‘Amr Ibn Qarzah al-Ansari47 came and stood before al-Husayn (‘a), protecting him from the enemy and exposing his own chest and face to their arrows. Thus, al-Husayn (‘a) was not harmed. But when his wounds overpowered him, he turned to Abu ‘Abdullah (‘a) and said, “Have I carried out my responsibility towards you, O son of the Messenger of Allah?”
The Imam (‘a) said, “Yes, indeed, and I will be the next person to be in Paradise; so, convey my Salam to the Messenger of Allah (S) and inform him that I will soon follow.” Having heard these words, the man fell dead.48
His brother, who was fighting on Ibn Sa’d's side, shouted, “O Husayn! You liar! You deceived my brother till you got him killed!” The Imam (‘a) said, “I did not deceive your brother; rather, Allah is the One Who showed him the right guidance while leaving you to stray.” “May Allah kill me,” the man responded, “if I do not kill you!”
Having said so, he attacked al-Husayn (‘a) with the intention to stab him, but Nafi’ Ibn Hilal al-Jamali intercepted and stabbed him seriously but not fatally. His friends carried him away and treated him till he was healed.49
The Imam (‘a) said, “Yes, indeed, and I will be the next person to be in Paradise; so, convey my Salam to the Messenger of Allah (S) and inform him that I will soon follow.” Having heard these words, the man fell dead.48
His brother, who was fighting on Ibn Sa’d's side, shouted, “O Husayn! You liar! You deceived my brother till you got him killed!” The Imam (‘a) said, “I did not deceive your brother; rather, Allah is the One Who showed him the right guidance while leaving you to stray.” “May Allah kill me,” the man responded, “if I do not kill you!”
Having said so, he attacked al-Husayn (‘a) with the intention to stab him, but Nafi’ Ibn Hilal al-Jamali intercepted and stabbed him seriously but not fatally. His friends carried him away and treated him till he was healed.49
Notes:
47. According to p. 345 of Ibn Hazm's book Ansab al-’Arab, he was a descendant of ‘Amr Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Ziyad-Manat Ibn Malik al-Aghar. His father is the poet whose poetry overflows with praises, namely Qarzah Ibn Ka’b Ibn ‘Amr, [the latter is] also a poet. Qarzah had two sons: ‘Amr, who was killed while fighting on the side of Imam al-Husayn (‘a), and another son who fought on the side of Ibn Sa’d and whose name the said genealogist does not mention.
48. ’Abdullah Nur-Allah al-Bahrani, Maqtal al-’Awalim, p. 88.
49. Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 4, p. 27
