STRAIGHTPATHMONTHLY December 2011
27
Martyrdom of a collective number of companions of
Imam Husain (a.s)
As regards Umar bin Khalid Saydawi, Jabir bin Haris
Salmani, Sa'ad the retainer of Umar bin Khalid, and Mujme'
bin Abdullah Aezi, they came out with their swords in the
beginning of the battle. They attacked the Kufan army and
entered their ranks. The enemies too responded to their attack
and surrounded them while separating them from their
companions. Seeing this Abbas bin Ali (A.S.) hastened towards
them and rescued them from their clutches. Then when again
the enemies advanced further, they attacked them and fought,
until they all attained martyrdom at one place. (May Allah's
Mercy and Blessings be upon them).
Martyrdom of Suwayd bin Umro bin Abi Muta'
Azdi says that Zuhayr bin Abdul Rahman Khas'ami
narrated to me that the last person (among the companions) to
remain with Imam Husain (A.S.) was Suwayd bin Umro bin
Abi Muta'. He fought with the enemies, until he was totally
wounded and fell unconscious upon the ground among the
martyrs. When he regained consciousness, he heard that Imam
Husain (A.S.) was martyred and he arose in fright. They had
taken away his sword, but he had a dagger with him and he
lifted it up. He fought with them for sometime until he was
martyred (May Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon him). His
murderers were Urwah bin Bata' Tughlabi and Zayd bin
Raqqad, while he was the last martyr (in the battle of Karbala).
Sayyed ibne Tawoos, while praising him says, that he was a
nobleman and recited Prayers abundantly. Then he fought like
a ferocious lion and remained firm until he fell down
(unconscious) among the martyrs.
I, (the author) say that there is difference of opinion in the
narration of the Shi'ah and Sunni historians, traditionists and
the authors of Maqtal, regarding the sequence of the
martyrdom of the companions of Imam Husain (A.S.), their
total number, and their Rajaz. Some of them have discussed
the former ones in the end and the latter ones in the beginning.
Some have mentioned their names and Rajaz only, while still
others have mentioned regarding the martyrdom of some and
left some.
Till here I have relied upon the reports of the ancient
reliable historians, thus a group of the martyrs have been left
out, whose martyrdom have yet to be discussed. Henceforth I
discuss their martyrdom on the sequence given by Shaikh
Mohammad bin Ali bin Shahr Ashob, as quoted in his book
Manaqib.
According to this sequence, first Hurr entered the
battlefield followed by Burayr bin Khuzayr, while their
martyrdoms have already been discussed. Then Wahab bin
Abdullah bin Habbab Kalbi came out into the battlefield. His
mother too was accompanying him on that day, who told him,
"Arise O son! And defend the grandson of the Prophet of
Allah (S.A.W.)." Wahab replied, "Verily I shall not act
miserly." Thus he came out into the battlefield while saying:
"If you do not know me, I am from Bani Kalb, very soon
you will see me and my sword, and will behold my
attack and influence in battle, I will seek my revenge
after the revenge of my companions, and I will ward off
grief and affliction before my grief, to fight me in the
battlefield is not a joke."
He attacked the Kufan army and killed a group among
them one after the other. Then he returned back to his mother
and wife and stood facing them and said, "O mother! Are you
pleased now"? She replied, "I shall not be pleased until
you attain martyrdom in the presence of Imam Husain
(a.s)." Then his wife said, "I request you in the name of
Allah not to bereave me." Hearing this his mother said, "O
dear son! Do not accept what she says, go and fight in the
way of the grandson of the Prophet, so that he may
intercede for you on the day of Qiyamah." Wahab
returned back saying: "I swear to you O Umme Wahab, to
strike them with spears and sword, similar to the
swordsmanship of a youth who believes in the Almighty,
so as to give a taste of the bitter battle to this nation, I
am valorous and a youth possessing a clear-cut sword, I
am not fearful during battle, Allah, the Wise, is sufficient
for me."
Then he lay siege until he had killed nineteen horsemen
and twelve foot-soldiers. Both his hands were severed, seeing
this his mother lifted a peg of the tent and ran towards him
saying, "May my parents be your ransom! Strive in the
way of the Household of the Prophet of Allah." Wahab
proceeded further so as to return her back to the tents, when
she caught hold of his shirt and said, "I shall not return back
until I am killed along with you." When Imam Husain
(A.S.) saw this he said, "May Allah reward you favourably
due to the right of my family! Return back to the ladies,
may Allah have mercy upon you."
Hearing this the woman returned back and Wahab fought
until he was martyred (May Allah's Mercy and Blessings be
upon him). The wife of Wahab came and sat at his head and
started wiping the blood from the face of her husband. When
Shimr saw her, he commanded his retainer to strike her with
his club. He did so and she was the first woman to attain
martyrdom in the ranks of Imam Husain (A.S.) (May Allah's
Mercy and Blessings be upon her).
It is stated in Rawzatul Wa'ezeen and Amali of Shaikh
Sadooq, that formerly Wahab bin Wahab and his mother were
christians, and they h