5th Muharram
(HABIB IBNE MUZAAHIR
)
Bismillahir
Rahmanir Raheem
Today is the
5th night of Moharram.
Our majaalis
continue. We will recite more nawhas to mourn the great loss in Karbala.
Our eyes will shed more tears and our matam will increase.
Day-by-day,
the scene in Karbala is changing. More and more soldiers join the
enemy's camp. Thousands have gathered to kill Hussain(a.s) - the
grandson of the Holy Prophet.
Bibi
Zainab(SA) said to her brother:
"Brother
Hussain(a.s)! Thousands of soldiers are gathering to fight you. We have
hardly 72 men with us. Do you not have anyone to come to your help?"
"My sister
Zainab(SA), many wanted to join me during the journey from Medina to
Karbala. I politely discouraged them because their intention was not
truthful. Many joined and have run away during the journey because they
were scared of dying."
He continued:
"Zainab(SA)!
My sister! Falsehood can buy many supporters, but truth has only a few
friends. The soldiers on the other side have been bought. They prefer
happiness in this world than in the world hereafter. My 72 truthful men
prefer happiness in the world hereafter and that is why they are with
me."
That night,
Imam Hussain(a.s) wrote a letter to his childhood friend, Habib lbne
Mazaahir, who was in Kufa.
Kufa was
blocked off and nobody was allowed to leave.
Habib Ibne
Mazaahir did not know the whereabouts of Imam Hussain(a.s) until the
letter from Hussain(a.s) arrived at his house. At the time he was having
breakfast with his wife and a young son.
Habib read
the letter from Hussain(a.s). He kissed it and tears began to flow from
his eyes.
His wife
asked him what was wrong. Habib said:
"I have
received a letter from my master, Hussain(a.s). He has asked me to join
him in Karbala. Yazid's soldiers have surrounded him and are after his
life."
Habib's wife
said:
"Habib! Your
childhood friend has called you. Your master needs your help. What are
you waiting for? Go Habib, before it is too late!"
Habib's worry
was how to escape from Kufa without being seen.
He instructed
his slave to take his horse to a farm outside the city and to wait for
him there. The slave did as he was told.
The slave
took Habib's horse to a farm outside the city. He waited for his master.
His master was delayed.
The slave
started talking to the horse:
"O horse!
Master Hussain(a.s) is in trouble. He needs help. He has asked my master
Habib to join him. Master Habib is late. Horse If he does not manage to
escape from Kufa, I will ride on you and go to Hussain(a.s)'s help."
At Asr time,
most of the men were in mosque. Habib managed to reach the farm where
his horse was waiting.
He quickly
mounted his horse and said to his slave:
"Go, my
friend, Go! I am freeing you from my services"
"Master! You
are not being fair. I have served you faithfully for years. Now, I have
a chance to serve the son of Bibi Fatemah, and you are asking me to go.
Why are you denying me a place in Heaven'?"
Habib was
taken aback by the words of his slave. He was pleased to hear that he
had recognised the difference between the truth and the wrongful. He
wanted to sacrifice his life for truth.
Habib asked
his slave to mount his horse. Together they galloped towards Karbala.
Habib reached
Karbala late in the evening. Imam Hussain(a.s) greeted him with great
affection.
Bibi
Zainab(SA) heard that Habib had come. She asked her maid, Fizza, to
convey her greetings to Habib.
When Habib
heard that Bibi Zainab(SA) had sent greetings to him, he screamed out in
grief and anger. He threw his turban down on to the ground. He slapped
his face. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke:
"What a sad
day! What has happened to the household of Bibi Fatemah? The princess!
Grand-daughter of the Holy prophet, the daughter of Ali and Fatemah is
sending her greetings to an ordinary person like me! Yazid! You beast,
you tyrant! What have you done to the household of Bibi Fatemah?"
Days and
nights of Moharram passed by, and Ashura came.
At dawn, Ali
Akber gave Adhan for the last time.
Yazid's
soldiers blew the trumpets to start the battle.
One-by-one,
Hussain(a.s)'s companions went to the battlefield and gave their lives
for Islam.
Hussain(a.s),
Abbas and Ali Akber(AS) were busy from dawn to mid-day, collecting
bodies from the battlefield,
Between Zohr
and Asr time, Habib lbne Mazaahir came to Hussain(a.s). He said:
"My Master,
Hussain(a.s), allow me to go to the battlefield. Let me sacrifice my
life for Islam."
"Habib, my
childhood friend. Stay with me. You give comfort to me, my friend."
Habib
persisted with his request. Eventually Hussain(a.s) gave his permission.
Hussain(a.s)
mounted his friend, Habib, on the horse. Habib lbne Mazaahir rode into
the battlefield.
He fought
bravely but was finally over-powered. He fell to the ground.
As Habib ibne
Mazaahir fell to the ground, an enemy soldier came over and cut off his
head.
All the
marytrs of Karbala had their heads cut off, but Habib's was the first to
be cut off by the enemy.
Habib's head
was not hung on the spearhead like that of the other martyr's. Habib's
head was tied to a horse and pulled along the land of Karbala.
Later on, in
Shaam, Habib's head was tied to a horse's neck. A young boy, called
Qasim, followed the horse wherever it went.
One day, the
man riding the horse asked the young boy Qasim:
"Why are you
following me around? What do you want?"
Qasim just
looked at the head hanging from the horse's neck. The man asked again:
"Why are you
staring at the head".
"This head is
the head of my father, Habib ibne Mazaahir. please give it to me so that
I can bury my father's head.
Habib's head
seemed to look at his son and say:
"My son Qasim,
you are thinking of burying my head. What about the head of Hussain(a.s)
on that spearhead?"
INNA LILLAHE
WA INNA ELAIHI RAJEOON!
WE ARE FROM
GOD AND TO GOD WE RETURN!
SYEDA ZAINAB
ABBAS. |