue to suck then his ring to put in his mouth'Ali went back to the battlefield feeling very happy about the good news which he had just heard from the Imam, the Hujjah ('a), who had told him that he would soon meet his grandfather, the chosen one, peace of Allah be upon him and his progeny. He, therefore, advanced towards them with courage reminiscent of [his grandfather] Imam 'Ali ('a). He met the enemies face-to-face. The latter could not tell whether it was 'Ali al-Akbar who was chasing the enemy or whether it was the wali ('a), roaring like a lion on the battlefield, or whether thunderbolts came emitting in an array from his sword. He kept killing the Kufians till the number of those whom he killed reached fully two hundred.[677]
Murrah Ibn Munqith al-'Abdi[678] said, "I shall bear all the sins of the Arabs should I not succeed in causing his father to lose him for good!"[679] He stabbed him with his lance in the back[680] and hit him with his sword on the head, splitting it in half. 'Ali embraced his horse that carried him to the enemy camp. There, he became the target of their swords, so they cut his body into bits and pieces.[681]
He called out saying, "Peace be upon you from me, O father of 'Abdullah![682] My grandfather has given me a drink with his own cup after which I shall never suffer any thirst, and he says that there is another one reserved just for you!"[683]
Al-Husain ('a) came to him and placed his cheek on his as he said, "There is no good in life after you... How dare they defy the most Merciful One, and how dare they violate the sanctity of His Messenger![684] Hard it is upon your grandfather and father that they cannot respond to you when you call upon them, and that they cannot help you when you ask for their help."[685]
Then he took a handful of his pure blood and threw it towards the heavens. Not a drop of it fell. This explains the recitation in his ziyarat of the following statement:
"May my father and mother be your sacrifice! How you were slaughtered without having committed a crime! May my father and mother be your sacrifice! How your blood ascended to the one loved by Allah! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! He mourns you with a burning heart, raising your blood to the depth of the heavens, not a drop whereof returns, nor one sigh of your father finds an ease!"[686]
He ordered his servants to carry him to the tent. His corpse was brought to the tent in front of which they were fighting.[687]
The honourable ladies who grew up in the home of revelation kept looking at him as he was carried away with blood covering him with its red mantle of dignity. Stabs and wounds had spared no place in his body. They welcomed him with very heavy hearts, their hair uncovered, their wailing defeaning the world. Before them stood the wise lady of Banu Hashim, namely Zainab, the great one, daughter of Fatima daughter of the Messenger of Allah (S), crying and wailing.[688] She threw herself on the corpse of her nephew, hugging it, grief-stricken, for he was the guardian of her home and its pillar.[689]
'Abdullah Ibn Muslim
After him 'Abdullah Ibn Muslim Ibn 'Aqil, son of Abu Talib and Ruqayya, the great daughter of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam 'Ali ('a),[692] charged as he recited this verse:
He killed a number of the enemy troops in three of his assaults.[693] Yazid Ibn al-Ruqad al-Jahni[694] shot him with an arrow that he unsuccessfully tried to avoid with his hand, but it pierced his hand and found its way to his forehead. He could not remove it from his forehead.[695] He, therefore, said, "O Allah! They have found us few in number, so they humiliated us. Kill them, O Lord, as they have killed us." As he was thus engaged, a man threw a spear at him which pierced his heart, killing him instantly.[696] Yazid Ibn al-Ruqad came to him, took out the arrow from his forehead as its tip remained inside
Campaign of the Family of abu Talib
When 'Abdullah Ibn Muslim was killed, the family of Abu Talib undertook a collective campaign. Al-Husain ('a), called out to them saying, "Be patient, O cousins! By Allah! After today you shall not meet any hardship at all."[698]
The assailants were comprised of 'Awn Ibn 'Abdullah, son of Ja'far at-Tayyar and the wise lady Zainab, his brother Muhammad son of al-Khawsa, 'Abdul-Raman Ibn 'Aqil Ibn Abu Talib,[699] his brother Ja'far son of 'Aqil, and Muhammad son of Muslim Ibn 'Aqil.[700]
As many as eighteen wounds were received by al-Hasan II son of Imam al-Hasan, [older] grandson of the Prophet (S), and his right hand was cut off, but he was not martyred yet.
Abu Bakr son of the Commander of the Faithful ('a),[701] whose first name was Muhammad,[702] came out and was killed by Zahr Ibn Badr al-Nakh'i.[703]
'Abdullah Ibn 'Aqil now came out and kept fighting till his wounds overwhelmed him, so he fell. 'Uthman Ibn Khalid al-Tamimi took advantage of the situation, walked to him and killed him.
Al-Qasim and His Brother
Abu Bakr, son of Imam al-Hasan son of the Commander of the Faithful ('a), came out. His first name was 'Abdullah al-Akbar ['Abdullah senior] and his mother was an "umm walad"[705] named Ramla.[706] He fought till he was killed.[707]
After the latter, his full-blooded brother, al-Qasim, came out.[708] He was a lad who had not yet come of age. When al-Husain ('a), looked at him, he hugged him and wept.[709]
Then he permitted him to fight, so he came out with a face looking like a full moon[710] bearing a sword and wearing a shirt and a mantle. On his feet he wore sandals. He had to fight on foot.
The sandal's string on his left foot was cut off,[711] so he, the son of the great Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, hated to walk bare-footed on the battlefield. He, therefore, stopped for a moment to tie his sandal,[712] regarding those enemies as no more valuable than his own sandal, paying no heed to their multitude, feeling unconcerned about their thousands.
As he was thus engaged, 'Amr Ibn Sa'd Ibn Nafil al-Azdi attacked him. Hamid Ibn Muslim asked him, "What do you want to do to this lad? Are you not satisfied to see all the crowd that surrounds him?" He said, "By Allah I shall attack him!" He hit al-Qasim with his sword. The lad fell face-long crying out, "O uncle!".
Al-Husain ('a) came out to his help like an angry lion and struck 'Amr with his sword. 'Amr tried to avoid it with his arm, so the Imam cut it off from the elbow, causing him to let out a very loud scream which was heard by the entire army. The cavalry of Ibn Sa'd charged in order to rescue him. 'Amr met them face-to-face, causing their horses to trample upon him and to eventually kill him.
After some time the cloud of dust dissipated, so al-Husain ('a) was now seen standing at the head of the young boy, examining his feet. Al-Husain ('a) said, "Away with people who have killed you while their opponent on the Day of Judgment will be your grandfather (S)!" Then he said, "Hard it is, by Allah, that you call upon your uncle to help you and he cannot answer your call, or that he does answer it but cannot do much for you. It is a lone voice whose enemies are nUmarous and whose supporters are few." Then he carried him away. Al-Qasim was on al-Husain's chest; his legs were dragging on the ground. Al-Husain ('a) put the corpse beside that of 'Ali al-Akbar and of those of his family who had been killed.[714]
Then he raised his eyes to the heavens and supplicated thus:
"O Allah! Count their numbers, and do not leave any of them alone, and do not forgive a single one of them! Be patient, O cousins! Be patient, O my Ahl al-Bayt! You shall never meet any hardship after today at all."[715]
Brothers of al-'Abbas
When al-'Abbas ('a), saw how such a large number of his family members were being killed, he said to his brothers 'Abdullah, 'Uthman, and Ja'far, "Advance, O brothers, so that I may see you supporting the cause of Allah and His Messenger (S)." Then he turned to 'Abdullah, their oldest, and said, "Advance, O brother, so that I may see you receiving the honour of martyrdom.".[716]
They fought in front of Abul-Fal, al-'Abbas, till they were all killed.
Martrydom of al-'Abbas
Al-'Abbas could no longer bear life after having seen how his companions and the members of his family killed and how the Hujjah of his time was suffering from the great number of the enemies surrounding him after his supply route had been cut off and after hearing the women wailing and the children crying of thirst. He, therefore, sought permission from his brother. Since al-'Abbas ('a) was the most precious asset to the grandson of the Prophet (S), who is soon to be martyred, especially since the foes always dreaded having to fight him and feared his advance, and how the ladies felt a sense of security upon seeing the standard raised high, the sacred soul of the Father of the Oppressed did not accept to part with him.
The Imam ('a) said to him, "O brother! You are my standard-bearer!"[718] Al-'Abbas ('a) said, "I am fed-up with these hypocrites, and I want to seek revenge against them." Al-Husain ('a) ordered him to bring water for the children, so al-'Abbas went to those people and admonished them, warning them of the Wrath of the Omnipotent, but all of that fell on deaf ears. He then shouted: "O 'Umar Ibn Sa'd! Here is al-Husain son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah! You have killed his companions and family, and here are his children suffering from thirst! Give them some water, for thirst has burnt their hearts!" As he kept repeating his pleas, he also kept saying to them, "Let me go to Rome or to India, and I shall leave Hijaz and Iraq for you all."
There were some people among the enemy ranks who were genuinely moved by those pleas, so they wept, but al-Shimr shouted as loudly as he could, "O son of Abu Turab! Had the face of earth been entirely covered with water, and had it been in our hands, we would still have not given you a drop of it to drink unless you swear the oath of allegiance to Yazid!"
Al-'Abbas went back to his brother to tell him of the outcome of his negotiations with those ruffians. Al-'Abbas heard the children crying of thirst,[719] so he could not tolerate the situation any longer. He was fired up with his Hashemi zeal.
Then he rode his horse and took the water bag. As many as four thousand archers soon surrounded him and shot him with their arrows, yet their large number did not impede his attempt. He kept chasing those throngs alone as his standard kept fluttering above. Those people could not tell whether that was al-'Abbas who was thus slaughtering their heroes or the wali roaring on the battlefield. Their men could not maintain their grounds before him, and he succeeded in getting into the Euphrates river heedless of the huge crowd around him.
The moment he took one handful of water to drink he remembered how thirsty al-Husain ('a) and those with him were, so he spilled it then said:[721]
O soul! After al-Husain nobody does count!
After him, you should to nothing amount,
Here is al-Husain nearing his end
While you drink of cool water?!
By Allah! Such is not a deed
At all enjoined by my creed![722]
Then he filled the water bag, rode his horse, and went in the direction of the camp. His path was blocked, so he kept killing those who blocked it till he was able to make his way through them as he was saying:
I do not fear dead when it calls upon me,
Till among the swords you bury me.
My soul protects the one
Who is the Prophet's grandson,
Al-'Abbas am I, the water bag do I bear
When I meet evil, I know no fear!
Zayd Ibn al-Ruqad al-Jahni ambushed him from behind a palm tree assisted by akim Ibn al-Tufayl al-Sanbasi, dealing a sword blow to his right arm, completely severing it. He ('a), said,
By Allah! If you cut off my right hand,
I shall not cease defending my creed,
And an Imam true to his conviction do I defend,
A son of the trustworthy Prophet whom Allah did send.
He did not pay attention to the fact that his right hand had been cut off because he was only concerned about getting the water to the children and the family of al-Husain ('a), but akim Ibn al-Tufayl was still hiding behind another palm tree when he passed by. akim struck him with his sword on his left hand, amputating it, too,[723] and soon a large number of men were surrounding him. Arrows fell on him like rain, piercing the water bag and boring a hole in it through which its water was completely spilled. An arrow pierced his chest.[724] A man hit him with a pole on his head, severely injuring him.
He fell on the ground shouting, "Peace unto you from me, O father of 'Abdullah!" Al-Husain ('a) rushed to him.[725] How I wish to know in what condition he went to him, with a soul imperiled by this great loss, or by the brotherhood that pulls a brother to his beloved brother...
Yes; al-Husain ('a) reached him and witnessed how sacrifice is being offered to the Holy One on a plain covered with blood and crowned with arrows. Al-'Abbas had no might nor speech nor anything whereby he could keep his foes away. He could not even see anything; his head was on the ground bleeding.
Is it accurate to say that al-Husain ('a) saw all of these calamities and still had any strength whereby he could stand on his feet? Only al-Husain remained after the martyrdom of Abul-Fal. He remained a figure staring in the sky, stripped of all the necessities of life. He, Allah's peace be upon him, described his condition best when he said, "Now my spine has been split and my endeavour is further weakened
He left him where he had fell and did not move him anywhere due to a hidden reason which time later unveiled: He was to be buried where he had fallen separately from the other martyrs so that he would have a mausoleum of his own visited by those who seek his intercession with the Almighty to grant them the fulfillment of their wishes, and so that his gravesite would be a place for the ziyarat of the people who seek nearness to the Almighty, Praise to Him, under its dome that stands lofty in the sky, glowing.
It is there that dazzling miracles manifest themselves and the nation thereby comes to know his lofty status and station with Allah Almighty. It then carries out its obligation of loving him which is renewed by continuous visits. Greeting him will establish a link between them and Allah, the most Exalted. It was the desire of the Hujjah of his time, the father of 'Abdullah ('a), and of the Omnipotent, Praise to Him, that the apparent status enjoyed by Abul-Fal al-'Abbas should be similar to the one preserved for him in the hereafter, and so it was.
Al-Husain ('a) went back to the camp feeling extremely depressed, tearful. He kept wiping his tears with his cuffs as men raced with one another to assault his camp. He called out: "Is there anyone who helps us?! Is there anyone who grants us security?! Is there anyone who seeks justice, so he supports us?! Is there anyone who fears the Fire, so he defends us?!"[728]
Sukayna, his daughter, came to him and asked him about her uncle al-'Abbas. He told her of his being killed. Zainab heard him revealing this sad news, so she cried out, "O brother! O 'Abbas! O our loss after you!" Women wept, and al-Husain ('a) wept, too, and said, "O our loss after you!"
The Master of Martyrs on the Battle Field
When al-'Abbas was killed, al-Husain ('a) turned to see none to help him against his foes. He looked and saw how his family members and companions lied slaughtered on the ground. He heard the wailing of the orphans and the cries of the children. As loud as he could, he called out, "Is there anyone who defends the sanctity of the Messenger of Allah? Is there anyone who believes in the Unity of Allah and who fears Allah in our regard? Is there anyone who comes to our rescue and who wishes by doing so to please Allah?" The women's voices now grew even louder as they cried.[730]
Al-Sajjad ('a) stood up. He was leaning on a cane and dragging a sword. He was sick and could hardly move, but al-Husain ('a) called on his daughter Umm Kulthum saying, "Confine him so that the world may not run out of the progeny of Muhammad (S)," so she took him back to his bed.[731]
Al-Husain ('a) now ordered his dependents to be silent, and he bade them farewell. He was wearing a dark silk jubba (long robe)[732] and a florid turban with two tresses let loose on the sides and wrapped himself with the same burda (gown) which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, used to wear, and was carrying his [Prophet's] sword.[733]
He asked for a thawb (garment) which nobody wanted and which he put underneath his clothes so that nobody would be interested in it and, hence, in removing it from his body, since he knew that he was going to be killed soon. They brought him small trousers but he was not interested in them since they were the outfits of ignominy,[734] so he took a worn out garment which he ripped, placing its pieces underneath his clothes.[735] Then he asked for wrapping trousers which he also tore then put on so that nobody would take them away from his corpse.[736]
The Infant
He then ordered his infant son ['Abdullah] to be brought to him so that he would say good-bye to him. Zainab brought him his baby son 'Abdullah[737] as well as the latter's mother al-Rubab. He placed him in his lap and kept kissing him[738] and repeating this statement: "Away with these people when your grandfather the chosen one (S) is their opponent."[739]
Then he brought him to those folks and asked for some water for him. Harmalah Ibn Kahil al-Asadi shot the infant with an arrow that slaughtered him. Al-Husain ('a) received his blood in his hand then threw it up towards the heavens.
Imam Abu Ja'far al-Baqir ('a) has said, "Not a drop of it fell."[740] In this regard, the Hujjah of the Progeny of Muhammad (S), may Allah hasten his reappearance, says, "Peace be unto 'Abdullah, the slaughtered infant, the one shot with an arrow, the one whose blood was shed in a most cruel manner and whose blood ascended to the heavens, the one slaughtered with an arrow in his father's lap! The curse of Allah be upon the person who shot him, Harmalah Ibn Kahil al-Asadi, and upon his kinsfolk."[741]
Al-Husain ('a) said, "What decreases my affliction is the fact that it is witnessed by Allah Almighty.[743] O Allah! It is not less in Your esteem than the life of a son! Lord! If You have kept victory away from us, then let it be so for something even better, and seek revenge on our behalf from the oppressors,[744] and let what has happened to us in this life be a treasure for us in the hereafter.[745] O Allah! You are the Witness against people who killed the one who looked most like Your Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny."[746]
He ('a), then heard a voice saying, "Leave him, O Husain, for there is a nurse for him in Paradise.!"[747] Then he ('a), alighted from his horse and with his sword dug a grave for him and buried him; his blood was mixed with the sands, then he offered the funeral prayers for him.[748] Some accounts say that he placed him together with those of his family who had already been killed.[749]
Al-Husain ('a) advanced towards the enemy raising his sword, losing all hope of survival, challenging them to a duel. He killed all those who accepted his challenge, and their number was quite high.[751] Then he charged on the army's east flank as he recited these verses:
Death is better than accepting ignominy,
While ignominy is better than the Fire![752]
and on the left flank as he recited:
I am al-Husain son of 'Ali
I decided never to bow nor bend,
Protecting my father's family,
Remaining on the Prophet's creed.[753]
'Abdullah Ibn 'Ammar Ibn Yaghuth said, "Never have I seen someone surrounded by a huge number of enemies and whose son is slaughtered, and so are his family and companions, and who still maintained his composure, remained relentless, and stayed courageous more than al-Husain ('a). Men kept fleeing in front of him whenever he charged at them, and none kept his ground."[754]
'Umar Ibn Sa'd shouted to everyone saying, "This is the son of the quarrelsome one, the one with the stomach! This is the son of the killer of the Arabs! Attack him from all directions!" Four thousand arrows[755] were at once shot at him, and he was forced to alight from his horse. Al-Husain ('a) shouted at them, "O followers of Abu Sufyan! If you have no religion at all, and yet you fear the returning to your Maker, then at least you should remain free in your life, and you should go back to your lineage, if you are Arabs as you claim!"
Al-Shimr addressed him saying, "What are you, son of Fatima ('a), saying?" He ('a) said, "I am the one who is fighting you, and women are not held accountable; so, keep your rogues away from them and stop them from harming my women as long as I am alive."
Said he: "Face me, not my women,
"My time is come, destiny is done."
Al-Shimr said, "We shall grant you that."
He became the target of the fighters, and the fighting intensified. His thirst intensified, too.[756] From the direction of the Euphrates, he attacked 'Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj who was surrounded by four thousand men, clearing them from the water and forcing his horse into the river. When his horse was about to drink, al-Husain ('a) said to it, "You are thirsty, and so am I, yet I shall not drink before you." The horse raised his head as if he understood what the Imam ('a) had said to him. When al-Husain ('a) stretched his hand to drink, a man asked him, "Do you enjoy water while the sanctity of your women has been violated?" He, therefore, spilled the water and did not drink then went in the direction of the tent.[757]
The Second Farewell
Then he ('a), bade his family farewell for the second time, ordering them to be patient. He put on the outer mantles as he said, "Get ready for the affliction, and be advised that Allah Almighty shall protect and safeguard you, and He shall save you from the evil of the enemies and make the ultimate end of your affair good. He shall torment your enemy with various types of torture, and He shall compensate you for this trial with many sorts of bliss and honour; so, do not complain, nor should you say anything that may demean your status."[759]
Indeed, anyone may say that that was the most critical situation the Master of Martyrs had to face that day.[760]
The ladies who were raised in the lap of Prophethood saw then the pillar of their security, the bulwark of their protection, the defender of their prestige, and the symbol of their honour telling them of a departure from which he would never return, so they did not know who would after him protect them from the oppression of the foes or who would be their solace once he is gone. No wonder, then, that they all assembled and surrounded him, holding to his clothes as the children were moaning, being stunned by the situation, and little girls kept begging for security against their fear while others kept begging for water.
How, then, would have been the condition of the master of those endowed with a conscience and the example of affection as he saw, through his vast knowledge, the trustees of the Message and the ladies who descended from the Infallible Ones, who had never known before anything but honour and prestige, now running in this empty desert wailing, crying in a way that splits the most solid of stones, sighing most depressingly...? They were in a constant danger of being plundered and beaten, having none to protect them besides the Imam ('a) whom fatigue had exhausted.
As for the wise lady of Banu Hashim, namely Zainab al-Kubra, she saw all of that. We see how the secure niche of the religion was about to be dislocated, the rope of Prophethood to be cut off, the lantern of the Shari'a to be put out, and the tree of Imamate to wither.
Al-Husain ('a) turned to his daughter Sukayna who was described by al-Hasan II as one "who was always overcome by a deep meditation upon Allah," finding her staying aloof from the other women, crying, wailing. He stood to ask her to be patient and to solace her.
It was then that 'Umar Ibn Sa'd said to his men, "Woe unto you! Attack him, since he is distracted and surrounded by his women! By Allah! Should he direct his full attention to you, your right wing will not be separated from the left!" They, therefore, assailed him with their arrows till the arrows reached his camp and some of them pierced through the clothes of some of the women, causing them to be stunned and frightened.
They screamed and entered the tent as they looked at al-Husain ('a) to see what he would do. Al-Husain ('a) attacked the enemy like an angry lion. Anyone who could catch up with him he stabbed with his sword and killed as he was receiving the arrows from all directions, bracing them with his chest and neck.[763]
He went back to his quarters profusely repeating this statement: La hawla wala quwwata illa billah al-'aliyy al-aďim (There is no might nor power except in Allah, the Sublime, the Great."[764] In such a condition, he asked for some water. Al-Shimr said to him, "You shall not have a taste of it till you reach the Fire." A man shouted at him saying: "O Husain! Do not you see how the Euphrates water is as clear as the snakes' bellies? You shall not taste of it till you die of thirst." Al-Husain ('a) said, "O Allah! Do cause him to die of thirst." That particular man, to be sure, kept asking for water ever since, and water was always brought to him, yet it would come out of his mouth and never goes down, and he kept doing so till he died of thirst.[765]
Abul-Hutuf al-Ju'fi shot al-Husain ('a) with an arrow in his forehead that he pulled out, causing blood to run on his face. The Imam ('a) said, "O Allah! You see in what condition I am with regard to Your servants, these disobedient ones! O Allah! Decrease their number, kill them and leave none of them on the face of earth, and do not ever forgive them."
In a loud voice did al-Husain ('a) shout, "O nation of evil! It is, indeed, evil the way how you succeeded Muhammad (S) in faring with his 'Itrat! You shall not kill anyone after me and contemplate on the consequences of killing him; rather, you will think very lightly of it once you have killed me. By Allah! I hope that Allah will grant me the honour of martyrdom then will He seek revenge on my behalf from whence you know not."
Al-Hasin said to the Imam ('a), "And how will He seek revenge on our behalf on you, O son of Fatima?!" The Imam ('a) answered, "He will cause you all to kill one another and thus get your blood spilled, then shall He pour His torment upon you in the most painful manner."[766]
Having become too feeble to fight, he stood to rest. It was then that a man threw a stone at him, hitting his forehead and causing his blood to run down his face. He took his shirt to wipe his blood from his eyes just as another man shot him with a three-pronged arrow that pierced his chest and settled in his heart. He instantly said, "In the Name of Allah, through Allah, and on the creed of the Messenger of Allah [do I die]." Raising his head to the heavens, he said, "Lord! You know that they are killing a man besides whom there is no other son of Your Prophet's daughter!" As soon as he took the arrow out of his back, blood gushed forth like a drain pipe.[767] He placed his hand on his wound and once his hand was filled with blood, he threw it above saying, "Make what has happened to me easy for me; it is being witnessed by Allah" Not a single drop of that blood fell on the ground.
Then he put it back a second time and it was again filled with blood. This time he rubbed it on his face and beard as he said, "Thus shall I appear when I meet my Lord and my grandfather the Messenger of Allah (S), drenched in my blood. It is then that I shall say: 'O grandfather! So-and-so killed me. Bleeding soon sapped his strength, so he sat down on the ground, feeling his head being too heavy. Malik Ibn al-Nisr noticed his condition, so he taunted him then dealt him a stroke with his sword on the head. Al-Husain ('a) was wearing a burnoose that soon became full of blood. Al-Husain ('a) said, "May you never be able to eat nor drink with your right hand, and may Allah gather you among the oppressors." Having said so, the dying Imam ('a) threw his burnoose away and put on a turban on top of his capuche cap.[771]
Muhammad Ibn abu Sa'id
Hani Ibn Thabit al-Hadrami has said, "I was standing with nine other men when al-Husain ('a) was killed. It was then that I looked and saw one of the children from al-Husain's family wearing a robe and a shirt, and in his ears there were two rings. He held a post from those buildings and stood startled looking right and left. A man came running. Having come close to that child, the man leaned from his horse and killed that child with his horse. When he was shamed for thus killing a helpless child, he revealed his last name..."[772]
That child was Muhammad Ibn Abu Sa'id Ibn 'Aqil Ibn Abu Talib.[773] His mother, dazed and stunned, kept looking at him as the incident unfolded before her very eyes.[774]
'Abdullah son of Imam al-Hasan ('a)
The enemies of Allah waited for a short while then returned to al-Husain ('a) whom they surrounded as he sat on the ground unable to stand. 'Abdullah son of Imam al-Hasan ('a), grandson of the Prophet (S), who was then eleven years old, looked and saw how his uncle was being surrounded by those people, so he came running towards him. Zainab wanted to restrain him but he managed to evade her and to reach his uncle. Bahr Ibn Ka'b lowered his head to strike al-Husain ('a), so the child shouted, "O son of the corrupt woman, are you going to strike my uncle?"
The man dealt a blow from his sword that the child received with his hand, cutting it off. The child cried in agony, "O uncle!" Then he fell in the lap of al-Husain ('a) who hugged him and said, "O son of my brother! Be patient with regard to what has befallen us, and consider it as goodness, for Allah, the most Exalted, will make you join your righteous ancestors." Then he ('a) raised his hands and supplicated saying, "O Allah! Let them enjoy themselves for some time then divide them and make them into parties, and do not let their rulers ever be pleased with them, for they invited us to support us, then they turned their backs to us and fought us."[775]
Harmalah Ibn Kahil shot the child with an arrow, killing him as he sat in his uncle's lap.[776]
Al-Husain ('a) remained lying on the ground for some time. Had those rogues wished to kill him, they could have done so, but each tribe relied on the other to do what it hated to do itself. Al-Shimr shouted, "What are you standing like that for?! What do you expect the man to do since your arrows and spears have wounded him so heavily? Attack him!
Zar'ah Ibn Sharik struck him on his left shoulder with his sword while al-Hasin shot him with an arrow that penetrated his mouth;[781] another man struck him on the shoulder. Sinan Ibn Anas stabbed him in his collarbone area of the chest then shot him with an arrow in the neck.[782]
'Ali Ibn Wahab stabbed him in the side...[783]
Hilal Ibn Nafi' has said, "I was standing in front of al-Husain ('a) as he was drawing his last breath Never did I ever see anyone whose face looked better than him or more glowing as he was stained with his own blood! In fact, the light emanating from his face distracted me altogether from the thought of killing him! As he was in such a condition, he asked for some water to drink, but they refused to give him any."
A man said to him, "You shall not taste of water till you reach hell from whose hot boiling water shall you drink." He ('a) said, "Am I the one who will reach it? Rather, I will reach my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, and will reside with him in his abode of truth near an Omnipotent King, and I shall complain to him about what crimes you committed against me and what you have done to me." They all became very angry. It is as if Allah did not leave one iota of compassion in their hearts.[784]
The Supplication
When his condition worsened, al-Husain ('a) raised his eyes to the heavens and said,
"O Allah! Sublime You are, Great of Might, Omnipotent, Independent of all creation, greatly Proud, Capable of doing whatever You please, Forthcoming in mercy, True of Promise, Inclusive of Blessings, Clement, Near to those who invoke Him, Subduing His creation, Receptive to Repentance, Able, Overpowering, Appreciative when thanked, Remembering those who remember Him! You do I call upon out of my want, and You do I seek out of need! From You do I seek help when in fear and cry when depressed! Your help do I seek in my weakness, and upon You do I rely! O Allah! Judge between us and our people, for they deceived and betrayed us! They were treacherous to us, and they killed us though we are the 'Itrat of Your Prophet and the offspring of the one You love: Muhammad (S) whom You chose for Your Message and entrusted with the revelation! Do find an ease for our affair and an exit, O most Merciful of all merciful ones![786]
Grant me patience to bear Your destiny, O Lord! There is no god but You! O Helper of those who seek help![787] I have no god besides You, nor do I adore anyone but You! Grant me to persevere as I face Your decree, O Helper of the helpless, O Eternal One Who knows no end, O One Who brings the dead back to life, O One Who rewards every soul as it earned, do judge between me and them; surely You are the best of judges."[788]
The Horse
His horse came circling around him, rubbing his head on his blood.[790] It was then that Ibn Sa'd shouted, "The horse! Get the horse, for it is one of the horses of the Messenger of Allah (S)!" Horsemen surrounded that horse which kept kicking with its front legs, killing forty riders and ten horses. Ibn Sa'd then said, "Leave him and let us see what he does." Once he felt secure, the horse went back to al-Husain ('a) to rub his head on the Imam's blood as he sniffed him. He was neighing very loudly.[791]
Imam Abu Ja'far al-Baqir ('a) used to say that that horse was repeating these words: "Retribution! Retribution against a nation that killed the son of its Prophet's daughter!" The horse then went to the camp neighing likewise.[792] When the women saw the horse without its rider and its saddle twisted, they went out, their hair spread out, beating their cheeks, their faces uncovered, screaming and wailing, feeling the humiliation after enjoying prestige, going in the direction of the place where al-Husain ('a) had been killed.
Umm Kulthum, namely Zainab the wise, cried out, "O Muhammad! O father! O 'Ali ! O Ja'far! O Hamzah! Here is Husain in the open slain in Karbala'!"[795] Then Zainab said, "I wish the heavens had fallen upon the earth![796] I wish the mountains had crushed the valley!"[797] She was near al-Husain ('a) when 'Umar Ibn Sa'd came close to her flanked by some of his men.
Al-Husain ('a) was drawing his last breath She cried out, "O 'Umar! Should Abu 'Abdullah be killed as you look on?!" He turned his face away. His tears were flooding his beard.[798] She said, "Woe unto you! Is there any Muslim man among you?" None answered her.[799] Then ['Umar] Ibn Sa'd shouted at people, "Alight and put him to rest!" Al-Shimr was the first to do so. He kicked the Imam ('a) with his foot then sat on his chest and took hold of his holy beard. He dealt him twelve sword strokes.[800] He then severed his sacred head...
Al-Husain ('a) Murdered
Those folks now took to maurauding the Imam ('a). Ishaq Ibn Hawayh took his shirt. Al-Akhnas Ibn Murthid Ibn 'Alqamah al-Hadrami took his turban. Al-Aswad Ibn Khalid took his sandals. Jami' Ibn al-Khalq al-Awdi, but some say a man from Tamim named al-Aswad Ibn Hanzalah, took his sword.
Bajdal came. He saw the Imam ('a) wearing a ring covered with his blood. He cut his finger off and took the ring... Qays Ibn al-Ash'ath took his velvet[801] on which he since then used to sit, so he came to be called "Qays Qateefa."[802]
The Imam ('a)'s worn out garment was taken by Ja'oonah Ibn Hawiyyah al-Hadrami. His bow and outer garments were taken by al-Rail Ibn Khaythamah al-Ju'fi, Hani Ibn Shabib al-Hadrami and Jarir Ibn Mas'ud al-Hadrami.[803] A man from among them wanted to take his underpants after all his other clothes had been taken away by others.
This man said, "I wanted to take it off, but he had put his right hand on it which I could not lift; therefore, I severed his right hand... He then put his left hand on it which I also could not lift, so I severed it, too, and was about to bare him and take it off. It was then that I heard something like an earthquake, so I became frightened. I left him and fell into a swoon. While I was unconscious, I saw the Prophet (S), 'Ali, Fatima, and al-Hasan ('a). Fatima was saying, 'O son! They killed you! May Allah kill them!' He said to her, 'O mother! This sleeping man has severed my right hand!' She then invoked Allah's curse on me saying, 'May Allah cut your hands and legs, and may He blind you and hurl you into the fire!' Indeed, I am now blind. My hands and legs have already been amputated, and nothing remains from her curse except the Fire.
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LABAIK YA IMAM
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Trying To Build Society based on Peace and Justice
The one who love Imam e zaman(a.t.f.s) must be prepared to struggle and
labour his self, his pen and his wealth in the way of Imam e
zaman(a.t.f.s)
I remember the words of Imam (a.s), that we are responsible for the
duty, and not for the result. A warm smile washes away the tension of
confusion, as I thank Allah for the presence of my friend, whom Allah
may protect, and guide
IMAM E ZAMANA (a.f.t.s) Bless you And All Your Family those help others
and learn islam.
Syed Mohamad Masoom Abidi
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