المجالس العاشورية في المآتم الحسينية

issued from me? So Gabriel descended to him and said: O Abraham, no sin has issued from you, but here the grandson of the Seal of the Prophets and the son of the Seal of the Successors shall be killed, so your blood flowed in harmony with his blood. He said: O Gabriel, and who shall be his killer? He said: The one cursed by the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths, and the Pen ran across the Tablet to curse him without the permission of his Lord. So God Almighty revealed to the Pen: You have earned praise by this curse.

So Abraham (peace be upon him) raised his hands and cursed Yazid with a great cursing, and his horse said amen in eloquent speech. Abraham said to his horse: What is it that you have come to know, that you would say amen to my supplication? It said: O Abraham, I take pride in your riding upon me, so when I stumbled and you fell from my back, my shame became great—and the cause of that was Yazid, may God Almighty curse him.

And it is narrated that Ishmael's sheep were grazing by the bank of the Euphrates, and the shepherd informed him that they had not drunk water from this watering place for so many days. So he asked his Lord about the reason for that, and Gabriel descended and said: O Ishmael, ask your sheep, for they will answer you about the reason for that. So he said to them: Why do you not drink from this water? They said in eloquent speech: We have learned that your descendant Hussein (peace be upon him), the grandson of Muhammad, shall be killed here thirsty, so we do not drink from this watering place out of grief for him. He asked them about his killer, and they said: He shall be killed by the one cursed by the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths and all of creation. So Ishmael said: O God, curse the killer of Hussein (peace be upon him).

And another said:

And how excellent are the words of Ibn al-Arandas, may mercy be upon him, when he says:

And it is narrated that Moses was walking one day, and with him was Joshua son of Nun. When he came to the land of Karbala, his sandal tore and its strap snapped, and the thorns entered his feet and his blood flowed. He said: My God, what thing has issued from me? So it was revealed to him: Here Hussein (peace be upon him) shall be killed, and here his blood shall be shed, so your blood flowed in harmony with his blood. He said: My Lord, and who shall Hussein be? It was said to him: He is the grandson of Muhammad the Chosen, and the son of Ali the Approved. He said: And who shall be his killer? It was said: He is the one cursed by the fish in the seas, the wild beasts in the wastelands, and the birds in the air. So Moses raised his hands and cursed Yazid and invoked against him, and Joshua son of Nun said amen to his supplication, and he went on his way(2).

The narrator said: And it is related that an Israelite saw Moses son of Imran in a hurry, overtaken by paleness, his body afflicted with weakness, his limbs gripped by trembling, his flesh shuddering, his eyes sunken and his frame wasted—for whenever his Lord called him for intimate discourse, this would come over him out of fear of God Almighty. The Israelite, who was among those who believed in him, recognized him and said: O Prophet of God, I have committed a grave sin, so ask your Lord to pardon me. He assented and went on. When he spoke intimately with his Lord, He said to him: O Lord of the worlds, I ask You—and You are the All-Knowing before I utter it. So He said, Almighty: O Moses, whatever you ask of Me I shall grant you, and whatever you wish I shall convey to you. He said: My Lord, this man, Your Israelite servant, has committed a sin and asks You for pardon. He said: O Moses, I pardon whoever seeks My forgiveness, except the killer of Hussein. Moses said: My Lord, and who is Hussein? He said to him: The one whose mention passed over you beside Mount Sinai. He said: My Lord, and who shall kill him? He said: He shall be killed by the rebellious, tyrannical nation of his grandfather in the land of Karbala, and his horse shall bolt and neigh and whinny, saying in its neighing: Injustice, injustice from a nation that has killed the son of the daughter of its Prophet. So he shall remain cast upon the sands without washing or shroud, his belongings plundered, and his women taken captive

through the lands, and his supporter killed, and their heads paraded along with his head upon the points of spears. O Moses! Their little ones shall be slain by thirst, and the skin of their elders shall be shriveled, crying for help with no helper, and seeking refuge with no protector.

He said: So Moses (peace be upon him) wept and said: My Lord, and what punishment awaits his killers? He said: O Moses, a punishment from which the people of the Fire shall seek refuge in the Fire. My mercy shall not reach them, nor the intercession of his grandfather, and were it not for an honor due to him, I would cause the earth to swallow them. Moses said: I declare myself free before You, O God, of them and of whoever is content with their deeds. So He said, Glorified is He: O Moses, I have decreed mercy for those of My servants who follow him, and know that whoever weeps over him, or causes weeping, or pretends to weep, I have forbidden his body to the Fire(1).

And it is narrated that Solomon used to sit upon his carpet and travel through the air. One day, as he traveled, he passed over the land of Karbala, and the wind whirled his carpet around three times until he feared falling. Then the wind grew still, and the carpet descended in the land of Karbala. Solomon said to the wind: Why have you grown still? It said: Here Hussein (peace be upon him) shall be killed. He said: And who shall Hussein be? It said: He is the grandson of Muhammad the Chosen (God's blessings be upon him and his family), and the son of Ali the Charging Lion. He said: And who shall be his killer? It said: The one cursed by the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, Yazid. So Solomon raised his hands and cursed him and invoked against him, and the humans and the jinn said amen to his supplication. Then the wind blew, and the carpet sailed on(2).

And it is narrated that Jesus was journeying through the wildernesses, and with him were the disciples. They passed through Karbala and saw a fierce lion that had blocked the road. Jesus advanced toward the lion and said to it: Why have you sat in this road? And he said: Will you not let us pass through it? The lion said in eloquent speech: I shall not leave you the road until you curse Yazid, the killer of Hussein (peace be upon him). Jesus (peace be upon him) said: And who shall Hussein be? It said: He is the grandson of Muhammad the unlettered Prophet (God's blessings be upon him and his family), and the son of Ali the Guardian. He said: And who shall be his killer?

It said: His killer is cursed by all the wild beasts, the wolves, and the predators—especially during the days of Ashura. So Jesus raised his hands and cursed Yazid and invoked against him, and the disciples said amen to his supplication. Then the lion moved aside from their road, and they went on their way(1).

And the author of al-Durr al-Thamin narrated, in his commentary on God Almighty's saying: "Then Adam received words from his Lord," that he saw the leg of the Throne and the names of the Prophet (God's blessings be upon him and his family) and the Imams (peace be upon them), so Gabriel taught him to say: O Praiseworthy One, by the right of Muhammad; O Exalted One, by the right of Ali; O Originator, by the right of Fatima; O Beneficent One, by the right of Hassan and Hussein, and from You is all beneficence.

When he mentioned Hussein (peace be upon him), his tears flowed and his heart broke, and he said: O my brother Gabriel, at the mention of the fifth my heart breaks and my tears stream. Gabriel said: This son of yours shall be afflicted by a calamity beside which all calamities are made small. He said: O my brother, and what is it? He said: He shall be killed thirsty, a stranger, alone, solitary, with neither helper nor aid. And if you could see him, O Adam, as he says: Oh, the thirst! Oh, the scarcity of my helpers!—until the thirst rises between him and the sky like smoke, and none answers him save with swords and the drinking of death. So he shall be slaughtered as a sheep is slaughtered, from the back of his neck, and his enemies shall plunder his belongings, and their heads, his and his supporters', shall be paraded through the lands, and with them the women. Thus has it been decreed in the knowledge of the One, the Bestower. So Adam and Gabriel wept the weeping of the bereaved(2).

And from Ali ibn Muhammad, raising it [in chain], from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him), concerning God Almighty's saying: "Then he cast a glance at the stars and said: Indeed I am sick," he said: He reckoned and saw what would befall Hussein (peace be upon him), so he said: Indeed I am sick—because of what would befall Hussein (peace be upon him)(3).

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

He (peace be upon him) said: These letters are among the tidings of the unseen, which God disclosed to His servant Zechariah, and then He recounted them to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). That is because Zechariah asked God his Lord to teach him the names of the Five. So Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended upon him and taught them to him. So whenever Zechariah mentioned Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, and Hassan (peace be upon them), his grief was relieved and his distress dispelled; but whenever he mentioned the name of Hussein, weeping choked him and breathlessness overcame him. So one day he said: My God, what is it that whenever I mention four of them I am consoled from my sorrows by their names, but whenever I mention Hussein my eyes shed tears and my anguish rises? So God, Blessed and Almighty, informed him of his story and said: Kaf Ha Ya Ayn Sad—the Kaf is the name of Karbala, the Ha is the destruction (halak) of the pure progeny, the Ya is Yazid, who is the oppressor of Hussein, the Ayn is his thirst ('atash), and the Sad is his patience (sabr).

When Zechariah heard that, he did not leave his place of prayer for three days, and during them he forbade the people from entering upon him, and he gave himself over to weeping and lamentation, eulogizing him: My God, would You afflict the best of all Your creation with the loss of his son? My God, would You bring down the affliction of this calamity in his courtyard? My God, would You clothe Ali and Fatima in the garments of this calamity? My God, would You bring down the anguish of this calamity upon their dwelling? Then he would say: My God, grant me a son by whom my eye may be gladdened in old age, and when You have granted him to me, captivate me with his love, then afflict me with his loss as You afflict Muhammad Your beloved with the loss of his son. So God granted him John (Yahya) and afflicted him with his loss. The gestation of John was six months, and the gestation of Hussein (peace be upon him) was likewise(1).

And from al-Fadl, who said: I heard al-Rida (peace be upon him) say: When God, Mighty and Majestic, commanded Abraham (peace be upon him) to slaughter, in place of his son Ishmael, the ram which He sent down to him, Abraham wished that he had slaughtered his son Ishmael with his own hand and that he had not been commanded to slaughter the ram in his place, so that there might return to his heart that which returns to the heart of a father who slaughters his dearest son with his own hand, and thereby he would deserve the highest ranks of those rewarded for patience in calamities. So God, Mighty and Majestic, revealed to him: O Abraham, who is the most beloved of My creation to you? He said: My Lord, You have not created any creature more beloved to me than Your beloved Muhammad. So God revealed to him:

Is he more beloved to you, or your own self? He said: Rather, he is more beloved to me than my own self. He said: Then his son, or your son—which is more beloved to you? He said: Rather, his son. He said: Then is his son's being slaughtered unjustly at the hands of his enemies more painful to your heart, or your son's being slaughtered by your own hand in obedience to Me? He said: My Lord, rather his being slaughtered at the hands of his enemies is more painful to my heart.

He said: O Abraham, a faction that claims to be of the nation of Muhammad shall kill Hussein, his son, after him, unjustly and in enmity, just as the ram is slaughtered, and by that they shall earn My wrath. So Abraham grieved at that, and his heart ached, and he began to weep. So God, Mighty and Majestic, revealed: O Abraham, I have ransomed your grief over your son Ishmael—had you slaughtered him with your own hand—with your grief over Hussein and his killing, and I have granted you the highest ranks of those rewarded for patience in calamities. That is the saying of God, Mighty and Majestic: "And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice."(1) And how excellent are the words of the proof, Sheikh Ali al-Jishi, may mercy be upon him, when he says:

And it is narrated from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) that he said: The Ishmael of whom God, Mighty and Majestic, said in His Book: "And mention in the Book Ishmael; indeed he was true to his promise and was a messenger, a prophet"—was not Ishmael son of Abraham, but rather he was a prophet among the prophets, whom God, Mighty and Majestic, sent to his people. They seized him and flayed the skin of his head and his face. So an angel came to him and said: God, Sublime is His Majesty, has sent me to you, so command me with whatever you wish. He said: I have an example in what shall be done to Hussein (peace be upon him)(2).

And from the history of Muhammad al-Najjar, the shaykh of the traditionists at the Mustansiriyya school, with a chain raised to Anas ibn Malik, from the Prophet (God's blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: When God willed to destroy the people of Noah, He revealed to him to split planks of teak. When he split them, he did not know what to do with them, so Gabriel descended and showed him the form

of the ship, and with him was a chest containing one hundred and twenty-nine thousand nails. He nailed the ship with all the nails until five nails remained. Then he struck his hand toward a nail, and it shone in his hand and gleamed as the brilliant star gleams in the horizon of the sky. Noah was bewildered, so God caused the nail to speak in fluent, eloquent speech: I am upon the name of the best of the prophets, Muhammad ibn Abdullah (God's blessings be upon him and his family).

So Gabriel descended, and Noah said to him: O Gabriel, what is this nail, the like of which I have never seen? He said: This is upon the name of the master of the prophets, Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Drive it into the front, on the right side of the ship. Then he struck his hand toward a second nail, and it shone and gave light. Noah said: And what is this nail? He said: This is the nail of his brother and cousin, the master of the successors, Ali ibn Abi Talib. So drive it into the left side of the ship, at its front. Then he struck his hand toward a third nail, and it glowed and shone and gave light. Gabriel said: This is the nail of Fatima. So drive it beside the nail of her father. Then he struck his hand toward a fourth nail, and it glowed and gave light. Gabriel said: This is the nail of Hassan. So drive it beside the nail of his father. Then he struck his hand toward a fifth nail, and it glowed and gave light and revealed moisture. Gabriel said: This is the nail of Hussein. So drive it beside the nail of his father. Noah said: O Gabriel, what is this moisture? He said: This is blood. Then he recounted the story of Hussein (peace be upon him) and what the nation would do to him. So may God curse his killer, his oppressor, and the one who forsook him(1).

And from Burayd al-Ijli, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him): O son of the Messenger of God, tell me about the Ishmael whom God mentioned in His Book where He says: "And mention in the Book Ishmael; indeed he was true to his promise and was a messenger, a prophet"—was he Ishmael son of Abraham (peace be upon them both)? For the people claim that he is Ishmael son of Abraham. So he (peace be upon him) said: Ishmael died before Abraham, and Abraham was a proof of God, a leader, the possessor of a divine law. To whom, then, would Ishmael have been sent? I said: Then who was he, may I be made your ransom? He said: That was Ishmael son of Ezekiel the Prophet. God sent him to his people,

but they denied him and killed him and flayed his face. So God was angered against them on his account, and He directed to him Istatail, the angel of punishment. He said to him: O Ishmael, I am Istatail, the angel of punishment. The Lord of Might has directed me to you to punish your people with various kinds of punishment if you wish. So Ishmael said to him: I have no need for that, O Istatail.

So God revealed to him: Then what is your need, O Ishmael? Ishmael said: My Lord, You took the covenant for Yourself in lordship, and for Muhammad in prophethood, and for his successors in guardianship, and You informed the best of Your creation of what his nation would do to Hussein son of Ali (peace be upon them both) after their Prophet. And You promised Hussein that You would return him to the world so that he himself might take vengeance upon those who did that to him. So my need from You, my Lord, is that You return me to the world so that I may take vengeance upon those who did to me what they did, just as You shall return Hussein. So God promised Ishmael son of Ezekiel that, and he shall return with Hussein son of Ali (peace be upon them both)(1).

And from Khalid al-Rab'i, who said: One who heard Ka'b narrated to me that he said: The first to curse the killer of Hussein son of Ali (peace be upon them both) was Abraham, the Friend of the Most Merciful, and he commanded his children to do so, and took from them the pledge and covenant. Then Moses son of Imran cursed him and commanded his nation to do so. Then David cursed him and commanded the children of Israel to do so. Then Jesus cursed him and often said: O children of Israel, curse his killer, and if you live to see his days, do not sit back from supporting him, for the martyr alongside him is like the martyr alongside the prophets, advancing, not retreating. It is as though I behold his spot. And there is no prophet but that he visited Karbala and stood upon it and said: Indeed you are a spot abundant in goodness; in you shall be buried the most radiant moon(2).

And how excellent are the words of Sheikh Salih al-Kawwaz al-Hilli, may mercy be upon him, when he says:

The First Gathering, of the Seventh Day
On the Stands of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas (peace be upon him)
So over the most virtuous of the household of Muhammad and Ali, may God's blessings be upon them both and upon their families, let the weepers weep, and for them let the mourners lament, and for the likes of them let the tears flow, and let the criers cry out, and the clamorers clamor, and the wailers wail. Where is Hassan and where is Hussein? Where are the sons of Hussein—righteous one after righteous one, truthful one after truthful one? Where is the path after the path? Where is the chosen after the chosen? Where are the rising suns? Where are the luminous moons? Where are the shining stars? Where are the banners of the religion and the foundations of knowledge?(2)

The narrator said, concerning the people's denial of water to Hussein (peace be upon him) and his household and his companions: The cavalry of Ibn Sa'd returned and encamped upon the bank of the Euphrates, blocking Hussein and his companions from the water. The thirst grew severe upon Hussein and his companions, so Hussein (peace be upon him) took an axe(3) and came to behind the tent of the women, and paced nineteen steps in the ground toward the qibla, then dug there, and a spring of sweet water gushed forth for him. So Hussein (peace be upon him) drank, and the

people all drank, and they filled their water-skins. Then the spring sank away, and no trace of it could be seen.

Word of that reached Ibn Ziyad, so he sent to Umar ibn Sa'd: It has reached me that Hussein (peace be upon him) is digging wells and obtaining water, so that he and his companions drink. So when my letter reaches you, prevent them from digging wells as much as you can, and tighten the siege upon them, and do not let them taste the water, and do to them as they did to the pure Uthman. So thereupon Umar ibn Sa'd tightened the siege upon them to the utmost.

When the thirst grew severe upon Hussein (peace be upon him), he summoned his brother al-Abbas (peace be upon him) and joined to him thirty horsemen and twenty foot-soldiers, and sent with him twenty water-skins. So they advanced in the depth of the night until they drew near the Euphrates. Amr ibn al-Hajjaj said: Who are you? A man among the companions of Hussein (peace be upon him), called Hilal ibn Nafi' al-Bajali, said: A cousin of yours, come to drink from this water. Amr said: Drink, may it be wholesome. Hilal said: Woe to you! Do you command me to drink while Hussein son of Ali and those with him are dying of thirst? Amr said: You speak truly, but we have been commanded with a command we must carry out. So Hilal cried out to his companions, and they entered the Euphrates, and Amr cried out to the people, and they fought a fierce battle—some fighting and some filling [the skins] until they filled them—and not one of Hussein's companions was killed. Then the company returned to their camp, and Hussein and those with him drank, and for that reason al-Abbas (peace be upon him) was called the Water-Bearer.

Then Hussein (peace be upon him) sent to Umar ibn Sa'd, may God curse him: I wish to speak with you, so meet me tonight between my camp and your camp. So Ibn Sa'd went out to him with twenty men, and Hussein went out to him with the like of that. When the two met, Hussein (peace be upon him) commanded his companions to withdraw from him, and there remained with him his brother al-Abbas and his son Ali al-Akbar. And Umar ibn Sa'd commanded his companions to withdraw from him, and there remained with him his son Hafs and a servant of his.

Hussein (peace be upon him) said to him: Woe to you, O son of Sa'd! Do you not fear God, to whom is your return? Do you fight me while I am the son of him whom you know? Leave these people and be with me, for that is nearer for you to God

Almighty. Umar ibn Sa'd said: I fear that my house may be demolished. Hussein (peace be upon him) said: I will build it for you. He said: I fear that my estate may be seized. Hussein (peace be upon him) said: I will replace it for you with something better, from my wealth in the Hijaz. He said: I have a family and I fear for them. Then he fell silent and gave him no further answer. So Hussein (peace be upon him) turned away from him, saying: What is the matter with you? May God slaughter you upon your bed, swiftly, and may He not forgive you on the day of your gathering. By God, I hope you shall eat no more than a little of the wheat of Iraq. Ibn Sa'd said, mocking that saying: In barley there is sufficiency in place of wheat.

Sheikh al-Mufid, may mercy be upon him, said: And the letter of Ibn Ziyad came in succession to Umar ibn Sa'd: Stand between Hussein and his companions and the water, and let them not taste a drop of it, just as was done to the pious, pure Uthman ibn Affan. So Umar ibn Sa'd at once sent Amr ibn al-Hajjaj with five hundred horsemen, and they encamped upon the watering place and blocked Hussein and his companions from the water, and prevented them from being given a single drop of it—and that was three days before the killing of Hussein (peace be upon him).

And Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Azdi—whose lineage was counted among Bajila—called out at the top of his voice: O Hussein! Do you not see the water, as though it were the heart of the sky? By God, you shall not taste a single drop of it until you die of thirst. So Hussein (peace be upon him) said: O God, slay him by thirst, and never forgive him. Humayd ibn Muslim said: By God, I visited him in his illness afterward, and by God, beside whom there is no god, I saw him drinking water until his belly was filled to bursting(1), then he would vomit it and cry out: Thirst! Thirst! Then he would return and drink until his belly was filled to bursting, then vomit it and burn with thirst. That remained his condition until he gave up his soul.

When Hussein (peace be upon him) saw the encampment of the armies with Umar ibn Sa'd at Nineveh and their reinforcements to fight him, he dispatched to Umar ibn Sa'd: I wish to meet you. So they met at night and conversed privately for a long while. Then Umar returned to his place and wrote to Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad: To proceed: God has extinguished the flame, and united the word, and set right the affairs of the nation. This Hussein has given me his pledge that he will return to

the place from which he came, or that he will go to one of the frontier outposts, and become a man among the Muslims, having the rights they have, and bearing the obligations they bear(1).

And it is narrated that Uqba ibn Sam'an said: I accompanied Hussein from Medina to Iraq, and I did not cease to be with him until he was killed, and by God, I never heard him say that(2).

When Ubaydullah read the letter, he said: This is the letter of a sincere advisor, compassionate toward his people. Then Shimr ibn Dhi al-Jawshan rose to him and said: Do you accept this from him, when he has descended in your land and come to your side? By God, if he departs from your land without placing his hand in your hand, he shall surely be the stronger and you shall surely be the weaker and more helpless. So do not grant him this position, for it is from weakness; rather let him submit to your judgment, he and his companions. Then if you punish, you are more entitled to punish, and if you pardon, that is for you.

Ibn Ziyad said: How excellent is what you have seen! The view is your view. Go out with this letter to Umar ibn Sa'd, and let him present to Hussein (peace be upon him) and his companions submission to my judgment. If they do so, let him send them to me in peace; and if they refuse, let him fight them. If he does so, then hear him and obey him; but if he refuses to fight them, then you are the commander of the army—strike off his neck and send me his head.

And he wrote to Umar ibn Sa'd: I did not send you to Hussein to hold back from him, nor to prolong matters with him, nor to make him hope for safety and survival, nor to make excuses for him, nor to be an intercessor for him with me. Consider: if Hussein and his companions submit to my judgment and surrender, then send them to me in peace; and if they refuse, then march against them until you kill them and mutilate them, for they deserve that. And if you kill Hussein, then trample the horses upon his chest and his back, for he is insolent, a tyrant—and I do not consider that this will harm him at all after death, but I have a word that I have spoken: were I to kill him, I would do this to him. If you carry out our command in this matter, we shall reward you with the reward of one who hears and obeys; but if you refuse, then withdraw from our office and our army, and leave between Shimr ibn

Dhi al-Jawshan and the army, for we have commanded him with our command. And peace.

So Shimr ibn Dhi al-Jawshan came with the letter of Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad to Umar ibn Sa'd. When he reached him and read it, Umar said to him: What is the matter with you, woe to you? May God not bring your house near, and may God make ugly what you have brought me. By God, I think it was you who forbade him from what he had written to him, and you have ruined for us a matter we had hoped would be set right. Hussein will not surrender, by God—indeed the soul of his father lies between his two sides. Shimr said to him: Tell me what you will do—will you carry out the command of your commander and fight his enemy? If not, then leave between me and the army and the host. He said: No, and no honor be to you. But I shall undertake that myself. So take charge—be you over the foot-soldiers.

And Umar ibn Sa'd advanced toward Hussein (peace be upon him) on the evening of Thursday, the ninth of Muharram, and Shimr came and stood before the companions of Hussein (peace be upon him) and said: Where are the sons of our sister?(1) So Ja'far, al-Abbas, Abdullah, and Uthman, the sons of Ali (peace be upon him), came out to him and said: What do you want? He said: You, O sons of my sister, are granted safety. So the band said to him: May God curse you and curse your safety! Do you grant us safety while the son of the Messenger of God (God's blessings be upon him and his family) has no safety?(2)

Sheikh Ja'far al-Naqdi, may mercy be upon him, said: And it is confirmed that al-Abbas (peace be upon him) performed wondrous deeds, and slew great horsemen, and brought water repeatedly, many times, for the household of the Messenger of God (God's blessings be upon him and his family). And in the book Asrar al-Shahada by the learned al-Darbandi, may mercy be upon him—at the mention of the martyrdom of al-Abbas (peace be upon him)—it is said: Zuhayr came to Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Aqil before he was killed and said: O my brother, hand me the banner. Abdullah said to him: Is there some shortcoming in me regarding the carrying of it? He said: No, but I have a need with it. He said: So he handed it to him, and Zuhayr took it and came, and went to al-Abbas

ibn Ali (peace be upon him) and said: O son of the Commander of the Faithful, I wish to relate to you a tradition that I have preserved. He said: Relate it, for the time of telling has now become sweet:

He said: Know, O Abu al-Fadl, that when your father the Commander of the Faithful wished to marry Umm al-Banin, he sent to his brother Aqil—who was knowledgeable in the lineages of the Arabs—and said (peace be upon him): O my brother, I wish you to seek for me in marriage a woman of noble houses, of lineage and pedigree and courage, that I may obtain from her a courageous son and a strong arm to support this son of mine—and he pointed to Hussein (peace be upon him)—to stand by him in the plain of Karbala. Your father has stored you up for the like of this day, so do not fall short for the wives of your brother, nor for your sisters. He said: So al-Abbas (peace be upon him) trembled, and he stretched in his stirrups until he broke them, and said: O Zuhayr, do you embolden me on the like of this day? By God, I shall show you something the like of which you have never seen. He said: So he spurred his steed toward the people until he reached the middle of the field..(1) and he defended and protected his brother and the sanctuary of the Messenger of God (God's blessings be upon him and his family) until he proved himself with an excellent endeavor, and he fell upon the dust, stained with his blood, calling out: O Abu Abdullah, upon you from me be peace.

And it weighs heavily upon the Master of the Martyrs (peace be upon him) that he should see his brother al-Abbas upon the dust of Karbala, his head crushed, his hands severed, the arrow in his eye, and the banner cast down at his side.

And how excellent are the words of Sheikh Muhammad Ali al-Ya'qubi, may mercy be upon him, when he says:

The Second Gathering, of the Seventh Day
The Station of al-Abbas (peace be upon him) with the Household (peace be upon them)
and His Noble Place of Martyrdom
It is said in some of the visitations of the Imams of the Household (peace be upon them): Are the trials, O my masters, anything but those that have clung to you? And the calamities anything but those that have encompassed you? And the catastrophes anything but those that have singled you out? And the disasters anything but those that have struck you? May God's blessings be upon you and upon your souls and your bodies, and the mercy of God and His blessings. By my father and my mother, O family of the Chosen One, we possess nothing but to circle around your sanctuaries, and to offer condolences therein to your souls, over these immense calamities that have descended upon your courtyard, and the grievous afflictions that have come down upon your dwelling, which have set sores in the hearts of your Shia, and bequeathed wounds to their livers, and sown anguish in their breasts. So we call God to witness that we have shared with your friends and your supporters who went before, in the shedding of the blood of the oath-breakers, the deviators, and the renegades, and the killers of Abu Abdullah, the Master of the Youth of Paradise, on the day of Karbala—in our intentions and our hearts—and in grief over the loss of that