6th Muharram (Aun O Mohammad)
Bismillahir
Rahmanir Raheem
Today is the
6th night of Moharram.
Our majaalis
continue. lnshallah, our eyes will shed more tears for the martyrs of
Karbala.
We will do
more Matam-e-Hussain(a.s).
"Hussain(a.s)!
Karbala! MATAM! MAJAALIS!"
When these
words echo from the walls of our mosque, a lady in black hijab joins us.
She is Bibi Fatemah(SA). She watches us. She cries with us. She collects
our tears.
Cry! Cry for
Hussain(a.s)! lnshallah, our tears will not be wasted. Our tears for
Hussain(a.s) will become our weapons against the hardships in our grave
and on the Day of Judgement.
Hussain(a.s)
is in Karbala. He hardly has 72 men with him. They are not all grown up
adults. Some of Hussain(a.s)'s men are children. Aun and Mohammed, Bibi
Zainab's young sons are there. Aun is only 13 years old. Mohammed is
only 11 years old.
Tonight is
the night of these two children, Auno - Mohammed.
First, let us
send our greetings to those mothers of Karbala who sacrificed their
children for Islam. Lucky are those mothers of Karbala whose children
willingly and happily sacrificed their young lives for Islam.
Tonight, let
us first comfort those mothers of Karbala who were proud to sacrifice
their children for Islam.
Mothers of
Karbala! Mother of Auno - Mohammed, Bibi Zainab(SA); mother of Qasim,
Umme Farwah; mother of Ali Akber, Umme Laila; mother of Al Asghar, Umme
Rubab.
Mothers of
Karbala were proud of their children. They loved their children. Of
course, like any mother they had the heart of a mother. A mother loves
her children the most.
"Why then,
did the Mothers of Karbala let their children die in Karbala?'
THEY KNEW
Hussain(a.s) WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH. THEY KNEW THEIR SACRIFICES WOULD
HELP SAVE ISLAM AND US FROM THE FIRE OF HELL.
Mothers of
Karbala squashed their motherly love and sacrificed their children for
Hussain(a.s) - FOR ISLAM!
How can we,
the Hussain(a.s), ever forget those Mothers of Karbala?
Why shouldn't
we cry and do matam for the Mothers of Karbala and their children Auno -
Mohammed, Qasim, Ali Akber and Ali Asghar.
Majaalis-e-Karbala
will never die. Matam-e-Karbala will never die. Yazids of yesterday have
failed to stop it.
Yazids of
today will not be able to stop it. Yazids of tommorrow may try thousands
of times to crush it, but Majaalis-e-Hussain(a.s), Matam-e-Karbala, will
not die. Allah Himself has promised to keep the name of Hussain(a.s)
alive till the Day of Judgement.
Let us now
focus our minds on Karbala.
Days and
nights of Moharram unfolded on the land of Karbala.
The night of
the 9th of Moharram came. Ashura night, a very tragic night and the last
night of the martyrs of Karbala.
No-one in
Hussain(a.s)'s camp slept on Ashura night.
Men spent the
whole night praying, reciting duas and the Holy Quran.
Mothers of
Karbala were preparing their children.
The next day
was Ashura day. The day of the battle of Karbala.
What were the
mothers telling their children? To be careful? To hide and save their
lives?
No! They were
telling their children to sacrifice their lives.
They were
telling them to die! Didn't they love their children? Or course they
did! They had the heart of a mother. They were proud of their children.
They loved their children very much. Then why were they telling their
children to sacrifice their lives? To die?
Because, THEY
KNEW Hussain(a.s) WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH!
Because,
THEIR SACRIFICE WOULD SAVE ISLAM!
Because,
ALLAH WOULD BE PLEASED WITH THEM!
Now, let us
listen to what the mothers of Karbala were telling their children on the
right of Ashura.
Umme Laila is
with her son, Ali Akber.
"My darling
son, Ali Akber, tomorrow is the day of the battle. My son, Ali Akber,
remember your life is not more important than the life of your father.
Your father's life will be in danger tomorrow. My darling, don't
hesitate to give your life to protect your father's life."
Umme Rubab is
with her baby, Ali Asghar.
"My baby
Asghar, I wish you were a young man. I would have sacrificed your life
to save your father's life."
Umme Farwah
is with her son, Qasim.
"Qasim! My
son, my darling. If your father was alive today, he would have
sacrificed his life first. My daring, don't embarrass me in front of
your father on the Day of Judgement. Qasim, my son, do not hesitate to
sacrifice your life to protect your uncle's life.
Umme KuIthoom,
Imam Hussain(a.s)'s sister, was siting alone, weeping.
Abbas, her
brother, heard her crying. He came to her tent.
"My sister,
Kulthoom, why are you crying? What's the matter?"
"Abbas(AS)!
Tomorrow is the day of sacrifice. I have no children to sacrifice."
"My sister,
Kulthoom! Don't cry. Abbas(AS) is still alive. Tomorrow I will sacrifice
my life as a gift on your behalf. I will be your sacrifice,"
Bibi
Zainab(SA) is with her two sons, Auno - Mohammed.
"My sons,
Auno - Mohammed, tomorrow is the day of battle. Your uncle,
Hussain(a.s)'s life will be in danger. My darlings, if anything happens
to Uncle Hussain(a.s), while you are still alive, I will be filled with
shame. My Auno - Mohammed, I will not be able to face your grandmother,
Bibi Fatemah(SA), on the Day of Judgement. Please, my dearest sons,
don't let me down. Be the first ones to sacrifice your lives."
Ashura came.
Ali Akber
gave the Adhan. Imam Hussain(a.s) led the Fajr prayers.
The day was
already very hot. The battle began.
Imam
Hussain(a.s)'s army of 72 thirsty and hungry men, against 20,000 of
Yazid's men.
Hur went to
the battlefield and was martyred by Yazid's beasts.
One-by-one,
Hussain(a.s)'s companions went to the battlefield and were killed.
Since dawn,
Bibi Zainab was watching the bodies being brought to the tent -
one-by-one.
She called
her sons, Auno - Mohammed.
"My sons,
what are you waiting for? Why have you not been to the battlefield yet?
Go and fight the enemies of Islam."
"Mother,
since dawn, we have been to Uncle Hussain(a.s) many times for permission
to fight. He keeps refusing us. Mother, you help us. Ask Uncle
Hussain(a.s) to give us permission to fight Jehad."
Bibi Zainab
called her brother, Hussain(a.s), to her tent.
"Brother
Hussain(a.s)! I have been like a mother to you, haven't I? Hussain(a.s),
your mother is begging you to let Auno - Mohammed go to the
battlefield."
"Zainab, my
sister, Jehad is not wajib on children. How can I let my sister's sons
be killed while I am still alive? No, Zainab(SA), no!"
"Hussain(a.s),
my brother! If Ali Akber dies before Auno- Mohammed, how will I be able
to face our mother on the Day of Judgement. My brother, I will be filled
with shame. Please, brother! Let them go."
Hussain(a.s)
saw the disappointment on Zainab's face. Her eyes were filled with
tears.
Hussain(a.s)
put his arms around Auno - Mohammed and led them to their horses. He
kissed them and helped them mount their horses.
"Go, go and
show those beastly men that you have the blood of Jaffer (AS)and Ali(AS)
in your veins."
Auno -
Mohammed looked at their mother and said:
"Fl
AMMANI-LLAH, MOTHER! KHUDA-HAFIZ, MOTHER!"
"BISMILLAH,
my sons."
Auno -
Mohammed rode out on to the battlefield. They fought bravely together.
They were the grandsons of Jaffer and Ali. They pushed the enemies back.
Hundreds of Yazid's men were killed.
Abbas(AS) and
Hussain(a.s) watched the two brothers fight so fiercely despite being
thirsty for three days. Abbas(AS), who had trained Auno - Mohammed in
the art of sword fighting, was filled with pride.
Umar Saad,
Yazid's commander, got worried. He ordered his soldiers to separate the
two brothers and then attack them from all sides.
Auno -
Mohammed were separated. Each one was then surrounded by Yazid's
soldiers.
The two
brothers were attacked by horsemen running from one side to another.
Auno - Mohammed were attacked with arrows, swords, spears and daggers
from all sides.
How much can
two young children, thirsty and hungry for three days take? As they
fell, they called out for their uncle.
'Uncle! Came
quickly! Uncle, come and help us."
Hussain(a.s)
and Abbas (AS)rushed to the battlefield.
The children
were severely wounded. They were taking their last breaths.
"Uncle, give
our salaam to our mother. Uncle, please tell our mother that just as she
had told us, we did not go towards the river".
Imam
Hussain(a.s) and Abbas (AS)carried the two young bodies to the tent.
Ali Akber(AS)
cried out:
My brothers,
Auno - Mohammed, have been killed."
Zainab(SA)
heard the cry from her tent. She did not cry. She laid her muslah and
performed a sajdah.
Ya, Allah I
thank you for accepting my sacrifice. Ya, Allah! I am proud of my two
sons who have given their lives for Islam!"
Auno –
Mohammed’s bodies were laid on the floor. The ladies gathered around.
They cried and did matam.
'WA AUNNA, WA
MOHAMMEDA, WA AUNNA, WA MOHAMMEDA."
Zainab(SA)
did not cry. She did not do matam for Auno- Mohammed.
INNA LILLAHE
WA INNA ELAIHI RAJEOON!
WE ARE
FROM GOD AND TO GOD WE RETURN!
SYEDA ZAINAB ABBAS. |