Loyalty of Abbas (a.s.)

Loyalty is the noblest characteristic one can have. Al-Abbas set a record in this field when he represented all features of loyalty distinguishably:

LOYALTY TO THE RELIGION

Al-Abbas was the most faithful and the best defender of his religion. When Islam had to encounter the eradicative danger of the Umayyad band who renounced Islam completely and declared war against it, al-Abbas dedicated himself to fighting on all fronts for defending his religion and raising the word of God on earth. For sake of the principles of his religion, his hands were cut and he was martyred.

LOYALTY TO THE NATION

As he noticed his nation sinking down under the gloomy nightmare of humility due to the absolute despotism of the Umayyad band who played in people's fates, al-Abbas understood that his mission was to proceed for saving them from this scathing fait accompli. Along with his brother, family members, and those glorious companions, they raised the slogan of freedom and declared that holy jihad 63 ceaselessly until they were martyred for so. This in fact is the ever most elevated loyalty to the nation.

LOYALTY TO THE HOMELAND

One of the Umayyad rulers, once, declared: "Iraq is no more than a garden possessed by Koreishites."64 Hence, they regarded the Islamic homeland as a garden at their disposal. On this account, poverty and misery were the two major characteristics of the Islamic homeland. Besides, the righteous and the free people were subjected to humility. Thus, al-Abbas, under the commandment of his brother, opposed this ruling regime and its authorities who, thanks to the self-sacrifices of al-Abbas and his party, collapsed. This was the true loyalty to the Islamic homeland.

LOYALTY TO HIS BROTHER

It is incumbent upon each Muslim to swear allegiance to the Imam who lives in his time. Hence, al-Abbas gave the best example of being faithful to the allegiance to the Imam of his time-al-Hussein (a). All over history, you cannot find an item of loyalty more exalted than that of al-Abbas to his brother and leader. Hence, his loyalty has become the extremity that attracts every free, honest man.

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63. Jihad is religious warfare or a war for the propagation or defense of Islam.

64. Koreishites are sons and descendants of Koreish; the tribe to which Prophet Mohammad (s) belonged. The Umayyads also belonged to Koreish.

Adopted from the book : "Al-Abbas"