The Purpose of Imam Hussain (asws) and the Month of Muharram

Summary:

A lot has been said and written about the purpose of Imam Hussain^-asws‘s refusal to accept the authority of Yazid^-la Ibn Muawiya^-la (a corrupt and immoral ruler). When forced to take an oath of allegiance in Madina, Imam Hussain^-asws left Madina for Makkah.  In Makkah, near the time of Hajj, Imam Hussain^-asws had to abandon the rituals of Hajj as agents of Yazid^-la turned up there to assassinate Imam Hussain^-asws – while disguising in the outfits of Hajjis (pilgrims).  At that, Imam Hussain^-asws headed towards Kufa (Iraq) in response to the request of Kufis who requested Imam^-asws to teach and guide them. On his^-asws way to Kufa, Imam Hussain^-asws was interrupted at the desert of Karbala, about 80 miles’ away from Kufa, by the armed soldiers sent by the governor of Yazid^-la.  Imam Hussain^-asws was savagely martyred along with his 72 supporters, consisting of family and friends, on the 10^th of Muharram.

Imam Hussain^-asws‘s sacrifice indeed, revitalised Islam, left everlasting impression of Truth, endurance and determination against the tyranny of Yazid^-la, as evident from Muharram commemorations, observed all over the world, every year for the last 1400 years. In these mourning gatherings, the purpose of Imam Hussain^-asws’s unparalleled sacrifice is highlighted and analysed and conclusions are drawn in order to emulate the life of Imam^-asws.

During Muharram commemorations in the month of Muharram, sermons of Imam Hussain^-asws, especially those where the Imam^-asws tried to generate public support in the way of Allah^-azwj, are frequently quoted and many questions come into our minds. For example, why did Imam^-asws sacrifice his^-asws life and refuse to accept an un-Islamic ruler whereas other Imams^-asws had opted for other strategies (observed Taqeeya)[1]? In many speeches during Muharram, we are made to believe that we should never surrender to oppressors of our times, as Imam^-asws (Hussain^-asws) did not and we should try to extend our support for various socio-political struggles being initiated by some Shia organisations and/or state(s). During these speeches, it is also highlighted that Imam^-asws stood against oppression and we should do the same by rising against oppressors of our time since ‘every land is Kabala and every day is Ashura’!

In this short article, we will try to develop an understanding of the purpose of Imam Hussain^-asws’s great sacrifice, through Ahadith and sermons of Imam Hussain^-asws, particularly those aspects which, go without mentioning.  We will not discuss the Jihad or the conditions of Jihad with reference to our time. For those, who are interested in this topic, may refer to our article on Jihad:

http://hubeali.com/articles/JihadDuringOccultation_of_Imam_ajtf.pdf

In this article, we will try to understand the purpose of Imam Hussain^-asws’s great sacrifice, through those Ahadith and ‘Maqtal’[2] accounts, which have miraculously reached us – against the will of rulers of that time.  Further dimensions and complete insight into the actions and adopted approach of Imam^-asws will be revealed when the awaited Imam^-ajfj of our time rises. May Allah^-azwj Bring Forward the ‘Zahoor’ of Imam^-ajfj. Ameen Suma Ameen.

It is important to clarify here, why did Imam Hussain^-asws opted for Jihad?

Imam Hussain^-asws acted in accordance to Divine Commands, as per the Instructions exclusively laid out for the Imam^-asws in the Divine Tablet, see the Hadith in point 1 in the main conclusions.

Subsequent to summarising some of the major points we have learned, from the presented Ahadith in the article we will briefly present some Ahadith which emphasis what is expected from us during the month of Muharram.  However, prior to that, we quote an extract from a famous sermon of Imam Hussain^-asws (see Appendix I):

Imam Hussain^-asws said:

You should clearly understand that you could never observe piety unless you recognise the charter of guidance. You would neither be able to hold fast to the covenant of the Book unless you identify those who have left it, nor would you be able to do justice to Book’s true recitation unless you differentiate those who have made ‘Tahreef’ (changes) to it. If you are able to identify the innovations and favouritism (induced into religion), only then you can see lies, which have been fabricated against Allah^-azwj, and see how they are trapped (those) who did fall (into worldly gains against the bounties of the hereafter).  Do not let those, who do not know, make you ignorant.  Seek guidance from those people, who possess a special ‘Noor’ who are the source of deliverance, and they are the Imams^-asws who should be followed. (See the rest in Appendix I).

Amir-ul-Momineen Ali^-asws Ibn Abi Talib^-asws has also emphasised that it’s absolutely necessary for the recognition of ‘Just’ (Haq) to recognition ‘those’ who have left it. An extract from one of Ali^-asws‘s Sermons delivered at the place called ‘Qarah’’ is given below:

(Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said):  And know that you will never recognise the guidance until you recognise the ones who have left it, and will never take to the Covenant of the Book until you recognise the ones who broke it, and will never attach yourselves to it until you recognise the ones who have abandoned it, and will never be able to recite the Book as it deserves to be recited until you recognise the ones who altered it, and will never recognise the misguidance until you recognise the Guidance, and will never recognise the piety until you recognise the ones who abused it. (Complete sermon is given in Appendix I).

Main Conclusions:

Imam Hussain^-asws’s refusal to the ‘Bayat’ of (allegiance to) Yazid^-la and the purpose of going to Kufa may be highlighted below; however, the impact and reforms of Imam^-asws’s campaign on Islam and on the lives of human and Jinns are numerous and can never be enumerated!

• Imam Hussain^-asws acted in accordance to Divine Commands, as per the Instructions exclusively laid out for the Imam^-asws in the Divine Tablet:

(An extract of a Hadith)

‘The Tablet was handed over to Imam Hussain^-asws who broke its seal related to him^-asws and opened the Tablet, it was written that he^-asws should rise up in order to be martyred and only those will meet martyrdom who will fight in his^-asws support.  Thus, Imam^-asws acted upon these (Divine) Instructions’ (see Ahadith in next section as well as in Appendix II).

• Imam Hussain^-asws’s struggle had never been directed to topple the government of Yazid^-la nor to form a parallel government but to awaken those who had fallen victim of propaganda of the falsehood:

(An extract of a Hadith)

Imam Hussain^-asws replied (when told about unreliability of people of Kufa): ‘If my^-asws purpose of going to Kufa were to stage a war to topple the government (of Yazid^-la), then there was neither a need for me^-asws to travel to Kufa, nor to Makkah, I^-asws could have done so from my^-asws home in Madina’.  Imam^-asws showed them the arrays of armed angels lined up in the skies awaiting for the command to assist Imam^-asws’.  (see ref.14)

• Imam Hussain^-asws reiterated at several stations, I^-asws know, we^-asws will be martyred and our innocent children^-asws and women^-asws will be made captives, however, I^-asws will still proceed towards Kufa, as I^-asws have been told in my^-asws dream by my^-asws grandfather^-saww (Prophet Muhammad^-saww) to leave Holy Kabah (Makkah) and to go to the desert of Karbala:

(An extract of a Hadith)

‘(Imam Hussain^-asws said (to Muhammad Bin Al-Hanafiyya: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww came to me (in a dream) after you left me (yesterday) and he^-saww said: ‘O Hussain^-asws! Go out, for Allah^-azwj has Desired that Allah^-azwj Sees you^-asws being killed’ (in His^-azwj Way).

Muhammad Bin Al-Hanafiyya said, ‘We are for Allah^-azwj and we are returning to Him^-azwj. So what is the meaning of your^-asws carrying these women along with you^-asws, and you^-asws are going out upon a state like this?’

Al-Hanafiyya says, ‘So Imam Hussain^-asws said to me: ‘Surely, Allah^-azwj has Desired that He^-azwj Sees these (children and womenfolk) as captives’. So he greeted Imam^-asws and went away.’ (see ref. 6).

What is expected of us during the Month of Muharram?

During the month of Muharram, after having clear understanding of the purpose of Imam Hussain^-asws, we have to observe mourning rituals, sadness should reflect in all aspects of our lives, i.e., the way we dress, the way we talk – as every month has its significance.  Masomeen^-asws showed us, as best they^-asws could during the strict conditions of Taqeeya, the signs of sadness and holding mourning gatherings, some Ahadith related to the Month of Muharram are given in an article: ‘Amals of the Month’

(http://hubeali.com/articles/AmalOfTheMonths.pdf).

As per oppose to generally observed trend of lengthy speeches on current affairs, the intricacies of carrying out various ‘Amals’ (acts of worship), one must instead, devote his/her time on crying for the martyrs of Kabala, as one has the rest of the Islamic months to focus on learning about Islamic laws and worshiping rituals.  Below are some Ahadith where Masomeen^-asws have emphasised the onset of grief and sadness with the appearance of the moon of the Muharram:

حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَسْرُورٍ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ قَالَ

It was narrated to us by Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Masrour, from Al Hussain Bin Muhammad Bin Aamir, from his uncle Abullah Bin Aamir, from Ibrahim Bin Abu Mahmoud who said,

قَالَ الرِّضَا ع‏ إِنَّ الْمُحَرَّمَ شَهْرٌ كَانَ أَهْلُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يُحَرِّمُونَ فِيهِ الْقِتَالَ فَاسْتُحِلَّتْ فِيهِ دِمَاؤُنَا وَ هُتِكَ فِيهِ حُرْمَتُنَا وَ سُبِيَ فِيهِ ذَرَارِيُّنَا وَ نِسَاؤُنَا وَ أُضْرِمَتِ النِّيرَانُ فِي مَضَارِبِنَا وَ انْتُهِبَ مَا فِيهَا مِنْ ثَقَلِنَا

‘Al-Reza^-asws said: ‘Al-Muharram is a month (which was even respected by) the people of the pre-Islamic period (who would be) prohibiting the fighting during it (Allah^-azwj has also declared Al-Muharram as a scared month). But they (Muslims) permitted (the shedding of) our^-asws blood during it, and tore apart our^-asws sanctity during it, and made captives of our^-asws children and our^-asws womenfolk during it, and they inflamed the fires in our^-asws tents, and they seized whatever was therein from our^-asws belongings.

وَ لَمْ تُرْعَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ حُرْمَةٌ فِي أَمْرِنَا إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْحُسَيْنِ أَقْرَحَ جُفُونَنَا وَ أَسْبَلَ دُمُوعَنَا وَ أَذَلَّ عَزِيزَنَا بِأَرْضِ كَرْبٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ أَوْرَثَتْنَا [يَا أَرْضَ كَرْبٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ أَوْرَثْتِنَا] الْكَرْبَ [وَ] الْبَلَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الِانْقِضَاءِ

And they did not view a sanctity for Rasool-Allah^-saww regarding our^-asws (family) matters  – so (during) the day of Al-Hussain^-asws, our^-asws eyes get ulcerated^[3] (cry out blood), and our^-asws tears flow, and our^-asws dear ones got humiliated in the land of ‘Karb’ (distress) and ‘Bala’ (afflictions) (Karbala), and we^-asws inherited, O land of distress and afflictions, you made us^-asws inherit the distress and the afflictions up to the Day of Judgment.

فَعَلَى مِثْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ فَلْيَبْكِ الْبَاكُونَ فَإِنَّ الْبُكَاءَ يَحُطُّ الذُّنُوبَ الْعِظَامَ

So upon the unprecedented (personality) of Al-Hussain^-asws, let the wailing ones wail, for the wailing would reduce the sins of the bones (major sins)’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ ع كَانَ أَبِي ع إِذَا دَخَلَ‏ شَهْرُ الْمُحَرَّمِ‏ لَا يُرَى‏ ضَاحِكاً وَ كَانَتِ الْكِئَابَةُ تَغْلِبُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ مِنْهُ عَشَرَةُ أَيَّامٍ فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْعَاشِرِ كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ يَوْمَ مُصِيبَتِهِ وَ حُزْنِهِ وَ بُكَائِهِ وَ يَقُولُ هُوَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ الْحُسَيْنُ ع.

Then he^-asws said: ‘It was so that my^-asws father^-asws, whenever the month of Al-Muharram entered, was not see smiling, and the gloom would overcome upon him^-asws until ten days from it would pass by. So when it was the tenth day, that was the day (of Ashura) – the day of his^-asws difficulties, and his^-asws grief, and his^-asws wailing, and he^-asws was saying: ‘It is the day in which Al-Hussain^-asws was martyred’.^[4]

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: لِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ ثَوَابٌ إِلَّا الدَّمْعَةَ فِينَا.

It is narrated that:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘There is a (known) reward for every act (of worship) except for shedding tears regarding us^-asws.^[5]

حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَنْ جَمَاعَةِ مَشَايِخِي عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ أَبِي دَاوُدَ الْمُسْتَرِقِّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: بَكَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَى أَبِيهِ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ص عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً أَوْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَ مَا وُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ طعاما [طَعَامٌ‏] إِلَّا بَكَى عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ حَتَّى قَالَ لَهُ مَوْلًى لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ قَالَ‏ إِنَّما أَشْكُوا بَثِّي وَ حُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ أَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ‏ إِنِّي لَمْ أَذْكُرْ مَصْرَعَ بَنِي فَاطِمَةَ إِلَّا خَنَقَتْنِي الْعَبْرَةُ لِذَلِكَ.

My father narrated to me from all of my scholars, from Saad ibn Abd Allah, from Mohammed ibn Hussain ibn Abil Khattab, from Abi Dawud Al-Mustariq, from some of our companions, who said:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Ali^-asws ibn Hussain^-asws (Imam Sajjad^-asws) cried over his^-asws father^-asws, Hussain^-asws Ibn Ali^-asws for twenty years – or forty years – and whenever food was brought to him^-asws, he^-asws would cry over Hussain^-asws.

One day, his servant said to him, ‘May I sacrifice myself for you^-asws, O son^-asws of Rasool Allah^-saww!  I am afraid that you^-asws may die (from grief).

He (the Imam Sajjad^-asws) replied:  I only complain of my distress and grief to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know (12:86)^[6].  Verily whenever I^-asws remember the killing of the children of Syeda Fatima^-asws, I^-asws am choked with tears over them^-asws.^[7]

حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ع‏ أَنَا قَتِيلُ الْعَبْرَةِ لَا يَذْكُرُنِي مُؤْمِنٌ إِلَّا اسْتَعْبَرَ.

It is narrated that:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said:

Hussain^-asws Ibn Ali^-asws said:  I^-asws am the Martyr of Tears.  No Momin (believer) remembers me^-asws without crying.^[8]

Imam Hussain^-asws’s Destiny as Written in the Divine Tablet:

أبى رحمه الله قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، عن ابى القاسم الهاشمي، عن عبيد بن قيس الانصاري قال: حدثنا الحسن بن سماعة عن ابى عبد الله عليه السلام قال: نزل جبرئيل ” ع ” على رسول صلى الله عليه وآله بصحيفة من السماء لم ينزل الله تعالى كتابا قبله ولا بعده وفيه خواتيم من الذهب فقال له: يا محمد هذه وصيتك إلى النجيب من أهلك، فقال له يا جبرئيل من النجيب من أهلي؟ قال علي بن أبي طالب مره إذا توفيت ان يفك خاتمها ويعمل بما فيه

My father said, ‘Abdullah Bin Ja’far Al Humeyri narrated to us, from Abu Al Qasim Al Hashimy, from Ubeyd Bin Qays Al Ansary, from Al Hassan Bin Sama’at,

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said: ‘Jibraeel^-as descended unto Rasool-Allah^-saww with a Parchment from the sky. Allah^-azwj had not Send down a writing before it nor after it, and in it were seals of gold. So he^-as said to him^-saww: ‘O Muhammad^-saww! This here is your^-saww bequest to the most excellent one of your^-saww family’. So he^-saww said to him^-as: ‘O Jibraeel^-as! Who is the most excellent one from my^-saww family?’ He^-as said: ‘Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws. Instruct him^-asws, that when you^-saww depart (from the world), he^-asws should break its seal and act in accordance with whatever is in it’.

فلما قبض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فك علي ” ع ” خاتما ثم عمل بما فيه وما تعداه، ثم دفعها إلى الحسن بن علي عليه السلام ففك خاتما وعمل بما فيه وما تعداه، ثم دفعها إلى الحسين بن علي ” ع ” ففك خاتما فوجد فيه: اخرج بقوم إلى الشهادة لهم معك واشر نفسك لله فعمل بما فيه وما تعداه

So when Rasool-Allah^-saww left the (mortal world), Ali^-asws broke its seal, then acted in accordance with what was in it, and did not exceed it. Then he^-asws handed it over to Al-Hassan^-asws Bin Ali^-asws. So he^-as broke its seal and acted in accordance with what was in it, and did not exceed it. Then he^-asws handed it over to Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws, so he^-asws broke its seal, and found in it (written): ‘Go out with a people to the martyrdom for them along with you^-asws, and sacrifice your^-asws self for the Sake of Allah^-azwj’. So he^-asws acted in accordance with what was in it, and did not exceed it.

ثم دفعها إلى رجل بعده ففك خاتما فوجد فيه أطرق واصمت والزم منزلك واعبد ربك حتى يأتيك اليقين، ثم دفعها إلى رجل بعده ففك خاتما فوجد فيه: ان حدث الناس وافتهم وانشر علم آبائك، فعمل بما فيه وما تعداه.

Then he^-asws handed it over to a man^-asws (fourth Imam^-asws) from after him^-asws, so he^-asws broke its seal, and found (written in it): ‘Remain silent, And worship your Lord until there comes to you certainty [15:99]’. Then he^-asws handed it over to a man^-asws (fifth Imam^-asws) from after him^-asws, so he^-asws broke its seal, and found (written) in it: ‘Narrate to the people, and meet with them, and publicise the Knowledge of your^-asws forefathers^-asws’. So he^-asws acted in accordance with what was in it, and did not exceed it.

ثم دفعها إلى رجل بعده ففك خاتما فوجد فيه: ان حدث الناس وافتهم وصدق آبائك ولا تخافن إلا الله فإنك في حرز من الله وضمان. وهو يدفعها إلى رجل بعده ويدفعها من بعده إلى من بعده إلى يوم القيامة.

Then he^-asws handed it over to a man^-asws from after him^-asws (sixth Imam^-asws) so he^-asws broke its seal and found (written) in it: ‘Narrate to the people, and meet with them, and ratify (the teachings of) your^-asws forefathers^-asws, and do not fear anyone except Allah^-azwj, for you^-asws are in the Protection of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Responsibility’. And it would be handed it over to a man^-asws from after him^-asws, and handed over to a man^-asws from after him^-asws, to a man^-asws from after him^-asws, until the Day of Judgement’.[9]

In another Hadith:

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq^-asws says: my father^-asws said to Jabir: “O Jabir! Inform me about the Tablet which you saw in the hand of my mother, (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah^-saww and what did she^-asws tell you as to what was written in it?” Jabir replied, ‘I hold Allah^-azwj as Witness that I went to visit your^-asws mother^-asws, Fatima^-asws during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah^-saww to congratulate her for being blessed by Hussain^-asws. I saw in her^-asws hand a green Tablet, which I thought to be of emerald and its writing was as bright as sunlight.

I asked her^-asws, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Rasool Allah^-saww! What is this Tablet?’ She^-asws replied, ‘This is the Tablet, which Allah^-azwj, to whom belong might and majesty, has gifted to the Messenger of Allah^-saww. In it is the name of my father^-saww, the name of Ali^-asws, the name of my^-asws two sons^-asws and the names of the successors from my progeny. In turn, my father gave it to me that I may rejoice through it.’

Jabir said, ‘Thus, your mother (Syeda) Fatima^-asws gave it to me. I read it and copied it.’

My father^-asws asked, ‘O Jabir! Can you show it (the copied manuscript) to me^-asws?’

He replied in the affirmative. My father^-asws accompanied Jabir to his house where he took out a scroll of parchment and gave it to my father saying, ‘I hold Allah^-azwj as Witness that this is what I^-asws saw written in the Tablet:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a Book from Allah^-azwj, the Mighty, the Wise to Muhammad^-saww, His^-azwj Light, His^-azwj ambassador, His^-azwj Veil and His^-azwj Proof. The trustworthy Spirit has descended with it from the Lord of the worlds. O Muhammad^-saww! Magnify My^-azwj Names, be grateful for My^-azwj bounties and do not deny My^-azwj endowments. Verily, I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj, there is no god but Me^-azwj, the Destroyer of the oppressors, the Degrader of the tyrants and the Establisher of the Day of Judgment.  Verily, I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj, there is no god but Me. Whoever expects grace from other than Me^-azwj or fears other than My^-azwj justice and My^-azwj punishment, I^-azwj will Punish him in such a way that I^-azwj will not punish anybody in this manner in the worlds. Hence, worship only Me^-azwj and rely only on Me^-azwj. Indeed, I did not raise a messenger, completed his days and terminated his duration but that I appointed for him^-as a successor^-as.

Certainly, I^-azwj Made you^-saww superior over all other Prophets^-as and Made your^-saww successor (Ali^-asws Ibn Abi Talib^-asws) superior over all other successors. After him^-asws, I^-azwj Honoured you^-saww with your^-saww two grandsons, Hassan^-asws and Hussain^-asws. I made Hassan^-asws the mine of My^-azwj Knowledge after the end of the days of his^-asws father^-asws and I^-azwj Made Hussain^-asws the treasure chest of My^-asws Revelation.

I^-azwj Honoured him^-asws (Hussain^-asws) with martyrdom and sealed it for him^-asws with eternal bliss. So, he^-asws is the best of the martyrs and the highest of them in grade before Me^-azwj. I^-azwj have Placed My^-azwj ‘Perfect Word’ with him^-asws and the complete Proof near him^-asws. Through his^-asws Progeny, I^-azwj shall reward and punish. (Hadith continues, complete Hadith, with Arabic text, is given in Appendix II).

Similar Ahadith related to the Divine Tablet are included in Appendix II.

 Imam Hussain^-asws Highlights the Purpose of going to Karbala:

After receiving Yazid^-la’s instructions, through a messenger, Walid^[10] and Marwan approached Imam Hussain^-asws and pressed Imam^-asws to accept the caliphate (governess) of Yazid^-la.  Imam^-asws refused them.  The next morning Marwan said to Imam Hussain^-asws: ‘O Hussain^-asws! Extend allegiance to Yazid^-la for reaping the best of the both worlds!’

Imam Hussain^-asws recited: ‘إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ’ (We are for Allah and we are returning to Him – 2:156)’ and then added: ‘O Marwan, I^-asws keep clear of that Islam which emanates from Yazid^-la (and the likes of Yazid^-la). Are you referring to the Islam which was introduced by my^-asws grandfather^-saww or another religion?’ Marwan said: ‘What other religion it could be but it’s the same as your^-asws grandfather^-saww brought to us’.

Imam Hussain^-asws then said: ‘Have you then not heard the saying of my^-asws grandfather^-saww: ‘Caliphate is forbidden for the children of Abu Suffiyan’?  At that, Marwan left in anger.

On the eve of the 28^th of Rajab 60 A.H., Imam Hussain^-asws revisited the Holy grave of Rasool Allah^-saww. After hugging the grave, Imam^-asws complained to his^-asws grandfather^-saww of the behaviour of his^-saww nation.^[11]

Mohammed Ibn Hanfia and Others’ Advice and the reply of Imam^-asws:

وَ- رُوِيتُ بِالْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: جَاءَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ ع فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ الْحُسَيْنُ الْخُرُوجَ فِي صَبِيحَتِهَا عَنْ مَكَّةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَخِي إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْكُوفَةِ قَدْ عَرَفْتَ غَدْرَهُمْ بِأَبِيكَ وَ أَخِيكَ وَ قَدْ خِفْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَالُكَ كَحَالِ مَنْ مَضَى فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تُقِيمَ فَإِنَّكَ أَعَزُّ مَنْ بِالْحَرَمِ وَ أَمْنَعُهُ

And it is reported by the chain from Ahmad Bin Dawood Al Qummi –

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Muhammad Bin Al-Hanafiyya came to Al-Hussain^-asws during the night in which Al-Hussain^-asws intended to go out in its morning from Makkah, and he said to him^-asws, ‘O my brother^-asws! The people of Al-Kufa are well known for their treachery with your^-asws father^-asws and your^-asws brother^-asws, and I fear that your^-asws state mighty become like the state of the past ones^-asws. So if you^-asws view (fit), then stay (here), as you^-asws are more precious than the Harrum (Sanctuary) and it’s Prohibitions’.

فَقَالَ يَا أَخِي قَدْ خِفْتُ أَنْ يَغْتَالَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِالْحَرَمِ فَأَكُونَ الَّذِي يُسْتَبَاحُ بِهِ حُرْمَةُ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ

So he^-asws said: ‘O my^-asws brother! I^-asws have feared that Yazid^-la Bin Muawiya^-la would assassinate me^-asws in the Harrum (Sanctuary), so I^-asws would happen to be the one due to whom the Sanctity of this House (Kabah) has been tainted’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ فَإِنْ خِفْتَ ذَلِكَ فَصِرْ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ أَوْ بَعْضِ نَوَاحِي الْبَرِّ فَإِنَّكَ أَمْنَعُ النَّاسِ بِهِ وَ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ فَقَالَ أَنْظُرُ فِيمَا قُلْتَ

Ibn Hanafiyya said to him^-asws, ‘So if you^-asws fear that, then go to Al-Yemen or one of the areas of the land, for you^-asws would prevent the people (of Yazid^-la) with (doing) it, and no one would be able upon you^-asws’. So he^-asws said: ‘I^-asws shall consider regarding what you said’.

فَلَمَّا كَانَ السَّحَرُ ارْتَحَلَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ ابْنَ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ فَأَتَاهُ فَأَخَذَ بِزِمَامِ نَاقَتِهِ وَ قَدْ رَكِبَهَا فَقَالَ يَا أَخِي أَ لَمْ تَعِدْنِي النَّظَرَ فِيمَا سَأَلْتُكَ قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ فَمَا حَدَاكَ عَلَى الْخُرُوجِ عَاجِلًا

So when it was the pre-dawn, Al-Hussain^-asws departed, and the news of that reached Ibn Al-Hanafiyya. So he came and grabbled the reins of his^-asws she-camel, and he^-asws had already ridden it. He said, ‘O my brother^-asws! Why don’t you reconsidering regarding what I asked you^-asws to?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yes’. He said, ‘So what guided you^-asws upon the going out hastily?’

قَالَ أَتَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بَعْدَ مَا فَارَقْتُكَ فَقَالَ يَا حُسَيْنُ اخْرُجْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ شَاءَ أَنْ يَرَاكَ قَتِيلًا

He^-asws said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww came to me (in a dream) after your separation and he^-saww said: ‘O Hussain^-asws! Go out, for Allah^-azwj has Desired that He^-azwj Sees you^-asws being killed’ (in His^-azwj Way).

فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلَيْهِ راجِعُونَ‏ فَمَا مَعْنَى حَمْلِكَ هَؤُلَاءِ النِّسَاءَ مَعَكَ وَ أَنْتَ تَخْرُجُ عَلَى مِثْلِ هَذَا الْحَالِ

Muhammad Bin Al-Hanafiyya said, ‘We are for Allah^-azwj and we are returning to Him^-azwj. So what is the meaning of your^-asws carrying these women along with you^-asws, and you^-asws are going out upon a state like this?’

قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي ص إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ شَاءَ أَنْ يَرَاهُنَّ سَبَايَا فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَضَى‏.

Al-Hanafiyya says, ‘So he^-asws said to me: ‘Surely, Allah^-azwj has Desired that He^-azwj Sees these (womenfolk) as captives’. So he greeted him^-asws and went away.

قَالَ وَ جَاءَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ فَأَشَارَا عَلَيْهِ بِالْإِمْسَاكِ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ أَمَرَنِي بِأَمْرٍ وَ أَنَا مَاضٍ فِيهِ قَالَ فَخَرَجَ ابْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ‏ وَا حُسَيْنَاهْ

He said, ‘And Abdullah Bin Al-Abbas and Abdullah Bin Al-Zubeyr came to him^-asws, and they both advised him^-asws with the withholding, but he^-asws said to them both: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww has instructed me^-asws with a matter and I^-asws going with regards to it’. He said, ‘Then Ibn Al-Abbas went out and he was saying, ‘وَا حُسَيْنَاهْ’ ‘Wah Hussain^-asws!’

ثُمَّ جَاءَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِصُلْحِ أَهْلِ الضَّلَالِ وَ حَذَّرَهُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ وَ الْقِتَالِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ مِنْ هَوَانِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَنَّ رَأْسَ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا أُهْدِيَ إِلَى بَغِيٍّ مِنْ بَغَايَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ

Then Abdullah Bin Umar came and advised him^-asws with reconciling (peace treaty) with the straying people and cautioned him^-asws from the killing and the fighting, but he^-asws said: ‘O Abu Abdul Rahman! But, do you not know that from the vileness of the world upon Allah^-azwj the Exalted is that the head of Yahya^-as Bin Zakariyya^-as was gifted to a prostitute from the prostitutes of the Children of Israel?

أَ مَا تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانُوا يَقْتُلُونَ مَا بَيْنَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ إِلَى طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ سَبْعِينَ نَبِيّاً ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُونَ فِي أَسْوَاقِهِمْ يَبِيعُونَ وَ يَشْتَرُونَ كَأَنْ لَمْ يَصْنَعُوا شَيْئاً فَلَمْ يُعَجِّلِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ بَلْ أَخَذَهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَخْذَ عَزِيزٍ ذِي انْتِقَامٍ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَ لَا تَدَعْ نُصْرَتِي‏.

But, do you not know that the Children of Israel were killing seventy Prophets^-as during what is between the emergence of the dawn up to the emergence of the sun? Then they would be sitting in their markets, selling and buying as if they had not done anything (wrong). But Allah^-azwj did not Hasten upon them. But the Mighty One^-azwj Seized them after that with a revenge. Fear Allah^-azwj, O Abdul Rahman, and do not abstain from helping me^-asws’.

ثم قَالَ الْمُفِيدُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَ رُوِيَ عَنِ الْفَرَزْدَقِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ حَجَجْتُ بِأُمِّي فِي سَنَةِ سِتِّينَ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا أَسُوقُ بَعِيرَهَا حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ الْحَرَمَ إِذْ لَقِيتُ الْحُسَيْنَ ع خَارِجاً مِنْ مَكَّةَ مَعَهُ أَسْيَافُهُ وَ تُرَاسُهُ فَقُلْتُ لِمَنْ هَذَا الْقِطَارُ فَقِيلَ لِلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ع

Then (Sheykh) Al-Mufeed, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on him said, ‘And it is reported from Al-Farazdaq that he said, ‘I performed Hajj during the year 60 (A.H.), so while I was ushering its caravan until I entered the Harrum, when I met Al-Hussain^-asws coming out from Makkah. With him^-asws were his^-asws swordsmen and his^-asws flag-bearer. So I said, ‘For whom does this train (of camels belong)?’ It was said, ‘To Al-Hussain Bin Ali^-asws’.

فَأَتَيْتُهُ وَ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ سُؤْلَكَ وَ أَمَلَكَ فِيمَا تُحِبُّ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَ أُمِّي يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا أَعْجَلَكَ عَنِ الْحَجِّ

So, I went to him^-asws and greeted upon him^-asws and I said to him^-asws, ‘May Allah^-azwj Grant your^-asws requests and Make you^-asws own what you^-asws love. May my father and my mother be (sacrificed) for you^-asws, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is your^-asws haste from the Hajj?’

قَالَ لَوْ لَمْ أُعَجِّلْ لَأُخِذْتُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي مَنْ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ وَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا فَتَّشَنِي عَنْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ.

He^-asws said: ‘If I^-asws do not make haste, I^-asws would be seized’. Then he^-asws said to me: ‘Who are you?’ I said, ‘A man from the Arabs. And by Allah^-azwj, do not investigate me more than that’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ النَّاسِ خَلْفَكَ فَقُلْتُ الْخَبِيرَ سَأَلْتَ قُلُوبُ النَّاسِ مَعَكَ وَ أَسْيَافُهُمْ عَلَيْكَ وَ الْقَضَاءُ يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ ما يَشاءُ

Then he^-asws said to me: ‘Inform me about the people you left behind’. So I said, ‘You^-asws have asked the expert. The hearts of the people are with you^-asws but their swords are against you^-asws, and the Judgment descends from the sky, and Allah does whatever He^-azwj so Desires to’.

قَالَ صَدَقْتَ‏ لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْ بَعْدُ وَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ رَبُّنَا هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ‏ إِنْ نَزَلَ الْقَضَاءُ بِمَا نُحِبُّ فَنَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَعْمَائِهِ وَ هُوَ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى أَدَاءِ الشُّكْرِ وَ إِنْ حَالَ الْقَضَاءُ دُونَ الرَّجَاءِ فَلَمْ يَبْعُدْ مَنْ كَانَ الْحَقَّ نِيَّتُهُ وَ التَّقْوَى سِيرَتُهُ

Imam^-asws said: ‘You speak the truth. For Allah^-azwj is the Command from before and after, and every day – our Lord^-azwj, He^-azwj is in (a State of) Glory. If the Judgment descends with what we^-asws love, then we^-asws shall Praise Allah^-azwj upon His^-azwj Favours, and He^-azwj is the Helper upon the paying of the gratitude. And if the Judgment is other than the one hoped for, so He^-azwj will not Distance the ones whose intention was true and the piety was His^-azwj way’.

فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَجَلْ بَلَغَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تُحِبُّ وَ كَفَاكَ مَا تَحْذَرُ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ مِنْ نُذُورٍ وَ مَنَاسِكَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي بِهَا وَ حَرَّكَ رَاحِلَتَهُ وَ قَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ ثُمَّ افْتَرَقْنَا.

So I said to him^-asws, ‘Yes, may Allah^-azwj Make you^-asws reach what you^-asws love and suffice you^-asws (against) what you^-asws are cautious of’. And I asked him^-asws about things about vows and rituals, and he^-asws informed me with these, and he^-asws spurred his^-asws ride and said: ‘The greetings be upon you’. Then we separated.

وَ كَانَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ع لَمَّا خَرَجَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ اعْتَرَضَهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْعَاصِ وَ مَعَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ أَرْسَلَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ سَعِيدٍ فَقَالُوا لَهُ انْصَرِفْ أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ فَأَبَى عَلَيْهِمْ وَ مَضَى وَ تَدَافَعَ الْفَرِيقَانِ وَ اضْطَرَبُوا بِالسِّيَاطِ فَامْتَنَعَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع وَ أَصْحَابُهُ مِنْهُمْ امْتِنَاعاً قَوِيّاً وَ سَارَ حَتَّى أَتَى التَّنْعِيمَ فَلَقِيَ عِيراً قَدْ أَقْبَلَتْ مِنَ الْيَمَنِ‏

And it so happened that Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws, when he^-asws went out from Makkah, Yahya Bin Saeed Bin Al-Aas objected to him^-asws, and with him was a group which Amro Bin Saeed had sent to him^-asws, and they said to him^-asws, ‘Alter your^-asws way (i.e. – go somewhere else)’. But Imam^-asws refused upon them and went, and the two groups scrambled and they struck with the whips. Al-Hussain^-asws and his^-asws companions prevented them with a strong prevention and went on until they came to Al-Tan’aym, and they met a caravan which had come from Al-Yemen.

فَاسْتَأْجَرَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا جِمَالًا لِرَحْلِهِ وَ أَصْحَابِهِ وَ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهَا مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَنْطَلِقَ مَعَنَا إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ وَفَيْنَاهُ كِرَاهُ وَ أَحْسَنَّا صُحْبَتَهُ وَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُفَارِقَنَا فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ أَعْطَيْنَاهُ كِرَاهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا قَطَعَ مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ فَمَضَى مَعَهُ قَوْمٌ وَ امْتَنَعَ آخَرُونَ.

He^-asws bought a camel from its people for his^-asws riding and (for) his^-asws companions, and said to its owner, ‘Whoever would like to come with us^-asws to Al-Iraq, we^-asws shall fulfil his expense, and give him good accompaniment, and whoever likes to separate from us^-asws in one of the roads, we^-asws shall give him his wages in accordance to what he has travelled from the road’. So a group went with him^-asws, and others refused.

وَ أَلْحَقَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ بِابْنَيْهِ عَوْنٍ وَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ كَتَبَ عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمَا كِتَاباً يَقُولُ فِيهِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِاللَّهِ لَمَّا انْصَرَفْتَ حِينَ تَنْظُرُ فِي كِتَابِي هَذَا فَإِنِّي مُشْفِقٌ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ هَذَا التَّوَجُّهِ الَّذِي تَوَجَّهْتَ لَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ هَلَاكُكَ وَ اسْتِئْصَالُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ إِنْ هَلَكْتَ الْيَوْمَ طَفِئَ نُورُ الْأَرْضِ فَإِنَّكَ عَلَمُ الْمُهْتَدِينَ وَ رَجَاءُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ لَا تَعْجَلْ بِالسَّيْرِ فَإِنِّي فِي أَثَرِ كِتَابِي وَ السَّلَامُ.

And Abdullah^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws joined up his sons Awn^-asws and Muhammad^-asws with him^-asws, and he^-asws had written a letter which was upon their hands saying in it: ‘However, I^-asws ask you^-asws, by Allah^-azwj, when you^-asws left, when you^-asws do look into this letter of mine^-asws, that I^-asws am compassionate upon you^-asws of this heading of yours^-asws which you^-asws are heading to, that there would happen to be your^-asws perishing in it, and the eradication of your^-asws family if you^-asws do perish. It would be the day the earth would extinguish its light, for you^-asws are the flag of the guided ones, and hope of the Momineen; and do not haste with the travelling, for I^-asws am bowing down to you^-asws through my^-asws letter, and the greetings (be on you^-asws’).

وَ صَارَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ وَ سَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ ع أَمَاناً وَ يُمَنِّيَهُ لِيَرْجِعَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ وَ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ سَعِيدٍ كِتَاباً يُمَنِّيهِ فِيهِ الصِّلَةَ وَ يُؤَمِّنُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ أَنْفَذَهُ مَعَ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ فَلَحِقَهُ يَحْيَى وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ بَعْدَ نُفُوذِ ابْنَيْهِ وَ دَفَعَا إِلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ وَ جَهَدَا بِهِ فِي الرُّجُوعِ

And Abdullah^-asws went to Amro Bin Saeed and asked him that he writes to Al-Hussain^-asws as (declaration of) safety and prevent him^-asws to go out to his^-asws destination. Abd Amro Bin Saeed wrote a letter to him^-asws forbidding him^-asws the link and granting him^-asws safety upon himself^-asws and sent it with Yahya Bin Saeed. So Yahya met him^-asws, and Abdullah Bin Ja’far^-asws sent his^-asws two sons^-asws to follow (the Imam^-asws), and he handed the letter to him^-asws, and insisted with him^-asws regarding the returning.

فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص فِي الْمَنَامِ وَ أَمَرَنِي بِمَا أَنَا مَاضٍ لَهُ فَقَالُوا لَهُ مَا تِلْكَ الرُّؤْيَا فَقَالَ مَا حَدَّثْتُ أَحَداً بِهَا وَ لَا أَنَا مُحَدِّثٌ بِهَا أَحَداً حَتَّى أَلْقَى رَبِّي عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

But he^-asws said: ‘I^-asws saw Rasool-Allah^-saww in the dream, and he^-saww instructed me^-asws with what I^-asws am going for’. So they said to him^-asws, ‘What is that vision?’ He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws will not narrate it to anyone with it, nor will I^-asws be narrating anyone with it until I^-asws meet my^-asws Lord^-azwj Mighty and Majestic’.

فَلَمَّا يَئِسَ مِنْهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ أَمَرَ ابْنَيْهِ عَوْناً وَ مُحَمَّداً بِلُزُومِهِ وَ الْمَسِيرِ مَعَهُ وَ الْجِهَادِ دُونَهُ وَ رَجَعَ مَعَ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ إِلَى مَكَّةَ.

So when he despaired from him^-asws, Abdullah Bin Ja’far^-asws instructed his^-asws sons^-asws, Awn^-asws and Muhammad^-asws with necessitating to be with him^-asws, and the travelling with him^-asws, and doing the Jihad alongside him^-asws. And he^-asws returned with Yahya Bin Saeed to Makkah.

وَ تَوَجَّهَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ مُغِذّاً لَا يَلْوِي إِلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ حَتَّى نَزَلَ ذَاتَ عِرْقٍ‏ وَ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَوَجَّهَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع مِنْ مَكَّةَ لِثَلَاثٍ مَضَيْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ سَنَةَ سِتِّينَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ بِقَتْلِ مُسْلِمٍ لِأَنَّهُ ع خَرَجَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ مُسْلِمٌ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ.

And Al-Hussain^-asws headed towards Al-Iraq with provisions, not stopping for anything until he^-asws encamped at Ariq. And Al-Seyyid, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on him, said, ‘Al-Hussain^-asws headed out from Makkah on three days past from Zil-Hijjah in the year 60 (A.H.), before he^-asws knew of the murder of Muslim (Bin Aqeel)^-asws, because he^-asws went out from Makkah during the day in which Muslim^-as had been murdered, may Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him^-as’.^[12]

A detailed account of Imam Hussain^-asws’s martyrdom is given in Appendix IV.  Additional Ahadith on preparations of Imam Hussain^-asws prior to going to Karbala are given in Appendix V.

Appendix I: Sermon of Imam Hassan^-asws[13]

أيها الناس إنه من نصح لله و أخذ قوله دليلا هدي للتي هي أقوم و وفقه الله للرشاد و سدده للحسنى فإن جار الله آمن محفوظ و عدوه خائف مخذول فاحترسوا من الله بكثرة الذكر و اخشوا الله بالتقوى و تقربوا إلى الله بالطاعة فإنه قريب مجيب قال الله تبارك و تعالى وَ إِذا سَأَلَكَ عِبادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذا دَعانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ فاستجيبوا لله و آمنوا به فإنه لا ينبغي لمن عرف عظمة الله أن يتعاظم فإن رفعة الذين يعلمون عظمة الله أن يتواضعوا و عز الذين يعرفون ما جلال الله أن يتذللوا له و سلامة الذين يعلمون ما قدرة الله أن يستسلموا له و لا ينكروا أنفسهم بعد المعرفة و لا يضلوا بعد الهدى و اعلموا علما يقينا أنكم لن تعرفوا التقى حتى تعرفوا صفة الهدى و لن تمسكوا بميثاق الكتاب حتى تعرفوا الذي نبذه و لن تتلوا الكتاب حق تلاوته حتى تعرفوا الذي حرفه فإذا عرفتم ذلك عرفتم البدع و التكلف و رأيتم الفرية على الله و التحريف و رأيتم كيف يهوي من يهوي و لا يجهلنكم الذين لا يعلمون و التمسوا ذلك عند أهله فإنهم خاصة نور يستضاء بهم و أئمة يقتدى بهم بهم عيش العلم و موت الجهل و هم الذين أخبركم حلمهم عن جهلهم و حكم منطقهم عن صمتهم و ظاهرهم عن باطنهم لا يخالفون الحق و لا يختلفون فيه و قد خلت لهم من الله سنة و مضى فيهم من الله حكم إن في ذلك لذكرى للذاكرين و اعقلوه إذا سمعتموه عقل رعاية و لا تعقلوه عقل رواية فإن رواة الكتاب كثير و رعاته قليل و الله المستعان

Imam Hassan^-asws said:

‘O people, whoever is loyal to Allah^-azwj and faithfully adheres to His^-azwj Words as a source of guidance and strives towards that which is the most straight[14], Allah^-azwj Grants him success in his efforts and Shows him the way to good.  The proximity to Allah^-azwj is safe and guarded, whilst His^-azwj enemy is fearful and deserted.  Therefore, seek nearness to Allah^-azwj through excessively remembering Him^-azwj, fear Allah^-azwj through observing piety, and seek His^-azwj favours through obeying Him^-azwj, surely, He^-azwj is Near and Answering.  Allah^-azwj, the Most High, has Said: And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way (2: 186).  Therefore, respond to Allah^-azwj and believe in Him^-azwj, those who know His^-azwj Greatness, never submit to anyone other than Him^-azwj.  Indeed, the highness of those who know Allah^-azwj’s Might is that they should remain humble (before Him^-azwj).

Those who know Allah^-azwj’s Highness must lower themselves (before Him^-azwj), and the refuge is for those who after knowing Allah^-azwj’s Powers, bow down to Him^-azwj.  They are the ones who neither deny themselves after the knowledge has been revealed to them nor go astray after having seen the guidance.

You should clearly understand that you can never observe piety unless you recognise the charter of guidance. You would neither be able to hold fast to the covenant of the Book unless you identify those who have left it, nor would you be able to do justice to Book’s true recitation unless you differentiate those who have made ‘Tahreef’ (changes) to it. If you are able to identify the innovations and favouritism (induced into religion), only then you can see lies, which have been fabricated against Allah^-azwj, and see how they are trapped who did fall (into worldly gains against the bounties of the hereafter).

 

Do not let those, who do not know, make you ignorant.  Seek guidance from those people, who possess a special ‘Noor’ who are the source of deliverance, and they are the Imams^-asws who should be followed. Only through them^-asws knowledge is established and ignorance is eradicated. It is they^-asws whose clemency tells you about their^-asws knowledge, wise speech (tells you) of their^-asws silence, and their outward (tells you) of their^-asws inward.  They^-asws neither oppose the truth nor do they^-asws differ from it.  Precedence from Allah^-azwj in respect of them^-asws has been established, and a decree from Allah^-azwj in respect of them was ordained.  Most surely, in that there is a reminder to the mindful.  And one can identify the just upon hearing it, provided one perceives it with devoutness, however, the others would not comprehend it through the quotations of other narrators.  The narrators of the Book are many, but those who understand it are few. And we seek help from Allah^-azwj.[15]

A Sermon of Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ خَطَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام) [وَ رَوَاهَا غَيْرُهُ بِغَيْرِ هَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ وَ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ خَطَبَ بِذِي قَارٍ]

Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Sa’d Bin Al-Munzar Bin Muhammad, from his father, from his grandfather, from Muhammad Bin Al-Hussain, from his grandfather, from his father who said:

‘Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws gave a sermon’. (And someone else has also reported it without the above chain and mentioned that he^-asws gave the sermon as Zeeqaar).

فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله  بِالْحَقِّ لِيُخْرِجَ عِبَادَهُ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ عِبَادِهِ إِلَى عِبَادَتِهِ وَ مِنْ عُهُودِ عِبَادِهِ إِلَى عُهُودِهِ وَ مِنْ طَاعَةِ عِبَادِهِ إِلَى طَاعَتِهِ وَ مِنْ وَلَايَةِ عِبَادِهِ إِلَى وَلَايَتِهِ بَشِيراً وَ نَذِيراً وَ دَاعِياً إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَ سِرَاجاً مُنِيراً عَوْداً وَ بَدْءاً وَ عُذْراً وَ نُذْراً بِحُكْمٍ قَدْ فَصَّلَهُ وَ تَفْصِيلٍ قَدْ أَحْكَمَهُ وَ فُرْقَانٍ قَدْ فَرَقَهُ وَ قُرْآنٍ قَدْ بَيَّنَهُ لِيَعْلَمَ الْعِبَادُ رَبَّهُمْ إِذْ جَهِلُوهُ وَ لِيُقِرُّوا بِهِ إِذْ جَحَدُوهُ وَ لِيُثْبِتُوهُ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنْكَرُوهُ

So he^-asws Praised Allah^-azwj and Extolled Him^-azwj, then said: ‘Having said that, Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Sent Muhammad^-saww to take His^-azwj servants out from worshipping His^-azwj servants to worship Him^-azwj, and from the covenants of His^-azwj servants to His^-azwj Covenant, and from obedience to His^-azwj servants to be in obedience to Him^-azwj, and from the Wilayah of His^-azwj servants to His^-azwj Wilayah by good news and warnings.

And he^-saww called to Allah^-azwj by His^-azwj Permission, and was an illuminating lamp, promising, and beginning, and excusing, and warning by the Judgements that he^-saww had decided, and decided what he^-saww had judged, and a Criterion which differentiated, and a Quran which Proved Him^-azwj, so the servants would come to know their Lord^-azwj which they were ignorant of, and accept by it which they struggled against, and Establish Him^-azwj after having denied Him^-azwj.

فَتَجَلَّى لَهُمْ سُبْحَانَهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا رَأَوْهُ فَأَرَاهُمْ حِلْمَهُ كَيْفَ حَلُمَ وَ أَرَاهُمْ عَفْوَهُ كَيْفَ عَفَا وَ أَرَاهُمْ قُدْرَتَهُ كَيْفَ قَدَرَ وَ خَوَّفَهُمْ مِنْ سَطْوَتِهِ وَ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ مَا خَلَقَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ وَ كَيْفَ مَحَقَ مَنْ مَحَقَ مِنَ الْعُصَاةِ بِالْمَثُلَاتِ وَ احْتَصَدَ مَنِ احْتَصَدَ بِالنَّقِمَاتِ وَ كَيْفَ رَزَقَ وَ هَدَى وَ أَعْطَى وَ أَرَاهُمْ حُكْمَهُ كَيْفَ حَكَمَ وَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ مَا يَسْمَعُ وَ يَرَى فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله) بِذَلِكَ

So He^-azwj illustrated to them His^-azwj Glory in His^-azwj Book without them having seen Him^-azwj. So he^-azwj Showed them His^-azwj Forbearance, how He^-azwj Forbears, and Showed them His^-azwj Forgiveness how He^-azwj Forgives, and Showed them His^-azwj Power and how Powerful He^-azwj is, and Frightened them from His^-azwj Authority, and how He^-azwj Created what He^-azwj Created from the Signs, and how He^-azwj Destroys the one whom He^-azwj Destroys from the disobeyers by the examples. And how he^-azwj Repelled the one whom He^-azwj repelled by the Torments, and how he^-azwj Sustained and Guided, and Granted, and Showed them His^-azwj Wisdom how Wise He^-azwj is, and Patient until they heard what they heard and saw. So Allah^-azwj Sent Muhammad^-saww with that.

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ سَيَأْتِي عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِي زَمَانٌ لَيْسَ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَخْفَى مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَ لَا أَظْهَرَ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ وَ لَا أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الْكَذِبِ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ رَسُولِهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَ لَيْسَ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ سِلْعَةٌ أَبْوَرَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ إِذَا تُلِيَ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِ وَ لَا سِلْعَةٌ أَنْفَقَ بَيْعاً وَ لَا أَغْلَى ثَمَناً مِنَ الْكِتَابِ إِذَا حُرِّفَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَ لَيْسَ فِي الْعِبَادِ وَ لَا فِي الْبِلَادِ شَيْ‏ءٌ هُوَ أَنْكَرَ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَ لَا أَعْرَفَ مِنَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا فَاحِشَةٌ أَنْكَرَ وَ لَا عُقُوبَةٌ أَنْكَى مِنَ الْهُدَى عِنْدَ الضَّلَالِ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ فَقَدْ نَبَذَ الْكِتَابَ حَمَلَتُهُ وَ تَنَاسَاهُ حَفَظَتُهُ حَتَّى تَمَالَتْ بِهِمُ الْأَهْوَاءُ وَ تَوَارَثُوا ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْآبَاءِ وَ عَمِلُوا بِتَحْرِيفِ الْكِتَابِ كَذِباً وَ تَكْذِيباً فَبَاعُوهُ بِالْبَخْسِ وَ كَانُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الزَّاهِدِينَ

Then there will come upon you, from after me^-asws an era, and there will be nothing in that era which will be more hidden than the truth, nor anything more apparent than the falsehood, and nothing more numerous than the lies against Allah^-azwj the High and His^-azwj Messenger^-saww. And there will be nothing in that era which will be more worthless than the Book when it is recited as it deserves to be recited, nor anything more worthy of selling and expensive in price than the Book if it is altered from its places. And there will be nothing in the servants nor in the cities anything which is more prevented than the good nor anything more recognised than the evil. And there will be nothing considered to be more immoral and evil, and no worse penalty than for the guidance in the presence of misguidance. During that era, those who bear the Book will be rejected and the memorizers will forget to the extent that they will interpret it in accordance with their own desires, and they would have inherited that from their forefathers, and they will act with alterations in the Book, lying and rejecting. So they will sell it for a cheap price, and they would be from the ascetics.

فَالْكِتَابُ وَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ طَرِيدَانِ مَنْفِيَّانِ وَ صَاحِبَانِ مُصْطَحِبَانِ فِي طَرِيقٍ وَاحِدٍ لَا يَأْوِيهِمَا مُؤْوٍ فَحَبَّذَا ذَانِكَ الصَّاحِبَانِ وَاهاً لَهُمَا وَ لِمَا يَعْمَلَانِ لَهُ فَالْكِتَابُ وَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ فِي النَّاسِ وَ لَيْسُوا فِيهِمْ وَ مَعَهُمْ وَ لَيْسُوا مَعَهُمْ وَ ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ الضَّلَالَةَ لَا تُوَافِقُ الْهُدَى

So the Book and the People of the Book during that era would be two castaway fugitives, and two accompanying companions in one road not finding any protector or shelter. They are both good for each other and Whom^-azwj they work for. So the Book and the People of the Book during that era would be in the people but not be among (part of) them, and will be with them but still not be with them, and that is because the misguidance is not in harmony with the guidance.

وَ إِنِ اجْتَمَعَا وَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى الْفُرْقَةِ وَ افْتَرَقُوا عَنِ الْجَمَاعَةِ قَدْ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ وَ أَمْرَ دِينِهِمْ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ فِيهِمْ بِالْمَكْرِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ الرِّشَا وَ الْقَتْلِ كَأَنَّهُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْكِتَابِ وَ لَيْسَ الْكِتَابُ إِمَامَهُمْ لَمْ يَبْقَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ إِلَّا اسْمُهُ وَ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا خَطَّهُ وَ زَبْرَهُ

And if they meet, and the people would have met upon the sectarianism, and would separate from the group. They would give the rule of the matters of their Religion to the one who acts with regards to them by plotting, and the evil, and the bribery, and the murder, as if they are the imams (leaders) of the Book then the Book is not their imam (leading them). There will not remain in their possession from the truth except for its name, and they will not recognise anything from the Book except for its calligraphy and design.

يَدْخُلُ الدَّاخِلُ لِمَا يَسْمَعُ مِنْ حِكَمِ الْقُرْآنِ فَلَا يَطْمَئِنُّ جَالِساً حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ مِنَ الدِّينِ يَنْتَقِلُ مِنْ دِينِ مَلِكٍ إِلَى دِينِ مَلِكٍ وَ مِنْ وَلَايَةِ مَلِكٍ إِلَى وَلَايَةِ مَلِكٍ وَ مِنْ طَاعَةِ مَلِكٍ إِلَى طَاعَةِ مَلِكٍ وَ مِنْ عُهُودِ مَلِكٍ إِلَى عُهُودِ مَلِكٍ فَاسْتَدْرَجَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ وَ إِنَّ كَيْدَهُ مَتِينٌ بِالْأَمَلِ وَ الرَّجَاءِ حَتَّى تَوَالَدُوا فِي الْمَعْصِيَةِ وَ دَانُوا بِالْجَوْرِ وَ الْكِتَابُ لَمْ يَضْرِبْ عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْهُ صَفْحاً ضُلَّالًا تَائِهِينَ قَدْ دَانُوا بِغَيْرِ دِينِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ أَدَانُوا لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ

The entering one will enter (the religion) when he hears for the Judgements of the Quran, but he will not be satisfied in gatherings until he exits from the Religion. He will transfer from a Religion of a king to a Religion of a king, and from the wilayah of a king to a wilayah of a king, and from obedience of a king to the obedience of a king, and from the covenant of a king to a covenant of a king.

So Allah^-azwj Lures them away from where they do not know, with good expectations and the hope until they give birth in the disobedience, and they make a religion with the tyranny, and the Book did not benefit them anything, and they will be wandering and straying, for they would have made a religion without the Religion of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and for the sake of other than Allah^-azwj.

مَسَاجِدُهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ عَامِرَةٌ مِنَ الضَّلَالَةِ خَرِبَةٌ مِنَ الْهُدَى قَدْ بُدِّلَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْهُدَى فَقُرَّاؤُهَا وَ عُمَّارُهَا أَخَائِبُ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ وَ خَلِيقَتِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ جَرَتِ الضَّلَالَةُ وَ إِلَيْهِمْ تَعُودُ فَحُضُورُ مَسَاجِدِهِمْ وَ الْمَشْيُ إِلَيْهَا كُفْرٌ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ إِلَّا مَنْ مَشَى إِلَيْهَا وَ هُوَ عَارِفٌ بِضَلَالِهِمْ فَصَارَتْ مَسَاجِدُهُمْ مِنْ فِعَالِهِمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ النَّحْوِ خَرِبَةً مِنَ الْهُدَى عَامِرَةً مِنَ الضَّلَالَةِ قَدْ بُدِّلَتْ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَ تُعُدِّيَتْ حُدُودُهُ

Their Masjid during that era would be constructed from misguidance, ruination of guidance. So its reciters and its builders would be the most failed ones among the creatures of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj creatures. It is from their presence that misguidance would flow and return back to them. Thus, presence in their Masjids, and walking towards them would be blasphemy (Kufr) with Allah^-azwj the Magnificent, except for the one who walks towards it while being aware of their misguidance. Therefore, due to their actions upon that way, their Masjids would have become ruination of the guidance, and well-built in the misguidance, for the Sunnah of Allah^-azwj would have been changed, and His^-azwj Limits transgressed against.

وَ لَا يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْهُدَى وَ لَا يَقْسِمُونَ الْفَيْ‏ءَ وَ لَا يُوفُونَ بِذِمَّةٍ يَدْعُونَ الْقَتِيلَ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ شَهِيداً قَدْ أَتَوُا اللَّهَ بِالِافْتِرَاءِ وَ الْجُحُودِ وَ اسْتَغْنَوْا بِالْجَهْلِ عَنِ الْعِلْمِ وَ مِنْ قَبْلُ مَا مَثَّلُوا بِالصَّالِحِينَ كُلَّ مُثْلَةٍ وَ سَمَّوْا صِدْقَهُمْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فِرْيَةً وَ جَعَلُوا فِي الْحَسَنَةِ الْعُقُوبَةَ السَّيِّئَةَ

They will not be calling to the guidance, nor distribution the booty (Al-Fey), nor fulfilling the responsibilities. They will be calling the one from among them who would be killed upon that as a martyr, thus forging a lie against Allah^-azwj, and the struggle, and they would be needless from the knowledge due to their ignorance, and from before they mutilated the righteous ones with every mutilation, and named their truthfulness to Allah^-azwj as libel, and apply the punishment for the sins to the good deeds.

وَ قَدْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ ما عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُفٌ رَحِيمٌ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَ أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ كِتَاباً عَزِيزاً لا يَأْتِيهِ الْباطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ لا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ قُرْآناً عَرَبِيّاً غَيْرَ ذِي عِوَجٍ لِيُنْذِرَ مَنْ كانَ حَيًّا وَ يَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكافِرِينَ

And Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Sent to you all a Messenger^-saww from yourselves. It grieves him^-saww to see you suffering, and he^-saww is kind and merciful to the Believers. And He^-azwj Revealed upon him^-saww a Mighty Book. “[41:42] Falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from behind it; a revelation from the Wise, the Praised One” “[39:28] An Arabic Quran without any crookedness, that they may guard (against evil)” “[36:70] That it may warn him who would have life, and (that) the word may prove true against the unbelievers”.

فَلَا يُلْهِيَنَّكُمُ الْأَمَلُ وَ لَا يَطُولَنَّ عَلَيْكُمُ الْأَجَلُ فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَمَدُ أَمَلِهِمْ وَ تَغْطِيَةُ الْآجَالِ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِهِمُ الْمَوْعُودُ الَّذِي تُرَدُّ عَنْهُ الْمَعْذِرَةُ وَ تُرْفَعُ عَنْهُ التَّوْبَةُ وَ تَحُلُّ مَعَهُ الْقَارِعَةُ وَ النَّقِمَةُ وَ قَدْ أَبْلَغَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْكُمْ بِالْوَعْدِ وَ فَصَّلَ لَكُمُ الْقَوْلَ وَ عَلَّمَكُمُ السُّنَّةَ وَ شَرَحَ لَكُمُ الْمَنَاهِجَ لِيُزِيحَ الْعِلَّةَ وَ حَثَّ عَلَى الذِّكْرِ وَ دَلَّ عَلَى النَّجَاةِ

So do not let your hopes to distract you, nor consider the term (of life) to be prolonged, for the ones before you were destroyed for having long hopes against their approaching deadline until the Promised time (of death) descended upon them, and repulsed from them the excuses, and raised from them the repentance, and brought with it the calamity and the resentment. And Allah^-azwj has Preached to you with the Promise, and Made Decisive for you the speech, and Taught you the Sunnah, and Explained for you the Program to remove the illness, and Urged upon the Remembrance, and Evidence to the Salvation.

وَ إِنَّهُ مَنِ انْتَصَحَ لِلَّهِ وَ اتَّخَذَ قَوْلَهُ دَلِيلًا هَدَاهُ لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَ وَفَّقَهُ لِلرَّشَادِ وَ سَدَّدَهُ وَ يَسَّرَهُ لِلْحُسْنَى فَإِنَّ جَارَ اللَّهِ آمِنٌ مَحْفُوظٌ وَ عَدُوَّهُ خَائِفٌ مَغْرُورٌ فَاحْتَرِسُوا مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِكَثْرَةِ الذِّكْرِ وَ اخْشَوْا مِنْهُ بِالتُّقَى وَ تَقَرَّبُوا إِلَيْهِ بِالطَّاعَةِ فَإِنَّهُ قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبٌ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِذا سَأَلَكَ عِبادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذا دَعانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

And the one who act for the sake of Allah^-azwj and take His^-azwj Words as Evidence, would be Guided until he is strong, and Made to understand the right way, and Guided and facilitated to the good. So the one under the Protection of Allah^-azwj is safely preserved, and His^-azwj enemies would be in fearful and pretentious. So be cautious of Allah^-azwj through the frequency of the Remembrance, and be fearful from Him^-azwj by the piety, and get closer to Him^-azwj by the obedience, for He^-azwj is Close by and Answers. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “[2:186] And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way”.

فَاسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَ آمِنُوا بِهِ وَ عَظِّمُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا يَنْبَغِي لِمَنْ عَرَفَ عَظَمَةَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَتَعَظَّمَ فَإِنَّ رِفْعَةَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا عَظَمَةُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَتَوَاضَعُوا لَهُ وَ عِزَّ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا جَلَالُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَذِلُّوا لَهُ وَ سَلَامَةَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا قُدْرَةُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَسْتَسْلِمُوا لَهُ فَلَا يُنْكِرُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ بَعْدَ حَدِّ الْمَعْرِفَةِ وَ لَا يَضِلُّونَ بَعْدَ الْهُدَى فَلَا تَنْفِرُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ نِفَارَ الصَّحِيحِ مِنَ الْأَجْرَبِ وَ الْبَارِئِ مِنْ ذِي السُّقْمِ

So you must respond to Allah^-azwj and believe in Him^-azwj, and Magnify Allah^-azwj. It does not befit one who recognises the Greatness of Allah^-azwj to consider himself as significant. So the highest of the recognition of the Greatness of Allah^-azwj is being modest to Him^-azwj, and the highest honour of the one who knows the Majesty of Allah^-azwj is to be humble to Him^-azwj, and the most secure is the one who knows the Power of Allah^-azwj and submits to Him^-azwj. So you will not be denying yourselves after the Guidance of the understanding, nor will you be going astray after the Guidance. So do not flee from the truth like the fleeing of the healthy ones from the one with the scabies, and the healthy ones from the sick.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَعْرِفُوا الرُّشْدَ حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا الَّذِي تَرَكَهُ وَ لَمْ تَأْخُذُوا بِمِيثَاقِ الْكِتَابِ حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا الَّذِي نَقَضَهُ وَ لَنْ تَمَسَّكُوا بِهِ حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا الَّذِي نَبَذَهُ وَ لَنْ تَتْلُوا الْكِتَابَ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِ حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا الَّذِي حَرَّفَهُ وَ لَنْ تَعْرِفُوا الضَّلَالَةَ حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا الْهُدَى وَ لَنْ تَعْرِفُوا التَّقْوَى حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا الَّذِي تَعَدَّى

And know that you will never recognise the guidance until you recognise the ones who have left it, and will never take to the Covenant of the Book until you recognise the ones who broke it, and will never attach yourselves to it until you recognise the ones who have abandoned it, and will never be able to recite the Book as it deserves to be recited until you recognise the ones who altered it, and will never recognise the misguidance until you recognise the Guidance, and will never recognise the piety until you recognise the ones who abused it.

فَإِذَا عَرَفْتُمْ ذَلِكَ عَرَفْتُمُ الْبِدَعَ وَ التَّكَلُّفَ وَ رَأَيْتُمُ الْفِرْيَةَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَ التَّحْرِيفَ لِكِتَابِهِ وَ رَأَيْتُمْ كَيْفَ هَدَى اللَّهُ مَنْ هَدَى فَلَا يُجْهِلَنَّكُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّ عِلْمَ الْقُرْآنِ لَيْسَ يَعْلَمُ مَا هُوَ إِلَّا مَنْ ذَاقَ طَعْمَهُ

So when you recognise that, you will recognise the innovations, and the impersonations, and you will see the fabrications against Allah^-azwj and against His^-azwj Messenger^-saww, and the alterations to His^-azwj book, and you will see how Allah^-azwj Guided the one whom He^-azwj Guided. So do not let those who have no knowledge keep you ignorant. The Knowledge of the Quran cannot be known as to what it is except by the one^-asws who has tasted its food.

فَعُلِّمَ بِالْعِلْمِ جَهْلَهُ وَ بُصِّرَ بِهِ عَمَاهُ وَ سُمِّعَ بِهِ صَمَمَهُ وَ أَدْرَكَ بِهِ عِلْمَ مَا فَاتَ وَ حَيِيَ بِهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ مَاتَ وَ أَثْبَتَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَ مَحَا بِهِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَ أَدْرَكَ بِهِ رِضْوَاناً مِنَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى

So it was by the knowledge that his ignorance got to know, and his blindness got to visualise, and his deafness got to hear, and gained awareness of what knowledge had passed by and got revived by it after its death. And he established the good deeds in the Presence of Allah^-azwj and deleted the sins by it. And it was by it (knowledge) that he realised the Pleasure from Allah^-azwj Blessed and High.

فَاطْلُبُوا ذَلِكَ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَهْلِهِ خَاصَّةً فَإِنَّهُمْ خَاصَّةً نُورٌ يُسْتَضَاءُ بِهِ وَ أَئِمَّةٌ يُقْتَدَى بِهِمْ وَ هُمْ عَيْشُ الْعِلْمِ وَ مَوْتُ الْجَهْلِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يُخْبِرُكُمْ حُكْمُهُمْ عَنْ عِلْمِهِمْ وَ صَمْتُهُمْ عَنْ مَنْطِقِهِمْ وَ ظَاهِرُهُمْ عَنْ بَاطِنِهِمْ لَا يُخَالِفُونَ الدِّينَ وَ لَا يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ بَيْنَهُمْ شَاهِدٌ صَادِقٌ وَ صَامِتٌ نَاطِقٌ فَهُمْ مِنْ شَأْنِهِمْ شُهَدَاءُ بِالْحَقِّ وَ مُخْبِرٌ صَادِقٌ لَا يُخَالِفُونَ الْحَقَّ وَ لَا يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ

So, seek that from its special people, for they^-asws are the specialists, lights to be illuminated by, and the Imams^-asws to be followed. And they^-asws are the life for the knowledge and death for the ignorance. They^-asws are the ones^-asws whose Judgements inform you of their^-asws knowledge, and their^-asws silence about their^-asws speech, and their^-asws apparent about their^-asws hidden. They^-asws do not oppose the religion nor do they^-asws differ with regards to it. For it (knowledge) is a truthful witness between them^-asws, and a silent speaker. It is from their^-asws glories to testify to the truth, and to be truthful reporters, neither opposing the truth nor differing with regards to it.

قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ السَّابِقَةُ وَ مَضَى فِيهِمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حُكْمٌ صَادِقٌ وَ فِي ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ فَاعْقِلُوا الْحَقَّ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُوهُ عَقْلَ رِعَايَةٍ وَ لَا تَعْقِلُوهُ عَقْلَ رِوَايَةٍ فَإِنَّ رُوَاةَ الْكِتَابِ كَثِيرٌ وَ رُعَاتَهُ قَلِيلٌ وَ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ.

The Precedence is for them^-asws from Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Passed a Truthful Judgement for them^-asws. And in that is a reminder for the speakers. So bear in mind the truth if you hear it with a caring mind and not with a narrative mind, for the narrators of the Book are many, and its guardians are few. And Allah^-azwj is the Best Supporter’.[16]

Appendix II:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ وَ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ وَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ وَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ نَاتَانَةَ وَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْهَمَدَانِيُّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: قَالَ أَبِي ع لِجَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ إِنَّ لِي إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةً فَمَتَى يَخِفُّ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَخْلُوَ بِكَ فَأَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ جَابِرٌ فِي أَيِّ الْأَوْقَاتِ شِئْتَ فَخَلَا بِهِ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ لَهُ يَا جَابِرُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اللَّوْحِ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ فِي يَدَيْ أُمِّي فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ مَا أَخْبَرَتْكَ بِهِ أَنَّهُ فِي ذَلِكَ اللَّوْحِ مَكْتُوباً فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ أَنِّي دَخَلْتُ عَلَى‏ أُمِّكَ فَاطِمَةَ ع فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص أُهَنِّؤُهَا بِوِلَادَةِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع‏ فَرَأَيْتُ فِي يَدِهَا لَوْحاً أَخْضَرَ ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ زُمُرُّدٍ وَ رَأَيْتُ فِيهِ كِتَابَةً بَيْضَاءَ شَبِيهَةً بِنُورِ الشَّمْسِ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا بِأَبِي أَنْتِ وَ أُمِّي يَا بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا هَذَا اللَّوْحُ فَقَالَتْ هَذَا اللَّوْحُ أَهْدَاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى رَسُولِهِ ص فِيهِ اسْمُ أَبِي وَ اسْمُ بَعْلِي وَ اسْمُ ابْنَيَّ وَ أَسْمَاءُ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ مِنْ وُلْدِي فَأَعْطَانِيهِ أَبِي لِيَسُرَّنِي بِذَلِكَ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَأَعْطَتْنِيهِ أُمُّكَ‏ فَاطِمَةُ ع فَقَرَأْتُهُ وَ انْتَسَخْتُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبِي ع فَهَلْ لَكَ يَا جَابِرُ أَنْ تَعْرِضَهُ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ أَبِي ع حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى مَنْزِلِ جَابِرٍ فَأَخْرَجَ إِلَى أَبِي صَحِيفَةً مِنْ رَقٍّ فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ انْظُرْ أَنْتَ فِي كِتَابِكَ لِأَقْرَأَهُ أَنَا عَلَيْكَ فَنَظَرَ جَابِرٌ فِي نُسْخَتِهِ‏ فَقَرَأَهُ عَلَيْهِ أَبِي ع فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا خَالَفَ حَرْفٌ حَرْفاً قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَإِنِّي أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ أَنِّي هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي اللَّوْحِ مَكْتُوباً بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم‏ هَذَا كِتَابٌ‏ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ‏ لِمُحَمَّدٍ نُورِهِ وَ سَفِيرِهِ وَ حِجَابِهِ وَ دَلِيلِهِ‏ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ‏ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ عَظِّمْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَسْمَائِي وَ اشْكُرْ نَعْمَائِي وَ لَا تَجْحَدْ آلَائِي إِنِّي‏ أَنَا اللَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنَا قَاصِمُ الْجَبَّارِينَ وَ مُبِيرُ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ وَ مُذِلُّ الظَّالِمِينَ وَ دَيَّانُ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ إِنِّي‏ أَنَا اللَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَمَنْ رَجَا غَيْرَ فَضْلِي أَوْ خَافَ غَيْرَ عَدْلِي عَذَّبْتُهُ‏ عَذاباً لا أُعَذِّبُهُ أَحَداً مِنَ الْعالَمِينَ‏ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدْ وَ عَلَيَّ فَتَوَكَّلْ إِنِّي لَمْ أَبْعَثْ نَبِيّاً فَأُكْمِلَتْ أَيَّامُهُ وَ انْقَضَتْ مُدَّتُهُ إِلَّا جَعَلْتُ لَهُ وَصِيّاً وَ إِنِّي فَضَّلْتُكَ عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ فَضَّلْتُ وَصِيَّكَ عَلَى الْأَوْصِيَاءِ وَ أَكْرَمْتُكَ بِشِبْلَيْكَ بَعْدَهُ وَ بِسِبْطَيْكَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ جَعَلْتُ حَسَناً مَعْدِنَ عِلْمِي بَعْدَ انْقِضَاءِ مُدَّةِ أَبِيهِ وَ جَعَلْتُ حُسَيْناً خَازِنَ وَحْيِي وَ أَكْرَمْتُهُ بِالشَّهَادَةِ وَ خَتَمْتُ لَهُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ مَنِ اسْتُشْهِدَ وَ أَرْفَعُ الشُّهَدَاءِ دَرَجَةً جَعَلْتُ كَلِمَتِيَ التَّامَّةَ مَعَهُ وَ الْحُجَّةَ الْبَالِغَةَ عِنْدَهُ بِعِتْرَتِهِ أُثِيبُ وَ أُعَاقِبُ أَوَّلُهُمْ عَلِيٌّ سَيِّدُ الْعَابِدِينَ وَ زَيْنُ أَوْلِيَائِيَ الْمَاضِينَ وَ ابْنُهُ سَمِيُّ جَدِّهِ‏ الْمَحْمُودِ مُحَمَّدٌ الْبَاقِرُ لِعِلْمِي وَ الْمَعْدِنُ لِحِكْمَتِي سَيَهْلِكُ الْمُرْتَابُونَ فِي جَعْفَرٍ الرَّادُّ عَلَيْهِ كَالرَّادِّ عَلَيَّ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأُكْرِمَنَّ مَثْوَى جَعْفَرٍ وَ لَأَسُرَّنَّهُ فِي أَوْلِيَائِهِ وَ أَشْيَاعِهِ وَ أَنْصَارِهِ وَ انتحبت [أُتِيحَتْ‏] بَعْدَ مُوسَى فِتْنَةٌ عَمْيَاءُ حِنْدِسٌ‏ لِأَنَّ خَيْطَ فَرْضِي لَا يَنْقَطِعُ‏ وَ حُجَّتِي لَا تَخْفَى وَ أَنَّ أَوْلِيَائِي لَا يَشْقَوْنَ أَبَداً أَلَا وَ مَنْ جَحَدَ وَاحِداً مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ جَحَدَ نِعْمَتِي وَ مَنْ غَيَّرَ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِي فَقَدِ افْتَرَى عَلَيَّ وَ وَيْلٌ لِلْمُفْتَرِينَ الْجَاحِدِينَ عِنْدَ انْقِضَاءِ مُدَّةِ عَبْدِي مُوسَى وَ حَبِيبِي وَ خِيَرَتِي أَلَا إِنَّ الْمُكَذِّبَ بِالثَّامِنِ مُكَذِّبٌ بِكُلِّ أَوْلِيَائِي وَ عَلِيٌّ وَلِيِّي وَ نَاصِرِي وَ مَنْ أَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ أَعْبَاءَ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ أَمْتَحِنُهُ بِالاضْطِلَاعِ يَقْتُلُهُ عِفْرِيتٌ مُسْتَكْبِرٌ يُدْفَنُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ الَّتِي بَنَاهَا الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِلَى جَنْبِ شَرِّ خَلْقِي حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأُقِرَّنَّ عَيْنَهُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ ابْنِهِ‏ وَ خَلِيفَتِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَهُوَ وَارِثُ عِلْمِي وَ مَعْدِنُ حِكْمَتِي وَ مَوْضِعُ سِرِّي وَ حُجَّتِي عَلَى خَلْقِي جَعَلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ مَثْوَاهُ وَ شَفَّعْتُهُ فِي سَبْعِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ كُلُّهُمْ قَدِ اسْتَوْجَبُوا النَّارَ وَ أَخْتِمُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ لِابْنِهِ عَلِيٍّ وَلِيِّي وَ نَاصِرِي وَ الشَّاهِدِ فِي خَلْقِي وَ أَمِينِي عَلَى وَحْيِي أُخْرِجُ مِنْهُ الدَّاعِيَ إِلَى سَبِيلِي وَ الْخَازِنَ لِعِلْمِيَ الْحَسَنَ ثُمَّ أُكْمِلُ ذَلِكَ بِابْنِهِ رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ عَلَيْهِ كَمَالُ مُوسَى وَ بَهَاءُ عِيسَى وَ صَبْرُ أَيُّوبَ سَتَذِلُّ أَوْلِيَائِي فِي زَمَانِهِ وَ يُتَهَادَوْنَ رُءُوسُهُمْ كَمَا تُهَادَى ‏رُءُوسُ التُّرْكِ وَ الدَّيْلَمِ فَيُقْتَلُونَ وَ يُحْرَقُونَ وَ يَكُونُونَ خَائِفِينَ مَرْعُوبِينَ وَجِلِينَ تُصْبَغُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ دِمَائِهِمْ وَ يَفْشُو الْوَيْلُ وَ الرَّنِينُ فِي نِسَائِهِمْ‏^[17] أُولَئِكَ أَوْلِيَائِي حَقّاً بِهِمْ أَدْفَعُ كُلَّ فِتْنَةٍ عَمْيَاءَ حِنْدِسٍ وَ بِهِمْ أَكْشِفُ الزَّلَازِلَ وَ أَرْفَعُ عَنْهُمُ الْآصَارَ^[18] وَ الْأَغْلَالَ‏ أُولئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَواتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَ رَحْمَةٌ وَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ‏ قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَالِمٍ قَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ لَوْ لَمْ تَسْمَعْ فِي دَهْرِكَ إِلَّا هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ لَكَفَاكَ فَصُنْهُ إِلَّا عَنْ أَهْلِهِ.

Narrated to us my father and Muhammad bin Hasan – May Allah be pleased with them – they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them from Abil Hasan Salih bin Abi Hammad and Hasan bin Tareef, all of them from Bakr bin Salih and narrated to us my father and Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil and Muhammad bin Ali Majilaway; and Ahmad bin Ali bin Ibrahim; and Hasan bin Ibrahim bin Natana; and Ahmad bin Ziyad Hamadani – May Allah be pleased with them – they said: Narrated to us Ali bin Ibrahim from his father Ibrahim bin Hashim from Bakr bin Salih from Abdur Rahman bin Saalim from Abi Baseer from Abi Abdullah ^-asws that he said:

“My father^-asws said to Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari, ‘I have some work with you. So, when is it possible for you to give me some time that I may ask you something?’ Jabir replied, ‘Whenever you wish.’ Thus, when my father^-asws met him in privacy, he asked him, “O Jabir! Inform me about the Tablet which you saw in the hand of my mother, (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah^-saww and what did she^-asws tell you as to what was written in it?” Jabir replied, ‘I hold Allah^-azwj as Witness that I went to visit your^-asws mother^-asws, Fatima ^-asws during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah^-saww to congratulate her for being blessed by Hussain^-asws. I saw in her^-asws hand a green Tablet, which I thought to be of emerald and its writing was as bright as sunlight. I asked her^-asws, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Rasool Allah^-saww! What is this Tablet?’ She^-asws replied, ‘This is the Tablet, which Allah^-azwj, to whom belong might and majesty, has gifted to the Messenger of Allah^-saww. In it is the name of my father^-saww, the name of Ali^-asws, the name of my^-asws two sons^-asws and the names of the successors from my progeny. In turn, my father gave it to me that I may rejoice through it.’

Jabir said, ‘Thus, your mother (Syeda) Fatima^-asws gave it to me. I read it and copied it.’

My father^-asws asked, ‘O Jabir! Can you show it (the copied manuscript) to me^-asws?’

He replied in the affirmative. My father ^-asws accompanied Jabir to his house where he took out a scroll of parchment and gave it to my father saying, ‘I hold Allah^-azwj as Witness that this is what I^-asws saw written in the Tablet:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a Book from Allah^-azwj, the Mighty, the Wise to Muhammad^-saww, His^-azwj Light, His^-azwj ambassador, His^-azwj Veil and His^-azwj Proof. The trustworthy Spirit has descended with it from the Lord of the worlds. O Muhammad^-saww! Magnify My^-azwj Names, be grateful for My^-azwj bounties and do not deny My^-azwj endowments. Verily, I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj, there is no god but Me^-azwj, the Destroyer of the oppressors, the Degrader of the tyrants and the Establisher of the Day of Judgment.  Verily, I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj, there is no god but Me. Whoever expects grace from other than Me^-azwj or fears other than My^-azwj justice and My^-azwj punishment, I^-azwj will Punish him in such a way that I^-azwj will not punish anybody in this manner in the worlds. Hence, worship only Me^-azwj and rely only on Me^-azwj. Indeed, I did not raise a messenger, completed his days and terminated his duration but that I appointed for him^-as a successor^-as. Certainly, I^-azwj Made you^-saww superior over all other Prophets^-as and Made your^-saww successor superior over all other successors. After him^-asws, I^-azwj Honoured you^-saww with your^-saww two grandsons, Hassan^-asws and Hussain^-asws. I made Hassan^-asws the mine of My^-azwj Knowledge after the end of the days of his^-asws father^-asws and I^-azwj Made Hussain^-asws the treasure chest of My^-asws Revelation, I^-azwj Honoured him^-asws with martyrdom and sealed it for him^-asws with eternal bliss. So, he^-asws is the best of the martyrs and the highest of them in grade before Me^-azwj. I^-azwj have Placed My^-azwj ‘Perfect Word’ with him^-asws and the complete Proof near him^-asws. Through his^-asws Progeny, I^-azwj shall reward and punish.

The first of them^-asws is the chief of the worshippers and the adornment of My past friends, then his son^-asws (Muhammad) who resembles his^-asws grandfather al- Mahmood, the splitter of My knowledge and the mine of My^-azwj Wisdom. Soon, those who doubt concerning his son Ja’far^-asws will be destroyed. He who rejects him has rejected Me^-azwj. I^-azwj Speak the truth, I^-azwj will Indeed honour the position of Ja’far^-asws and make him^-asws happy vis-à-vis his^-asws Shias, his^-asws helpers and his^-asws friends. After him, I^-azwj have Selected Musa^-asws and there will be a blinding, dark corruption so that the spark of My^-azwj Obedience is not terminated, My^-azwj Proof is not hidden and My friends are not afflicted with misfortune. Beware! Whoever denies even one of them^-asws has denied My^-azwj Bounty. Whoever changes one verse from My^-azwj Book, then indeed has attributed a lie unto Me^-azwj. Then woe unto the liars, the deniers with the termination of the duration of My^-azwj servant, My^-azwj beloved and My^-azwj Chosen one, Musa^-asws. Verily, the one who denies the eighth is as if he has denied all My^-azwj Friends (Imams). Ali^-asws is My^-azwj Friend, My^-azwj Helper and the one upon whom I^-azwj have Placed Prophet hood’s burden of proof and conferred upon him Master-ship. An arrogant devil will murder him^-asws. He^-asws will be buried in a city, which the righteous servant has built, next to the worst of My^-azwj creatures. I^-azwj Speak the Truth, I^-azwj will Soothe his^-asws eyes with Muhammad^-asws, his son and his successor after him^-asws. He^-asws is the heir of My^-azwj knowledge, the mine of My^-azwj Wisdom, the place of My^-azwj Joy and My^-azwj Proof upon My^-azwj creatures.

None shall believe in him^-asws but that the paradise will be his abode and I^-azwj will Allow him^-asws to intercede for seventy of his family members, even if all of them are eligible for hell. I^-azwj will Complete his^-asws bliss with his^-asws son Ali^-asws, My^-azwj friend^-asws, My^-azwj Helper, My^-azwj Witness amongst My^-azwj creatures and My^-azwj trustee upon My^-azwj Revelation. From him, I^-azwj will Bring forth Hassan^-asws, the caller to My^-azwj Path and the treasurer of My^-azwj Knowledge. Thereafter, I^-azwj will Complete this (chain of Imamate) with his^-asws son, م.ح.م.د. mercy for the worlds. He^-asws will possess the perfection of Musa, the brightness of Isa and the patience of Ayyub. Soon, My friends will be humiliated in his time and their heads will be gifted as trophies like the heads of the Turks and the Daylamites. They will be killed, they will be burnt, they will live in a state of fear, terror and trepidation. The earth will be coloured with their blood and wailing and sobbing will be commonplace among their womenfolk. They are My^-azwj true friends! Through them I will repel all blinding and dark mischief, remove the earthquakes and remove with the burdens and the chains.

أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

They are those upon them is the blessings of their Lord and mercy. And they are the guided ones (2:157)

Abdur Rahman bin Salim says: Abu Baseer says, ‘If you do not hear in your time anything but this tradition, it will suffice for you. Hence, conceal it except from those who are worthy of it.’^[19]

Hadith 2:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ ظَرِيفٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ أَبِي لِجَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ إِنَّ لِي إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةً فَمَتَى يَخِفُّ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَخْلُوَ بِكَ فَأَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ جَابِرٌ أَيَّ الْأَوْقَاتِ أَحْبَبْتَهُ فَخَلَا بِهِ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَيَّامِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا جَابِرُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اللَّوْحِ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ فِي يَدِ أُمِّي فَاطِمَةَ ( عليها السلام ) بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ مَا أَخْبَرَتْكَ بِهِ أُمِّي أَنَّهُ فِي ذَلِكَ اللَّوْحِ مَكْتُوبٌ

Muhammad Bin Yahya and Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Abdullah Bin Ja’far, from Al Hassan Bin Zareyf and Ali Bin Muhammad, from Salih Bin Abu Hammad, from Bakr Bin Salih, from Abdul Rahman Bin Salim, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘My^-asws father^-asws said to Jabir Bin Abdullah Al-Ansary: ‘For me^-asws there is a need to you, therefore whenever there is ease upon you, I shall be alone with you and ask you about it’. Jabir said to him^-asws, ‘Whichever timings are suitable to you^-asws’. So he^-asws isolated with him during one of the days, and he^-asws said to Jabir: ‘Inform me^-asws about the Tablet which you saw in the hand of my^-asws mother^-asws (Syeda) Fatima^-asws Bint Rasool-Allah^-saww and what my^-asws mother^-asws informed you with what was written in that Tablet’.

فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ أَنِّي دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أُمِّكَ فَاطِمَةَ ( عليها السلام ) فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَهَنَّيْتُهَا بِوِلَادَةِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ رَأَيْتُ فِي يَدَيْهَا لَوْحاً أَخْضَرَ ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ زُمُرُّدٍ وَ رَأَيْتُ فِيهِ كِتَاباً أَبْيَضَ شِبْهَ لَوْنِ الشَّمْسِ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا بِأَبِي وَ أُمِّي يَا بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مَا هَذَا اللَّوْحُ فَقَالَتْ هَذَا لَوْحٌ أَهْدَاهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى رَسُولِهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فِيهِ اسْمُ أَبِي وَ اسْمُ بَعْلِي وَ اسْمُ ابْنَيَّ وَ اسْمُ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ مِنْ وُلْدِي وَ أَعْطَانِيهِ أَبِي لِيُبَشِّرَنِي بِذَلِكَ

Jabir said, ‘I testify with Allah^-azwj that I went over to your^-asws mother^-asws (Syeda) Fatima^-asws during the lifetime of Rasool-Allah^-saww and congratulated her^-asws of the arrival of Al-Hussain^-asws, and I saw a green Tablet in her^-asws hand which I thought was made of emerald, and I saw a white writing therein resembling the colour of the sun. So I said to her^-asws, ‘By my father and my mother, O daughter of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is this Tablet?’ She^-asws said: ‘This is a Tablet which Allah^-azwj Gifted to His^-azwj Rasool^-saww. There is the name of my^-asws father^-saww, and name of my^-asws husband^-asws, and name of my^-asws two sons^-asws, and names of the successors^-asws from my^-asws children, and my father^-saww gave it to me^-asws in order to give me^-asws the glad tidings with that’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَأَعْطَتْنِيهِ أُمُّكَ فَاطِمَةُ ( عليها السلام ) فَقَرَأْتُهُ وَ اسْتَنْسَخْتُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبِي فَهَلْ لَكَ يَا جَابِرُ أَنْ تَعْرِضَهُ عَلَيَّ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ أَبِي إِلَى مَنْزِلِ جَابِرٍ فَأَخْرَجَ صَحِيفَةً مِنْ رَقٍّ فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ انْظُرْ فِي كِتَابِكَ لِأَقْرَأَ أَنَا عَلَيْكَ فَنَظَرَ جَابِرٌ فِي نُسْخَةٍ فَقَرَأَهُ أَبِي فَمَا خَالَفَ حَرْفٌ حَرْفاً

Jabir said, ‘Your^-asws mother^-asws gave it to me, so I read it and copied it’. So my^-asws father^-asws said to him: ‘So is it for you, O Jabir, that you display it to me^-asws?’ He said, ‘Yes’. So my^-asws father^-asws went with him to the house of Jabir, and he brought out a parchment of paper. So he^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Look into your handwriting and I^-asws shall read upon you’. Jabir look into the copy and my^-asws father^-asws read, and no letter differed from a letter.

فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ فَأَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ أَنِّي هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي اللَّوْحِ مَكْتُوباً بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ هَذَا كِتَابٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ لِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّهِ وَ نُورِهِ وَ سَفِيرِهِ وَ حِجَابِهِ وَ دَلِيلِهِ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Jabir said, ‘I testify with Allah^-azwj that I saw it written like this in the Tablet: -“In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful! This is a Letter from Allah^-azwj the Mighty, the Wise, to Muhammad^-saww His^-azwj Prophet^-saww, and His^-azwj Light, and His^-azwj Ambassador, and His^-azwj Veil, and His^-azwj Proof. The Trustworthy Spirit descended with it from the Lord^-azwj of the worlds.

عَظِّمْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَسْمَائِي وَ اشْكُرْ نَعْمَائِي وَ لَا تَجْحَدْ آلَائِي إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا قَاصِمُ الْجَبَّارِينَ وَ مُدِيلُ الْمَظْلُومِينَ وَ دَيَّانُ الدِّينِ

O Muhammad^-saww! Magnify My^-azwj Names and thank for My^-azwj Bounties and do not deny My^-azwj Signs. Me^-azwj, I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj! There is no god except for I^-azwj and the Crusher of the tyrants and the Helper of the oppressed and Maker of the Religion.

إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَمَنْ رَجَا غَيْرَ فَضْلِي أَوْ خَافَ غَيْرَ عَدْلِي عَذَّبْتُهُ عَذَاباً لَا أُعَذِّبُهُ أَحَداً مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدْ وَ عَلَيَّ فَتَوَكَّلْ إِنِّي لَمْ أَبْعَثْ نَبِيّاً فَأُكْمِلَتْ أَيَّامُهُ وَ انْقَضَتْ مُدَّتُهُ إِلَّا جَعَلْتُ لَهُ وَصِيّاً وَ إِنِّي فَضَّلْتُكَ عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ فَضَّلْتُ وَصِيَّكَ عَلَى الْأَوْصِيَاءِ وَ أَكْرَمْتُكَ بِشِبْلَيْكَ وَ سِبْطَيْكَ حَسَنٍ وَ حُسَيْنٍ

Me^-azwj, I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj! There is no god except for I^-azwj, so the one who wishes for other than My^-azwj Grace or fears other than My^-azwj Justice, I^-azwj shall Punish him with a Punishment I^-azwj have not Punished anyone from the worlds. So I^-asws am the One^-azwj you^-saww should worship and upon Me^-azwj should you^-saww rely. I^-azwj did not Send a Prophet^-saww and Completed his^-as days and Expired his^-as term except that I^-azwj Made a successor^-as to be for him^-as, and I^-azwj Preferred you^-saww upon the (rest of the) Prophets^-as, and Preferred your^-saww successor^-asws over the (rest of the) successors^-as, and Honoured you^-saww with your^-saww two young ones^-asws and two grandsons Hassan^-asws and Hussain^-asws.

فَجَعَلْتُ حَسَناً مَعْدِنَ عِلْمِي بَعْدَ انْقِضَاءِ مُدَّةِ أَبِيهِ وَ جَعَلْتُ حُسَيْناً خَازِنَ وَحْيِي وَ أَكْرَمْتُهُ بِالشَّهَادَةِ وَ خَتَمْتُ لَهُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ مَنِ اسْتُشْهِدَ وَ أَرْفَعُ الشُّهَدَاءِ دَرَجَةً جَعَلْتُ كَلِمَتِيَ التَّامَّةَ مَعَهُ وَ حُجَّتِيَ الْبَالِغَةَ عِنْدَهُ

So I^-azwj Made Hassan^-asws as a mine of My^-azwj Knowledge after the expiry of the term of his^-asws father^-asws, and I^-azwj Made Hussain^-asws as a treasurer of My^-azwj Revelation and Honoured him^-asws with the martyrdom and Ended for him^-asws with the happiness. Thus, he^-asws is the most superior of the ones martyred and the loftiest of the levels of the martyrs. I^-azwj Made the complete Speech of Mine^-azwj to be with him^-asws and My^-azwj clear Proof to be with him^-asws.

بِعِتْرَتِهِ أُثِيبُ وَ أُعَاقِبُ أَوَّلُهُمْ عَلِيٌّ سَيِّدُ الْعَابِدِينَ وَ زَيْنُ أَوْلِيَائِيَ الْمَاضِينَ وَ ابْنُهُ شِبْهُ جَدِّهِ الْمَحْمُودِ مُحَمَّدٌ الْبَاقِرُ عِلْمِي وَ الْمَعْدِنُ لِحِكْمَتِي

By his^-asws family I^-azwj Shall Reward and Punish. The first of them^-asws is Ali^-asws Chief of the worshippers and adornment of My^-azwj friends, the past ones; and his^-asws son would resemble his^-asws grandfather^-saww, the praised one, Muhammad^-saww, the expounder (Al-Baqir) of My^-azwj Knowledge and the Mine of My^-azwj Wisdom.

سَيَهْلِكُ الْمُرْتَابُونَ فِي جَعْفَرٍ الرَّادُّ عَلَيْهِ كَالرَّادِّ عَلَيَّ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأُكْرِمَنَّ مَثْوَى جَعْفَرٍ وَ لَأَسُرَّنَّهُ فِي أَشْيَاعِهِ وَ أَنْصَارِهِ وَ أَوْلِيَائِهِ أُتِيحَتْ بَعْدَهُ مُوسَى فِتْنَةٌ عَمْيَاءُ حِنْدِسٌ لِأَنَّ خَيْطَ فَرْضِي لَا يَنْقَطِعُ وَ حُجَّتِي لَا تَخْفَى

The doubters in Ja’far^-asws would be destroyed. The rejection upon him^-asws is like the rejection upon Me^-azwj, being a rightful Word from Me^-azwj. I^-azwj shall Honour the dwelling of Ja’far^-asws and I^-azwj shall Cheer him^-asws with regards to his^-asws Shias and his^-asws helpers and his^-asws friends. After him^-asws Musa^-asws shall live during a blinding strife of darkness because the thread of My^-azwj Obligation does not get cut-off and My^-azwj Divine Authority does not get concealed.

وَ أَنَّ أَوْلِيَائِي يُسْقَوْنَ بِالْكَأْسِ الْأَوْفَى مَنْ جَحَدَ وَاحِداً مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ جَحَدَ نِعْمَتِي وَ مَنْ غَيَّرَ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِي فَقَدِ افْتَرَى عَلَيَّ وَيْلٌ لِلْمُفْتَرِينَ الْجَاحِدِينَ عِنْدَ انْقِضَاءِ مُدَّةِ مُوسَى عَبْدِي وَ حَبِيبِي وَ خِيَرَتِي فِي عَلِيٍّ وَلِيِّي وَ نَاصِرِي وَ مَنْ أَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ أَعْبَاءَ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ أَمْتَحِنُهُ بِالِاضْطِلَاعِ بِهَا يَقْتُلُهُ عِفْرِيتٌ مُسْتَكْبِرٌ يُدْفَنُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ الَّتِي بَنَاهَا الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ إِلَى جَنْبِ شَرِّ خَلْقِي

And My^-azwj friends would be quenching with the full cups. The one who rejects one of them^-asws, so he has rejected My^-azwj Bounty, and the one who changes a Verse from My^-azwj Book, so he has forged (a lie) upon Me^-azwj. Woe be unto the forgers, the rejecters, at the expiry of the term of Musa^-asws, My^-azwj servant and My^-azwj Beloved and My^-azwj Choice is Ali^-asws, My^-azwj Guardian^-asws and My^-azwj helper, and the one upon whom I^-azwj shall Place the task of the Prophet-hood and Test him^-asws with the performance with it. And arrogant demon would murder him^-asws. He^-asws would be buried in a city being built by the righteous servant of (Mine^-azwj), to the side of the most evil of My^-azwj creatures (Harun Rashid).

حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأَسُرَّنَّهُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ ابْنِهِ وَ خَلِيفَتِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ وَارِثِ عِلْمِهِ فَهُوَ مَعْدِنُ عِلْمِي وَ مَوْضِعُ سِرِّي وَ حُجَّتِي عَلَى خَلْقِي لَا يُؤْمِنُ عَبْدٌ بِهِ إِلَّا جَعَلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ مَثْوَاهُ وَ شَفَّعْتُهُ فِي سَبْعِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ كُلُّهُمْ قَدِ اسْتَوْجَبُوا النَّارَ

A Truthful Word from Me^-azwj. I^-azwj shall cheer him^-asws with Muhammad^-asws, his^-asws son^-asws and his^-asws Caliph from after him^-asws, and an inheritor of his^-asws knowledge. So he^-asws would be the Mine of My^-azwj Knowledge and the Place of My^-azwj Secrets and My^-azwj Divine Authority upon My^-azwj creatures. No servant would believe in him^-asws except that I^-azwj shall Make the Paradise as being his Reward and he would intercede among seventy from his family members, all of them being such that the Fire would have been Obligated upon them.

وَ أَخْتِمُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ لِابْنِهِ عَلِيٍّ وَلِيِّي وَ نَاصِرِي وَ الشَّاهِدِ فِي خَلْقِي وَ أَمِينِي عَلَى وَحْيِي أُخْرِجُ مِنْهُ الدَّاعِيَ إِلَى سَبِيلِي وَ الْخَازِنَ لِعِلْمِيَ الْحَسَنَ وَ أُكْمِلُ ذَلِكَ بِابْنِهِ م‏ح‏م‏د رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ عَلَيْهِ كَمَالُ مُوسَى وَ بَهَاءُ عِيسَى وَ صَبْرُ أَيُّوبَ

And I^-azwj shall Seal with the happiness for his^-asws son Ali^-asws, My^-azwj Guardian and My^-azwj helper and the witness among My^-azwj creatures and My^-azwj Trustee upon My^-azwj Revelation. I^-azwj shall Bring out from him^-asws, the caller to My^-azwj Way and the treasurer of My^-azwj Knowledge, Al-Hassan^-asws, and Complete that with his^-asws son^-asws ‘M H M D’, being a mercy to the worlds. Upon him^-asws would be the perfection of Musa^-as, and the gloriousness of Isa^-as and patience of Ayoub^-as.

فَيُذَلُّ أَوْلِيَائِي فِي زَمَانِهِ وَ تُتَهَادَى رُءُوسُهُمْ كَمَا تُتَهَادَى رُءُوسُ التُّرْكِ وَ الدَّيْلَمِ فَيُقْتَلُونَ وَ يُحْرَقُونَ وَ يَكُونُونَ خَائِفِينَ مَرْعُوبِينَ وَجِلِينَ تُصْبَغُ الْأَرْضُ بِدِمَائِهِمْ وَ يَفْشُو الْوَيْلُ وَ الرَّنَّةُ فِي نِسَائِهِمْ أُولَئِكَ أَوْلِيَائِي حَقّاً بِهِمْ أَدْفَعُ كُلَّ فِتْنَةٍ عَمْيَاءَ حِنْدِسٍ وَ بِهِمْ أَكْشِفُ الزَّلَازِلَ وَ أَدْفَعُ الْآصَارَ وَ الْأَغْلَالَ أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَ رَحْمَةٌ وَ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

During his^-asws time My^-azwj friends would be humiliated and their heads would be gifted just as the gifting of the heads of the Turks and the Daylam. So they would be killed and burned and they would happen to be fearful, terrified, exiled. The land – would be dyed with their blood and the wailing and lamentations would be widespread among their womenfolk. Those are My^-azwj friends, truly. By them I^-azwj shall Repel every dark blinding strife, and by them I^-azwj shall Remove the earthquakes and Push away the sufferings and the shackles. Those are the ones^-asws upon whom are the Salawat from their Lord^-azwj and Mercy, and they are the ones who are Guided!”.

قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَالِمٍ قَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ لَوْ لَمْ تَسْمَعْ فِي دَهْرِكَ إِلَّا هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ لَكَفَاكَ فَصُنْهُ إِلَّا عَنْ أَهْلِهِ .

Abdul Rahman Bin Salim said, ‘Abu Baseer said, ‘If you did not hear during your time except for this Hadeeth, it would suffice you. Therefore, protect it except from its deserving ones’.^[20]

السيد شرف الدين النجفي: عن المقلد بن غالب الحسني (رحمه الله)، عن رجاله، بإسناد متصل إلى عبد الله بن سنان الأسدي، عن جعفر بن محمد (عليه السلام)، قال: «قال أبي- يعني محمد الباقر (عليه السلام)- لجابر بن عبد الله: لي إليك حاجة أخلو بك فيها، فلما خلا به، قال: يا جابر، أخبرني عن اللوح الذي رأيته عند امي فاطمة الزهراء (عليها السلام)؟

Al Syed Shaf Al Deen Al Najafy, from Al Muqallad Bin Ghalib Al has any, from his men, by a chain arriving to Abdullah Bin Sinan Al Asady,

(It has been narrated) from Ja’far Bin Muhammad having said:  ‘My^-asws father^-asws – meaning Muhammad Al-Baqir^-asws – said to Jabir Bin Abdullah: ‘I^-asws have a need from you and would like to be alone with you’. So when we were alone, he^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Inform me about the Tablet which you saw with my^-asws mother^-asws Fatima Al-Zahra^-asws’.

فقال: أشهد بالله لقد دخلت على سيدتي فاطمة لأهنئها بولدها الحسين (عليه السلام)، فإذا بيدها لوح أخضر من زمردة خضراء فيه كتابة، أنور من الشمس، و أطيب رائحة من المسك الأذفر. فقلت: ما هذا اللوح، يا بنت رسول الله؟

So he said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! I saw, when I came up to my^-asws Chieftess Fatima^-asws, she^-asws was congratulating her^-asws two sons^-asws. And there was upon her^-asws hands a Tablet, greener than the greenery of an emerald. In it there was some writing, more enlightening than the Sun, and a more pleasant aroma than the aroma of Al-Azfar musk’. So I said, ‘What is this Tablet, O daughter^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww?’

فقالت: هذا لوح أنزله الله عز و جل على أبي، و قال لي: احفظيه، ففعلت، فإذا فيه اسم أبي و بعلي و اسم ابني و الأوصياء من بعد ولدي الحسين، فسألتها أن تدفعه إلي لأنسخه، ففعلت.

So she^-asws said: ‘This is a Tablet which Allah^-azwj Sent down upon my^-asws father^-saww and he^-saww said to me^-asws: ‘Guard it’. So I^-asws did it. So there was in it the name of my^-asws father^-saww, and of Ali^-asws, and names of my^-asws two sons^-asws, and the successors^-asws from after my^-asws son^-asws Al Hussain^-asws’. So I asked her^-asws if she^-asws could hand it over to me so that I can make a copy of it’.

فقال له أبي: ما فعلت بنسختك؟ فقال: هي عندي. قال: فهل لك أن تعارضني عليها؟ قال: فمضى جابر إلى منزله، فأتاه بقطعة جلد أحمر.

My^-asws father^-asws said to him: ‘What did you do with your copy?’ So he said, ‘It is in my possession’. He^-asws said: ‘Is it permissible for you to present it to me^-asws?’ He^-asws said: ‘So Jabir went to his house, and brought a section of a red skin.

فقال له: انظر في صحيفتك حتى أقرأها عليك، فكان في صحيفته: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم هذا كتاب من الله العزيز العليم نزل به الروح الأمين على محمد خاتم النبيين، يا محمد: إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنا عَشَرَ شَهْراً فِي كِتابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ مِنْها أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ.

So he^-asws said to him: ‘Look into your parchment until I^-asws recite it to you. There was (written) in his parchment – ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a Book from Allah^-azwj the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The Trustworthy Spirit descended with it upon Muhammad^-saww the final of the Prophets^-as. O Muhammad^-saww! Surely, the number of months in the Presence of Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah, the day He Created the skies and the earth – from these four are Sacred. That is the upright Religion, therefore do not be unjust to yourselves regarding these [9:36].

يا محمد، عظم أسمائي، و اشكر نعمائي، و لا تجحد آلائي، و لا ترج سوائي، و لا تخش غيري، فإنه من يرج سوائي و يخش غيري أعذبه عذابا لا أعذبه أحدا من العالمين.

O Muhammad^-saww! Magnify My^-azwj Names, and appreciate My^-azwj Bounties, and do not reject My^-azwj Signs, and do not place hope besides in Me^-azwj, and do not fear other than Me^-azwj, for the one who hopes in besides Me^-azwj and fears other than Me^-azwj, I^-azwj shall Punish him with a Punishment that I^-azwj will not Punish anyone else from the worlds.

 يا محمد، إني اصطفيتك على الأنبياء، و اصطفيت وصيك عليا على الأوصياء، و جعلت الحسن عيبة علمي بعد انقضاء مدة أبيه، و الحسين خير أولاد الأولين و الآخرين، فيه تثبت الإمامة و منه العقب، و علي بن الحسين زين العابدين، و الباقر العلم الداعي إلى سبيلي على منهاج الحق،

O Muhammad^-saww! I^-azwj have Chosen you^-saww over the Prophets^-as, and Chosen your^-saww successor^-asws Ali^-asws over the successors^-asws, and Made Al-Hassan^-asws the drawer of My^-azwj Knowledge after the passing of the term of his^-asws father^-asws, and Al-Hussain^-asws is better than the children of the former ones and the later ones. In him^-asws is the Imamate established and from him^-asws is the posterity. And Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain^-asws is the adornment of the worshippers, and Al-Baqir^-asws (the expounder) of the Knowledge is the caller to My^-azwj Way upon the Manifesto of the Truth.

و جعفر الصادق في القول و العمل، تلبس من بعده فتنة صماء، فالويل كل الويل لمن كذب عترة نبيي و خيرة خلقي، و موسى الكاظم الغيظ، و علي الرضا يقتله عفريت كافر يدفن بالمدينة التي بناها العبد الصالح إلى جنب شر خلق الله، و محمد الهادي شبيه جده الميمون، و علي الداعي إلى سبيلي، و الذاب عن حرمي،

And Ja’far^-asws is the truthful in the words and the deeds. After him^-asws silence would be worn due to strife, so woe upon woe be unto the one who belies the Family of My^-azwj Prophet^-saww the best of My^-azwj creatures. And Musa^-asws the subdue of anger. And Ali^-asws, the Pleased one, would be killed by an audacious Infidel, and buried in the city built by the righteous servant, besides the evil creature of Allah^-azwj. And Muhammad^-asws, resembling the auspiciousness of his^-asws grandfather^-saww. And Ali^-asws caller to My^-azwj Way, the defender of My^-azwj Sanctity.

و القائم في رعيتي، و الحسن الأعز، يخرج منه ذو الاسمين خلف محمد، يخرج في آخر الزمان و على رأسه عمامة بيضاء تظله عن الشمس، و ينادي مناد بلسان‏ فصيح يسمعه الثقلان و من بين الخافقين: هذا المهدي من آل محمد. فيملأ الأرض عدلا كما ملئت جورا».

And Al-Qaim^-asws among My^-azwj citizens, and one of dearest beauty. There would come from behind him^-asws two names before Muhammad^-asws. He^-asws would come out at the end of the time, and upon his^-asws would be a white turban. He^-asws would be shaded from the Sun. A Caller would call out with an eloquent language, which would be heard by the Jinn and the human beings, and the ones in between the two: ‘This is Al-Mahdi^-asws from the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad!’ So he^-asws would fill the earth with justice just as it had been filled with injustice beforehand’.[21]

Appendix III: Sayings of Imam Hussain^-asws

وَ قَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لِلْفَرَزْدَقِ- لَمَّا سَأَلَهُ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ- فِي جَوَابِ قَوْلِهِ- أَمَّا الْقُلُوبُ فَمَعَكَ، وَ أَمَّا السُّيُوفُ فَمَعَ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ عَلَيْكَ، وَ النَّصْرُ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: مَا أَرَاكَ إِلَّا صَدَقْتَ، إِنَّ النَّاسَ عَبِيدُ الْمَالِ، وَ الدِّينُ لَعِقٌ‏ عَلَى أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ يَحُوطُونَهُ مَا دَرَّتْ‏ بِهِ مَعَايِشُهُمْ، فَإِذَا مُحِّصُوا بِالْبَلَاءِ قَلَّ الدَّيَّانُونَ‏.

And he^-asws  said to Al-Farazdaq – when he^-asws  had asked him about the people of Al-Iraq – in answer to his words: ‘As for the heart, so these are with you^-asws , and as for the swords, so these are with the clan of Umayya, against you^-asws , and the Help is from the Presence of Allah^-azwj, so he^-asws  said: ‘I^-asws  do not see you except as speaking the truth. Surely, the people are worshippers of the wealth, and the Religion is the lick upon their tongues, taking it what they can manage their livelihoods with it, but when the harvest is the affliction, scarce are the religious ones’.[22]

وَ في رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‏ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلْفَرَزْدَقِ: لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْ بَعْدُ، وَ كُلَّ سَاعَةٍ رَبُّنَا فِي شَأْنٍ، إِنْ نَزَلَ الْقَضَاءُ بِمَا نُحِبُّ فَنَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَعْمَائِهِ، وَ هُوَ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى أَدَاءِ الشُّكْرِ وَ إِنْ حَالَ الْقَضَاءُ دُونَ الرَّجَاءِ (فَلَمْ يَتَعَدَّ مَنِ الْحَقُّ نِيَّتُهُ، وَ التَّقْوَى سَرِيرَتُهُ).

And in another report Imam Hussain^-asws  said to Al-Farazdaq: ‘For Allah^-azwj is the Command from before, and from afterwards, and at all times our Lord^-azwj is in Glory. If there descends a Judgment what we like, so we praise Allah^-azwj upon His^-azwj Favours, and He^-azwj is the Helper upon the giving of the thanks, and if there befalls a Judgment other than the expectation, so one should not exceed from the Truth in his intention and the piety as his bed’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الْفَرَزْدَقُ: أَجَلْ بَلَّغَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تُحِبُّ، وَ كَفَاكَ مَا تَحْذَرُ.

So Al-Farazdaq said to him^-asws , ‘Yes, may Allah^-azwj Make you^-asws  reach what you^-asws  love, and Suffice you^-asws  what hazards you^-asws  (face)’.[23]

وَ لَمَّا نَزَلَ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ، وَ أَيْقَنَ أَنَّهُمْ قَاتِلُوهُ، قَامَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ خَطِيباً، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ نَزَلَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ مَا تَرَوْنَ، وَ إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا قَدْ تَغَيَّرَتْ [وَ تَنَكَّرَتْ‏] وَ أَدْبَرَ مَعْرُوفُهَا وَ اسْتَمَرَّتْ‏، حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا إِلَّا صُبَابَةٌ كَصُبَابَةِ الْإِنَاءِ، وَ إِلَّا خَسِيسُ عَيْشٍ كَالْكَلَإِ الْوَبِيلِ‏.

And when Umar Bin Sa’da, may Allah^-azwj Curse him descended by him^-asws , and he^-asws  was certain that they would kill him^-asws , he^-asws  stood among his^-asws  companions to address. So he^-asws  Praised Allah^-azwj and Extolled upon Him^-azwj, then said: ‘Surely a matter has descended what you all can see, and the world has changed and masqueraded, and turned around its good and has become bitter, until there does not remain from it except remnants like the remnants in a utensil, and only a despicable life like it is all woe.

أَ لَا تَرَوْنَ أَنَّ الْحَقَّ لَا يُعْمَلُ بِهِ، وَ الْبَاطِلَ لَا يُتَنَاهَى عَنْهُ، لِيَرْغَبِ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي لِقَاءِ اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي لَا أَرَى الْمَوْتَ إِلَّا سَعَادَةً، وَ الْحَيَاةَ مَعَ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا بَرَماً.

Are you not seeing that the Truth is not being acted upon, and the falsehood is not being shunned from? Let the Momin wish regarding meeting Allah^-azwj, for I^-asws  do not see the death except as a happiness, and the life along with the unjust ones only as drudgery’.[24]

Appendix IV: Ahadith on Imam Hussain^-asws’s Martyrdom

محمد بن عمر البغدادي، الحافظ، عن الحسن بن عثمان بن زياد التستري من كتابه، عن إبراهيم بن عبيدالله بن موسى بن يونس ابن أبي إسحاق السبيعي قاضي بلخ قال: حدثتني مريسة بنت موسى بن يونس ابن أبي إسحاق وكانت عمتي قالت: حدثتني صفية بنت يونس بن أبي إسحاق الهمدانية وكانت عمتي قالت: حدثتني بهجة بنت الحارث بن عبد الله التغلبي، عن خالها عبد الله بن منصور، وكان رضيعا لبعض ولد زيد بن علي قال: سألت جعفر بن محمد بن علي ابن الحسين فقلت: حدثني عن مقتل ابن رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله

Muhammad Bin Umar Al Baghdady, the memoriser, from Al Hassan Bin usman Bin Ziyad Al Tastary, from his book, from Ibrahim Bin Ubeydullah Bin Musa Bin Yunus Ibn Abu Is’haq Al Sabi’e, the judge of Balkh (province), from Mureysa Bint Musa Bin Yunus Ibn Abu Is’haq, and she was his aunt, from Safiya Bin Yunsu Bin Abu Is’haq Al hamdany, and she was his aunt, from Behjat Bin Al Haris Bin Abdullah Al Taghlaby, from her uncle Abdullah Bin Mansour, and he was born to one of the sons of Zayd Bin Ali who said,

‘I asked Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain^-asws, ‘Narrate to me about the killing of the son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww (Imam Al Hussain^-asws)’.

فقال: حدثني أبي عن أبيه عليهما السلام قال: لما معاوية الوفاة دعا ابنه يزيد لعنه الله فأجلسه بين يديه فقال له: يا بني إني قد ذللت لك الرقاب الصعاب، ووطدت لك البلاد وجعلت الملك وما فيه لك طعمة، وإني أخشى عليك من ثلاثة نفر يخالفون عليك بجهدهم وهم: عبد الله بن عمر بن الخطاب، وعبد الله بن الزبير، والحسين بن علي.

So he^-asws said: ‘My^-asws father^-asws narrated to me^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws having said: ‘When the death approached Muawiya, he called his son^-la Yazid^-la, may Allah^-azwj Cruse him^-la, and made him to be seated in front of him. So he said to him^-la, ‘O my son^-la! I have overcome the difficulties of the necks for you, and consolidated the cities for you^-la, and made you^-la taste the kingdom and whatever is in it. And I fear for you^-la from three persons who would be opposing you^-la with their struggle, and they are – Abdullah Bin Umar Bin Al-Khattab, and Abdullah Bin Al-Zubeyr, and Al-Hussain Bin Ali^-asws.

فأما عبد الله بن عمر فهو معك فالزمه ولا تدعه، وأما عبد الله بن الزبير فقطعه إن ظفرت به إربا إربا، فانه يجثو لك كما يجثو الأسد لفريسته، ويواربك مؤاربة الثعلب للكلب. وأما الحسين فقد عرفت حظه من رسول الله، وهو من لحم رسول الله ودمه، وقد علمت لا محالة أن أهل العراق سيخرجونه إليهم ثم يخذلونه ويضيعونه، فان ظفرت به فاعرف حقه ومنزلته من رسول الله، ولا تؤاخذه بفعله، ومع ذلك فان لنا به خلطة ورحما وإياك أن تناله بسوء أو يرى منك مكروها.

So as for Abdullah Bin Umar, so he is with you, therefore cling to him and do not leave him. And as for Abdullah Bin Al-Zubeyr, so cut him into pieces if you^-la were to win against him, for he would kneel before you like the kneeling of the lion to its prey, and dodge you like the fox dodges the dog. And as for Al-Hussain^-asws, so you^-la know of his^-asws share from Rasool-Allah^-saww, and he^-asws is from the flesh of Rasool-Allah^-saww and his^-saww blood. So you^-la should know that the people of Al-Iraq would make him^-asws come out to them, then abandon him^-asws, and waste his^-asws (efforts). So if you^-la were to be victorious against him^-asws, then know that his^-asws rights and his^-asws status is from Rasool-Allah^-saww, and do not seize him^-asws for his^-asws actions, and despite that, we are mixed with the wombs (distant relatives). And beware of achieving your goal by evil (means) or abhorrence to be seen from you^-la’.

قال: فلما هلك معاوية، وتولى الأمر بعده يزيد – لعنه الله – بعث عامله على مدينة رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله وهو عمه عتبة بن أبي سفيان ؟ فقدم المدينة وعليها مروان ابن الحكم، وكان عامل معاوية، فأقامه عتبة من مكانه وجلس فيه لينفذ فيه أمر يزيد، فهرب مروان، فلم يقدر عليه وبعث عتبة إلى الحسين بن علي عليه السلام فقال: إن أمير المؤمنين أمرك أن تبايع له فقال الحسين عليه السلام: يا عتبة قد علمت أنا أهل بيت الكرامة، ومعدن الرسالة، وأعلام الحق الذين أودعه الله عزوجل قلوبنا، وأنطق به ألسنتنا، فنظقت باذن الله عزوجل ولقد سمعت جدي رسول الله يقول: إن الخلافة محرمة على ولد أبي سفيان، وكيف أبايع أهل بيت قد قال فيهم رسول الله هذا،

He^-asws said: ‘So when Muawiya died, and the control of the command after him went to Yazid^-la – may Allah^-azwj Curse him^-la – he^-la sent his^-la worker to the city of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and he was his uncle Oteyba Bin Abu Suffiyan. So he went to Al-Medina and over there was Marwan Ibn Al-Hakam, and he was an office bearer of Muawiya. So Oteyba stayed at his place and sat down to implement the order of Yazid^-la. So Marwan fled and did not have the ability to do it. So Oteyba sent a message to Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws that, ‘The commander of the faithful orders you^-asws that you^-asws should pledge your^-asws allegiance to him^-la’. So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘O Oteyba! You know very well that we^-asws are the prestigious Household, and the Mines of the Message, and the Flags of the Truth which Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Placed upon our^-asws hearts, and Speaks by it through our^-asws tongues. Therefore, I^-asws speak with the Permission of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and I^-asws have heard my^-asws grandfather^-saww saying: ‘The Caliphate is forbidden unto the sons of Abu Suffiyan, and so how can I^-asws pledge allegiance to a household about whom Rasool-Allah^-saww has said this’.

فلما سمع عتبة ذلك دعا الكاتب وكتب: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم إلى عبد الله يزيد أمير المؤمنين من عتبة بن أبي سفيان. ” أما بعد فان الحسين بن علي ليس يرى لك خلافة ولا بيعة، فرأيك في أمره والسلام “. فلما ورد الكتاب على يزيد لعنه الله كتب الجواب إلى عتبة: ” أما بعد فإذا أتاك كتابي هذا فعجل علي بجوابه، وبين لي في كتابك كل من في طاعتي، أو خرج عنها، وليكن مع الجواب رأس الحسين بن علي “.

So when Oteyba heard that, he called the scribe and wrote, ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful. To servant of Allah^-azwj Yazid^-la, the commander of the faithful, from Oteyba Bin Abu Suffiyan. After this, Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws does not see for you the Caliphate and will not pledge allegiance, so what is your^-la view regarding his^-asws matter. Greetings’. So when the letter got to Yazid^-la, may Allah^-azwj Curse him^-la, he^-la wrote the answer to Oteyba, ‘After this, so when this letter of mine^-la comes to you, hasten to me^-la with its answer, and explain to me^-la in your letter all the ones who are in my^-la obedience, or have exited from it, but with the answer should be the head of Al-Hussain Bin Ali^-asws’.

فبلغ ذلك الحسين عليه السلام فهم بالخروج من أرض الحجاز إلى أرض العراق فلما أقبل الليل، راح إلى مسجد النبي صلى الله عليه واله ليودع القبر، فلما وصل إلى القبر، سطع له نور من القبر فعاد إلى موضعه، فلما كانت الليلة الثانية راح ليودع القبر فقام يصلي فأطال فنعس وهو ساجد.

So (the news of) that reached Al-Hussain^-asws, so he^-asws understood about the going out from the land of Al-Hijaz to the land of Al-Iraq. So when night fell, he^-asws went to the Masjid of the Prophet^-saww to bid farewell to the grave. A Light shone from the grave and returned to its place. So when it was the second night, he^-asws went to bid farewell to the grave. So he^-asws stood to Pray for a long time. He^-asws slept whilst in Prostration.

فجاءه النبي وهو في منامه فأخذ الحسين وضمه إلى صدره وجعل يقبل بين عينيه، ويقول: بأبي أنت كأني أراك مرملا بدمك بين عصابة من هذه الامة، يرجون شفاعتي، مالهم عند الله من خلاق، يا بني إنك قادم على أبيك وأمك وأخيك وهم مشتاقون إليك، وإن لك في الجنة درجات لا تنالها إلا بالشهادة،

So the Prophet^-saww came to him^-asws in his^-asws sleep, and grabbed Al-Hussain^-asws and kissed him^-asws between the eyes, and he^-asws said: ‘By my^-saww father^-asws! It is as if I^-saww see you^-asws covered in blood by a gang from this community. They would be begging for my^-saww intercession, but there will not be, by Allah^-azwj for any of them from the creatures. O my^-saww son^-asws! You^-asws are proceeding to your^-asws father^-asws, and your^-asws mother^-asws, and your^-asws brother^-asws, and they^-asws are desirous for you^-asws, and that for you^-asws in the Paradise are levels which cannot be achieved except by the martyrdom.

فانتبه الحسين عليه السلام من نومه باكيا فأتى أهل بيته فأخبرهم بالرؤيا، وودعهم وحمل أخواته على المحامل، وابنته وابن أخيه القاسم بن الحسن بن علي عليه السلام ثم سار في أحد وعشرين رجلا من أصحابه وأهل بيته منهم أبو بكر بن علي، ومحمد بن علي، وعثمان بن علي، والعباس بن علي، وعبد الله بن مسلم بن عقيل، وعلي بن الحسين الأكبر، وعلي بن الحسين الأصغر.

So Al-Hussain^-asws woke up from his^-asws sleep, weeping. So his^-asws family came and he^-asws informed them of the dream, and bid farewell to them, and carried his^-asws sisters upon the (camel) loaders, and his^-asws daughters, and the son of his^-asws brother Al-Qasim Bin Al-Hassan Bin Ali^-asws. Then he^-asws marched among twenty one men from his^-asws companions and his^-asws family – among them were Abu Bakr son of Ali^-asws, and Muhammad son of Ali^-asws, and Usman son of Ali^-asws, and Al-Abbas Bin Ali^-asws, and Abdullah Bin Muslim Bin Aqeel, and Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain Al-Akbar^-asws, and Ali Bin Al-Hussain Al-Asghar^-asws.

وسمع عبد الله بن عمر بخروجه، فقدم راحلته، وخرج خلفه مسرعا فأدركه في بعض المنازل، فقال: أين تريد يا ابن رسول الله ؟ قال: العراق، قال: مهلا ارجع إلى حرم جدك، فأبى الحسين عليه، فلما رأى ابن عمر إباءه قال: يا با عبد الله اكشف لي عن الموضع الذي كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله يقبله منك، فكشف الحسين عليه السلام عن سرته فقبلها ابن عمر ثلاثا وبكى، وقال: أستودعك الله يا با عبد الله فانك مقتول في وجهك هذا.

And Abdullah Bin Umar heard of his^-asws going out, so he mounted his mount and went behind him^-asws hastily. He met him^-asws in one of the encampments, so he said, ‘Where are you^-asws intending (to go to) O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww?’ He^-asws said: ‘Al-Iraq’. He said, ‘Do not be hasty and return to the Sanctuary of your^-asws grandfather^-saww’. But Al-Hussain^-asws refused. So when Ibn Umar saw his^-asws refusal, he said, ‘O Abu Abdullah^-asws! Uncover for me the place which Rasool-Allah^-saww used to kiss you^-asws in’. So Al-Hussain^-asws uncovered his^-asws chest. So Ibn Umar kissed it three times and wept, and said, ‘I entrust you^-asws to Allah^-azwj, O Abu Abdullah^-asws, for you^-asws would be killed in this direction of yours^-asws’.

فسار الحسين عليه السلام وأصحابه فلما نزلوا ثعلبية، ورد عليه رجل يقال له: بشر بن غالب، فقال: يا ابن رسول الله أخبرني عن قول الله عزوجل ” يوم ندعوا كل اناس بإمامهم ” قال: إمام دعا إلى هدى فأجابوه إليه، وإمام دعا إلى ضلالة فأجابوه إليها، هؤلاء في الجنة وهؤلاء في النار، وهو قوله عزوجل ” فريق في الجنة وفريق في السعير “.

So Al-Hussain^-asws and his^-asws companions marched on. So when they encamped at Salbiyya, a man called Bishr Bin Ghalib came over. So he said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Inform me about the Words of Allah^-azwj [17:71] The Day when We will Call every human being with their Imam’. He^-asws said: ‘An Imam^-asws calls to Guidance and they answer him^-asws to that, and an imam calls to misguidance and they answer to him to that. Those ones would be in the Paradise and these ones would be in the Fire. And these are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic [42:7] a party shall be in the Paradise and a party in the Blazing Fire’.

ثم سار حتى نزل العذيب فقال فيها  قائلة الظهيرة ثم انتبه من نومه باكيا فقال له: ابنه ما يبكيك يا أبه، فقال: يا بني إنها ساعة لا تكذب الرؤيا فيها وإنه عرض لي في منام عارض، فقال: تسرعون السير والمنايا تسير بكم إلى الجنة.

Then he^-asws marched on until he^-asws encamped at Al-Azeyb. Then he^-asws performed his^-asws noon Prayers. Then he^-asws woke up from his^-asws sleep in tears, so his^-asws son said to him^-asws, ‘What make you^-asws weep, O father^-asws?’ So he^-asws said: ‘O my^-asws son! It is a time in which the dreams are not false, and there has been presented to me^-asws in sleep what was presented’. So he said, ‘You^-asws accelerate the marching and the deaths, and we will march with you^-asws to the Paradise’.

ثم سار حتى نزل الرهيمة فورد عليه رجل من أهل الكوفة يكنى أبا هرم فقال: يا ابن النبي ما الذي أخرجك من المدينة ؟ فقال: ويحك يا باهرم شتموا عرضي فصبرت، وطلبوا دمي فصربت، وأيم الله ليقتلني ثم ليلبسنهم الله ذلا شاملا، وسيفا قاطعا، وليسلطن عليهم من يذلهم.

Then he^-asws marched on until he^-asws encamped at Al-Raheema. So a man from the people of Al-Kufa with the teknonym Aba Haram came over and said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is that which makes you^-asws to come out from Al-Medina?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Woe be unto you, O Aba Haram! They insulted my honour and I^-asws was patient, and they sought my^-asws blood so I^-asws left. And I^-asws say it by Allah^-azwj, they would be killing me^-asws, then Allah^-azwj would Clothe them with comprehensive humiliation, and the conclusive sword, and they would be overcome with authorities which would humiliate them’.

قال: وبلغ عبيدالله بن زياد لعنه الله الخبر وأن الحسين عليه السلام قد نزل الرهيمة فأسرى إليه حربن يزيد في ألف فارس قال الحر: فلما خرجت من منزلي متوجها نحو الحسين عليه السلام نوديث ثلاثا: ياحر أبشر بالجنة، فالتفت فلم أر أحدا فقلت: ثكلت الحر امه، يخرج إلى قتال ابن رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله ويبشر بالجنة ؟

And the news reached Abdullah Bin Ziyad, may Allah^-azwj Curse him, that Al-Hussain^-asws had encamped at Al-Raheema. So he hastened towards him^-asws, Hurr Bin Yazeed with a thousand horsemen. Al-Hurr said, ‘When I went out from my house, intending towards near Al-Hussain^-asws, I heard a call, three times, ‘O Hurr! Receive good news of the Paradise’. So I turned around, but did not see anyone. So I said (to myself), ‘May Hurr be bereft of his mother. He goes out to kill the son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww and he received the good news of the Paradise?’

فرهقه عند صلاة الظهر فأمر الحسين عليه السلام ابنه فأذن وأقام وقام الحسين عليه السلام فصلى بالفريقين فلما سلم وثب الحر بن يزيد فقال: السلام عليك يا بن رسول الله ورحمة الله وبركاته فقال الحسين: وعليك السلام من أنت يا عبد الله ؟ فقال: أنا الحر بن يزيد، فقال: ياحر أعلينا أم لنا ؟ فقال الحر: والله يا ابن رسول الله لقد بعثت لقتالك وأعوذ بالله أن احشر من قبري وناصيتي مشدودة إلي ويدي مغلولة إلى عنقي واكب على حر وجهي في النار، يا ابن رسول الله ! أين تذهب ؟ ارجع إلى حرم جدك فانك مقتول. فقال الحسين عليه السلام: سأمضي فما بالموت عار على الفتى إذا ما نوى حقا وجاهد مسلما وواسى الرجال الصالحين بنفسه وفارق مثبورا وخالف مجرما فان مت لم أندم وإن عشت لم الم كفى بك ذلا أن تموت وترغما

He was exhausted at the time for the Midday Prayer, So Al-Hussain^-asws ordered his^-asws son to proclaim (the call for the Prayer). Al-Hussain^-asws stood up and Prayed with the two parties. So when he^-asws greeted, Hurr bin Yazeed leapt up and said, ‘Peace be upon you^-asws, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and Mercy of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Blessings’. So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘And peace be upon you. Who are you, O servant of Allah^-azwj?’ He said, ‘I am Al-Hurr Bin Yazeed’. So he^-asws said: ‘O Hurr, are you against us or for us?’ So Al-Hurr said, ‘By Allah^-azwj, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! I have been sent to kill you^-asws, and I seek Refuge with Allah^-azwj that I should be Resurrected from my grave and my forehead is tightened, and my hands are tied to my neck, and face the heat upon my face in the Fire, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Where are you going? Return to the Sanctuary of your^-asws grandfather^-saww, for you^-asws would be killed’.

So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘What? I^-asws will go through the death and would put the young ones to shame if they really intended, and the Muslims struggled, and the man consoled the virtuous ones himself. And I^-asws shall separate (from the world) having disagreed persistently with a criminal. So if I^-asws were to die, I^-asws will have no regret, and if I^-asws were to live, I^-asws will not be pained by your humiliation; that you and your force would die in’.

ثم سار الحسين حتى نزل القطقطانة فنظر إلى فسطاط مضروب فقال: لمن هذا الفسطاط ؟ فقيل: لعبدالله بن الحر الحنفي فأرسل إليه الحسين عليه السلام فقال: أيها الرجل إنك مذنب خاطئ وإن الله عزوجل آخذك بما أنت صانع إن لم تتب إلى الله تبارك وتعالى في ساعتك هذه فتنصرني، ويكون جدي شفيعك بين يدى الله تبارك وتعالى.

Then Al-Hussain^-asws marched on until he^-asws encamped at Al-Qatqatana. So he^-asws looked at a beaten tent. So he^-asws said: ‘Whose tent is this?’ So it was said, ‘Abdullah Bin Al-Hurr Al-Hanafy’. So Al-Hussain^-asws sent for him. He^-asws said: ‘O you man! If you are guilty or a wrong (deed), and Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic would Seize you with what you are doing, if you do not repent to Allah^-azwj Blessed and High in this time of yours. So help me^-asws, and become (deserving) of the intercession of my^-saww grandfather in front of Allah^-azwj Blessed and High’.

فقال: يا ابن رسول الله والله لو نصرتك لكنت أول مقتول بين يديك، ولكن هذا فرسي خذه إليك فو الله ما ركبته قط وأنا أروم شيئا إلا بلغته، ولا أرادني أحد إلا نجوت عليه، فدونك فخذه ! فأعرض عنه الحسين عليه السلام بوجهه ثم قال: لا حاجة لنا فيك ولا في فرسك، وما كنت متخذ المضلين عضدا، ولكن فر، فلا لنا ولا علينا فانه من سمع واعيتنا أهل البيت ثم لم يجبنا، كبه الله على وجهه في نار جهنم.

So he said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! By Allah^-azwj, if I could help you^-asws I would be the first one to be killed in front of you^-asws, but this is my horse. Take it, for by Allah^-azwj, I have not ridden it at all, and I do not aspire for something except that I reach it, and no one wanted (to kill) me except that I survived him, besides you^-asws. So take it’. But, Al-Hussain^-asws shook his^-asws head from him, then said, ‘There is no need for us regarding you or your horse. And I^-asws have not taken a straying one as a supporter, but he fled. So you are neither for us, nor against us. So the one who heard us^-asws – the People^-asws of the Household, then does not answer us, Allah^-azwj would Fling his face into the Fire’.

ثم سار حتى نزل بكربلا فقال: أي موضع هذا ؟ فقيل: هذا كربلاء يا ابن رسول الله، فقال عليه السلام: هذا والله يوم كرب وبلاء، وهذا الموضع الذي يهراق فيه دماؤنا، ويباح فيه حريمنا،

Then he^-asws marched on until he^-asws encamped at Karbala. So he^-asws said: ‘Which place it this?’ So it was said, ‘This is Karbala, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww’. So he^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! This is a day of grief and affliction, and this is the place in which our blood would be spilt, and our sanctity would be violated’.

فأقبل عبيدالله بن زياد بعسكره حتى عسكر بالنخيلة وبعث إلى الحسين رجلا يقال له: عمر بن سعد قائده في أربعة آلاف فارس، وأقبل عبد الله بن الحصين التميمي في ألف فارس، يتبعه شبث بن ربعي في ألف فارس، ومحمد ابن الأشعث بن قيس الكندي أيضا في ألف فارس، وكتب لعمر بن سعد على الناس وأمرهم أن يسمعوا له ويطيعوه،

So Ubeydullah Bin Ziyad turned towards his army at Al-Nakheela, and sent a man called Umar Bin Sa’ad to Al-Hussain^-asws with four thousand horsemen. And Abdullah Bin Al-Haseyn Al-Tameemy came with a thousand horsemen. Shabas Bin Rabi’ee followed him with a thousand horsemen. And Muhammad Ibn Al-Ash’as Bin Qays Al-Kindy as well with a thousand horsemen. And he wrote to Umar Bin Sa’ad to be (in charge) of all the people, and ordered them that they should all listen to him and obey him.

فبلغ عبيدالله بن زياد أن عمربن سعد يسامر الحسين عليه السلام ويحدثه، ويكره قتاله، فوجه إليه شمر بن ذي الجوشن في أربعة آلاف فارس، وكتب إلى عمر بن سعد إذا أتاك كتابي هذا فلا تمهلن الحسين بن علي وخذ بكظمه، وحل بين الماء وبينه، كما حيل بين عثمان وبين الماء يوم الدار، فلما وصل الكتاب إلى عمر بن سعد لعنه الله أمر مناديه فنادى: إنا قد أجلنا حسينا وأصحابه يومهم وليلتهم.

So it (news) reached Ubeydullah Bin Ziyad that Umar Bin Sa’ad is talking to Al-Hussain^-asws and discussing with him^-asws, and does not like to kill him^-asws. So he directed Shimr Bin Zi Al-Jawshan with four thousand horsemen, and wrote to Umar Bin Sa’ad, ‘When this letter of mine comes to you, so do not deliberate over Al-Hussain Bin Ali^-asws take his^-asws submission, and come in between him^-asws and the water, just as they came in between Usmaan and the water on the day of Al-Daar. So when the letter arrived to Umar Bin Sa’ad, may Allah^-azwj Curse him, he ordered for a caller. So he called out, ‘We have postponed Hussain^-asws and his^-asws companions for this day of their and their night’.

فشق ذلك على الحسين وعلى أصحابه، فقام الحسين في أصحابه خطيبا فقال: ” اللهم إني لا أعرف أهل بيت أبر ولا أزكى ولا أطهر من أهل بيتي ولا أصحابا هم خير من أصحابي وقد نزل بي ما قد ترون، وأنتم في حل من بيعتي، ليست لي في أعناقكم بيعة، ولا لي عليكم ذمة، وهذا الليل قد غشيكم فاتخذوه جملا وتفرقوا في سواده، فان القوم إنما يطلبوني، ولو ظفروا بي لذهلوا عن طلب غيري.

So that was difficult upon Al-Hussain^-asws and upon his^-asws companions. So Al-Hussain^-asws stood up among his^-asws companions to address them, so he^-asws said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! I^-asws do not know a family more righteous, or pure, or cleaner than my^-asws family, nor any companions who are better than my^-asws companions.

And there has descended upon me^-asws what you have seen, and you are all free from my^-asws allegiance. There is no allegiance for me upon your necks, nor any responsibility upon me^-asws for you. And this is the night, which has overwhelmed you, so takes its darkness as a cover and disperse, for the people are seeking me^-asws. And if they were to win over me^-asws, they would be too stupefied to seek others’.

فقام إليه عبد الله بن مسلم بن عقيل بن أبي طالب عليه السلام فقال: يا ابن رسول الله ما ذا يقول لنا الناس إن نحن خذلنا شيخنا وكبيرنا وسيدنا وابن سيد الأعمام وابن نبينا سيد الأنبياء، لم نضرب معه بسيف، ولم نقاتل معه برمح، لا والله أو نرد موردك، ونجعل أنفسنا دون نفسك، ودماءنا دون دمك، فإذا نحن فعلنا ذلك فقد قضينا ما علينا، وخرجنا مما لزمنا.

So Abdullah Bin Muslim Bin Aqeel Bin Abu Talib^-asws stood up and said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What would the people be saying about us that we abandoned our Sheykh, and our elder, and our Chief, and the son^-asws of the Chief of the communities, and a son^-asws of our Prophet^-saww, the Chief of the Prophets^-as, that we did not strike with the swords alongside him^-asws, and did not fight alongside him^-asws with the spears. No, by Allah^-azwj! Or that we wanted you^-asws return, and made our own selves to be besides yourself^-asws, and our blood to be besides your^-asws blood. So if we were to do that, so we would have eliminated what was (binding) upon us, and exited from what was Necessitated upon us’.

وقام إليه رجل يقال له زهير بن القين البجلي فقال: يا ابن رسول الله وددت أني قتلت ثم نشرت، ثم قتلت ثم نشرت، ثم قتلت ثم نشرت فيك وفي الذين معك مائة قتلة، وأن الله دفع بي عنكم أهل البيت، فقال له ولأصحابه: جزيتم خيرا.

And a man called Zuhayr Bin Al-Qayn Al-Bajaly stood up and said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! I wish I could be killed then resurrected, then killed then resurrected, then killed then resurrected among you^-asws and among the ones who are with you^-asws, a hundred killing (times), and that Allah^-azwj Defends by me from you^-asws People^-asws of the Household’. So he^-asws said to him and his companions: ‘Your Reward (in the Hereafter) is good’.

ثم إن الحسين عليه السلام أمر بحفيرة فحفرت حول عسكره شبه الخندق، وأمر فحشيت حطبا وأرسل عليا ابنه عليه السلام في ثلاثين فارسا وعشرين راجلا ليستقو الماء وهم على وجل شديد وأنشأ الحسين يقول: يا دهر اف لك من خليل كم لك في الاشراق والأصيل من طالب وصاحب قتيل والدهر لا يقنع بالبديل وإنما الأمر إلى الجليل وكل حي سالك سبيلي

Then Al-Hussain^-asws ordered for an excavation, so they excavated around his^-asws army a dugout like the ditch. And he^-asws ordered it to be filled with the firewood, and sent Ali^-asws, his^-asws son^-asws with thirty horsemen and twenty foot soldiers to seek with water, and they were extremely strong, (but to no avail) and Al-Hussain^-asws commenced by saying: ‘O Eternity (Time), Uff to you! How many friends of yours are in radiance and the twilight, the one who seeks and the companion of the killed, and the eternity (Times) I^-asws will not be convinced of the alternative, but rather the matter is to the Majestic, and everyone alive should travel upon my^-asws way’.

ثم قال لإصحابه: قوموا فاشربوا من الماء يكن آخر زادكم، وتوضأوا واغتسلوا واغسلوا ثيابكم لتكون أكفانكم، ثم صلى بهم الفجر وعبأهم تعبية الحرب، وأمر بحفيرته التي حول عسكره فاضرمت بالنار، ليقاتل القوم من وجه واحد، وأقبل رجل من عسكر عمربن سعد على فرس له يقال له: ابن أبي جويرية المزني فلما نظر إلى النار تتقد صفق بيده ونادى: يا حسين وأصحاب حسين أبشروا بالنار ! فقد تعجلتموها في الدنيا، فقال الحسين عليه السلام: من الرجل ؟ فقيل ابن أبي جوبرية المزني، فقال الحسين عليه السلام: اللهم أذقه عذاب النار في الدنيا فنفر به فرسه وألقاه في تلك النار فاحترق.

Then he^-asws said to his^-asws companions: ‘Arise as you will drink, bathe and wash your shrouds later (in the paradise) and he^-asws Prayed the Dawn Prayer with them, and mobilised them for the battle. And he^-asws ordered the ditch which was around his^-asws soldiers, to be set on fire, in order to fight the people from one direction. And a man called Ibn Abu Juweyria from the soldiers of Umar Bin Sa’ad, came up upon his horse. So when he looked at the fire, clapped his hands and called out, ‘O Hussain^-asws and the companions of Hussain^-asws! Receive the news of the Fire, for you have hastened to it in the world!’

So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘Who is the man?’ So it was said, ‘Ibn Abu Juweyria Al-Mazny’. So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! Make him taste the Punishment of the fire in the world!’ So his horse dislodged him and he was thrown in that very fire, and was incinerated.

ثم برز من عسكر عمر بن سعد رجل آخر يقال له تميم بن حصين الفزاري فنادى: يا حسين ويا أصحاب حسين أما ترون إلى ماء الفرات يلوح كأنه بطون الحيات والله لا ذقتم منه قطرة حتى تذوقوا الموت جزعا فقال الحسين عليه السلام: من الرجل فقيل تميم بن حصين فقال الحسين: هذا وأبوه من أهل النار اللهم اقتل هذا عطشا في هذا اليوم، قال: فخنقه العطش حتى سقط عن فرسه، فوطأته الخيل بسنابكها فمات.

Then another man from soldiers of Umar Bin Sa’ad called Tameem Bin Haseyn came over and called out, ‘O Hussain^-asws and the companions of Hussain^-asws! But, you can look at the water of the Euphrates looming like the belly of the snake. By Allah^-azwj! You will not taste from it, a single drop, until you taste the death in alarm! So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘Who is the man?’ It was said, ‘Tameem Bin Haseyn’. So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘This one and his father are from the inhabitants of the Fire. Our Allah^-azwj! Kill this one thirsty in this very day’. The thirst suffocated him such that he fell from his horse and died.

ثم أقبل آخر من عسكر عمر بن سعد يقال له: محمد بن أشعث بن قيس الكندي فقال: يا حسين بن فاطمة أية حرمة لك من رسول الله ليست لغيرك ؟ فتلا الحسين هذه الآية: ” إن الله اصطفى آدم ونوحا وآل إبراهيم وآل عمران على العالمين ذرية ” الآية ثم قال: والله إن محمدا لمن آل إبراهيم، وإن العترة الهادية لمن آل محمد من الرجل ؟ فقيل: محمد بن أشعث بن قيس الكندي فرفع الحسين عليه السلام رأسه إلى السماء فقال: اللهم أر محمد بن الأشعث ذلا في هذا اليوم لا تعزه بعد هذا اليوم أبدا، فعرض له عارض فخرج من العسكر يتبرز، فسلط الله عليه عقربا فلدغته، فمات بادي العورة.

Then another one from the army of Umar Bin Sa’ad, called Muhammad Bin Ash’as Al-Kindy came over and said, ‘O Hussain Bin Fatima^-asws! Any sanctity for you^-asws from Rasool-Allah^-saww is not for others?’ So Al-Hussain^-asws recited this Verse [3:33] Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the Progeny of Ibrahim and the Progeny of Imran above the nations [3:34] Offspring – the Verse. Then he^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! Muhammad^-saww is from the Progeny of Ibrahim^-as, and the Guiding Family is from the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww! Who is the man?’ So it was said, ‘Muhammad Bin Ash’as Bin Qays Al-Kindy’.

So Al-Hussain^-asws raised his^-asws head towards the sky and said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! Show Muhammad Bin Al-Ash’as disgrace in this very day, and do not let him be honoured after this day, ever!’ So he came to a disagreement and left the army to go out to defecate. Allah^-azwj Made a scorpion to bite him in the loins, and he died naked.

فبلغ العطش من الحسين عليه السلام وأصحابه فدخل عليه رجل من شيعته يقال له: يزيد بن الحصين الهمداني – قال إبراهيم بن عبد الله راوي الحديث: هو خال أبي إسحاق الهمداني فقال: يا ابن رسول الله تأذن لي فأخرج إليهم فاكلمهم ؟ فأذن له فخرج إليهم فقال: يا معشر الناس إن الله عزوجل بعث محمدا بالحق بشيرا ونذيرا وداعيا إلى الله باذنه وسراجا منيرا، وهذا ماء الفرات تقع فيه خنازير السواد وكلابها، وقد حيل بينه وبين ابنه، فقالوا: يا يزيد فقد أكثرت الكلام فاكفف فوالله ليعطشن الحسين كما عطش من كان قبله، فقال الحسين عليه السلام: اقعد يا يزيد.

So the thirst reached Al-Hussain^-asws and his^-asws companions. There came up a man from his^-asws Shias, called Yazeed Bin Al-Haseyn Al-Hamdani (Ibrahim Bin Abdullah, the reported of the Hadeeth) said, ‘He was the uncle of Abu Is’haq Al Hamdani), so he said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Can you^-asws allow me to go out to them and speak to them?’ He^-asws permitted him. So he went out to them and said, ‘O group of people! Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Sent Muhammad^-saww with the Truth as a giver of good news and as a warner, and a caller to Allah^-azwj by His^-azwj Permission, and as an illuminating lamp. And this water of the Euphrates from which drink the black pigs and the sniffer dogs, you have come between it and his^-saww son^-asws’. So they said, ‘O Yazeed! You have exceeded in the speech, therefore restrain, for by Allah^-azwj, we would make Al-Hussain^-asws to be thirsty as we did to the ones who were before him^-asws’. So Al-Hussain^-asws said: ‘Be seated, O Yazeed’.

ثم وثب الحسين عليه السلام متوكيا على سيفه، فنادى بأعلا صوته، فقال: أنشدكم الله هل تعرفوني ؟ قالوا: نعم أنت ابن بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله وسبطه، قال: أنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن امي فاطمة بنت محمد، قالوا: اللهم نعم،

Then Al-Hussain^-asws leapt up and leant upon his^-asws sword, so he^-asws called out in a raised voice: ‘I Adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you recognise me^-asws?’ They said, ‘Yes, you^-asws are the son^-asws of the daughter^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and his^-saww grandson^-asws’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that my^-asws mother^-asws is Fatima^-asws daughter^-asws of Muhammad^-saww?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’.

قال: أنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن أبي علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام قالوا: اللهم نعم، قال: أنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن جدتي خديجة بنت خويلد أول نساء هذه الامة إسلاما ؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم. قال: أنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن سيد الشهداء حمزة عم أبي ؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم، قال: فأنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن جعفر الطيار في الجنة عمي ؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم،

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that my^-asws father^-asws is Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws?’ They said, Our Allah^-azwj, yes’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that my^-asws grandmother ^-asws is Khadeeja ^-asws Bint Al-Khuwaylid, the first woman of this community to be a Muslim?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that the Chief of the Martyrs Hamza^-asws is the uncle of my^-asws father^-asws?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that Ja’far the flyer in the Paradise is my^-asws uncle?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’.

قال: فأنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن هذا سيف رسول الله وأنا متقلده ؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم، قال: فأنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن هذه عمامة رسول الله أنا لابسها ؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم قال: فأنشدكم الله هل تعلمون أن عليا كان أولهم إسلاما وأعلمهم علما وأعظمهم حلما وأنه ولي كل مؤمن ومؤمنة ؟ قالوا اللهم نعم، قال: فبم تستحلون دمي ؟ وأبي الذائد عن الحوض غدا يذود عنه رجالا كما يذاد البعير الصادر عن الماء، ولواء الحمد في يد [ي] جدي يوم القيامة، قالوا علمنا ذلك كله ونحن غير تاركيك حتى تذوق الموت عطشا.

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that this is the sword of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and I^-asws collared myself^-asws with it?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that this is the turban of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and that I^-asws am wearing it?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’. I^-asws adjure you to Allah^-azwj! Do you know that Ali^-asws was the first of them in Islam, and the most knowledgeable of them, and the greatest in forbearance, and that he^-asws is the Guardian of the believing men and the believing women?’ They said, ‘Our Allah^-azwj, yes’. He^-asws said: ‘So why have you made (the shedding of) my^-asws blood to be Permissible? And my^-asws fathers is the defender of the Fountain tomorrow, defending it from men just like a man defends the camel from the water, and the Flag of the Praise would be in the hands of my^-asws grandfather^-saww on the Day of Judgement?’ They said, ‘We know all that, and we are not going to leave you until you^-asws taste the death, thirsty’.

فأخذ الحسين عليه السلام بطرف لحيته وهو يومئذ ابن سبع وخمسين سنة ثم قال: اشتد غضب الله على اليهود حين قالوا: عزيز ابن الله، واشتد غضب الله على النصارى حين قالوا: المسيح ابن الله، واشتد غضب الله على المجوس حين عبدوا النار من دون الله، واشتد غضب الله على قوم قتلوا نبيهم، واشتد غضب الله على هذه العصابة الذين يريدون قتلي: ابن نبيهم.

So Al-Hussain^-asws grabbed the corner of his^-asws beard, and he^-asws was fifty seven years of age on that day, then said: ‘Allah^-azwj’s Anger Intensified upon the Jews when they said that Uzayr was the son of Allah^-azwj. And Allah^-azwj’s Anger Intensified upon the Christians when they said that the Messiah is the son of Allah^-azwj. And the Anger of Allah^-azwj Intensified upon the Magians when they worshipped the Fire besides Allah^-azwj. And Allah^-azwj’s Anger Intensified upon the people who killed their Prophet^-as. And Allah^-azwj’s Anger has Intensified upon this gang who want to kill me^-asws, a son^-asws of their Prophet^-saww’.

قال: فضرب الحر بن يزيد، فرسه، وجاز عسكر عمر بن سعد إلى عسكر الحسين عليه السلام واضعا يده على رأسه وهو يقول: اللهم إليك انيب فتب علي فقد أرعبت قلوب أوليائك وأولاد نبيك، يا ابن رسول الله هل لي من توبة ؟ قال: نعم تاب الله عليك، قال: يا ابن رسول الله ائذن لي فاقاتل عنك فأذن له

So Al-Hurr Bin Yazeed spurred his horse, and passed across the army of Umar Bin Sa’ad to the army of Al-Hussain^-asws, and placed his hands upon his head and he was saying, ‘Our Allah^-azwj! To You^-azwj I turn towards penitently, so Turn (Mercifully) towards me, for I have terrified the hearts of Your^-azwj Guardian and the children of Your^-azwj Prophet^-saww. O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Is there repentance for me?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yes, Allah^-azwj has Turned (Mercifully) to you’. He said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Allow me to fight from you^-asws’. So he^-asws permitted him.

فبرز وهو يقول: أضرب في أعناقكم بالسيف عن خير من حل بلاد الخيف فقتل منهم ثمانية عشر رجلا ثم قتل، فأتاه الحسين عليه السلام ودمه يشخب، فقال: بخ بخ ! يا حر أنت حر كما سميت في الدنيا والآخرة ثم أنشأ الحسين يقول: لنعم الحر: حر بني رياح ونعم الحر مختلف الرماح ونعم الحر إذ نادى حسينا فجاد بنفسه عند الصباح

So he went out to duel and he was saying, ‘I will strike your necks with the sword for the betterment and a solution for the country from its termites’. So he killed eighteen men among them, and then he was killed. So Al-Hussain^-asws came over to him and his blood was flowing. So he^-asws said: ‘Congratulations, congratulations! O Hurr, you are free (Hurr) just as you have been named, free in the world and the Hereafter’. Then Al-Hussain^-asws recited a poem saying: ‘The Blessed Hurr, free as the free winds; and the Blessed Hurr, like the different spears; and the Blessed Hurr, when Hussain^-asws called out, bestowed himself in the morning’.

ثم برز من بعده زهير بن القين البجلي وهو يقول مخاطبا للحسين عليه السلام: اليوم نلقى جدك النبيا وحسنا والمرتضى عليا فقتل منهم تسعة عشر رجلا ثم صرع وهو يقول: أنا زهير وأنا ابن القين اذ بكم بالسيف عن حسين

Then duelled from after him Zuhayr Bin Al-Qayn, and he was saying addressing Al-Hussain^-asws, ‘Today we meet your^-asws grandfather^-saww the Prophet^-saww, and Hassan^-asws, and Al-Murtaza Ali^-asws’. So he killed among them nineteen men, and then fell down, and he was saying, ‘I am Zuhayr Bin Al-Qayn, as a sword against you from Hussain^-asws’.

ثم برز من بعده حبيب بن مظهر الأسدي وهو يقول: أنا حبيب وأبي مطهر لنحن أزكى منكم وأطهر ننصر خير الناس حين يذكر فقتل منهم أحدا وثلاثين رجلا ثم قتل رضي الله عنه.

Then duelled from after him, Habeeb Bin Mazahir Al-Asady, and he was saying, ‘I am Habeeb, and my father was pure, and we are purer than you are (which is why) we help the best of the people whenever he^-asws mentions (it)’. So he killed from them thirty one men, then was killed, may Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him’.

ثم برز من بعده عبد الله بن أبي عروة الغفاري وهو يقول: قد علمت حقا بنو غفار أني أذب في طلاب الثار بالمشرفي والقنا الخطار فقتل منهم عشرين رجلا ثم قتل رحمه الله.

Then duelled from after him Abdullah Bin Abu Arwat Al-Ghafari, and he was saying, ‘The real sons of Ghaffar know that I am melting in seeking the revenge with the honourable ones, so take notice of the onslaught’. So he killed among them twenty men, then was killed, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy upon him.

ثم برز من بعده بدير بن حفير الهمداني وكان أقرأ أهل زمانه وهو يقول: أنا بدير وأبي حفير لا خير فيمن ليس فيه خير فقتل منهم ثلاثين رجلا ثم قتل رضي الله عنه.

Then duelled from after him Budeyr Bin Hafeyr Al-Hamdany, and he was the reader of the people of his time, and he was saying, ‘I am Budeyr, and my father is Hafeyr. There is no good in him who himself is not in goodness’. So he killed among them thirty men, then was killed, may Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him.

ثم برز من بعده مالك بن أنس الكاهلي وهو يقول: قد علمت كاهلها ودودان والخندفيون وقيس عيلان بأن قومي قصم الأقران يا قوم كونوا كاسود الجان آل علي شيعة الرحمن وآل حرب شيعة الشيطان فقتل منهم ثمانية عشر رجلا ثم قتل رضي الله عنه.

Then duelled from after him Maalik Bin Anas Al-Kahily, and he was saying, ‘The Kahilas have known, and the Dowdaan, and the Khandafiyoun, and Qays families and one of their members is breaking down the people . O people! Become like the lions of the Jinn. The children of Ali^-asws are the Shias of the Beneficent battling against the adherents of the Satan^-la’. So he killed among them eighteen men, and then was killed. May Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him.

وبرز من بعده زياد بن مهاصر الكندي فحمل عليهم وأنشأ يقول: أنا زياد وأبي مهاصر أشجع من ليث العرين الخادر يا رب إني للحسين ناصر ولابن سعد تارك مهاجر فقتل منهم تسعة ثم قتل رضي الله عنه.

And duelled after him Ziyad Bin Mahaasir Al-Kindy. So he charged against them and (reciting) a poem saying, ‘I am Ziyad and my father is Mahaasir, braver than a lion exhibiting in the den. O Lord^-azwj! I am a helper to Al-Hussain^-asws, and to Ibn Sa’ad, an abandoning emigrant’. So he killed among them nine, and then was killed. May Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him.

وبرز من بعده وهب بن وهب وكان نصرانيا أسلم على يدي الحسين هو وامه فاتبعوه إلى كربلا، فركب فرسا، وتناول بيده عود الفسطاط، فقاتل وقتل من القوم سبعة أو ثمانية ثم استؤسر، فاتي به عمر بن سعد فأمر بضرب عنقه فضربت عنقه ورمي به إلى عسكر الحسين عليه السلام وأخذت امه سيفه وبرزت فقال لها الحسين: يا ام وهب اجلسي فقد وضع الله الجهاد عن النساء ! إنك وابنك مع جدي محمد صلى الله عليه وآله في الجنة.

And duelled from after him Wahab Bin Wahab, and he used to be a Christian who had become a Muslim upon the hands of Al-Hussain^-asws (both) him and his mother. So they both followed him^-asws to Karbala. So he rode on a horse and grabbed hold of the pole of the tent. So he fought and killed seven to eight from the people, then was killed. So Umar Bin Sa’ad came over to him and ordered for his neck to be struck off. So they struck off his neck and threw it towards the army of Al-Hussain^-asws. And his mother grabbed his sword and went for the duel. So Al-Hussain^-asws said to her: ‘O mother of Wahab! Be seated, for Allah^-azwj has Placed the Jihad (away) from the women! You and your son are with my^-asws grandfather^-saww Muhammad ^-saww, in the Paradise’.

ثم برز من بعده هلال بن حجاج وهو يقول: أرمي بها معلمة أفواقها والنفس لا ينفعها إشفاقها فقتل منهم ثلاثة عشر رجلا ثم قتل رضي الله عنه.

Then duelled from after him Hilal Bin Hajaaj, and he was saying, ‘I throw my arrows by their head, and the soul is not benefitted by that which is not useful to it’. So he killed among them thirteen men, and then was killed. May Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him.

وبرز من بعده عبد الله بن مسلم بن عقيل بن أبي طالب وأنشأ يقول: أقسمت لا اقتل إلا حرا وقد وجدت الموت شيئا مرا أكره أن ادعى جبانا فرا إن الجبان من عصى وفرا فقتل منهم ثلاثة ثم قتل رضي الله عنه.

And duelled from after him Abdullah Bin Muslim Bin Aqeel Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and he recited a poem saying, ‘I have vowed not to fight except as a free man, and the one who find bitterness in death and dislikes it is the coward who flees and the coward who disobeys’.

وبرز من بعده علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام فلما برز إليهم دمعت عين الحسين عليه السلام فقال: اللهم كن أنت الشهيد عليهم فقد برز إليهم ابن رسولك وأشبه الناس وجها وسمتا به، فجعل يرتجز وهو يقول: أنا علي بن الحسين بن علي نحن وبيت الله أولى بالنبي أما ترون كيف أحمي عن أبي فقتل منهم عشره ثم رجع إلى أبيه فقال: يا أبه العطش، فقال له الحسين عليه السلام: صبرا يا بنى يسقيك جدك بالكأس الأوفى، فرجع فقاتل حتى قتل منهم أربعة وأربعين رجلا ثم قتل صلى الله عليه.

And duelled from after him Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain^-asws (Al-Akbar). So when he^-as went for the duel, the eyes of Al-Hussain^-asws filled up with tears, so he^-asws said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! You^-azwj are the Witness against them, for there has emerged for the duel against them a son^-asws of Your^-azwj Rasool^-saww, and the one most resembling him^-saww by face and in mannerisms’. So he^-as recited a war poem and he^-as was saying: ‘I^-asws am Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws. We^-asws are the Household of Allah^-azwj, closest with the Prophet^-saww. Are you not seeing how I^-asws am protecting my^-asws father^-asws?’ So he^-asws killed among them ten, then returned to his^-as father^-asws and said: ‘O father^-asws! The thirst!’ So Al-Hussain^-asws said to him: ‘Patience, O my^-asws son^-asws! Your^-asws grandfather^-saww will quench your thirst with a full goblet’. So he^-asws returned and fought until he^-as killed among them forty four men, then was killed, may Blessings be upon him^-asws.

وبرز من بعده القاسم بن الحسن [بن علي بن أبي طالب] عليه السلام وهو يقول: لا تجزعي نفسي فكل فان اليوم تلقين ذرى الجنان فقتل منهم ثلاثة ثم رمي عن فرسه رضي الله عنه.

And duelled from after him^-asws Al-Qasim^-asws Bin Al-Hassan^-asws Bin Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws and he^-asws was saying: ‘Do not grieve O my^-asws soul, for everything is temporal. So today the bold-hearted peaks’. So he killed among them, three, then was thrown off from his^-asws horse. May Allah^-azwj be Please with him^-as.

ونظر الحسين عليه السلام يمينا وشمالا ولا يرى أحدا فرفع رأسه إلى السماء فقال: اللهم إنك ترى ما يصنع بولد نبيك، وحال بنو كلاب بينه وبين الماء، ورمي بسهم فوقع في نحره وخر عن فرسه، فأخذ السهم فرمى به، فجعل يتلقى الدم بكفه فلما امتلأت لطخ بها رأسه ولحيته ويقول: ألقى الله عزوجل وأنا مظلوم متلطخ بدمي، ثم خر على خده الأيسر صريعا.

An Al-Hussain^-asws looked towards the right and left, and did not see anyone, so he^-asws raised his^-asws head towards the sky, so he^-asws said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! You^-azwj See what they have done with the sons^-asws of Your^-azwj Prophet^-saww, and the sons of the dogs have come in between them^-as and the water.

And he^-asws was struck by an arrow so it immersed in his^-asws throat, and he^-asws fell from his^-asws horse. So he^-asws grabbed the arrow and threw it. So he^-asws collected his^-asws blood in his^-asws hands. So when they were filled up, he^-asws stained his^-asws head and his^-asws beard with it, and he^-asws was saying: ‘I^-asws meet Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic whilst I^-asws am an oppressed stained by my^-asws blood. Then he^-asws fell upon his^-asws left cheek, dead.

وأقبل عدو الله سنان الإيادي وشمر بن ذي الجوشن العامري لعنهما الله في رجال من أهل الشام حتى وقفوا على رأس الحسين عليه السلام فقال بعضهم لبعض: ما تنتظرون ؟ أريحوا الرجل، فنزل سنان بن الأنس الإيادي وأخذ بلحية الحسين وجعل يضرب بالسيف في حلقه وهو يقول: والله إني لأجتز رأسك وأنا أعلم أنك ابن رسول الله وخير الناس أبا واما،

And there came up the enemies of Allah^-azwj, Sinan Al-Ayady, and Shimr Bin Zi Al-Jawhsan Al-Aamiry, may Allah^-azwj Curse them both, among men from the people of Syria until they paused at the head of Al-Hussain^-asws. So some of them said to each other, ‘What are you waiting for? Relieve the man’. So Sinan Bin Al-Anas descended and grabbed the beard of Al-Hussain^-asws and went on to strike his^-asws throat with the sword and he was saying, ‘By Allah^-azwj! I am severing your^-asws head and I know that you^-asws are the son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and the best of the people are your^-asws father^-asws and mother^-asws’.

وأقبل فرس الحسين حتى لطخ عرفه وناصيته بدم الحسين، وجعل يركض ويصهل فسمعت بنات النبي صهيله فخرجن فإذا الفرس بلا راكب، فعرفن أن حسينا قد قتل، وخرجت ام كلثوم بنت الحسين واضعا يدها على رأسها تندب وتقول: وا محمداه، هذا الحسين بالعراء، قد سلب العمامة والرداء

And the horse of Al-Hussain^-asws came up until it stained itself with the blood of Al-Hussain^-asws, and started running around and neighing. So the daughters of the Prophet^-saww heard its neighing. So they came out, and there was the horse without a rider. So they understood that Hussain^-asws had been killed. And Umm Kulsoom Bint Al-Hussain^-asws came out and placed her hands upon her head, scarring it, and she was saying, ‘Waah Muhammad^-saww! This is Al-Hussain^-asws having been stripped. They have stolen the turban and the cloak’.

وأقبل سنان حتى أدخل رأس الحسين بن علي عليهما السلام على عبيد الله بن زياد وهو يقول: املا ركابي فضة وذهبا أنا قتلت الملك المحجبا قتلت خير الناس اما وأبا وخيرهم إذ ينسبون نسبا فقال له عبيد الله بن زياد: ويحك، فان علمت أنه خير الناس أبا واما لم قتلته إذا ؟ فأمر به فضربت عنقه وعجل الله بروحه إلى النار،

And Sinan returned until he gave the head of Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws upon the hands of Ubeydullah Bin Ziyad and he was saying, ‘Fill my ride with silver and gold. I have killed the veiled king. I have killed the best of the people whose mother^-asws and father^-asws were better than them if you were to establish the lineages’. So Ubeydullah Bin Ziyad said to him, ‘Woe be unto you! For if you know that he^-asws is the best of the people by father^-asws and mother^-asws, why did you kill him^-asws then?’ So he ordered for his neck to be struck off, and Allah^-azwj Hastened his soul to the Fire.

وأرسل ابن زياد قاصدا إلى ام كلثوم بنت الحسين عليه السلام فقال لها: الحمدلله الذي قتل رجالكم فكيف ترون ما فعل بكم ؟ فقالت: يا ابن زياد لئن قرت عينك بقتل الحسين فطال ما قرت عين جده صلى الله عليه واله به، وكان يقبله ويلثم شفتيه، ويضعه على عاتقه، يا ابن زياد أعد لجده جوابا فانه خصمك غدا.

And Ibn Ziyad sent a messenger to Umm Kulsoom Bint Al Hussain^-asws, so he said to her^-asws, ‘The Praise is for Allah^-azwj Who Killed your men. So how are you viewing what has happened with you all?’ So she^-asws said: ‘O Ibn Ziyad! If your eyes get delighted with the killing of Al-Hussain^-asws, so what delights the eyes of his^-asws grandfather^-saww is longer lasting, and he^-saww used to kiss him^-asws, and touch his^-asws lips, and carry him^-asws upon his^-saww shoulder. O Ibn Ziyad Be prepared to answer his^-asws grandfather^-saww tomorrow, for he^-saww would be your opponent’.^[25]

Appendix V:  Additional Ahadith on Preparations of Imam Hussain^-asws

Why did Imam Hussain^-asws leave Hajj?

مل: أبي، وابن الوليد، عن سعد، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن علي ابن الحكم، عن أبيه، عن أبي الجارود، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إن الحسين عليه السلام خرج من مكة قبل التروية بيوم، فشيعه عبد الله بن الزبير فقال: يابا عبد الله قد حضر الحج وتدعه وتأتي العراق ؟ فقال: يا ابن الزبير لان ادفن بشاطئ الفرات أحب إلي من أن ادفن بفناء الكعبة.

My father, and Ibn Al Waleed, from Sa’ad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ali Ibn Al Hakam, from his father, from Abu Al Jaroud,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Al-Hussain^-asws went from Makkah one day before Al-Tarawiyya, so Abdullah Bin Al-Zubeyr bid farewell to him^-asws, so he said, ‘O Abu Abdullah^-asws! Hajj has presented itself and you^-asws are leaving it and going to Iraq?’ So he^-asws said: ‘O Ibn Al Zubeyr, because being buried on the banks of the Euphrates is more beloved to me^-asws than to be buried in the courtyard of the Kabah’.^[26]

Letter of Imam Hussain^-asws calling for Support:

مل: أبي وجماعة مشايخي، عن سعد، عن علي بن إسماعيل وابن أبي الخطاب معا، عن محمد بن عمرو بن سعيد، عن ابن بكير، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: كتب الحسين بن علي عليه السلام من مكة إلى محمد بن علي: ” بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم من الحسين بن علي إلى محمد بن علي ومن قبله من بني هاشم أما بعد فان من لحق بي استشهد، ومن لم يلحق بي لم يدرك الفتح والسلام “

My father and a group of old men, from Sa’ad, from Ali Bin Ismail and Ibn Abu Al Khatab together, from Muhammad Bin Amro Bin Saeed, from Ibn Bakeyr, from Zarara,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws wrote from Makkah, to Muhammad Bin Ali: ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj, the Beneficent, the Merciful. From Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws to Muhammad Bin Ali and the ones before him from the Clan of Hashim^-as. However, so it is from my^-asws rights that I^-asws am martyred, and the one who does not meet up with me^-asws would not see the victory. ‘والسلام’ Greetings’.

قال محمد بن عمرو: وحدثني كرام عبد الكريم بن عمرو، عن ميسر بن عبد العزيز، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: كتب الحسين بن علي إلى محمد بن علي من كربلا ” بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم من الحسين بن علي إلى محمد بن علي ومن قبله من بني هاشم أما بعد فكأن الدنيا لم تكن، وكأن الآخرة لم تزل والسلام “.

Muhammad Bin Amro, from Karam Abdul Kareem Bin Amro, from Maysar Bin Abdul Aziz,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws wrote to Muhammad Bin Ali from Karbala: ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful. From Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws to Muhammad Bin Ali^-asws and the ones before him from the Clan of Hashim^-as. However, it is as if the world has never been, and it is as if the Hereafter would never cease to be. ‘والسلام’ Greetings’.^[27]

Preparing companions for Martyrdom:

جماعة مشايخي منهم علي بن الحسين ومحمد بن الحسن، عن سعد عن أحمد بن محمد ومحمد بن الحسين وإبراهيم بن هاشم جميعا، عن ابن فضال، عن أبي جميلة، عن ابن عبد ربه، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: لما صعد الحسين بن علي عليه السلام عقبة البطن قال لاصحابه: ما أراني إلا مقتولا، قالوا: وماذاك يا أبا عبد الله ؟ قال: رؤيا رأيتها في المنام، قالوا: وماهي ؟ قال: رأيت كلابا تنهشني أشدها علي كلب أبقع.

A group of old men, among them Ali Bin Al Hussain, and Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sa’ad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, and Muhammad Bin Al Hussain, and Ibrahim Bin Hashim altogether, from Ibn Fazaal, from Abu Jameela, from Ibn Abd Rabi’e,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘When Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws ascended to the middle of a mound, said to his^-asws companions: ‘I^-asws do not see myself^-asws except as being killed’. They said, ‘And why is that, O Abu Abdullah^-asws?’ He^-asws said: ‘A dream which I^-asws saw in the sleep’. They said, ‘And what was it?’ He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws saw dogs with spots biting me^-asws’.^[28]

محمد بن جعفر الرزاز، عن ابن أبي الخطاب، عن محمد بن يحيى الخثعمي، عن طلحة بن زيد، عن أبي عبد الله، عن أبيه، عن جده، عن الحسين ابن علي عليهم السلام قال: قال: والذي نفس حسين بيده لا يهنئ بني امية ملكهم حتى يقتلوني، وهم قاتلي، فلو قد قتلوني لم يصلوا جميعا أبدا، ولم يأخذوا عطاء في سبيل الله جميعا أبدا، إن أول قتيل هذه الامة أنا وأهل بيتي، والذي نفس حسين بيده لا تقوم الساعة وعلى الارض هاشمي يطرف.

Muhammad Bin Ja’far Al Razaaz, from Ibn Abu Al Khatab, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Khash’amy, from Talha Bin Zayd,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws, from his^-asws grandfather^-asws, from Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws having said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Hussain^-asws, the Clan of Umayya will not congratulate itself until they kill me^-asws, and they are my^-asws killers. So if they kill me^-asws, they will never Pray together, ever, and will not take a Grant in the Way of Allah^-azwj, ever. The first one to be killed of this community is myself^-asws and my^-asws family. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Hussain^-asws, the Hour will not be Established (until) there is upon the earth a Hashemite who would be hurt’.^[29]

محمد بن جعفر الرزاز، عن ابن أبي الخطاب، عن محمد بن يحيى الخثعمي، عن طلحة بن زيد، عن أبي عبد الله، عن أبيه، عن جده، عن الحسين ابن علي عليهم السلام قال: قال: والذي نفس حسين بيده لا يهنئ بني امية ملكهم حتى يقتلوني، وهم قاتلي، فلو قد قتلوني لم يصلوا جميعا أبدا، ولم يأخذوا عطاء في سبيل الله جميعا أبدا، إن أول قتيل هذه الامة أنا وأهل بيتي، والذي نفس حسين بيده لا تقوم الساعة وعلى الارض هاشمي يطرف.

Muhammad Bin Ja’far Al Razaaz, from Ibn Abu Al Khatab, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Khash’amy, from Talha Bin Zayd,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws, from his^-asws grandfather^-asws, from Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws having said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Hussain^-asws, the Clan of Umayya will not congratulate itself until they kill me^-asws, and they are my^-asws killers. So if they kill me^-asws, they will never Pray together, ever, and will not take a Grant in the Way of Allah^-azwj, ever. The first one to be killed of this community is myself^-asws and my^-asws family. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Hussain^-asws, the Hour will not be Established (until) there is upon the earth a Hashemite who would be hurt’.^[30]

From Miracles of Imam Hussain^-asws:

من معجزاته صلوات الله عليه أنه لما أراد العراق قالت له ام سلمة: لا تخرج إلى العراق، فقد سمعت رسول الله يقول: يقتل ابني الحسين بأرض العراق، وعندي تربة دفعها إلي في قارورة، فقال: إني والله مقتول كذلك وإن لم أخرج إلى العراق يقتلوني أيضا وإن أحببت أن أراك مضجعي ومصرع أصحابي، ثم مسح بيده على وجهها ففسح الله عن بصرها حتى رأيا ذلك كله وأخذ تربة فأعطاها من تلك التربة أيضا في قارورة اخرى وقال عليه السلام: إذا فاضت دما فاعلمي أني قتلت.

From his^-asws (Imam Hussain^-asws)’s miracles – When he^-asws intended (to go to) Iraq, Umm Salma^-as said to him^-asws: ‘Do not go out to Iraq, for I^-as have heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying: ‘My^-saww son^-asws Al-Hussain^-asws would be killed in the land of Iraq, and in my^-as possession is some sand in a bottle which he^-saww handed over to me^-as’. So he^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! I^-asws am that killed one, and if I^-asws do not go out to Iraq, they would kill me^-asws as well, and I^-asws would like to show you^-as my^-asws place (of martyrdom) and that of my^-asws killed companions’. Then he^-asws wiped his^-asws hand upon her^-as face, so Allah^-azwj Empowered her^-as vision until she^-as saw all of that. And he^-asws took some of the sand from that sand and gave it to her^-as, in another bottle and he^-asws said: ‘When it flows with blood, then know that I^-asws have been killed’.

فقالت ام سلمة: فلما كان يوم عاشورا نظرت إلى القارورتين بعد الظهر فاذاهما قد فاضتا دما، فصاحت. ولم يقلب في ذلك اليوم حجر ولامدر إلا وجد تحته دم عبيط.

So Umm Salma^-as said: ‘So when it was the Day of Ashura, she^-as looked at the bottle after midday, and it was overflowing with blood, so she^-as shrieked’. And she did not turn a stone during that day nor clay except that she^-as found blood to be hidden underneath it.

ومنها، ماروي عن زين العابدين عليه السلام أنه قال: لما كانت الليلة التي قتل الحسين في صبيحتها قام في أصحابه فقال عليه السلام: إن هؤلاء يريدوني دونكم، ولو قتلوني لم يصلوا إليكم، فالنجاء النجاء، وأنتم في حل فانكم إن أصبحتم معي قتلتم كلكم، فقالوا: لا نخذلك، ولا نختار العيش بعدك، فقال عليه السلام: إنكم تقتلون كلكم حتى لا يفلت منكم أحد، فكان كما قال عليه السلام.

And from it what was reported from Zayn Al-Abideen^-asws having said: ‘When it was the night before Ashura as in its morning Al-Hussain^-asws was killed, he^-asws stood among his^-asws companions, so he^-asws said: ‘They are intending me^-asws apart from you all, and if I^-asws am killed they would not come for you. So the salvation is the salvation, and you have a solution, for if you are with me^-asws in the morning, all of you would be killed’. They said, ‘We will not abandon you^-asws, and we will not choose the comfort after you^-asws’. So he^-asws said: ‘All of you would be killed until not a single one of you would get away’. So it was as he^-asws had said’.^[31]

قال الامام عليه السلام: ولما امتحن الحسين عليه السلام ومن معه بالعسكر الذين قتلوه، وحملوا رأسه، قال لعسكره: أنتم في حل من بيعتي، فالحقوا بعشائركم ومواليكم، وقال لاهل بيته: قد جعلتكم في حل من مفارقتي فانكم لا تطيقونهم لتضاعف أعدادهم وقواهم، وما المقصود غيري فدعوني والقوم، فان الله عزوجل يعينني ولا يخليني من حسن نظره، كعاداته في أسلافنا الطيبين، فأما عسكره ففارقوه، وأما أهله الادنون من أقربائه فأبوا

‘The Imam^-asws said: ‘And when Al-Hussain^-asws and the ones with him^-asws were Tested with the army who (eventually) killed him^-asws and carried his^-asws head, he^-asws said to his^-asws (own) army: ‘You are all free from my^-asws allegiance, therefore meet up with your family and your wealth’. And he^-asws said to his^-asws family members: ‘I^-asws have made you to be free from separating from me^-asws, for you would not be able to tolerate them due to their heavy numbers and force, and there is none (one they seek) but me^-asws, therefore leave me^-asws and the people, for Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic would Help me^-asws and will not Leave me from a Goodly Consideration, like He^-azwj has the goodly ones of the past’. So as for his^-asws army, (some of them) departed from him^-asws, and as for his^-asws family, the near ones of his^-asws relatives, they refused (to go)’.

وقالوا: لا نفارقك، ويحزننا ما يحزنك، ويصيبنا ما يصيبك، وإنا أقرب مانكون إلى الله إذا كنا معك. فقال لهم: فان كنتم قدوطنتم أنفسكم على ما وطنت نفسي عليه، فاعلموا أن الله إنما يهب المنازل الشريفة لعباده باحتمال المكاره، وإن الله وإن كان خصني – مع من مضى من أهلي الذين أنا آخرهم بقاء في الدنيا – من الكرامات بما يسهل علي معها احتمال المكروهات، فان لكم شطر ذلك من كرامات الله تعالى واعلموا أن الدنيا حلوها ومرها حلم، والانتباه في الآخرة، والفائز من فاز فيها، والشقي من شقي فيها

And they said, ‘We will not separate from you^-asws, and our grief is what grieves you^-asws, and your^-asws difficulties are our difficulties, and we are closer to Allah^-azwj if we were with you^-asws’. So he^-asws said to them: ‘So if you are placing yourselves forward to what I^-asws am accustomed to, then know that Allah^-azwj Bestows the honourable Houses for those of His^-azwj servants who can endure His^-azwj Planning. And that Allah^-azwj has Specialised me^-asws – with the ones of the past from my^-asws family of whom I^-asws am the last of their remaining ones in the world – for the Prestige by Making it easy for me^-asws to bear the abominations (atrocities), so for you all would be a part from the Prestige of Allah^-azwj the High. And know that the world, its sweetness and its bitterness is (just a) dream, and focus on the Hereafter, and the one who has succeeded in it, he has succeeded (in the Hereafter), the one who has failed in it, he has failed (in the Hereafter).^[32]

علي بن محمد بن عبد الله، عن إبراهيم بن إسحاق الاحمر، عن عبد الله بن حماد، عن صباح المزني، عن الحارث بن حصيرة، عن الحكم بن عتيبة قال: لقي رجل الحسين بن علي عليهما السلام بالثعلبية وهو يريد كربلا فدخل عليه فسلم عليه، فقال له الحسين عليه السلام: من أي البلاد أنت ؟ قال: من أهل الكوفة قال: أما والله يا أخا أهل الكوفة لو لقيتك بالمدينة لاريتك أثر جبرئيل عليه السلام من دارنا ونزوله بالوحي على جدي، يا أخا أهل الكوفة أفمستقى الناس العلم من عندنا فعلموا وجهلنا ؟ هذا مالا يكون

Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Ibrahim Bin Is’haq Al Ahmar, from Abdullah Bin Hamaad, from Sabah Al Mazny, from Al Haris Bin Haseyra, from Al Hakam Bin Uteyba who said,

‘A man met Al-Hussain^-asws Bin Ali^-asws at Sa’alba, and he^-asws was on his^-asws way to Karbala. He came up to him^-asws and greeted him^-asws. So Al-Hussain^-asws said to him: ‘Which city are you from?’ He said, ‘From the people of Al-Kufa ‘. He^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj, O brother of the people of Al-Kufa! If you had met me^-asws at Al-Medina, I^-asws would have shown you the effects of Jibraeel^-as in our^-asws house, and his^-as descent with the Revelation upon my^-asws grandfather^-saww. O my^-asws brother of the people of Al-Kufa! The people derived the knowledge from us^-asws, so they came to know, and (now) they are ignorant of us^-asws? This is how money (changes allegiances)’.^[33]

ابن إدريس، عن أبيه، عن ابن عيسى، عن ابن معروف عن محمد بن سهيل البحراني رفعه إلى أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: البكاؤن خمسة: آدم ويعقوب، ويوسف، وفاطمة بنت محمد، وعلي بن الحسين عليه السلام

Ibn Idrees, from his father, from Ibn Isa, from Ibn Marouf, from Muhammad Bin Suhayl Al Bahrany raising to:

Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The weepers are five – Adam^-as, and Yaqoub^-as, and Yusuf^-as, and Fatima^-asws Bint Muhammad^-asws, and Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain^-asws.

فأما آدم: فبكى على الجنة حتى صار في خديه أمثال الاودية،

So as for Adam^-as – He^-as wept over the Paradise until there appeared upon his^-as cheeks, like the valleys.

وأما يعقوب: فبكى على يوسف حتى ذهب بصره، وحتى قيل له: ” تالله تفتؤ تذكر يوسف حتى تكون حرضا أو تكون من الهالكين “

And as for Yaqoub^-as – He^-as wept over Yusuf^-as until his eyesight was gone, and to the extent that it was said to him^-as, ‘[12:85] They said: By Allah! You will not cease to remember Yusuf until you are a prey to constant disease or (until) you are of those who perish.

وأما يوسف: فبكى على يعقوب حتى تأذى به أهل السجن فقالوا: إما أن تبكي بالنهار وتسكت بالليل، وإما أن تبكي بالليل وتسكت بالنهار، فصالحهم على واحد منهما،

And as for Yusuf^-as – He^-as wept over Yaqoub^-as until the prisoners seized him^-as for it, so they said, ‘Either you^-as weep by the day and quieten down during the night, or you weep by the night and quieten during the day’. So he^-as reconciled with them over one of these two (options).

وأما فاطمة بنت محمد صلى الله عليه وآله: فكبت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حتى تأذى بها أهل المدينة، وقالوا لها: قد آذيتنا بكثرة بكائك، فكانت تخرج إلى المقابر مقابر الشهداء فتبكي حتى تقضي حاجتها ثم تنصرف،

And as for Syeda Fatima^-asws Bint Muhammad^-asws – Syeda^-as wept over Rasool-Allah^-saww until the people of Al-Medina were at unease by it, and said to her^-asws, ‘You^-asws have disturbed us with the abundance of your^-asws crying’. So she^-as used to go out to the graveyard by the graves of the martyrs, so she^-asws wept until her^-asws as long as she wanted, then she^-as left’.

وأما علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام: فبكى على الحسين عشرين سنة أو أربعين سنة وما وضع بين يديه طعام إلا بكى، حتى قال له مولى له: جعلت فداك يا ابن رسول الله إني أخاف عليك أن تكون من الهالكين قال: إنما أشكو بثي وحزني إلى الله وأعلم من الله ما لا تعلمون إني لم أذكر مصرع بني فاطمة إلا خنقتني لذلك عبرة.

And as for Ali^-asws Bin Al-Hussain^-asws – He^-asws wept over Al-Hussain^-asws for twenty years, or forty years, and food was not placed in front of him^-asws except that he^-asws wept, to the extent that a slave of his^-asws said to him^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! I fear over you^-asws that you^-asws would become from the perished (dead) ones’. He^-asws said: ‘But rather, I^-asws complain by my^-asws grief to Allah^-azwj, and know from Allah^-azwj what you do not know. I^-asws do not remember the deaths of the sons^-asws of Syeda Fatima^-asws except that my^-asws tears suffocate me^-asws’.^[34]

[1] Dissimulation

[2] Narrations related to the Karbala

[3] Affected with or as if with an ulcer

[4] الأمالي( للصدوق)، النص، ص: 128, H. 2

[5] الباب الثالث و الثلاثون من قال في الحسين‏ع شعرا فبكى و أبكى,H6,  كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 105

[6]This Verse is the answer from Prophet Yaqub (in the Holy Quran) to his sons when they said:  ‘By Allah! You will not cease remembering Yusuf till you are on the verge of death, or until you die (12:85)

[7] كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 107, chapter 35, H. 1.

[8] كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 109, chapter 36, H. 3

[9] Al Illal Al Sharaie – V 1 Ch 135 H 1

[10] Governor of Madina appointed by Muawiya^la.

[11] Dama-tul-Sabiqa, vol. 2, referring to Bihar, Ammali, Tanzeem Al-Zahira, Malhoof, Irsah, and Kamil-ul-Ziyarat.

[12] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت) ؛ ج‏44 ؛ ص364

[13] Bihar V-75 P-104, Tuhaf al –Uqool, pp 53.

[14] Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (Mola Ali^asws)

[15] Tuhaf al –Uqool, pp 53.

[16] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, Hadith 15033

[17] ( 1). كل ذلك في زمان الغيبة لا في أيّام ظهوره عجل اللّه تعالى فرجه. لان المؤمنين في أيامه في كمال العزة.

[18] ( 2). في بعض النسخ« القيود».

[19]   كمال الدين و تمام النعمة، ج‏1، ص: 308

[20] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 126 H 3

[21] تأويل الآيات 1: 204/ 13

[22] نزهة الناظر و تنبيه الخاطر، ص: 87

[23] نزهة الناظر و تنبيه الخاطر، ص: 87

[24] نزهة الناظر و تنبيه الخاطر، ص: 87

[25] Bihar Al Anwar – V 44 Ch 37 P 310 H 1

[26] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 86 H 18

[27] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 87 H 23

[28] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 87 H 24

[29] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 88 H 25

[30] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 88 H 25

[31] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 89 H 27

[32] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 90 H 29

[33] Bihar Al Anwar – V 45 Ch 37 P 92 H 34

[34] Bihar Al Anwar – V 46 Ch 4 H 2