In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

A Defenseless Soldier

The martyrs of Karbala entered the battlefield with the goal to defend Imam Hussain (PBUH) and fight the enemy in some manner. As an example, Abdullah Ibn Hassan, the young child of Imam Hassan (PBUH) runs out of the tents to defend his uncle in the last moments.  He aims to block the strike of a sword on his uncle using his hands, only moments before being killed.

But the one martyr who had no chance to fight back, not that he did not want to fight, but that he simply did not have the ability to fight, was only in the battlefield with the hope to receive some water…

Imam Hussain (PBUH) looked around.  His companions and the men of his family members had all been martyred.  He prepared to enter the battlefield by himself, loudly saying,

“Is there anyone to defend the household of the Prophet of Allah? Is there anyone who fears Allah about us [the Prophet’s Progeny]? Is there anyone (to answer my call for help) for that which is for Allah? Is there anyone to assist us (for the sake of Allah)?”

Having heard the voice of Imam Hussain (PBUH), his household began to cry loudly. His sister, Lady Zeinab (PBUH) came out of the tent and pointed to the six month old son of the Imam, saying: “Brother! Your son needs water; bring some water for this little infant.”

Imam Hussain (PBUH) took the baby onto the battlefield, held him high, and said, “O People! You have killed my followers and members of my family; this infant is the only one left who opens and closes his mouth from thirst.  You can remove his thirst by just a bit of water.”

The words of the Imam had not yet ended, only for him to see the strike of an arrow sent by the enemy upon the throat of his infant, decapitating him.   

Imam Hussain (PBUH) told Lady Zeinab (PBUH): “Hold this child.” He then placed his two hands under the throat of the infant, his two hands were filled with blood.  He scattered the blood into the sky, saying: “The sadness of this tragedy has become easy upon me for my Lord is witness (of it all).”

Imam Baqir (PBUH) said: “Not one drop of that blood fell to the ground.”

This was the story of the only martyr in Karbala who died in the most defenseless and oppressed manner. This ends the saddest story of Ali Asghar, the infant of Hussain (PBUH).

(Selection from an excerpt of “Luhoof” by Sayyed Ibn Tavoos with minor changes)

Roshd Website offers its condolences to all Muslims across the world, especially you dear friend, upon the arrival of Ashura, the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs, the oppressed of the ground of Karbala, Imam Hussain (PBUH), and his respected companions.

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