The Battle of Karbala

Bravery of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah Kalbi (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

On the 10^th of Muharram, the supporters of Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) and the army of Yazid were arrayed before each other.  The army of Yazid surrounded the supporters of Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him).  At that time, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah Kalbi (May Allah be well pleased with him) was grazing his sheep.  He asked his mother:  If you permit me, I will go and help Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him).  The mother said:  It’s an honor.  Go and sacrifice yourself for the Imam.

 

Hadhrat ‘Abdullah Kalbi gave away all his sheep in the path of Allah and came to Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) with his mother.  The mother said:  O Imam!  I have brought my son to sacrifice him for you.  Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) expressed his happiness and prayed for them.

 

As soon as he came, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah Kalbi (May Allah be well pleased with him) attacked the wretches.  He killed 70 people, came back to his mother and said:  Mother!  I am feeling very thirsty.  His mother said:  Son!  The damsels of paradise are standing with chalices of sherbet.  Go and get martyred.

 

He returned, killed another 50 wretches.  Then the cowardly army of Yazid surrounded him from all sides and decapitated him and threw his head to his mother.  She picked up the head, kissed it and threw it back at them with great force.  That head struck the head of ‘Imran Dimashqi, who was a great warrior.  His head split open and he fell dead.  Then that old woman picked up a stick and ran towards the army.  Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) stopped her a lot:  O woman!  This isn’t your job.  Sit down, but she refused to listen.  She said:  O Imam!  For the sake of Allah, don’t stop me.  I will not return alive from here, but will get martyred.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) started crying.  She attacked the Yazidis, killed 3 of them and she herself got martyred.

 

The martyrdom of the Prophet’s Family

 

Martyrdom of Hadhrat Zaid bin ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him):

 

Hadhrat Zaid bin ‘Ali sought permission to enter the battlefield.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  You don’t sadden your mother.  Except you, she doesn’t have any other child.  The mother said:  Imam!  Permit my son.  What will we do after you are gone?

 

Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) embraced him and reluctantly granted permission.  Hadhrat Zaid bin ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) displayed his martial prowess and got martyred.

 

Martyrdom of Hadhrat Ja’afar bin ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Then Hadhrat Ja’afar bin ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) sought permission to enter the battle.  Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  There should be some man in the house.  You don’t do this.  In reply, Hadhrat Ja’afar (May Allah be well pleased with him) recited a couplet:

 

Translation:       My life is waste without you.

                        Of what use is my living without you?

 

Persuaded by his insistence, Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) permitted him as well.  He also displayed his ancestral martial prowess and eventually got martyred.

Martyrdom of Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Now Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) requested permission:  Uncle!  Permit me as well.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  My brother, Hasan (May Allah be well pleased with him) asked me to be affectionate with you.  How shall I show my face to your father tomorrow?  Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  Affection is that you don’t leave me alone and take me into paradise with you.  Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) granted permission with tearful eyes. When he was granted permission, it was if a hurricane swept over the battlefield.  Innumerable Yazidis were flung into hell.

 

After this, Arzaq, who was a great champion, sent his sons to fight with Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Each one fought bravely but didn’t stand a chance before Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Both of them suffered terrible deaths.  Now Arzaq lost all control.  Mad with anger, he himself came to fight Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Here, Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) was supplicating:  O Lord of all worlds!  My Qasim is fighting an experienced enemy.  You please help my Qasim. 

 

The duel between Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) and Arzaq started.  Each one of them displayed great courage.  Whatever move Arzaq would make, Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) would expertly forestall it.  At this moment, Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) remembered the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that it is permissible to deceive an enemy in the battlefield.  Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) told Arzaq:  O Arzaq!  O champion of many fights!  Look!  The stirrup of your horse has loosened.  Very soon, you will land on the ground.  He worriedly peered down.  Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) struck him with his sword.  Arzaq couldn’t block this attack.  His head, severed from the body, fell to the ground.  Even the enemies murmured their admiration on the agility of Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him).

 

Now, the whole army attacked at once from all sides.  Wherever Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) would turn, they would give way before him as goats give away before a tiger.  At least, arrows were being rained from all sides.  At last, Hadhrat Qasim (May Allah be well pleased with him) too fell to the ground, martyred.

 

After this, Imam Hussain’s (May Allah be well pleased with him) nephews ‘Aun and Ja’afar (May Allah be well pleased with them) also demonstrated their bravery and passed into paradise.

 

Martyrdom of Hadhrat ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Hadhrat ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) couldn’t bear to see Hadhrat Sukaina writhing in agony because of thirst.  He cut a path to the River Euphrates through the horde.  He himself got the thought to drink water, but didn’t do so.  He thought:  Sukaina is thirsty and how can I drink water.  He was returning with the waterskin when a wretch cut off his arm.  He transferred the waterskin to the other arm.  When that arm was cut off, he held the waterskin with his teeth.  He had not gone even a few paces when the wretches shot the waterskin full of arrows and martyred Hadhrat ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Water couldn’t reach the tents.  Hadhrat Sukaina (May Allah be well pleased with him) was crying: Alas! For the sake of water, I have lost my uncle.