Habib b. Mudhahir

I am Habib

The old man introduced himself to the men in the tent.

I'm Habib bin Mudhahir: I belong to Bani Asad's tribe.

One of the men was very old. He was acquainted with ancestry. So, he knew Habib and said:

Habib is telling you the truth.

Then the old man added:

He's bin Riaab bin al-Ashtar bin Fakas bin Tareef bin Qais bin al-Harith bin Thalaba bin Doodad bin Asad.

Another man added:

This is the companion of Allah's Apostle. He has lived in Kufa since Imam Ali's Caliphate. He stood by him at the Battle of Camel, the Battle of Siffeen, and the Battle of Nihrawan.

One of the men asked Habib:

Bani Asad's Shaikh, what have you brought?

Habib quietly answered:

I've brought you good no leader has brought to his people.

The men listened to him attentively. Then he added:

Al-Husayn, Ali and Fatima's son is around. A group of the believers has accompanied him. His enemies have surrounded him. They want to kill him. So, I've come to you. I ask you to defend him against his enemies to save the dignity of Allah's Apostle. By Allah! If you support him, Allah will give you honour in here and hereafter.

One of the men stood up. His name was Abdullah bin Bashher al-Asady. He said:

May Allah thank you for your effort. You've brought us a good deed. I'm the first to defend al-Husayn against his enemies.

The number of the volunteers became ninety fighters. Habib took them and headed for an area called Karbala. Their Imam Husayn [a], his family, and his believing supporters had camped there.

A man belonging to Bani Asad was a traitor. He took advantage of the darkness and hurried to tell Umar bin Saad, the leader of Yazeed's Army, about Habib and his friends.

Yazeed's Army had besieged Imam Husayn's caravan and prevented them from drinking water.

Umar bin Saad formed a division. The number of the division was five hundred horsemen. Al-Azraq headed them.

The horsemen hindered Bani Asad. Al-Azraq asked them to come back, but they refused. A fight took place between the two sides. So, some men of Bani Asad were killed and some were wounded.

The volunteers knew that there was a big army before them. And there were big supplies behind the army. For this reason, they decided to come back.

When the volunteers got to their tribe Mudharib, they warned it of staying at that area.

The men quickly collected their tents and moved to another place in the desert.

Habib came back by himself. He was sad. He told Imam Husayn [a] about Bani Asad's attitude. Imam Husayn [s] said:

There's neither might nor power but with Allah!