المجالس العاشورية في المآتم الحسينية

It is narrated that after returning to Medina, the noblemen of Quraysh proposed to marry Al-Rabab, and she said: "I will not have a protector after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and I lived one year after Al-Hussein (peace be upon him), then she died of grief over Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) and did not seek shelter under any roof thereafter."

When she returned to Medina, she stayed there, unable to find peace day or night due to her grieving for Hussein (peace be upon him). She did not seek shelter under a roof until she died of sorrow after his martyrdom in the year 62 AH.

The people of Medina wept for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and mourned him for three years. It is narrated from Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, from his father (peace be upon them), who said: "Hussain ibn Ali was mourned for three years, and on the day he was killed, people like Wa'ila ibn al-Asma’ and Marwan ibn al-Hakam and Maswar ibn Makhramah, and those elders among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) would come in disguise to listen to the mourning of the Jinn and cry."

Ibn Hamdun mentioned in "Al-Tadhkira": When Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon them) was killed, mourning over him in Medina took place in every house for a whole year. In the second year, he was mourned every Friday, and in the third year, he was mourned every month. Marwan bin Al-Hakam and Al-Miswar bin Makhrama would enter to mourn him, disguised, and they would weep intensely until the mourning concluded.

Hisham bin Al-Kalbi said: A friend of ours told me, from Amr bin Abi Al-Muqdam who said: Amr bin Akrama told me, he said: On the morning following the killing of Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) in Medina, a maid of ours came to us and said: Last night I heard a caller calling and saying:

When the people of Medina learned of the killing of Husayn (peace be upon him), the daughter of Aqil ibn Abi Talib came out with her womenfolk, with her head uncovered, waving with her garment, and saying:

As for the weeping and lamentation of Umm al-Banin (peace be upon her), she cried so much that even the enemy felt compassion towards her and wept for her suffering. May God grant her solace for her loss of her four sons, whom she lost in a single moment.

From the sayings of Lady Umm al-Banin (peace be upon her) in lamentation for Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas and all her sons (peace be upon them):

And she also says:

Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani said: Umm al-Banin, the mother of the four slain brothers, used to go out to Al-Baqi' and lament over her sons with the deepest, most burning elegy. People would gather around her to listen, and Marwan used to come, among others, just for that purpose, and he would remain listening to her elegy, weeping. This account was mentioned by Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Hamza, from al-Nawfali, from Hammad ibn Isa al-Juhani, from Muawiya ibn Ammar, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Abu Al-Hasan Al-Akhfash said in the explanation of "Al-Kamil": She used to go out to Al-Baqi' every day to mourn him, carrying his son Abdullah. The people of Medina would gather to listen to her elegies, and among them was Marwan ibn al-Hakam, and they would cry for the sorrowful lamentation.

One of the accounts concerning the status of Abul-Fadl Al-Abbas (peace be upon him) and his esteemed position among the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is what Al-Darbendi mentioned in "Asrar al-Shahada," citing some books of the Maqatil. It states that on the Day of Judgment, when matters become dire for the people, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) will dispatch the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) to Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) to prepare for the station of intercession. The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) will ask, "O Fatima, what means of intercession do you possess? What have you set aside for this day, the day of the great trial?" Fatima (peace be upon her) will reply, "O Commander of the Faithful, sufficient for this station are the severed hands of my son, Al-Abbas."

In "The Secrets of Martyrdom," the scholar Al-Darbundi, may he rest in peace, mentioned: A group of trustworthy individuals of our time informed me that one of the believers of this era, who is still alive, used to visit Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) three times every day but would visit Abbas only once a week. He saw in his dream the virtuous lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), and when he greeted her, she turned away from him. He said, "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, why do you turn away from me?" She replied, "Because you neglect in visiting my son." He said, "I visit your son every day." She said, "You visit my son Hussein (peace be upon him) but rarely visit my son Abbas."

Some poets, when describing the sorrow of Hussain (peace be upon him) upon the fall of Abbas (peace be upon him), have expressed it in verse as follows:

The esteemed Sheikh Hassan Ali Al-Badr Al-Qatifi, may he rest in peace, speaks in the words of Hussain (peace be upon him):

The Fifth Assembly, from the Seventh Day: The Complaint of Fatimah (peace be upon her) on the Day of Resurrection and Her Vision of Husayn (peace be upon him)

It is narrated from Ja‘far al-Ahmar, from Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (peace be upon him), who said: I heard Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) said: On the Day of Resurrection, my daughter Fatimah will approach riding on a she-camel from the camels of Paradise, decorated on both sides. Its halter will be made of fresh pearl, its legs of green emerald, its tail of the purest musk, its eyes of two red rubies. Upon her will be a dome of light; its interior can be seen from its exterior and its exterior from its interior. Inside it is the forgiveness of Allah, and outside it is the mercy of Allah. Upon her head will be a crown of light, having seventy branches, each adorned with pearls and rubies, shining like a bright star in the horizon of the sky.

To her right will be seventy thousand angels, and to her left will be seventy thousand angels, with Gabriel holding the halter of the she-camel. He will call out in a loud voice: "Lower your eyes until Fatimah passes by, the daughter of Muhammad." On that day, no prophet, messenger, truthful one, or martyr will remain except that they will lower their eyes until Fatimah passes by.

It proceeds until it reaches the Throne of its Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He, and then descends from its mount and says: "My God, my Master, judge between me and those who have wronged me. O Allah, judge between me and those who killed my child." Then the call comes from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He: "O My beloved and the daughter of My beloved, ask and you shall be given, intercede and your intercession shall be accepted. By My might and majesty, no wrongdoer will escape My justice." She replies: "My God, my Master, my progeny and my followers, and those who love me and my progeny."

Then a call comes from Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He: "Where are the descendants of Fatimah, her followers, and those who love her and her progeny?" They will come forth, surrounded by the angels of mercy, and Fatimah (peace be upon her) will lead them until she brings them into Paradise.

Abu Ahmad bin Suleiman al-Tai narrated from Ali bin Musa al-Ridha, from his fathers (peace be upon them) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "My daughter Fatima (peace be upon her) will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment with garments stained with blood. She will cling to one of the pillars of the Throne and say: 'O Just One, judge between me and the killer of my son.' Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: 'Allah will indeed deal with my daughter justly, by the Lord of the Kaaba.'"

It is narrated from Al-Ridha, from his forefathers (peace be upon them), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "My daughter Fatimah will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment, with clothes stained with blood. She will cling to one of the pillars of the Throne and say: 'O Just One, judge between me and the killer of my son.' The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'Then my daughter will be judged, by the Lord of the Kaaba. Indeed, Allah Almighty is angered by the anger of Fatimah and is pleased by her pleasure.'"

On the Day of Resurrection, it is said that a pavilion of light will be set up for Fatimah (peace be upon her), and Husayn (peace be upon him) will come, holding his head in his hand. When she sees him, she will let out a cry, and there will not be a single angel brought near, a prophet sent, or a faithful servant who will not weep for her. Then God, the Almighty and Majestic, will represent her father to her in the best form.

An image portrays him angrily confronting his killers, headless, as God gathers his murderers, those who prepared his killing, and those who participated in it, and He will slay them until the very last one. They will be resurrected, and they will be killed by the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). Then they will be resurrected, and they will be killed by Hassan (peace be upon him). Then they will be resurrected, and they will be killed by Hussain (peace be upon him). Then they will be resurrected, and none of our descendants will remain without having killed his killers. At that time, God will reveal His wrath and erase sorrow.

Then Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) said: "May God have mercy on our followers, our followers, by God, they are the believers, for by God they have shared with us in our suffering through prolonged grief and sorrow."

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, Fatimah (peace be upon her) will arrive leading the women. She will be told, 'Enter Paradise,' but she will respond, 'I will not enter until I know what was done to my children after me.' She will be told, 'Look into the heart of the Resurrection.' She will see Hussein (peace be upon him) standing without a head, at which point she will cry out, prompting the angels to cry out in response to her cry. This will provoke the wrath of Almighty God on our behalf, and He will command a fire called 'Hebheb,' which has been burning for a thousand years until it turned black. It will never be graced by spirit nor relieved of affliction. She will be told, 'Gather the killers of Hussein (peace be upon him) and the bearers of the Quran,' and she will gather them. When they are within her reach, they will cry out and lament with her, exclaiming and expressing in fluent and articulate tongues, 'O our Lord, why did you assign us to the fire before the idol worshipers?' The reply from Almighty God will come to them: 'Those who know are not like those who do not know.'"

According to Abi Khayr, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The head of Hussein (peace be upon him) will be presented to Fatima (peace be upon her), and the people of the Resurrection will be called: "May Allah curse those who killed your son, O Fatima." Allah, the Almighty, will say: "So shall I do with them, with his supporters, and followers." And indeed, Fatima (peace be upon her) on that day shall be on a camel from the camels of Paradise, adorned on both sides, with radiant cheeks, and fair eyes. Its head is made of refined gold, and its neck of musk and amber.

The howdah of the she-camel is adorned with green peridot, lavishly decorated with jewels. Draped over the camel is a canopy made from the light of God, filled with the mercy of God. Its reins extend for a mile from the realms of the world, surrounded by seventy thousand angels, proclaiming the glory, praise, and greatness of the Lord of the Worlds. Then a caller calls out from beneath the throne: "O people of the Day of Resurrection, lower your eyes, for here passes Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) across the Sirat." Fatimah (upon her be peace) and her followers will cross the Sirat as swiftly as a flash of lightning. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: And her enemies and the enemies of her descendants will be cast into Hell.

It is narrated from Sheikh Al-Saduq, may Allah have mercy upon him, from Aban ibn Uthman, from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), who said: On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will gather the first and the last in one plain, and a caller will announce: "Lower your gazes and bow your heads until Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), crosses the Sirat." Then the creatures will lower their gazes, and Fatimah (peace be upon her) will come on one of the steeds of Paradise, accompanied by seventy thousand angels. She will stand in an honorable position among the stations of the Day of Resurrection, then she will dismount from her steed and take the shirt of Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) in her hand, soaked with his blood, and say: "O Lord, this is the shirt of my son, and You know well what has been done to him." Then a voice will come from Allah, the Exalted: "O Fatimah, you have My satisfaction." She will then say: "O Lord, take retribution on those who killed him." Allah will command a neck from the fire to come out and seize the killers of Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him), just as a bird picks up seeds, then the neck will return with them to the Fire, where they will be tormented with various kinds of punishment. Then Fatimah (peace be upon her) will mount her steed and enter Paradise with the accompanying angels, her offspring will be before her, and their supporters from the people will be on her right and left.

Ibn Abbas reported: I heard the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), say:

One day, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) entered and found Fatima (peace be upon her) in a state of sadness. He asked her, "What makes you sad, my daughter?" She replied, "O father, I recalled the gathering on the Day of Resurrection and the standing of people naked on that day." He said, "My dear daughter, it is indeed a great day. However, Gabriel has informed me from Allah, the Almighty, that He said, 'The first to be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection will be me, then my father Abraham, followed by your husband Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).'"

Then God will send Gabriel to you with seventy thousand angels. They will cover your grave with seven domes of light. After that, Israfil will come with three robes of light, and he will stand at your head and call out to you: "O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! Rise to your place of gathering." You will rise, free from any fear, your modesty intact. Israfil will hand you the robes to wear, and then Zoqail will come to you with a celestial carriage of light. Its reins are made of soft pearls, and it is adorned with a litter of gold. You will ride it as Zoqail leads its reins.

In front of you will be seventy thousand angels, each holding banners of glorification. As your journey progresses, seventy thousand heavenly maidens will greet you joyfully. Each one will carry a censer of light, from which will emit the scent of aloe without the need of fire. On their heads will be crowns of jewels adorned with green emeralds, and they will walk to your right.

When you proceed from your grave to the point of meeting, you will be greeted by Mary, the daughter of Imran, accompanied by the maidens of paradise. She will greet you, and she and those with her will walk to your left.

Your mother Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first of the believers in God and His Messenger, will welcome you, accompanied by seventy thousand angels, each holding banners of takbir (proclamation of God's greatness). As you approach the gathering, Hawwa (Eve) will meet you along with seventy thousand maidens of paradise, and with her will be Asiya bint Muzahim, who will accompany you and those with her.

So when the assembly is in its midst, which means that God gathers the creatures on one ground, where the feet are even, then a caller calls out from beneath the throne, audible to all creatures: "Lower your gaze until Fatimah, the Truthful, daughter of Muhammad, and those with her pass by." On that day, none shall gaze at her except Ibrahim, the Friend.

The Merciful (peace be upon him) and Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and Adam (peace be upon him) is looking for Eve and sees her with your mother Khadijah before you.

A pulpit of light will be erected for you, consisting of seven levels, with rows of angels between each level, bearing banners of light. The celestial maidens will line up on the right and left of the pulpit. Close to you, on your left, will be Hawwa (Eve) and Asiya. When you reach the highest level of the pulpit, Gabriel (peace be upon him) will come to you and say: "O Fatimah, ask for your need." You will say: "O Lord, let me see Hasan and Husayn." They will come to you, and the veins of Husayn will be gushing with blood as he says: "O Lord, avenge for me today from those who wronged me."

At that moment, the Almighty will become angry, and with His anger, Hell and all the angels will become furious. Hell will then emit a roar, releasing a group of fire that will seize the killers of Husayn, their children, and their children's children. They will say: "O Lord, we were present when Husayn was killed." God will then say to the guardians of Hell: "Seize them by their marks of blue eyes and blackened faces. Take them by their forelocks and throw them into the lowest depths of the Fire, for they were harsher to the friends of Husayn than their fathers, who fought against Husayn and killed him."

Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) says: O Fatimah, ask for your need. You will say: O Lord, my Shia. Allah, the Almighty, says: I have forgiven them. You will say: O Lord, the Shia of my children. Allah says: I have forgiven them. You will say: O Lord, the Shia of my Shia. Allah says: Go forth, for whoever held fast to you is with you in paradise. At that moment, all creatures will wish they were Fatimids. You will proceed, with your Shia, the Shia of your children, and the Shia of the Commander of the Faithful, safe from fear, their flaws concealed. Their hardships will have vanished, and the paths made easy for them. People will be afraid while they remain fearless, and people will be thirsty while they remain quenched.

To Sheikh Faraj Al-Omran, may he rest in peace, who used to say:

The first council, on the eighth day: Al-Qasim (peace be upon him) and his support for Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) and his martyrdom.

In the honorable Ziyarat Al-Nahiya, addressing the master of martyrs (peace be upon him), it is stated: Then knowledge required you to denounce, and you were obliged to fight the rebellious. You set out with your sons, your family, your followers, and your supporters. You proclaimed the truth and the evidence, and you called to God with wisdom and good exhortation. You commanded the establishment of the limits and obedience to the worshiped, and forbade abominations and tyranny. They confronted you with injustice and aggression, and you fought them after giving them counsel and emphasizing the arguments upon them. They violated your pledges and disobeyed your allegiance, angered your Lord and your grandfather, and initiated the war against you. You stood firm in the face of stabbing and striking, crushed the armies of the wicked, and plunged into the midst of the dust, battling with the sword of vengeance as though you were the chosen Ali.

When they saw you, steadfast and courageous, unfazed and unafraid, they set up traps and schemes against you, fought you with their deceit and malevolence. The cursed one commanded his soldiers, and they denied you water and access to it. They confronted you in battle, engaged you swiftly, bombarded you with arrows and darts, and extended their hands to annihilate you, disregarding any ties, nor fearing any sins against you.

They killed your allies and plundered your property, as you advanced bravely into the fray and endured the tribulations. The angels of heaven marveled at your patience as they surrounded you from every direction and inflicted you with wounds, blocking you from your way.

When evening comes, and you have no supporters left, while you remain patient and hopeful, defending your family and children.

Abu Hamza al-Thumali narrated, saying: I heard Ali ibn al-Husayn Zain al-Abidin (peace be upon him) say: On the day my father (peace be upon him) was martyred, he gathered his family and companions on the night before that day and said to them: "O my family and my followers, consider this night as a means for your escape, and save yourselves, for I am their sole target. If they kill me, they will not think of you. Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity granted by Allah, and leave, for you are free from my allegiance and promise which you made to me."

His brothers, family, and supporters said in unison, "By God, our master Abu Abdullah, we will never abandon you. We swear by God, people will not say that they left their leader, their elder, and their master alone until he was killed. We will do our utmost to bear witness before God, and we will not forsake you or be killed protecting you."

He (peace be upon him) told them, "O people, tomorrow I will be killed, and all of you with me; none of you will survive." They said, "Praise be to God who has honored us with your support and blessed us with martyrdom alongside you. Would we not be content to be with you in that high rank, O son of the Messenger of God?"

He said, "May God reward you well," and he prayed for them. The next morning, they were all killed alongside him.

Al-Qasim ibn Al-Hasan (peace be upon him) asked his uncle, "Will I also be among those who are killed?" His uncle showed compassion towards him and said, "O my son, how do you perceive death?" Al-Qasim replied, "O uncle, it is sweeter than honey." His uncle then said, "Indeed, by God, may your uncle be your sacrifice. Every one of us men will face such trials, and my son Abdullah too."

He said: "O uncle, do they go as far as to harm women until Abdullah is killed while he is still an infant?" He replied: "May your uncle be sacrificed for you. If Abdullah were to die of thirst when my spirit is nearly gone, and you go to the tents searching for water and milk and find nothing, I would then say, 'Bring me my son so that I might drink from his mouth.' They bring him to me, placing him in my arms, and as I lift him to draw near him, a wretched one — may Allah curse him — shoots an arrow at him, striking his neck while he babbles. His blood flows into my palms, and I lift it to the sky, saying: 'O Allah, patience and acceptance.'"

The spears from them would rush at me, and the fire would burn the trench in which the tents appear, so I charge at them in the hardest times in the world, and what God wills happens. He cried, and we cried, and the cries and lamentations of the Prophet's (peace be upon him and his family) descendants rose in the tents. Zuhair ibn al-Qain and Habib ibn Muzahir would inquire about me, asking: "O our master, our master Ali (peace be upon him)!" — and they would point to me — "What will happen to him?" I would say tearfully: "God would not cut off my lineage from the world, so how could they reach him when he is the father of eight Imams (peace be upon them)."

Al-Hajj Ahmad Al-Awi, may Allah have mercy on him, speaks about the grandson of Imam Al-Hasan (peace be upon him):

Sheikh Al-Turayhi, may he rest in peace, narrated in "Al-Muntakhab": It is recounted that when the situation reached the point of battle for Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) in Karbala, and all his companions were killed, the turn came for the sons of his brother Hassan (peace be upon him). Al-Qasim ibn Hassan (peace be upon them both) approached and said, "O uncle, grant me permission to confront these infidels." Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) replied, "O son of my brother, you are a symbol of my brother, and I want you to remain as a source of consolation for me at night," and he did not grant him permission to go to battle.

Al-Qasim sat down, saddened and troubled, his eyes filled with tears and his heart heavy with sorrow. While Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) permitted his brothers to go to battle, he did not permit Al-Qasim. Al-Qasim sat there, in pain, resting his head on his knees. He remembered that his father had tied an amulet on his right shoulder, saying to him, "When you are afflicted with pain and distress, unravel the amulet, read it, understand its meaning, and act according to everything you see."

Qasim read the letter, saying to himself: "Years have passed, and I have not experienced such pain." He untied the amulet, opened it, and looked at its writing. It read: "My son Qasim, I advise you that if you see your uncle Al-Hussain (peace be upon him) in Karbala surrounded by enemies, do not abstain from fighting and striving against the enemies of God and the enemies of His Messenger. Do not withhold your soul from him, and if he discourages you from fighting, persist until he permits you to engage in battle, so that you may attain eternal happiness."

So Al-Qasim immediately went to Hussain (peace be upon him) and presented what his father Hasan (peace be upon him) had written to his uncle Hussain (peace be upon him). When Hussain (peace be upon him) read the protective charm, he cried intensely and sighed deeply, then said: "O son of my brother, this is the will from your father for you, and I have another will from him for you, and it is essential to fulfill it."

Hussain (peace be upon him) took hold of Qasim's hand and brought him into the tent. He asked Umm al-Qasim (peace be upon him), "Doesn't Qasim have new garments?" She replied, "No." So he said to his sister Zainab, "Bring me the chest." She brought it to him and placed it before him. He opened it and took out Hassan's (peace be upon him) robe and dressed Qasim in it, and wrapped Hassan's turban around his head.

When Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) saw that Al-Qasim wanted to go into battle, he said to him: "Oh my son, are you walking to your death?" Al-Qasim replied: "How can I not, dear uncle, when I see you surrounded by enemies, alone and without a defender or friend? My soul is yours to sacrifice, and my life is a shield for your life."

Then Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) tore the clothes of Al-Qasim, cut his turban in half, then he draped it over his face. He dressed him in clothes resembling a shroud, tied a sword around Al-Qasim's waist, and sent him to the battlefield.

In this context, the esteemed Sheikh Ali Al-Jishi, may he rest in peace, says:

Abu al-Faraj Muhammad ibn Abi Talib and others said: Then, Qasim ibn al-Hasan (peace be upon him) emerged. He was a young boy who had not yet reached puberty. When al-Husayn (peace be upon him) saw him approaching, he embraced him, and they both began to cry until they lost consciousness. Then Qasim sought permission from al-Husayn (peace be upon him) to go into battle, but al-Husayn initially refused to grant him permission. The young boy continued to kiss his hands and feet until he was granted permission. Qasim went out, with tears streaming down his cheeks, saying:

His face was like a radiant moon, and he fought fiercely, managing to kill thirty-five men despite his young age.

Al-Humaid said: I was in the camp of Ibn Sa'd, and I watched this young boy wearing a shirt, a lower garment, and sandals, one of which had a broken strap—I remember it was the left one. Then Amr Ibn Sa'd Al-Azdi said, "By God, I will rush at him." So I said, "Glory be to God! What do you want with that? By God, if he struck me, I would not raise my hand against him. Those you see surrounding him are enough for him." He said, "By God, I will do it." So he charged at him and did not stop until he struck the boy's head with a sword, causing the boy to fall on his face, crying out, "Oh uncle."

He said: Then Husayn (peace be upon him) came like a swooping falcon, weaving through the ranks, and charged with the ferocity of a war lion. He struck 'Amr with his sword, and 'Amr defended himself with his hand, but the blow severed it at the elbow. 'Amr cried out and retreated from him, as the cavalry of the people of Kufa charged to rescue 'Amr from Husayn (peace be upon him).