PART 2 Between 4th and 8th Muharram, 61 Hijri, ibn Ziad continued to send additional soldiers as reinforcement. By the morning of 8th Muharram, 61 Hijri, over a Lakh and forty thousand armed men were assembled against Husain (s) at Karbala. Whenever ibn Ziad’s forces arrived at Karbala there was jubilation and beating drums and blowing of trumpets. Every time this happened Imam Husain’s (s) sister Zainab (s) inquired if any help had arrived in response to Imam Husain’s (s) letter. On hearing a negative reply she used to feel sad. At last she remembered Habib ibn Mazahir who was a childhood friend of Imam Husain. She asked Husain to write to him. Finding over a lakh of soldiers gathered by the satanic forces of Yezid and his commanders, Imam Husain’s (s) sister Zainab (s) insisted that he should also write to some of his friends. Imam Husain (s) wrote a letter to his childhood friend, Habib Ibne Mazahir in the following words: “From Husain ibn Ali to the great Jurist Habib. I am now surrounded by Yezid’s forces at Karbala.” When Imam Husain’s messenger brought the letter, according to one group of historians, Habib was buying henna in the market place. According to other historians, when Imam Husain’s messenger brought the letter, Habeeb was having food with his wife. According to the first version on seeing the letter Habib returned the henna to the shopkeeper saying: “I have no use for henna now. My white beard will be coloured red with my own blood”. According to the second version on reading the letter Habib got up from the dinner and told his wife: “I bequeath you all that I posses and I hereby divorce you”. His wife sorrowfully asked the cause for this. When Habib informed her that he was leaving in response to Imam Husain’s (s) call to join him as the Imam (s) was surrounded by Yezid’s forces. He was sure that he would be martyred and so he bequeathed all that he possessed to his wife and divorced her so that she may, if she chose, go to her mother’s house and live there. Habib told her that the wicked and satanic forces of Yezid would not spare even ladies and children from insults and abuse. The noble lady expressed her determination to serve Imam Husain’s (s) sister Zainab (s) and other ladies of his house, during their travails. Habib reached Imam Husain (s) camp along with his wife, to discharge the obligation to the Imam. When Habib ibn Mazahir reached Imam Husain’s (s) camp, he found only a few hundred persons. He asked permission to go to the nearby residents, the Bani Asad tribe and seek their help, since they were known to be brave and honest people. He went under cover of night and met the tribe of Bani Asad, who were glad to learn that Habib also belonged to their tribe. Habib said: “I have brought you the best of all presents. I bring good news for you, both in this world and in the hereafter. The Grandson of the Prophet [s] has been surrounded by a vile and cruel army. If you choose to help the Prophet’s [s] grandson you will earn their blessings”. Abdullah bin Basheer spoke for the Bani Asad tribe and said: “We will be only too glad to help the Prophet’s [s] grandson”. On hearing this ninety warriors from the Bani Asad tribe accompanied Habib ibn Mazahir and proceeded towards Husain’s (s) camp. Meanwhile Omer Saad learnt about this and sent four hundred men under the command of Arzakh, the Syrian. A severe skirmish ensued and many people were killed on both the sides. Fearing hard reprisal by ibn Saad, the remaining persons of the Bani Asad tribe returned back and vacated their village. Shimr along with his relative Abdullah bin Mahl requested ibn Ziad to issue a letter guaranteeing asylum and safe passage saying:“Our four cousins Abbas, Jafar, Abdullah and Osman, who are sons born to our aunt Ummul Banin and Imam Ali (s), are with Imam Husain (s) . We do not wish that any harm should come to them as they are related to us”. Obaidullah ibn Ziad agreed and gave the letter guaranteeing safe passage and asylum to Abbas, Jafar, Abdullah and Osman, the four sons of Imam Ali (s).[See: Imam Husayn [A] & Tragic Saga of Karbala: p 174; Nafasil Mahmoom: p. 317-318.] On the night of Ashura Shimr showed this letter to Abbas (s) and his brothers and asked them to desert Husain (s) and save themselves. Hazrath Abbas (s) replied: “How strange! You bring us clemency while the Prophet’s [s] grandson is sought to be killed. Damn your asylum and protection. God is our protector and we are safe under the banner of the Imam (s)”. [See: Ansab al Ashraf Vol 3 page 184 quoted in Imam Husayn [A] & Tragic Saga of Karbala: p. 174-175; Nafasil Mahmoom: p 318] Imam Husain came out and addressed the army of Yezid that surrounded him: “Don’t you know that I am the grandson of the Prophet [s]. Don’t you know that I am the son of the Holy Prophet’s [s] only child and daughter Fatima [s] and Imam Ali [s]. The martyr Hamza [s] was my father’s uncle. The martyr Jafar [s] was my father’s brother. Have you not heard the Prophet [s] declare and stress his love for the Ahlul Bayt [s] and that the Quran and Ahlul Bayth [s] are the inseparable legacies which the Prophet [s] was leaving behind; and that I and my brother Imam Hasan [s] are the chiefs of the youths of Paradise. If you do not know all these things personally, then ask and verify, if you so desire, the truth of what I have said, from surviving companions of the Prophet [s], such as Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari, Abu Saeed Khudri, Sahl bin Sa’ad Saeedi, Yezid ibn Afqaa, Anas bin Malik etc.”[ See: Nafasil Mahmoom: p 313; Haeiri’s Balaghatul Husain, p. 156-157..] Imam Husain (s) then addressed those who belonged to Kufa and were now in Omer’s army: “Have you not written to me complaining that you had no Imam and therefore you invited me to come to Kufa and guide you in religious matters”. When they pretended ignorance of such letters, Imam Husain (s) had the letters brought from his tent and started reading out their contents along with the name of the writer. When there was no answer to this Imam Husain (s) said: “Even if you deny writing these letters and assuming that the letters are forged, tell me why you have surrounded us and do not allow us to go away.” To this Qees ibn Ziad replied: “First acknowledge Yezid as the Caliph and sovereign, then we shall hear you.” Imam Husain (s) replied “I would rather sacrifice my life than declare allegiance to Yezid who is a tyrant and oppressor of the poor; is steeped in worldly, carnal pleasures; brazenly disobeys Divine Commandments and in the open court makes fun of the Prophet [s]. I would prefer to go away from here, but if I am constrained I will not submit to the threats of a hypocrite and a despot” In reply one from the enemy said “ We will not let you go, nor will we allow you to have even a drop of water until you are slain and your head presented to Yezid.”[See: Life of Imam Husain [s] [The Saviour]: pages 150-151] // EXCERPTS FROM MY BOOK “KAREBAla IN THE SHIITE PERSPECTIVE ” Printed by Ansariyan< Qom, under the title “HIDDEN TRUTH BEHIND KARBALA” //
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 01:32:05 +0000
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