Companions of Imam Husain (A.S.) and their Martyrdom

Hasan Sa'eed bin Hibatullah, renowned as Qutubuddin Rawandi, relates through his chain of authorities from Imam Mohammad al Baqir (A.S.), that before his martyrdom, Imam Husain (A.S.) told his companions that his grandfather the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) had told him,"O my dear son! You shall be killed at Iraq, and it is a place where the Prophets, their successors and Apostles have met one another and it is called Amoora. You shall be martyred at that place alongwith a group of your companions. Your battle is frigid and serene." Thus have glad tidings that by Allah if they kill us, we shall go to the presence of our Prophet (S.A.W.).

Abu Hamza Sumali, relates from Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (A.S.) that he said:

On the night preceding his Martyrdom, my father gathered his family and companions and said,"O people of my family and my Shi'ah! Consider this night, which has come to you as a mounting Camel and save yourselves, for these people do not desire anyone else except me. Then if they kill me, they shall not pursue you. May Allah have mercy upon you! Save yourselves. Verily I lift the responsibility of the allegiance and pledge which you have taken at my hands."

Hearing this his brothers, relatives and companions unanimously said, "By Allah O our Master! O Aba Abdillah! We shall never betray you, so that people may say that we had abandoned our Imam, our Chief and Master, until he was martyred. Then we would seek excuses between ourselves and Allah. And we shall not leave you until we ransom ourselves upon you." Imam said,"Verily I shall be killed tomorrow and everyone from among yourselves too shall be killed with me, and none among you shall be spared."

To which they replied, "Praise be to Allah, that He has bestowed grace upon us to assist you, and has offered distinction to us to get martyred along with you. Then do we not endear that we should be along with you in your elevated station (in Paradise) O son of the Prophet of Allah"? Imam replied,"May Allah reward you favourably"

Then he prayed for them. When it dawned, all of them were martyred.

Shaikh Sadooq relates from Salim bin Abu Ja'dah, who says that I heard Ka'ab al Ehbar say that, "It is stated in our books that a man from among the sons of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.) would be killed, and they (the martyrs) would enter Paradise even before the sweat of the horses of his companions dry, while the Hoories will fondle them." Thus when Imam Hasan (A.S.) passed by us, we asked him as to was he the one referred to (regarding it in their books), and he replied in the negative, and then when Imam Husain (A.S.) passed by us, we asked him the same question and he replied in the affirmative.

It is related that it was inquired from Imam Ja'far as Sadiq (A.S.) that, "Please relate to us the state and the self sacrifice of the companions of Imam Husain (A.S.)." Imam replied,"The veil had been lifted off their eyes and they saw their places in Paradise. Hence they excelled one another in sacrificing their lives, so as to hasten to meet the Hoories and be fondled by them and reach their places in Paradise."

This has been referred to in Ziyarate Nahiyah. After quoting the names of the Martyrs, it is said,"I bear witness that Allah lifted the veils off your eyes and presented you with spread beds and enormous gifts."

It is related through successive chain of narrators in Ma'aniyal Akhbar from Imam Mohammad at Taqi (A.S.), who relates from his Blessed Ancestors (A.S.) reaching Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (A.S.), who says that: When the matter of Imam Husain (A.S.) turned severe, his fellow-travelers saw him in a different state, unlike others. For as much as the severity increased, the colour of their faces became pale and they would shiver, while their hearts would be frightful. But Imam Husain (A.S.), and some of his distinguished companions were cheerful, at peace and tranquilled. They were telling one another, "Do you not see, they do not fear death the least."

Imam Husain (A.S.) said,"Forebear, O sons of noblemen! Death is nothing but a bridge, which would take you from the place of hardship and severity to the spacious Paradise and eternal bliss. Then who among you is such that does not desire to be free from the prison and hasten towards the palaces? While death for your enemies is such, that they shall be transferred from the palace to the prison and fall prey to the wrath of Allah. I have heard my father Imam Ali (A.S.), who relates from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) that he said, that this world is a prison for the believers and Paradise for the disbelievers, while death is a bridge for them (believers) to enter Paradise and for them (disbelievers) to enter hell. I have not lied nor have I been told a lie."

Regarding the pagans of Quraysh and their mutiny in astray and perdition, Allah says,"And indeed has come unto them some of the tidings wherein is restraint (from evil), Consummate wisdom, but (they) availed not (of) the warnings."[61] Similar was the case with the army of Umar bin Sa'ad. Then the repeated speeches of our Master Imam Husain (A.S.) and his companions, counseling them, completing their proofs (to councel them) and eliminating their error, but they were not benefited.

Hurr bin Yazid joins Imam Husain (A.S.)

When Hurr saw that the people have resolved to kill Imam Husain (A.S.), and when he heard Imam calling out:

"Is there none who would hasten to assist us in the name of Allah? Is there none who would defend the Household of the Prophet"? Then Hurr told Umar bin Sa'ad, "O Umar! Then will you really fight this man"? He replied, "Yes, by Allah! The battle, which if goes smoothly, will result in the rolling of heads and cutting off the hands." Hurr said, "Then is his proposal unacceptable to you"? Umar replied, "If the situation would have been in my hands, I would certainly have yielded to his request, but your commander will not accept it." Hurr then left him and stood alone far away from others, while his fellow-traveler, named Qurrah bin Qays, was along with him. Hurr said, "O Qurrah! Have you fed your horse today"? He replied in the negative. Hurr said, "Then do you not desire quenching it's thirst"? Qurrah says that I doubted that perhaps he wanted to skip away from the battle and did not like that I should see him going away, hence I said, "I shall now be doing so." Hearing this Hurr moved away from there.

Qurrah says that, "By Allah! If only Hurr had revealed to me what he intended, I too would have accompanied him to the presence of Imam Husain (A.S.)." Then slowly Hurr started moving closer to Imam Husain (A.S.).

Muhajir bin Aws told him, "O son of Yazid! What do you intend? Do you intend to lay siege"? Hurr did not answer him but was shivering. Muhajir said, "Verily your state seems dubious. I have never ever seen you in any battle in a similar state in which you are now. If I would have been questioned as to who is the most valorous among the Kufans, I would not hesitate to take your name. What is this state I presently see you in"? Hurr replied, "I find myself between Paradise and hell. And by Allah! I shall not exalt anything else over Paradise, even if I be cut into pieces or burnt." Then Hurr struck his horse (Malhoof) and turned to go towards Imam Husain (A.S.)

Hurr had kept his hands on his head (like a prisoner) and was saying, "O Allah! I am returning towards You, thus You accept me, for I have put fear into the hearts of Your friends and the children of the Prophet's grandson."

(Irshad, Kamil) Tabari says that when he neared Imam Husain (A.S.) and his companions, he overturned his shield and saluted them.

Then he went to Imam Husain (A.S.) and said, "May I be your ransom O son of the Prophet of Allah! I am the one who had stopped you from returning back and had accompanied you all along and had forced you to alight here. But I had not known that these people would directly refuse your proposal and bring you to this present state. By Allah! If I had known that they would do to you such, I would not have undertaken that what I have done. Hence now I apologize to Allah regarding that what I have done, and then do you think that my repentance would be accepted"? Imam Husain (A.S.) replied,"May Allah accept your repentance! Thus alight from your horse."

Hurr replied, "It is better for me to be mounted and serve you and fight with them, thus ultimately I will have to alight from my horse (when I am wounded)." Then Imam replied,"May your Lord have mercy upon you, do as you desire."

Then he stood in front of Imam Husain (A.S.) and said, "O Kufans! May your mothers be deprived of you! You invited the righteous slave of Allah, and then when he came to you, you handed him over to the enemy, when you had intended to defend him with your lives? Then now you have begun to fight him so as to kill him. You have taken hold of him and seized his collar, and have surrounded him from all sides so that he may not be able to escape to the vast towns of Allah. He is now left as a prisoner amongst you, then he cannot benefit himself nor can he ward off the evil from it.

Then you have stopped him, along with his women-folk, his children and family, from the waters of Euphratus, which is open for the Jews, Christians and Sabians, and the pigs and dogs of Iraq roll therein, while they would perish because of thirst? How badly have you behaved with the Progeny of Mohammad (S.A.W.) after his death? May Allah not quench your thirst on the day of extreme thirst (Qiyamah)!" Hearing this some of the soldiers attacked him and started shooting arrows at him, then Hurr came and stood in front of Imam Husain (A.S.)

It is quoted in Tazkirah of Sibt ibne Jawzi, that Imam Husain (A.S.) then called out to Shabas bin Rab'ee, Hajjar bin Abjar, Qays bin Ash'as and Yazeed bin Hars and said,"Did you not write letters to me"?

They replied, "We do not know what you say." Hurr bin Yazeed, who was their leader, said, "Yes by Allah! We had written to you and we are the ones who have brought you here. Thus may Allah keep away vain and the vain-doers. By Allah! I shall not prefer this world over the Hereafter", saying this he turned his horse and entered the ranks of Imam Husain (A.S.). Imam said,"Welcome! You are at liberty in this world as well as the Hereafter."

(Ibne Nima) It is related that Hurr told Imam Husain (A.S.) that, "When Ubaydullah commanded me to come towards you and I came out from the palace, I heard a voice calling out at me from behind saying: Have glad tidings of goodness O Hurr! I turned around to see but there was none visible. Then I wondered that by Allah, what glad tidings is this, for I am proceeding to a combat with Imam Husain (A.S.), and I had not yet intended assisting you." Imam replied,"But now you have (ultimately) reached goodness." Then Umar bin Sa'ad called out, "O Durayd! Bring the standard closer." When he brought it closer, Umar fixed an arrow in his bow and shot it saying, "Be a witness that I am the one to shoot the first arrow." Then others followed suit and challenged for combat.

Mohammad bin Abu Talib says that there was none among the companions of Imam Husain (A.S.), who was not wounded by it. It is said that after the rain of arrows, only a few companions of Imam (A.S.) survived, while fifty companions attained martyrdom.

(Tabari) Azdi says that Abu Janab, from the clan of Bani Kalb, related to me that in our tribe there was a man named Abdullah bin Umayr, from the clan of Bani Aleem. He had started living in Kufa and owned a house on the head of the well of Bani Ja'ad, from the tribe of Hamadan. His wife, who was from the clan of Umro bin Qasit, was named Umme Wahab, the daughter of Abd. He saw an army parading in Nukhaylah preparing for the battle against Imam Husain (A.S.), the grandson of the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.). Abdullah says that, "By Allah! I had an intense desire to fight against the polytheists. But now I desire fighting those who have decided to fight the grandson of the Prophet. While my reward with Allah would not be less than that for fighting against the polytheists." Then he went to his wife and related to her what he had heard and also informed her his desire. She replied, "Verily whatever you have decided is right. May your Allah guide you towards righteousness in all your matters, go and take me too alongwith you." He then withdrew and reached Imam Husain (A.S.) and remained with him until Umar bin Sa'ad shot the arrows towards them and his army followed suit.

Then Yasar, the retainer of Ziyad, and Salim, the retainer of Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, stepped into the battlefield and called out for combat. Hearing this Habib bin Mazahir and Burayr (bin Khuzayr) stood up to reply, but Imam Husain (A.S.) signaled them to sit down. Then Abdullah bin Umayr Kalbi stood up and asked permission to fight them. Imam saw him to be a tawny man with a tall stature, sturdy arms and broad shoulders, he said,"In my opinion he is a fatal match, then you may leave if you desire meeting his challenge."

When Abdullah went towards them, they asked, "Who are you"? Abdullah related to them his lineage and they said, "We do not recognise you. Zuhayr bin Qayn, Habib bin Mazahir or Buzayr bin Khuzayr should have come." Yasar was standing with a naked sword near Salim. Abdullah said, "O illegitimate son! Do you disdain fighting one man? Whoever shall come to fight you shall surely be better than you", saying this he attacked Yasar instantly and striking him with his sword killed him. When he was engaged in striking at him, Salim attacked him. Someone called out to him saying, "This slave is lingering behind you." Abdullah was heedless until Salim galloped upon him and he struck at him with his sword. Abdullah stretched his left hand forward, the fingers of which got cut. Then Abdullah attacked him and killed him.

Then Abdullah recited the Rajaz, having killed both of them: "If you do not know me, I am from the Bani Kalb, it is sufficient for me that my family is from Bani Ulaym, I am a warrior and a man with a strong nerve, and am not the one who shrieks at the time of anxiety, O Umme Wahab! I am answerable to you in respect of the sword and spear of a man who believes in Allah."

His wife Umme Wahab picked up a peg of a tent in her hand and advanced towards her husband calling out: "May my parents be your ransom! Fight in the way of the pure progeny of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.)." Abdullah advanced towards her to send her back to the tents, but she caught hold of his shirt and said, "I shall not leave you until I am killed along with you." Imam Husain (A.S.) called out to her, "May you be rewarded fairly on account of the Household of the Prophet, return back. May Allah's mercy be upon you! Come to the ladies for Jihad is not obligatory upon women." Hearing this she returned back.

(Irshad, Tabari, Kamil) Then Umro bin Hajjaj, with his army, attacked the right wing of the companions of Imam Husain (A.S.). When they came near, Imam's companions knelt down pointing their spears towards them. Their horses were afraid to advance towards the spears and retreated back. Then Imam's companions shot arrows towards them killing some of them while wounding others. (Tabari, Kamil) A person from among the (clan of) Bani Tameem, named Abdullah bin Hawzah, advanced further until he came face to face with Imam Husain (A.S.) and called out to him. Imam replied,"What do you desire"?
The accursed replied, "May you get the good news of the (hell) fire." (Allah's refuge) Imam replied,"No, it is not as you say. I am proceeding to the presence of the Merciful Lord and the intercessor, who is obeyed."

Then he inquired as to who he was, and was told that he was the son of Hawzah. Imam said,"O Allah! Send him to the fire (of hell)."

Suddenly his horse was aroused and threw him down. (Irshad). But his left foot got entangled in the stirrup while his right foot was raised in the air. Then Muslim bin Awsaja attacked and cut his right foot. The horse started running with him with his head hitting against the stones and trees of the desert until he died. Thus his spirit hastened towards (the fire of) hell.

(Tabari) Azdi relates from Ata'a bin Saeb, who relates from Abdul Jabbar bin Wael, from his brother Masrooq bin Wael that I was along with the army, who had advanced towards Imam Husain (A.S.). I requested to be in the forefront so as to get the head of Imam and thus earn honour in the presence of Ubaydullah bin Ziyad. When we reached him, a person from amongst us named Ibne Hawzah advanced further and said, "Is Husain amongst you"? But Imam did not answer him. When he repeated it thrice, Imam said, "Yes, here is Husain, what do you desire"?

He said, "O Husain! Take glad tidings of (hell) fire" (Allah's refuge). Imam said,"Verily you speak a lie, I am proceeding towards the forgiving Lord and an intercessor, who is obeyed. Who are you"?

He replied that he was the son of Hawzah. The narrator says that then Imam lifted his hands towards the heavens such high, that we could see the whiteness of his underarms from below his clothes, and said,"O Lord! Hasten him towards the fire (of hell)." Hearing this Ibne Hawzah was enraged and desired to gallop his horse towards Imam, but there was a moat in between them. Suddenly his foot got entangled in the stirrup and the horse dragged him until he fell off. Then his leg, peduncle and thigh separated, while the other half of his body lay suspended on the stirrup. Seeing this Masrooq returned and hid behind the horsemen. The narrator further says that I questioned him (Masrooq) regarding his return and he replied that, "I have seen such (wonders) from this family that I shall never ever fight them."