Abbas (a.s), one of the four stepbrothers of Imam Husain (a.s), was born to Imam Ali (a.s) and Ummul Banin bint Hizam bin Khalid bin Rabi’a. Three of them, Uthman, Ja’far and Abdullah had earlier in the day fought the enemy and attained martyrdom. Abbas (a.s) was now very anxious to face the enemy. He was a renowned warrior and had fought alongside Imam Ali (a.s) even when he was only twelve years old.When Abbas approached, Imam Husain (a.s) did not permit to fight against the enemy. Instead, he permitted him only to fetch water from the river Euphrates to quench the thirst of the children in the camp.
Abbas came out of the camp and addressed the enemy soldiers saying:
“O you vile and base men of ignoble birth, would you deny the basic need of water to the children of the Holy Prophet’s grandson al-Husain, while you claim to be Muslims and hope for the Holy Prophet’s intercession before God? What sin have these children committed that you seek to kill them? How do you justify denying water to children and women? Your conscience is dulled by the lure of wealth and you have forsaken the Islamic tenets. The curse of God is forever upon you for your evil nature.
Hearing these words, the enemy attacked Abbas (a.s) from all sides. Abbas repelled the onslaught and the enemy soldiers took to their heels. Scattering the enemy contingent, Abbas (a.s) reached the banks of the Euphrates and asked the horse to drink water. The faithful animal turned away its head as if refusing to taste water. Abbas (a.s) then raised a handful of water up to his mouth to show to the world that he had command over the river then. Abbas (a.s) filled the leather bag with water and started towards Imam Husain (a.s) camp, anxious to deliver water to the thirsty children. Fearing that water might, after all, reach Imam Husain’s camp, the enemy soldiers rallied. Unable to face him with sword or lance, the archers were pressed into service. While Abbas (a.s) was busy avoiding the arrows, one of the soldiers came from behind and severed his right arm. Abbas (a.s) caught the leather bag by his left hand. Another vile soldier of Yazid slunk behind and cut his left hand. Abbas (a.s) caught the leather bag by teeth, intent on saving the bag of water. An arrow then pierced the leather bag and water flowed out of it. At that moment, an arrow struck Abbas (a.s) in the eye, blinding him completely, while simultaneously he was clubbed from behind with brute force. Finding that his object of procuring water to Imam Husain’s children failed, frustrated Abbas (a.s) had no desire to live, and he fell down from his horse.
The last person to fight in the cause of Imam Husain (a.s) was his second son Ali al-Akbar (a.s) who was then eighteen years old. He was the darling of the family. He very much resembled the Prophet (s), not only in appearance and bearing but also in the manner of speech. His aunt Zainab (a.s) and his mother Layla were severely grief stricken on his departure for battle. Imam Husain (a.s) asked them to pray for his safe return. When Ali al-Akbar (a.s) went to fight the challenging enemy, he overcame every mighty opponent who came for single combat.The efforts in the battle coupled with the lack of water over the past three days brought with it excruciating thirst. Ali al-Akbar returned to the camp and said, “If only I could get a gulp of water, I would show the enemy the mettle of a Hashemite warrior.” Hearing this, Imam Husain (a.s) called and asked him to suckle his tongue, as there was not even a drop of water available. When he took his father’s tongue in his mouth, he immediately withdrew it saying, “Father, your thirst is more severe than mine, for your tongue is parched and hard.”
Ali al-Akbar (a.s) went back to the battlefield. This time, Imam Husain (a.s) forbade Zainab and Layla from praying for the safe return of Ali al-Akbar (a.s). With renewed vigor, Ali al-Akbar (a.s) fought the enemy, who instead of coming for single combat, now attacked him in a concerted effort of the cavalry, archers, lancers and infantrymen. The lance of the wretch Sinan ibn Anas pierced Ali al-Akbar’s chest and passed through his liver.When Imam Husain (a.s) attempted to lift his son’s full-fledged body, he found that all his strength had suddenly drained.
The enemy, finding that there none was left in Imam Husain’s camp except women, children and the ailing and unconscious Imam Zainul Aabidin (a.s) and Imam Husain (a.s) himself, started shouting and clamoring for Imam Husain (a.s) to come out and fight them.
Imam Husain’s call had its effect on his son Ali al-Asghar (a.s), who was six months old. The child fell out of his cradle in response to Imam Husain’s call for help. This caused a great commotion among the women, who feared that the infant was about to die out of the three day’s thirst. The commotion and wailing attracted Imam Husain (a.s) who returned to the camp. He took the child and covered him with a cloth to protect him from the scorching sun. He brought the child into the battlefield. The enemy soldiers assumed that Imam Husain (a.s) was holding the Qur’an in his hand as a prelude to surrender. When Imam Husain (a.s) lifted the cloth, the soldiers gasped with surprise to see an infant. The infant smiled as if taunting the enemy in the face of adversity.
Imam Husain (a.s) told the surrounding army:
“On account of you, this child has gone without water for the past three days and you can see that the extreme thirst will kill him shortly. Is there anyone who would provide water to this child?”
Several enemy soldiers were moved by the sight and a murmur of sympathy was heard. Umar ibn Sa’d realized the seriousness of the situation and said, “Beware my soldiers! Do not be beguiled by al-Husain’s word. He is only tricking you into getting some water for himself. Even if al-Husain gets only a sip, it will reinvigorate him and several of us will lose lives.”
Imam Husain (a.s) replied,
“I only seek water for the infant, whose condition and agony is before you. Since you fear that I may myself drink the water, I am placing this infant on the ground so that you may yourselves take the child and quench his thirst.”
The cruel Shimr said, “Beware soldiers! Al-Husain is only playing on your sentiments. Do not forget that the emir ibn Ziyad’s order is that not a drop of water should reach al-Husain or his family. Any disobedience of his order will invite immediate punishment.”
The wretched Umar ibn Sa’d called his archer, Harmala, who was renowned for the velocity and strength of his arrows. He commanded Harmala to kill the child with his arrow and thus to terminate the pathos created by Imam Husain’s infant. Harmala’s arrow whizzed towards the child whom Imam Husain (a.s) held close to his chest. The arrow slit the throat of the six-month child and pinned him to Imam Husain’s ribs and arms. Imam Husain (a.s) collected in his palm the dripping blood from the child’s throat, looked towards the sky and then downwards towards the earth, and finally applied it to his own face. He was seen muttering something.
No comments:
Post a Comment