Click here to download this article as a pdf
Hazrat Sayyiduna Qasim (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), who was the son of Hazrat Imam Hassan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and who was engaged to Sayyidah Sakeenah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha), the daughter of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), stood before Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) at the age of 19 and sought permission to sacrifice his life for the sake of justice and truth. Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) said, “Son, you are a reminder of Imam Hassan. How can I permit you to become the target of arrows and how can I bear to see you cut by the swords of the enemy?” Sayyiduna Qasim requested, “O Uncle, permit me to fight the enemies. Please do not deprive me of the honour of being sacrificed for you.” When Sayyiduna Qasim continually insisted, Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) tearfully hugged him and bid him farewell.
A soldier from the enemy’s side claimed that when Sayyiduna Qasim came onto the battlefield, it was almost as though a part of the moon had risen before them. Sayyiduna Qasim was not wearing armour; he came attired in his normal clothes and said, “O enemies of Islam, I am Qasim Ibn Hasan Ibn Ali. Bring forth whoever you wish to bring forth in order to compete with me.” Amr Ibn Sa’d commanded a famous warrior, Arzaq, to compete against Sayyiduna Qasim. Arzaq said that he could never fight against a child like Sayyiduna Qasim because he viewed this as an insult. Ibn Sa’d said, “Do not underestimate him, he is the son of Hassan and the grandson of the Conqueror of Khaibar. It is not easy to fight him.” Arzaq said that he could never compete against this child but he had four sons who were present and he would send one of them. He arrogantly claimed that his son would return quickly after chopping off the head of Sayyiduna Qasim (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh).
Arzaq’s eldest son arrived roaring like thunder onto the battlefield with an expensive sword which had been polished with poison. As soon as he arrived onto the battlefield he attacked Sayyiduna Qasim, who managed to avoid being hurt by the strike. Sayyiduna Qasim then struck Arzaq’s eldest son with his sword and he fell down on the first strike. Sayyiduna Qasim sprung forward and snatched the sword of his enemy. The second son of Arzaq came forth in a very aggressive manner after seeing his brother restlessly lying in a pool of blood. Sayyiduna Qasim also killed him with one strike. Thereafter, the third brother came forth furiously and was swearing at Sayyiduna Qasim. Sayyiduna Qasim replied that it was against the dignity of the Ahle Bait to swear at anyone, therefore, he would answer the derogatory language by sending the man into the fire of Hell just like he had done to his brothers. Saying this, Sayyiduna Qasim killed him, separating him into two parts. The fourth son of Arzaq came onto the battlefield roaring like a lion and attacked Sayyiduna Qasim. Sayyiduna Qasim rendered his attack useless and struck him on his shoulders in such a way that he fell down facing the ground, and with all his might he attempted to rise when Sayyiduna Qasim separated his head from his body. When Sayyiduna Qasim killed all four of Arzaq’s sons, thus destroying all his arrogance, Arzaq trembled due to his rage and the person with whom he had previously viewed fighting against as a disgrace, he was now impatient to fight him.
He came onto the battlefield screaming out like an elephant and roaring like a lion. He challenged Sayyiduna Qasim that he would kill him. Sayyiduna Qasim replied, “Arzaq, maintain sense. You are only a mountain of power in the eyes of others. You have not seen the brave Hashimi’s. In our veins, the blood of Allah’s lion is circulating. Your status in our eyes is so low that it does not even equate to the status of a fly or mosquito.” Upon hearing this taunt, Arzaq was angered even more and he attacked Sayyiduna Qasim with a spear. For a while, both men fought using spears until eventually, when Arzaq pulled out his sword, Sayyiduna Qasim also pulled out his sword. When Arzaq saw his son’s sword in the hand of Sayyiduna Qasim, he asked where he had got the sword from. Sayyiduna Qasim, whilst laughing, said that Arzaq’s son had given it to him so that he could use it to send Arzaq to the grave along with his sons. Arzaq was outraged by this and he was about to attack him when Sayyiduna Qasim said to him that he had always heard that Arzaq was a skilled warrior but it was apparent that he was extremely inexperienced. Sayyiduna Qasim said, “You do not even know how to tighten the saddle of your horse.” Arzaq looked down towards the saddle of his horse and Sayyiduna Qasim struck him so fiercely that his body fell onto the ground separated into two parts. Sayyiduna Qasim (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) rode on the sword of Arzaq and moved towards the camps and said to Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), “O Uncle, thirst, thirst! O Uncle, if I could be given a bit of water to drink, I could kill all the enemies.” Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) said to Sayyiduna Qasim that he should be patient for a while as it was soon that he would be satiated with the water of Kauthar from the blessed hands of Allah’s Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and thereafter, he would never feel thirsty.
Sayyiduna Qasim once again returned to the battlefield. Ibn Sa’d discussed how this youngster had killed many of their famous youth and therefore, it was incumbent upon them not to fight him individually. Instead, they were to surround him and then kill him. The enemies surrounded Sayyiduna Qasim from all four corners and a forceful battle began. Sayyiduna Qasim received 29 wounds on his body and finally, Sheeth Ibn Sa’d attacked him on his chest with a spear so severely that Sayyiduna Qasim fell off his horse. Sayyiduna Qasim exclaimed, “O Uncle, assist me!” Upon hearing his nephew’s painful voice, Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) ran towards him and found that the beloved body of his nephew was covered with wounds. Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) placed Sayyiduna Qasim’s head onto his lap and began to clean the dust from his nephew’s blessed face. Sayyiduna Qasim (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) opened his eyes and smiled to see that his head was lying on the blessed lap of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and then his soul ascended to Jannat.
The flag bearer of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), Hazrat Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) then sought permission to go onto the battlefield. Sayyiduna Abbas stated, “Brother, all our brothers and nephews have attained martyrdom in the state of extreme hunger and thirst but I cannot bear to see these innocent little infants’ restlessness and hear their sobbing due to thirst and hunger. Give me permission to go to the Euphrates and bring a pot of water for these children in order to quench their thirst.” Tears began to flow from the eyes of Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) who said, “Brother Abbas, you are my flag bearer. Who shall raise my banner and bandage my injured body if you are martyred during your attempt to bring water?” Sayyiduna Abbas replied, “May my life be sacrificed for you. Please allow me to bring water as the thirst of the children is making me restless. It is my final desire that I meet my brothers after giving these beloveds of Al1ah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) some water.” When Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) saw the persistency of Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), he tearfully hugged him and permitted him to go.
Sayyiduna Abbas placed a pot on his shoulder and riding on his horse, he went towards the Euphrates. When the Yazeedi army saw Sayyiduna Abbas arriving towards the Euphrates, they halted him. Sayyiduna Abbas said to them, “O Ahle Kufa, fear Allah and have humility before the Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). It is extremely shameful that you wrote uncountable letters to the grandson of Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and when he arrived on your land after bearing the difficulties of travelling, you were disloyal to him. You joined forces with the enemies and you killed all of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s relatives and friends. You are teasing innocent infants by forbidding even a drop of water from reaching them. On the Day of Judgement, what face shall you show to the grandfather of Hazrat Imam Hussain?” The Kufis replied that even if the entire world was to be flooded with water, they would not allow Imam Hussain and his family to drink even a drop until they pledged allegiance to Yazeed. Sayyiduna Abbas became passionate upon hearing this answer of the tyrants. He explained to them that Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was prepared to have his head cut off but he could never bow his head before falsehood. Sayyiduna Abbas attacked the enemy and killed many Kufis using his sword until he drew closer to the Euphrates. The army that was surrounding the water stood like an iron wall before him but this lion of Allah’s lion charged at the soldiers, cutting through the lines until eventually, his horse entered the Euphrates.
Sayyiduna Abbas filled the pot and he was about to take a handful of water and drink some water but then he remembered the small infants’ restlessness and crying. His faith could not allow him to drink water whilst the innocent beloveds of Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) were trembling due to thirst. Sayyiduna Abbas poured the handful of water back into the river and placed the water pot on his left shoulder. Voices could be heard from all four corners saying, “Block the way! Grab the pot! Spill the water! If water reaches Hussain’s camp then not one of our soldiers shall remain alive. All our women shall become widows and our children shall be orphaned.” Sayyiduna Abbas was attempting in the midst of this uproar to somehow make the water reach the Ahle Bait. When the enemies surrounded Sayyiduna Abbas from all four corners, he attacked them like a lion. Corpse upon corpse was falling and drains of blood were flowing. Sayyiduna Abbas proved that the power of his father was in his arm and the blood of his father was flowing through his veins.
Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) continued to push the enemies aside and proceed towards the Hussaini camp when a man called Zaraarah deceitfully attacked Sayyiduna Abbas from behind and caused Sayyiduna Abbas’s left arm to be separated from his shoulders through his vicious strike. Sayyiduna Abbas placed the pot on his right shoulder and continued to fight with his right hand as well until Nawfal Ibn Arzaq cut off Sayyiduna Abbas’ right hand as well. Sayyiduna Abbas now held the pot with his teeth but the pot was not destined to reach the Hussaini camp. One of the enemies’ arrows hit the pot in such a way that the pot broke and all the water spilt. The enemies surrounded Sayyiduna Abbas and wounded his entire body. Eventually, Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) fell off the horse’s saddle. He exclaimed, “O my brother come and assist me.” Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) ran in order to check on Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). He saw that his flag bearer, Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was covered in blood and was about to be blessed with the station of martyrdom. Due to extreme sorrow, Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) said, “Now my backbone has been broken.” As Hazrat Imam Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was taking the body of Sayyiduna Abbas to the camp (by lifting him on his shoulders), the soul of Hazrat Sayyiduna Abbas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) left this world.
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]
