40 Hadith about Azadari-e-Imam Hussain (A.S)

1. The Inferno of Husaini Love

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A) said: Surely, there exists in the hearts of the Mu'mineen, with respect to the martyrdom of Husain (A.S.), a heat that never subsides.

Mustadrak al-Wasail vol 10 pg. 318

2. A'ashura - A Day of Grief

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: The one for whom the day of A'ashura is a day of tragedy, grief and weeping, Allah The Mighty, The Glorious, shall make the Day of Judgment, a day of joy and happiness for him.

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 44, pg. 284

3. Muharram - The Month of Mourning

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: With the advent of the month of Muharram, my father Imam Kadhim (A.S.) would never be seen laughing; gloom and sadness would overcome him for (the first) ten days of the month; and when the tenth day of the month would dawn, it would be a day of tragedy, grief and weeping for him.

Amaali Saduq, pg. 111

4. Laughing Eyes

Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A) said: O' Fatimah! Every eye shall be weeping on the Day of Judgment except the eye which has shed tears over the tragedy of Husain (A.S.) for surely, that eye shall be laughing and shall be given the glad tidings of the bounties and comforts of Paradise.

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 44 pg. 193.

5. Reward of the Martyred Companions

Imam Redha (A.S.) said (to one of his companions): If you desire that for you be the reward equivalent to that of those martyred along with Husain (A.S.), then whenever you remember him say: ' Oh! Would that I had been with them! A great achievement would I have achieved'.

Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol. 14, pg. 501.

6. The Customary Mourning

Abu Haroon al-Makfoof said: I presented myself before Imam Sadiq (A.S.) whereupon he said to me: "Recite for me a poetry" and so I recited for him. He said "Not in this manner. Recite for me as you recite poems and elegies over the grave of Husain (A.S.)" and so I recited for him (again).

Bihar al Anwar vol 44, pg. 287.

7. Reward for Reciting Poetry about Husain (A.S.)

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: There is none who recites poetry about Husain (A.S.) and weeps and makes others weep by means of it, except that Allah makes Paradise incumbent upon him and forgives his sins.

Rijal al-Shaikh al- Tusi pg. 189.

8. People of Eulogies and Elegies

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: All praise is for Allah, who has placed amongst the people, those who arrive in our presence, eulogizing us and reciting elegies about us.

Wasail al-Shiah vol. 10, pg. 469.

9. Poetry Recitation During the Period of Mourning

Imam Redha (A.S.) said (to De'bil, a poet sincerely devoted to the Ahlul Bayt): I desire that you recite for me poetry, for surely, these days (of the month of Muharram) are the days of grief and sorrow, which have passed over us, Ahlul Bayt.

Mustadrak al-Wasail, vol 10, pg. 386.

10. Shiites-The Companions and Associates

Imam 'Ali (A.S.) said: Surely, Allah has chosen for us followers (Shiites), who assist us and are happy at our happiness and are sad in our sadness.

Ghuraral-Hikam vol. 1, pg. 135.

11. Lamentation of Owl

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) asked, “Has anyone of you ever seen it (the owl) in day time?” It was said, “No, it never appears during the day. It only appears at night.” Imam (a.s.) said: The owls previously dwelled in only developed structures but when Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred, they refused to stay in developed structures and refused to take anything but ruins as abodes. Indeed, the owls fast during the day and are aggrieved until nightfall. At night they lament on Imam Husain (a.s.) till the morning

Kaamil al-Ziyaraat pg. 101.

12. In Remembrance of the Children of Fatimah (A.S.)

Imam Sajjad (A.S.) said: Surely, I have never brought to mind the martyrdom of the children of Fatimah (A.S.) except that I have been choked with tears due to it.

Bihar al-Anwar vol. 46, pg. 109.

13. Mourning in the Houses

For those unable to go for the ziarat of Imam Husain (A.S.) on the day of A'ashura, Imam Baqir (A.S.) mentions the manner of performing A'zadari as follows:

He should mourn over Husain (A.S.), weep for him and instruct the members of the house to weep for him. He should establish the mourning ceremony in the house by exhibiting lamentations and grief over him; the people should meet one another in their homes and offer condolences and consolation to each other over the calamities which befell him.

Kaamil al-Ziyaraat pg. 175

14. Ali (A.S.) Weeps While Grieving the Martyrs of Kerbala

Imam Baqir (A.S.) said: Amirul Mu'mineen (A.S.), along with two of his companions, happened to pass by Kerbala and as he did so, tears filled his eyes. He said (to them), "This is the resting place of their animals; and this is where their luggage shall be laid down; and it is here that their blood shall be shed. Blessed are you O' Earth, that the blood of the beloved shall be spilled upon you."

Bihar al Anwar, vol: 98 pg. 258.

15. Tears - Barrier of Hell

Imam Baqir (A.S.) said: He who remembers us, or in whose presence, we are remembered, and (as a result) tears flow from his eyes, even though they may be in the measure of a wing of a mosquito, Allah shall construct for him a house in paradise and make the tears a barrier between him and the fire (of hell).

Al-Ghadeer vol. 2, pg. 202.

16. Twenty Years of Weeping!

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: `As for A'li Ibn al-Husain (A.S.), he cried over Husain (A.S.) for twenty years (after the tragedy of Kerbala); never would any food be placed before him except that he would begin to weep.

Bihar al Anwar, vol 46, pg. 108

17. The Etiquette of Mourning

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: When Ibrahim, the son of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A) died, tears filled the eyes of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A), whereupon he said, " The eyes are tearful and the heart is anguished (but) we shall not say anything which shall anger the Lord. Surely we, O' Ibrahim, are grief-stricken for you"

Bihar al-Anwar vol: 22 , pg.157

18. Tearful Eyes

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: He in whose presence we (and our miseries) are mentioned and, as a result, his eyes pour out tears, Allah shall make his face forbidden upon the fire of hell.

Bihar al Anwar vol. 44, pg. 185

19. Hussaini Gatherings

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said to Fudhail: Do you sit together, talk and discuss amongst yourselves? Fudhail replied: Yes. The Imam then said: I approve of these sittings. So keep our `issue' (Imamate) alive. May Allah exhibit mercy on those who revive our issue and mission!

Wasail al-Shiah  vol. 10, pg. 391

20. Invaluable Tears

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said (to Masma', one of those who mourned over Imam Husain (A.S.)): May Allah have mercy upon your tears! Do know that you are regarded as being of those who are deeply concerned about us and of those who are happy at our happiness and aggrieved at our sorrow. Do know that you shall witness the presence of my fathers near you at the time of your death.

Wasail al-Shia, vol., 10, pg. 397

21. Scalded Hearts

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) (while sitting on the prayer mat prayed for the mourners and those going for the ziarat of the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) as follows): O' Lord, have mercy upon those eyes, which have shed tears in compassion for us; and upon those hearts, which have been restless and blistered for us; and upon those wailings, which have been for us.

Bihar al-Anwar vol 98 , pg. 8.

22. Tears over the Oppressed State of the Shiites

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: He whose eyes shed tears for our blood which has been shed, or for our rights which have been usurped, or for the humiliation meted out to us or to one of our Shiites, Allah shall accommodate him in paradise for a long time.

Amali Sheikh al Mufid, pg. 175.

23. Weeping of the Sky

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: O' Zurarah! The sky had cried for forty days over (the martyrdom of) Husain (A.S.)

Mustadrakal-Wasail, vol 1 pg. 391

24. The Holy Prophet and Weeping over the Martyrs

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: After the news of the martyrdom of Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib (A.S.) and Zaid Ibn Harithah reached the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A), whenever he entered his house, he would weep profusely for them and say: " They used to converse with me and were intimate with me and (now) both of them have departed together".

Man La Yahdhuruhu al-Faqih, vol. 1, pg. 177

25. Sympathy for Ahlulbayt

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: The breath of one who is aggrieved upon the injustice and oppression subjected to us, is tasbeeh (glorification of Allah), and his grief for us, is i'baadat (worship of Allah) and his concealing our secrets, is jihad in the path of Allah.

The Imam (A.S.) then added: This tradition ought to be written in gold.

Amaali al-Shaikh al-Mufid, pg. 338.

26. Mourning Angels

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: Allah has appointed to the grave of Imam Husain (A.S.), four thousand anguished and grief-stricken angels, who weep over him (and shall continue to do so) up to the Day of Judgment.

Kamil al-ziyaraat, pg. 119.

27. Weeping over Husain (A.S.)

Imam Redha (A.S.) said (to Rayyan Ibn Shabib): O' Son of Shabib! If you have to cry over something, then do so over Husain Ibn 'Ali (A.S.) for surely, he was slaughtered in the manner in which a ram is slaughtered.

Bihar al Anwar, vol. 94, pg. 286.

28. Gatherings in Remembrance of the Imams

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: He who sits in a gathering in which our affairs (and our path and aims) are discussed and revived, his heart shall not die on the day (Day of Judgment) when hearts shall die (of fear).

Bihar al Anwar vol. 4 pg. 178.

29. Benefits of Weeping over Husain (A.S.)

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: Those who weep should weep over the likes of Husain (A.S.) for surely, weeping over him does away with one's great sins.

Bihar al-Anwar vol: 94, pg. 184.

30. Forgiveness of Sins

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: O' Son of Shabib! Should you weep for Husain (A.S.) in the measure that tears roll down your cheeks, Allah would forgive all the sins committed by you, whether they be the great sins or the small sins and whether they be meagre or immense.

Amali Saduq, pg. 111.

31. Intimacy with the Progeny

Imam Redha (A.S.) said (to Ibn Shabib): O' Son of Shabib! If it makes you happy (and you desire) to be with us in the elevated ranks of paradise, then be sad in our grief and happy at our happiness.

Wasaail al-Shiah, vol. 14 pg. 502

32. Day of A'ashura

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: One who refrains from seeking his (worldly) desires on the day of A'ashura, Allah shall grant him his desires of this world and the hereafter.

Wasaail al Shiah, 14, pg. 504

33. Pilgrim of Husain (A.S.)

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: The zaair (pilgrim) of Imam Husain (A.S.) turns back (from his pilgrimage) such that not a single sin remains upon him.

Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol 14, pg. 412.

34. Imam Hussain (A.S.) Seeks Forgiveness for his Pilgrims

(Regarding someone who goes for pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Husain (A.S.)), Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: One who weeps for Imam Husain (A.S.), surely, the Imam (A.S.) observes him and seeks forgiveness for him and requests his holy fathers to (also) seek forgiveness for him.

Bihar al-Anwar vol. 44, pg. 181

35. Intercession on Day of Judgment

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A) (said to H. Fatimah (A.S.)): On the Day of Judgment, you shall intercede for the ladies and I shall intercede for the men; every person who has wept over the tragedy of Husain (A.S.), we shall take him by the hand and lead him into Paradise.

Bihar al-Anwar vol. 94 pg. 192

36. Imam Sadiq (A.S.) on Day of A'ashura

A'bdullah Ibn Sinaan says: I arrived in the presence of my master, Imam Sadiq (A.S.) on the day of A'ashura and found him pale and grief-stricken, with tears streaming from his eyes like falling pearls.

Mustadrak al- Wasail, vol 6, pg, 279.

37. Neither Angels nor Prophets

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A) said: (On the Day of Judgment, a group would be seen in the most excellent and honourable of states. They would be asked if they were of the Angels or of the Prophets. In reply they would state): "We are-neither Angels nor Prophets but of the indigent ones from the ummah of Muhammad (S.A.W.A)". They would then be asked: "How then did you achieve this lofty and honourable status?" They would reply: "We did not perform very many good deeds nor did we pass all the days in a state of fasting or all the nights in a state of worship but yes, we used to offer our (daily) prayers (regularly) and whenever we used to hear the mention of Muhammad (S.A.W.A), tears would roll down our cheeks".

Mustadrak al-Wasail, vol 10, pg. 318.

38. Visiting the Shrine of Imam Hussain (A.S.)

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: He (Imam Husain) sees those, who come to his shrine and he knows them by their names, their father's names and their ranks in the eyes of Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious, better than you know your own children!

Wasaail al Shiah vol 14, pg. 411.

39. Isa (A.S.) Weeps

Imam A'li (A.S.) said to Ibn A'bbas: (Once when he happened to pass by Kerbala), Isa (A.S.) sat down and began to weep. His disciples who were observing him, followed suit and began weeping too, but not comprehending the reason for this behaviour, they asked him: "O' Spirit of God! What is it that makes you weep?" Isa (A.S.) said: "Do you know what land this is?" The disciples replied: "No." He then said: "This is the land on, which the son of the Prophet Ahmad (S.A.W.A) shall be killed.

Bihar al Anwar vol 44 pg. 252.

40. All Creatures Weep over Imam Husain (A.S.)

Abu Baseer narrates that Imam Baqir (A.S.) said: The humans, the jinn, the birds and the wild beasts (all) mourned and wept over (the tragedy which befell) Husain Ibn A'li (A.S.)

Kaamil al-Ziyaaraat, pg. 79.

Freedom of choice : A perspective from Karbala

The concept of ‘Destiny’ (known as Qaza in Arabic) is understood differently by the various sects of Islam. Ahle Sunnah (primarily Ashairas) believe that whatever is written in destiny has to happen and cannot be changed. Man is forced to commit an act due to destiny – be it an evil act or a good deed. That is how they try to exonerate Yazid (l.a.) from the grave sin of killing Imam Husain (a.s.) and his companions. This concept is known as ‘pre-destination in actions of man.’

However, as per the Shite belief, Allah has given man freedom to choose and act according to his own wishes. It is up to man to decide his path which will lead him to heaven or hell in the Hereafter. Pre-destination exists only in actions of Allah wherein there is no role for man like in creation of sun, moon, planets, creation of man himself, his color, his health, his age etc. We believe that man will not be questioned about these pre-destined things. Reward and punishment is only for actions wherein man has freedom

 Let us try to learn a few things about free-will from the events of Karbala. Many people wanted to help Imam Husain (a.s.) rise against the tyrant Yazid (l.a.), but very few were able to shape their destiny into being immortalized companions of Imam Husain (a.s.). Let us take a look at few personalities in this event who had utilized their free-will either to earn heaven or to acquire a place in hell.

1.      Janabe Hurr ibn Yazid-e-Riyahi: The most famous of personalities, who switched sides on the eve of Ashura. Hurr had the recognition of Imam Husain’s (a.s.) status. He had wished to avoid a battle with Imam (a.s.) and questioned Umar-e-Saad about the same. When Umar’s army was determined on attacking Imam Husain’s (a.s.) camp, Hurr decided that he needed to make a choice. This choice was not an easy one. He was the leader of his army. He was a brave and valiant soldier and his army looked up to him with great respect and honor. If he switched sides, he and his family would be rebuked in society and he would lose all stature in the social society. But in the end he concluded that his Hereafter would be successful if he joined Imam Husain’s (a.s.) camp.

2.      Janabe Zuhayr ibn Qayn Bajali: Zuhayr was a staunch ‘Uthmani’ during his lifetime. He had proceeded on Hajj in 60 A.H. and during his return back home, realized that his caravan was trailing the caravan of Imam Husain (a.s.). Inspite of all his efforts, at a station known as Zaroud his tents were pitched opposite Imam’s (a.s.) tents. When Imam (a.s.) sent a messenger to Zuhayr, he was reluctant to visit Imam (a.s.). However, at this stage it was his wife Dayllam binte Amr, who acted as an agent of ‘Taufeeq’ from Allah and insisted that Zuhayr visit the Imam (a.s.), atleast out of respect for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). The Zuhayr who left the tent was Uthmani but the Zuhayr who returned back after meeting Imam (a.s.) was a complete Alavi and Husaini. The reason for the change is noted in history as an advice/prophecy from Salman-e-Farsi to Zuhayr after successfully returning from a battle in Balanjar (an area of Turkistan). Salman told Zuhayr “When you are with the youth of Hazrat Muhammad’s (s.a.w.a.) progeny, you will be much happier. A holy war in their company will bring you more joy than this war booty.” (http://www.almuntazar.com/126/prophecies-of-imam-husain-ass-martyrdom/)

3.      Janabe Dayllam binte Amr: Zuhayr’s wife played her role of supporting her husband and encouraging him to join Imam Husain (a.s.). She could have easily convinced him to stay back and take care of her and their family and trade. But she decided that a destiny in the companionship of Bibi Zainab (s.a.) was better than any wealth of this world.

4.      Janabe Wahab bin Abudullah /Umayr Kalbi: Some traditions [Nafasul Mahmoon: pg. 298] state that Wahab and his family were Christians and had met Imam Husain (a.s.) during his journey towards Karbala. Wahab was recently married and was looking forward to start his new life with his wife Haniya. When he learnt about the tribulations facing Imam (a.s.) and how he was deserted by the Kufians, he decided to join the caravan of Imam Husain (a.s.). He died as a martyr in the way of Imam Husain (a.s.) and his wife too was killed by Shimr in the battle.

5.      Habib ibn Hammar: Suwaid bin Gafala narrates that once I was in the presence of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) when a person came to him saying: “O Ameerul Momineen (a.s.)! When I was passing by the valley of Qura, I saw that Khalid bin Arfata was lying dead and asked forgiveness for him.” 

Hazrat Ali (a.s.) retorted, “He will not die until he joins the army of the deviated ones and the flag-bearer of that army will be Habib bin Hammar.” From that gathering, one person stood up and said: “O Ameerul Momineen, I am your friend and my name is Habib ibn Hammar.” 

Ali (a.s.) remarked, “Yes, you will be the flag bearer of that army.” 

Ultimately Ibne Ziyad sent Umar Ibne Saad to Kufa to confront Imam Husain (a.s.). He appointed Khalid bin Arfata to lead the army and it’s flag-bearer was Habib ibn Hammar. Thus a man claiming to be Imam Ali’s (a.s.) friend ended up being the flag-bearer of the army that killed his (a.s.) son. (http://www.almuntazar.com/126/prophecies-of-imam-husain-ass-martyrdom/)

6.      Umar ibn Saad: His love for the worldly possession of the valley of Rayh convinced him to spill the blood of the Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) grandson. He spent an entire night in consultation with family and friends, but did not heed their good advice, and followed his selfish desires. In the end, he never got the promised land of Rayh and was doomed to eternal chastisement in hell.

7.      Shimr Ziljaushan: The most infamous amogst the killers of Imam Husain (a.s.) is Shimr. He is reported to be the one who cut off the head of Imam (a.s.). It is vital to note that Shimr was a soldier in the army of Imam Ali (a.s.) in the battle of Siffeen. So the opportunity for guidance was provided to him, but he refused it and in Karbala he became the most accursed person. He will spend eternity in the deepest valleys of Hell.

As can be seen from above examples, each person had the opportunity to select his path. Some were given the clear opportunity to select between heaven and hell. Others were given the opportunity to serve the Imam of their time and attain Allah’s (s.w.t) satisfaction.

Similarly, in our day-to-day lives we face options in all our actions, either to obey Allah or disobey him. We have the free-will to select our path in life – though we will be questioned about all our actions in the hereafter. So we should always pray to Allah to provide us taufeeq to do good actions, follow the path of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) and to serve them till the last breath.

Mir Anees and his service to Imam Husain (a.s.)

Debal Khuzai says that I entered in the presence of my chief and my master Ali ibn Moosa Reza (a.s.) and saw him sitting in dreary mourning gathering with his companions who were surrounding him. When he saw me coming he said to me, welcome O Debal, welcome O our helper with his hands and his tongue…

Ref: Bihar ul Anwar Vol 45 Pg. 257

As we all know that Debal Khuzai was a famous poet and companion of Imam Reza (a.s.). Imam Reza (a.s.) addresses him as a helper with his tongue because he used to recite poems and elegies in praise and sorrow respectively for Ahle Bait (a.s.).

In Urdu language, elegy is called as Marsiya.  The word Marsiya is derived from the Arabic word (root  ر- ث -ی ), meaning a great tragedy or lamentation for a departed soul. Whenever we see, read or hear the word Marsiya, the name that strikes us first at least in this sub-continent is none other than Mir Anees. Urdu Marsiya found its birth in Lucknow which was; and is still today one of the biggest centers of Shia population in India. The believers, in order to remember the tragedy of Imam Husain (a.s.) and his companions in Karbala and the ladies in the streets of Kufa and Shaam recited Marsiyas. This form of poetry reached its peak at the time of Mir Anees and his contemporary Mirza Salamat Ali Dabeer. While there were other key contributors before and after them viz. Mir Taqi Mir and Josh Malihabadi to name a few. However, in this article we shall restrict our discussion to the contribution of Mir Anees only.

Mir Babbar Ali Anees was born in year 1802. His father was Mir Khaleeq who himself was a poet and litterateur. There is no doubt that Mir Anees had great influence of his family which boasted 22 poets. Mir Anees has proudly introduced himself and the constellation of poets in his family in the below mentioned lines

Namak-e-Khwaan-e-Takallum hai Fasaahat meri
Naatqein band hain sun sun ke balaaghat meri

Rang udte hain wo rangeen hai ibarat meri
Shor jiska hai wo darya hai tabeeyat meri

            Umr guzri hai isi dasht ki saiyaahi mein
            Paanchvi pusht hai Shabbir ki maddaahi mein

The last line indicates that all his forefathers were poets of Ahle Bait (a.s.). Though Mir Anees knew the art of writing poems from a very young age his inclination was towards writing poems on worldly affairs. It is mentioned in the preface of ‘Intekhab e Mir Anees’ that while he was a teenager, he had written many poems on worldly affairs. As soon as his father came to know about it, he reprimanded him by saying that you have got your tongue and power of writing through Ahle Bait (as), hence you should write and recite poems only for them. This was the turning point for him and he dedicated his entire life in the service of Sayyidus Shohada (a.s.).

Mir Anees has written  more than ten thousand Marsiyas which does not include Salaam and Nauhas. Each of these Marsiyas would run from 80 to 220 stanzas of Musaddas (Six liner poetry) narrating the atrocities and the sorrow of people of Karbala. Nowadays, only a few stanzas of a given Marsiya are recited before any Majlis.

Mir Anees broadened the scope of Marsiya by including, realistic scenes of the battlefield, describing the face and physique of the warrior, emotional conversations of the Ahle Haram, perfect descriptions of the landscape, and occasional comparisons of situations and personalities in addition to the customary lamentation and mourning.

Mir Anees was a master of simple, natural utterance, with a superb command on the language, which was always adequate to express a large variety of moods, scenes, characters and situations. He is specially notable for presenting the same scene or situation, over and over again, in different words or phrases, without letting it appear monotonous. Let us have a look at one of innovative way of speaking about shahadat of Imam Husain (a.s.)

Teero pe teer aa chuke bus ai Husain bus

Zakhmo pe zakhm khaa chuke bus ai Husain bus

Laashe pe Laasha laa chuke bus ai Husain bus

Hum tumko aazma chuke bus ai Husain bus

Sar ko jukado khanjar e bedaad ke liye

Kuch imtehan chod do Sajjaad ke liye

Another significant contribution of Mir Anees was that he has used unique titles for Aba Abdillah (a.s.) and introduced words which the urdu language was unaware of.

There is a book soon to be launched with the named ‘1000 titles of Imam Husain (a.s.) ’. All these titles are compiled from the Marsiyas of Mir Anees and the titles he has used for Sayyidush Shohada (a.s.). Given below is a small example

Is dabdabe se lashkar e paima shikan me aaye

Jaise shikar khelne ko sher bann me aaye

Ya bulbul ishtiyaq me gul ke chaman me aaye

Ghul pad gaya ‘Hato, Asadullah rann me aaye’

Agli safein ulat gayi yun pichli fauj par

Jis tarah mauj girti hai toofan me mauj par

With regards to new words in Urdu, kindly read the two lines from a very famous Musaddas below

Husain jab ke chale baad e do pahar rann ko

Koi na tha ke jo thaame lagaame TAUSAN ko

The word Tausan which means a war horse was introduced in Urdu vocabulary by Mir Anees.

Its been more than 150 years that Mir Anees departed for the celestial world but yet his Marsiyas are unmatched in eloquence, simplicity and yet heart rendering. Today, many Zaakirs and famous Nauhakhwans use lines from the Marsiya of Mir Anees in their speeches and Nauhas.  He has inspired non Shias and non Muslims to recite his Marsiyas which gave additional exposure to the event of Karbala. The marsiyas of Mir Anees are part of Urdu syllabus in many curriculams.

Mir Anees changed the way and scaled to new heights in the path of how Masaeb of Karbala are recited through poetry. No one else can give a more befitting tribute to him other then his greatest contemporary and the one who can be compared to him i.e. Mirza Dabeer. After the death of Mir Anees, Mirza Dabeer dedicated these two lines for him

Aasmaa be Maahe Kaamil, Sidra be Roohul Amin

                                                Toor e Siina be Kaleemullah, Mimbar be Anees

Janabe Mohsin ibne Ali (a.s.)

"And when the female infant buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed."

(Sura At-Takwir – 81:8-9)

Mufazzal Ibn Umar, the respected companion and special deputy of Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked, “What is your opinion about these verses?

Imam (a.s) informed: “O Mufazzal, by Allah, ‘Maudato’ (i.e. infant) in this verse means Mohsin (a.s) and surely he is from us and not others. Those who claim otherwise are lying.”

Then Imam (a.s) elaborated (on the events on the Day of Resurrection) "Fatimah, the daughter of the Allah’s Messenger will supplicate ” O Allah fulfill Your Promise and Your Pledge with me with regards to those who oppressed me, usurped my rights, struck me and distressed me with regards to all my children..."1

Mohsin Ibn Ali (a.s) is the third son of Ali (a.s) and Fatimah (s.a) after Hasan (a.s) and Husain (as). He is also referred to as Mushabbar which is also the name of Prophet Haroon Ibn Imran’s (as) third son. He was no more than six months fetus at the time of the attack.2

BURNING OF THE DOOR & THE MARTYRDOM OF JANABE MOHSIN (A.S)

There are plenty of narrations which proveMohsin ibn Ali (a.s) martyrdom from the attack on Fatimah's (s.a) house. Those interested in seeking the truth of the matter should not be surprised to find scores of scholars and historians (Shia and Sunni both) record the martyrdom of Mohsin ibn Ali (as) in a manner that puts the issue beyond doubt.

Here we present a letter which Umar's  wrote to Muawiya  regarding the attack on the house of Janabe Zahra (s.a), the contents of which were as follows:

‘I went to the house of Ali, after having decided with others to bring him out of the house. Fatima came out and I told her, ‘Tell Ali to come out and swear the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr (l.a) for all Muslims have done so.’

Fatima (s.a) replied that Ali (a.s) was busy in arranging the Quran.

I said, ’Keep this talk aside, tell Ali to come out or else we will forcefully enter the house and bring him out!’

At that moment, Fatima came and stood with her back towards the door and said, ‘O misled liars! What do you say and what do you want from us?’

I addressed her and she said, ‘what do you want O Umar?’

I replied, ‘Why has your cousin sent you here to reply while he remains seated behind veils?’

Fatima said, ‘Your rebellion has brought me out O Umar and I have ended my proof upon you, and every misled is erroneous.’

I said, ‘Keep these vain and womanish words aside and tell Ali to come out of the house.’

She replied, ‘You are not worthy of love and generosity. Do you make us fear the ‘Party of the Devil’ O Umar? Verily the Party of the Devil are the losers!’ (Surah Mujadilah (58): 19)

Hearing this I said, ‘If Ali does not come out of the house, I will bring fuel and kindle a fire and burn down the house along with its dwellers or I will take Ali to the Masjid for (the oath of) allegiance.’

Then I took the whip (of Qunfudh) and struck Fatima with it and told Khalid b. Walid, ‘Bring firewood’, then again I told her, ‘I will burn down the house!’

Fatima said, ‘O enemy of Allah and enemy of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.a) and the enemy of the Commander of the Faithful!’

Two hands came out from behind the door to stop me from entering the house, however I pushed back the hands and then pushed the door with force, while striking at her hands with the whip, so that she would let go of the door. She wailed and wept due to the intense pain of the whip and her weeping was such a heart-rendering scream that it was as if my heart was going to melt and I almost retreated. Suddenly, I recalled the envy and avarice which I had towards Ali because he was the one that had shed the blood of the eminent Quraish apostates and thus, I kicked at the door, however she had grasped the door such that it would not open. When I kicked at the door, I heard the cry of Fatima and thought that this cry would topple the entire city of Medina.

In this state Fatima called out, ‘O Father! O Prophet of Allah! How do they treat your beloved and your daughter! O Fizza! Hasten to my aid, for by Allah, the child in my womb has been killed.’

I presumed that Fatima had stood with her back to the wall due to the extreme pain of labour and at this point, I pushed at the door with intense force and the door opened. When I entered therein, Fatima came and stood in front of me (even though she was in immense pain), but my intense anger had overwhelmed me as if a veil was cast before my eyes. In this state, I slapped her on her face, striking her veil, and she fell down to the ground.’”

(This letter is quoted by AllamahMajlisi r.a. in Behaar al-Anwaar in which he says - I have related this letter from Dalail al-Imamah vol. 2 of Emaad al-DeenTabarir.a. that after the martyrdom of Imam Husain a.s. at Karbala, Abdullah b. Umar l.a. along with a group of people from Medina came to Syria. They protested in front of Yazidl.a. regarding his atrocities at Karbala and in this gathering, Yazidl.a. told Abdullah b. Umar l.a., “Do you wish to see the letter of your father”, saying this he brought forth the letter (quoted in the text) of Umar l.a. which was kept in a case and then he gave it to Abdullah l.a..)

Hazrat Ali (a.s) came out in such a condition - his eyes were reddened and his head uncovered. He placed his cloak over Hazrat Zahra (s.a). He embraced her and called out to Fizzah,

"O Fizzah! Come and support your princess. See how she had been suffering at the door."

Hazrat Mohsin was martyred at that spot. Hazrat Ali (a.s) said,

"He will meet his grandfather - the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) and describe this tragic event to him. O Fizzah! Please take Fatemah inside the house."3

Another narration states that Qunfuz (l.a) struck her with the whip on her face, her sides and her arms such that the blue marks of the injuries remained on her arms till she was martyred. If not anything, one can surely say that this event was the primary cause for her martyrdom.

Another report mentions that Khalid ibne Waleed struck her with his sword.

Yet another report informs us that Khalid ibne Waleed pushed the door with great force on her. It is for this reason that reliable historians hold Khalid responsible for the death of Janabe’ Mohsin in the womb of his mother.

As per another narration it is reported that, MoghayrahIbne’ Sho’bah struck her with his sword with such force that she bled profusely. Or that he caused the door to fall on her womb. Historians have also held Moghayrah responsible for the martyrdom of HazratMohsin.

Some narrations state that Umar struck Janabe’ Zahra (s.a.) with the sheath of his sword, and lashed her with a whip till her arms were blacked by the wounds.  And these marks remained with her till she died.4

Conclusion:

Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a) had frequently said: "Fatimah is a part of me. Whoever makes her angry, makes me angry."

Allah (swt) says in Qur’an:

"(O Prophet) tell (people) I don’t ask you any wage except to love my family.”(Sura Ash-Shura - 42:23).

But, those who claimed to be his sincere companions entered the house of Ali (as), J.Fatima (s.a), Hasan (a.s) and Husain (a.s) without permission, lashing the side of Lady Fatima (sa), burning the door with the fire, beating on the hands of Janabe Fatima (sa) with whip, injuring her womb and miscarriage of Mohsin (as) while a week had not been passed since the death of the Prophet (s.a.w.a).

IS THIS THE LOVE, ALLAH ORDERED FOR THE FAMILY OF PROPHET?

May Allah curse the killers of Mohsin Ibn Ali (a.s) and hasten the reappearance of the Last Imam (as) who will avenge the blood of Mohsin Ibn Ali (as).Ameen!

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1. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 53 pp. 23-24

2. Al-Hidaayat al-Kubra, p. 407, Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 53 p. 19

3. Al-Hidaayatul Kubra, pg.407

4. Oppression on the Ahlulbayt (a.s) p.61-64