HAZRAT ALI AKBER

SURA-E-FATEHA

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Tonight is the night of 9th Moharram.

It is the second night without water.

It is very hot in Kerbala. Children cannot sleep.

How can they? They are very thirsty and hungry.

The sound of "AL-ATASH! AL-ATASH! AL-ATASH!" breaks Husayn's heart.

What can Husayn do? He is patient.

For the sake of Allah, he is bearing it all.

More is to come. Husayn's patience and sacrifice will be tested further.

On Ashura day…….Husayn sacrificed all his faithful friends but remained patient.

Auno - Mohammed were killled. Yet Husayn remained patient.

Qasim was torn to pieces. Yet Husayn remained patient.

Abbas' arms were severed. Yet Husayn remained patient.

How much can Husayn bear? How much more can he sacrifice?

My fellow Husayni for the sake of Islam, Husayn, our Imam, sacrificed the most precious thing in his life - HIS TEENAGE SON - HIS 18 YEAR OLD SON - ALl AKBER!

Tonight, my fellow Husayni, we will cry more and we will do more matam.

Bibi Fatemah will cry with us. Mawla Ali will join us. Husayn will pray with us. Husayn and Zainab will cry with us.

Tonight, is the night of the teenage son of Husayn, the life of Husayn, the darling of Zainab and Umme Laila, the image of the Holy Prophet - Tonight is the night of Ali Akber!

The day of Ashura unfolded on the land of Kerbala. It was Fajr time. Husayn called his son, Ali Akber.

"My son, Ali Akber, go and give the Adhan. Ali Akber I want to hear the voice of my grandfather. Ali Akber, you sound so much like your great grandfather, the Holy Prophet."

"ALLAHO-AKBER, ALLAHO-AKBER..….."

Ali Akber's Adhan echoed through the land of Kerbala.

Ali Akber's last Adhan…….It was no ordinary Adhan……..

It was filled with emotion…

Husayn began to cry. He remembered his grandfather.

All the ladies in the tents began to cry. Zainab burst into tears.

Everyone prayed Fajr Namaaz.

Soon after, the battle of Kerbala began.

One-by-one, Husayn's companions went to the battlefield and were martyred.

Auno - Mohammed went. They were martyred too.

Qasim went. He was torn to pieces.

Ali Akber and Abbas helped Husayn, carry the bodies to the tent.

Sakina was thirsty. Abbas went to get water. Abbas did not come back.

Husayn is alone with Ali Akber.

Heartbroken. Full of grief! So many dead in one day.

How much can Husayn take? Enough - enough - enough.

No, my fellow Husayni more is to come. The greatest sacrifice in history, is to come……..

Ali Akber - the life of Husayn - the teenage son of Husayn - the darling of Husayn - came to his father and said:

"Father, may I now have permission to go for Jehad?"

Allaho Akber! My fellow Husayni, imagine the scene! Put your hand on your heart and think of what is happening?

A teenage son has come to his old father for permission to DIE! How does a father allow his teenage son - 18 years old - to die?

Poor Husayn! What does he do now? How does he allow his teenage darling son to die?

Husayn is helpless. His promise to Allah had to be honoured.

"My son, Ali Akber, go, you have my permission, but Akber, my darling, go and ask permission from your mother. Go and ask permission from Zainab, your auntie who has brought you up. Go, son, go."

Ali Akber took permission from his mother, Umme Laila.

Ali Akber then went to his auntie, Zainab.

"Auntie Zainab, tell me one thing. Whose life is more important? Your Ali Akber's, or Bibi Fatemah's son, Husayn's?"

"My son, Ali Akber, I would sacrifice a thousand lives to save Bibi Fatemah's son - Husayn's life.

Then auntie, do not stop me. Grant me permission. No one is left to save Husayn. Let me go, auntie, let me go."

"Bismillah, my son. Go my Ali Akber, go."

Ali Akber mounted his horse.

Husayn was crying. Umme Laila was crying. Bibi Kulthoom was crying. Zainab was crying.

"KHUDA - HAFIZ, mother. KHUDA - HAFIZ, father. KHUDA -HAFIZ, auntie Kulthoom. KHUDA - HAFIZ, auntie Zainab."

Ali Akber rode to the battlefield.

He heard footsteps following him. He stopped and looked back. What did he see?

His father Husayn, was following him.

With his hands on his back, Husayn was running behind Ali Akber.

"Father, where are you going? Please father, go back to the tent."

"My son Ali Akber, I want to see you as long as I can. I will stop here, my son, but promise me, you will keep on looking back after every few steps. Akber, my darling, your old father wants to see you as long as he can."

Ali Akber continued……He looked back every few seconds. Husayn was there watching him.

He reached the battlefield.

Ali Akber fought bravely. He killed many well-known warriors.

Ali Akber came back to his father.

"Father, did you see me fight? I wish uncle Abbas was here to see me. Father, a few drops of water……., father, I am very thirsty. If I could just have a little water, I would send the entire army of Yazid to Hell."

"My son. come near me. Touch my tongue. See if you can get some comfort from me."

Ali Akber touched Husayn's tongue.

"Father, your mouth is much drier than mine. Father, you must be more thirsty than myself."

Ali Akber returned to the battlefield.

Umar Saad ordered his soldiers to kill Ali Akber.

While a few soldiers together attacked Ali Akber, one crept up to him and thrust a spear into Ali Akber's chest.

Allaho Akber! The spear penetrated Akber's chest. The handle broke. A sharp blade stuck into Akber's heart. He felt faint.

Ali Akber fell off his horse. He cried out:

"O Father, accept my last salaam to you."

Ali Akber did not call his father to come to see him.

Husayn was alone and Ali Akber did not want to bother his old father.

Husayn rushed to the battlefield.

"My son, my darling, my Ali Akber, where are you? Speak to your father, my son. Akber..... Akber.... My darling… Where are you?"

Husayn saw his son, Ali Akber. His son was lying on the sands of Kerbala with both his hands on his chest.

Ali Akber was taking his last breaths.

Poor Husayn! What shall Husayn do now? A father facing his teenage son, dying!

He placed Ali Akber's head on his lap.

"My son, Ali Akber, my darling, Ali Akber, why are you covering your chest? My son, is your chest hurting? Let me look at it, my son."

"No, father, no! Don't remove my hands from my chest. You will not be able to bear it, father."

Husayn gently moved Ali Akber's hands.

Allaho Akber, Allaho Akber! What did Husayn see?

What did a father see?

The blade of the spear stuck deep into Ali Akber's chest. Ali Akber was in a lot of pain.

What shall Husayn do now? What shall Husayn do now?

Husayn put both his hands on the blade and looked towards Najaf. He cried out loudly:

"BABA, YA MUSHKIL KHUSHA! HELP ME!… BABA! It was easy for you to pull out the gates of Khyber… BABA! It is difficult for me to pull out the blade from my son's chest…… BABA! Help me, Baba!"

With a cry of "YA ALl", Husayn pulled the blade out.

Blood gushed out of Ali Akber's chest. Husayn was covered with his son, Ali Akber's blood.

Ali Akber took his last breath.

What does Husayn do now?

"Auno - Mohammed, help me carry your brother's body. Qasim, help me. Abbas, I need your help. Where are you, Abbas?"

Husayn was alone. How does he carry Ali Akber's body?

Husayn alone could not carry Ali Akber's body.

He put Ali Akber's hands around his neck…..

Husayn carried his 18 year old son's body with great difficulty.

Ali Akber's feet dangled, touching the sand of Kerbala.

Poor Husayn! So much patience! So much sacrifice!

As he reached the tent……..he cried out: