There are mixed views when it comes to Qamah-Zani – Tatbir (Self-Flagellation) so it is asked: Does a person get rewards for doing Tatbir to express his/her grief on the day when one of the Infallible(s) were martyred?
Self-Flagellation in love of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws:
إِخْوَانِي الذَّاهِبُونَ فَحَقَ لَنَا أَنْ نَظْمَأَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ نَعَضَّ الْأَيْدِي عَلَى فِرَاقِهِمْ
Amir ul-Momineen–asws says (out of grief) as reported in Nahjul Balagha: These are my–asws comrades who have departed. We should be justified if we feel eager for them and bite (wound) our hands in their separation. (This is for just comrades which were martyred during the Battle of Saffin, what about if one hits Qamah in grief on the day of martyrdom of Ahl Al-Bayt–asws?)[1]
Also Mohammed Baqir Al-Majlisi reports from a reliable book, in a long Hadith:
أَقُولُ رَأَيْتُ فِي بَعْضِ الْكُتُبِ الْمُعْتَبَرَةِ رُوِيَ مُرْسَلًا عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ الْجَصَّاصِ قَالَ: دَعَانِي ابْنُ زِيَادٍ لِإِصْلَاحِ دَارِ الْإِمَارَةِ بِالْكُوفَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا أُجَصِّصُ الْأَبْوَابَ وَ إِذَا أَنَا بِالزَّعَقَاتِ قَدِ ارْتَفَعَتْ مِنْ جَنَبَاتِ الْكُوفَةِ فَأَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى خَادِمٍ كَانَ مَعَنَا فَقُلْتُ مَا لِي أَرَى الْكُوفَةَ تَضِجُّ قَالَ السَّاعَةَ أَتَوْا بِرَأْسِ خَارِجِيٍّ خَرَجَ عَلَى يَزِيدَ
I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘I saw in one of the reliable books being reported by an unbroken chain from Muslim Al-Jassas who said,
‘Ibn Ziyad-la called me to repair the government building at Al-Kufa. While I was plastering the doors, and there were screams to have risen from the sides of Al-Kufa. I went to a servant who was with us and said, ‘What is the matter I see Al-Kufa to be clamouring?’ He said, ‘They are coming now with the head of the Kharijite who had come out against Yazeed-la’…..
فَالْتَفَتَتْ زَيْنَبُ فَرَأَتْ رَأْسَ أَخِيهَا فَنَطَحَتْ جَبِينَهَا بِمُقَدَّمِ الْمَحْمِلِ حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا الدَّمَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ تَحْتِ قِنَاعِهَا وَ أَوْمَأَتْ إِلَيْهِ بخرقة [بِحُرْقَةٍ] وَ جَعَلْتْ تَقُولُ يَا هِلَالًا لَمَّا اسْتَتَمَّ كَمَالًا
He (the narrator reports, as part of the long Hadith) (Syeda) Zeinab-asws upon seeing her brother-asws’s head near Euphrates hit her-asws forehead on the Mahmil (saddle) in such manner, Until blood came out and went below Herasws veil (naqab). And Sheasws cried.[2] (See the complete narration in Appendix)
Love of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws will always Benefit one
عَنْهُمْ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ وَ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ وَ غَالِبِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ وَ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي فُسْطَاطٍ لَهُ بِمِنًى فَنَظَرَ إِلَى زِيَادٍ الْأَسْوَدِ مُنْقَلِعَ الرِّجْلِ فَرَثَى لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا لِرِجْلَيْكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ جِئْتُ عَلَى بَكْرٍ لِي نِضْوٍ فَكُنْتُ أَمْشِي عَنْهُ عَامَّةَ الطَّرِيقِ فَرَثَى لَهُ وَ قَالَ لَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ زِيَادٌ إِنِّي أُلِمُّ بِالذُّنُوبِ حَتَّى إِذَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنِّي قَدْ هَلَكْتُ ذَكَرْتُ حُبَّكُمْ فَرَجَوْتُ النَّجَاةَ وَ تَجَلَّى عَنِّي فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع وَ هَلِ الدِّينُ إِلَّا الْحُبُّ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْإِيمانَ وَ زَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَ قَالَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ قَالَ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ص فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُحِبُّ الْمُصَلِّينَ وَ لَا أُصَلِّي وَ أُحِبُّ الصَّوَّامِينَ وَ لَا أَصُومُ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَ لَكَ مَا اكْتَسَبْتَ وَ قَالَ مَا تَبْغُونَ وَ مَا تُرِيدُونَ أَمَا إِنَّهَا لَوْ كَانَ فَزْعَةٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَزِعَ كُلُّ قَوْمٍ إِلَى مَأْمَنِهِمْ وَ فَزِعْنَا إِلَى نَبِيِّنَا وَ فَزِعْتُمْ إِلَيْنَا
It narrated from them, from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ali ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah and Thalabah ibn Maymun and Ghalib ibn Uthman and Harun ibn Muslim from Burayd ibn Muawiyah who has narrated:
Once, I was with Abu Jafar-asws, in his tent in Mina when he-asws (the Imam‑asws) looked at Ziyad Al-Aswad with his foot badly hurt, thus he-asws (the Imam-asws) expressed sadness about it and asked: ‘what has happened to your feet that have become as such? He replied: ‘I came with a weak stumper and most of the way I walked. The Imam-asws expressed more sadness then Ziyad said: I collected sins until I was afraid for my destruction. I then remembered your-asws love which gives me hope for my salvation and it brightened my dark condition.
Abu Jafar-asws then said: ‘Is religion anything other than love? Allah-azwj has Said: He has made belief beloved to you and has beautified it in your hearts. (49:7), He-azwj has said: ‘If you were to love Allah then follow me Allah will love you. (3:31). He-azwj has said: ‘they love those who migrate to you.’ (59:9).
Once a man came to the Messenger of Allah-saww and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah-saww, I love people who perform Salat but I do not perform it, I love people who fast but I do not fast. The Messenger of Allah-saww said: ‘You are with those whom you love and to you belongs what you have earned.’ The Messenger of Allah-saww has said: What you are seeking to find is where you will arrive.
(Imam-asws said): It is certain that if a shocking thing may come from the sky every people will seek protection in their safe places and we-asws seek protection with our Holy Prophet-saww, and you will seek protection with us‑asws.[3]
Appendix: Syeda Sharika tul-Hussain-asws struck her head against carriage
أَقُولُ رَأَيْتُ فِي بَعْضِ الْكُتُبِ الْمُعْتَبَرَةِ رُوِيَ مُرْسَلًا عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ الْجَصَّاصِ قَالَ: دَعَانِي ابْنُ زِيَادٍ لِإِصْلَاحِ دَارِ الْإِمَارَةِ بِالْكُوفَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا أُجَصِّصُ الْأَبْوَابَ وَ إِذَا أَنَا بِالزَّعَقَاتِ قَدِ ارْتَفَعَتْ مِنْ جَنَبَاتِ الْكُوفَةِ فَأَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى خَادِمٍ كَانَ مَعَنَا فَقُلْتُ مَا لِي أَرَى الْكُوفَةَ تَضِجُّ قَالَ السَّاعَةَ أَتَوْا بِرَأْسِ خَارِجِيٍّ خَرَجَ عَلَى يَزِيدَ
I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘I saw in one of the reliable books being reported by an unbroken chain from Muslim Al-Jassas who said,
‘Ibn Ziyad-la called me to repair the government building at Al-Kufa. While I was plastering the doors, and there were screams to have risen from the sides of Al-Kufa. I went to a servant who was with us and said, ‘What is the matter I see Al-Kufa to be clamouring?’ He said, ‘They are coming now with the head of the Kharijite who had come out against Yazeed-la’.
فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا الْخَارِجِيُّ فَقَالَ- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ع
I said, ‘Who is this Kharijite?’ He said, ‘Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali-asws’.
قَالَ فَتَرَكْتُ الْخَادِمَ حَتَّى خَرَجَ وَ لَطَمْتُ وَجْهِي حَتَّى خَشِيتُ عَلَى عَيْنِي أَنْ يَذْهَبَ وَ غَسَلْتُ يَدَيَّ مِنَ الْجِصِّ وَ خَرَجْتُ مِنْ ظَهْرِ الْقَصْرِ وَ أَتَيْتُ إِلَى الْكِنَاسِ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا وَاقِفٌ وَ النَّاسُ يَتَوَقَّعُونَ وَصُولَ السَّبَايَا وَ الرُّءُوسِ إِذْ قَدْ أَقْبَلَتْ نَحْوَ أَرْبَعِينَ شُقَّةً تُحْمَلُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِينَ جَمَلًا فِيهَا الْحُرَمُ وَ النِّسَاءُ وَ أَوْلَادُ فَاطِمَةَ ع وَ إِذَا بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع عَلَى بَعِيرٍ بِغَيْرِ وِطَاءٍ وَ أَوْدَاجُهُ تَشْخُبُ دَماً
He (the narrator) said, ‘I left the servant until I went out and slapped my face until I feared upon my eyes that these would be lost, and I washed my hands from the plaster and went out from the back of the castle and came to the sweepers. While I was standing and the people were anticipating the arrival of the captives and the heads, when there came approximately forty carriages upon forty camels wherein were the sanctimonious ones, and the women, and the children of (Syeda) Fatima-asws, and there Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws was upon a camel without a saddle and his-asws throat veins were dripping blood.
وَ هُوَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ يَبْكِي وَ يَقُولُ-
| يَا أُمَّةَ السَّوْءِ لَا سُقْيَا لِرَبْعِكُمْ- | يَا أُمَّةً لَمْ تُرَاعِ جَدَّنَا فِينَا | |
| لَوْ أَنَّنَا وَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يَجْمَعُنَا | يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَا | |
| تُسَيِّرُونَا عَلَى الْأَقْتَابِ عَارِيَةً | كَأَنَّنَا لَمْ نُشَيِّدْ فِيكُمْ دِيناً |
And he-asws, along with that, was weeping and saying: ‘O evil community! There will be no quencher (except) for a quarter of you. O community who did not care of our-asws grandfather‑saww regarding us-asws! If we-asws and Rasool-Allah-saww were to gather on the Day of Qiyamah, what will you be saying to us-asws? They are travelling us-asws upon the bare humps, as if we-asws had not built a religion among you all.
| بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ مَا هَذَا الْوُقُوفُ عَلَى | تِلْكَ الْمَصَائِبِ لَا تُلَبُّونَ دَاعِيَنَا | |
| تُصَفِّقُونَ عَلَيْنَا كَفَّكُمْ فَرَحاً | وَ أَنْتُمُ فِي فِجَاجِ الْأَرْضِ تَسْبُونَا | |
| أَ لَيْسَ جَدِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَيْلَكُمْ | أَهْدَى الْبَرِيَّةِ مِنْ سُبُلِ الْمُضِلِّينَا | |
| يَا وَقْعَةَ الطَّفِّ قَدْ أَوْرَثْتِنِي حَزَناً | وَ اللَّهُ يَهْتِكُ أَسْتَارَ الْمُسِيئِينَا |
Clan of Umayya! What is this pausing upon these calamities? You are not answering our-asws callers? You are clapping your hands upon us out of happiness, and you are reviling us-asws in the areas of the earth. Isn’t my-asws grandfather-saww Rasool-Allah-saww? Woe be unto you all! He-saww guided the people away from the ways of the strayers. O event of Al-Taff (Karbala)! You have caused us-asws to inherit grief. By Allah-azwj! You have torn apart the veils of the ones who are veils to us-asws!’
قَالَ صَارَ أَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ يُنَاوِلُونَ الْأَطْفَالَ الَّذِينَ عَلَى الْمَحَامِلِ بَعْضَ التَّمْرِ وَ الْخُبْزِ وَ الْجَوْزِ فَصَاحَتْ بِهِمْ أُمُّ كُلْثُومٍ وَ قَالَتْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكُوفَةِ إِنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ عَلَيْنَا حَرَامٌ وَ صَارَتْ تَأْخُذُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ أَيْدِي الْأَطْفَالِ وَ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَ تَرْمِي بِهِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘The people of Al-Kufa came to give the children, those who were upon the carriages, some dates, and bread, and nuts. Umm Kulsoom-asws shouted at them and said, ‘O people of Al-Kufa! The charities are Prohibited unto us-asws!’ And she-asws went on to take that from the hands and mouths of the children and throwing it to the ground’.
قَالَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ وَ النَّاسُ يَبْكُونَ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَهُمْ- ثُمَّ إِنَّ أُمَّ كُلْثُومٍ أَطْلَعَتْ رَأْسَهَا مِنَ الْمَحْمِلِ وَ قَالَتْ لَهُمْ صَهْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكُوفَةِ تَقْتُلُنَا رِجَالُكُمْ وَ تَبْكِينَا نِسَاؤُكُمْ فَالْحَاكِمُ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ فَصْلِ الْقَضَاءِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘All that, and the people were crying upon what had afflicted them-asws. Then Umm Kulsoom-asws brought out her-asws head from the carriage and said to them: ‘Shut up, O people of Al-Kufa! Your men killed us-asws, and your women are crying upon us-asws? Allah-azwj will Judge between us-asws and you all on the Day of the Decisive Judgment!’
فَبَيْنَمَا هِيَ تُخَاطِبُهُنَّ إِذَا بِضَجَّةٍ قَدِ ارْتَفَعَتْ فَإِذَا هُمْ أَتَوْا بِالرُّءُوسِ يَقْدُمُهُمْ رَأْسُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ هُوَ رَأْسٌ زُهْرِيٌّ قَمَرِيٌّ أَشْبَهُ الْخَلْقِ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ لِحْيَتُهُ كَسَوَادِ السَّبَجِ قَدِ انْتَصَلَ مِنْهَا الْخِضَابُ وَ وَجْهُهُ دَارَةُ قَمَرٍ طَالِعٍ وَ الرُّمْحُ تَلْعَبُ بِهَا يَمِيناً وَ شِمَالًا
While she-asws was addressing them when a clamour arose, and there, they were coming with the (holy) heads, the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws was ahead of them, and it was a head blossoming like the moon, being the most resembling of the people with Rasool-Allah-saww, and his-asws beard was like the pitch black, the blackness having trickled from it, and his-asws face was like the emerging circle of the moon, and the spear was playing with it right and left.
فَالْتَفَتَتْ زَيْنَبُ فَرَأَتْ رَأْسَ أَخِيهَا فَنَطَحَتْ جَبِينَهَا بِمُقَدَّمِ الْمَحْمِلِ حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا الدَّمَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ تَحْتِ قِنَاعِهَا وَ أَوْمَأَتْ إِلَيْهِ بخرقة [بِحُرْقَةٍ] وَ جَعَلْتْ تَقُولُ-
| يَا هِلَالًا لَمَّا اسْتَتَمَّ كَمَالًا | غَالَهُ خَسْفُهُ فَأَبْدَا غُرُوبَا | |
| مَا تَوَهَّمْتُ يَا شَقِيقَ فُؤَادِي | كَانَ هَذَا مُقَدَّراً مَكْتُوبَا | |
| يَا أَخِي فَاطِمَ الصَّغِيرَةَ كَلِّمْهَا | فَقَدْ كَادَ قَلَبُهَا أَنْ يَذُوبَا |
(Syeda) Zainab-asws turned and saw the (holy) head of her-asws brother-asws. She-asws struck her‑asws head with the front of the carriage until we saw the blood emerging from beneath her-asws veil, and she-asws gestured towards it with a rag and went on to say: ‘O crescent, when it is completely perfect, its eclipse loses it, and it begins going down. O brother-asws! I-asws never imagined that this was a Written Decree. O my-asws brother-asws! Fatima Al-Sughra-asws, speak to her-asws, for her-asws heart has almost melted!
| يَا أَخِي قَلْبُكَ الشَّفِيقُ عَلَيْنَا | مَا لَهُ قَدْ قَسَى وَ صَارَ صَلِيبَا | |
| يَا أَخِي لَوْ تَرَى عَلِيّاً لَدَى الْأَسْرِ | مَعَ الْيُتْمِ لَا يُطِيقُ وُجُوبَا | |
| كُلَّمَا أَوْجَعُوهُ بِالضَّرْبِ نَادَاكَ | بِذُلٍّ يَغِيضُ دَمْعاً سَكُوبَا | |
| يَا أَخِي ضُمَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَ قَرِّبْهُ | وَ سَكِّنْ فُؤَادَهُ الْمَرْعُوبَا | |
| مَا أَذَلَّ الْيَتِيمَ حِينَ يُنَادِي | بِأَبِيهِ وَ لَا يَرَاهُ مُجِيبَا |
O my-asws brother-asws! Your-asws heart is compassionate to us-asws, what is the matter it has hardened and become a slab? O my-asws brother-asws! If you-asws could see Ali-asws among the captives with the orphans, you-asws would not have tolerated any response. Every time they pain him-asws with the strike, he-asws calls out to you-asws, exerting the swelling of the tears being shed. O my-asws brother-asws! Hug him-asws to you-asws and draw him-asws near and calm his-asws fearful heart! How humiliated is the orphan when he calls his father, and he cannot see an answer!’
ثُمَّ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ ابْنَ زِيَادٍ جَلَسَ فِي الْقَصْرِ لِلنَّاسِ وَ أَذِنَ إِذْناً عَامّاً وَ جِيءَ بِرَأْسِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فَوُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ أُدْخِلَ نِسَاءُ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ صِبْيَانُهُ إِلَيْهِ فَجَلَسَتْ زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ عَلِيٍّ ع مُتَنَكِّرَةً
Then the Seyyid said, ‘Then Ibn Ziyad-la sat in the castle for the people and permitted a general permission, and they came with the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws and it was placed in front of him-asws, and the womenfolk of Al-Husayn-asws and his-asws children entered to his-la presence. (Syeda) Zainab-asws Bint Ali-asws sat down, covering her-asws face.
فَسَأَلَ عَنْهَا فَقِيلَ هَذِهِ زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ عَلِيٍّ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي فَضَحَكُمْ وَ أَكْذَبَ أُحْدُوثَتَكُمْ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّمَا يَفْتَضِحُ الْفَاسِقُ وَ يَكْذِبُ الْفَاجِرُ وَ هُوَ غَيْرُنَا
He-la asked about her-asws. It was said, ‘This is (Syeda) Zainab Bint Ali-asws’. He-la turned towards her-asws and said, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Shamed you-asws all and Belied your-asws narrations!’ She-asws said: ‘But rather, the mischief-maker has been shamed and the transgressor has been belied, and he is other than us-asws!’
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ كَيْفَ رَأَيْتِ صُنْعَ اللَّهِ بِأَخِيكِ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكِ فَقَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ إِلَّا جَمِيلًا هَؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَتْلَ فَبَرَزُوا إِلَى مَضَاجِعِهِمْ وَ سَيَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَتُحَاجُّ وَ تُخَاصَمُ فَانْظُرْ لِمَنِ الْفَلْجُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا ابْنَ مَرْجَانَةَ
Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘How did you-asws see the dealing of Allah-azwj with your-asws brother-asws and your-asws family members?’ She-asws said: ‘I-asws do not see it except a beautiful. They are a people upon whom Allah-azwj had Prescribed being killed, so they went out to their slaying places, and Allah-azwj will be Gathering between you-la and them-asws. So, you-la will be argued against and disputed, so look, from whom will be the victory on that day. May your-la mother be bereft of you-la, O Ibn Marjana-la!’
قَالَ فَغَضِبَ وَ كَأَنَّهُ هَمَّ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ إِنَّهَا امْرَأَةٌ وَ الْمَرْأَةُ لَا تُؤَاخَذُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ مَنْطِقِهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ لَقَدْ شَفَى اللَّهُ قَلْبِي مِنْ طَاغِيَتِكِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ الْعُصَاةِ الْمَرَدَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘He-la got angered, and it was as if he-la thought of killing her-asws. Amro Bin Hureys-la said to him-la, ‘She-asws is a woman, and the woman cannot be seized for anything from her talk’. Ibn Ziyad-la said to him-la, ‘Allah-azwj has Healed my-la heart from your-asws tyrant Al-Husayn-asws and the disobedient ones of (clan of) Murad from your-asws family members!’
فَقَالَتْ لَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ قَتَلْتَ كَهْلِي وَ قَطَعْتَ فَرْعِي وَ اجْتَثَثْتَ أَصْلِي فَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا شِفَاءَكَ فَقَدِ اشْتَفَيْتَ
(Syeda) She-asws said: ‘By my-asws life! You-la have killed my-asws elders, and cut off my-asws branches, and uprooted my-asws roots. So if this was your-la healing, so you-la have been healed!’
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ هَذِهِ سَجَّاعَةٌ وَ لَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ كَانَ أَبُوكِ سَجَّاعاً شَاعِراً فَقَالَتْ يَا ابْنَ زِيَادٍ مَا لِلْمَرْأَةِ وَ السَّجَّاعَةَ
Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘This is a rhyme, and by my-la life, your-asws father-asws was one with rhymes and poetry’. She-asws said: ‘O Ibn Ziyad-la! What have the women to do with the rhymes?’
و قال ابن نما و إن لي عن السجاعة لشغلا و إني لأعجب ممن يشتفي بقتل أئمته و يعلم أنهم منتقمون منه في آخرته
Ibn Nama said, ‘And for me, about the rhyme, there is a concern, and I am surprised from the one who is healed by killing his-asws Imams-asws, and he-la knows that they-asws would be taking revenge form him-la in his-la Hereafter’.
وَ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فَوُضِعَ الرَّأْسُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ وَ يَتَبَسَّمُ وَ بِيَدِهِ قَضِيبٌ يَضْرِبُ بِهِ ثَنَايَاهُ وَ كَانَ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ زَيْدُ بْنُ أَرْقَمَ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ هُوَ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ يَضْرِبُ بِالْقَضِيبِ ثَنَايَاهُ قَالَ ارْفَعْ قَضِيبَكَ عَنْ هَاتَيْنِ الشَّفَتَيْنِ فَوَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ شَفَتَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عَلَيْهِمَا مَا لَا أُحْصِيهِ يُقَبِّلُهُمَا
And Al-Mufeed, may Allah-azwj have Mercy on him, said, ‘The (holy) head (of Al-Husayn-asws) was placed in front of him-la. He-la looked at it and smiled, and there was a stick in his-la hand he-la was striking his-asws lips with it, and to his-la side was Zayd Bin Arqam, a companion of Rasool-Allah-saww, and he was an aged old man. When he saw him-la strike his-asws lips with the stick, he said, ‘Raise your-la stick from these lips! By Allah-azwj Who, there is no god except He‑azwj! I have seen the two lips of Rasool-Allah-saww upon these, kissing them, (the number of times) I cannot even count!’
ثُمَّ انْتَحَبَ بَاكِياً فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ أَبْكَى اللَّهُ عَيْنَيْكَ أَ تَبْكِي لِفَتْحِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهِ لَوْ لَا أَنَّكَ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ قَدْ خرقت [خَرِفْتَ] وَ ذَهَبَ عَقْلُكَ لَضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَكَ فَنَهَضَ زَيْدُ بْنُ أَرْقَمَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ صَارَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ
Then he wailed crying. Ibn Ziyad-la said to him, ‘May Allah-azwj Make your eyes cry! Are you crying at the victory of Allah-azwj? By Allah-azwj! Had you not been an aged old man having become senile and his mind has gone, I-la would have struck off your neck!’ Zayd Bin Arqam got up from in front of him-la and went to his house’.
الإرشاد ص 228، و لكن قد يقال ان زيد بن أرقم كان حينذاك أعمى: قد كف بصره بدعاء على أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام حين استشهده عن كلام رسول اللّه« من كنت مولاه فهذا على مولاه» فكتمه، كما في شرح النهج ج 1 ص 362 لابن أبي الحديد، الا انه لم يثبت، و لا نقله أرباب التراجم في ترجمته.
Note: – (The book) ‘Al-Irshad’ Page 228, ‘But, it has been said that Zayd Bin Arqam was blind on that day, his sight having been blinded by the supplication of Ali-asws Amir Al-Momineen-asws against him when he-asws had told him to testify about the speech of Rasool-Allah-saww: ‘One whose Master I-saww was, so Ali-asws is his Master’, but he had concealed it, like what it is in the commentary of Al-Nahj Al-Balagah Vol 1 Pg 362 of Ibn Abu Al Hadeed, except that the lords of translation did not transmit it in their translations.
و لو صح لم يناف انكاره على ابن زياد بضرب القضيب على ثناياه عليه السلام، لجواز أن يكون قد أنكر على ما سمعه ممن رأى ذلك نعم قال ابن عساكر في تاريخه ج 4 ص 340 أنه كان حاضر المجلس و يؤيد ابن زياد.
And if it was correct, it is not beneficial, his denial upon Ibn Ziyad-la of striking with the stick upon his-asws lips, upon him-asws be the greetings, as a permit that he had disliked it based upon what he had heard from the one who had seen that, yes. Ibn Asakir said in his history, Vol 4 Pg 340 that he was present in the gathering and supported Ibn Ziyad-la.
وَ قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ زَيْدٌ صَوْتَهُ يَبْكِي وَ خَرَجَ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ مَلَكَ عَبْدٌ حُرّاً أَنْتُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْعَرَبِ الْعَبِيدُ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ قَتَلْتُمُ ابْنَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ أَمَّرْتُمُ ابْنَ مَرْجَانَةَ حَتَّى يَقْتُلَ خِيَارَكُمْ وَ يَسْتَعْبِدَ أَشْرَارَكُمْ رَضِيتُمْ بِالذُّلِّ فَبُعْداً لِمَنْ رَضِيَ
And Muhammad Bin Abu Talib said, ‘Then Zayd raised his voice with the crying, and he went out and he was saying, ‘A slave is owning a free one! You, O community of Arabs, are the slaves after today. You killed the son-asws of (Syeda) Fatima-asws and have made Ibn Marjana-la the emir until he-la has killed your best ones and has enslaved your evil ones. You are pleased with the disgrace. So, remoteness is for the one who is pleased!’
وَ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ فَأُدْخِلَ عِيَالُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمَا عَلَى ابْنِ زِيَادٍ فَدَخَلَتْ زَيْنَبُ أُخْتُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فِي جُمْلَتِهِمْ مُتَنَكِّرَةً وَ عَلَيْهَا أَرْذَلُ ثِيَابِهَا وَ مَضَتْ حَتَّى جَلَسَتْ نَاحِيَةً وَ حَفَّتْ بِهَا إِمَاؤُهَا
And Al-Mufeed said, ‘The dependants of Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali-asws, may the Salawaat of Allah-azwj be upon them-asws both, were entered into (the court of) Ibn Ziyad. (Syeda) Zainab-asws, sister-asws of Al-Husayn-asws entered among their group covered of face, and upon her-asws was her-asws worn-out clothes, and she-asws went and sat down in a corner, and her-asws maids sat around her-asws.
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ مَنْ هَذِهِ الَّتِي انْحَازَتْ فَجَلَسَتْ نَاحِيَةً وَ مَعَهَا نِسَاؤُهَا فَلَمْ تُجِبْهُ زَيْنَبُ فَأَعَادَ الْقَوْلَ ثَانِيَةً وَ ثَالِثَةً يَسْأَلُ عَنْهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ بَعْضُ إِمَائِهَا هَذِهِ- زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص
Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘Who is this who has separated and sat down in a corner and with her-asws women?’ But (Syeda) Zainab-asws did not answer him-la. He-la repeated the words secondly, and thirdly asking about her-asws. One of her-asws maids said to him-la, ‘This is (Syeda) Zainab-asws, daughter-asws of (Syeda) Fatima-asws daughter-asws of Rasool-Allah-saww’.
فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهَا ابْنُ زِيَادٍ وَ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي فَضَحَكُمْ وَ قَتَلَكُمْ وَ أَكْذَبَ أُحْدُوثَتَكُمْ فَقَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَكْرَمَنَا بِنَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ طَهَّرَنَا مِنَ الرِّجْسِ تَطْهِيراً إِنَّمَا يَفْتَضِحُ الْفَاسِقُ إِلَى آخِرِ مَا مَرَّ
So Ibn Ziyad-la turned towards her-asws and said, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj who Shamed you‑asws all and Killed you and Belied your-asws narrations!’ (Syeda) Zainab-asws said: ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Honoured us-asws with His-azwj Prophet-saww Muhammad-saww and Purified us-asws from the uncleanness with a Purification. But rather, the mischief-maker has been Shamed!’ – up the end of what has passed.
وَ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ وَ ابْنُ نَمَا ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذَا فَقِيلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ قَتَلَ اللَّهُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ قَدْ كَانَ لِي أَخٌ يُسَمَّى عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ قَتَلَهُ النَّاسُ
And the Seyyid and Ibn Nama said, ‘Then Ibn Ziyad-la turned towards Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws. He-la said, ‘Who is this?’ It was said, ‘This is Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws’. He-la said, ‘Hasn’t Allah‑azwj Killed Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws?’ Ali-asws said: ‘There was a brother-asws for me-asws named as Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws. The people killed him-asws’.
فَقَالَ بَلِ اللَّهُ قَتَلَهُ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ- اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِها وَ الَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنامِها فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ وَ لَكَ جُرْأَةٌ عَلَى جَوَابِي اذْهَبُوا بِهِ فَاضْرِبُوا عُنُقَهُ
He-la said, ‘But, Allah-azwj Killed him-asws!’ Ali-asws said: ‘Allah Takes away the souls when they die, and those who do not die in their sleep. [39:42]’. Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘And for you-asws there is audacity upon answering me-la? Go with him-asws and strike off his-asws neck!’
فَسَمِعَتْ عَمَّتُهُ زَيْنَبُ فَقَالَتْ يَا ابْنَ زِيَادٍ إِنَّكَ لَمْ تُبْقِ مِنَّا أَحَداً فَإِنْ عَزَمْتَ عَلَى قَتْلِهِ فَاقْتُلْنِي مَعَهُ
I heard his-asws aunt Zainab-asws, she-asws said: ‘O Ibn Ziyad-la! You-la have not left anyone from us-asws to remain! So, if you-la are determined upon killing him-asws, then kill me-asws along with him-asws!’
وَ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ وَ ابْنُ نَمَا فَتَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ زَيْنَبُ عَمَّتُهُ وَ قَالَتْ يَا ابْنَ زِيَادٍ حَسْبُكَ مِنْ دِمَائِنَا وَ اعْتَنَقَتْهُ وَ قَالَتْ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أُفَارِقُهُ فَإِنْ قَتَلْتَهُ فَاقْتُلْنِي مَعَهُ
Al-Mufeed and Ibn Nama said, ‘His-asws aunt Zainab-asws clung with him-asws and said, ‘O Ibn Ziyad-la! It suffices you-la from our-asws blood!’, and she-asws hugged him-asws and said: ‘I-asws will not separate from him-asws. So, if you-la are killing him-asws, then kill me-asws along with him-asws!’
فَنَظَرَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ إِلَيْهَا وَ إِلَيْهِ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ عَجَباً لِلرَّحِمِ وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهَا وَدَّتْ أَنِّي قَتَلْتُهَا مَعَهُ دَعُوهُ فَإِنِّي أَرَاهُ لِمَا بِهِ
Ibn Ziyad-la looked at her-asws and to him-asws for a while, then said, ‘Strange of the kinship! By Allah-azwj I-la think she-asws would love it if I-la were to kill her-asws along with him-asws. Leave him‑asws, for I-la can see what (illness) he-asws is with!’’
وَ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ لِعَمَّتِهِ اسْكُتِي يَا عَمَّةِ حَتَّى أُكَلِّمَهُ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ ع فَقَالَ أَ بِالْقَتْلِ تُهَدِّدُنِي يَا ابْنَ زِيَادٍ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الْقَتْلَ لَنَا عَادَةٌ وَ كَرَامَتَنَا الشَّهَادَةُ
And the Seyyid said, ‘Ali-asws said to his-asws aunt: ‘Calm down O aunt, until I-asws speak to him‑la’. Then he-asws turned and said: ‘Is it with the killing you-la are threatening me-asws, O Ibn Ziyad‑la? Don’t you-la known that being killed is the norm for us-asws, and the martyrdom is our-asws honour?’
ثُمَّ أَمَرَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ أَهْلِهِ فَحُمِلُوا إِلَى دَارٍ إِلَى جَنْبِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَعْظَمِ فَقَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ بِنْتُ عَلِيٍّ- لَا يَدْخُلَنَّ عَلَيْنَا عَرَبِيَّةٌ إِلَّا أُمُّ وَلَدٍ أَوْ مَمْلُوكَةٌ فَإِنَّهُنَّ سُبِينَ وَ قَدْ سُبِينَا
Then Ibn Ziyad-la ordered with Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws and his-asws family members, so they‑asws were carried to a house by the side of the grand Masjid. Zainab-asws Bint Ali-asws said: ‘No female Arab should enter upon us-asws except a mother of children, or a slave girl, for they are captives and we-asws have become captives’.
وَ قَالَ ابْنُ نَمَا رُوِّيتُ أَنَّ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ قَالَ شَهِدْتُ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زِيَادٍ وَ هُوَ يَنْكُتُ بِقَضِيبٍ عَلَى أَسْنَانِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَسَنَ الثَّغْرِ فَقُلْتُ أَمَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأَسُوأَنَّكَ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يُقَبِّلُ مَوْضِعَ قَضِيبِكَ مِنْ فِيهِ
And Ibn Nama said, ‘It is reported that Anas Bin Malik (a well-known enemy of Ahl Al-Bayt‑asws) said, ‘I witnessed Ubeydullah Bin Ziyad-la and he-la was tapping with a stick upon the teeth of (holy head of) Al-Husayn-asws and saying, ‘He-asws was of excellent teeth!’ I said, ‘Or by Allah‑azwj, it will worsen you-la! I have seen Rasool-Allah-saww kiss the place of your-la stick from his-asws mouth’.
وَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ وَ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَهْلٍ أَنَّهُمَا حَضَرَا عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ يَضْرِبُ بِقَضِيبِهِ أَنْفَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ عَيْنَيْهِ وَ يَطْعَنُ فِي فَمِهِ فَقَالَ زَيْدُ بْنُ أَرْقَمَ ارْفَعْ قَضِيبَكَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهُ وَاضِعاً شَفَتَيْهِ عَلَى مَوْضِعِ قَضِيبِكَ ثُمَّ انْتَحَبَ بَاكِياً
And from Saeed Bin Muaz, and Amro Bin Sahl, they were both present with Ubeydullah-la striking with his-la stick the nose of Al-Husayn-asws, and his-asws eyes, and stab in his-asws mouth. Zayd Bin Arqam said, ‘Raise your-la stick! I have seen Rasool-Allah-saww place his-saww upon the place of your-la stick?’ Then he wailed crying.
فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبْكَى اللَّهُ عَيْنَيْكَ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ لَوْ لَا أَنَّكَ شَيْخٌ قَدْ خَرِفْتَ وَ ذَهَبَ عَقْلُكَ لَضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَكَ
He-la said to him, ‘May Allah-azwj Cause your eyes to cry, enemy of Allah-azwj! Had you not been an old man having become senile and his mind has gone, I-la would have struck off your neck!’
فَقَالَ زَيْدٌ لَأُحَدِّثَنَّكَ حَدِيثاً هُوَ أَغْلَظُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ هَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَقْعَدَ حَسَناً عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَ حُسَيْناً عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى يَافُوخِ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَوْدِعُكَ إِيَّاهُمَا وَ صَالِحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ وَدِيعَتُكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص
Zayd said, ‘I shall narrate a Hadeeth to you-la, it would be harsher upon you-la than this. I saw Rasool-Allah-saww having seated Hassan-asws upon his-saww right thigh and Husayn-asws upon his‑saww left thigh. He-saww placed his-saww hand upon the top of each of their-asws heads and said: ‘O Allah-azwj! I-saww entrust them-asws to You-azwj and the righteous Momineen-asws!’ So how was your-la dealing with the entrustment of Rasool-Allah-saww?’’
و قال و لما اجتمع عبيد الله بن زياد و عمر بن سعد- بعد قتل الحسين ع قال عبيد الله لعمر ائتني بالكتاب الذي كتبته إليك في معنى قتل الحسين ع و مناجزته فقال ضاع
And he (the narrator) said, ‘When Ubeydullah-la Bin Ziyad-la and Umar-la Bin Sa’ad-la gathered after the killing of Al-Husayn-asws, Ubeydullah-la said to Umar-la, ‘Give me-la the letter which I-la had written to you-la meaning, killing Al-Husayn-asws and fighting him-asws’. He-la said, ‘(It is) lost!’
فقال لتجيئنني به أ تراك معتذرا في عجائز قريش قال عمر و الله لقد نصحتك في الحسين نصيحة لو استشارني بها أبي سعد كنت قد أديت حقه
He-la said, ‘You-la will come to me-la with it! Will I-la leave you-la to excuse yourself-la among the elders of Quraysh?’ Umar-la said, ‘By Allah-azwj! I-la had advised you-asws regarding Al-Husayn‑asws with some advice. Had my-la father Sa’ad consulted me-la with it, I-la would have fulfilled his right’.
فقال عثمان بن زياد أخو عبيد الله صدق و الله لوددت أنه ليس من بني زياد رجل إلا و في أنفه خزامة إلى يوم القيامة و أن حسينا لم يقتل
Usman-la Bin Ziyad-la, brother-la of Ubeydullah-la said, ‘You-la speak the truth! By Allah-azwj! I-la would love it for there wasn’t any man from the sons of Ziyad except and in his ring would be a ring (to be pulled with) up to the Day of Qiyamah, and Al-Husayn-asws would not have been killed’.
قال عمر بن سعد و الله ما رجع أحد بشر مما رجعت أطعت عبيد الله و عصيت الله و قطعت الرحم
Umar-la Bin Sa’ad-la said, ‘By Allah-azwj! No one has returned with eviller than what you-la have returned in obedience of Ubeydullah-la and disobedience of Allah-azwj!’ And he-la cut off the kinship.
وَ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ بِرَأْسِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فَطِيفَ بِهِ فِي سِكَكِ الْكُوفَةِ وَ يَحِقُّ لِي أَنْ أَتَمَثَّلَ هَاهُنَا بِأَبْيَاتٍ لِبَعْضِ ذَوِي الْعُقُولِ يَرْثِي بِهَا قَتِيلًا مِنْ آلِ الرَّسُولِ ص
And the Seyyid said, ‘Then Ibn Ziyad-la ordered with the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws, so it was sent around with in the markets of Al-Kufa, and it is a right for me that I prose couplets over here of one of the intellectuals eulogising with it the slain from the Progeny-asws of the Rasool‑saww.
فَقَالَ-
| رَأْسُ ابْنِ بِنْتِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ وَصِيِّهِ- | لِلنَّاظِرِينَ عَلَى قَنَاةٍ يُرْفَعُ- | |
| وَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ بِمَنْظَرٍ وَ بِمَسْمَعٍ- | لَا مُنْكِرٌ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَا مُتَفَجِّعُ- | |
| كُحِلَتْ بِمَنْظَرِكَ الْعُيُونُ عَمَايَةً- | وَ أَصَمَّ رُزْؤُكَ كُلَّ أُذُنٍ تَسْمَعُ- | |
| مَا رَوْضَةٌ إِلَّا تَمَنَّتْ أَنَّهَا- | لَكَ حُفْرَةٌ وَ لِخَطِّ قَبْرِكَ مَضْجَعُ- | |
| أَيْقَظْتَ أَجْفَاناً وَ كُنْتَ لَهَا كَرًى- | وَ أَنَمْتَ عَيْناً لَمْ يَكُنْ بِكَ تَهْجَع |
He said, ‘The (holy) head of the son-asws of the daughter-asws of Muhammad-saww and his-asws successor-asws is raised for the beholders upon a spear, and the Muslims are with looking and hearing. There is neither any denier from them nor any one mournful. May the eyes looking at you-asws be blinded and be deafened every ear that hears. There is no garden except you wish it would be a grave for you, and a line drawn for your slaying place. The eyelids woke up and you were in slumber for it, and the eyes slept what had not stayed awake for you-asws’.
قَالَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ ابْنَ زِيَادٍ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَ قَالَ فِي بَعْضِ كَلَامِهِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَظْهَرَ الْحَقَّ وَ أَهْلَهُ وَ نَصْرَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ أَشْيَاعَهُ وَ قَتَلَ الْكَذَّابَ ابْنَ الْكَذَّابِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘Then Ibn Ziyad-la ascended the pulpit. He-la praised Allah-azwj and extolled upon Him-azwj and said in part of his-la speech, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Revealed the truth and its people and Helped the commander of the faithful (meaning Yazeed‑la) and his-la loyalists and Killed the liar son of the liar (meaning Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali‑asws)’.
فَمَا زَادَ عَلَى هَذَا الْكَلَامِ شَيْئاً حَتَّى قَامَ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَفِيفٍ الْأَزْدِيُّ وَ كَانَ مِنْ خِيَارِ الشِّيعَةِ وَ زُهَّادِهَا وَ كَانَتْ عَيْنُهُ الْيُسْرَى ذَهَبَتْ فِي يَوْمِ الْجَمَلِ وَ الْأُخْرَى فِي يَوْمِ صِفِّينَ وَ كَانَ يُلَازِمُ الْمَسْجِدَ الْأَعْظَمَ فَيُصَلِّي فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ مَرْجَانَةَ إِنَّ الْكَذَّابَ ابْنَ الْكَذَّابِ أَنْتَ وَ أَبُوكَ وَ مَنِ اسْتَعْمَلَكَ وَ أَبُوهُ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ أَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَبْنَاءَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ تَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِهَذَا الْكَلَامِ عَلَى مَنَابِرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
He-la had not increased upon this talk by anything until Abdullah Bin Afeef Al-Azdy stood up to him-la, and he was from the good Shias and their ascetic ones, and his left eye had gone (blind) during the day (battle of) the camel, and the other during the day (battle of) Siffeen, and he used to stay in the grand Masjid and pray in it up to the night. He said, ‘O Ibn Marjana‑la! The liar son of the liar is you-la and your-la father, and the one you-la have used (as governor) and his-la father! O enemy of Allah-azwj! You-la are killing the sons-asws of the Prophets‑as and are talking with this speech upon the pulpits of the Momineen?’
قَالَ فَغَضِبَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ هَذَا الْمُتَكَلِّمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا الْمُتَكَلِّمُ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ تَقْتُلُ الذُّرِّيَّةَ الطَّاهِرَةَ الَّتِي قَدْ أَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّكَ عَلَى دِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَا غَوْثَاهْ أَيْنَ أَوْلَادُ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ- لَا يَنْتَقِمُونَ مِنْ طَاغِيَتِكَ اللَّعِينِ ابْنِ اللَّعِينِ عَلَى لِسَانِ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
He (the narrator) said, ‘Ibn Ziyad-la was angered, then said, ‘Who it is speaker?’ He said, ‘I am the speaker, O enemy of Allah-azwj! You-la killed the pure offspring which Allah-azwj had Kept away the uncleanness from them-asws, and you-la are claiming that you-la are upon the religion of Al-Islam? Oh help! Where are the children of the Emigrants and the Helpers? Why are they not taking revenge from the accursed son of the accursed upon the tongue of Muhammad‑saww, Rasool-saww of Lord-azwj of the worlds?’’
قَالَ فَازْدَادَ غَضَبُ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَوْدَاجُهُ وَ قَالَ عَلَيَّ بِهِ فَبَادَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْجَلَاوِزَةُ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ فَقَامَتِ الْأَشْرَافُ مِنَ الْأَزْدِ مِنْ بَنِي عَمِّهِ فَخَلَّصُوهُ مِنْ أَيْدِي الْجَلَاوِزَةِ وَ أَخْرَجُوهُ مِنْ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَ انْطَلَقُوا بِهِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘Then anger of Ibn Ziyad-la increased to the extent that his-la cheeks swelled and he-la said, ‘To me-la with him!’ The soldiers rushed towards him from every corner to seize him. The nobles from the clan of Azd, from the clan of his uncle stood up and they rescued him from the hands of the soldiers and took him out from the door of the Masjid, and they went with him to his house.
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ اذْهَبُوا إِلَى هَذَا الْأَعْمَى أَعْمَى الْأَزْدِ أَعْمَى اللَّهُ قَلْبَهُ كَمَا أَعْمَى عَيْنَهُ فَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَانْطَلَقُوا فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْأَزْدَ اجْتَمَعُوا وَ اجْتَمَعَتْ مَعَهُمْ قَبَائِلُ الْيَمَنِ لِيَمْنَعُوا صَاحِبَهُمْ
Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘Go to this blind man, the blind one of (the clan of) Azd! Allah-azwj has Blinded his hear like his eyes have been blinded and come to me-la with him!’ When that reached (the clan of) Al Azd, they gathered, and they gathered the tribes of Al-Yemen with them in order to defend their companion’.
قَالَ وَ بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى ابْنِ زِيَادٍ فَجَمَعَ قَبَائِلَ مُضَرَ وَ ضَمَّهُمْ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْأَشْعَثِ وَ أَمَرَهُمْ بِقِتَالِ الْقَوْمِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘And that reached Ibn Ziyad-la. He-la gathered the tribes of Muzar and annexed them to Muhammad Bin Al-Ash’as and ordered them to fight the group’.
قَالَ فَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيداً حَتَّى قُتِلَ بَيْنَهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘They fought a severe battle until a group from the Arabs were killed between them’.
قَالَ وَ وَصَلَ أَصْحَابُ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ إِلَى دَارِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَفِيفٍ فَكَسَرُوا الْبَابَ وَ اقْتَحَمُوا عَلَيْهِ فَصَاحَتْ ابْنَتُهُ أَتَاكَ الْقَوْمُ مِنْ حَيْثُ تَحْذَرُ فَقَالَ لَا عَلَيْكِ نَاوِلِينِي سَيْفِي فَنَاوَلَتْهُ إِيَّاهُ فَجَعَلَ يَذُبُّ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَ يَقُولُ-
| أَنَا ابْنُ ذِي الْفَضْلِ عَفِيفِ الطَّاهِرِ- | عَفِيفٌ شَيْخِي وَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَامِرِ- | |
| كَمْ دَارِعٍ مِنْ جَمْعِكُمْ وَ حَاسِرِ- | وَ بَطَلٍ جَدَّلْتُهُ مُغَادِرِ- |
He (the narrator) said, ‘And the companions of Ibn Ziyad-la arrived to the house of Abdullah Bin Afeef. They broke the door and stormed upon him. His daughter shouted, ‘The people have come to you!’, from where he could take precaution. He said, ‘It is not upon you. Give me my sword’. She gave it to him. He went on to defend himself and said, ‘I am a son of the one with merit, Afeef Al-Tahir. Afeef is my elder and son of Umm Aamir. How many from your crowd and guards and heroes you have abandoned by betrayal’.
قَالَ وَ جَعَلَتْ ابْنَتُهُ تَقُولُ يَا أَبَتِ لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ رَجُلًا أُخَاصِمُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ الْيَوْمَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْفَجَرَةَ قَاتِلِي الْعِتْرَةِ الْبَرَرَةِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘And his daughter went on to say, ‘If only I was a man, I would have confronted in front of you today against these transgressors, killer of the righteous family!’
قَالَ وَ جَعَلَ الْقَوْمُ يَدُورُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كُلِّ جِهَةٍ وَ هُوَ يَذُبُّ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ وَ كُلَّمَا جَاءُوا مِنْ جِهَةٍ قَالَتْ يَا أَبَهْ قَدْ جَاءُوكَ مِنْ جِهَةِ كَذَا حَتَّى تَكَاثَرُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ أَحَاطُوا بِهِ فَقَالَتْ بِنْتُهُ وَا ذُلَّاهْ يُحَاطُ بِأَبِي وَ لَيْسَ لَهُ نَاصِرٌ يَسْتَعِينُ بِهِ
He (the narrator) said, ‘And the people went on to encircle him from every direction, and he was defending himself. But no one was able upon him, and every time they came to him from a direction, she said, ‘O father! They are coming to you from such and such direction, until they outnumbered him and surrounded him. His daughter said, ‘Oh the disgrace! They have surrounded my father and there is no helper for him to seek assistance with’.
فَجَعَلَ يُدِيرُ سَيْفَهُ وَ يَقُولُ-
| أُقْسِمُ لَوْ يُفْسَحُ لِي عَنْ بَصَرِي- | ضَاقَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَوْرِدِي وَ مَصْدَرِي- |
He went on to rotate his sword and saying, ‘I swear, if my vision were to be unleashed for me, it would have been constricted upon you, coming to me and ambushing me’.
قَالَ فَمَا زَالُوا بِهِ حَتَّى أَخَذُوهُ ثُمَّ حُمِلَ فَأُدْخِلَ عَلَى ابْنِ زِيَادٍ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَخْزَاكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَفِيفٍ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَ بِمَا ذَا أَخْزَانِيَ اللَّهُ-
| وَ اللَّهِ لَوْ فُرِّجَ لِي عَنْ بَصَرِي- | ضَاقَ عَلَيْكَ مَوْرِدِي وَ مَصْدَرِي- |
He (the narrator) said, ‘They did not cease with him until they seized him, then he was carried and entered unto Ibn Ziyad-la. When he-la saw him, he-la said, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Humiliated you’. Abdullah Bin Afeef said to him-la, ‘O enemy of Allah-azwj! And what is that Allah-azwj has Humiliated me with? By Allah-azwj! Had my vision been relieved from me, it would have been constricted upon you, arriving to me, and ambushing me’.
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ فِي عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ بَنِي عِلَاجٍ يَا ابْنَ مَرْجَانَةَ وَ شَتَمَهُ مَا أَنْتَ وَ عُثْمَانَ إِنْ أَسَاءَ أَمْ أَحْسَنَ وَ أَصْلَحَ أَمْ أَفْسَدَ وَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَلِيُّ خَلْقِهِ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ عُثْمَانَ بِالْعَدْلِ وَ الْحَقِّ وَ لَكِنْ سَلْنِي عَنْ أَبِيكَ وَ عَنْكَ وَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ وَ أَبِيهِ
He-la said, ‘O enemy of Allah-azwj! What are you saying regarding Usman Bin Affan?’ He said, ‘O slave of the clan of Ilaj! O Ibn Marjana-la!’ And he insulted him-la, ‘What are you-la and Usman, whether he is worse or better and reconciles or corrupts? And Allah-azwj will Judge between them and Usman with the justice and the truth, but ask me about your-la father, and about yourself-la, and about Yazeed-la and his-la father!’
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ وَ اللَّهِ لَا سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَوْ تَذُوقَ الْمَوْتَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَفِيفٍ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ أَمَا إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ رَبِّي أَنْ يَرْزُقَنِيَ الشَّهَادَةَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَلِدَكَ أُمُّكَ وَ سَأَلْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى يَدَيْ أَلْعَنِ خَلْقِهِ وَ أَبْغَضِهِمْ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا كُفَّ بَصَرِي يَئِسْتُ مِنَ الشَّهَادَةِ وَ الْآنَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي رَزَقَنِيهَا بَعْدَ الْيَأْسِ مِنْهَا وَ عَرَّفَنِيَ الْإِجَابَةَ مِنْهُ فِي قَدِيمِ دُعَائِي
Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘By Allah-azwj! I-la will not ask you about anything, or you will taste the death!’ Abdullah Bin Afeef said, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Lord-azwj of the worlds! As for I, I have been asking Allah-azwj, my Lord-azwj to Grace me the martyrdom before your-la father have even given birth to you-la, and I asked Allah-azwj to Make that to be upon the hands of the most accursed of His-azwj creatures and their most hateful to Him-azwj! When my vision was withheld, I despaired from the martyrdom, and now the Praise is for Allah-azwj Who has Graced it to me after the despair from it and has Made me recognise the Answering from Him-azwj regarding my ancient supplication’.
فَقَالَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ اضْرِبُوا عُنُقَهُ فَضُرِبَتْ عُنُقُهُ وَ صُلِبَ فِي السَّبَخَةِ
Ibn Ziyad-la said, ‘Strike off his neck and crucify in the marshland!’
وَ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُ الْجَلَاوِزَةُ نَادَى شِعَارَ الْأَزْدِ فَاجْتَمَعَ مِنْهُمْ سَبْعُمِائَةٍ فَانْتَزَعُوهُ مِنَ الْجَلَاوِزَةِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ مَنْ أَخْرَجَهُ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ فَضَرَبَ عُنُقَهُ وَ صَلَبَهُ فِي السَّبَخَةِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ
And Al-Mufeed said, ‘When the soldiers had seized him, the slogan of (the clan of) Al-Azd was raised, and seven hundred from them gathered and rescued him from the soldiers. When it was the night, Ibn Ziyad-la sent to him ones who brought him out from his house. He-la struck off his neck and crucified him in the marshland. May Allah-azwj have Mercy on him’.
وَ قَالَ ابْنُ نَمَا ثُمَّ دَعَا جُنْدَبَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَزْدِيَّ وَ كَانَ شَيْخاً فَقَالَ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ أَ لَسْتَ صَاحِبَ أَبِي تُرَابٍ قَالَ بَلَى لَا أَعْتَذِرُ مِنْهُ قَالَ مَا أَرَانِي إِلَّا مُتَقَرِّباً إِلَى اللَّهِ بِدَمِكَ قَالَ إِذَنْ لَا يُقَرِّبُكَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بَلْ يُبَاعِدُكَ قَالَ شَيْخٌ قَدْ ذَهَبَ عَقْلُهُ وَ خَلَّى سَبِيلَهُ
And Ibn Nama said, ‘Then he-la called Jundab Bin Abdullah Al-Azdy, and he was an old man. He said, ‘O enemy of Allah-azwj! Weren’t you a companion of Abu Turab (Ali-asws)?’ He said, ‘Yes, I will not apologise from it’. He-la said, ‘I-la do not see except that I-la should draw closer to Allah-azwj by (shedding) your blood’. He said, ‘Then, Allah-azwj will not Draw you closer to Him-azwj, but He-azwj would Distance you-la’. He-la said, ‘An old man. His mind has gone!’ And he-la freed his way’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ وَ لَمَّا أَصْبَحَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ بَعَثَ بِرَأْسِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فَدِيرَ بِهِ فِي سِكَكِ الْكُوفَةِ وَ قَبَائِلِهَا فَرُوِيَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ أَنَّهُ مُرَّ بِهِ عَلَيَّ وَ هُوَ عَلَى رُمْحٍ وَ أَنَا فِي غُرْفَةٍ لِي فَلَمَّا حَاذَانِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ- أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحابَ الْكَهْفِ وَ الرَّقِيمِ كانُوا مِنْ آياتِنا عَجَباً
Then Al-Mufeed said, ‘And when Ubeydullah-la Bin Ziyad-la woke up in the morning, he-la send the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws, and it was paraded with in the markets of Al-Kufa and its tribes. It is reported from Zayd Bin Arqam, ‘It was passed by me, and it was upon a spear, and I was in an upper room of mine. When it was parallel to me, I heard him-asws recite: Or, do you reckon that the Companions of the Cave and the Inscription were of Our wondrous Signs? [18:9].
فَقَفَّ وَ اللَّهِ شِعْرِي عَلَيَّ وَ نَادَيْتُ رَأْسُكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَعْجَبُ وَ أَعْجَبُ
By Allah-azwj, my hair stood on its ends and I called out, ‘O son-asws of Rasool-Allah-saww! Your‑asws (holy) head is a wonder and a wonder!’
وَ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ وَ كَتَبَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ إِلَى يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ يُخْبِرُهُ بِقَتْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ خَبَرِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ كَتَبَ أَيْضاً إِلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْعَاصِ أَمِيرِ الْمَدِينَةِ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ
And the Seyyid (Ibn Tawoos) said, ‘And Ubeydullah-la Bin Ziyad-la wrote to Yazeed-la Bin Muawiya-la inform him-la with the killing of Al-Husayn-asws and the news of his-asws family members, and he-la wrote as well to Amro Bin Saeed Bin Al-Aas-la, governor of Al-Medina with similar to that’.
وَ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ وَ لَمَّا أَنْفَذَ إلى ابْنُ زِيَادٍ بِرَأْسِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع إِلَى يَزِيدَ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحَارِثِ السُّلَمِيِّ فَقَالَ انْطَلِقْ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ عَمْرَو بْنَ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْعَاصِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِقَتْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع
And Al-Mufeed said, ‘And when Ibn Ziyad-la dispatched the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws to Yazeed-la, he-la proceeded to Abdul Malik Bin Abu Al-Haris Al-Sulamy. He-la said, ‘Go until you come to Amro Bin Saeed Bin Al-Aas-la at Al-Medina and give him-la the good news of the killing of Al-Husayn-asws’.
قَالَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ فَرَكِبْتُ رَاحِلَتِي وَ سِرْتُ نَحْوَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلَقِيَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَالَ مَا الْخَبَرُ فَقُلْتُ الْخَبَرُ عِنْدَ الْأَمِيرِ تَسْمَعُهُ قَالَ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلَيْهِ راجِعُونَ قُتِلَ وَ اللَّهِ الْحُسَيْنُ
Abdul Malik said, ‘I rode my animal and travelled towards Al-Medina, and a man from Quraysh met me. He said, ‘What is the news?’ I said, ‘The news is with the emir’. I made him listen to it. He said, ‘We are for Allah-azwj and are returning to Him-azwj! By Allah-azwj! Al-Husayn-asws has been killed!’
فَلَمَّا دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ مَا وَرَاكَ فَقُلْتُ مَا سَرَّ الْأَمِيرَ قُتِلَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ اخْرُجْ فَنَادِ بِقَتْلِهِ فَنَادَيْتُ فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ وَ اللَّهِ وَاعِيَةً قَطُّ مِثْلَ وَاعِيَةِ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ فِي دُورِهِمْ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ حِينَ سَمِعُوا النِّدَاءَ بِقَتْلِهِ
When I entered to see Amro Bin Saeed-la, he-la said, ‘What is behind you?’ I said, ‘What will cheer the governor. Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali-asws has been killed’. He-la said, ‘Go out and call out with his-asws being killed’. I called out. By Allah-azwj! I had not heard screaming at all like the screaming of the clan of Hashim-as in their houses, screaming upon Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali-asws, when they heard the call of his-asws having been killed.
ثُمَّ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ فَلَمَّا رَآنِي تَبَسَّمَ إِلَيَّ ضَاحِكاً ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ مُتَمَثِّلًا بِقَوْلِ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ-
| عَجَّتْ نِسَاءُ بَنِي زِيَادٍ عَجَّةً- | كَعَجِيجِ نِسْوَتِنَا غَدَاةَ الْأَرْنَبِ- |
Then I entered to see Amro Bin Saeed-la. When he-la saw me, he-la smiled at me laughingly, then he prosed with the words of Amro Bin Madeykarb, ‘The women of the clan of Ziyad clamoured with a clamour, like the clamour of our women in the early morning’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ عَمْرٌو هَذِهِ وَاعِيَةٌ بِوَاعِيَةِ عُثْمَانَ ثُمَّ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَأَعْلَمَ النَّاسَ بِقَتْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ دَعَا لِيَزِيدَ وَ نَزَلَ
Then Amro-la said, ‘This is a screaming for the screaming for Usman’. Then he-la ascended the pulpit and let the people know with the Killing of Al-Husayn-asws and supplicated for Yazeed-la and descended.
و قال صاحب المناقب قال في خطبته إنها لدمة بلدمة و صدمة بصدمة كم خطبة بعد خطبة و موعظة بعد موعظة- حِكْمَةٌ بالِغَةٌ فَما تُغْنِ النُّذُرُ
And the author of ‘Al-Manaqib’ said, ‘He-la said in his-la sermon, ‘It (killing of Al-Husayn-asws) was a bruise for a bruise, and a shock for a shock (at the killing of Usman)! How many sermons after sermons, and preaching after preaching, Being a perfect Wisdom – but warning did not avail (them) [54:5].
و الله لوددت أن رأسه في بدنه و روحه في جسده أحيانا كان يسبنا و نمدحه و يقطعنا و نصله كعادتنا و عادته و لم يكن من أمره ما كان و لكن كيف نصنع بمن سل سيفه يريد قتلنا إلا أن ندفعه عن أنفسنا
By Allah-azwj! I would love it if his-asws (holy) head was in his-asws body, and his-asws soul in his‑asws body. We were alive and he-asws was reviling us and we were praising him-asws, and he-asws cut us off and we connected with him-asws, and his-asws lineage were inimical to us like his-asws enmity, and it would not have happened from his-asws matter what happened, but how could we have dealt with the one who unsheathed his-asws sword intending to kill us, except that we repel him-asws from ourselves!’
فقام عبد الله بن السائب فقال لو كانت فاطمة حية فرأت رأس الحسين لبكت عليه
Abdullah Bin Al-Sa’ib stood up and said, ‘If (Syeda) Fatima-asws had been alive, and seen the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws, she-asws would have cried upon him-asws!’
فجبهه عمرو بن سعيد و قال نحن أحق بفاطمة منك أبوها عمنا و زوجها أخونا و ابنها ابننا لو كانت فاطمة حية لبكت عينها و حرت كبدها و ما لامت من قتله و دفعه عن نفسه
Amro Bin Saeed-la confronted him and said, ‘We are more rightful with (Syeda) Fatima-asws than you are. Her-asws father-asws was our uncle-saww, and her-asws husband was our brother-asws, and her-asws sons-asws are our sons-asws. If (Syeda) Fatima-asws had been alive, her-asws eyes would have cried, and her-asws liver would have heated up, and she-asws would not have blamed (us) for having killed him-asws’. And he defended himself’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ فَدَخَلَ بَعْضُ مَوَالِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَنَعَى إِلَيْهِ ابْنَيْهِ فَاسْتَرْجَعَ
Then Al-Mufeed said, ‘One of the friends of Abdullah-asws Bin Ja’far-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws entered, and his daughter gave the news of death to him-asws. He said, ‘We are for Allah-azwj and are returning to Him-azwj’.
فَقَالَ أَبُو السَّلَاسِلِ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ هَذَا مَا لَقِينَا مِنَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ فَحَذَفَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ بِنَعْلِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ اللَّخْنَاءِ أَ لِلْحُسَيْنِ تَقُولُ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ لَوْ شَهِدْتُهُ لَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ لَا أُفَارِقَهُ حَتَّى أُقْتَلَ مَعَهُ
Abu Al-Salasil, this slave of Abdullah, ‘This is what we have faced from Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali‑asws’. So Abdullah Bin Ja’far-asws had thrown his-asws slipper at him, then said: ‘O son of the ugly talker! Is it for Al-Husayn-asws you are saying this? By Allah-azwj! If I-asws had attended with him-asws, I-asws would have loved not to separate from him-asws until I-asws was killed with him‑asws.
وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِمَّا يَسْخَى بِنَفْسِي عَنْهُمَا وَ يُعَزِّي عَنِ الْمُصَابِ بِهِمَا أَنَّهُمَا أُصِيبَا مَعَ أَخِي وَ ابْنِ عَمِّي مُوَاسِيَيْنِ لَهُ صَابِرَيْنِ مَعَهُ
By Allah-azwj! When my-asws soul is liberal for them-asws and is consoling about the calamities of theirs-asws, they-asws were afflicted with my-asws brother-asws, and my-asws cousin-asws, comforting to him-asws, patiently with him-asws’.
ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى جُلَسَائِهِ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ عَلَيَّ مَصْرَعُ الْحُسَيْنِ إِنْ لَا أَكُنْ آسَيْتُ حُسَيْناً بِيَدِي فَقَدْ آسَاهُ وَلَدَايَ
Then he-asws turn to his-asws gatherers and said, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Comforted upon me-asws the slaying of Al-Husayn-asws, that I-asws could not comfort Husayn-asws with my‑asws hands, but my-asws two sons-asws have comforted him-asws’.
فَخَرَجَتْ أُمُّ لُقْمَانَ بِنْتُ عَقِيلِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ حِينَ سَمِعَتْ نَعْيَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع حَاسِرَةً وَ مَعَهَا أَخَوَاتُهَا أُمُّ هَانِئٍ وَ أَسْمَاءُ وَ رَمْلَةُ وَ زَيْنَبُ بَنَاتُ عَقِيلٍ تَبْكِي قَتْلَاهَا بِالطَّفِّ
Umm Luqman Bint Aqeel Bin Abu Talib-asws came out when she-ra heard the obituary of Al-Husayn-asws, in a sorry state, and with her-asws were her-ra sisters Umm Hany-ra, and Asma’a-ra, and Ramlah-ra, and Zainab-ra, daughters of Aqeel, crying their-ra slain ones at Al-Taff (Karbala).
وَ هِيَ تَقُولُ-
| مَا ذَا تَقُولُونَ إِذْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ لَكُمْ- | مَا ذَا فَعَلْتُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ آخِرُ الْأُمَمِ- | |
| بِعِتْرَتِي وَ بِأَهْلِي بَعْدَ مُفْتَقَدِي- | مِنْهُمْ أُسَارَى وَ قَتْلَى ضُرِّجُوا بِدَمِ- | |
| مَا كَانَ هَذَا جَزَائِي إِذْ نَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ- | أَنْ تُخْلِفُونِي بِسُوءٍ فِي ذَوِي رَحِمِي- |
And she-ra said, ‘What is that you would be saying when the Prophet-saww says to you: ‘What is that you have done with my-saww offspring my-saww family after my-saww absence, and you are last of the communities? From them were made captives, and slain, and stained with blood. This wasn’t my-saww reward when I-saww had advised to you all that you had to replace me-saww with evil regarding my-saww family-asws and my-saww relatives?’
فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي خَطَبَ فِيهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ سَعِيدٍ بِقَتْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع بِالْمَدِينَةِ سَمِعَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ مُنَادِياً يُنَادِي يَسْمَعُونَ صَوْتَهُ وَ لَا يَرَوْنَ شَخْصَهُ-
When it was the night during that day in which Amro-la Bin Saeed-la had addressed with the killing of Al-Husayn-asws, at Al-Medina, the people of Al-Medina heard in the middle of the night, a caller calling out, they heard his voice but did not see his person: –
| أَيُّهَا الْقَاتِلُونَ جَهْلًا حُسَيْناً- | أَبْشِرُوا بِالْعَذَابِ وَ التَّنْكِيلِ- | |
| كُلُّ أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ يَدْعُو عَلَيْكُمْ- | مِنْ نَبِيٍّ وَ مُرْسَلٍ وَ قَبِيلِ- | |
| قَدْ لُعِنْتُمْ عَلَى لِسَانِ ابْنِ دَاوُدَ- | وَ مُوسَى وَ صَاحِبِ الْإِنْجِيلِ |
O you speakers ignorant of Husayn-asws! Receive news of the Punishment and the Torment. All people of the sky are supplicating against you all, from a Prophet-as, and Messenger-as, and martyr. You have been cursed upon the tongue of Dawood-as, and Musa-as, and the owner of Evangel!’
و قال ابن نما و روي أن يزيد بن معاوية لعنهما الله بعث بمقتل الحسين ع إلى المدينة محرز بن حريث بن مسعود الكلبي من بني عدي بن حباب و رجلا من يهرا و كانا من أفاضل أهل الشام
And Ibn Nama said, ‘And it is reported that Yazeed-la Bin Muawiya-la, may Allah-azwj Curse them-la both, sent the report of the killing of Al-Husayn-asws to Al-Medina, with Mahraz Bin Harees Bin Masoud Al-Kalby from the clan of Aday Bin Habab, and a man from (clan of) Yahra’a, and they were from the meritorious ones from the people of Syria.
فلما قدما خرجت امرأة من بنات عبد المطلب قيل هي زينب بنت عقيل ناشرة شعرها واضعة كمها على رأسها تتلقاهم و هي تبكي-
| ما ذا تقولون إذ قال النبي لكم |
إلى آخر الأبيات
When they arrived, a woman from the daughters-ra of Abdul Muttalib-asws came out. It is said she-asws is Zainab Bint Aqeel-ra. She-ra spread her-ra hair and placed her-ra scarf upon her-asws head to receive them and she-asws cried, ‘What is that you will be saying, when the Prophet-saww says to you’ – up to the end of the couplets.
وَ قَالَ شَهْرُ بْنُ حَوْشَبٍ بَيْنَمَا أَنَا عِنْدَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ إِذْ دَخَلَتْ صَارِخَةٌ تَصْرُخُ وَ قَالَتْ قُتِلَ الْحُسَيْنُ قَالَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ فَعَلُوهَا مَلَأَ اللَّهُ قُبُورَهُمْ نَاراً
And Shahr Bin Howshab said, ‘While I was in the presence of Umm Salama-ra when a screaming woman entered shouting, and she said, ‘Al-Husayn-asws had been killed!’ Umm Salama-ra said, ‘They have done it. May Allah-azwj Fill their graves with fire’.
وَ نَقَلْتُ مِنْ تَارِيخِ الْبَلاذُرِيِّ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا وَافَى رَأْسُ الْحُسَيْنِ الْمَدِينَةَ سُمِعَتِ الْوَاعِيَةُ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ فَقَالَ مَرْوَانُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ-
| ضَرَبَتْ دَوْسَرُ فِيهِمْ ضَرْبَةً- | أَثْبَتَتْ أَوْتَادَ مُلْكٍ فَاسْتَقَرَّ- |
And it is transmitted from the history by Al-Balazuri, ‘When the (holy) head of Al-Husayn-asws arrived at Al-Medina, I heard the screaming from every side. Marwan-la Bin Al-Hakam-la said, ‘A battalion has struck them with a strike. The pegs of the kingdom are (now) affirmed and settled’.
ثُمَّ أَخَذَ يَنْكُتُ وَجْهَهُ بِقَضِيبٍ وَ يَقُولُ-
| يَا حَبَّذَا بَرْدُكَ فِي الْيَدَيْنِ- | وَ لَوْنُكَ الْأَحْمَرُ فِي الْخَدَّيْنِ- | |
| كَأَنَّهُ بَاتَ بِمِجْسَدَيْنِ- | شَفَيْتُ مِنْكَ النَّفْسَ يَا حُسَيْنُ |
Then he-la went on to tap his-asws face with the stick and saying, ‘How lovely! Your-asws coldness is in the (my-la) hands, and your-asws colour is red in the two cheeks. It is as if you-asws spent the night in the red cloth. I-la have healed the soul from you-asws, O Husayn-asws!’’[4]
[1] نهج البلاغة (للصبحي صالح)، ص: 178, Nahjul Balagha, Sermon no. 121
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 45, The book of History – Al-Hassan-asws, Ch 39 H 1 / 7
[3] Al-Kafi, vol. 8, pg. 80, Hadith 35
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 45, The book of History – Al-Hassan-asws, Ch 39 H 1 / 7