The enemies of Allah waited for a short while then returned to al-Husayn (‘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-Husayn (‘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-Husayn (‘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.”46
Harmalah Ibn Kahil shot the child with an arrow, killing him as he sat in his uncle's lap.47
Al-Husayn (‘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.48
A planting field for the lances he became
A practice target for every blood-shedder,
Dusted whenever eyed by a valiant warrior,
Stealing, of fright, their very color,
Greater than him no war has shown,
As he was slain, turning each valiant a villain.
His forehead dusted, the heavens did think
That on the earth was its own Saturn.
Strange how I see, O stranger in the Taff,
How your cheeks use its heaps for a pillow.
Strange how unfairly you were slain by those
Whose fathers yours had bent, whose idols he broke.
Should you, may the world be your sacrifice,
Be starved, left scorched by thirst?49
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!”50
O sorrow how they charged from every side at him,
Hitting his sacred shoulders with blows,
That left him on the ground lying.51
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;52 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.53
‘Salih Ibn Wahab stabbed him in the side...54
Hilal Ibn Nafi’ has said, “I was standing in front of al-Husayn (‘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.55
Had only Ahmad seen you on the ground lying,
He would have spread for you his very insides,
Or had your mother, al-Zahra’, seen your thirst at al-Taff,
She would have from her tears given you to drink.
How I wish none tastes of the Euphrates at all
So long as the Prophet's sons its waters desire
How many free ladies whose homes the foes did plunder!
How their insides shared the shame, I wonder!
They flee, yet they are by the foes pursued,
Like wild beasts the foes ensued,
She called upon her supporter and defender,
Who remained on a burning ground: to death did he surrender.56
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-Husayn (‘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-Husayn (‘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.”46
Harmalah Ibn Kahil shot the child with an arrow, killing him as he sat in his uncle's lap.47
Al-Husayn (‘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.48
A planting field for the lances he became
A practice target for every blood-shedder,
Dusted whenever eyed by a valiant warrior,
Stealing, of fright, their very color,
Greater than him no war has shown,
As he was slain, turning each valiant a villain.
His forehead dusted, the heavens did think
That on the earth was its own Saturn.
Strange how I see, O stranger in the Taff,
How your cheeks use its heaps for a pillow.
Strange how unfairly you were slain by those
Whose fathers yours had bent, whose idols he broke.
Should you, may the world be your sacrifice,
Be starved, left scorched by thirst?49
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!”50
O sorrow how they charged from every side at him,
Hitting his sacred shoulders with blows,
That left him on the ground lying.51
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;52 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.53
‘Salih Ibn Wahab stabbed him in the side...54
Hilal Ibn Nafi’ has said, “I was standing in front of al-Husayn (‘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.55
Had only Ahmad seen you on the ground lying,
He would have spread for you his very insides,
Or had your mother, al-Zahra’, seen your thirst at al-Taff,
She would have from her tears given you to drink.
How I wish none tastes of the Euphrates at all
So long as the Prophet's sons its waters desire
How many free ladies whose homes the foes did plunder!
How their insides shared the shame, I wonder!
They flee, yet they are by the foes pursued,
Like wild beasts the foes ensued,
She called upon her supporter and defender,
Who remained on a burning ground: to death did he surrender.56
Notes:
46. al-Tabari, Tarikh, Vol. 6, p. 259. Ibn Nama, Muthir al-Ahzan, p. 38. Ibn Tawus, Al-Luhuf, p. 68.
47. Ibn Nama, Muthir al-Ahzan, p. 39. Ibn Tawus, Al-Luhuf, p. 68.
48. al-Dinawari, Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal, p. 255. al-Maqrizi, Khutat, Vol. 2, p. 288.
49. Excerpted from a poem by Sayyid Hayder al-Hilli, may Allah have mercy on him.
50. al-Khawarizmi, Maqtal al-Husayn, Vol. 2, p. 35. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Manaqib, Vol. 2, p. 222.
51. The full poem by the authority Shaikh Hadi Kashif al-Ghiťa’ is recorded on p. 56 of Al-Maqbula al-Husayniyya.
52. al-Shabrawi, Al-Ithaf bi Hubbil-Ashraf, p. 16.
53. Ibn Tawus, Al-Luhuf, p. 70.
54. ’Abdullah Nur-Allah al-Bahrani, Maqtal al-’Awalim, p. 110. al-Khawarizmi, Maqtal al-Husayn, Vol. 2, p. 35.
55. Ibn Nama, Muthir al-Ahzan, p. 39.
56. Excerpted from a poem by ujjatul-Islam Shaikh Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghiťa’.
47. Ibn Nama, Muthir al-Ahzan, p. 39. Ibn Tawus, Al-Luhuf, p. 68.
48. al-Dinawari, Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal, p. 255. al-Maqrizi, Khutat, Vol. 2, p. 288.
49. Excerpted from a poem by Sayyid Hayder al-Hilli, may Allah have mercy on him.
50. al-Khawarizmi, Maqtal al-Husayn, Vol. 2, p. 35. Ibn Shahr Ashub, Manaqib, Vol. 2, p. 222.
51. The full poem by the authority Shaikh Hadi Kashif al-Ghiťa’ is recorded on p. 56 of Al-Maqbula al-Husayniyya.
52. al-Shabrawi, Al-Ithaf bi Hubbil-Ashraf, p. 16.
53. Ibn Tawus, Al-Luhuf, p. 70.
54. ’Abdullah Nur-Allah al-Bahrani, Maqtal al-’Awalim, p. 110. al-Khawarizmi, Maqtal al-Husayn, Vol. 2, p. 35.
55. Ibn Nama, Muthir al-Ahzan, p. 39.
56. Excerpted from a poem by ujjatul-Islam Shaikh Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghiťa’.
Adapted from: "Maqtal al-Husayn; Martyrdom Epic of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)" by: "Abd al-Razzaq al-Muqarram"