It has always been Allah’s tradition that on the birth and martyrdom of His chosen ones, He manifests some special tell-tale signs in the universe so that the inhabitants of the earth prepare themselves to welcome these special beings on their arrival and He makes the effects of their martyrdom apparent to everyone so that they are aware of the gravity of the crime committed against these great personalities. Examples from the Holy Quran can be cited for both these aspects. The incidents before and after the birth of Hazrat Isa (a.s.) can be found in detail in the Holy Quran. Similarly, the aftermath of the martyrdom of Prophet Yahya (a.s.) and the she camel of Prophet Saleh (a.s.) are also mentioned. Secondly, these effects are either manifested or preserved so that future generations draw important lessons from it and if the actions of their ancestors were positive then they should put it into practice in their personal lives.
Keeping the above points in mind, when we glance through the events following the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.) and their effects, we get to see their everlasting effects and an inspiration to sacrifice everything for the sake of Allah’s religion. Besides, these effects have a deep impact on a person which affirm for him certainty in his religion and fortify his faith. The survival of Shiite Islam today is a living proof of the same. With these thoughts, let us have a look at some incidents which will not only increase our faith but also become a cause of Allah’s satisfaction in the Hereafter.
1. Through reliable sources, Shaikh Tusi (a.r.) in his Amaali quotes Husain ibn Abi Faakhitah:
The narrator says that Abu Salamah AlSarraaj, Yunus ibn Yaqoob, Fuzail ibn Yasaar and I were with the 6thImam Abu Abdillah (a.s.). I asked Imam (a.s.): May my life be sacrificed for you, there are times when I attend their (enemies) gatherings and I remember you. What should I say then?
Imam (a.s.) says: 0 Husain, if you are present in their gatherings, then say:
O Allah! Grant us ease and happiness forsurely, You grant whatsoever You wish.
The narrator asked Imam (a.s.): May my life be sacrificed for you, what should I say when I remember Imam Husain (a.s.).
Imam (a.s.) replied: Say thrice ‘Salutations be upon you o Aba Abdillah (a.s.)’. Imam (a.s.) then turned towards us and said, “Certainly when Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred all the seven heavens and earth wept. Everything in the skies and earth lamented. Those things which can be seen and those that can’t be seen cried. Except for three things everything wept.”
The narrator asked, “May i be your ransom, which three things didn’t cry for Imam Husain (a.s.)?
Imam (a.s.) said: Basra, Damascus (Syria) and the progeny of Hakam bin Abi al-Aas.
(Jilaa al-Uyoon, p. 53)
2. Shaykh Sadooq (a.r.) in Amaali and llal al Sharaae’ quotes from reliable sources, narrating from Jabalah al-Makkiyyah that she said:
“I heard Meesam al-Tammar say: I swear by Allah that this nation will kill the son of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) on 10th of Muharram and I swear by Allah that the enemies of the religion will declare this day as a blessed day. This is still to happen. Allah, the Almighty, has already mentioned this and I am informing about these things based on the promise of my Master Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). Indeed, my Master apprised me that ‘Everything shall weep upon Husain, even the animals in the wild, fishes in the ocean, birds in the skies, the sun, the moon, the stars, the heavens and the earth, the believers among the men and the Jinn, all the angels in the heavens and the earths, Rizwan, Maalik and the carriers of Divine Throne and the skies will rain blood-spattered dust’. Then Imam (a.s.) said, ‘It is obligatory to curse the killers of Husain (a.s.) just as it is obligatory to curse the polytheists, those who appointed another god with Allah, and just as it is obligatory to curse the Jews, Christians and the Majoos.”
Jabalah asked Meesam, ‘How can people treat the day on which Imam Husain (a.s.) will be slain as a blessed day?’ Meesam cried and replied, “These people rely on concocted traditions thinking this was the day when Prophet Adam’s (a.s.) mistake (Tark-e-Awla) was forgiven, when indeed it was only in the month of Zilhajj that his repentance was accepted. They assume that it was this day when Allah accepted Prophet Dawood’s (a.s.) penitence when, in fact, it was only in the month of Zilhajj that Allah had forgiven him. They think that it was on this day that Prophet Yunus (a.s.) was saved from the fish’s belly when, on the contrary Allah had removed him from it in the month of Zilhajj. They imagine that this was the day when Prophet Nuh’s (a.s.) ark had docked at Mount Judi when in reality it had docked on the 18th of Zilhajj. They consider this to be the day when Allah had parted the sea for Bani Israel to pass when in reality it was in the month of Rabi al-Awwal that Allah had created a passage in the sea for Bani Israel.” Then Meesam said, “Oh Jabalah, know that Imam Husain ibn Ali (a.s.) will undoubtedly be the Chief of Martyrs in heaven and his companions will be ranked much higher than other martyrs. Oh Jabalah, when you see the sun turning red like clotted blood, know that the Chief of Martyrs Husain (a.s.) has been killed.”
Jabalah said: One day when I went out I saw sunrays falling on a wall as if a blood covered mantle had been wrapped on it. I let out a scream and started to cry, ‘By Allah! Indeed our Master Imam Husain (a.s.) has been martyred.
[Al-Amaali of Shaikh Saduq (a.r.), p. 126]
3. Ibrahim Ibn Malik al-Ashtar al-Nakhaee narrates:
One day Imam Ali (a.s.) came out of his home and took a seat in the mosque and his companions surrounded him. Then Imam Husain (a.s.) came and stood in front of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). Imam (a.s.) kept his blessed hand on the head of Imam Husain (a.s.) and said,
“My dear son! The Almighty Allah has condemned those people in His book with these words: ‘So the heaven and the earth did not weep for them nor will they be given respite.
[Surah Dukhan (44): Verse 29]
“I swear by Allah! These people will kill you and the heavens and the earth will shed tears for you.”
Abu Baseer narrates that the 6th Imam (a.s.) expounded, “Certainly, the sky and the earth lamented upon the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.). They turned red and both, the sky and earth, never cried for anyone other than Yahya ibn Zakariyah (a.s.) and Imam Husain ibn Ali (a.s.).”
Abdullah Ibn Hilaal says, ‘I heard Imam Sadiq (a.s.) say: Undeniably, the sky and earth wept for none other than Imam Husain ibn Ali (a.s.) and Yahya ibn Zakariyah.’ The narrator asked, ‘What does the weeping of the sky imply?’ Imam (a.s.) retorted, “For 40 days a dark red sun would rise and at the time of setting, too, it would be dark red.’The narrator further asked, ‘Does this mean that the sky wept?’ Imam (a.s.) replied, “Yes.”
4. Barbari says that once I went to meet Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) and he asked me, “Do you see this owl which speaks to the people?” The narrator said, “May my life be sacrificed for you, I had come to ask you (about it).”
Imam (a.s.) added, “At the time of my grandfather, Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) this owl used to live in homes and palaces and when people sat to have their meal, it would come flying towards them and sit in front of them. People would offer food and provide water to it and then it would fly back to its nest. But ever since Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred, it stopped going into homes and started living in wilderness, on mountains and in jungles and then said, “You are the worst nation, you have massacred the son of your Prophet’s daughter (s.a.). Now, I will never trust you.”
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Surely, this owl fasts in the day and when it breaks its fast, it recites elegies on Imam Husain (a.s.) till the next morning.”
Husain Ibn Abi Munzir narrates a tradition from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) about the owl. He (a.s.) asked us, “Has anyone of you seen an owl in the day time?” He (a.s.) was told, “We have always seen it in the night but never during the day.”
Imam (a.s.) replied, “Certainly, the owl used to stay in populated places. But the day when Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred, it made it incumbent upon itself that it will not live in populated areas and took refuge in the wild and deserts. Since then till date it is grief-stricken, it fasts during the day till the darkness of the night arrives and when darkness engulfs the night, it continues to recite elegy of Imam Husain (a.s.) till dawn.”
(Jilaa al-Uyoon, p. 433]
5. It has been narrated in Amaali of Shaikh Saduq (a.r.) quoting through reliable sources from Muffazal ibn Umar (r.a.) who narrates from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) through his noble ancestors:
One day Imam Hasan (a.s.) went to Imam Husain (a.s.) and when the latter saw his brother, he started crying. Imam Hasan (a.s.) inquired, “O Aba Abdillah al-Husain, what made you cry?” Imam Husain (a.s.) replied, “I am lamenting the calamity that will befall upon you.”Imam Hasan (a.s.) exclaimed, “I am the one who will be poisoned but O Aba Abdillah al-Husain, there is no day like your day (Ashura). An army of 30000 will attack you and claim to be from the nation of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and followers of Islam. They will gather to kill you, shed your blood, trample your dignity, take your progeny and womenfolk as captives and pillage your wealth. At that point of time, surely the Bani Umayyah will deserve to be cursed. The sky will rain bloodspattered dust and everything, including the animals in the wild and the fishes in the ocean, will mourn for you.”
We shall suffice at these five incidents else voluminous books are required to narrate the effects of the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.) and his miracles. We pray to Allah to accept our trivial efforts, include us among the mourners of Imam Husain (a.s.) and hasten the reappearance of Imam Husain’s (a.s.) heir, Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.). Aameen!
