STRAIGHTPATHMONTHLY December 2011
13
Loyalty and Compassion on the Night of Ashoor
By Aunslaught_ihd
Holy Lady Zainab (s.a) said:
"At the night before the tenth of Moharram
(Ashouraa), I went out of my tent to look for my brother
Al-Hussein (PBUH) and his advocates, for he had his own
tent, so I found him sitting alone pleading his Lord and
reciting the Quran. Thus, I said to myself: How could my
brother be left alone in a night like this?!" By Allah! I shall
go to my brothers and my cousins and reproach them for this!
I went to Al-Abbass's tent (PBUH) and heard humming
and thrumming so I stood at the back of the tent and looked
inside; hence, I saw my cousins, brothers and nephews gathered
in a circle and Al-Abbass Bin Ameer Al-Mo'mineen (PBUT)
was between them kneeling as the lion kneels on its prey. He
delivered to them a lecture that I haven't heard from anyone
but Al-Hussein (PBUH); it contained thanking and praising
Allah and sending prayers and peace upon the Prophet
(PBUHP) and then he said at the end of his lecture:" O my
brothers, nephews and cousins! When the morning
comes, what shall you say?" They said: "The matter
returns to you and we do not exceed you nor overstep
your word." Therefore, Al-Abbass (PBUH) said: "These meaning the companions - are strangers and this burden
is heavy and cannot be carried but by its holders. Thus,
when the morning comes, the first ones to step for
fighting shall be you. We shall reach death before them
so that people wouldn't say': 'They let the companions
be the first to die and when they were killed, they began
to fight death by their swords an hour after an hour.'
Thus, Banu Hashem (PBUT) stood and raised their
swords towards Al-Abbass's face (PBUH) and said: 'We
shall do what you will do."
Lady Zainab (PBUH) said: "When I saw the intensity of
their gathering and their firm consistency, my heart calmed and
I became glad yet I choked with my tears and wanted to return
to my bother Al-Hussein (PBUH) and tell him about that, but I
heard humming and thrumming coming from the tent of
Habib Bin Mothaher so I headed to it, stood at its back and
looked inside. Thus, I saw the companions gathered as Banu
Hashem in a circle and Habib Bin Mothaher was sitting
between them saying: "O my companions! Why did you
come to this place? Clarify your words please, may Allah
have mercy on you!" They said:" We came to advocate
Fatima's abandoned son (PBUT).' Thus, he said to them:
'Why did you leave your wives?' They said: 'We did so
for this matter.' Habib said: 'When the morning comes,
what shall you say?' They said: 'The word is yours and
we do not overstep your word.' He said: 'When the
morning comes, the first ones to fight shall be you. We
shall fight first for we shall not see a Hashemite
drenched in his blood as long as one of our veins is
beating, so that people wouldn't say: They let their lords
fight first and were too selfish to sacrifice themselves for
them.' Therefore, they shook their swords towards his
face and said: 'We shall do what you will do."
Lady Zainab (PBUH) said: "I was gladdened by their
consistency yet I choked with my tears and left them
weeping and then my brother (PBUH) ran into me so I
calmed down and smiled at his face, so he said to me: 'O
sister!' I said: 'I am at your beck and call, O brother!'
He said: 'O sister! Since we left Al-Madina, I haven't seen
you smiling. Tell me why you're smiling?' I said to him:
'O brother! I saw Banu Hashem and the companions do
so and so.' He said to me: 'O sister! Know that these are
my companions since the Realm of Al-Thar (Particles)
and my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (PBUHP),
had promised me with them."
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