STRAIGHTPATHMONTHLY December 2011
25
enemies in motion, and it's
striking fills the earth with blood."
He shot the arrows one after the
other until they were exhausted and his
quiver became empty. Then he placed
his hand upon his sword and said, "I
am a youth of the Yemeni tribe of
Bajalah, I follow the Religion of
Husain and Ali, I shall be martyred
today and this being my heart's
desire, and I shall meet my
actions."
Tabari says that he killed twelve
men from the companions of Umar bin
Sa'ad, apart from those whom he
wounded, until both his arms were
severed. Then he was arrested by
Shimr, who called his companions to
drag him to Umar bin Sa'ad. Umar bin
Sa'ad told him, "Woe be to you! What
have you done to yourself"? Nafe'
replied, "Verily my Allah knows my
intentions." The narrator says that
blood was flowing on his beard while he
was saying, "By Allah! I have slain
twelve men among you, excluding those whom I have
wounded, while I do not reproach myself for this. And if
my hands would have been present, and my wrists
would have been there, you would not have arrested
me." Shimr told Umar bin Sa'ad, "May Allah straighten
your affair, kill him." Umar replied, "You have brought
him, then kill him if you desire." Hearing this Shimr
unsheathed his sword and Nafe' said, "If you are a Muslim,
you would have despised meeting Allah with our blood
upon your neck. Praise be to Allah, who has destined our
death at the hands of the most accursed of the creation."
Then the accursed (Shimr) killed him. (May Allah's Mercy and
Blessing be upon him). Then Shimr attacked the army of
Imam while saying, "Leave him, O Lion of Allah, leave
Shimr, so that he may strike at them with his sword and
will not flee, and he is a bitter tree and a fatal poison for
you."
Martyrdom of Abdullah and Abdul Rahman Ghifari
When the companions of Imam Husain (A.S.) perceived
their loss and realized that they themselves were incapable of
defending the Imam and his relatives, they hastened to lay their
lives in the presence of Imam Husain (A.S.). Then Abdullah
and Abdul Rahman, the sons of Urwa Ghifari, came to the
Imam and said, "Peace be upon you O Aba Abdillah! The
enemy has reached us and have hastened towards you
from all sides, hence we desire to be killed before you
and sacrifice our lives for you." Imam replied,"Welcome!
Come closer to me."
They came closer to the Imam and started fighting with
the enemies in his side. One of them said, "Verily the Bani
Ghifar and Khandaf, as also Bani Nizar knows, that I
fight the adulterous group with my clear-cut and swift
sword, O nation! defend the sons of noble fathers against
the enemies with Eastern swords and sharp spears."
(Tabari) The narrator says that two Jabirite men, named
Sayf bin Haris and Malik bin Abd, who were cousins and foster
brothers, came closer to Imam Husain (A.S.) while they were
weeping. Imam asked them, "O sons of my brother! Why do
you weep? By Allah! I desire that your eyes would be
glowing." They replied, "May Allah make us your
ransom! We do not weep on account of ourselves, rather
we weep for you. We see that you have been surrounded,
while we are incapable of defending you." Imam
replied, "O sons of my brother! May Allah reward you
fairly for this conscience and sympathy."
(Manaqib) Then they advanced further saying, "Peace be
upon you O son of the Prophet of Allah", and Imam too
replied their salutations. Then they attacked and were
ultimately martyred. (May Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon
them).
Martyrdom of Hanzalah bin As'ad Shabami
(Tabari, Kamil) Then Hanzalah bin As'ad Shabami came
and stood in front of Imam Husain (A.S.) (Malhoof) and started
defending him with his face and neck from arrows, lances and
swords (Tabari, Kamil) while calling out, "O my people!
Verily I fear (that it may fall) on you the like of that (what
befell) the parties, the like of (what befell) the people of
Noah and Ad and Samood and those (who came) after
them, and Allah intends not injustice unto (His) servants.
And O my peop