The attack against Imam Husayn (a.s.) and his Martyrdom

The group then launched an attack against al Husayn, peace be on him, and cut off his access to his camp. His thirst became severe, and he set off towards the dam, trying to reach the Euphrates. In front of him was his brother, al-‘Abbas. However, the cavalry of Ibn Sa’d, may God curse him, blocked his route. Among these was a man from the Banu Darim; he said to (the cavalry), “Woe upon you! Prevent him from reaching the Euphrates, don’t let him get water.”

Then al Husayn, peace be on him, cried out, “O God, I am thirsty.” The Darim became angry and shot an arrow at him which lodged in his throat. Al Husayn, peace be on him, pulled out the arrow and held his hand below his throat. Both his palms were filled with blood which he shook away, then he said, “O God, I complain to You about what is being done to the son of the daughter of Your Prophet.”

Then he returned to his position, while his thirst had become (even more) severe.

Meanwhile the people had surrounded al-Abbas and cut him off from (al Husayn). Single-handed he began to attack them until he was killed, may God have mercy on him. The two who took part in killing him were Zayd Ibn Warqa al-Hanafi and Hahm Ibn al-Tufail al- Shabsi, after he had been covered with wounds and could not move.

(The account of al Abbas death is missing from Tabari) When al Husayn, peace be on him, came back from the dam to his tents, Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan advanced towards him with a group of his followers and surrounded him. The fastest of them was a man called Malik Ibn al-Nusayr al-Kindi. He cursed al Husayn, peace be on him, and struck him on the head with his sword. (Al Husayn) was wearing a cap. (The sword) went through it right into his head and made it bleed. The cap was filled with blood.

Al Husayn, peace be on him, said to him, “May you never eat or drink with your right hand! May God gather you (on the Day of Judgement) with those people who are wrong-doers.”

Then he threw away the cap and called for a cloth which he tied around his head. Then he called for another cap, put it on and bound it (in place).

(The above portion is missing from the account of Tabari)

Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan and those who were with him had withdrawn from him to their (earlier) positions. After a short delay they came again against him and surrounded him. ‘Abd Allah Ibn al- Hasan Ibn ‘Ali peace be on them, came out against them, he was only a boy, not yet mature enough to leave the women. He rushed forward until he stood beside his uncle, al Husayn, peace be on him. Then Zaynab, the daughter of ‘Ali, peace be on him, came after him to stop him, and al Husayn, peace be on him, told her to stop him. However he refused (to take any notice of her) and determinedly prevented her (from taking him away). He said, “By God, I will not leave my uncle.”

(At this) Abjar Ibn Ka’b rushed towards al Husayn, peace be on him. With sword (in hand), the young lad said to him, “Woe upon you, you son of an impure woman, are you trying to kill my uncle?” Abjar struck at him with his sword. The boy tried to fend off (the blow) with his arm. The sword cut through (his arm) to the skin (on the other side). There was the arm hanging (by the skin). The boy cried out, “O my mother!” Al Husayn took hold of him and embraced him. He said to him, “My nephew, try to bear what has come to you and be comforted with the news that God will unite you with your righteous ancestors.”

Then al Husayn, peace be on him, raised his hand and said, “O God, even as You have made life pleasant for them for a time, divide them into factions and make them follow the ways of factions and let their rulers never be pleased with them. They summoned us so that they might support us and then they became hostile to us and killed us.”

(Abjar is mentioned as Bahr in Tabari) The foot-soldiers launched an attack from right and left against those who were left with al Husayn, peace be on him, until only a group of three or four remained with him. When al Husayn, peace be on him saw that, he called for a pair of dazzling Yemen trousers (sarawil). He tore them and put them on. He tore them so that he should not have them plundered after he had been killed. When al- Husayn, peace be on him, was killed, Abjar Ibn Kab set on him, plundered him of the trousers and left him naked. After that the two hands of Abjar Ibn Ka’b, may God curse him, became so dry in the summer that they were like sticks and then soaking wet in the winter so that they sprinkled drops of water and puss, until God destroyed him.

When nobody except a group of three members of his family was left with al Husayn, peace be on him, he moved against the people, while the three protected him until (all) three were killed. Al Husayn, was left alone. Despite being weighed down by wounds in his head and body, he began to strike against them with his sword and they scattered, to right and left, away from him.

Then Humayd Ibn Muslim said, “By God, I have never seen such persistence. His sons have been killed, and the members of his household and his followers, yet he is still as brave as ever and he has not allowed his spirit to leave him. When the soldiers attack him, he fights back with his sword and scatters them to right and left of him like goats when a wolf comes upon them.”

When Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan realised (the position), he called for the cavalry and they came up at the rear of the foot-soldiers. He ordered the archers to shoot at (al Husayn) and they showered him with arrows until he became (quilted with arrows) like a hedgehog (with spikes).

He drew back from them and they stood facing him. His sister Zaynab, came to the door of the tent and called out to ‘Umar Ibn Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas, “Woe upon you, Umar. Is Abu Abd Allah being killed while you (stand by and) watch?” But Umar did not answer. Then she called out, “Woe upon you (all), is there not a Muslim among you?” But no-one answered.

Then Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan shouted at the foot soldiers and the Calvary, “Why are you waiting for the man? May your mothers be deprived of you!” So they attacked him from every side.

Zura Ibn Sharik struck him on the left shoulder-blade and cut into it. Another of them struck him on the shoulder. He fell prostrate on his face. Sinan Ibn Anas al-Nakhai stabbed him with a spear and killed him. Khawali Ibn Yazid al-Asbahi hurried to him and bent down to cut off his head but he trembled (too much). Shamir said to him,“May God crush your arm why are you trembling?” Then Shamir bent down and decapitated him. He lifted the head (and handed it) to Khawati saying, “Take it to the commander ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d.”

Then they began to plunder (the body of) al Husayn, peace be on him. Ishaq Ibn al-Hayat al-Hadrami, may God curse him, took his shirt. Abjar Ibn Ka’b, may God curse him, took his trousers. Akhnas Ibn Marthad, may God curse him, took his turban. One of the Banu Darim took his sword. They plundered his saddle and his camel and they looted his womenfolk.

(The name of the plunderers and the plundered objects are different in Tabari)

Humayd Ibn Muslim reported:

By God, I did not see one of his women or daughters or the women of his family who did not have her clothes ripped from her back, taken away and removed from her forcibly. Then we came to ‘Ali Ibn al Husayn, peace be on them both. He was stretched out on a bed and he was very ill. Shamir had a group of foot-soldiers with him and they asked him, “Shall we kill this sick one?” I said, “Praise be to God, will boys be killed (too)? This is only a youth even though he is what he is.” And I went on (arguing) until I had moved them away from him.

Then ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d arrived and the women cried out and wept in his face. He ordered his followers, “None of you should enter the tents of these women nor disturb this sick boy.” The women asked him to return what had been taken from them so that they could clothe themselves again. So he commanded that whoever had taken any of their belongings should return them to them. But by God, none of them returned anything. He then entrusted charge of the main tent and the tents of the women to a group (of men) who were; with him. He said, “Guard (the women) so that none of them may leave and do not harm them.”

After this, he returned to his tent and called out to his followers, “Who will volunteer (to go) to al Husayn and make his horse trample on (al Husayn’s body)?” Ten volunteered. Of these, Ishaq Ibn Hayyat and Akhnas Ibn Marthad trampled on (the body of) al Husayn with their horses until they had broken and bruised his back. Umar Ibn Sad despatched on that day-it was the day of ‘Ashura’, – the head of al Husayn, peace be on him, with Khawali Ibn Yazid al-Asbahi and Humayd Ibn Muslim al-Azdi, to Ubayd Allah Ibn Ziyad. Then he ordered the heads of the remainder of his followers and members of his House (who had been slain) to be cut off. There were seventy-two heads. He sent Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan, Qays Ibn Ash’ath and Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj with these. They journeyed until they brought them to Ibn Ziyad.

He (‘Umar Ibn Sad) remained there for the rest of that day and the next day until just after midday. Then he summoned the people for the journey, and set out towards Kufa. He took with him the daughters and sisters of al Husayn, peace be on him, together with ‘‘Ali Ibn al Husayn, peace be on him. The latter was still sick with a dysentry and was almost on the point of death.

When Ibn Sad departed, some of Banu Asad, who had been staying at al-Ghadiriyya went to al Husayn, peace be on him, and his followers. They performed the funeral prayer over them. Then they buried al Husayn at the place where his tomb still is, and they buried his son ‘‘Ali Ibn al Husayn al-Asghar (the younger) at the foot of the body. They dug around the area next to the two feet of al Husayn, peace be on him, for the martyrs from his House and his followers.

They gathered them together and buried them all together. However, they buried al-Abbas Ibn ‘‘Ali, peace be on them both, in the place where he was killed, on the road to al-Ghadiriyya, where his tomb still is.