Imam Husayn (a.s.)’s admonishment

In the morning al Husayn, peace be on him, mobilised his followers after the Morning Prayer. He had with him thirty two horsemen and forty foot-soldiers. He put Zuhayr Ibn al-Qayn in charge of his right wing and Habib Ibn Muzahir in charge of his left wing, and he gave his standard to his brother, al-Abbas. They positioned themselves with the tents at the rear. He ordered (the) firewood and cane which was behind the tents to be left in a ditch which had been dug there and to be set on fire, fearing that they would attack them from the rear.

Umar Ibn Sad began the morning of that day – it was Friday, or Saturday as some say – by mobilising his followers. He went out with the men with him towards al Husayn, peace be on him. ‘Amr Ibn al- Hajjaj was in command of his right wing, Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan of the left wing, Urwa Ibn Qays was in command of the cavalry, Shabath Ibn Ribi of the foot-soldiers. He gave his standard to Durayd, his retainer (mawla).

‘Ali Ibn al Husayn, Zayn al Abidin, peace be upon them, reported:

When the cavalry began to approach al Husayn, he raised his hands and said, “O God, it is You in W’hom I trust amid all grief. You are my hope amid all violence. You are my trust and provision in everything that happens to me, (no matter) how much the heart may seem to weaken in it, trickery may seem to diminish (my hope) in it, the friend may seem to desert (me) in it, and the enemy may seem to rejoice in it. It comes upon me through You and when I complain to You of it, it is because of my desire for You, You alone. You have comforted me in (everything) and have revealed its (significance to me). You are the Master of all grace, the Possessor of all goodness and the Ultimate Resort of all desire.”

When the enemy began to move around the tent of al Husayn, peace be on him, they saw the ditch behind and the fire burning the firewood and cane which had been thrown in it. (At this) Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan called out at the top of his voice, “Al Husayn, are you hurrying towards the fire (of Hell) before the Day of Resurrection?”

“Who is that?” asked al Husayn, peace be on him. “(It sounds) like Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan?” “Yes, (it is),” they told him.

“Son of a goat-herdess, you are more worthy to be burnt by that,” he retorted.

Muslim Ibn Awsaja wanted to shoot an arrow at him, but al- Husayn, peace be on him, stopped him from (doing) that.

“Let me shoot at him” he asked, “for he is a wicked sinner, one of the enemies of God, and the great tyrants. (Now) God has made it possible (to kill) him.”

“Do not shoot at him,” ordered al Husayn, peace be on him, “for I am unwilling to begin (the fighting) against them.”

Then al Husayn called for his mount and mounted it. He called out at the top of his voice, “O people of Iraq,” and most of them (began to) listen to him. “People, listen to my words and do not hurry (to attack me) so that I may remind you of the duties you have towards me and so that (by telling you the true circumstances) I may free myself from any blame in (your attacking me). If you give me justice, you will become happier through that. If you do not give me justice of your own accord (as individuals),

then agree upon your affairs (and your associates); let not your affair be in darkness to you. Then carry (it) our against me and do not reflect (any further).”(10:71)

“Indeed my guardian is God, Who created the Book, He takes care of the righteous.” (7 : 196)

Then he praised and glorified God, and mentioned what God is entitled to. He called for blessings on the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, and on the angels and (other) prophets. No speaker has ever been heard before or after him more eloquent in his speech than he was.

He continued, “Trace back my lineage and consider who I am. Then look back at yourselves and remonstrate with yourselves. Consider whether it is right for you to kill me and to violate the honour of my womenfolk. Am I not the son of the daughter of your Prophet, of his testamentary trustee (wall) and his cousin, the first of the believers in God and the man who (first) believed in what His Apostle, may God bless him and his family, brought from his Lord?

Was not Hamza, the lord of the martyrs, my uncle? Was not Ja’far, the one who flies in Heaven, my uncle? Have you not heard the words of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, concerning myself and my brother: ‘These are the two lords of the youths of the inhabitants of heaven’?

Whether you believe what I am saying and it is the truth, for by God I have never told a lie since I learnt that God hated people (who told) them – or whether you regard me as a liar, there are among you those who, if you asked them, would tell you: Ask Jabir Ibn Abd Allah al- Ansari, Abu Said al-Khudri, Sahl Ibn Sad al-Saidi, Zayd Ibn Arqam and Anas Ibn Malik to tell you that they heard these words from the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, concerning myself and my brother. Is there not (sufficient) in this to prevent you shedding my blood?”

“If I understand what you are saying,” interrupted Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan, “then I only worship God (very shakily) on the edge.”

“I think that you worship God (very shakily) on seventy edges,” said Habib Ibn Muzahir. “For I testify that you are right. You do not understand what he is saying. For God has impressed (ignorance) upon your heart.”

“If you are in any doubt about this,” al Husayn, peace be on him, told them, “you are in doubt that I am the son of the daughter of your Prophet. By God there is no son of a prophet other than me among you and among the peoples from East to West. Shame on you, are you seeking retribution from me for one of your dead whom I have killed, or for property of yours which I expropri- ated, or for a wound which I have inflicted?”

They did not say anything to him. Then he called, “Shabath Ibn Ribi, Hajjar Ibn Abjar, Qays Ibn al-Ashath, Yazid Ibn al-Harith, didn’t you write: ‘The fruit has ripened; the dates have grown green; come to an army which has been gathered for you’?” “We don’t know what you are talking about,” said Qays Ibn al-Ashath. “Submit to the authority of your kinsmen (the Umayyads). They have never treated you with anything but what you liked.”

“By God, I will never give you my hand like a man who has been humiliated; nor will I flee like a slave,” said al Husayn, peace be on him. Then he called out,

“O Servants of God, I take refuge in my Lord and your Lord from your stoning.”(44:20)

“I take refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every haughty man who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.” (40:27)

He made his mount kneel and ordered ‘Uqba Ibn Sim’an to tie its reins. They (the Kufans) began to advance towards him (al Husayn).

When al-Hurr Ibn Yazid perceived that the people were determined to fight al Husayn, peace be on him, he said to ‘Umar, “Are you going to fight this man?” “Yes,”he replied, “it will be a terrible battle, the least part of which will be heads falling and severed hands flying (through the air).”

“Haven’t you any other way of getting what you want?”

“If the matter rested with me,” answered Umar, “I would do (anything else), but your governor has refused (any alternative).”

Al-Hurr went and stood apart from the people. With him was a man from his tribe called Qurra Ibn Qays.

“Qurra, have you watered your horse, today?” he asked.

“No.”

“Do you want to water it?”

—
References:
– The History of al Tabari
Volume 19 The Caliphate of Yazid Ibn Muawiyah
Pages 65 – 179 (Selected)
Translated by I.K.A Howard
Paper back – ISBN 0-7914-0041-7

– Kitab al Irshad
Shaykh al Mufid
Pages 328 – 372
Translated by I.K.A Howard

– Tahrike Tarsile Quran
Paper back – ISBN 0-940368-11-0