Maqtal al-Husayn

The Will

 
Before leaving Medina, al-Husayn (‘a) wrote his will in which he stated:

 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

“This is the will of al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali (‘a) to his brother Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyya. Al-Husayn testifies that there is no god except Allah, the One and Only God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad (S) is His servant and Messenger who brought the truth from Him, that Paradise is right, and that hell is right, that the Hour is approaching; there is no doubt about it, and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves.

I did not march out exultingly, nor recklessly, nor seeking to make corruption in the land, nor to oppress anyone. Rather, I marched out seeking to reform my grandfather's nation. I desire to enjoin what is right and to forbid what is wrong and to follow the Sunnah of my grandfather and of my father ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib.

So, whoever accepts me an acceptance of righteousness, Allah is the Master of what is right, and whoever refuses, I shall persevere till Allah judges between me and the people; surely He is the best of judges. This is my will to you, brother, and my success comes only from Allah; upon Him do I rely, and to Him is my return.”
 
He folded it, sealed it, then handed it to his brother Muhammad.[^1]
 

With his heart did he raise the flag of guidance,

With his splendour shattered the darkness of the blind.

Through him this Shari’a was corrected,

And its lofty corners towered.

Glories were built through his determination,

The creed grew green only through his blood.

With his life he bought the life of the creed,

What a precious price he paid indeed!

With his soul he brought life to guidance,

With his wounds the creed's wounds he healed.

Gardens of knowledge with simum winds dried,

None watered them but the oppressed one's blood.

So mellow leaves their trees grew,

Fragrant, fresh in taste and in hue.

He raised those for whom they did fight and fall,

Till the creed, after he slipped, stood quite tall.

Through him the pillars of Tawhid stood,

Since they resorted to their mighty support,

Through him they turned into lofty domes,

And they did become comfortable homes

For knowledge, the Sunnah, and the Book.

Like a spring it gushed forth for its seekers,

With the water of life, though he died of thirst,

Killed with thirst, while in his insides

Is Allah's nourishment for those whom He guides.

His insides from thirst burnt like fire,

So sacred clouds rained blood with ire.[^2]

[^1]: ’Abdullah Nur-Allah al-Bahrani, Maqtal al-’Awalim, p. 54. al-Khawarizmi, Al-Maqtal, Vol. 1, p. 188, chapter 9. The goal of the holy grandson of the Prophet (S) behind writing this will is unambiguous. He wanted to underscore his noble objective behind his sacred uprising and to introduce himself to the public, to acquaint them with who he was, what his undertaking was, and what his ultimate goal. He continued doing the same till he was martyred in order to refute the claims of the Umayyads and of those who followed in their footsteps and who duped people into thinking that al-Husayn (‘a) had rebelled against the caliph of his time, that he promoted disobedience to him in order to create disunity, and to rally people behind him because of desiring the government for himself and because he was power hungry who wanted to be the top leader. Through such rumours, the Umayyads wished to justify their cruel actions in eradicating the family of the Prophet (S). He maintained such a policy in all situations, he and his family and companions, till they refuted that lie and achieved their march’s objective.

[^2]: Excerpted from a poem by the authority Shaikh Muhammad Husayn al-Isfahani, may Allah sanctify him.