Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Tonight is the eve of Ashura. A very tragic night. A very sad night. The last night for the 72 martyrs of Karbala.

The last night for brothers to be with their sisters. The last night for sisters to be with their brothers. The last night for fathers to be with their children. The last night for mothers to be with their children. The last night for little Sakina to be with her beloved uncle Abbas(as) and dearest father Hussain(a.s).

Indeed, a night never to be forgotten.

A night to shed more tears. A night to do more matam.

THE NIGHT OF ASHURA
ON THE LAND OF KARBALA

Mothers are sitting with their children. Umme Laila(sa) is with Ali Akber(as), Umme Farwah(sa) is with Qasim(as), Bibi Zainab (sa)is with Auno- Mohammed.

What are these mothers of Karbala telling their beloved children?

They are preparing them for Jehad. They are preparing them to sacrifice their lives. Preparing them to die!

Why? Because they know Hussain(a.s) is on the right path. The right path to save Islam!

Let us send our salaams to those mothers of Karbala for sacrificing their most precious for Islam.

Abbas (as)the Alamdar! Like every night, Abbas (as)was guarding the camp.

Where was Hussain(a.s)?

Hussain(a.s) had gathered all his friends and companions in his tent.

"My friends, my companions, tonight is the last night. Tomorrow is the day of Ashura. Tomorrow is the day of Shahadat - martyrdom! None of us will be spared by Yazid's soldiers."

Imam Hussain(a.s) continued:

"My friends, my companions, you have suffered enough. There is still time to save your lives. Escape in the darkness of the night. I will have no objections. I will forgive you. Go, my friends! Go, my companions!"

Imam Hussain(a.s) blew the candles off. There was total darkness.

Anyone could have escaped without being seen or embarrassed.

After a while, Hussain(a.s) lit the candles.

How many ran away? One? Two? Five? Ten?

No one! Why did they not run away to save their lives?

Because, my fellow Hussain(a.s)i, they had recognised the truth.

Because they knew Hussain(a.s) was right.

Because they knew Hussain(a.s) was on the true path.

Because they knew their sacrifice would save Islam.

Hussain(a.s) was lucky to be blessed with true friends and best companions, - faithful, truthful and pious!

Our greetings to those 72 martyrs of Karbala for their great sacrifice for Islam.

Imam Hussain(a.s) made the biggest sacrifice.

In one day, he sacrificed his brothers, nephews and children on the land of Karbala.

He remained patient after seeing so many dead in one day.

Did Hussain(a.s) complain?

NO, NEVER!

On the contrary, after sacrificing his 18 year old son Ali Akber (as)he looked up at the sky and said:

"YA ALLAH, GIVE ME MORE PATIENCE. YA ALLAH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN GIVE FOR YOUR SAKE?"

Allah's will was Hussain(a.s)'s command. Hussain(a.s) was prepared and willing to sacrifice his family. He never prayed to Allah to save his family.

Instead he prayed for PATIENCE! PATIENCE! AND MORE PATIENCE!

ALLAH! WHAT A BIG HEART Hussain(a.s) HAD IN Karbala!

Auno - Mohammed had been killed. Qasim(as) was trodden to pieces. Abbas (as)was lying on the bank of River Furaat. Ali Akber's(as) chest was torn open with a spear.

Is there any more to sacrifice?

Tonight is the night of Ali Asghar(as). The little MUJAHID - the little soldier and the youngest SHAHEED.

Ashura came to the land of Karbala.

One-by-one, Hussain(a.s)'s friends and companions were martyred.

Auno - Mohammed, Qasim, Abbas and Ali Akber went to the battlefield and were martyred.

By Asr time Hussain(a.s) was left alone.

The time had come for Hussain(a.s) to go to the battlefield. Hussain(a.s) said KHUDA HAFIZ to everyone.

Hussain(a.s), with his sword ZULFIQAR on his waist, mounted ZULJANA, his horse.

Hussain(a.s) rode his horse to a small mount, he then called out loudly:

"IS THERE ANYONE TO HELP ME? IS THERE ANYONE TO HELP THE GRANDSON OF THE HOLY PROPHET?"

With this call, the grandson of the Holy Prophet, was giving one last chance to Yazid's men, the men who called themselves Muslims - the followers of the Holy Prophet(s.a.w.w).

Hypocrites! That's what Yazid's men were.

No one answered Hussain(a.s)'s last call. But Hussain(a.s) heard the sound of crying coming from his camp.

Hussain(a.s) turned around and returned to his tents.

"Zainab(sa), your brother is still alive. Why are you crying?"

"My brother Hussain(a.s), when you called out, "IS THERE ANYONE TO HELP ME", Ali Asghar (as)fell from his cradle."

Hussain(a.s) knew what Ali Asghar (as)was trying to say.

Hussain(a.s) went to Umme Rubab. Ali Asghar(as) was on her lap.

He was crying and Umme Rubab was trying to comfort him.

Hussain(a.s) picked up baby Ali Asghar (as)and whispered in his ear. Ali Asghar(as) stopped crying. He looked up at his father and smiled.

"Umme Rubab, I am taking Ali Asghar (as)to the battlefield with me so that I can get some water for him."

What did Hussain(a.s) whisper in Ali Asghar's ear? What made Ali Asghar(as) stop crying, and to smile? Hussain(a.s) had whispered:

"My son, Ali Asghar(as), do you want to come to the battlefield with me? Asghar, do you want to show your strength on the battlefield? Come, let us go, my little Mujahid, my little soldier, Asghar(as)."

Umme Rubab changed Ali Asghar's clothes.

Imam Hussain(a.s) carried Ali Asghar (as)to the battlefield. It was very hot. Ali Asghar(as) was thirsty. Hussain(a.s) covered baby Ali Asghar(as) with his abaa, to protect him from the scorching sun.

Yazid's men saw Hussain(a.s) approaching with something in his hand.

"Look, Hussain(a.s) is coming with the Quran. He has no one left to help him. With the help of the Quran he is hoping to win."

Hussain(a.s) walked to Yazid's soldiers. By moving his abaa he uncovered Ali Asghar(as).

He held Ali Asghar(as) high with both his hands and said:

"O soldiers of Yazid, you feel I have offended you, but what has this little child done to you? His mother's milk has dried up. He has not had a drop of water for three days. He is dying of thirst. I beg you to give water to this innocent little child."

Not one of Yazid's soldiers brought any water for Ali Asghar(as).

Once more Imam Hussain(a.s) said:

Maybe you think that when you bring water for this child, I will drink it too. I will put this little child on the ground. You can come and give him water yourself."

Hussain(a.s) placed Ali Asghar (as)on the burning sand of Karbala.

Ali Asghar (as)lay quietly on the hot sand of Karbala. His turned his head and stared at Yazid's men.

No water came for Ali Asghar(as).

Hussain(a.s) picked up Ali Asghar(as) and said:

"My son Ali Asghar, my darling, you are too young to fight with a sword or a spear. My little Mujaheed, my little soldier, you are a grandson of Ali(as). Ali Asghar(as), fight your Jehad with your tongue."

Little Asghar (as)stuck his dry tongue out and moved it over his dry lips looking towards Yazid's men. He fought Jehad with his tongue.

The little soldier shot a strange arrow - his dry tongue.

It hit the hearts of Yazid's soldiers who had children of their own. They became restless. Some started crying.

They spoke amongst themselves:

"Hussain(a.s) is saying the truth. What has this child done to us? Why is he punished like this? Let us give him some water."

Umar Saad got worried that his soldiers will turn against him.

The little soldier's fight was very effective. Little Ali Asghar(as) was fighting Jehad his way.

Umar Saad ordered his best archer:

"Hurmullah! What are you waiting for? Silence the little child! Don't you know he is a grandson of Ali(as)? Hurry, shoot your arrow, before it is too late."

Hurmullah aimed an arrow at Ali Asghar(as). A small arrow for a little child? No! An arrow not with one head, not with two heads, but with three sharp heads.

Why? Why an arrow with three heads for such a small child?

My fellow Hussain(a.s)i! You will not be able to stop crying when you hear what happened next.

An arrow with three sharp heads flew across the desert of Karbala. It was heading for Ali Asghar(as). Hussain(a.s) saw the arrow coming. He covered Ali Asghar (as)with his arms.

The arrow reached Hussain(a.s).

The arrow went through Hussain(a.s)'s arm and lodged in the tiny neck of Ali Asghar(as).

Ali Asghar(as) died instantly.

Allaho Akber! Allaho Akber!

Poor Hussain(a.s), the poor father, who came to get water for his little child.

Instead of water, Ali Asghar(as) got an arrow in his neck.

What shall Hussain(a.s) do now? What shall Hussain(a.s) do now?

Hussain(a.s) gently pulled the arrow from Ali Asghar's (as)tiny neck.

My fellow Hussain(a.s)i, put your hand on your heart and imagine the scene - a father removing an arrow from his child's neck. What a tragic scene!

Blood gushed out from Ali Asghar's neck.

A voice came from the ground:

"No, Hussain(a.s), do not let Ali Asghar's blood fall to the ground, otherwise no crops will ever grow from this earth." Hussain(a.s) looked up at the sky.

A voice came from the sky:

"No Hussain(a.s), do not let the blood gush towards the sky, otherwise, no drop of rain will ever fall from this sky."

What shall Hussain(a.s) do now? What shall Hussain(a.s) do now?

The sky is refusing, the earth is not happy to accept Asghar's blood.

Poor Hussain(a.s) wiped Ali Asghar's blood on his face.

Hussain(a.s) started walking towards his tents.

He saw Ali Asghar's mother - Umme Rubab - standing by his tent. A mother anxiously waiting for her baby.

Hussain(a.s) thought:

"How can I face Umme Rubab? What shall I tell her? How can I tell her that her baby has been martyred without water? How? How?"

SEVEN TIMES, Hussain(a.s) went forward and then turned back,

Saying:

"INNA LILLAHE WA INNA ELAIHE RAJEOON."

He finally reached the tent where Umme Rubab was standing. "Rubab, come and take your Ali Asghar(as). Rubab, your little soldier has died for the sake of Allah."

Umme Rubab took her little child, Ali Asghar(as). She hugged him and cried her heart out.

"Come with me Rubab. Enough, Rubab, enough. Let us bury our baby Asghar(as)"

Hussain(a.s) and Umme Rubab walked to the back of the tents.

Hussain(a.s) dug a small grave with his sword, the Zulfiqar.

Umme Rubab placed Ali Asghar (as)in the small grave.

My fellow Hussain(a.s)i why should we not cry tonight? Why should we not do matam tonight?

Have we ever heard of any other father and mother digging a grave and burying their own child?

Where can Hussain(a.s) get water to sprinkle on Ali Asghar's grave? There is no water to sprinkle on Ali Asghar's(as) grave.

Hussain(a.s) sat by the grave crying.

Tears poured on the grave. Ali Asghar's grave was sprinkled with Hussain(a.s)'s tears.

INNA LILLAHE WA INNA ELAIHI RAJEOON!

               WE ARE FROM GOD AND TO GOD WE RETURN!

                                 SYEDA ZAINAB ABBAS.