The six month old baby of Imam Hussein (God bless him)

Writer: Ayatullah Professor Hussein Ansarian 

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

One of the most harrowing and upsetting tragedy that comes upon Ahle Bait (God bless them) was the martyrdom of six month old innocent baby of Imam Hussein (God bless him). It has been narrated in some important book like Vaghato-al-Taf from Abu Mokhnaf, Alershaad from Sheikh Mofid, Nafso-al-Mahmum from Qomi, Behar-al-Anvar, Ehtaja from Tabarsy, Montakhab Altavarikh from Molla Hashem-e-Khorasany, that:

Imam Hussein (God bless him) recommended to Ome Kolsume (God bless her) in his last farewell “O my sister! I recommend you to protect from my baby who has just six months.” The sister said “O brother! This infant is thirsty and didn’t drink milk about three days and nights, if it is possible to provide a little water for him.

Imam Hussein (God bless him) embraced his six months baby and went toward the corps, when he placed in front of them, he said “O people! You have killed my brothers, children and my companions, there isn’t anyone remains for me except this baby, this innocent baby is touching his two lips together because the severity of thirsty like a fish which has dropped out of water, give him water, if you don’t relent to me, relent to this six months baby. O people! Milk has been dried in his mother breast.

Imam Hussein (God bless him) was talking when Harmale shot an arrow and hit baby’s throat. The word of Maghtels (the books which has written about the adventure of Karbala) says: Zebh means a person who has been beheaded. Sebt-Ibn-Jozy, a Sunny erudite says “the baby head has cut off in his father bosom, Imam (God bless him) poured six months old baby’s cut throat blood to sky with the palm of his hand and was saying: O God! Be witness to these people, they have avowed to don’t remain any of Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him)

descendants to be alive. It has been narrated in Nafso-al-Mahmum that Imam Hussein (God bless him) cried and said “O God! Rule between us and these people who invited us so that they help us, but they have killed us.” He heard a voice “leave your baby; we have brought a nursemaid in heaven for him.” Imam Hussein (God bless him) was complaining when Haceen-Ibn-Tamim shot an arrow toward Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) holy mouth that it cleaved Imam’s (God bless him) lip and blood flowed.

 Imam Hussein (God bless him) said while he was crying “O God! I complain to you about what these people have done with me and my brothers and children and my family.” It was happening while beheaded baby was at his bosom, and then he embraced the baby and came back to the tent. While Sakina (God bless her) was greeting his father, she said to him “O father! I hope that you have given water to my brother.” seemingly Imam (God bless him) had hidden the martyred baby under his cloak. Because Sakina (God bless her) didn’t see him and thought that they have given water to him and he is sleeping at his father’s bosom under the cloak. Imam (God bless him) said “O my daughter! This is your brother who has been beheaded by the arrow of enemies.   

The writer of Maalio-al-Sebtein book narrates from Rozato Alkafy written by Koleyni that Komyt-Ibn-Zeyde Asadi says “I visited Imam Sadegh (God bless him), he said: read some poems about my ancestor, Imam Hussein (God bless him). When I started to read some poems about Imam Hussein’s (God bless him) tragedy, Imam Sadegh (God bless him) cried extremely. The women and household started to cry extremely in their rooms. Imam Sadegh (God bless him) was crying while a bondwoman entered suddenly from backward of curtain and put a six month old baby in Imam’s (God bless him) bosom. In this time Imam’s (God bless him) crying reached to its extremity and his voice raised, the voices of women were heard that they were crying too.

It is concluded from this event that the household intention was this that they have remembered Karbala’s six month old baby by looking at a six month old baby and they cried more severely and this is a guidance to all mournful that the dramatically affairs which cause them to remember Karbala adventure and lead them to crying more don’t have any problems.