Edward G. Brown (Professor at the University of Cambridge),
“A Literary History of Persia”,London, 1919, p.227

Dezful Ashura Cultural Institution (DACI) would like to offer its deep condolence on the death anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and the martyrdom anniversary of his elder grandson, Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (PBUH) on Safar 28th, and also the martyrdom anniversary of the eighth Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (PBUH) on Safar 30th.

Ruqayyah was the youngest daughter of Imam Husain (PBUH). She was just three or four years old.

After the martyrdom of the Imam and his followers in Karbala, the cruel enemy took her family into captivity and moved them to Sham (Damascus).

A ruined place was now their home. It was the night of Safar 5^th, 61 A.H. Ruqayyah cried a lot, for she had really missed her father and wished to see him as if she hadn’t believed his martyrdom.

The stone-hearted Yazid ordered to take her father’s head to the ruins. When Ruqayyah saw her father’s head, she hugged it and cried a lot and spoke to him. She said all that had happened to them by cruelty of the enemy to her kind father. Then the innocent young girl passed away beside her father’s head.

By Fetemeh Movahhed

The Holey Tomb of Ruqayyah the Daughter of Imam Husain (PBUH) in Syria

Dezful Ashura Cultural Institution (DACI) would like to offer its deep condolence for the death anniversary of Ruqayyah, the innocent daughter of Imam Husain (PBUH).

RECEIVING THE FIRST LETTERS: On Ramadan 10th, 37 days after the Imam’s arrival in Mecca, the first letters were delivered. Abdullah ibn Sabi’ al-Hamdani and Abdullah ibn Wāl al-Taymi were the first group of the letter carriers. ⁶³

NEXT DISPATCHED GROUPS AND MESSENGERS: Qays ibn Musahhir al-Saydawi, Abdurrahman, Abdullah ibn al-Kidan Irhabi and Ammara-t ibn Abd al-Sulluli arrived in Mecca on Ramadan 12th while they had 50 letters from the great of Kufa. On Ramadan 13th, Hāni Ibn Hāni al-Sabi’ee and Sa’eed ibn Abdullah al-Khath’ami (al-Hanafi) with 50 letters entered Mecca. (Some have written that the letters had been 53, 150 letters and even more.)

The writers of letters except ordinary people were great faces such as Shibth ibn Rab’ee, Hajjār ibn Abjar, Yazid ibn Hārith ibn Ruwin, Amr ibn al-Mihāh, Sulayman ibn Surad al-Khazāei, Rufā’at ibn Shaddad, Abdullah ibn Wāl, Habib ibn Madhāhir and Musayyib ibn Najabah. ⁶⁴

TIME OF RECEIVING THE LAST LETTERS: The last letters were delivered by Hāni ibn Hāni al-Sabi’ee and Sa’eed ibn Abdullah al-Hanafi. Up to Ramadan 14th, the number of the letters reached 12000 and according to some other references 18000 and 40000. ⁶⁵

CONTENTS OF THE LETTERS: In most of the letters, there was the same content saying “All of the people are waiting for you to come. They don’t participate in Friday prayers and prayers in congregation. O’ son of the Prophet! The gardens are ever green; the springs are boiling, and the army is ready to defend and help.” ⁶⁶

REFLECTION OF THE CHANGES IN MECCA: The news of Aba Abdullah and Abdllah ibn Zubayr’s opposition and the letters of the residences of Kufa were reported to Yazid; Yazid furiously dismissed Walid ibn Atabah and replaced Amr ibn Sa’eed al-Ashdaq instead of him on the month of Ramadan. Meanwhile he wrote a letter to Abdullah ibn Abbas and considered the letters of residences of Kufa and readiness of Husain (PBUH) for the uprising a big threat and warned that the futurity of those movements wouldn’t be pleasant. In this letter, it was also mentioned to Abdllah ibn Zubayr and his refusal. In response, Abdullah ibn Abbas advised Yazid to be intellectual and hones and refrain from immorality and sins. ⁶⁷

References:

63. Akhbar al-Tawwal (P. 231); History of Tabari (Vol. 5, pp. 351-353); Al-Irshad (Vol. 2, pp. 6-34)

64. Nafas al-Mahmum (Pp. 80-81); A’yan al-Shiah (Vol. 1, p. 589); Kharazmi: Maqtal Al-Husain (Vol. 1, pp. 194-195); Ibn Athir: Al-Kamil (Vol. 3, pp. 266-267); Maqatil al-Talibin (Pp. 62-63)

65. Bahr-ul-Ulum: Maqtal al-Husain (Pp. 151-152); Wasilat al-Darin (P. 32); Abi Mikhnaf: Maqtal (P. 17-19)

66. Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya (Vol. 8, pp. 151-152); Al-Luhuf (Pp. 33-36); Ibn Athir: Al-Kamil (Vol. 3, pp. 266-267); Kharazmi: Maqtal Al-Husain (Vol. 1, pp. 194-195)

67. Tadhkirat al-Khawas (Pp. 136-137); Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya (Vol. 8, p. 164); Bahr-ul-Ulum: Maqtal al-Husain (Pp. 144-145)

Her teknonym (Kunya) was Umm Abdullah and her mother was a bondwoman. Regarding her glory, it would be enough to say that she is the mother of the fifth Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH). There have been many wonders wrought by this respected lady including the following story which deceased Kulayni has written in his honored book “Al-Kāfi”:

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir said: My mother was sitting next to a wall. Suddenly the wall started to shake with high sound and began to fall down. The great lady pointed to wall with hand and said:

“Don`t fall down, swear to Mustafa (the Prophet), that God doesn`t grant permission to you to fall down.”

The wall suspended between the earth and the heavens until my mother went away. My father granted 100 Dinars for charity for my mother’s health.

What Imam Sadiq (PBUH) says about the daughter of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (PBUH) shows her degree and her respect well. Imam Sadiq (PBUH) says:

Fatima was a truthful lady and there was nobody like her in the family of Imam Hassan (PBUH).

On the day of Ashura, Fatima, with her husband, Imam Zain al-Abidin and her respected son, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH) were present in Karbala and witnessed the family of Taha and Yasin suffering from many hardships.

On that day she saw how her uncle, Imam Husain (PBUH) and her brother, Qasim ibn al-Hassan (PBUH) were martyred. She tasted the bitter taste of captivity in company with the Prophet of God’s family (Ahl al-Bayt), especially his aunt, Zainab al-Kubra (PBUH) and her husband, Imam Zain al-Abidin, and she was taken around the different cities as a prisoner. She saw how her sick husband was captured, and the tents of the family of Sayyid al-Shuhada (master of martyrs) burned in the fire of oppression, and their property was pillaged.

Mahallati writes: No one knows what happened to that honored lady. On one hand she tolerated seeing her sick husband in chain sitting on a camel and her four-year-old child, Imam Mohammad al-Baqir (PBUH), who was hungry and thirsty while she was in need of a piece of clothing by which she could cover herself from strangers, and on the other hand she got tortured by looking at the heads of her relatives on spears.

Translated by, Ms. Ebrahimi

Dezful Ashura Cultural Institution (D.A.C.I.) offers its condolence for the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Ali ibn Husain al-Sajjad (PBUH) on Muharram 12th.

The Night before Ashura:

Imam Husain (PBUH) gathered his companions and told them his last words. Here is some part of his speech in the night before Ashura: “Beware that I know your tomorrow destiny well while fighting the enemy. I let you free to choose. I nullify my allegiance from you so that you can have this chance to leave here with peace of mind. You can go now that the darkness of night prevents the eyes to see the others.”

After delivering this sermon, the companions stood up and took the oath of loyalty one by one from the bottom of their hearts. Aba al-Fadhl al-Abbas (PBUH) was the first one who swore loyalty to the Imam. Having heard his companions’ words, the Imam started talking about the events which would occur the next day.

Ashura Day:

On Ashura morning, the enemy’s army, about 10000 troops, coming closer to the Imam’s army in a linear row started shooting arrows from their bows. The shooting caused half of the companions or two third of them to be martyred.

Before the Noon Prayer, another group of the companions, about 47 persons, were martyred during a one-on-one combat among which Habib ibn Madhahir was the last one.

During performing the Noon Prayer and after that, Imam Husain’s other companions, except those of Banu Hashim clan, were martyred while they were fighting bravely.

Then it was Hashemites’ turn to scarify their lives for the sake of their Imam and Islam. The Hashemite seem to be martyred in the battle in such an order:

1. Ali ibn Husain (Ali al-Akbar)

2. Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Aqil (Some knew him as the first martyr of Banu Hashim in Ashura.)

3. Uwn ibn Jafar al-Tayyar

4. Jafar ibn Aqil ibn Abi Talib

5. Abd al-Rahman ibn Aqil ibn Abi Talib

6. Musa ibn Aqil ibn Abi Talib

7. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Aqil

8. Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Jafar ibn Abi Talib

9. Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

10. Abu Bakr ibn Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (Some also knew him as Ahmad, Abdullah al-Akbar and Abdullah.)

11. Umar ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

12. Abdullah ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

13. Uthman ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

14. Uwn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

15. Jafar ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

16. Ubaydallah ibn Abdullah ibn Jafar

17. Uwn ibn Abdullah ibn Jafar

18. Qasim ibn Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

19. Abu al-Fadhl al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib

20. Muhammad ibn Abi Sa’eed ibn Aqil

21. Abdullah ibn al-Husain (Abdullah, the suckling)

22. Ali al-Asghar (Ali ibn al-Husain)

23. Abdullah ibn Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (Abdullah al-Asghar)

And finally, Imam Husain (PBUH) stepped to the battle finding himself alone. 4000 soldiers attacked him while having swords, arrows and spears in their hands.

Imam Husain (PBUH) got injured severely, but it seemed that no one dared to be Husain’s murderer. At this time, a man named Malik ibn Bishr (Nasr or Nusir) insulted the Imam and struck him on the head. The Imam’s head-cover was torn and blood was pouring out of the cut on his head. After this attack, the enemy retreated to a little extent. Husain (PBUH) returned to the tents while the sound of crying could be heard. He dressed his wounds and put on his turban.

Imam Husain (PBUH) went to the battle again. He was fighting and making the foes withdraw. Umar ibn Saad ordered his soldiers to shoot arrows towards the Imam. The number of arrows was so excessive that there was no empty place on his holy body. While the blood was pouring out of his body, the Imam stated: “Make sure that the Lord will vent his wrath upon you for assassinating me as the son of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).” Suddenly a stone hit the Imam’s forehead. As he wanted to clean the blood over his forehead, a poisoned three-pronged arrow pierced his chest. Imam Husain (PBUH) pulled the arrow out, gathered his spouting blood by his hand and threw it towards the sky. Then he fell down and the infantrymen surrounded him to finalize the war by killing him. Meanwhile Abdullah ibn Hassan, who was a teenager, ran towards his uncle to help him but he was martyred by the cruel enemy. Finally, Shimr ibn Thil-Jawshan approached Husain (PBUH) and beheaded him by twelve beats on the back of his neck.

O Allah, make available for me the intercession of Husain (PBUH) on the Day I present myself before You, and let me stand firm in safety before You on account of my sincere attachment with Husain (PBUH), along with him and his comrades who sacrificed everything they had (hearts, minds, souls, and lives) for Husain peace be upon him.

Dezful Ashura Cultural Institution (DACI) offers its condolence for the martyrdom anniversary of the Chief of Martyrs, Imam Husain (PBUH).

Dezful Ashura Cultural Institution (DACI) published the second volume of its English periodical in the first decade of Muharram on the occasion of Imam Husain’s martyrdom.

You can download “ROOZEDAHOM II” in PDF format. (ROOZ-E-DAHOM means the tenth day and it refers to Muharram 10th, the day of Ashura.)

ROOZDAHOM-2

Karbala means softness. It was a land full of thorns having soft soil and had a very short distance to Euphrates.

SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS:

Stopping the caravan from going further by the order of Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi after receiving the letter of Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad; The Imam’s expression of his martyrdom and carrying his head on the spear to Zuhayr ibn al-Qayn

There was a palace (qasr) belonged to Muqatil ibn Hasan ibn Tha’labah in this region between Ayn Al-Tamr and Qutqutaniyyah

SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS:

The meeting between Imam Husain (PBUH) and Ubaydullah ibn Hurr Ju’afi (Imam Husain invited him to join them but he refused.); Anas ibn Hārith’s joining to the caravan