Praise of the battle of the companions of Imam Husain (a.s)

Abul Hasan Sa’eed bin Hibatullah, renowned as Qutbuddin Rawandi, relates through his chain of authorities from Imam Mohammad al-Baqir (a.s), that before his martyrdom, Imam Husain (a.s) told his companions that his grandfather the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s) had told him, “O my dear son! You shall be killed at Iraq, and it is a place where the Prophets, their suc‌cessors and Apostles have met one another and it is called Amoora. You shall be martyred at that place alongwith a group of your companions. Your battle is frigid and serene.” Thus have glad tidings that by Allah if they kill us, we shall go to the presence of our Prophet (s.a.w.s). Abu Hamza Sumali, relates from Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (a.s) that he said: On the night preceding his Martyrdom, my father gathered his family and companions and said, “O people of my family and my Shi’ah! Consider this night, which has come to you as a mounting Camel and save yourselves, for these people do not desire anyone else except me. Then if they kill me, they shall not pursue you. May Allah have mercy upon you! Save yourselves. Verily I lift the responsibility of the allegiance and pledge which you have taken at my hands.” Hearing this his brothers, relatives and compan‌ions unanimously said, “By Allah O our Master! O Aba Abdillah! We shall never betray you, so that people may say that we had abadoned our Imam, our Chief and Master, until he was martyred. Then we would seek excuses between ourselves and Allah. And we shall not leave you until we ransom ourselves upon you.” Imam said, “Verily I shall be killed tomorrow and everyone from among yourselves too shall be killed with me, and none among you shall be spared.”

To which they replied, “Praise be to Allah, that He has bestowed grace upon us to assist you, and has offered distinction to us to get martyred alongwith you. Then do we not endear that we should be alongwith you in your elevated station (in Paradise) O son of the Prophet of Allah”? Imam replied, “May Allah reward you favourably” then he prayed for them. When it dawned, all of them were martyred. Shaikh Sadooq relates from Salim bin Abu Ja’dah, who says that I heard Ka’ab al Ehbar say that, “It is stated in our books that a man from among the sons of Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.s) would be killed, and they (the martyrs) would enter Paradise even before the sweat of the horses of his companions dry, while the Hoories will fondle them.” Thus when Imam Hasan (a.s) passed by us, we asked him as to was he the one referred to (regard‌ing it in their books), and he replied in the negative, and then when Imam Husain (a.s) passed by us, we asked him the same question and he replied in the affirmative. It is related that it was inquired from Imam Ja’far as Sadiq (a.s) that, “Please relate to us the state and the self sacrifice of the companions of Imam Husain (a.s).” Imam replied, “The veil had been lifted off their eyes and they saw their places in Paradise. Hence they excelled one another in sacrificing their lives, so as to hasten to meet the Hoories and be fondled by them and reach their places in Paradise.” This has been referred to in Ziyarate Nahiyah. After quoting the names of the Martyrs, it is said, “I bear witness that Allah lifted the veils off your eyes and presented you with spreaded beds and enormous gifts.” It is related through successive chain of narrators in Ma’aniyal Akhbar from Imam Mohammad at Taqi (a.s), who relates from his Blessed Ancestors (a.s) reaching Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (a.s), who says that: When the matter of Imam Husain (a.s) turned severe, his fellow-travellers saw him in a different state, unlike others. For as much as the severity increased, the colour of their faces became pale and they would shiver, while their hearts would be frightful. But Imam Husain (a.s), and some of his distin‌guished companions were cheerful, at peace and tranquilled. They were telling one another, “Do you not see, they do not fear death the least.” Imam Husain (a.s) said, “Forebear, O sons of noblemen! Death is nothing but a bridge, which would take you from the place of hardship and severity to the spacious Paradise and eternal bliss. Then who among you is such that does not desire to be

free from the prison and hasten towards the palaces? While death for your enemies is such, that they shall be transferred from the palace to the prison and fall prey to the wrath of Allah. I have heard my father Imam Ali (a.s), who relates from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s) that he said, that this world is a prison for the believers and Paradise for the disbelievers, while death is a bridge for them (believers) to enter Para‌dise and for them (disbelievers) to enter hell. I have not lied nor have I been told a lie.” Regarding the pagans of Quraysh and their mutiny in astray and perdition, Allah says, “And indeed has come unto them some of the tidings wherein is restraint (from evil), Consummate wisdom, but (they) availed not (of) the warnings.” [1] Similar was the case with the army of Umar bin Sa’ad. Then the repeated speeches of our Master Imam Husain (a.s) and his companions, councelling them, completing their proofs (to councel them) and eliminating their error, but they were not benefitted.