Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him)

Dream of Hadhrat Shahrbano

Hadhrat Shahrbano (May Allah be well pleased with her) told Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him):  Tonight I saw a dream that Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her) had secured her clothing and was sweeping the plain of Karbala and is removing the stones, pebbles, etc. from there.  I asked her:  What are you doing?  She said:  My son Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) will be martyred tomorrow and will fall on this ground.  I am removing the stones, etc. so that they don’t prick my child.

 

Hadhrat Shahrbano (May Allah be well pleased with her) then said:  O Imam (May Allah be well pleased with him)!  You are going to the battlefield but this dream is suggesting something entirely different. 

 

Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) held his peace.

 

Friends!  Look at the women of Egypt.  In the love of a creation they weren’t aware that they had cut their hands nor did they feel any pain.

 

What say you about those who are immersed in the love of the Creator?  At that time Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) was absorbed in divine love.  He had been tested with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, loss of produce, everything.  Now he will be tested with his life.  He has already been martyred in the Greater Jihad (Jihad Akbar).  Now he will be martyred in the Lesser Jihad (Jihad Asghar).  Everyone is sad, but Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) is happy that since so long he has been suffering from separation, now he will be united (with his Ultimate Beloved).

 

All his associates have martyred.  Now there is no one even to hold the reins of the horse.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) comes to the tents and takes his leave.  His youngest daughter, Hadhrat Sukaina (May Allah be well pleased with her) asks:  Father!  Where are you going?  All brothers, uncles have gone and died.  You will also go and die.  What pleasure is there is dying, father?  Why is everybody going and dying?

 

Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) didn’t reply and came to the battlefield.  Yazid’s army said:  You start the battle.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  I feel shy before my grandfather.  If my grandfather asks me tomorrow on the Day of Judgment, “Why did you raise your sword on my Ummah?,” what reply shall I give Him?  First you strike, then I will be forced to fight back.  Those wretches didn’t value this character also.  This was the character of the Prophet’s Family.

 

All alone, the Imam (May Allah be well pleased with him) fought with thousands of soldiers.  Arrows, spears and swords are raining from all around.  Only on his face, he got 72 wounds.

 

At last, he fell down from his horse.  Immediately, Shimar, the accursed, sat on his chest.  The Imam asked him:  What is the time?  That accursed wretch answered:  Today is Friday.  The Imam is giving the sermon.  Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: The Imam is standing on the pulpit and giving the sermon of my grandfather and you are perched on the chest of His grandson, don’t you have any shame?

 

Shimar wanted to behead the Imam as soon as possible.  He couldn’t cut even a hair.  Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  How can you cut my throat.  My grandfather has kissed it, it cannot be cut.  Move, I will offer Salaat and the Imam started offering Salaat.  When Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) prostrated in the course of the Salaat, Shimar cut off his blessed head and Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) left for paradise.

 

[Excerpted from Shahadatnama of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan]