maqtal al-husain

322 Pages·2003·2 MB·English

`Abd al-Razz(cid:126)q al-Muqarram
MAQTAL AL-HUSAIN:
.
Martyrdom Epic of Im(cid:126)m al-Husain ((cid:150))
.
Translated from the Arabic and Edited
By
Yasin T. al-Jibouri
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CONTENTS
AUTHOR'S BIOGRAPHY ...............................................................9
1. AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND ....................................................9
2. HIS LINEAGE ................................................................10
3. HIS BIRTH AND UPBRINGING .................................................11
4. HIS MENTORS ...............................................................12
5. THE STATUS OF HIS SCHOLARSHIP ...........................................13
6. HIS STYLE ..................................................................13
7. HIS FIRST BOOK .............................................................14
8. MAQTAL AL-HUSAIN, THE BOOK ...............................................14
9. HIS LEGACY ................................................................16
A. HIS PUBLISHED BOOKS ................................................16
B. INTRODUCTIONS AND PREFACES FOR LEGACY BOOKS ..................16
C. HIS MANUSCRIPTS ....................................................16
10. HIS LOYALTY TO AHL AL-BAYT ((cid:150)) ..........................................17
11. HIS POETRY. ...............................................................18
12. HOW HIS LIFE WAS CONCLUDED ............................................18
PART I
AL-HUSAIN'S UPRISING ........................................................21
THE PROPHETS ARE
ON AL-HUSAIN'S SIDE ......................................................... 34
THE INTENTION TO KILL .............................................................36
THE VERSE OF PERDITION ...........................................................44
SUMMARY ....................................................................48
AL-HUSAIN'S PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
OF HIS MARTYRDOM ..........................................................51
AL-HUSAIN: A CONQUEROR ..........................................................52
AL-HUSAIN AMONG HIS COMPANIONS ................................................58
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) ON THE TAFF DAY ....................................................66
DESERTION PERMITTED .............................................................69
SUMMARY ....................................................................74
THE SHAR(cid:166) `A SURVIVED
THROUGH AL-HUSAIN .........................................................75
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MOURNING AL-HUSAIN .............................................................. 77
FEIGN WEEPING .....................................................................78
PROSTRATING ON THE TURBA ........................................................ 81
LEGISLATING THE ZIY(cid:125)RAT ..........................................................82
PREFERRING THEM ((cid:150))
OVER ALL OTHERS ............................................................85
COMPOSING POETRY IN THEIR MEMORY .............................................87
THE QUESTION OF MARCHING
WITH THE FAMILY
..............................................................................90
`ALAWIDES’ REVOLUTIONS .......................................................... 92
THE KERBAL(cid:125)’ EPIC .................................................................95
MUHARRAM HAS COME .............................................................95
THE MONTH OF MUHARRAM .........................................................95
YAZ(cid:166)D SON OF MU`(cid:125)WIYAH .......................................................... 96
MEN EXPRESSING FEAR
FOR AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) ...........................................................103
VIEW OF `OMER AL-ATRAF ...................................................103
VIEW OF IBN AL-HANAFIYYA .................................................104
UMM SALAMAH'S VIEW ...................................................... 105
VIEW OF THE H(cid:125)SHIMITE LADIES .............................................106
VIEW OF `ABDULL(cid:125)H IBN `OMER ..............................................107
THE WILL ..........................................................................107
DEPARTURE FROM MED(cid:166)NA .........................................................109
IN MECCA .........................................................................110
THE K(cid:226)FIANS’ LETTERS ............................................................112
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) RESPONDS ...........................................................113
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MUSLIM STARTS HIS TRIP ..........................................................114
ENTERING K(cid:226)FA ...................................................................114
THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE .........................................................115
MUSLIM'S STAND ..................................................................117
H(cid:125)NI'S STAND. ..................................................................... 120
MUSLIM’S UPRISING................................................................122
AL-MUKHT(cid:125)R IS JAILED ............................................................123
MUSLIM AT THE HOUSE OF TAW`A ..................................................124
MUSLIM MEETS IBN ZIY(cid:125)D .........................................................126
THE JOURNEY TO IRAQ .............................................................130
MECCA:
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) DELIVERS A SERMON ..........................................131
ATTEMPTS TO DISSUADE HIM
FROM DEPARTING............................................................131
WHY DID THE IM(cid:125)M ((cid:150)) LEAVE? .....................................................133
AL-TAN`(cid:166)M ...................................................................136
AL-SIF(cid:125) .....................................................................137
THAT `IRQ ...................................................................138
AL-H(cid:125)JIR ....................................................................138
SOME INFORMERS .................................................................139
AL-KHUZAYMIYYA...........................................................139
ZAR(cid:226)D ......................................................................140
AL-THA`LABIYYA ............................................................142
AL-SHUQ(cid:226)Q..................................................................142
ZUB(cid:125)LA .....................................................................143
IN THE HEARTLAND OF AL-`AQABA ...........................................143
SHAR(cid:125)F .....................................................................144
AL-BAYDA ...................................................................146
AL-RUHAYMA ...............................................................147
AL-Q(cid:125)DISIYYA ...............................................................147
AL-`UTHAYB .................................................................148
QASR BANI MUQ(cid:125)TIL .........................................................149
THE TAFF VILLAGES .........................................................151
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KERBAL(cid:125)’ .........................................................................153
IBN ZIY(cid:125)D MEETS AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) ....................................................156
IBN ZIY(cid:125)D DELIVERS A SPEECH ..................................................... 158
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) MEETS THE K(cid:226)FIANS .................................................159
THE HOSTS ........................................................................160
THE WATERING PLACE .............................................................161
THE SEVENTH DAY .................................................................162
CONCEIT OF IBN SA`D ..............................................................164
CALUMNY OF IBN SA`D .............................................................165
AL-SHIMR'S OPPRESSIVENESS .......................................................166
SECURITY .........................................................................167
BAN(cid:226) ASAD ........................................................................168
DAY NINE .........................................................................168
THOSE WHOSE CONSCIENCE IS FREE ................................................170
THE NIGHT PRECEDING `(cid:125)SH(cid:226)RA ....................................................172
`(cid:125)SH(cid:226)RA ..........................................................................177
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) ON `(cid:125)SH(cid:226)RA ......................................................... 180
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) SUPPLICATES ..................................................181
THE FIRST SERMON .......................................................... 181
A MIRACLE AND GUIDANCE .................................................. 184
ZUHAYR IBN AL-QAYN DELIVERS A SPEECH ...................................185
BURAYR'S SPEECH ...........................................................186
AL-HUSAIN'S SECOND SERMON ...............................................186
IBN SA`D’S MISGUIDANCE ....................................................188
AL-HURR REPENTS ...........................................................189
AL-HURR ADMONISHES THE K(cid:226)FIANS .........................................190
THE FIRST CAMPAIGN ........................................................ 190
DUELS BETWEEN TWO OR FOUR WARRIORS ................................... 192
AN APPEAL FOR HELP, AND GUIDANCE ........................................ 192
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THE RIGHT WING REMAINS FIRM ..............................................193
MUSLIM IBN `AWSAJAH ......................................................193
THE LEFT WING .............................................................. 194
`IZRAH REQUESTS REINFORCEMENTS ......................................... 194
ABU AL-SHA`TH(cid:125)' ............................................................195
AT THE TIME OF ZAW(cid:125)L ......................................................195
AB(cid:166)B IBN MU(cid:125)HIR ............................................................196
AL-HURR AL-RIY(cid:125)HI .........................................................196
PRAYERS ....................................................................197
THE HORSES HAMSTRUNG ....................................................198
ABU THUM(cid:125)MAH ............................................................199
ZUHAYR AND IBN MU(cid:125)DRIB .................................................. 199
`AMR IBN QARZAH ...........................................................199
N(cid:125)FI` AL-JAMALI .............................................................200
W(cid:125)DI AND ASLAM ...........................................................200
BURAYR IBN KHAYR .........................................................201
HANALAH AL-SHAB(cid:125)MI ......................................................202
`(cid:125)BIS ........................................................................202
JOHN ........................................................................203
ANAS AL-K(cid:125)HILI .............................................................203
`AMR IBN JUN(cid:125)DAH ..........................................................204
AL-HAJJ(cid:125)J AL-JU`FI ...........................................................204
SUW(cid:125)R ......................................................................205
SUW(cid:166)D....................................................................... 205
MARTYRDOM OF AHL AL-BAYT ((cid:150)) ..................................................206
ALI AL-AKBAR ............................................................... 206
`ABDULL(cid:125)H IBN MUSLIM .....................................................213
CAMPAIGN OF THE FAMILY OF ABU T(cid:125)LIB ...........................................213
AL-Q(cid:125)SIM AND HIS BROTHER ................................................. 214
BROTHERS OF AL-`ABB(cid:125)S ((cid:150)) ..................................................217
MARTYRDOM OF AL-`ABB(cid:125)S ((cid:150)) ...............................................217
THE MASTER OF MARTYRS ((cid:150)) ON THE BATTLEFIELD ................................. 221
THE INFANT .................................................................222
THE SECOND FAREWELL .....................................................227
MUHAMMED IBN ABU SA`(cid:166)D ..................................................230
`ABDULL(cid:125)H SON OF AL-HASAN ((cid:150)) ............................................231
THE SUPPLICATION ..........................................................233
THE HORSE ..................................................................233
AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) MAURAUDED ..................................................235
PART II
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POST-MARTYRDOM EVENTS .................................................. 236
THE ELEVENTH NIGHT..............................................................236
THE ELEVENTH NIGHT IN THE COMPANY
OF AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) ............................................................244
THE LOOTING ......................................................................246
THE STEED ........................................................................249
THE SEVERED HEADS ..............................................................251
DEPARTING FROM KERBAL(cid:125)’ .......................................................252
K(cid:226)FA ..............................................................................257
ZAINAB'S SPEECH ............................................................258
F(cid:125)TIMA DAUGHTER OF AL-HUSAIN ((cid:150)) DELIVERS A SPEECH ..................... 259
UMM KULTH(cid:226)M SPEAKS OUT ................................................. 261
AL-SAJJ(cid:125)D ((cid:150)) DELIVERS A SPEECH ............................................262
THE BURIAL .......................................................................263
AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION ..................................................... 268
IBN `AF(cid:166)F ....................................................................272
AL-MUKHT(cid:125)R AL-THAQAFI ...................................................273
THE SACRED HEAD SPEAKS ................................................... 275
OPPRESSION OF AL-ASHDAQ ..................................................278
UMM AL-BANEEN ............................................................ 280
`ABDULL(cid:125)H IBN JA`FER.... ................................................... 282
`ABDULL(cid:125)H IBN `ABB(cid:125)S ......................................................284
THE CAPTIVES TAKEN TO SYRIA .................................................... 286
IN SYRIA ..........................................................................288
YAZ(cid:166)D MEETS AL-SAJJ(cid:125)D ((cid:150)) ..................................................292
THE MOST SACRED HEAD .....................................................294
A SYRIAN ENCOUNTERS F(cid:125)IMA ...............................................297
ZAINAB'S SPEECH ............................................................297
THE HOUSE OF RUINS ........................................................300
BACK TO MED(cid:166)NA ..................................................................300
THE SEVERED HEAD REJOINS THE BODY .............................................302
THE ARBA`EEN. .................................................................... 303
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A SUMMARY OF THE MARKS OF A MU'MIN ...........................................307
IN MED(cid:166)NA ........................................................................310
CONCLUSION ................................................................314
PART IV
EULOGIES ...................................................................315
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In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
AUTHOR'S BIOGRAPHY
By
Sayyid Muhammed Husain al-Muqarram
. .
1. Author’s Background
The author is a defender of the Im(cid:126)ms of Guidance who carried on the Shar(cid:167)`a of the Master of
Messengers ((cid:137)), raised the saline features of the creed, explained the Sunnah and promoted
righteousness. The said Im(cid:126)ms ((cid:150)) disseminated the Islamic teachings whenever they had the
opportunity to do so, braving numerous trials and tribulations, persevering in every hostile environment.
Their foes envied them while those who despised and hated them harboured a great deal of grudge against
them. The intestines of some of them were cut open while the livers of others were chopped. Swords severed
their joints, and they were hurled into dark dungeons. Despite all of this, the light of the truth did, indeed,
dispel the darkness of misguidance. Truth always subdues falsehood. Generations have been obliterated and
new ones have come as the scholars of the Infallible Household remain vigilant as guardians of the Shar(cid:167)`a.
They took upon themselves to study and clarify its obscurities and comprehend its pith. The knowledge of
Ahl al-Bayt ((cid:150)) has received a great deal of attention and awarded a great deal of concern; therefore, major
Islamic cities have been filled with many a genius and a scholar. These set up the rules and established the
branches. Their pens delved into each and every field and wrote about every branch of knowledge and
scholarship.
I find myself at this juncture reluctant to discuss the branches of knowledge about which they wrote
or the arts they categorized according to queries, or the precious treasures for whose safeguarding they
dedicated themselves. The libraries of the Western world, at major cities, are filled with large numbers of
such great works. The halls of their institutes are crowded with thousands of books which their pillars have
recorded, not to mention what is available at Islamic cities in the East of great books and magnificent
literary works. Publishing houses and scientific institutes came to their universities and scientific institutes
and took to serious work, verifying what is written and bringing out what is treasured. They kept explaining
and critiquing, clarifying, comparing, and examining. Critics' pens dived into the depths in order to take out
the jewels and the treasures therein. Opportunity was seized by every publishing establishment that loves
knowledge or seeks wealth, for people are bent on ambitiously seeking knowledge, desiring to quench their
thirst of the fountain of various branches of knowledge. [The hawza at] al-Najaf al-Ashraf is a pioneer in
.
researching, teaching and writing since it was founded by the sect's mentor, al-T(cid:227)si, in the fifth Hijri century
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(the 11th century A.D.). Its study circles are crowded with exemplary scholars who shone like stars in the
depth of the darkness and with dazzling suns during the period that followed our Im(cid:126)ms' time. They never
ceased their march, nor did they ever put down the pens that they unsheathed to remove the doubts, nor did
they abandon the pulpit. Sacred mosques are full of glorious mentors and brilliant and inspiring
intellectuals: thinkers whose fountainheads are pure. We, therefore, find al-Najaf upholding its role of
leadership. It is the ultimate desire of those who seek and appreciate knowledge, the final stop of those who
pursue honours. Do you think that its teaching staff and their status at “al-Fitiyya” would ever abandon it
while the rays of the Master of the Learned, the Im(cid:126)m of the pious, the Commander of the Faithful,
overwhelm the Islamic world, and the torches of his wisdom and teachings live in and fill the hearts? These
are only some of the precious boons of the Master of the Wise, peace be upon him.
In the deluge of the waves of these scholarly floods did our master, whose biography is here
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discussed, live and grow up. He felt distressed at finding the legacy of Ahl al-Bayt ((cid:150)) obscured in many
respects, and it hurt him to see pens unconcerned about researching their ways of life and extracting what is
hidden of their feats and merits. Is not the Islamic library satisfied with these thousands of books and literary
works that deal with Fiqh and Us(cid:227)l while the “struggle” of the masters of the world remains obscured and
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shadowed by misinformation, misrepresentation and distortion wrought by bygone antagonistic pens during
periods when Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, were not given any respite at all, nor were they befriended?
Horrible wars were waged against them and lies and fabrications invented in order to distort the facts
relevant to them. How could such pens be otherwise especially since the oppressive authority and those in
charge, during their time, felt jealous of them and schemed against them? False charges and deception were
the outcome as those who flattered the rulers spread far and wide.
Due to his extensive knowledge of these narrators and liars and his familiarity with the names of
fabricated personalities, our master whose biography we are discussing regarded it as his obligation, one
mandated on him by the Im(cid:126)ms, peace be upon them, to dedicate his efforts and energy to research and
study what these Im(cid:126)ms had taught, the knowledge which is now with us, and to clarify the reasons behind
the confusion about and the historical context of those events. He did all of this by applying the principles of
comparison and deduction in order to deduce complex injunctions.
But he came to conclude that authorship should be restricted to explaining the biographies of these
Im(cid:126)ms and the details of the circumstances wherein they lived. Are we not being unfair to them, being able
to write, having the knowledge, scholarship, and the tools of research at our disposal? Should we be too lazy
to do so or feel reluctant to unveil the facts behind whatever dubiosity was cast on what actually befell
them? The Umayyads, the Zubayris, and the `Abb(cid:126)sides waged unrelenting wars against them in order to
obscure their light and obliterate their legacy, utilizing those who followed and supported them. Is it not,
then, obligatory on us to direct our energy to continue what they had started? In other words, should we not
write books lauding them, so that we may thus support and assist their struggle, and so that we may show
the glowing facts obscured by frivolous lies? Did not our scholars delve enough into the questions of Fiqh,
Us(cid:227)l, logic, and philosophy for many centuries, leaving nothing at all for anyone else to say or to discuss or
.
to debate?! We have a moral obligation towards them. We should write about them and study their revivals
and shed a light on their statements. We must refute the charges levelled against them and the skepticism.
He, may All(cid:126)h have mercy on his soul, was of the view that an author should not exert his effort and
exhaust himself in dealing with the branches of modern or ancient knowledge without allotting a portion of
such effort or exertion to study their personalities and those of their offspring and followers who were
hanged, jailed, or exiled to distant lands and who died while remaining firm in adhering to the lofty
principles and to the true faith. This is what he himself had written in the Introduction to his explanation of a
poem by Shaikh Hasan son of Shaikh K(cid:126)zim Sabti, may All(cid:126)h have mercy on his soul, known as “al-kalim
. .
al-tayyib.” This is how he starts it: “It is, therefore, obligatory on us, having studied the basics of our beliefs,
.
to look into their [Im(cid:126)ms’] virtues, merits, and lifestyles, so that we may carry out our responsibility towards
them on one hand, and so that we may emulate them and follow their recommendations on the other.”
2. His Lineage
He is `Abdul-Razz(cid:126)q son of Muhammed son of `Abb(cid:126)s son of the scholar Hasan son of the scholar Q(cid:126)sim
. .
son of Hass(cid:227)n son of Sa`(cid:167)d son of Hasan son of Kam(cid:126)l ad-D(cid:167)n son of Husain son of Sa`(cid:167)d son of Th(cid:126)bit son
. . .
of Yahya son of Duways son of `(cid:125)sim son of Hasan son of Muhammed son of Ali son of S(cid:126)lim son of Ali
. . .
son of Sabra son of M(cid:227)sa son of Ali son of Ja`fer son of Im(cid:126)m Abul- M(cid:227)sa al-K(cid:126)zim ((cid:150)) son of Im(cid:126)m Ja`fer
.
al-S(cid:126)diq ((cid:150)). His nickname, “al-Muqarram,” is the family name. The storey behind this family name is that
one of his grandfathers was sick in his feet on account of an ailment which exhausted him, causing him to be
very thin, rendering him to house confinement. Before that incident, the family name used to be “al-Sa`(cid:167)di,”
after his grandfather Sa`(cid:167)d son of Th(cid:126)bit.
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