The enemies of Allah waited for a short while then returned to Hussein (A.S) whom they surrounded as he sat on the ground unable to stand. Abdullah son of Imam Hassan (A.S), grandson of the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P), who was then eleven years old, looked and saw how his uncle was being surrounded by those people, so he came running towards him. Zaynab wanted to restrain him but he managed to evade her and to reach his uncle.
Bahr ibn Kaab lowered his head to strike Hussein (A.S), so the child shouted, “O son of the corrupt woman, are you going to strike my uncle?” The man dealt a blow from his sword which the child received with his hand, cutting it off. The child cried in agony, “O uncle!” Then he fell in the lap of Hussein (A.S) who hugged him and said: “O son of my brother! Be patient with regard to what has befallen us, and consider it as goodness, for Allah, the most Exalted, will make you join your righteous ancestors.” Then He (A.S) raised his hands and supplicated saying, “O Allah! Let them enjoy themselves for some time then divide them and make them into parties, and do not let their rulers ever be pleased with them, for they invited us to support us, then they turned their backs to us and fought us.”
Harmalah ibn Kahil shot the child with an arrow, killing him as he sat in his uncle's lap.
Hussein (A.S) remained lying on the ground for some time. Had those rogues wished to kill him, they could have done so, but each tribe relied on the other to do what it hated to do itself.
Al-Shimr shouted, “What are you standing like that for?! What do you expect the man to do since your arrows and spears have wounded him so heavily? Attack him!”
Zarah ibn Sharik struck him on his left shoulder with his sword while Hussein (A.S) shot him with an arrow which penetrated his mouth; another man struck him on the shoulder. Sinan ibn Anas stabbed him in his collar bone area of the chest then shot him with an arrow in the neck. Salih ibn Wahab stabbed him in the side.
Hilal ibn Nafi has said, “I was standing in front of Hussein (A.S) as he was drawing his last breath. Never did I ever see anyone whose face looked better than him or more glowing as he was stained with his own blood!
In fact, the light emanating from his face distracted me altogether from the thought of killing him! As he was in such a condition, he asked for some water to drink, but they refused to give him any.”
A man said to him, “You shall not taste of water till you reach hell from whose hot boiling water shall you drink.” He (A.S) said, “Am I the one who will reach it? Rather, I will reach my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, and will reside with him in his abode of truth near an Omnipotent King, and I shall complain to him about what crimes you committed against me and what you have done to me.” They all became very angry. It is as if Allah did not leave one iota of compassion in their hearts.
