The Hidden Truth about Karbala
Chapter 23: The Martyrs
The number of martyrs slightly varies from one author to another. Some include those who were martyred as a prelude to Karbala, such as Muslim ibn Aqeel, Hani ibn Urwa… etc., and those who were martyred after Ashura. Other stick to only those martyrs who were slain at Karbala. Depending on such classification, the number of martyrs varies from 72 to the double of this number.
In the volley of arrows showered by Ibn Sa’d’s army on Imam Husayn’s camp, the following persons were martyred and their horses also were killed even before fighting in the battle:[^1]
Na’eem bin Ajlan al-Ansari
Umar bin Ka’b al-Ansari
Handhala bin Umar ash-Shaibani
Qasit bin Zuhair
Karsh bin Zuhair
Kinana bin Ateeq
Umar ad-Dhabbi
Dhirghama bin Malik
Saif bin Malik an-Nimyari
Abdurrahman bin Abdullah
Majma’ bin Abdullah al-Aa’ithi
Hannan bin Harith as-Salmani
Amr al-Jundi
Hallas bin Amr ar-Rasibi
An-No’man bin Amr Rasibi
Siwar bin Abi Humair al-Fahmi
Zahir bin Amr; bondsman of ibn al-Hamq al- Khuza’iy
Jabala bin Ali ash-Shaibani
Ammar bin abi Salama
Mas’ood bin al-Hajjaj
Hajjaj
Zohair bin Basheer
Ammar bin Hassaan
Abdullah bin Umair
Aslam bin Katheer al-Azdi
Zohair bin Muslim al-Azdi
Abdullah bin Yazid al-Qeisi
Abdullah bin Urwa al-Ghifari
The names of the valiant nobles who fought and were martyred at Karbala are as the following, though not in order of precedence in their martyrdom:
Al-Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi
Al-Hurr’s son
Al-Hurr’s brother Mus’ab
Al-Hurr’s slave Urwa
Abdullah bin Umar
Burair al-Hamadani
Wahab al-Kalbi
The wife of Wahab
The mother of Wahab
Umar bin Khalid al-Azdi
Khalid bin Umar
Sa’d bin Handhala at-Tameemi
Umair bin Abdullah al-Muthhaji
Muslim ibn Awsaja
The son of Muslim ibn Awsaja
Hilal bin Nafi’ al-Bajali
The son of Hilal bin Nafi’
Habib ibn Mudhahir
Sa’eed bin Abdullah[^2]
Zohair ibn al-Qain
Abu Thumama as-Saidawi
al-Hajjaj bin Masrooq
Mubarak
Yahya bin Katheer
Yahya bin Muslim
Handhala bin Sa’d
Abdurrahman bin Abdullah
Umar bin al-Kkattab al-Ansari
John; Abu Dharr’s slave
Umair bin Khalid as-Saidawi
Sa’eed bin Umar
Qurra bin Qurra al-Ansari
Malik bin Anas al-Maliki
Umar al-Ju’fi
Aabis bin Shabeeb
Showthab bin Aabis
Abdullah al-Ghifari
Abdurrahman al-Ghifari
A Turkish bondsman of Imam Zainul Aabidin (a.s.)
Yazid bin Ziyad
Yazid bin Mohajir
Saif bin Abil Harith
Mu’allah bin Mu’allah
Thur-Rimma bin Adi
Muhammad bin Mu’allah
Jabir bin Urwa al-Ghifari
Abdurrahman bin Kadri
Abdurrahman’s brother
Malik bin Ows
Anees bin Minhal
Abul Sh’atha’ al-Kindi
Umar bin Khalid as-Saydawi
Khalid bin Amr
Sa’d the retainer of Umar bin Khalid
Jabir bin al-Harith as-Sulaymani
Majma’ bin Abdullah al-Aa’ithi
Suwayd bin Amr bin Abi Mutaa’
Sa’d bin Handhala at-Tamimi
Umair bin Abdullah al-Mathhaji
Abdurrahman al-Yaznee
Yahya bin Salim al-Muzani
Malik bin Anas al-Kahili
Anees bin Ma’qal al-Asbahi
Abul Sh’atha’ al-Kindi
Junadah bin Harith al-Ansari
Amr bin Junadah
Malik bin Dawdan
Ibrahim bin Hussayn al-Azdi
Amr bin Qaradhah
Ahmed bin Muhammad al-Hashimi
Sheik as-Saduq gives the following as the martyrs from the tribe of the Banu Hashim:[^3]
Al-Abbas bin Ali bin Abi Talib whose mother was Ummul Banin
Abdullah bin Ali bin Abi Talib whose mother was Ummul Banin
Ja’far bin Ali ibn Abi Talib whose mother was Ummul Banin
Uthman bin Ali bin Abi Talib whose mother was Ummul Banin
Abdullah bin Ali bin Abi Talib whose mother was Layla bint Mas’ud
Abu Bakr bin Ali bin Abi Talib whose mother was Layla bint Mas’ud
Muhammad bin Ja’far
Own bin Ja’far
Ja’far bin Ali bin Abi Talib
Abdurrahman bin Ali bin Abi Talib
Abdullah bin Ail bin Abu Talib
Muhammad bin Ail bin Abu Talib
Al-Qasim bin al-Hasan (a.s.)
Abu Bakr bin al-Hasan (a.s.)
Abdullah bin al Hasan (a.s.)
Ali ibn al-Husayn (Ali al-Akbar)
Abdullah ibn al-Husayn (the infant Ali al-Asghar)
Imam Husayn (a.s.)
The popular belief is that the total number of martyrs is twenty-seven. However, some historians consider them to be above one hundred and twenty. S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali is an erudite writer from Madras, now called Chennai in South India. His translation and commentary of the Qur’an in English with an excellent introduction running to over three hundred pages is well-known and has been printed several times by the Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, New York. In his book ‘Husayn; The Saviour of Islam’, S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali Vafaqani gives a brief note on each of the one hundred and five martyrs by name and a list of one hundred and thirty-eight martyrs classified as follows:[^4]
[a] The Hashimites; the progeny of Abu Talib
Those who are mentioned in the
Ziyarate Nahiya.. 18
Those who are not mentioned in the
Ziyarate Nahiya.. 13
Three Young children 3
Total: 34
[b] the Number distributed according to the immediate parentage of martyrs:
- The Holy Imam 1
The sons of the Holy Imam
[Two in Karbala; Abdullah martyred later and buried in Asqalan] 3
The sons of Amirul Mo’minin... 9
The sons of Imam Hasan 4
The sons of Aqeel 12
The sons of Ja’far 4
[c] The comrades of the Holy Imam those who are mentioned in the Ziyarate Nahiya... 70
Those who are not mentioned in the
Ziyarate Nahiya... 27
The number of martyrs in Kufa 8
Total: 105
Total martyrs: 105 + 34 = 139
S.V Mir Ahmed Ali Vafaqani has taken into account the eight companions who were martyred at Kufa, such as Hani ibn Urwa…etc., to arrive at the figure of 139 martyrs.
In addition to giving details of martyrs, Sheikh Abbas al-Qummi gives a list of persons who were present in Imam Husayn’s camp at Karbala on the Tenth of Muharram who did not fight but they escaped alive. The reason for this is manifold. Firstly, the number, names and details of martyrdom at Karbala were already revealed to the Prophet (S) who in turn had informed Imam Ali, Fatima Imam Husayn, Umm Salama and other members of the Prophet’s family (the Ahlul Bayt) peace be on them. Sheik Muhammad Saffaar al-Qummi, who died in 290 AH, relates in his book ‘Basayerud Darajat’ that Huthaifa narrated that he was present with Imam al-Hasan (a.s.) when he was returning to Medina after concluding a treaty with Mu’awiya. The load on one of the camels was being zealously guarded all the time. Huthaifa inquired the reason for such security given to that particular load, and Imam Hasan (a.s.) informed him that the load consisted of musters of the names of the Shia. Huthaifa wanted to see if his name was in any of those registers. The Imam (a.s.) asked him to come the next day. Huthaifa, who was illiterate, took with him his nephew who could read and write. The Imam (a.s.) took out a register. On perusing, the nephew found his name in the register and shouted joyfully that his name was there along with that of Huthaifa. This young man was later martyred in Karbala along with Imam Husayn (a.s.).[^5]
Apart from this, those who escaped alive were nonetheless Shia of Imam Husayn (a.s.) though of a lower caliber. They provided a vital link in the narration of events, though at times the trauma and the stress they suffered on seeing their beloved Imam (a.s.) and his companions being killed and their bodies trampled clouded their perception. As a result, some of their narrations are not in conformity with the narrations of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).
Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Ja’far and Muhammad bin al-Hanfiyya consoled themselves by saying that though they did not participate in the battle their representatives’ names were in the List of Martyrs.[^6]
At-Tabari and Ibnul Athir relate that al-Muraqqa’ bin Thumamah had spread the quiver of arrows on the ground and kneeling down, he fought the enemy. Suddenly, a group of people appeared, took him under their protection, and took him away from the battlefield. Umar bin Sa’d took him to Ubeidullah ibn Ziyad and related the incident. Ibn Ziyad banished bin Thumamah to az-Zarah.[^7]
At-Tabari and ibnul Athir relate that Ad-Dhahhaak bin Abdullah al-Mashriqi and Malik bin an-Nadhr al-Arhabi met Imam Husayn (a.s.) before the battle and informed him that the people of Kufa were determined to fight and kill him. When they were about to depart, the Imam asked, ‘Why don’t you join and assist me?’ Malik bin an-Nadhr replied that he had a family to look after and that he was in debts. Ad-Dhahhaak said, “I too am in debts, though I have no children. However, I will stay with you if you promise to excuse me, if my being with you is of no more help to you.” The Imam (a.s.) agreed. Ad-Dhahhaak had hidden his horse in a tent. When none except Imam Husayn (a.s.) was left, ad-Dhahhaak reminded the Imam about the promise. The Imam said, “Yes, you are free to do what you want.” Ad-Dhahhaak took out his horse and rode through the enemy, taking them by surprise. His tribesmen and some sympathizers saved him from the pursuing enemy.
[^1]: At-Tabari, quoted in ‘Life of Husayn’ by Mirza Ghulam Abbas Ali, p.167.
[^2]: Sa’eed bin Abdullah; he and Zohair stood in front as a shield to protect Imam Husayn (a.s.) from the volley of arrows during his Noon Prayer. Sa’eed was mortally wounded by an arrow and was martyred.
[^3]: As-Saduq’s al-Irshad, Tr. IKA Howard, p. 372-373.
[^4]: S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s ‘Husayn; The Savior of Islam’, p.196 – 213.
[^5]: Nafasul Mahmoom, p. 358.
[^6]: At-Tabari’s Tarikh, vol. 6 p.218.
[^7]: Nafasul Mahmoom, p. 355.