المجالس العاشورية في المآتم الحسينية

Gabriel came down to him and said: "O Ibrahim, no sin has occurred from you, but here the grandson of the Seal of the Prophets, and the son of the Seal of the Successors, will be killed, and your blood flowed in concurrence with his blood." Ibrahim asked: "O Gabriel, and who will be his killer?" Gabriel replied: "The cursed one by the denizens of the heavens and the earth, and the pen has inscribed on the tablet his curse without the permission of its Lord. So God Almighty revealed to the pen: 'You have earned praise for this curse.'"

So Abraham (peace be upon him) raised his hands and cursed Yazid repeatedly, and his horse affirmed in an eloquent tongue. Abraham then asked his horse, "What did you recognize to affirm my supplication?" The horse replied, "O Abraham, I am honored by bearing you on my back. When I stumbled and you fell off, my shame was great, and the cause of that was Yazid, may God curse him."

It is narrated that Isma'il's sheep used to graze near the Euphrates. The shepherd informed him that they had not drunk from this watering place for several days. He asked his Lord about the reason, and Gabriel descended and said: "O Isma'il, ask your sheep, for they will tell you the reason." So he asked them: "Why do you not drink from this water?" They replied in eloquent speech: "We have heard that your descendant, Husayn (peace be upon him), the grandson of Muhammad, will be killed thirsty, and we refrain from drinking from this place out of grief for him." He then asked them about his killer, and they said: "He will be killed by the accursed of all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and all creatures." Isma'il then said: "O Allah, curse the killer of Husayn (peace be upon him)."

And another said:

And for Al-Durrabani Al-Arandes, may mercy be upon him, he says:

It is narrated that one day Moses was walking with Joshua son of Nun. When they arrived in the land of Karbala, Moses' shoe tore, his shoelace broke, thorns pricked his feet, and blood flowed from them. He asked, "My Lord, what has happened to me?" It was revealed to him that in this place, Hussein (peace be upon him) would be killed and his blood would be shed, and thus Moses' blood flowed in sympathy with Hussein's blood. Moses then asked, "Lord, who will Hussein be?" He was told, "He is the grandson of Muhammad the Chosen, and the son of Ali the Conqueror." Moses asked, "Who will kill him?" He was told, "He is cursed by the fish in the seas, the beasts in the wilderness, and the birds in the sky." Moses raised his hands and cursed Yazid, prayed against him, and Joshua son of Nun said 'Amen' to his prayer, and they continued on their way.

The narrator said: It is told that Moses, son of Imran, was seen by an Israelite in haste, with a yellow tinge covering him, his body weakened, trembling running through his limbs, his body shivering, his eyes sunken, and emaciated. This would happen to him when his Lord called him for communion out of fear of God Almighty. The Israelite who had believed in him recognized him and said: O Prophet of God, I have committed a grave sin, so ask your Lord to forgive me. Moses then proceeded to communicate with his Lord. When he conversed with his Lord, he said: O Lord of the worlds, I ask You, and You know before I mention it to You. The Almighty said: O Moses, whatever you ask of me, I shall give to you, and whatever you desire, I shall fulfill. Moses said: Lord, so-and-so, Your servant, the Israelite, has sinned and asks for Your forgiveness. The Lord said: O Moses, I forgive everyone who seeks My forgiveness, except the killer of Hussein. Moses asked: O Lord, who is Hussein? God replied: He is the one whose mention has passed by you near Mount Sinai. Moses asked: Lord, who will kill him? God responded: He will be killed by the transgressing and tyrannical nation of his grandfather in the land of Karbala. His horse will flee, neigh, and cry out in its neighing: wrongdoing, wrongdoing from a nation that killed the son of their Prophet's daughter. He will remain lying on the sand, without washing or shroud, his belongings looted, and his women taken captive.

In the countries, his supporters are killed, and their heads are displayed with his on the tips of spears. Oh Musa! The young die of thirst, and the old's skin shrivels. They call for help but find no savior, and they seek protection but find no guardian.

Moses (peace be upon him) wept and said, "O Lord, what punishment will their murderer face?" God replied, "O Moses, My punishment is such that the inhabitants of the Hellfire seek refuge from it in the Hellfire itself. My mercy will not reach them, nor will the intercession of his grandfather benefit them. Were it not for his honor, I would have caused the earth to swallow them. Moses said, 'I disassociate myself from them and from anyone who is pleased with their actions.'" God Almighty said, "O Moses, I have written mercy for my servants who follow him. Know that whoever weeps for him, or causes others to weep, or pretends to weep, I will forbid their body from the fire."

It is narrated that Solomon was sitting on his carpet and traveling through the air when one day he passed over the land of Karbala. The wind caused his carpet to turn three times, making him fear a fall. The wind calmed, and the carpet descended onto the land of Karbala. Solomon asked the wind, "Why did you stop?" The wind replied, "Because here is where Hussein (peace be upon him) will be killed." Solomon asked, "And who is Hussein?" The wind said, "He is the grandson of Muhammad the Chosen (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and the son of Ali the Brave." Solomon asked, "And who will kill him?" The wind replied, "A cursed one in the eyes of the heavens and the earth, Yazid." Solomon raised his hands, cursed him, and prayed against him. The humans and the jinns affirmed his prayer, and the wind started again, carrying the carpet onward.

It is narrated that Jesus was traveling in the wilderness with the disciples, and they passed by Karbala, where they saw a fierce lion blocking the path. Jesus approached the lion and asked, "Why are you sitting in this path? Why won't you let us pass?" The lion replied in eloquent language, "I will not clear the path for you until you curse Yazid, the killer of Hussein (peace be upon him)." Jesus (peace be upon him) asked, "And who is Hussein?" The lion replied, "He is the grandson of Muhammad, the unlettered prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and the son of Ali, the guardian." Jesus asked, "And who killed him?"

He said: "May the wild beasts, wolves, and predatory animals all fight him, especially on the days of Ashura." Jesus raised his hands and cursed Yazid, praying against him, and the disciples affirmed his prayer. The lion then moved away from their path, and they continued on their way.

The author of "Ad-Durr Ath-Thamin" narrated in the interpretation of the verse: "Then Adam received words from his Lord," that he saw the Throne’s leg and the names of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Imams (peace be upon them). Gabriel taught him to say: "O Praised One, by the right of Muhammad, O High One, by the right of Ali, O Creator, by the right of Fatimah, O Bestower, by the right of Hasan and Husayn, and from You is the grace."

When the mention of Hussain (peace be upon him) was made, tears flowed from his eyes, and his heart was humbled. He said, "O my brother Gabriel, my heart is broken and my tears flow when you mention the fifth one." Gabriel replied, "It is your son who will be afflicted with a calamity that others appear minor by comparison." He asked, "O my brother, what is it?" Gabriel answered, "He will be slain, thirsty, estranged, alone, without any supporter or helper. If only you could see him, O Adam, as he cries out, 'Oh my thirst, oh the few helpers,' until thirst will create a barrier between him and the sky like smoke, and no one will respond to him except with swords, and he will drink death as a cup, slaughtered like a sheep, facing away, while his enemies pillage his camp. His and his supporters' heads will be paraded in the lands along with the women. This is predestined in the knowledge of the Merciful One." Adam and Gabriel wept with the mourning of a bereaved mother.

Ali bin Muhammad narrated, elevating it to Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), who stated that Allah the Almighty said: "He looked a look at the stars * And said, indeed, I am ill." He calculated and saw what would befall Hussein (peace be upon him), and he said: "Indeed, I am ill" due to what would befall Hussein (peace be upon him).

Sa'd ibn Abdullah said: I asked the Qa'im (peace be upon him) about the interpretation of the phrase "Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad".

He (peace be upon him) said: These letters are part of the news of the unseen, which God revealed to His servant Zechariah, and then related them to Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family. This is because Zechariah asked God, his Lord, to teach him the names of the five (holy figures). Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended upon him and taught him those names. Whenever Zechariah mentioned Muhammad, Ali, Fatimah, and Hasan (peace be upon them), his worries were relieved and his distress was removed. However, whenever he mentioned the name of Husayn, he was overwhelmed with tears, and sorrow befell him. One day, he asked: "My God, why is it that when I mention four of them, I find comfort in their names and my worries fade away, but when I mention Husayn, tears fill my eyes and my grief intensifies?" God, the Blessed and Exalted, then informed him of Husayn's story, saying: "Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ain, Sad." The 'Kaf' stands for Karbala; the 'Ha' denotes the destruction of the pure progeny; the 'Ya' refers to Yazid, who is the oppressor of Husayn; the 'Ain' symbolizes his thirst; and the 'Sad' represents his patience.

When Zachariah heard this, he remained in his prayer place for three days and did not allow anyone to enter upon him. He was absorbed in weeping and lamentation, and he would beseech: "My God, will You afflict the best of all Your creation with the death of his son? My God, will You bring down this calamitous tragedy upon his home? My God, will You enshroud Ali and Fatima in the clothes of this misfortune? My God, will You let the distress of this calamity prevail upon their courtyard?" He would then say: "My God, grant me a child to bring joy to my old age, and if You grant him to me, then test me with his love and grief me through him just as You grieved Muhammad, Your beloved, with his son." God granted him John and grieved him with his loss. The gestation period of John was six months, and Hussein's (peace be upon him) was likewise.

And Fadel said: I heard Al-Ridha (peace be upon him) say: When Allah, the Almighty, commanded Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to sacrifice the ram that He sent down instead of his son Ismail, Ibrahim wished that he had been able to slaughter his son Ismail with his own hand, and that he was not commanded to sacrifice the ram in his place, so that what would be understood in the heart of a father who sacrifices his dearest son with his own hand would return to their hearts. By that, he would deserve the highest ranks of those rewarded for their trials. So Allah, the Almighty, revealed to him: O Ibrahim, who is the most beloved of my creation to you? He said: O Lord, You have not created anyone more beloved to me than Your beloved Muhammad. So Allah revealed to him:

Is he more beloved to you than your own self? He said: Indeed, he is more beloved to me than myself. He asked: Are his children more beloved to you than your own children? He replied: Indeed, his children are more beloved to me. He then asked: If his children are unjustly slain by the hands of his enemies, would that be more painful to your heart, or sacrificing your own child by your own hand in obedience to me? He said: O Lord, indeed, his children being slain by the hands of his enemies would be more painful to my heart.

He said: O Ibrahim, there is a group claiming to be followers of Muhammad who will unjustly and aggressively kill his son Hussein after him, slaughtering him like a sheep, and thus earning My wrath. Ibrahim was distressed by this, and his heart was pained, and he began to weep. So God, the Almighty, revealed: O Ibrahim, I have accepted your distress over your son Ismail — had you slaughtered him with your own hand — just as your distress over Hussein and his killing, and I have granted you the highest ranks among the people of reward for enduring afflictions. This is the word of God, the Almighty:
"And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice."

May God bless the late Sheikh Ali Al-Jishi when he says:

It is narrated from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) that he said: Indeed, the Isma'il whom Allah Almighty mentioned in His Book: "And mention in the Book Isma'il; indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet," was not Isma'il, the son of Ibrahim. Rather, he was a prophet from among the prophets whom Allah Almighty sent to his people. They captured him and flayed the skin of his head and face. Then an angel came to him and said: Indeed, Allah Almighty has sent me to you, so command me as you wish. He replied: I have a precedent in what is done to Al-Husayn (peace be upon him).

From the account of Muhammad Al-Najjar, the Sheikh of Hadith Scholars at the Mustansiriya School, with a chain of transmission going back to Anas ibn Malik, about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), it is reported that he said: When Allah intended to destroy the people of Noah, He revealed to him to cut planks from the teak wood. When he had cut them, he didn't know what to do with them. Then Gabriel descended and showed him the design.

The ship was built with a chest containing one hundred thousand nails and twenty-nine thousand nails. All the nails were used up for the construction of the ship until only five nails remained. Noah reached for one nail, and his hand illuminated as it does like a bright star in the sky. Noah was perplexed, and God made the nail speak with an eloquent tongue: "I am in the name of the best of prophets, Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him and his family)."

Gabriel descended, and God said to him, "O Gabriel, what is this nail the likes of which I have not seen?" He replied, "This is in the name of the Master of the Prophets, Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Nail it on the right side of the ship at the front." Then he struck with his hand to a second nail, which shone brightly. Noah asked, "And what is this nail?" Gabriel said, "This is the nail of my brother and God's chosen one, the Master of the Successors, Ali ibn Abi Talib. Nail it on the left side of the ship at the front."

Then he struck with his hand to a third nail, which glowed and shone brightly. Gabriel said, "This is the nail of Fatima. Nail it next to her father's nail." He then struck with his hand to a fourth nail, which glowed and shone. Gabriel said, "This is the nail of Hasan. Nail it next to his father's nail."

Then he struck with his hand to a fifth nail, which glowed, shone, and began to appear moist. Noah asked, "O Gabriel, what is this moisture?" Gabriel replied, "This is blood," and he recounted the story of Hussein (peace be upon him) and what the nation would do to him. May God curse his killer, his oppressor, and those who forsake him.

Anbarid al-Ijali said: I asked Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him): O son of the Messenger of Allah, inform me about the Ismail mentioned by Allah in His Book, where He says: "And mention in the Book Ismail. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet." Was this Ismail the son of Ibrahim (peace be upon him)? For people claim that he is Ismail, son of Ibrahim. He (peace be upon him) replied: Ismail died before Ibrahim, and Ibrahim was a proof of God, a leader, and a holder of divine law. To whom then was Ismail sent? I asked: Then who was it, may I be your sacrifice? He said: That was Ismail, son of Ezekiel, the prophet sent by God to his people.

They denied him, killed him, and disfigured his face, which provoked God's anger at them. Consequently, He sent Isatathael, the Angel of Torture, to them. Isatathael said: "O Ismail, I am Isatathael, the Angel of Torture, sent to you by the Lord of Glory to punish your people with various forms of torment if you so wish." Ismail replied: "I have no need for that, O Isatathael."

God revealed to him: "What do you need, O Isma'il?" Isma'il replied: "O Lord, You have taken the covenant upon Yourself for Your divinity, for Muhammad for prophethood, and for his successors for guardianship. You informed Your best creation about what his nation will do to Al-Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon them) after their Prophet. You promised Al-Husayn that You will return him to the world so that he may take revenge for himself from those who did this to him. My need, O Lord, is to be returned to the world so that I may take revenge on those who did this to me, just as You will return Al-Husayn. God promised Isma'il ibn Hizqil that, and indeed, he returns with Al-Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon them).

Khalid Al-Rubei'i narrated from those who heard Ka'b saying: The first to curse the killer of Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon them) was Ibrahim, the Beloved of the Merciful, and he ordered his descendants to do so, and took a covenant and pledge from them. Then, Moses son of Imran cursed him and commanded his people to do likewise. Then, David cursed him and instructed the Children of Israel to do so. Then, Jesus cursed him, often saying to the Children of Israel, "Curse his killer, and if you are present in his time, do not abandon him, for the martyr with him is like the martyr with the prophets, advancing and not retreating. And it is as if I see his place, and no prophet has been but has visited Karbala, stood upon it, and said: 'This place is abundant with goodness, for in it will be buried the bright moon.'"

Indeed, Sheikh Al-Halka, may Allah have mercy on him, would say:

The first meeting, from the seventh day of the events of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas (peace be upon him):

So let the mourners weep for the pure ones from the family of Muhammad and Ali, may God bless them and their family. Let them be lamented by the lamenters, for their sake let the tears flow, let those who cry out scream, let the mourners wail, let the mourners bemoan. Where is Hasan and where is Husayn? Where are the sons of Husayn, the righteous after the righteous, the truthful after the truthful? Where is the path after the path? Where is the chosen after the chosen? Where are the rising suns? Where are the shining moons? Where are the bright stars? Where are the banners of religion and the foundations of knowledge?

The narrator said about the people who prevented Husayn (peace be upon him), his family, and his companions from accessing water: The forces of Ibn Saad returned until they settled on the banks of the Euphrates, blocking Husayn and his companions from reaching the water. Thirst greatly afflicted Husayn (peace be upon him) and his companions. Husayn (peace be upon him) took an axe and went behind the women's tents, marking the ground in a line of nineteen steps towards the Qibla, and then dug there, causing a spring of fresh water to gush forth. Husayn (peace be upon him) drank from it, and it quenched his thirst.

The people filled their vessels, and then the spring disappeared without a trace.

When Ibn Ziyad learned of this, he sent a message to Omar ibn Sa'ad: "It has come to my attention that Al-Hussain (peace be upon him) is digging wells and finding water, and he and his companions are drinking from it. So when my letter reaches you, prevent them from digging wells as much as you can and restrict them. Do not let them taste the water, and treat them as they treated the pure Uthman." Consequently, Omar ibn Sa'ad imposed severe restrictions on them.

When thirst became unbearable for Hussein (peace be upon him), he called for his brother Abbas (peace be upon him) and gathered thirty horsemen and twenty riders, sending them with twenty waterskins. They ventured out in the middle of the night until they drew near the Euphrates. Amr ibn al-Hajjaj asked, "Who are you?" A man from Hussein's companions, named Hilal ibn Nafi' al-Bajali, replied, "I came as your kinsman to drink from this water." Amr said, "Drink freely," to which Hilal responded, "Woe to you! You bid me to drink while Hussein, the son of Ali, and those with him are dying of thirst?" Amr acknowledged, "You are right, but we have been commanded with orders that we must follow."

Hilal then called out to his companions, and they entered the Euphrates. Amr called to his men, and a fierce battle ensued. Hilal's group fought until they filled their waterskins. None of Hussein's companions were killed, and then they returned to their camp. Hussein and those with him drank, and from that day, Abbas (peace be upon him) was named "Al-Saqqa" (the Water Bearer).

Then, Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) sent a message to Umar bin Sa'ad, may Allah curse him, saying: "I wish to speak with you; meet me tonight between my camp and yours." Ibn Sa'ad went out to him with twenty men, and Al-Husayn went out to him with a similar number. When they met, Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) instructed his companions to withdraw from him, leaving only his brother Al-Abbas and his son Ali Al-Akbar with him. Umar bin Sa'ad also instructed his companions to withdraw from him, leaving only his son Hafs and a servant with him.

Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) said to him: "Woe unto you, O son of Sa'd, do you not fear God, to whom is your return? Do you fight me, considering I am the son of whom you know? Leave these people and join me, for it is closer to God for you."

When Umar ibn Sa'ad met with Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), he said, "I fear my house will be destroyed." Imam Hussain replied, "I will rebuild it for you." Umar then said, "I fear my lands will be taken away." Imam Hussain responded, "I will compensate you with something better from my wealth in Hijaz." Umar said, "I have a family, and I fear for them," and then he fell silent, saying nothing further. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) turned away from him, saying, "Why? May God slay you on your bed soon, and may He not forgive you on the Day of Judgment. By God, I hope that you will only eat a little of the wheat of Iraq." Umar ibn Sa'ad mockingly replied, "Barley is sufficient instead of wheat."

Sheikh Al-Mufid, may he rest in peace, mentioned that a letter from Ibn Ziyad arrived to Umar bin Sa'd with an order: "Block access to water against Husayn and his companions, and let them not taste a drop of it, just as it was done to the pious and virtuous Uthman bin Affan." Consequently, Umar bin Sa'd immediately dispatched Amr bin Al-Hajjaj with five hundred horsemen, who settled by the river bank and blocked Husayn and his companions from the water, preventing them from getting even a single drop. This happened three days before the martyrdom of Husayn (peace be upon him).

Abdullah bin Hussain Al-Azdi, who was among the people of Bajila, shouted in a loud voice: "O Husayn! Can you not see the water as if it were the firmament? By God, you will not taste a single drop of it until you die of thirst." Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) replied, "O Allah, kill him with thirst and never forgive him." Hamid ibn Muslim said, "By God, I visited him during his illness after that, and by God, there is no deity but Him, I saw him drinking water until his belly would swell, and then he would vomit and cry out: 'Thirst, thirst.' Then he would drink again until his belly would swell, and he would vomit, burning with thirst. He continued in this state until he breathed his last."

When Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) observed the arrival of the troops led by Umar ibn Saad in Nineveh, and their preparations for battle, he sent a message to Umar ibn Saad expressing his wish to meet him. They met at night and had a lengthy discussion. Afterward, Umar ibn Saad returned to his position and wrote to Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad:

"After greetings, God has extinguished the strife, unified the word, and restored the affairs of the nation. Hussein has agreed to return to..."

The place from which he came, or his journey to a frontier post from the frontiers, to become a man among the Muslims, sharing their rewards and responsibilities.

It is narrated that Uqbah bin Sam'an said: I accompanied Husayn from Medina to Iraq and remained with him until he was killed, and by God, I never heard him say that.

When `Ubaydullah read the letter, he said: "This is the letter of an honest man who cares for his people." Shimar bin Dhi al-Jawshan stood up and said: "Will you accept this from him, even though he has encamped in your land and come near you? By God, if he departs from your territory without placing his hand in yours, he will be stronger, and you will be weaker and more incapable. Do not grant him this status, for it will be a sign of weakness. Let him and his companions submit to your authority. If you choose to punish, you are more entitled to do so, and if you choose to forgive, it will be to your credit."

Ibn Ziyad said: "What a great view! Your opinion is sound. Take this letter to Umar ibn Sa'd and have him present it to Hussain (peace be upon him) and his companions, offering them the opportunity to accept my judgment. If they agree, send them to me peacefully. But if they refuse, let him fight them. Should he do so, listen to him and obey. If he refuses to fight them, you are the commander of the army; strike off his head and send it to me."

He wrote to Umar ibn Sa'ad: "I did not send you to Hussein to desist from him, nor to prolong his stay, nor to wish him safety and continuation, nor to excuse him, nor to mediate on his behalf with me. Look, if Hussein and his companions give themselves up to my judgment and surrender, then send them to me peacefully. However, if they refuse, then advance against them until you kill them and mutilate them, for they deserve this. If you kill Hussein, trample his chest and back with horses. He is an obstinate wrongdoer, and I do not see that this harms anything after death. However, I said it, and had I killed him, I would have done this to him. If you follow my orders regarding him, we shall reward you as a compliant and obedient servant. But if you refuse, then resign from our work and army, and leave the matter to Shimr ibn..."

Let him know of our command, and peace be upon you.

Shamir ibn Dhi al-Jawshan approached Umar ibn Sa’ad with a letter from Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. When Umar read the letter, he said to Shamir, "What is it with you, woe to you? May God bring no peace to your abode, and may God disgrace what you have brought upon me. By God, I think I warned him against what you wrote to him, and you have ruined for us a matter that we hoped might be resolved. By God, Husayn will not surrender, for he carries within him the soul of his father." Shamir replied, "Tell me what you intend to do. Will you carry out the command of your emir and fight his enemy? If not, leave the troops and the army to me." Umar said, "No, there is no respect for you, but I will take charge of that, while you oversee the infantry."

We moved with Umar bin Saad towards Al-Hussain (peace be upon him) on the eve of Thursday, after nine days of Muharram had passed. Shumr came and stood before the companions of Al-Hussain (peace be upon him) and said, "Where are our sister's sons?"

So, Jaafar, Al-Abbas, Abdullah, and Uthman, the sons of Ali (peace be upon him), stepped forward and said to him, "What do you want?" He replied, "You, my nephews, are safe." The group responded to him, "May God curse you and your promise of safety. You offer us safety while the son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) has no safety."

Sheikh Jafar Al-Nukdi, may he rest in peace, said: "It has been confirmed that Al-Abbas (peace be upon him) performed astonishing feats, slew mighty warriors, and brought water multiple times to the household of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). In the book 'Secrets of Martyrdom' by the virtuous Al-Darbendi, may he rest in peace, it is mentioned in the account of the martyrdom of Al-Abbas (peace be upon him): It is said that Zuhair came to Abdullah bin Ja'far bin Aqil before he was killed and said: 'O my brother, hand me the banner.' Abdullah replied: 'Am I deficient in carrying it?' Zuhair said: 'No, but I have need of it.' So Abdullah handed it to him, and Zuhair took it and went to Al-Abbas."

Ibn Ali (peace be upon him) said: "O son of the Commander of the Faithful, I wish to narrate a hadith to you that I have learned." He replied, "Speak, for indeed the conversation is tasteful and delightful."

He said, "Know, O Abu al-Fadl, that when your father, the Commander of the Faithful, wanted to marry Umm al-Banin, he sent for his brother Aqil, who was knowledgeable about the Arab lineages. He (peace be upon him) said: 'O my brother, I want you to find for me a woman from noble lineage, ancestry, and bravery so that I may have a brave son from her, a supporter for this son of mine'—pointing to Hussain (peace be upon him)—'to stand by him in the battle of Karbala. Your father has saved you for this day, so do not hold back from supporting your sisters.'

Then Abbas (peace be upon him) shivered, stretched in his saddle until it cracked, and said, 'O Zuhair, do you want to embolden me on such a day? By God, I will show you something you have never seen before.' He spurred his horse towards the enemy until he was in the middle of the battlefield.

He fought and defended his brother and the family of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) valiantly until he fell to the ground soaked in his own blood, calling out, 'O Aba Abdallah, peace be upon you from me.'"

It grieves the Master of Martyrs (peace be upon him) to see his brother Abbas on the plains of Karbala, with his head shattered, his hands severed, an arrow in his eye, and the standard cast aside next to him.

To the respected Sheikh Muhammad Ali Al-Yaqoubi, may mercy be upon him, as he says:

The second council, from the seventh day of the standing of Abbas (peace be upon him) with the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and his noble martyrdom.

It is mentioned in some of the visits (Ziyarat) of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), Oh my lords, except that your path is what I adhere to, and the calamities afflicting me are only those that affect you, and the tragedies are those specific to you, and the great trials are those that have befallen you. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you and your souls and bodies, and Allah's mercy and blessings. May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O family of the Chosen One. We have no choice but to circle around your holy sites and send condolences to your souls for these great calamities that have descended upon you, and the monumental sorrows that have befallen your domain. These have left wounds in the hearts of your followers, inheriting them with pain and filling their chests with grief.

We bear witness before Allah that we have shared with your friends and your loyal supporters of the past in the shedding of the blood of the treacherous, the unjust, and the renegades, and the killers of Abu Abdillah, the master of the youths of paradise, on the day of Karbala, with our intentions and hearts, and we lament missing those opportunities.