September 2019 – Page 25 – Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi

While Imam Hussain(a.s) was proceeding towards Kufa, several hundred people joined him at various places. Among them was a young man named Wahab Ibn Abdullah Kalbi. Kalb was a very large tribe and many of them had stayed Christians, such as Wahab and his family. He lived with his middle-aged mother and the bride of a few days, in a tent out of the city. When they met Imam Hussain(a.s) on his way toward Karbala, they were very impressed by Imam’s personality, honesty, piety and knowledge. Being enamoured of Imam Hussain (a.s ), they embraced Islam and continued with his caravan until they arrived in Karbala. The situation in Karbala was quite different. Everybody had understood that staying with Imam Hussain(a.s) meant definite death, so many of those who had came for their advantages, left him and just a few faithful companions remained to defend Imam(a.s). Although wahab and his family had converted to Islam recently, they perceived Imam’s truthfulness and stayed with him.

On the day of Ashura, according to her mother advice, Wahab approached Imam Hussain(a.s) and asked his permission to go and fight for him and give his life for Truth and Justice. When her newly bride, Hanieh, understood that Wahab was going to the battlefield, she went to Imam Hussain(a.s) and asked him: ‘if Wahab dies in this way, will he go to the Paradise?’ Imam said: ‘Yes, he would.’ Then she said:’Can you promise me that you would not let Wahab enter Paradise without me ?’ Imam said:’ Yes, I promise you, you and Wahab will enter Paradise together.’ Wahab then ran into the battlefield with his sword in hand reciting war-poetry. He fought furiously and killed several enemy soldiers, returned to his mother and asked:’ Mother ! are you pleased ?’ The mother said:’May Allah be pleased with you. But I would really be pleased when I see you dying in action protecting the grandson of the prophet.’ Wahab returned to the battlefield with a new determination and started fighting even more intensely. The mother stood by her tent and kept encouraging and exhorting him to fight. Finally, Wahab was wounded and surrounded by enemies from all sides and was soon killed by the Yazidi soldiers.

When Hanieh saw this, she ran to Wahab’s side, sat down and wept with her face on her husband’s body. Shamr was watching this. He ordered his slave to go and kill the young woman. Shamr’s slave came and hit her with his mace on the head. The bride died by her bridegroom’s side and thus Iman Hussain’s(a.s) promise to her was fulfilled. Umar bin S’ad, the commander of Yazid army, ordered his soldiers to cut Wahab’s head off and throw it to his mother. The soldiers did that. Wahab’s mother came forward. Picked up his severed head. Wiped the dust off his forehead, kissed it and threw it back saying: ‘This is something given away in Allah’s way. I won’t take it back.’
Such were the followers and companions of Imam Hussain(a.s) at Karbala. They were fewer in number but had mountain-like determination and were overfilled with spirituality.

Early life and conversion to Islam

Abu Wahab was a Christian by birth and converted to Islam. He was a known businessperson of Kufa. Abu Wahab discussed with his mother and wife before converting toIslam and later joining Al Husayn ibn Ali(as) in the battle against Yazid’s forces. Abu Wahab was returning from Kufa after getting married. He was still seventeen years and his wife was just twelve years old. When Abu Wahab was passing from Karbala he saw Husayn ibn Ali (as)surrounded by the enemies and was along with his family and very few friends.
Abu Wahab was aroused by Al Husayn’s spiritual charisma in such a manner that he was reluctant to leave him despite of being aware about the consequences of staying withHusayn ibn Ali (as) . Abu Wahab was a tall and masculine man with broad shoulders, who was held with very high esteem among his people, and was known of his courage and soldierly experience.
On the preceding night of Ashura the following conversion was held between Abu Wahab and his mother:
Abu Wahab asked her: ‘Mother! What should I do in this situation?’ The mother asked Wahab: ‘How do you feel yourself, my son?’ Wahab said: ‘In my opinion Husayn(as) is on the just path and it would be cowardly and against all traditions of Arab chivalry and gallantry to leave the side of a man so isolated and surrounded by blood-thirsty enemies.’ The mother said: ‘But that means definite death.’ Wahab replied: ‘Yes I know, but my heart tells me that this is the right thing to do, in these circumstances.’ The mother then said: ‘If that is how you feel then we will stay with Husayn(as).’
Abu Wahab’s mother then pleaded on his behalf and said:
“O grandson of the prophet of Islam ! It will be an honor for me if my son fights for you and gives his life protecting you.” Husayn(as) was still reluctant to accept Wahab as one of his soldiers and advised him not to risk his life that too in a matter which concerns Muslims. When Abu Wahab saw this, he said:
‘O grandson of the prophet of Islam! If that is the case then, from this moment on, I am a Muslim.’ Abu Wahab testified (Kalimah) that: “There is none worth worshiping besidesAllah and Mohammad is His messenger”

MARTYRDOM
Abu Wahab participated in the retaliatory attack when Al Shimr attacked Al Husayn’s right wing. Wahab in that engagement killed 31 of them, of which 19 were Horsemen and 12 were Footmen. His right hand was severed by Hani ibn thabit al Hadrami[8] and left hand by Bakr ibn Hayy[9] having left without arms he was taken captive and killed on that spot. Abu Wahab was then beheaded and his head was thrown towards Husayn ibn Ali’s camp,
It has come to down us, from more than one source, that Wahb-e-Kalbi’s severed head was thrown at his Mother as a taunt.

The Lady kissed it, and threw it back towards the l’aanatees, saying that “WE DO NOT TAKE BACK ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE GIVEN IN THEY WAY OF ALLAH”

Abū Ḥajal Muslim b. ʿAwsaja al-Asadī (Arabic: ابوحَجَل مسلم بن عوسجه الأسدي) was a sahaba (companion) of Prophet Muhammad (s) and a brave soldier among Arab Muslims. He was also a companion of Imam Ali (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a). He was one of first martyred companion of al-Husayn b. ‘Ali (a) in ‘Ashura’. He was the commander of the tribes of Banu Asad and Madhhij in Kufa, at the time that Muslim b. ‘Aqil began an uprising in this city. Muslim b. ‘Awsaja attended the Battle of Karbala with his family and his son was martyred in the battle, too.

Name and Lineage

Abu Hajal, Muslim b. ‘Awsaja b. Sa’d b. Tha’laba b. Dudan b. Asad b. Khuzayma al-Asadi was a companion of Imam Ali (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a). Muslim b. ‘Awsaja and Habib b. Muzahir both were from the tribe of Banu Asad. Abu Hajal was an honorable man who was famous for worship, fairness and generosity.

Characteristics

Muslim b. ‘Awsaja was a brave warrior among Arab Muslims who fought alongside other Muslims in conquering Azerbaijan and other battles. He was martyred in the beginning of the Battle of Karbala.

Other Standpoint

He was a companion of Prophet Muhammad (s) who met the Prophet in his life time and narrated hadith form him. He was a brave warrior whose name is mentioned in the battles and conquests of Muslims.

In Kufa

Muslim b. ‘Aqil traveled to Kufa before the Battle of Karbala. When he arrived in Kufa, Muslim b. ‘Awsaja supported him with weaponry and tried to take oath of allegiance for Imam al-Husayn (a).

According to a number of narrations, when Muslim b. ‘Aqil arrived in Kufa at first he went to Muslim b. ‘Awsaja’s house. People gathered there to take oath of allegiance. They swore to Allah they would defend Imam al-Husayn (a) to their last breath. They sent letters to Imam al-Husayn (a) about the allegiance of people. Then Imam al-Husayn (a) began his travel to Kufa. Muslim b. ‘Awsaja played a crucial role in all these events.

The spy of ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, Ma’qil, found the safe house of Muslim b. ‘Aqil through Muslim b. ‘Awsaja.

After Hani b. ‘Urwa was arrested, Muslim b. ‘Aqil chose commanders for his army in order to organize the soldiers; he assigned Muslim b. ‘Awsaja as the commander of Banu Asad and Madhhij.

Following the arrest and martyrdom of Hani b. ‘Urwa and Muslim b. ‘Aqil, Muslim b. ‘Awsaja decided to hide in a safe house. Then after the arrival of Imam al-Husayn (a), he joined Imam’s army with his family in Karbala.

In Karbala

According to some narrations Muslim b. ‘Awsaja’s wife and children attended the Battle of Karbala. As historians said: “Khalaf b. Muslim b. ‘Awsaja, his brave son, were fighting alongside his father in the Battle of Karbala until finally he was martyred in the battle. According to some reports: a young boy came out of the tents while his mother was after him; the boy was Muslim b. ‘Awsaja’s son.

The Night before ‘Ashura’

At the night before ‘Ashura’, when Imam al-Husayn (a) told his soldiers: you are allowed to leave Karbalaand your promises and oath of allegiance have served well so far, you are not obligated to stay for the battle. Then, some companions declared their loyalty to Imam al-Husayn (a) over again. After the descendants of Banu Hashim, Muslim b. ‘Awsaja was the first one who said:

Oh, Abu ‘Abd Allah! We would never leave you alone. How is it possible to bring excuses to Allah? O, by Allah, never! We will never leave you alone; I will never give up; I will slay the enemies with my spear and sword until it drops on the ground; then I stone them. By Allah, I would never leave you alone until I fulfill my duties to Allah and defend the descendants of Prophet Muhammad (s). O, by Allah, if I am perished, I would reborn, and then if I am burnt and turned into ashes, I would reborn; and if it happens seventy times I would reborn and fight for you until I am martyred for you. I would never leave you as I know I will be perished once. Consequently, eternal prosperity and dignity would be mine.

Imam al-Husayn (a) expressed gratitude to each one of them and returned his tent.

The Day of ‘Ashura’

As Al-Shaykh al-Mufid said: Imam al-Husayn (a) and his soldiers dug a trench around the rear part of their tent and set fire inside it. After seeing the flaming fire, Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan shouted: O Husayn! You are preparing fire of this world for yourself before the judgment day?! Imam al-Husayn (a) replied: Who is that man? Is he Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan? Then Imam (a) referred to Sura Maryam, verse 70 and said: O goatherd boy! You deserve flames of Hell! Then Muslim b. ‘Awsaja was ready to kill Shimr with an arrow and asked for Imam Hysayn’s permission; however Imam rejected his request and said: I do not want to commence the battle.

His Motto in the Battle

The mystical and knowledgeable mottos of Muslim b. ‘Awsaja should be highly regarded, which represent his deep understanding of the principles of Ahl al-Bayt (a). He repeatedly uttered this motto in the battles:

If you desire to know me, I am brave as a lion; my lineage goes back to Banu Asad. If you treat me with tyranny, you are strayed from the right path, and you are guilty of ingratitude toward Allah.

Martyrdom

After fighting the enemy soldiers in the Battle of Karbala, Muslim b. ‘Awsaja had numerous injuries and he was bleeding heavily, then he fell on the ground. Imam al-Husayn (a) and Habib b. Muzahir came by his side. Imam said: May God have mercy on your soul. Then he recited the verse:

Faminhum man qaza nahbahu wa minhum man yantaziru wa ma baddalu tabdila (Of them (believers) some have completed their vow to (the extreme) and some still wait, but they have never changed (their determination) in the past.) Al-Ahzab, verse 23.

Then Habib b. Muzahir said to him: “your loss is hardly tolerable to me, but I give glad tidings to you on Paradise”. Muslim b. ‘Awsaja replied with difficulties: May God send his blessing on you. Habib replied: I wish I could carry out what you desire as your will. Muslim replied: “I advise you to defend him (Imam al-Husayn (a)) to your last breath and never give up trying”. And Habib replied: I accomplish what you desire and I will make you delighted.

Muslim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Dabai and ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Khushkara have perished Muslim b. ‘Awsaja in the Battle of Karbala.

According to Ziyarat al-Shuhada’, Muslim b. ‘Awsaja was the first one who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala. And Imam al-Husayn (a) promised him salvation by the name of Allah. While those who participated in the martyrdom of Muslim b. ‘Awsaja are cursed by Imam al-Husayn (a).

Ziyara

The name of Muslim b. ‘Awsaja was mentioned in the Ziyara of Imam al-Husayn (a) in 15th of Sha’banand other ones.