Martyrdom of Companions and Banu Hashim

Shamir Ibn Dhi al-Jawshan turned back against them but (some) of his men were killed and the rest retreated to their positions. (The number) of killed was apparent among the followers of al Husayn, peace be on him, because of the fewness of their number while it was not so apparent among the followers of ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d because of their great number.

The battle (continued to be) fought fiercely and desperately. The number killed and wounded among the followers of Abu ‘Abd Allah al Husayn, peace be on him, continued to grow until the sun began to decline. Al Husayn and his companions prayed the prayer according to the rite of the prayer of fear.

Hanzala Ibn Sa’d al-Shibami advanced in front of al Husayn, peace be on him, and called out, “People of Kufa,

O people I fear for you the same (that happened) on the Day of Parties. I fear for you on the Day of Summoning” (40:30,32)

“O people, do not kill al Husayn,

for God will destroy you with punishment. He who forges a lie will be disappointed. (20:61)

He advanced and fought until he was killed, may God have mercy on him. After that, Shawdhab, retainer (mawla) of Shakir, went forward, (after saying), “Greetings, Abu ‘Abd Allah and may God store his mercy and blessings for you.”

He fought until he was killed, may God have mercy on him. Then came Abis Ibn Shabib al-Shakiri. He greated al Husayn, peace be on him, and fought until he was killed. Each man of (al Husayn’s) followers continued to go forward and be killed until there only remained with al Husayn, peace be on him, the members of his own House.

His son, ‘Ali Ibn al Husayn, peace be on them, whose mother was Layla daughter of Abu Murra Ibn Urwa Ibn Masud al-Thaqafi, was (the next) to advance. He was one of the most handsome men of the time. On that day he was nineteen years of age.

He attacked the enemy declaring, “I am ‘Ali Ibn al Husayn Ibn ‘Ali. By the House of God, we are those rightly (endowed) with the Prophet. By God, the son of a spurious son will not judge us. I will strike with my sword in defence of my father. I will strike with the blow of a Hashimi, a Qurayshi.”

He did that several times, and the Kufans were afraid to kill him.

Then Murra Ibn Munqidh al-Abdi saw him. He said, “May the felonies of the Arabs come on me, if he gets past me doing the same as he has been doing, (and) if I do not deprive his mother of him.”

(‘‘Ali Ibn al Husayn) continued to attack the enemy as he had been doing but then Murra Ibn Munqidh came against him and stabbed him. He was struck down and the enemy fell upon him, cutting him with their swords. Al Husayn, peace be on him, went out until he stood over him and said, “May God kill (the) people who killed you, my son. How fool hardy they are against the Merciful and in violating the sacredness of the family of the Apostle, may God bless him and his family.”

His eyes filled with tears and he said, “There will (only) be dust on the world after you.”

Zaynab, the sister of al Husayn, peace be on him, came hurrying out, crying, “My brother, my nephew!” She came up and threw herself on (her dead nephew). Al Husayn raised her head and then led her back to the tent. He told his young (sons),“Carry your brother back.”

They carried him and put him before the tent which they had been fighting in front of. (Then) one of ‘Umar Ibn Sad’s men called ‘Amr Ibn Subayh shot an arrow at ‘Abd Allah Ibn Muslim Ibn Aqil. Abd Allah put his hand to guard his brow. The arrow struck his hand and penetrated through his brow, and riveted the hand to it. He was not able to move it when another man came down on him with a spear, thrust it into his heart, and killed him.

Abd Allah Ibn Qutba al-Ta’i attacked Awn Ibn ‘Abd Allah Ibn Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib and killed him.

Amir Ibn Nashhal al-Tamimi attacked Muhammad Ibn Abd Allah Ibn Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib and killed him.

Uthman Ibn Khalid al-Hamdam launched himself against ‘Abd al- Rahman Ibn ‘Aqil Ibn Abi Talib, and killed him.

Humayd Ibn Muslim reported:

It was like that among us (i.e. many of al Husayn’s supporters had been killed by ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d’s army) when a young lad came out against us. His face was young like the first splinter of the new moon and he carried a sword. He was wearing a shirt and a waistcloth (izar), and a pair of sandals, one of whose straps was broken. ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d Ibn Nufayl al-Azdi said to me, “Let me attack him.” I said, “Praise be to God, what do you want to do that for? Leave him. While even one of the family of al Husayn remains, that will be enough to take vengeance on you for his (death).”

But he insisted, “By God, let me attack him.”

So he rushed against him and did not turn back until he had struck his head with his sword and split it in two. The young lad fell face downwards and he called out, “O uncle!” At this, al Husayn, peace be on him, showed himself just like the hawk shows itself. He launched into attack like a raging lion and struck Umar Ibn Sad Ibn Nufayl with his sword. That man tried to fend off the blow with his arm but his arm was cut off from the elbow, and he gave a great shriek (of pain) which was (even) heard by the people in the camp.

As al Husayn, peace be on him, turned away from him, the cavalry of Kufa attacked in order to save him but they (only succeeded) in trampling him to death beneath the horses’ hooves, and the dust rose.

I saw al Husayn, peace be on him, standing by the head of the young lad, looking at his feet and al Husayn, peace be on him was saying, “May the people who have caused your death perish. For the one who will oppose them on the Day of Resurrection on your behalf will be your grandfather (‘Ali, or great grandfather, i.e. the Prophet).”

Then he continued, “By God, it is hard on your uncle that you called him and he did not answer you, or rather he answered but your cry was (too late) to help you. For by God, those who kill his relatives are many but those who help him are few.”

Then he carried him in his arms. It is just as if (even now) I am looking at the two legs of the boy making marks (as they trail) on the ground. He took him and put him with his son, ‘‘Ali Ibn al Husayn, peace be on them both, and the other members of the household who had been slain. I asked about the boy and was told that he was al-Qasim Ibn al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Abl Talib, peace be on them.

Then al Husayn, peace be on him, sat in front of the tent. He brought his son, ‘Abd Allah Ibn al Husayn, peace be on him, who was (just) a baby and sat him on his knee. But one of the Banu Asad shot an arrow which slaughtered the child. Al Husayn, peace be on him, caught the child’s blood in the palm of his hand.

When his palm was full, he poured (the blood) on to the ground and said, “O Lord, if it be so that You have kept the help of Heaven from us, then let it be because (Your purpose) is better than (immediate help). Take vengeance on these people who are (such) oppressors.”

Then he carried the child and laid him with the (other) members of his household who had been slain.

(Just then) Abd Allah Ibn Uqba al-Ghanawi shot an arrow at Abu Bakr Ibn al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali, peace be on them, and killed him. When al-Abbas Ibn ‘Ali saw the number of his family who had been killed, he said to his brothers on his mother’s side, Abd Allah, Ja’far and Uthman, “My brothers through my mother, go forward so that I may see that you have remained true to God and His Apostle. For you have no children (to defend).”

Abd Allah, may God have mercy on him, advanced and fought fiercely. He exchanged blows with Hani’ Ibn Shabib al-Hadrami and Hani’ killed him. After him Ja’far went forward and Hani’ also killed him. Khawali Ibn Yazid al-Asbahi, may God curse him, went against Uthman who had taken the place of his brother. He fired an arrow at him and brought him down. One of the Banu Darim attacked him (while he was down) and cut off his head.