A brief look at Imam Hussein A.S - part 3

[Simak reported on the authority of Ibn al-Mukhariq on the authority of Umm Salama, may God be pleased with her, who said:]

One day while the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, was sitting down, and al- Husayn was sitting on his knee, his eyes suddenly filled with tears. I said to him: Apostle of God, why do I see you weeping, may I be your ransom? Gabriel, peace be on him, came to me, he said. She consoled me for the death of my son, al-Husayn, and he told me that a group of my community will kill him. May God never let them have intercession from me.

[It is reported with another chain of authorities on the authority of Umm Salama, may God be pleased with hey that she said:]

One evening the Apostle of God left us and was away for a long time. He came back, he was dishevelled and dusty and his hand was holding (something). I said to him: Apostle of God, why do I see you dishevelled and dusty? He said: I have just been on a night journey to a place in Iraq, called Karbala. There I saw the death of my son, al-Husayn, and a group of my children and the members of my family (ahl al-bayt). I could not stop (myself) from gathering (some of) their blood and here it is in my hand. He opened his hand and said: Take it and look after it. I took it. It was like red soil. I put it in a phial, fastened its top and kept it. When al-Husayn, peace be on him, left Mecca on his way to Iraq, I took out that phial every day and night. I used to smell it and look at it. Then I would weep for his fate.

On the 10th of (the month of) al-Muharram, the day on which al-Husayn, peace be on him was killed, I took it out. At the beginning of the day it was in its usual condition, but at the end of the day, behold, it was fresh blood. I shrieked (with grief) and wept. Then I restrained my anger out of fear that the enemies of the family of the Prophet) in Medina would heae and would hurry to rejoice at their misfortune. I have kept it secret up to the present time, even to the day when the messenger bringing the news of his death came to announce it. Then what I had seen was proved.

It is reported that one day the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was sitting down. Around him were Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them. He asked them: How would you feel if when you were killed, your tombs were scattered around (the country)? Will we die an (ordinary) death or will we be killed? al-Husayn, peace be on him, asked, Rather you will be killed unjustly, my little son, and your brother will be killed unjustly," he answered. "Your offspring will be scattered over the land.

Apostle of God, who will kill us? asked al-Husayn, peace be on him. The evil men among the people, he said. Will anyone visit (our graves) after we are killed?, he asked. Yes, my little son, he told him, a group (taifa) of my community will gain my benificence and favour through visiting (your graves). On the Day of Resurrection, I will bring them to the place so that I may take them by the arms and save them from its terrors and sorrows.

[Abd Allah b. Sharik al-Amiri reported:]

I heard the followers of Ali say when 'Umar b. Sed went through the gate of the mosque: There is the killer of al-Husayn b. 'Ali, peace be on him. That was some time before he was killed.

[Salim b. Abi Hafsa reported:]

Umar b. Sa'd said to al-Husayn: Abu Abd Allah, stupid people have come to me claiming that I will kill you. They are not stupid, al Husayn, peace be on him told him. They are men who dream (of the future). Yet it pleases me that you will not enjoy the land of Iraq for long after me.

[Yusuf b. Abida reported: I heard Muhammad b. Sirin say:]

Such a redness which was in thc sky was never seen except after the killing of al-Husayn b. Al, peace be on him.

[Said al-Iskaf reported: Abu-Ja'far, peace be on him, said:]

The killer of Yahya b. Zakariyya (John the Baptist) was a son born out of wedlock. The killer of al-Husayn b. Ali was a son born out of wedlock. The sky only went red for those two.

[Sufyan b. Uyayna reported on the authority of Ali b. Zayd, on the authority of Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, who said:]

We set out with al-Husayn, peace be on him. We did not stop at any halting-place without him setting off from there by (first) mentioning Yahya b. Zakariyya and his death. He would say: There was a day and it was a day of the humiliation of the world before God, when the head of Yahya b. Zakariyya was given to one of the prostitutes of the Banu Israil.

Reports have already been presented (which show) that none of the killers of al-Husayn, peace be on him, and his followers, may God be pleased with them, managed to avoid being killed or suffering tribulation in such a way as put them to shame before their death.