On 9th Moharram, Hur could hear the cry:
"AL-ATASH! AL-ATASH! AL-ATASH!" "THIRST THIRST! THIRST!"
The children in Husayn's camp were crying for water.
Hur was very restless. He kept on thinking what a grave mistake he had made by bringing Husayn to Kerbala.
"What have I done? Why? Why did I put the son of Fatemah in this position? Will Husayn forgive me? Will Allah forgive me? Will Bibi Fatemah forgive me? How can I ask for forgiveness?"
Hur could not sleep the whole night. He spent the night weeping and begging Allah to forgive him.
The 10th of Moharram came! It was very early in the morning. Horses in Yazid's camp were hot and uncomfortable.
They were jumping up and down. They could not keep their hooves on the ground because it was so hot.
Yazid's soldiers poured buckets of water on the horses' hooves to cool them and calm them.
Hur watched as gallons of water was poured on the horses. He thought:
"So much water for the animals, while the children of Bibi Fatemah are crying for a few drops of water. There is so much water for the animals but none for the grandson of the Holy Prophet."
"AL-ATASH! AL-ATASH! AL-ATASH!", echoed through Hur's ears.
Hur could not take it anymore. He called his son and said:
"My son, I have made a terrible mistake. I have brought such a pious and truthful man here to be killed. Please, my son, quickly take me to Imam Husayn. I want to beg him to forgive me before it is too late. I am ashamed of myself. Will Husayn forgive me? How can I face him?"
Hur continued:
"My son, before you take me to Husayn, tie my hands and cover my face, so that I do not have to face him while I ask for his forgiveness."
Hur's son did what his father had asked him to do. He tied Hur's hands and covered his face.
Hur and his son mounted their horses and headed towards Husayn’s camp.
Abbas, who was guarding the tents, saw the two men coming towards him. He thought they were coming to attack them. He pulled out his sword and warned them to stop where they were.
Imam Husayn also saw the two men.
"Abbas, my brother Abbas! Put your sword back! Those two men are not coming to fight us. That is Hur, my special guest. I have been waiting for him. Let us go and receive them, Abbas."
Imam Husayn and Abbas went to meet Hur.
"Welcome, Hur, welcome. I have been waiting for you."
Hur threw himself at Husayn's feet.
"My master, please forgive me. Please forgive me. I am extremely sorry for what I have done. I am ashamed of myself."
Imam Husayn took Hur in his arms and said:
"Hur, my friend, I forgive you. I assure you that my grandfather, my father and my mother have also forgiven you. Come with me, Hur."
Imam Husayn, Abbas, Hur and his son rode back to the tents.
It was Fajr time. Ali Akber gave Adhan. They all prayed the Fajr Namaaz.
Soon after that, Yazid's soldiers blew the trumpets to start the battle.
Hur asked Imam Husayn for permission to go and fight the enemies of Islam.
"Hur, you are my guest. You have only been with me for a short time. I have not been able to look after you properly. I have neither fed you nor have I been able to give you water. At least spend some time with me. No, Hur, no. I cannot let you die! You are my guest."
Hur did not give up. He kept insisting on being the first to go to battle.
Imam Husayn then thought that, the longer Hur stayed with him, the more he would suffer from thirst and hunger.
Imam Husayn gave permission to Hur.
"Go, Hur, go! Khuda Hafiz, Hur."
Imam Husayn himself mounted Hur on his horse.
Hur went to the battlefield.
He was a strong and brave man. He fought the battle gallantly and sent many of Yazid's men to Hell.
Eventually, Hur came off his horse. Severely wounded, he called for Husayn.
"Master, Master! Come quickly. Let me see you for the last time."
Hur was taking his last breaths. Imam Husayn placed Hur's head on his lap.
"KHUDA HAFIZ, HUR. Go, Hur, go! My grandfather is waiting for you. My father and mother are waiting for you. We will be joining you soon in Heaven. Khuda Hafiz, Hur"
Imam Husayn, with tears in his eyes, prayed to Allah:
"YA, ALLAH! Please forgive Hur and grant him a place in Heaven."
Hur died on Imam Husayn's lap and Abbas and All Akber helped Imam carry Hur's body to the tent.
INNA LILLAHE WA INNA ELAIHI RAJEOON!
Majlis 5
HABIB IBNE MAZAAHIR
SURA-E-FATEHA
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Today is the 5th night of Moharram.
Our majaalis continue. We will recite more nawhas to mourn the great loss in Kerbala. Our eyes will shed more tears and our matam will increase.
Day-by-day, the scene in Kerbala is changing. More and more soldiers join the enemy's camp. Thousands have gathered to kill Husayn - the grandson of the Holy Prophet.
Bibi Zainab said to her brother:
"Brother Husayn! Thousands of soldiers are gathering to fight you. We have hardly 72 men with us. Do you not have anyone to come to your help?"
"My sister Zainab, many wanted to join me during the journey from Medina to Kerbala. I politely discouraged them because their intention was not truthful. Many joined and have run away during the journey because they were scared of dying."
He continued:
"Zainab! My sister! Falsehood can buy many supporters, but truth has only a few friends. The soldiers on the other side have been bought. They prefer happiness in this world than in the world hereafter. My 72 truthful men prefer happiness in the world hereafter and that is why they are with me."
That night, Imam Husayn wrote a letter to his childhood friend, Habib lbne Mazaahir, who was in Kufa.
Kufa was blocked off and nobody was allowed to leave.
Habib Ibne Mazaahir did not know the whereabouts of Imam Husayn until the letter from Husayn arrived at his house. At the time he was having breakfast with his wife and a young son.
Habib read the letter from Husayn. He kissed it and tears began to flow from his eyes.
His wife asked him what was wrong. Habib said:
"I have received a letter from my master, Husayn. He has asked me to join him in Kerbala. Yazid's soldiers have surrounded him and are after his life."
Habib's wife said:
"Habib! Your childhood friend has called you. Your master needs your help. What are you waiting for? Go Habib, before it is too late!"
Habib's worry was how to escape from Kufa without being seen.
He instructed his slave to take his horse to a farm outside the city and to wait for him there. The slave did as he was told.
The slave took Habib's horse to a farm outside the city. He waited for his master. His master was delayed.
The slave started talking to the horse:
"O horse! Master Husayn is in trouble. He needs help. He has asked my master Habib to join him. Master Habib is late. Horse If he does not manage to escape from Kufa, I will ride on you and go to Husayn's help."
At Asr time, most of the men were in mosque. Habib managed to reach the farm where his horse was waiting.
He quickly mounted his horse and said to his slave:
"Go, my friend, Go! I am freeing you from my services"
"Master! You are not being fair. I have served you faithfully for years. Now, I have a chance to serve the son of Bibi Fatemah, and you are asking me to go. Why are you denying me a place in Heaven'?"
Habib was taken aback by the words of his slave. He was pleased to hear that he had recognised the difference between the truth and the wrongful. He wanted to sacrifice his life for truth.
Habib asked his slave to mount his horse. Together they galloped towards Kerbala.
Habib reached Kerbala late in the evening. Imam Husayn greeted him with great affection.
Bibi Zainab heard that Habib had come. She asked her maid, Fizza, to convey her greetings to Habib.
When Habib heard that Bibi Zainab had sent greetings to him, he screamed out in grief and anger. He threw his turban down on to the ground. He slapped his face. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke:
"What a sad day! What has happened to the household of Bibi Fatemah? The princess! Grand-daughter of the Holy prophet, the daughter of Ali and Fatemah is sending her greetings to an ordinary person like me! Yazid! You beast, you tyrant! What have you done to the household of Bibi Fatemah?"
Days and nights of Moharram passed by, and Ashura came.
At dawn, Ali Akber gave Adhan for the last time.
Yazid's soldiers blew the trumpets to start the battle.
One-by-one, Husayn's companions went to the battlefield and gave their lives for Islam.
Husayn, Abbas and Ali Akber were busy from dawn to mid-day, collecting bodies from the battlefield,
Between Zohr and Asr time, Habib lbne Mazaahir came to Husayn. He said:
"My Master, Husayn, allow me to go to the battlefield. Let me sacrifice my life for Islam."
"Habib, my childhood friend. Stay with me. You give comfort to me, my friend."
Habib persisted with his request. Eventually Husayn gave his permission.
Husayn mounted his friend, Habib, on the horse. Habib lbne Mazaahir rode into the battlefield.
He fought bravely but was finally over-powered. He fell to the ground.
As Habib ibne Mazaahir fell to the ground, an enemy soldier came over and cut off his head.
All the marytrs of Kerbala had their heads cut off, but Habib's was the first to be cut off by the enemy.
Habib's head was not hung on the spearhead like that of the other martyr's. Habib's head was tied to a horse and pulled along the land of Kerbala.
Later on, in Shaam, Habib's head was tied to a horse's neck. A young boy, called Qasim, followed the horse wherever it went.
One day, the man riding the horse asked the young boy Qasim:
"Why are you following me around? What do you want?"
Qasim just looked at the head hanging from the horse's neck. The man asked again:
"Why are you staring at the head".
"This head is the head of my father, Habib ibne Mazaahir. please give it to me so that I can bury my father's head.
Habib's head seemed to look at his son and say:
"My son Qasim, you are thinking of burying my head. What about the head of Husayn on that spearhead?"
INNA LILLAHE WA INNA ELAIHI RAJEOON!
