When the guardians of the light of Imamate i.e. the companions and friends of Imam (A.S) sincerely sacrificed their lives then came the turn of kith and kin of Imam to make their share of sacrifices The foremost among them who entered into the arena of martyrdom was the son of Imam Husain (A.S) who was yet in his teens and who possessed a remarkable resemblance to the person of the holy prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) namely Hazrat Ali bin Husain Ali Akbar (A.S). Hazrat Ali Akbar (A.S) possessed enviable merits from maternal as well as paternal side. From paternal side it is well known while his maternal grandfather was Janab Urwah bin Masud Saqafi who was regarded as one of the four leaders of Islam. The holy prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) sometimes named him 'Owner of Yasin' sometimes the like of Hazrat Isa (A.S) and sometimes 'the leader of Islam' (Usuadul Ghaba vol I pg 19)
When he desired to leave for the battle field the women folk surrounded him a pall of gloom descended on them, their hopes were crumbling, their helper was bidding them adieu, they all were wailing 'Have mercy on our helplessness. Your separation is unbearable for us. Hazrat Ali Akbar (A.S) came out of his tent and climbed on the horse of Imam Husain (A.S) named “Lahaq”. At this sight tears rolled down the cheeks of Imam Husain (A.S) moistening his beard. He raised his hands for prayers:
"O lord be a witness against this people that a youth is leaving who was resembling the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) most ... whenever I was desirous of seeing the holy prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) I looked at him ..."
In the battlefield a Yazidi soldier addressed him thus:
"You are related to Yazid. Think about this relation if you wish we can grant amnesty to you" He retorted "It is more necessary to think about the relation with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P)" (Maqatalul Muqarram pg.311)
Note: This thinking was prevalent in every age and era that personal relation and closeness was preferred over religion.
He recited war ode thus:
"I am Ali, the son of Husain bin Ali By the house of Allah we are nearer to the Prophet”
Then he attacked ferociously sometimes at the right wing and with same ferocity pounced on left wing. Whoever confronted him perished, he dispatch 120 persons to Hell ... when the thirst became severely intense he rushed to his compassionate father who on seeing his thirst stricken son, He could not control his tears and consoled him by saying "Your grandfather the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) will quench your thirst "
Saying this he gave his tongue in his mouth then placed his ring on his tongue Hazrat Ali Akbar returned in the battlefield and even in such a debilitating thirst he killed two hundred more enemies. Murrah bin Munqad abdi said "let the sins of whole Arab be upon my shoulders if I do not make his mother sorrowful” He smote the spear on his back and struck sword on his head. A wedge appeared in his head and he hung his hands around the neck of his horse. The horse went towards terai, there the enemies assailed him with sword and chopped his body in pieces.
He called aloud "O father accept my salam, my grandfather the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) is fetching me water and says the same is ready for you"
Imam Husain (A.S) reached on the mutilated corpse of his teenage son and threw himself upon him, placed his cheek upon his and said
"Life after you is meaningless, so audacious they are regarding God, how daringly they have trampled the dignity of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P). It is unbearable for your father and grandfather that you seek help from them and they could not help you...” He could not stop the stream of flowing tears, gave a call to the children from his camp and with their help took the corpse in his tent.
After seeing the blood-smeared corpse of such a beautiful youth even the women-folk could not contain their grief and started beating their heads and chests and tearing their hairs out of sorrow. Janabe Zainab (S.A) was at the forefront; she flung herself upon the body and wept bitterly.
According to the narration of Tabari and Khwarizmi all the women were so aggrieved that they left their tents and came out, it was obvious since their grief was really inconsolable.
source : sibtayn
