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The Yazeedis’ hearts were so hard and they were such vile people that even after seeing the miracles of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), they did not learn their lesson and repent, but instead continued to attack Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and his companions.
Yazeed Ibn Ma’qal came onto the battlefield from the Kufi side whilst Borair Ibn Hudhair came onto the battlefield from the Hussaini side. Borair struck Yazeed so harshly on the head that the sword cut through his helmet and reached his brain. Yazeed fell down on the spot. Suddenly, Radhi leaped onto Borair and both of them began to wrestle. Eventually, Borair managed to bring Radhi down and Borair was on the chest of Radhi when Ka’b ran towards Borair and stabbed him in the back with a spear. Borair was then martyred.
After this, Hurr came out from Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) side and he was to fight against Yazeed Ibn Sufyan. Hurr managed to kill him with one strike. After Hurr, Nafi’ Ibn Hilaal moved forward from Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) side and he fought against Mu’zaahim Ibn Horaith and killed him.
The battle continued for a while in this manner with one soldier coming onto the battlefield from each side. Amazingly, whichever soldier would come from the Kufi army would not leave the battlefield alive. Upon seeing this condition, Amr Ibn Hajjaaj screamed at the Ahle Kufa, “O foolish people, you do not know against whom you are fighting. These people (who you are fighting against) love death more than life. Never face them one after the other individually but rather fight against them in groups.”
Amr Ibn Sa’d admired this view and he ordered that the tactics be altered. Amr Ibn Hajjaaj then organised a sweeping attack on the right wing of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) army along with a division from the Kufi army. The battle lasted a while and Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) devoted companion, Hazrat Muslim Ibn Owsajah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was martyred.
Shimar thereafter attacked the left wing of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) army with a huge troop. Whilst Shimar was attacking the left wing, the Yazeedi army began to break upon the companions of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) from all four corners. There was a powerful battle. Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was accompanied by 32 horsemen. Wherever these horsemen would face towards, they would scatter the lines of Ahle Kufa’s soldiers until eventually, the entire Yazeedi army was confused.
Ibn Sa’d immediately sent 500 archers who shot many arrows towards the Hussaini army injuring all the horses and rendering them disabled. In spite of this, the devotees of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) did not lose their spirit as they descended from their horses and fought bravely and selflessly, puzzling the Yazeedi army.
Ayyub Ibn Musharrih Al-Khayawani used to explain how Hurr fought courageously when Ayyub shot an arrow towards his horse and the arrow went straight down the horse’s throat. The horse fell down but Hurr jumped from it like a lion and pulling out his sword came onto the battlefield. Hurr recited a verse at this point which meant, “If you have disabled my horse, what difference does it make? I am Hurr, the lion. I am brave and noble.” Ibn Mashrah also used to say that he had never seen anyone fight with a sword like Hurr.”
When the beginning time of Zohr Salaah began, Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) requested that the Kufis be told that they should provide time in which he and his followers could perform Salaah. The disgraceful Haseen Ibn Nomair answered that Imam Hussain’s Salaah would not be accepted. Habeeb Ibn Muzaahir said to Haseen, “You fool. Do you think that the Salaah of the grandson of Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will not be accepted whilst your Salaah shall be accepted?” Ibn Nomair angrily attacked him and Habeeb Ibn Muzaahir saved Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and then quickly struck Ibn Nomair’s horse on its mouth which made the horse jump up. He fell from the back of the horse when it jumped up out of pain but the Kufis saved Ibn Nomair by rushing towards him and grabbing him.
After that, many Kufis surrounded Habeeb Ibn Muzaahir and he fought them fearlessly for a long time but it was quite clear that one man could not tackle a huge group of people for a very long period of time. When Habeeb Ibn Muzaahir was tired of competing, an archer struck him with an arrow which caused him to stumble and fall. Habeeb Ibn Muzaahir was about to rise when Ibn Nomair attacked him with a sword causing him to once again fall. The archer then descended from the horse and severed the head of Habeeb Ibn Muzaahir. His martyrdom had caused a huge emotional effect upon the heart of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and he said, “I have handed over my life and the life of my companions to Allah the Almighty.”
When Hurr saw that Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was aggrieved, he left towards the battlefield along with Zuhair Ibn Qain singing inspirational war songs. Both of them fought harshly. When one of them would attack the enemy and then find himself surrounded by the enemy, the other would come to his rescue. In this way, both men continued to practice swordsmanship until finally a huge army surrounded Hurr and martyred him. Zuhair Ibn Qain was now left alone but he also continued to fight the enemy until eventually, he was also martyred during combat.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq to learn from the courage, bravery and sacrifice of the Shuhada-e-Karbala and the Taufeeq to stand up for Haqq even in adversity, Ameen.
[Compiled from Khutbaat-e-Muharram by Faqeeh-e-Millat Hazrat Allama Mufti Jalaaludeen Ahmad Amjadi Rahmatullah Alaih]
