An account of the personality of Abu Arakah

The author says that the above reffered Abu Arakah is from the clan of Bajilah and is from among the companions of Imam Ali (a.s). While Barqi says that he was from Yemen and includes him among Imam's companions like Asbagh bin Nabatah, Malik Ashtar and Kumayl bin Ziyad. The family of Abu Arakah is renowned among the Shi'ah biographers and the transmitters of traditions of Imams (a.s) like Basheer Nabbal and Shajarah who were the sons of Maymoon bin Abu Arakah. While Ishaq bin Basheer, Ali bin Shajarah and Hasan bin Shajarah were all among the prominent and noblemen. While the treatment of Abu Arakah with Rushayd was not due to his less distinction but because of the fear of his life, and because Ziyad was strongly in pursuit of Rushayd and other Shi'ah of Imam Ali (a.s). He persecuted them, as also those who befriended them, hosted them or gave them shelter. Here the honour and manliness of Hani is apparent that he hosted Muslim bin Aqeel (insite of such harsh prohibitions), and gave him shelter in his house and sacrificed his life for him. May Allah sanctify his grave and descent Paradise unto him. Shaikh Kashshi relates from Abi Hayyan Bajali who relates from Qinwa, the daughter of Rushayd. Abu Hayyan says that I told Qinwa to relate to me all that she had heard from her father. She said: I heard my father say that Imam Ali (a.s) has informed me and said that, "O Rushayd! How will you forebear when the one (Ziyad), whom the Bani Umayyah have included among themselves, will call upon you and amputate your feet, hands, and tongue"? I asked, "O commander of the faithful! Will Paradise be the outcome of this"? Imam replied, "O Rushayd! You are alongwith me in this world as well as the hereafter." Qinwa says that some days passed when Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, the illegitimate one, (Ubaydullah is an error of the narrator, while the correct one is his father Ziyad) called him. Then he told Rushayd to disassociate himself from Imam Ali (a.s) and the guard struck him to utter this. The illegitimate (Ziyad) said, "You have been informed about it, then how do you wish to die"? Rushayd replied, "My friend (Imam Ali) had told me that I will be forced to disassociate myself from him, and that when I refuse to do so, both of my hands, feet and my tongue shall be cut." Ziyad said, "Now by Allah! I shall belie his words." Then he ordered him to be brought forward, his hands and feet should be amputated while his tongue should be left intact. I (Qinwa) caught hold of his hands and feet and said, "O dear father! Do you feel the the footsteps of his father Mu'awiyah made him the governor of Kufa and Basra and incited him to murder Imam Husain (a.s).

pain due to what has befallen you"? He replied, "No, but similar to a person who is trapped in the midst of people." When they brought him out of the palace people started gather‌ing at a distance away from him. He said, "Go and bring me ink and paper so that I may write down for you all that is destined to occur till the Qiyamah." Then a barber was sent who cut off his tongue and he died the same night. (May Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon him) Fuzayl bin Zubayr says that one day Imam Ali (a.s), accompanied with his companions went to a garden named Barna and sat under the shade of a Palm-tree. He called for some dates, which were plucked from the trees, and brought to him. Rushayd Hajari said, "O Commander of the faithful! How good these dates are." He answered, "O Rushayd! You shall be crucified on the trunk of this Palm-tree." Rushayd says that constantly in the morning as well as the evening I watered the tree. After the demise of Imam Ali (a.s), when I passed by the tree, I saw that the branches of the tree had been cut down and I said to myself, "Now my end has drawn near." After some days a headman came to me and said that the commander desired to see me. I went to the palace and saw the timber of the Palm-tree gathered there. When I came the other day I saw that the second part of the tree was made into a ring and was bound on both the sides of the well to draw water from it. I said to myself, "Verily my friend has not lied to me." (Another day) The headman came to me and said that the commander desired to see me. When I entered the palace, I saw the timber kept therein and the ring too was there. I went near the ring and stricking it with my foot, said, "You have been fostered and grown up for me." Then I went to Ubaydullah and he said, "Relate to me the lies which your master has said." I said, "By Allah! I am not a liar nor was he a liar. My master has foretold me that you will cut off my hands, feet and tongue." He said, "Verily I shall belie his words. Take him away and cut off his hands and feet." When they took him outside near his people, he started relating some important matters to them, then he said, "Ask me, for I owe this nation one thing which they have not returned." Hearing this a man went to Ibne Ziyad and said, "What have you done, you have cut his hands and feet and he has started relating important matters to the people." Ibne Ziyad ordered that he should be brought back. When he was brought back, Ibne Ziyad ordered that his tongue should be cut off and then crucified. Shaikh Mufeed relates from Ziyad bin Nasr Harisi, who says that I was with Ziyad when they brought Rushayd al Hajari. Ziyad asked him, "What has Ali told you regarding that which we shall do to you"? Rushayd replied, "That you will cut off my hands and feet and thereafter cruficy me." Ziyad said, "By Allah! I shall falsify his prophecy, let him go away." When Rushayd started

going out Ziyad said, "By Allah! I do not consider any other thing worst for him than what has been foretold by his master. Then cut off his hands and feet and hang him on the gallows." Hearing this Rushayd said, "Far be it, another prophecy remains which has been foretold to me by Imam Ali (a.s)." Ziyad said, "Cut off his tongue", to which Rushayd said, "By Allah! This is the verification of the report of the Commander of the faithful (a.s)."