Ali Akbar (God bless him) to battlefield and his martyrdom Part 1

A review on the story of Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) martyrdom

Professor Hussein Ansarian speech’s text

One of the most harrowing and upsetting tragedy that comes upon Ahle Bait (God bless them) in the day of Ashura was the martyrdom of sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him). Abu Makhnaf,[1] Sheikh Mofid,[2] Abu-al-Faraj Esfahany,[3] Syed-Ibn-Tavoos,[4]Allame Majlesy,[5] Mazandarany,[6] Sheikh Abas-e-Qomi,[7] has narrated the tragedy of martyrdom that here is an excerpt of these honorables’ narrations:

When the all companions and assistants of Imam Hussein (God bless him) drank the nectar of martyrdom and it was the turn of Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) household’s members, the first person who went to battlefield and sacrifice himself in order to fight against the enemies of Islam and holy Quran was sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him), the elder son of Imam Hussein (God bless him).

Abu Hamze has narrated a lengthy Ziyarat from Imam Sadegh (God bless him) for sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him) that Imam says in that Ziyarat: “God bless you and your household and your family,[8]” that shows that sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him) had a wife and some children. It is inferred from the text of Ziyarat and the words of Imam Hussein (God bless him) that sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him) had the dignity of Esmat (not doing any sin in lifetime); the Esmat which acquiring wasn’t essential for him; but he acquired and made himself equal with the messengers of God.

Allame Majlesy says in Beharo-al-Anvar:

The largeness of tragedy is cleared by the curse of Imam Hussein (God bless him), despite that the messengers and Aemeye Atehar (God bless them) didn’t curse immediately, but when sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him) started going to battlefield Imam (God bless him) shouted to Omar-Ibn-Saad and said “(I want to) God extinct your descendants, your life won’t be blessing for you, I curse you that God dominate someone upon you who behead you in your bed as you want to kill my descendants, (and you) didn’t regard my relationship with Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).[9]

Imam Hussein (God bless him) himself described the personality of sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him) near the tents:

Be witness to the fact that now I am sending my son to be sacrificed who looked exactly like your Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in appearance, in speaking, in walking and in temperament and character. When we wanted to see your Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), we used to look at him.[10]

When sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him) saw his father loneliness and friendlessness, became impatient and intolerant, went near his father and requested for his permission to go to battlefield. Imam’s (God bless him) tears flow like a flood, embraced him, smelled him like a flower and moaned. Imam Hussein (God bless him) himself put him on the dress of battle, fasten a leathery belt which was remained for him from Imam Ali (God bless him) on his waist and prepared Oghab which was a special horse for his riding.

The writer of Aldamato Alsakeba book writes “when he wanted to go to battlefield, the women surrounded him like a ring and said to sainthood Ali Akbar (God bless him): relent to our loneliness, don’t be hurry to go to battlefield, we can’t endure your separation.” The women took his turban; the sisters took the bridle and the stirrup of his horse. On this occasion Imam Hussein (God bless him) got changed as he was impending to die and shouted “O my wives and household leave him. My Akbar (God bless him) is in touch with God’s essence and is the martyr of God’s way.” Like the sentence that Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said about Imam Ali (God bless him) “Ali (God bless him) is in touch with God’s essence.”[11]Sheikh Jafar-e-Shushtary, the great scientist and knowledgeable person has written:

Imam Hussein (God bless him) went in the condition of death and impended to die for three times in the tragedy of Ali Akbar (God bless him):

First when he saw that Ali Akbar (God bless him) is ready to go to battlefield.

Second when Ali Akbar (God bless him) came back and requested for water.

Third when Ali Akbar (God bless him) fell down from horse and hailed his father.

Sainthood Sakyna says “when (my father) heard the voice of Ali Akbar (God bless him), I saw my father that has impended to die. His two eyes were like a person who is in the condition of death; he saw around the tents, it is likely that his soul leave his body. He shouted at the middle of tent ((O my son God kill the people who killed you)).”[12]

Sheikh Mofid says “when the sound of Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) yell raised, Zaynab (God bless her) moaned and said “O the blossom of my heart, I wish I had become blind before it.” All women started to wail. Imam (God bless him) said “calm down! You have a lot of crying in future.[13]

Anyway Ali Akbar (God bless him) went to battlefield and came back to tents after fighting for a short time while his body had received a lot of wounds and was losing a lot of blood. Thirstiness had dominated him because of these wounds and the warmth of weather and the severe fighting which he had with the enemies. He said to his dear father “O father! The thirstiness is killing me; the heaviness of weapon is annoying me, is there a little water? I want to drink this water so that I can energize myself and fight with the enemies.”

Imam Hussein (God bless him) cried and said “it’s really difficult for Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Ali (God bless him) and me that you call us but we can’t answer you, you ask for help, but we can’t help you, O my son! Take out your tongue.” Then his put his tongue in his mouth and sucked, then he gave his ring and said to him “put this ring in your tongue and come back to battlefield, I hope that your ancestor, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) himself give water to you with a full goblet before the night so that you will never become thirsty.”

Ali Akbar (God bless him) came back.[14] It has narrated in Alavalem[15] and Tarikh-e-Tabary[16] and Ershad books that: Morat-Ibn-Monghez said “all sins of Arab nation be upon me if I don’t burn his father heart by killing him,” then he attacked and beat by a sword to his skull so severely that his skull cleaved and blood flowed on his face, the severity of blood flowing blocked his eyes and fell on his horse because of wounds’ severity and then he put his hand around the neck of his horse. Because the horse was in siege and there wasn’t any way to bring him out of corps so he entangled.[17] Most of famous writer of Karbala adventure has written: