Rafed English

The Left Flank

Shimr was in charge of the attack on the left flank of the Imam's camp, but the Imam and his followers were well prepared. Shimr and his group attacked suddenly, without any success.

'Abdullah Ibn 'Umayr al-Kalbi went forward and killed nineteen horsemen and twelve footmen. Then, his right hand was cut off, then his leg, and he was taken prisoner. They took him back to the enemy camp, killed him, and then dumped his body back on the battlefield. His wife, Umm Wahab, went to him, cleaning the blood off of his face, and saying, "Heaven is for you. May God join us together in heaven."

Shimr sent his slave, Rustam, with a heavy club to beat her on her head, and she died instantly. She was the first woman killed among the Imam's camp at Karbala'.

They cut off his head and threw it to the Imam's camp. His mother took the head, recognized it, then took a tent pole and marched towards the enemy to fight. The Imam stopped her and said, "War is not allowed for women."

She replied, "Do not cut off my only hope."

The Imam said, "God will never cut off your hope."

Shimr came closer and closer. Suddenly, he and his men attacked the tents of the Imam's camp, and used flaming spears to set the tents on fire. The women screamed. Shibth Ibn Rab'i stopped Shimr from throwing any more spears. From the Imam's camp, Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn and ten of his people attacked Shimr and his troops, and fought them away.

Azra who was in charge asked for help from 'Umar Ibn Sa'd. 'Umar asked Shibth to go, but he refused. Then 'Umar sent Hosayn Ibn Numayr with five hundred archers. The Imam's camp fought against them and cut off the legs of their horses.

'Umar ordered to attack from all sides because they were not succeeding by attacking from one side.
Each of the Imam's fighters was separated and surrounded by a large group of the enemy. 'Umar ordered all the tents to be set on fire. Women were crying and upset, children did not know what to do.

The Imam said, "Let them set the tents on fire. Get out of the tents and use the fire to protect you from them." When Abu Sha'th al-Kindi saw the horrible situation, he decided to leave 'Umar Ibn Sa'd's army. He came to the Imam and said, "I am at your service. Tell me what to do."
He shot one hundred arrows against 'Umar's army. When all of his arrows were finished, he came back and said, "I killed only five. I have to kill more." He went back and killed nine more men before he was killed.

Adapted from the book: "Karbala & Ashura" by: "Ali Hussain Jalali"

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