With the Caravan of Light

Undergoing the Divine Test

The army of Imam Husayn(a) undergoing a very severe test, unprecedented in human history, defeated the enemy. Arif Samadani, the learned gnostic says:

You are but a slave of your sensual desires and neglectful of too many other far more subtle pleasures in the domain of your existence. The soul is purified through divine tests, just as gold is melted in the crucible ofperfection. Those who worship their Lord in distress are superior to those who worship him in affluence.

It has been said that a life of hardship is a token of God's mercy and favour upon upright people. In this respect see how dear Imam Husayn(a) and his companions were to God.

Nafi ibn- Hilal

Nafi was of noble birth, a reader of the Qur'an, narrator of the Sunna of Muhammad(s) and a companion of Amir al-Mu'minin `Ali(a). Before Muslim ibn-Aqil was martyred, he left Kufa to join Imam Husayn(a).

Ibn-Shahr Ashub said when Hurr ibn Yazid barred the Imam(a) and his companions from going to Mecca or Medina, the Imam addressed his men and told them that death was God's gift for the believers and that living under the yoke of despotic rulers would be a painful torture. When Nafi heard this, he eloquently answered:

O you, descendant of God's Messenger(s), You know well that your forefather did not live long enough to show the affection he had towards these people to its fullest capacity. Indeed among his people were hypocrites that promised to help him in time of need but did not abide by their promise when the need came. This also held true in the case of your father. Many promised to help, but in factrefrained from helping him. Now you are in the same predicament as regards to the hypocrites h, those who broke theirpromise, acted to the detriment of themselves and God has made it so that we do not find ourselves reliant upon them. Now lead your men to their fate. We love your friends and hate your enemies.

Nafi fought bravely in the battle. He killed as many men of Omar Sa'ad as he could and then was crowned with martyrdom.

Nafi ibn- Hilal's Very Strange Story

Shaykh Mufid, the outstanding theologian, narrated that for most of the time in Karbala, Nafi ibn-Hilal had closely accompanied Imam Husayn(a), especially when there was the danger of enemy ambush.

One night Husayn(a) left his camp for a reconnaissance tour of the site. Seeing this, Nafi shadowed the Imam(a) with his sword unsheathed. Suddenly the Imam(a) looked back and saw him. Nafi told him that he was very afraid for the Imam(a) to see him alone out there so near the enemy camp. The Imam(a) said he came to explore if there might be a hidden position from which the enemy could attack. After they both returned to camp, the Imam(a) entered his sister's tent while Nafi stood nearby.

All of a sudden Hadrat Zeynab, Husayn's(a) sister, broke into tears at the thought of the impending death facing her brother and his companions and expressed fears about the constancy of his men. The Imam(a) in response had tried to assure his sister of their loyalty and devotion. On hearing this, Nafi headed for the tent of Habib ibn-Mazahir, another brave, loyal companion of Imam Husayn(a) and told him what he had heard.

Then they both went up to the tents of the women-folk in the camp to assure them of the loyalty of the Imam's troops. The Imam(a) told the women to come out of their tents and thank those loyal men outside for their willingness to sacrifice their lives, standing by the Household of the Prophet(s). In their response it seemed as if the companions of Husayn(a) were saying:

If we failed to stay at Mina (a place in Mecca where the pilgrims to the Ka'aba stay overnight) we would make our tryst in Karbala, anotherMina; Ifwesaidfarewell to Zamzam and Safa (respectively a well and a high cliff in Mecca), we should make ofKarbala, a pillar ofloyalty and sincerity (Safa) In order for human beings to know their Maker, we would make ourselves a mirror to show the image of God; To treat the abyss ofpeople 's ignorance,

we would make ofKarbala a place where people are curedoftheirillnesses; Toliberate mankind from bondage, we would hoist the banner of freedom; We would overthrow oppressors and liberate the oppressed; We would tear down the palace of despotism and in its place build the palace of justice. If religious revolution was about to occur in the world, we would make it ring with the call for truth.

Yazid ibn- Thabit' Abqassi

Ibn Thabit was a shi'ite of a pure disposition and was lauded by Hadrat Mahdi(a) himself. When the enemy came to know that Imam Husayn(a) intended to leave for Iraq and unite with some people there, Ibn Ziad ordered his agent in Basra to be on the alert and make note of all those who were coming and going from Iraq.

Ibn Thabit, in company with Adham ibn-Umayya and other notables, left Basra for Mecca. On arriving there, they found that the Imam(a) was not in Mecca, so they went searching far and wide in the surrounding wilderness for him. At the same time, the Imam(a) was also searching for Ibn Thabit and eventually came upon his camp and went to his tent. When Tbn Thabit saw the Imam(a) in his tent he mentioned the Qur'anic verse: *O mankind There has come unto you an exhortation from your Lord, a balm for that which is in the breasts* (10/58)

Then he told Imam Husayn(a) that he had come to fight for the divine cause. The Imam(a) prayed for him and eventually Ibn Thabit and two of his sons were killed in the battle.

Never do men with religious zeal bow to vile people. Well done those who pledge allegiance to the prophet's son and would give both their arms for his cause. Well done those who, disdaining of danger rush upon the enemy. Gallant men who pierce their way through enemy hoards to slake the thirst of others. Martyrdom was a wine in the cup of death. Well done those drunken men who kissed it and drank the wine.

Abis ibn- Shabib Shakeri

He was a pious shi'ite notable orator and man of Truth. When Muslim ibn-Aqil came to Kufa, the notables among the Shi' a came to visit him. After Muslim had read the letter of Imam Husayn(a), `Abis addressed him saying: O you messenger of Husayn(a)!, I speak neitherfor thepeople ofKufa nor dolwish to make a baseless promise on their behalf to deceive you. I swear by God that I have chosen to fight the enemy side by side with you, to the bitter end.

His fiery words kindled the fire of sacrifice for the cause of Allah. Here `Abis committed himself to uphold nothing but the Truth. He encouraged the people to pledge allegiance to Muslim. Muslim wrote a letter to the Imam(a) and handed it to Abis. In the thick of the battle `Abis Shakeri, in company with Shudhab rode out to defend Islam. `Abis then addressed the Imam and said:

I know of no one dearest to me, but you.

He rushed the enemy with his sword unsheathed. No one dared to fight him, so Ibn Sa'ad ordered his men to rain stones on him in order to crush his attack. `Abis , in a righteous rage, removed his coat of mail and helmet and launched a furious attack upon the soldiers of the enemy, cutting down many in his path. Finally, tired, outnumbered and surrounded on all sides, `Abis was cut down and martyred.

Hafhaf ibn- Mahnah Basrawi

He was a committed shi'ite and abrave companion of Hadrat `Ali(a), he had fought side by side with the latter in three battles (Jamal, Siffin and Nahrawan) that `Ali(a) had fought against the wrongdoers.

After Hadrat `Ali(a) was martyred, he pledged allegiance to Imam Hasan(a) and then to Imam Husayn(a). In Basra, he found out that Imam Husayn(a) had left Mecca for Iraq. He hastened across the wide deserts between Basra and his destination with utmost speed and reached Karbala on the day of Ashura when the battle had ended. He asked the men in the army of Omar Sa'ad about Husayn(a). They answered: Don 't you see plunderers are now busy in Husayn 's(a) camp, robbing the womenfolk of their clothing.

In a battle when a soldier sees his commander lying among the fallen, he could become quite confused, but Hafhaf, like a fierce lion, attacked the enemy troops by himself putting them to the sword one by one until he was exhausted and killed.

Suwid Hadrami

He put up a good fight but suffered fatal wounds all over his body and fell unconscious to the ground. The enemy gave him up for dead and left him alone. All of a sudden when he heard the shout that Husayn(a) was killed, he sprang to his feet. Not finding his sword, he seized a dagger and attacked the enemy and was killed.

These were the companions of Imam Husayn(a), companions whose valour defies description. As to the members of the Bani Hashim themselves such as The Moon of the Bani Hashim, Hadrat Abbas - Husayn's(a) brother - and Ali `Akbar - son of Husayn - , no one can ever be able to do justice to them, for they represented the acme of heroism and chivalry.

The Moon of the Bani Hashim

Since no one is able to adequately describe the sublime personality of Qamar (The Moon) of the Bani Hashim, let us quote the words of some of the sinless Imams themselves in describing him:

God's blessings and the praises of His favourite angels, prophets, pious people, martyrs, saints and pure souls be unto you, Oson ofAmir al-Mu 'minin. Iswear by God that you were he who was wholeheartedly resigned to His will and unquestionably loyal to the Leader of the Martyrs. The best and highest of rewards be yours in acknowledgement of your endurance, devotion and in the support of your oppressed brother.

You were submissive to your Lord, to His Messenger(s), to your father Amir al-Mu'minin(a) and your brothers Hasan(a) and Husayn(a). You strove with all your being to uphold your religion and you led a life of complete righteousness, contemplation and obedience towards God and all His messengers. As a true worshipper of the Truth you were unparalleled.

Imam Sajjad(a) said his uncle, The Moon of the Bani Hashim, held an esteemed position on the Day of Judgment near the seat of the Author of the Universe which all the martyrs will desire. Riazi, the famous poet says:

You are our sacred Qiblah of need. Your memory is the object of praise and communion; You are the credit to all martyrs. You are the hands ofAli, Oyou the Moon of Bani Hashim. You were the companion of the leader of the Caravan of Love. Youwere Cup-BearerfortheLovers ofHusayn(a) and Standard Bearer in their gathering. You lostyourheadandhandfor the cause of Husayn(a). You were the son, the brother and the uncle of Imams(a). Peace be upon you, O Hadrat Abbas.

You are the Teacher of honesty and loyalty in the school of divine love. The soul of the reverent was melted down and consumed like a candle in the crucible of selfess veneration. The Euphrates flowed, astonished at the fealty you had towards your brother. You kept alive the memory of the parched lips of Husayn(a) and his children, standing thirsty on the banks of theriver. Youputupwith allthese hardships and still shielded others from the enemy's attack.

You lost your hands and you lost your head. Your hands witnessed your sacrifice for the cause of Allah and those who followed you were favoured by God. The four Imams who saw you, kissed your hand that would bear the standard. Lo! my life for your homage. With you to join your brother. And with you bid him farewell and depart towards death. At birth you brought happiness, love and laughter. In martyrdom you brought bitter grief and lamentation. Sufficient unto you is the praise of the Imam of the Age(a), the Proof of the Truth and the Lord of the worlds. Your brother himself praised you. Who am I to praise you as he?!

Husayn (a)

To get a glimpse of the magnitude of the personality of the imam(a) it could suffice to quote some excerpts from the prayers for Imam Husayn(a): Peace be upon you, O Treasure and Custodian of the knowledge and mysteries of the Scriptures; of the Torah, the Gospel and the Book of Psalms Peace be upon you, O Trustee of the Beneficent, Intimate Companion of the Qur'an, the Guardian of religion and the Gateway to Divine wisdom; Peace be upon you, O the House ofmodesty and worship and devotion, a place of security for all;

Peace be upon you, O Treasure of Divine knowledge of the mysteries.

O Aba Abdullah!The tents of the Empyrean, in the heavens and in the earth, in Paradise, and in the seas and deserts, all trembled and lamented the shedding of your sacred blood.

I testify to the purity of your soul; You called the people to uphold justice and truth;

Peace be upon you who are pleased when your Lord is pleased and angered when your Lord is angered.

Peace be upon you, O Trustee of God, Proof of the Truth, Gateway to Divine knowledge, and Guide to Allah, the one who called people to know Allah and know as lawful and unlawful what yourLord had shown as such, who established worship and paid the poor-rate, and who enjoined the right and forbade the wrong

Peace be upon you, the Proof of Allah in the earth and the Witness of the Truth for mankind.

God's blessings be unto the martyred Imam, murdered by the tyranny ofenemies, leader of the devout.

God's blessings be unto the virtuous Imam(a), beset upon by the evil of others and resigned to God's will.

God's blessings be unto the Guide, who guided to the straight path.

Lamenting the Death of Imam Husayn (a)

Imam Sadiq(a) said:

He who sheds even a very small teardrop when he recalls the tragic martyrdom of Imam Husayn(a), God rewards him a reward no less than that of an abode in Paradise.

Elsewhere Imam Sadiq(a) said:

He who writes an eulogy on the death of HadratHusayn(a) and laments for him, he is rewarded with entry into Paradise.

The Ziarat of Hadrat Husayn (a)

Imam Sadiq(a) was quoted as having said that the grave of Husayn(a) is a garden in the Gardens of Eden and a place for the Ascension to the heavens. Angels descend to pay homage to his soul and ascend thereafter. Imam Sadiq(a) said that those who pray for Husayn(a) in all of creation outnumber those who pray in all the earth. The following merit's are ascribed to the companions of Imam Husayn(a):

They were pleased with God's mercy on them and God was also pleased with them.
They were the most loyal of all the companions of all the prophets and of all the Imams.
Their names were recorded in the Preserved Tablet, in toto.
No one was their superior, either before or after them.
Their martyrdom was ofthe greatest magnitude.
They were the most devout of the devotees of God.
In their magnanimity and in their sublime positions they were without peer.
Because oftheir sacrifice, the religion of Truth spread throughout the world.
They were the greatest lovers of Imam Husayn(a).
Their graves are known as very sacred sites.
Before the tragic event ofKarbala, the prophets and saints had foretold the incident and informed the people of its magnitude and interpreted the Imam's companions as their brothers.
They were the Leaders of the martyrs in this world and are leaders among the ranks of the martyrs in the Hereafter.
The martyred companions of Husayn(a) are known as the martyrs for all of God's messengers.
On the Last Day, they will be standing by the side of their leader.
They are among the best of all the people of devotion.
They are known in the heavens as the stars are known in the earth.
If the Prophet(s) had lived in their time he would have kissed them and counted them among the best of mankind.
They did not fear death.
God took their souls to Himself.
Before their martyrdom they saw their abode in Paradise.
They entered Paradise immediately after they were martyred.
They drank the water of Paradise from the hands of the Prophet(s) and `Ali(a).
Their sacred blood was kept by the Prophet(s) to be shown on the Day of Judgment.
While they were being buried, the sacred spirit of the ) Prophet was present at their burial.
They were given the glad tidings of eternal felicity by Hadrat Husayn(a).
Even their enemies lauded them for their courage, honesty, magnanimity and virtue.