What happened in the night of Ashura

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

 Professor Hussein Ansarian speech’s text

When Imam Hussein (God bless him) and his household’s stay lasted until the night of Ashura, the night that this world will not be able to see such wonderful night. The night when they became certain that they have involved with those enemies and there isn’t any way to coming back to Kufe or Medina or Mecca and it got apparent for Imam Hussein (God bless him) that he and his household and his companions will be killed by the dissolute people, so he gathered his companions and his household in a tent at night and according to narrations of most Maghtal’s books (some books which contain the story of Karbala and the way Imam Hussein[God bless him] and his household and his companions has been killed) said to his companions:

“O my companions! These people (enemy) have work with me and want to kill me, O my household! They have come to surround me. Tonight I announce to all of you that I ignore the vow that you had made with me, God gives you the best reward, the way of desert is open and I want you to leave me and come back to your hometown and your household;” but no one come back, and also anyone didn’t even stand and all of them stayed firmly and steadfastly.

Imam Hussein (God bless him) asked “I have ignored the vow so why you didn’t go?” the companions and Imam’s household answered one by one. Sainthood Abas (God bless him) answered “O the son of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)! We will never leave you alone.” All of companion answered exclusively. One of them said “if they kill me more than seventy times, fragment me, scattered my ashes around, and the alive me again, I will never leave you.”

The other companion said “O the son of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)! If they make me to walk on all deserts and wastelands barefoot and torture me so that I leave you, I will never leave you.” Some of Imam’s household answered him in this manner. When Imam Hussein (God bless him) saw that his household and his companions are firm and steadfast, said this sermon “I glorify Allah with the best glorification, and praise him in times of prosperity as well as misfortunes,” then sainthood Zaynab (God bless her) cried and said “I wish death overtakes me and didn’t see a day like this. I wish sky dropped on earth, I wish mountains scattered.”[1] These sentences of Imam Ali’s (God bless him) daughter shows that this tragedy was very hard and harrowing for Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) household.