Islam Guidance

قال امام الرضا عليه السلام:
كان أبي صلوات اللّه عليه إذا دخل شهر المحرم لا يرى‏ ضاحكا و كانت الكآبة تغلب عليه حتّى يمضي منه عشرة أيام، فإذا كان يوم العاشر كان ذلك اليوم يوم مصيبته و حزنه و بكائه، و يقول: هو اليوم الذي قتل فيه الحسين عليه السلام.

Imam Reza (A.S) said, "With the advent of the month of Muharram, my father Imam Kadhim (A.S) would never be seen laughing; gloom and sadness would overcome him for (the first) ten days of the month; and when the tenth day of the month would dawn, it would be a day of tragedy, grief and weeping for him and He would say, "This is the day on which Imam Hussein (A.S) was killed".
[Source: al-Amaali, Shaikh Saduq, Pg. 128]


Narrated from Imam Sadiq (A.S) from his Father (A.S) from his Grand Father (A.S):

أن حسين بن علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام) دخل يوما على الحسن (عليه السلام) فلما نظر إليه بكى فقال ما يبكيك قال أبكي لما يصنع بك فقال الحسن (عليه السلام) إن الذي يؤتى إلي سم يدس إلي فأقتل به و لكن لا يوم كيومك يا أبا عبد الله

Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S) entered on the day of (Martyrdom) Al-Hassan (A.S) and wept when he looked at him. Imam Hassan (A.S) said: What makes you cry?
He replied: that which is brought to you (Poison).
Imam Hassan (A.S) said: "And there is no day like your day O'Aba Abdillah."
[Source: Al-Lahoof - Sayed ibn Taoos Pg.25]

Ref: Ahlulbayt Global Information Center

Shaikh Abul Qasim Jafar bin Muhammad bin Qawlawyh relates from his father, who relates from Ibn Mahboob, who relates from Hussein, the grandson of Abu Hamza Sumali, that during the last days of the caliphate of Bani Marwan, I left for the pilgrimage to the grave of Imam Hussein (A.S) hiding from the Syrians. I reached Karbala and took shelter in a corner of the desert.
At midnight I went towards the grave, and when I reached further, a man came and stood facing me saying, “Your reward is with Allah! Return back, for you shall not reach the grave”. I returned back, and when it was early morning, I went towards the grave. When I reached there, the same man approached me and said, “O slave of Allah! You shall not reach the grave”. I said, “May Allah pardons you! Why would I not reach it when I have come from Kufa for the pilgrimage? Do not desist me, for I fear lest it dawns and the Syrians find me here and kill me”.
He replied, “Wait for a moment, for (Prophet) Moses bin Imran (A.S) has solicited permission from Allah to visit the grave of Imam Hussein (A.S), he has received permission and has descended from the heavens accompanied by seventy thousand Angels. They are in his (Imam’s) presence since the beginning of the night and are waiting dawn so as to return back to the heavens”. I asked him, “May Allah pardon you! Who are you?” And he replied, “I am one of the Angels appointed to guard the grave of Imam Hussein (A.S) and invoke forgiveness for his pilgrims”.
I returned back and wondered whether my intellect would part away having heard his words. I again went to the head of the grave after dawn, while there was none to desist me now. I offered salutations and cursed his murderers, and then I offered the morning Prayers and hastened back in fear of the Syrians.
He (Ibn Qawlawayh) relates through his chain of authorities from Ishaq bin Ammar, that I asked Imam Jafar as Sadiq (A.S) that, “May I be your ransom, O son of the Prophet of Allah! On the night of Arafah I was in the Shrine of Imam Hussein (A.S) and I witnessed three thousand men with glowing countenance, emitting fragrance and adorning white clothes praying there until the morning. And as much as I tried to reach near the grave and recite invocations, I could not do so due to the immense crowd of men. When it dawned, I fell into prostration, and when I lifted my head, not a single one of them was visible”. Imam Sadiq (A.S) replied, “Do you know who they were?”
And I replied in the negative. Imam (A.S) continued, “My father has related to me from his father, that when Imam Hussein (A.S) was being martyred, four thousand angels passed by and flew upon the heavens. Allah revealed to them: ‘O group of Angels! You passed by the son of my friend and beloved Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) while they killed him when he was in severity and you did not assist him?’ Then return back to the earth and reside at the head of his grave, and weep with dishevelled hair and smeared in sand until the day of Qiyamah. Thus they remain at his grave until the arrival of the time”.

Ref: Shia Studies Articles

Decorating the shrine of Imam Hussain (A.S) with flowers in the festival of Ghadir - Karbala

Lady Umm-ul-Banin took care of Hassan (A.S) and Hussein (A.S) so remarkably well that she had asked her husband not to call her with her name Fatima, so that this name would not remind these two boys of their mother. They, however, felt the extreme kindness and sympathy of this lady who could fill a part of the great loss of their own mother whose demise had left a deep sadness in their minds.

Emotionally, Umm-ul-Banin had great love for Hassan (A.S) and Hussein (A.S) because of their perfection and unique morality. She in fact loved them more than her own children. She also preferred them to her sons in taking care and responsibility.

Except for this great lady, history has never seen a fellow wife act so sincerely with her stepsons. This is because this perfect lady believed that it was her religious duty to take care of the two Imams the love for who is imposed by God and revealed in the Qur’an:
Say, ‘I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of (my near) relatives’.

[Holy Qur’an, Surah of ash-Shura (42), Verse 23]

Taken from: Al-Abbas
Written by: Badr Shahin
Ansariyan Publications - Qom

Abbas (A.S) could no longer bear life after having seen how his companions and the members of his family killed and how the Hujjah of his time was suffering from the great number of the enemies surrounding him after his supply route had been cut off and after hearing the women wailing and the children crying of thirst. He, therefore, sought permission from his brother. Since Abbas (A.S) was the most precious asset to the grandson of the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P), who is soon to be martyred, especially since the foes always dreaded having to fight him and feared his advance, and how the ladies felt a sense of security upon seeing the standard raised high, the sacred soul of the Father of the Oppressed did not accept to part with him. The Imam (A.S) said to him, “O brother! You are my standard-bearer!” Abbas (A.S) said, “I am fed-up with these hypocrites, and I want to seek revenge against them.” Hussain (A.S) ordered him to bring water for the children, so Abbas went to those people and admonished them, warning them of the Wrath of the Omnipotent, but all of that fell on deaf ears.
He then shouted: “O Umar ibn Sa'ad! Here is Hussain son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah! You have killed his companions and family, and here are his children suffering from thirst! Give them some water, for thirst has burnt their hearts!” As he kept repeating his pleas, he also kept saying to them, “Let me go to Rome or to India, and I shall leave Hijaz and Iraq for you all.” There were some people among the enemy ranks who were genuinely moved by those pleas, so they wept, but Shimr shouted as loudly as he could, “O son of Abu Turab! Had the face of earth been entirely covered with water, and had it been in our hands, we would still have not given you a drop of it to drink unless you swear the oath of allegiance to Yazid!”
Abbas went back to his brother to tell him of the outcome of his negotiations with those ruffians. Abbas heard the children crying of thirst, so he could not tolerate the situation any longer. He was fired up with his Hashemite zeal.
Then he rode his horse and took the water bag. As many as four thousand archers soon surrounded him and shot him with their arrows, yet their large number did not impede his attempt. He kept chasing those throngs alone as his standard kept fluttering above. Those people could not tell whether that was Abbas who was thus slaughtering their heroes. Their men could not maintain their grounds before him, and he succeeded in getting into the Euphrates River heedless of the huge crowd around him.
The moment he took one handful of water to drink he remembered how thirsty Hussain (A.S) and those with him were, so he spilled it then said:
O soul! After Hussain nobody does count!
After him, you should to nothing amount,
Here is Hussain nearing his end
While you drink of cool water?!
By Allah! Such is not a deed
At all enjoined by my creed!

Then he filled the water bag, rode his horse, and went in the direction of the camp. His path was blocked, so he kept killing those who blocked it till he was able to make his way through them as he was saying:
I do not fear dead when it calls upon me,
Till among the swords you bury me.
My soul protects the one
Who is the Prophet's grandson?
Abbas am I, the water bag do I bear
When I meet evil, I know no fear!

Zayd ibn Arqam ambushed him from behind a palm tree assisted by Ibn Tufail, dealing a sword blow to his right arm, completely severing it. He (A.S), said:
By Allah! If you cut off my right hand,
I shall not cease defending my creed,
And an Imam true to his conviction do I defend,
A son of the trustworthy Prophet whom Allah did send.

He did not pay attention to the fact that his right hand had been cut off because he was only concerned about getting the water to the children and the family of Hussain (A.S), but Ibn Tufail was still hiding another palm tree when he passed by. Hakim struck him with his sword on his left hand, amputating it, too, and soon a large number of men were surrounding him. Arrows fell on him like rain, piercing the water bag and boring a hole in it through which its water was completely spilled. An arrow pierced his chest. A man hit him with a pole on his head, severely injuring him.
He fell on the ground shouting, “Peace unto you from me, O father of Abdullah!” Hussain (A.S) rushed to him.
How I wish to know in what condition he went to him, with a soul imperiled by this great loss, or by the brotherhood that pulls a brother to his beloved brother....
Yes; Hussain (A.S) reached him and witnessed how sacrifice is being offered to the Holy One on a plain covered with blood and crowned with arrows. Abbas had no might nor speech nor anything whereby he could keep his foes away. He could not even see anything; his head was on the ground bleeding.
Is it accurate to say that Hussain (A.S) saw all of these calamities and still had any strength whereby he could stand on his feet? Only Hussain remained after the martyrdom of Abbas. He remained a figure staring in the sky, stripped of all the necessities of life. He (A.S) described his condition best when he said, “Now my spine has been split and my endeavor is further weakened.”
He left him where he had fell and did not move him anywhere due to a hidden reason which time later unveiled:
He was to be buried where he had fallen separately from the other martyrs so that he would have a mausoleum of his own visited by those who seek his intercession with the Almighty to grant them the fulfillment of their wishes, and so that his grave-site would be a place for the people who seek nearness to the Almighty, Praise to Him, under its dome that stands lofty in the sky, glowing. It is there that dazzling miracles manifest themselves and the nation thereby comes to know his lofty status and station with Allah Almighty. It then carries out its obligation of loving him which is renewed by continuous visits. Greeting him will establish a link between them and Allah, the most Exalted.
Hussain (A.S) went back to the camp feeling extremely depressed, tearful. He kept wiping his tears with his cuffs as men raced with one another to assault his camp. He called out: “Is there anyone who helps us?! Is there anyone who grants us security?! Is there anyone who seeks justice, so he supports us?! Is there anyone who fears the Fire, so he defends us?!” Roghayya, his daughter, came to him and asked him about her uncle Abbas.
He told her of his being killed. Zainab heard him revealing this sad news, so she cried out, “O brother! O Abbas! O our loss after you!” Women wept, and Hussain (A.S) wept, too, and said, “O our loss after you!”

Maqtal al-Hussain- Martyrdom Epic of Imam al-Hussain (A.S)
By: Abd al-Razzaq al-Muqarram

The tragedy of Imam Hussain (A.S)

Unvirtuous Elites | Sulayman ibn Surad

Sulayman ibn Surad, Who we actually remember as a good man and a lover of the Holy Household. But despite all his qualities, Sulayman did not support his Imam when needed, and because of his mistake, he missed out. The scary thing is this: despite his regret, he was never able to make up for his missed opportunity. The downfall of a good human being is often their inability to recognize an opportunity and seize it.

Unvirtuous Elites | Umar ibn Saad
This is the story of Umar ibn Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, the man who sold his hereafter for a piece of land. The man who knew the consequences of killing Imam Hussain (A.S), but decided to kill him anyway. This is the story of a man who went down in history as one of the biggest fools who ever set foot on this earth.

What’s is this Love that Abu Fadhel Abbas has taught us?
He has no hands yet spends hours begging Pilgrims to eat from the stand he has set up for those walking 3 days from Najaf To Karbala

What Happened In Karbala? The Cartoon

Ali Asghar(A.S) was only six months old in Karbala. He was the son of Imam Hussein (A.S) and Rubab. On the day of Ashura it was very hot and there was no water for the family of the Imam (A.S) for three days. His mother could not feed him either, as there was no milk. When the Imam (A.S) called out “Is there anyone to help me?” there was loud crying from the ladies. The Imam (A.S) came into the tent.
Hazrat Zainab (S.A) said: “O my brother Hussein, since Asgharheard your call, he has not stopped crying.” The Imam (A.S) said, “Bring him to me. I will take him and see if he can get some water.” Rubab brought the baby Ali Asghar(A.S) from his crib and kissed him goodbye.
Imam Hussein (A.S) took the baby in his arms and going to the army of Yazid said: “See how thirsty my Asgharis. His lips are dry and he can hardly open his eyes. He has done no harm to anyone. Give him some water.”
Hearing this, some of the soldiers started to cry, but Umar Saad said to Hurmala: “Stop Hussein’s words”
Hurmala aimed an arrow at the baby’s neck. The arrow hit its mark and the baby was killed in the arms of his loving father, Imam Hussein (A.S). The Imam (A.S), kissed the baby then took a step forward, and then went backwards. He did this again and again 7 times saying:

"انا لله و انا الیه راجعون"

“From Allah we come and to Allah we return”

He buried the baby with his own hands in the hot sand.

Driven from: Shia books for children

It is asked that if Imam Hussain (A.S) was victorious why do we cry? Why don’t we hold a celebration? Is it suitable to cry so much over a victory?
Those who make this criticism do not understand the philosophy behind mourning. They mistake the tears that the mourners of Imam Hussain shed with the weeps of weak individuals.
There are four types of crying or tears:
1. Tears of Joy: For example, the tears of a mother who has just found her child years after he went missing, or the tears of a lover who has just gained the satisfaction of the loved after years of struggle.
2. Tears of Compassion: Tears which stem from a healthy heart, not a heart that is as hard as a rock. These tears show the levels of compassion that a human has; for example, they are the tears that flow when one sees an orphan freezing in the cold and crying because he was separated from his father, or the tears that are seen when one witnesses the murder of an infant, such as the murder of the infant at Karbala.
3. Tears of Success: Sometimes one cries when he reaches his goals. In regards to Karbala, these tears are the tears that announce one’s loyalty to Imam Hussain and his companions that announce one’s loyalty to the struggle against oppression. Are such tears possible without knowing what the goals of Imam Hussain were?
4. Tears of Defeat: These are the tears of weak individuals who did not reach their goals and who do not have the motivation to continue. Never shed such tears for Imam Hussain, because he despises such tears. If you cry, make sure the tears you are shedding are happy tears, compassion tears, or tears of success.
However, knowing what Imam Hussain (A.S) and his companions stood for is more important than mourning. Practically aligning oneself with those goals is also more important than mourning.

Ref: Islamic Insight

When it came to Hussein’s knowledge that Yazid had appointed `Amr ibn Sad ibn Alas. As the head of an army, ordering him to take charge of the pilgrimage caravans and to kill Hussein (A.S) wherever he could find him, he decided to leave Mecca before finishing the pilgrimage and be satisfied with performing only the Umra because he hated that the sanctity of the House might otherwise be violated. (The history of Tabari, Vol. 6, p. 177)

Ref: "Maqtal al-Hussein; Martyrdom Epic of Imam Hussein (A.S)" by: "Abd al-Razzaq al-Muqarram"

You Cannot Die | Sayed Ali Radhawi | Muharram 1437 / 2015

Ziyarat al-Warith at the shrine of Imam Hussain (AS) in karbala - voice of Abadhar al-Halwaji

This meeting which proved to be the turning point in Zuhair’s life has been covered by Shaykh Abbas Qummi in ‘Nafasul Mahmoom’ page 180 as also by Tabari in his ‘Tarikh’ vol.  3 page 224.
Abu Mikhnaf narrates from Sades b. Faraarah that an `Usmaani’ recounted to him thus:
‘In one of our journeys with Zuhair b. Qain al-Bajali, we happened to coincide with Hussain b. Ali (A.S). Now, nothing was more repugnant for us than to assemble with the latter at the same place. And Zuhair given his resentment tried to avoid Husain (A.S) in every possible way. However, despite our best efforts and much to our consternation, we ended up with Hussain (A.S) at the same spot. Hussain (A.S) pitched his tents at one side of the road and we on the other side. We had just got started with our food when a messenger from Hussain’s (A.S) side interrupted us. He saluted us and addressed Zuhair:
Zuhair!  I have been sent by Hussain (A.S) to persuade you to meet him.
These words of the messenger took us completely by surprise, so much so that we dropped what food we were eating in our astonishment. All of us were loath to go. Dillaam binte Amr, wife of Zuhair, who was a witness to the entire scene exclaimed `Glory be to Allah! Son of the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) wishes to see you and you refuse to go. At least see what Hussain (A.S) has to say.’ Zuhair, heeding this counsel, reluctantly crossed over to Imam Hussain (A.S) side. Before long, he returned looking very grim and solemn. He ordered his tent be relocated next to Imam Hussain (A.S). He turned towards his wife and said “I release you from matrimony. Return to your family. I do not want to be responsible for any distress or misfortune that may befall you”. Then Zuhair declared “I have decided to accompany Hussain (A.S). I will sacrifice my life in order to save him”. He then left his wife in the custody of a relative who would escort her back to her family. Dilham b. Amr stood up, sobbed bitterly and bidding farewell to Zuhair said, “May Allah (the Glorified) help you in your affair and attract only goodness  and  virtues  towards you. My only plea is that you remember me on the Day of Resurrection in front of Hussain’s (A.S) grandfather Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P).” Zuhair then turned towards his companions and declared, “Those of you who still hold me dear may accompany me. The rest may take this as our last meeting.” Subsequently his friends also joined Zuhair in Imam Hussain’s army.

Ref: Al-Muntazar