Islam Guidance

Shaykh Tusi writes in his book entitled Misbah ul Mutahajjid that 20th of the month of Safar is the day on which Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari a companion of the Holy Prophet came from Medina to Karbala to pay homage to the sacred grave of Imam Hussain and he was the first person who performed homage to the grave of the Imam.
Homage of Imam Hussain on that day is recommended and it is this very homage that is called Ziyuratul Arba'in. Shaykh Tusi appears to say that Jabir left Medina with the object of paying homage to the sacred grave of Imam Hussain and arrived at Karbala on the 20th day of Safar and not that he reached Karbala after forty days of the martyrdom of the Imam by chance.
It is not unlikely that it was so, because after the arrival of Ahlul Bayt in Kufa Ibn Ziyad immediately dispatched Abdul-Malik ibn al-Harith Salami from Iraq to the Hijaz so that he might arrive in Medina as early as possible and inform Amr bin Sa'id bin A-S Amavi, the Governor of Medina, about the martyrdom of the Imam and his companions and Abdul Malik proceeded to Medina at once, reached there after a few days, and formally conveyed the news of the martyrdom of the Imam to the governor.
In that case it is possible that on hearing about the tragedy of the martyrdom of the Imam and Bani Hashim and the companions of the Imam, Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari, who according to some narration had lost both of his eyes by that time, might have departed from Medina with the intention of paying homage to the graves of Imam Hussain and his devoted friends, who bravely met martyrdom, and might have arrived in Karbala on the 20th of safar i.e. that is exactly forty days after the martyrdom of the Imam and the tradition of the Ziyartal Arba'in of the Imam was commenced by him.

Ref: A Probe into the History of Ashura
By: Dr. Ibrahim Ayati

The Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) was on the bed of ailment and illness. His head was in the lap of Ali (A.S) and Fatima (S.A) was weeping holding the hand of her father. Suddenly, the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) opened his eyes and when he saw her weeping. He (P.B.U.H&H.P) said, "Oh daughter! Recite the holy Quran for me." Fatima (S.A) recited a few verses from the holy Quran. The Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) by getting her dear daughter recites the verses meant to listen her voice in the last moments of his life. No sooner, the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) passed away the house turned into a mourning house. The delicate heart of Fatima (S.A) took a deep effect by her father's death. Only a few hours later, another big grief took shape i.e., the right of her husband was extorted and usurped. Fatima (S.A), with the help of a few faithful companions of his father, defended the right of her husband strongly. So far so, that one day she went to the Prophet's mosque along with the women of Bani Hashim and Ansar and by delivering a speech described her object and point of view. So that, all the audience started weeping. But there was no body to give a positive response to the voice of Fatima (S.A). They were no longer true and faithful. Their faces were covered with the dust of abjectness, misery and misfortune. She returned to her house with a heave and grieved heart and said to Ali (A.S), "Oh Abul Hassan why have you sit down with your hands upon each other like weak, feeble, powerless and unable men and why don't you defend your right?" Ali (A.S) said, "Oh the daughter of Prophet Do you not want that your father's name be pronounced in the mosque? Don't you have the desire that the cause and mission of your father remains alive? Fatima (S.A) said, "Why not?"
Then he said, "If I draw the sword today (as the enemy wishes) the efforts of your father will be finished and we will become unsuccessful. On hearing this, Fatima (S.A) got silent and thereafter, she did not utter any word. She started her silent war in the same manner as her husband Ali (A.S) spent twenty-five years in a great-oppressed state.

Source: Almujtaba Islamic network

It is narrated from Maqatil that Hazrat Abu Talib (A.S) made a will to Bani Hashim at the time of his death:
‘O Bani Hashim, if you all obey the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and if you all believe in his truthfulness you will be guided.’
In madarij un nubuwwah (of Muhaddis Dehlavi) and in Rauzat-us-safa vol. 2 the following sermon of Hazrat Abu Talib (A.S) addressing the people, which also served as his will, has been recorded.
‘O Quraysh! You are the most pious servants of Allah. I recommend Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) to you in matters of righteousness and virtue. He is the trusted one of Quraysh and the truthful one of Arabia and he possesses all the virtues for which I am making a will to you. He (P.B.U.H&H.P) has brought such good news, which has been accepted by your hearts, but your tongue has chosen to deny it on account of fear of taunts. On the contrary, I see that the weak and the defenceless have accepted his (P.B.U.H&H.P) invitation and have testified in his Sharia and revere him. Thus they have become the leaders and your chiefs have been humiliated. The proud ones have been humbled and the humble ones have become self-sufficient. Those who distanced themselves from him (P.B.U.H&H.P) are the unfortunate ones. I can see that the people of Arabia are attached to him (P.B.U.H&H.P) and have expanded their hearts for his love and have very dutifully and diligently prepared themselves to follow him and serve him. O Quraysh! Befriend Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) and supporters of his group. I swear by Allah those people who do not tread the path shown by him (P.B.U.H&H.P) will not find guidance, and only they will accept and adhere to his ways and qualities who are virtuous. If death could have been delayed and there would have been some more time left in my life, I would be helping him and as far as possible I would have repelled all dangers from his path.’
Alas! Hazrat Abu Talib’s (A.S) last wish was not fulfilled and death did not spare him for a moment. The Quraysh rejected the friendly advice given to them by Hazrat Abu Talib (A.S) and left and walked out angrily. After some time this great helper of Islam answered the call of His Lord and returned to Him. Now Islam was devoid of the shelter of this generous helper who for 50 years had undertaken the responsibility of protecting and safeguarding the Prophet of Islam (P.B.U.H&H.P). He had taken all the blows on himself, which the polytheists and opponents of Islam had tried to inflict by their taunts and actions. Even in his old age he was enthusiastic in contributing for the progress and propagation of Islam.

Taken from: Al Muntazar

When Imam Sajjad (A.S) was a captive in Damascus a man named Ibrahim bin Talha bin Ubaydullah Taymi came before him in the Bazaar and said tauntingly: "O Ali bin Hussain! Who was victorious in this battle?" He meant to say that the Ahlul Bayt suffered a crushing defeat and their enemies won a glorious victory.
The Imam (A.S) said to him in reply: "Now that the time for prayers is approaching you should pronounce Azan and Iqamah so that you may come to know and understand clearly as to who has been victorious". The Imam (A.S) meant to tell him this: 'As you belong to the Taym tribe of Quraysh you are perhaps happy for some reasons that Bani Hashim had suffered defeat. However, so long as you are a Muslim it is necessary for you to pronounce in Azan as well as Iqamah: "I testify that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah".
We and not others are the descendants and heirs of Prophet Muhammad without mentioning whose name and invoking Divine blessings for him the prayers' of any Muslim are not acceptable. Hence, so long as Islam exists the honor and glory belonging to us, the descendants of Muhammad, will also remain established and confirmed'.
The Imam (A.S) uttered these brief but fascinating words in reply to one person and perhaps uttered it in a low tone, but these very words uttered in low tones continue to resound in history.

Source: A Probe into the History of Ashura
By: Dr. Ibrahim Ayati

Lady Ummul Baneen (S.A) was among the first individuals to hold mourning sessions (Majalis) for Imam Hussain. Imam Sadiq (A.S) has narrated, “Ummul Baneen (S.A), the mother of the four martyred brothers would go to (the cemetery of) al-Baqi and would lament with heart-rending and grief-stricken words upon her sons. People would gather and listen to her (sorrowful words). One day Marwan bin Hakam came and heard her lamenting and started weeping (in spite of being ruthless himself).” Along with the other ladies of Bani Hashim, she virtually transformed Jannat al-Baqi into a Hussainiya, a center of mourning for Imam Hussain and the tragedy that befell his family. She is considered the first person to recite poetry lamenting the plight and suffering of Imam Hussain and the orphans in Karbala, as well as the tragic martyrdom of her own sons. The lamentations and poems she wrote are highly regarded as important masterpieces of Arabic literature. One famous elegy she wrote is as follows:

Whoever has seen the courageous advances of Abbas?
And along with him were the brave sons of Haidar
I heard that he lost his arms, and his head was wounded
O Lord, how did my son fall on the ground with no arms to break his fall?
Were it that he had a sword, no one would have dared approach him

Don’t call me the Mother of Her Sons anymore
This title reminds me of those Haidari lions
As long as my sons were alive, I was Ummul Baneen
Now that I have lost them, this title doesn’t suit me

Those four sons of mine were like four lions
The ones who sleep in the desert after giving their heads
Whoever faced them in the midst of the battlefield?
Surely would have fallen to the ground like rain
How I wish someone had come and informed me
That the arms of my Abbas were brutally severed

A few years after the tragedy of Karbala, Lady Ummul Baneen (S.A) passed away on 13th Jamadi al-Thani, 64 AH. But the mourning sessions and traditions she established have kept the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (A.S) and the Prophet’s Family alive, and it is incumbent upon us to maintain this legacy and keep the incident of Karbala alive in our hearts.

Ref: Islamic insight

Abu Talib was over eighty years of age. He became very invalid. So, he was confined to the bed. He thought about nothing but our Master Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P). He knew that if he died, the Quraysh would fear no one and they would kill his nephew.
The Qurayshi leaders came to visit Shaikh al-Bat-ha. They said:
Abu Talib, you're our Shaikh and Master.
You're about to die. So, put an end to the enmity between your nephew and us. Tell him to stop hurting us. We'll stop hurting him. Tell him to leave us with our religion. We'll leave him with his religion.
Abu Talib looked at Abu Jahal, Abu Sufyan, and other Qurayshi leaders. He said to them faintly:
If you hear Muhammad's words and obey his orders, you'll be happy. So, obey him and get happiness here and in the hereafter.
The atheists stood up. Abu Jahal said with spite:
Do you want us to make the gods one god?
Abu Talib was sad at the Qurayshi stand. He was very anxious about our Master Muhammad's safety. So, he invited Bani Hashim and asked them to support our Master Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) at any cost they all obeyed him. Then Abu Talib closed his eyes to die soundly.
Shaikh al-Bat-ha kept silent. He became a motionless body.
His son Ali wept bitter tears. Sad cries spread all over Makkah. The atheists rejoiced at his death.
Abu Jahal angrily said:
It's time to get my revenge on Muhammad.
Our Master Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) came to say farewell. He kissed Abu Talib's bright forehead and murmured sadly:
Uncle, may Allah have mercy on you.
You educated me when I was small, looked after me when I became an orphan, and supported me when I became a grown-up.
So, may Allah reward you a lot.
Then he burst into tears. He began recalling the days of his childhood with his kind uncle. He embraced his cousin Ali. They began weeping together.

Ref: Al Islam.org