Martyrdom of Hadhrat Ali Akbar and Hadhrat Ali Asghar (May Allah be well pleased with them)

Martyrdom of Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar and Hadhrat 'Ali Asghar

(May Allah be well pleased with them)

 

Again the battlefield is in uproar that a tiger is entering it.  Who is it?  There is an uproar that the exact replica of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is coming.  All others have gone.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) stepped forward and requested:  All others have sacrificed themselves.  Only this slave is left.  I can’t see your loneliness.  Permit me as well.

 

Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  Son!  Will you squander away 18 years of efforts in the plain of Karbala?  Go to Madina.

 

Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  I will not remain in this world even a moment without you.  Will you leave me in the hands of those oppressors?

 

When the requests and insistence of Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) increased beyond limits, then Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) himself handed him weapons and granted him permission.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) took his leave and entered the battlefield.  The exact replica of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is coming.  Whenever anybody was reminded of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), they would see Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) and listen to his talk.  Thus, Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered the battlefield.

 

‘Abdullah bin Zyad told a person to ask Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) to unveil his face.  There is a great desire to see the beauty of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) unveiled his face.  The whole army of Yazid started crying on seeing his face.  Wailing was heard from every corner.  Shimar, the accursed, angrily said:  If you had so much affection for him, why did you choose to do this task and why did you kill so many members of his family.  He ordered his army to get ready and gave the command for attack.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) too showed such ancestral martial prowess that he cut down 200 wretches and came back to Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) and said:  Father!  The thirst is very severe.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) let him suck his tongue.

 

He again entered the battlefield and demanded an opponent (for duel).  Nobody dared come forward.  He himself fell on the army.  It was a bolt of thunder that struck them.  Wherever he turned, cries of “Save us” would be heard.  Dead bodies piled up all around.  He again turned back and said:  Father!  This thirst is killing me.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) let him suck the ring of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The thirst abated a bit.  He again returned to the battlefield.

 

The commander of the army told Tariq that if he martyrs this son of Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him), he will make him the governor of Mosul.  He took oaths and gave his ring to him.  Only then, out of desire for the governorship of Mosul, did Tariq step forward to fight Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him).  He struck with his spear.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) parried his thrust and speared him with such agility that his spear pierced Tariq’s chest and stuck out of his back.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) spurred on his horse.  Tariq was still stuck to the spear.  In this gallop, Tariq was reduced to shreds and ribbons.

 

Tariq’s son entered the battlefield and angrily clutched at Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar’s (May Allah be well pleased with him) garments.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) cleanly lifted him off his saddle and slammed him onto the ground.  There was an uproar in the army.  Out of fear, nobody dared come forward.

 

The commander pushed forward Misraa’a.  He also used a spear.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) parried it with his sword with such skill that the spear splintered.  Misraa’a tried to grab the sword, but before he could pull, Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) struck with such skill that along with his saddle, he was cut into two.

 

Now no one could step forward.  2000 mounted soldiers were ordered to attack all at once.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) seemed like a hungry tiger attacking a herd of goats.  He cut his way to the center of the army.  He again turned back to Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) and complained of thirst.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  Son!  No worry.  In a few moments you will reach the Houz-e-Kauthar and quench your thirst.

 

He again entered the battlefield and was attacking all around when Ibn Khumair tricked him and struck him with a spear.  Munqidh, the accursed, struck him with a sword.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) fell from the horse, injured and called out to his father.

 

Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) picked him up, brought him inside and laid his head in his lap.  He called him:  The solace of my heart!  Talk to your father.  Hadhrat ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him) opened his eyes.  He saw that he was lying in the lap of his father.  His mother and sisters were all standing around crying.  He said:  Father!  The doors of the heavens are open.  The damsels of paradise are standing with chalices of sherbet in their hands.  He was saying this and his blessed soul left for paradise.

 

Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  Son!  You have also gone to other world to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

Martyrdom of Hadhrat ‘Ali Asghar (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

For Hadhrat ‘Ali Asghar (May Allah be well pleased with him), 3 days had passed without any milk or water.  Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) thought that the wretches would at least have mercy on the innocent baby.  He took Hadhrat ‘Ali Asghar (May Allah be well pleased with him) to the army.  The mother said:  Don’t lose him like you lost ‘Ali Akbar (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Hadhrat Sukaina (May Allah be well pleased with her) said:  Father!  Bring my brother soon.  Let me drink the water left over by Asghar.

 

Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered the battlefield with the infant in his arms and said:  People!  What crime did this innocent one commit?  This thirst is killing him.  Give him at least a drop of water.  Some wretch shot an arrow which pierced his throat.

 

The Imam brought Hadhrat ‘Ali Asghar (May Allah be well pleased with him) back to the tents in the same condition.  His mother asked:  Did you get him water to drink?  The Imam replied:  Yes, I have let him drink from the Houz-e-Kauthar.

 

[Excerpted from Shahaadatnama of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan]