Hazrat Muslim Bin Aqeel (AS)

 By: Ali Jafri

Ali Jafri attends Belmont Hill School.  He is in tenth grade and is fourteen years old.  He currently resides in Dover

When thinking about Karbala, many people think about the virtues of Imam Husayn (AS), the bravery of Hazrat Abbas (AS), the courage of Hazrat Zainab (AS) and others.  We barely think about the important deeds of Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel (AS). We know that he was sent to Koofa, as an envoy for the Imam (AS), but our knowledge after that is limited. We know about the courage of his two sons, and we know the fact that he was the Imam’s son, because Hazrat Aqeel (AS) and Imam Ali (AS) were brothers. 

The Imam (AS) sent Hazrat Muslim (AS) to Koofa, where he was received with a lot of joy and respect. Omar bin Saad and others secretly informed Yazeed, the caliph of that time about what was happening in Koofa. Yazeed appointed Ibne Ziad to govern Koofa. Ibne Ziad was a cruel and ruthless ruler. He was ordered to arrest Hazrat Muslim (AS) and put him to death. 

Yazeed also ordered Ibne Ziad to place guards in such a way that the only way the Imam could enter was through Koofa. Ibne Ziad commissioned a slave to locate Hazrat Muslim (AS), who at that time, was hiding in the house of Hani ibne Urwa. Ibne Ziad ordered Urwa to hand over Hazrat Muslim (AS), but he flatly refused. Urwa was subsequently killed, but for what reason? For the reason that he did not hand a member of the Prophet’s (SAW) family over to

his enemy. Hazrat Muslim (AS) was left without a home. He was discovered by Tauaw, an old lady. She took him to her house and he stayed there. When Tauaw’s son arrived home, he discovered Hazrat Muslim (AS) and told Ibne Ziad of his whereabouts. Upon hearing this, Ibne Ziad sent out 300 soldiers to the house of Tauaw. Hazrat Muslim (AS) fought off half and the rest dispersed. In response, to this, Ibne Ziad sent 500 men to fight Hazrat Muslim (AS). 

Hazrat Muslim (AS) fought them off, but in the end, he was outnumbered. When his body was returned to Ibne Ziad, the ruthless ruler decapitated the cousin of the Imam (AS), threw his body down from the roof of his castle, and had Hazrat Muslims (AS) body dragged up and down the streets of Koofa.  It is said that there was a woman who ran and followed Hazrat Muslims (AS) body when it was dragged around Koofa.  This Bibi (AS) is said to have been his mother, Bibi Fatima (AS).  His head was placed on the city gate, serving as a precaution for those who would follow the Imam.

Hazrat Muslim’s (AS) sons, Mohammed (AS) and Ibrahim
(AS) were left as orphans. They were taken to jail, but even the jail guards showed some mercy to the two young boys and set them free. The wandered for the whole night and hid in a tree on the banks of the Euphrates River. The next morning, a slave girl discovered the two boys and took them to her home.

 That night they had similar dreams, in which their father, accompanied by the Holy Prophet (SAW) told them to return to him, because of the amount of suffering they had to endure. They cried together, but that woke the father of the house. He threw them out and tied them to a pillar. The next morning, his slave was ordered to decapitate the two boys, but the slave declined. The father then asked his son to do the horrific deed, but the son also refused. The father then proceeded to do it himself.  When the younger brother’s body was thrown in the river, it waited for its brother. When the bodies of the two children were thrown in the river, it is said that they hugged each other and then floated down the river. 

             Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel and his two children should be a model for us all. They persevered through hardships, and even when the chips were down, they never lost hope. They were determined to do what they had been asked to do. When Hazrat Muslim (AS) was facing an army of 200, even 500 men, he never gave in. His two sons, were so brave and so courageous, that without any parents  guiding them, they took care of each other. The three of them should show us how to live our lives.

Our condolences are for Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel (AS) and his two brave sons Aun (AS) and Mohammad (AS) as father and sons gave their lives for the message of prophet Mohammad (SAW) and Imam Hussain (AS) and that will be continue till the day of Qayamat.