المجالس العاشورية في المآتم الحسينية

The Ashura Gatherings
in
the Husayni Mourning Assemblies
Written by
Sheikh Abdullah ibn al-Haj Hasan Al-Darwish

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
«Say: I ask of you no reward for it except love for my kinsfolk» (1).

It is narrated from Aban ibn Taghlib, from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), who said: "The breath of one grieved over the wrong done to us is a glorification of God, his sorrow for our sake is an act of worship, and his concealment of our secret is a striving in the path of God." Then Abu Abdullah said: "This tradition ought to be written in gold."
Al-Amali, al-Mufid: 338, Hadith 3; Bihar al-Anwar, al-Majlisi 44/279, Hadith 4
And it is narrated from Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him), who said: "Whoever remembers our afflictions and weeps for what was done to us will be with us in our rank on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is reminded of our afflictions and weeps and makes others weep, his eyes will not weep on the day when eyes weep. And whoever sits in a gathering in which our cause is revived, his heart will not die on the day when hearts die."
Al-Amali, al-Saduq: 131, Hadith 4; Bihar al-Anwar, al-Majlisi: 44/278, Hadith 2

Foreword by the eminent scholar, the great researcher, author of valuable works
His Eminence Sheikh Baqir Sharif al-Qurashi, may God support him and perpetuate the benefit of his work
In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
The mighty revolution which the father of the free (peace be upon him) ignited against the Umayyad rule founded upon oppression, tyranny, and despotism — through it God Almighty clarified the Book and made it a lesson for those of understanding.

This eternal, blessed revolution changed the course of history and awakened the Islamic world from its slumber and stupor. After it had languished in servitude, humiliation, and subjugation under Umayyad rule, it rose with vigor, resolve, and determination, raising the banner of freedom, calling for the fall of Umayyad rule, and working to remove it and shatter its thrones. Thus came the popular uprisings led by some of the descendants of Ali and others, until they toppled it and razed its foundations and fortresses.

The great Husayni revolution lives on in the hearts of Muslims and in the depths of their souls, driving them toward liberation, dignity, and freedom from colonialism and its agents and lackeys. We call upon Muslims to benefit from its lights in this decisive stage of their history, so that they may become a singular example for the rest of the nations and join the caravan of advanced peoples.

It is fitting that we praise the esteemed scholar Sheikh Abdullah Hasan Al-Darwish for what

he has authored among beneficial books, such as his works on debates and others, and I single out in particular the book for which I have written these words: "The Ashura Gatherings in the Husayni Mourning Assemblies." It is among the excellent books that have presented the revolution of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) in an objective manner. He has done well with this book — may God elevate his station and grant him abundant reward, and peace be upon him.
Baqir Sharif al-Qurashi
21 Rajab 1424 AH

Introduction to the Book
In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, and in Him, the Exalted, we seek help. May God's blessings be upon Muhammad and his good and pure family. And now to proceed:

Among the blessings of the Creator, the Exalted, upon us are those gatherings held to revive the cause of the household of infallibility, may God's blessings and peace be upon them all, and to recall their virtues and what befell their noble presence — especially the Husayni mourning assemblies held every year during the ten days of the sacred month of Muharram. There is no doubt that these are gatherings beloved to God, His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and his household (peace be upon them); for through them the duty placed upon our shoulders is fulfilled — namely, to uphold their remembrance, revive their cause, console them in their sorrows and in what befell them, learn their straight and upright path, and follow their footsteps, teachings, and guidance. These gatherings are the foremost source of our religious and moral culture, for through them the teachings, guidance, and counsels of the household (peace be upon them) are presented — that pure spring which never runs dry.

This intense devotion which everyone observes among the followers and Shia of the household (peace be upon them) in attending these gatherings — held on the various occasions connected to the history and lives of the household (peace be upon them) — and in reviving them and caring deeply for them, stems without doubt from their sincere loyalty to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) and their consolation of his progeny and household (peace be upon them), who were harmed, displaced,

and killed in the path of God Almighty, and whom the nation was commanded to follow and hold fast to. It has been narrated from him in mass-transmitted reports that he (peace be upon him and his family) said: "I am leaving among you two things; you will never go astray after me so long as you hold fast to them: the Book of God and my progeny, my household. The Subtle, the All-Aware has informed me that they will never separate until they return to me at the Pool, like these two..." (1)

Many noble narrations have also come urging the revival of their cause, weeping over their afflictions, grieving for their grief, and rejoicing for their joy (peace be upon them), among which are:

What is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), who said: "God, blessed and exalted, looked upon the earth and chose us, and chose for us a Shia who support us, who rejoice for our joy and grieve for our grief, and who give of their wealth and their lives for our sake. Those are of us and unto us." (2)

And it is narrated from Abu Abdullah Ja'far ibn Muhammad (peace be upon them both), who said: "Speak about us, and there is no harm; may God have mercy upon whoever revives our cause." (3)
And it is narrated from Mu'attib, the freedman of Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), who said: I heard him say to Dawud ibn Sarhan: "O Dawud, convey my greetings to my followers, and that I say: May God have mercy upon a servant who gathers with another and they recall our cause, for a third with them is an angel who seeks forgiveness for them. No two gather upon our remembrance but that God Almighty takes pride in them before the angels. So when you gather, occupy yourselves with remembrance, for in your gathering and your discussion is our revival. The best of people after us is the one who recalls our cause and calls others to our remembrance." (4)

And it is narrated from Aban ibn Taghlib, from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), who said: "The breath of one grieved over the wrong done to us

is a glorification of God, his sorrow for our sake is an act of worship, and his concealment of our secret is a striving in the path of God." Then Abu Abdullah said: "This tradition ought to be written in gold." (1)

And it is narrated from Imam al-Rida (peace be upon him), who said: "Whoever remembers our afflictions and weeps for what was done to us will be with us in our rank on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is reminded of our afflictions and weeps and makes others weep, his eyes will not weep on the day when eyes weep. And whoever sits in a gathering in which our cause is revived, his heart will not die on the day when hearts die." (2)

And there are other reports and noble narrations to this effect.

Proceeding from this matter, and in response to the noble and honorable Haj Abdul-Salam al-Dakhil, who presented to me the idea of authoring this book, and at the wish of some of the brethren among the reciters of the Husayni narrative to realize this idea — I consulted our master and teacher, the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Taqi al-Qummi, may his noble shadow endure, regarding the writing of this book. I informed him of the desire of some of the brethren among the reciters of the narrative to author a book containing gatherings on the Husayni narrative and what relates to it, to be read in the Husayni gatherings and mourning assemblies during the ten days of the sacred month of Muharram. He, may his shadow endure, encouraged me to undertake the authoring of this book and said: "It is among the causes of your happiness, and in it lies the attainment of the reward of those who weep over the affliction of Hussein (peace be upon him) whenever it is read in the Husayni gatherings." He said to me: "And I shall pray for you in that regard." May God reward him with the best reward for his kindness and compassion. After all of this, I prepared this book that now lies before you in fulfillment of their wish.

In this book I have gathered what I was able to collect from the books of hadith and the Husayni narrative concerning all that relates to the life of the master of martyrs, Hussein (peace be upon him), from the beginning of his departure from Medina until his martyrdom (peace be upon him), and what befell his household and his women in captivity and bondage — along with mention of some of his noble virtues (peace be upon him) and his harrowing afflictions, which

are reported in the accounts on the tongue of the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), his household (peace be upon them), and some of the narrators. I have also added to this a number of Husayni poems in the places that suit them.

I have arranged this book in two parts. The first part: a number of gatherings for the ten days of Muharram, where I have assigned to each day its own particular gatherings, and mentioned in them what is suitable of the noble traditions and the Husayni narrative, and something of the virtues of the household (peace be upon them) and their luminous history.

As for the second part of the book, I have presented in it a number of additional gatherings whose recitation is also suitable during the ten days. They contain a portion of the history of Hussein (peace be upon him), his noble life, and what has been reported about him of traditions and accounts, along with mention of some matters relating to the history of the household (peace be upon them) and the injustices done to them.

I also offer my profound thanks to everyone who shared with me in producing this book, and I ask God Almighty to grant them success in what He loves and is pleased with.

I hope from God, the Most High, the Almighty, that He accept from me this humble effort, place it in the scale of deeds, make it purely for the sake of His noble Countenance, and benefit me by it on a day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except for one who comes to God with a sound heart — indeed He is the Hearer of supplications. Perhaps this book has met the wish of my believing brethren, the reciters of the Husayni narrative, and fulfilled their aspiration in this regard. I ask of them not to forget me in their righteous supplications at the places where prayers are answered. God Almighty is the granter of success; He is the best Master and the best Helper. "And glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they describe. And peace be upon the messengers. And praise be to God, Lord of the worlds."
Abdullah Hasan Al-Darwish
Sunday, 14 - 4 - 1424 AH

Part One:
The Special Gatherings for the Ten Days of Muharram
The First Gathering, of the First Day
The Prophet's (peace be upon him and his family) foretelling of what would befall his household (peace be upon them)
of killing and displacement
So for the noblest of the household of Muhammad and Ali, may God's blessings be upon them both and their families, let the weepers weep, for them let the mourners lament, for the likes of them let tears flow, let the criers cry out, the wailers wail, and the lamenters lament. Where is Hassan, and where is Hussein? Where are the sons of Hussein — righteous after righteous, truthful after truthful? Where is the path after the path? Where is the chosen after the chosen? Where are the rising suns? Where are the radiant moons? Where are the shining stars? Where are the banners of religion and the foundations of knowledge? (1)

It is narrated that Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked: "My master, may I be your ransom — people hold mourning for the deceased after his death or killing, yet I see you and your Shia hold mourning and lamentation for Hussein (peace be upon him) from the beginning of the month." He (peace be upon him) said: "O you, when the crescent of Muharram appears, the angels unfurl the garment of Hussein (peace be upon him), torn from the blows of swords and stained with blood. We and our Shia see it with insight, not with the eyes, and so our tears burst forth." (1)

May God grant you great reward, O believers, and may God grant you good consolation in the affliction of the master of the youth of Paradise. This is the month of Muharram, which has come upon you with its sorrows, so it is fitting that you lament Hussein (peace be upon him), weep for him with flowing tears, manifest grief, abandon celebrations, and gather to hold mourning assemblies, as the master of the youth of Paradise (peace be upon him) instructed. It is narrated that he (peace be upon him) counseled his son, Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), saying to him: "O my son, convey my greetings to my Shia, and tell them: My father died a stranger, so lament him; and he passed as a martyr, so weep for him." (2)

It is narrated that Sukayna (peace be upon her) embraced her father Hussein (peace be upon him) after his noble martyrdom and began to rub her face against his body, weeping until she fainted. Then the enemies of God came and pulled her away from him, removed her from him, and mounted her. Sukayna said: I heard my father (peace be upon him) say while I was unconscious:

And how excellent are the words of Sheikh Abd al-Karim al-Faraj, may God Almighty have mercy upon him, when he says concerning the crescent of the sacred month of Muharram:

Sheikh al-Saduq, may mercy be upon him, narrated from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) was sitting one day when Hassan (peace be upon him) approached. When he saw him, he wept, then said: "Come to me, my son," and kept drawing him near until he seated him upon his right thigh. Then Hussein (peace be upon him) approached. When he saw him, he wept, then said: "Come to me, my son," and kept drawing him near until he seated him upon his left thigh. Then Fatima (peace be upon her) approached. When he saw her, he wept, then said: "Come to me, my daughter," and seated her before him. Then the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) approached. When he saw him, he wept, then said: "Come to me, my brother," and kept drawing him near until he seated him at his right side. His companions said to him: "O Messenger of God, we do not see you look at any one of these but that you weep — is there none among them whom you are gladdened to see?" He (peace be upon him and his family) said: "By the One who sent me with prophethood and chose me over all creation, I and they are the most honored of creation before God, mighty and majestic, and there is no soul upon the face of the earth more beloved to me than them."

"As for Ali ibn Abi Talib, he is my brother and my kin, the holder of authority after me, and the bearer

of my banner in this world and the Hereafter, the keeper of my Pool and my intercession. He is the master of every Muslim, the leader of every believer, the guide of every pious one. He is my successor and my deputy over my family and my nation during my life and after my death. To love him is to love me, and to hate him is to hate me. Through his guardianship my nation became one shown mercy, and through enmity toward him, those who opposed him became accursed. I wept when he approached because I recalled the betrayal of the nation toward him after me, until he is removed from the seat that God appointed for him after me. Then the matter will continue against him until he is struck a blow upon the head from which his beard will be dyed, in the most excellent of months: «The month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed as guidance for the people and as clear proofs of guidance and the criterion» (1).

"As for my daughter Fatima, she is the mistress of the women of the worlds, of the first and the last. She is a part of me; she is the light of my eye, the fruit of my heart, the soul within my body. She is the human houri. Whenever she stands in her prayer-niche before her Lord, majestic is His majesty, her light shines for the angels of heaven just as the light of the stars shines for the people of the earth. And God, mighty and majestic, says to His angels: 'O My angels, look at My handmaiden Fatima, the mistress of My handmaidens, standing before Me, her limbs trembling from awe of Me, having turned her heart wholly to My worship. I call you to witness that I have secured her Shia from the Fire.' When I saw her, I recalled what will be done to her after me. It is as though I see her with humiliation entering her home, her sanctity violated, her right usurped, her inheritance withheld, her side broken, her unborn child miscarried, while she cries out: 'O Muhammad!' yet is not answered, and seeks aid yet is not aided. So she will remain after me sorrowful, distressed, and weeping — recalling the cessation of revelation from her house at one moment, and recalling my parting at another, and feeling forlorn when night descends upon her at the loss of my voice which she used to listen to when I recited the Quran in night prayer. Then she will see herself abased, after having been honored in the days of her father. At that moment God, exalted is His mention, will comfort her through the angels, who will call to her as they called to Mary, daughter of Imran, saying: 'O Fatima, «Indeed God has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.» O Fatima, «Be devoutly obedient to your Lord,

and prostrate and bow with those who bow.»"

"Then the pain will overtake her and she will fall ill, and God, mighty and majestic, will send to her Mary, daughter of Imran, to nurse her and comfort her in her sickness. At that point she will say: 'O Lord, I have grown weary of life and disgusted with the people of this world, so join me to my father.' And God, mighty and majestic, will join her to me. She will be the first of my household to join me, coming to me sorrowful, distressed, grieved, wronged, and slain. At that moment I will say: 'O God, curse those who wronged her, punish those who usurped her right, abase those who abased her, and consign eternally to Your Fire those who struck her side until she miscarried her child.' And the angels at that moment will say: 'Amen.'" And how excellent are the words of Sayyid Salih al-Hilli, may mercy be upon him, when he says:

And another said:

The continuation of the tradition: He (peace be upon him and his family) said: "As for Hassan, he is my son, my child, and of me — the comfort of my eye, the light of my heart, the fruit of my soul. He is the master of the youth of Paradise and God's proof over the nation. His command is my command, and his word is my word. Whoever follows him is of me, and whoever disobeys him is not of me. When I looked at him I recalled the humiliation that will befall him after me, and the matter will continue against him until he is killed by poison, wrongfully and in enmity. At that moment the angels and the seven mighty heavens will weep for his death, and everything will weep for him — even the birds in the open sky and the fish in the depths of the water. Whoever weeps for him, his eye will not go blind on the day when eyes go blind; whoever grieves for him, his heart will not grieve on the day when hearts grieve; and whoever visits him at his grave in al-Baqi'