The Telegram of Hussein

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TheTelegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Two words symbolize the revolution

Book: TheTelegram of Hussein (pbuh)


The Author: Sheikh Dr. Akram Barakat

Publisher: Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wan-Nashr (As-Siraj House for


Culture and Publishing)

First Edition: Beirut, 2014 AD - 1435 AH

Special thanks go to translator "Fouad Rustom"


All Rights Reserved

The
Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)
Two words symbolize the revolution

Author
Sheikh Dr. Akram Barakat

In the name of Allah,


the Most Gracious,
the Most Merciful

A Series of Al Qaem Pulpit Sermons

These issues address the needs of society


and explain the program leading man to
happiness in both worlds.
Sheikh Akram Barakat discussed these
subjects from Al Qaem pulpit in Beiruts
southern suburb, after which he made
them available in writing in the hope
they will earn your satisfaction.

Preface
In his letter, when he left Makkah for Iraq,
Imam Hussein (pbuh) said openly to the children
of Hashim, From Hussein Bin Ali Bin Abi Talib
to Bani (the offspring of) Hashim: As far as I am
concerned, whoever follows me from amongst you
will be martyred along with me, and whosoever
stays behind will not achieve the conquest.
It is evident that these words of Imam Hussein (pbuh)
represent a program that informs the believer with the
good news about martyrdom, which is the wish of the
individual that marches in the way of Allah the Exalted
in order to reach the highest perfections.
The latter part of the letter relates to those who
stayed behind. The eye-catching issue regarding this
description of theirs is that they were not categorized as
among those of the lines of the opposing side facing the
martyrs. The Imam (pbuh) did not condemn them to the
point that would make them among the residents of the
hellfire. Instead, he (pbuh) said that they were deprived

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

of great honor and generosity. This means conquest.


From this point on, I will explain the following key
points of this short letter, which symbolizes with its
points the aims behind the rise of Imam Hussein (pbuh)
coupled with its values.
To begin with, we will study the meaning of
conquest, which based on witnessing martyrdom
does not mean military victory. Therefore, what kind of
victory did Imam Hussein (pbuh) aim for?
8

Next, we will study the conditions of those who


stayed behind and failed to join the Imam (pbuh)
coupled with their fate. We will count the kinds or types
of those shaded by the mitigated harsh expression, And
whosoever stays behind will not achieve conquest.
In conclusion, we will talk about the culture of
martyrdom, which was the slogan of good news for those
marching along the path of Imam Hussein, his grandfather
(the Prophet), his father (the caliph or successor of the
Prophet), his mother, his brother, the nine infallible men
of his progeny (peace be upon all of them), and anyone
who embraces his path and everlasting invitation, the
everlasting conflict between right and wrong.
Hence, the book contains three chapters, which I
addressed during my speeches at al Qaem pulpit in the

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

atmosphere of Ashura School. These chapters are:


The Conquest
Those who failed to join the conquest
Martyrdom
My aim behind shaping my words was not to write
a scientific research. Instead, I kept them within the
framework of the lectures that formed a series of al
Qaem pulpit.
These series created a good effect, forming a
touching religious culture for the cultivation of correct
perception and a flawless pattern, especially in the
shade of our challenge against the soft war that tries to
target the points of strength in our society.
I beseech Allah the Exalted to accept and welcome
this effort and to treasure it for me for the Day of
Judgment. I also hope that it will gain the blessing and
satisfaction of our holy Imam, Sahib al-Asr waz-Zaman
[the companion of our present and future times, the
guided one], may Allah the Exalted hasten his advent.
Akram Barakat
Al-Qaem Mosque, Beirut, Lebanon
1435 A.H.

First Chapter

Conquest

Conquest
From Hussein Bin Ali Bin Abi Talib to Bani (the
offspring of) Hashim: As far as I am concerned, whoever
follows me from amongst you will be martyred along
with me, and whosoever stays behind will not achieve
conquest.
According to the script of this letter The Telegram,
the followers will be martyrs. In other words, this was
not a military conquest. Hence, victory at this point
does not mean a military victory. Therefore, what does
it mean?
The term conquest in this letter that was addressed
to Bani Hashim the members of the household of the
revelation and the crme of the nation informs us
that this term was very clear in their minds. This issue
encourages us to further explore the meaning of the
conquest that represents in this letter a key title for the
Husseini Rise.

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The meaning of conquest by language


and the holy Quran
According to language, conquest (opening) is the
antonym of closing. Therefore, conquered contradicts
with closed as in the example of opening a fortress,
hence it is open.

14

According to the holy Quran, the term conquest has


been used in several verses. We will define this term
by referring to two chapters (Surahs), shedding light on
the meaning of conquest in the letter of Imam Hussein
(pbuh).
1- The content of Al Fat (Victory) Chapter: Lo! We
have given thee (O Muhammad) a signal conquest,
that Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is
past and that which is to come, and may perfect His
favor unto thee, and may guide thee on a right path..
2- The content of An-Nar (The Divine Support)
Chapter: When Allahs succor and the conquest
cometh, and thou seest mankind entering the religion
of Allah in troops, then hymn the praises of thy Lord,
and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to
show mercy.
It is clear that the word conquest (open) in the two

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

chapters hold one meaning. It is the victory that Allah


the Exalted granted to his Prophet (pbuh&hh) and
Muslims.
Scholar Al Tabatabaei (RIP) wrote in his book
al Mizan (The Scale) several meanings regarding the
interpretation of the conquest in the first chapter. They
are:
1- Conquest means the opening of Makkah.
2- It also means the opening of Khaibar.
3- It also means the spiritual opening (an intrinsic
high morale), where one defeats the enemy with
clear reasons and luminous miracles, resulting in
the triumph of right and the loss of wrong; and that
Islam has manifested over all religion.
However, the revered scholar rejected these three
interpretations because they did not harmonize with
the context of the verses. Moreover, the indications did
not help each other.
The issue that proves the correctness of his
statement lies in his request May Allah has mercy on
his soul to us in order to contemplate on the context
of the aforementioned verses. For instance, in the
two verses of al Fat (victory) chapter there is a clear

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

bond between the conquest and the error of Prophet


Muhammad (pbuh&hh), that which is advanced and
what will follow. This issue must be analyzed in order
to understand the meaning of conquest.
A glimpse of the errors of the prophets (pbut)
Our creed is clear regarding the inerrancy of the
prophets of Allah the Exalted; they are protected
against wickedness and wrongdoings. This issue can
be approached through two pieces of evidence:
16

First: This is the mental evidence that launches from


the aim of the prophecy in guiding people. Therefore,
if the prophet was someone who disobeys Allah the
Exalted, his disobedience would create a reason for his
followers to perpetrate wrongdoings as they follow the
example of the prophet who is tied with the revelation.
The one chosen by Allah the Exalted regarding
prophecy [Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh)] is amongst
them. Hence, his followers will find a reason for their
wrongdoings based on his misconduct whereas in
fact he is the most perfect and divine chosen person.
In addition, Allah the Exalted rendered the prophets
(pbut) to be an example and paradigm for mankind.
Therefore, Allah the Exalted commanded the people to
follow their guidance.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Allah the Exalted said, Those who believe and


obscure not their belief by wrongdoing, theirs is safety;
and they are rightly guided. That is Our argument. We
gave it unto Abraham against his folk. We raise unto
degrees of wisdom whom We will. Lo! Thy Lord is
Wise, Aware.
Therefore, would it be wise for Allah the Exalted
to set the wrongdoers and disobeyers as examples or
models for the people to be guided by them?
The strangest issue about such a concept is in their
exposure by Allah the Exalted, openly telling about
their wrongdoings although He was the One that sent
them with a mission to guide the people. This issue
certainly contradicts with wisdom and logic!
Take for example, I am an Imam of a mosque and the
people trust me. Let us assume that I decided to travel
for one month away from the mosque and introduced
another man to replace me during my absence. I said
to the people: He who trusts me should trust him and
pray behind him during my absence. And I continued
saying, Yes he may be a liar, and a wrongdoer, still,
you can pray behind him and follow his guidance.
Arent my words contradicting with the wisdom and
purpose that I seek?

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Therefore, it would be illogic to say that Allah the


Exalted informed us about the prophets and commanded
us to follow their steps after which He tells us that one
of them is a murderer, another is a thief, and a third is
a liar, god forbid!
It is certain that he, who understands the verses in this
sense, would surely be mistaken in his understanding
of the holy book of Allah the Exalted and would be
straying away from the divine and sublime purposes.
18

Therefore, there must be another interpretation or


understanding of the holy book that would harmonize
with the previous reasonable evidence.
Second: This is the clear wording of Allah the
Exalted in saying that Satan has no access into the
hearts of the chosen servants. Instead, he will continue
in his desperateness and hopelessness to try to seduce
them. This was the reason why Satan swore that he will
seduce all children of Adam (pbuh) while exempting
the chosen servants. Allah the Exalted said, He [Iblis
(Satan)] said: Then, by Thy might, I surely will beguile
them every one, Save Thy single-minded slaves among
them.
Therefore, Satan would have tried to seduce the
chosen servants as well if he had the ability to do so.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The chosen servants are the ones that Allah the


Exalted purified from all evil although there is no
evidence that this issue is confined to the prophets
(pbut) Yet there is no doubt that all prophets are the
chosen servants. To emphasize this issue Allah the
Exalted described a number of the prophets as chosen
ones such as:
- The story of Prophet Moses (pbuh) can be mistakenly
interpreted to mirror him as someone who killed
without justice. Allah the Exalted said, And
make mention in the Scripture of Moses. Lo! He
was chosen, and he was a messenger (of Allah), a
prophet.
- The story of Prophet Joseph (pbuh) can be mistakenly
interpreted to mirror him as someone who was
negatively attracted towards Al Azeezs wife. Allah
the Exalted said about him, She verily desired him,
and he would have desired her if it had not been
that he saw the argument [proof] of his Lord. Thus
it was, that We might ward off from him evil and
lewdness. Lo! He was of Our chosen slaves.
- Allah the Exalted said also about a number of His
prophets (pbut), And make mention of Our
bondmen, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, men of parts
and vision. Lo! We purified them with a pure thought,

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

remembrance of the Home (of the Hereafter).


Consequently, we cannot interpret the error that was
mentioned in the victory chapter (Surat Al-Fat) as a
wrongdoing and disobedience, especially that the words
point to the master of all human beings and the seal of
the prophets and messengers, Prophet Muhammad Bin
Abdullah (pbuh&hh).
Therefore, we say: The meaning of the term error
according to language is offense.
20

It is also one of the relative concepts that differentiate


according to mans situation and his environment. The
same issue applies to the meaning of shame, which is
also one of the relative concepts. For example, we can
notice that the behavior of a Bedouin while being in
his environment is not deemed as shameful, whereas
the same act can be deemed shameful in a modernized
environment. Moreover, an ordinary man eating while
walking in public is not deemed as a shameful act, while
it can be deemed shameful when seeing a religious
cleric doing so. It might even make him lose face.
The eye-catching issue in peoples view regarding
the relativity or degree of an error is that they might
consider the same deed as good on one hand and as bad
on the other.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The individuals value and importance might be the


origin of such relativeness in judging a person. For
example, suppose an ordinary young religious man
seeks help from an irreligious and immoral person for
a certain religious activity. Suppose this irreligious
person blames the young man and expels him refusing
to provide any assistance, how should our attitude be
towards the deed of that young man?
It is natural for us to praise his deed and consider it as
good although the required outcome was not reached.
On the other hand, suppose a famous and important
religious authority acted similarly and the same
irreligious person expelled him as well rejecting help;
at this point, we would blame the authority for this deed
because it did not suit his rank and stature. Hence, we
do not regard his action as good because of his stature
and position. This deed is good on the one hand but not
on the other.
To explain the notion further, I will give another
example that relates to judging an issue by using the
mind on one hand and the heart on the other.
The world literature includes several love stories
that went beyond the peoples familiarity.

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

An example is the love story of Romeo and Juliet, in


the English literature.
Another example is Farhad and Shirin in the Persian
literature; Qays and Layla in the Arabic literature,
which reads that Qayss condition switches from sanity
to craziness each time he meets Layla.

22

Regardless of the reality of this romance, let us


contemplate on the story itself. The presence of Layla
with Qays represents the utmost happiness with respect
to him and it is his utmost wish. Suppose he, while
sitting with his beloved Layla, has to leave her for half
an hour in order to go to his sick mother and give her
medicine after which he returns to Layla, what is the
proper verdict regarding his visitation to his mother in
order to administer her medications?
It is evident that this deed, according to reason and
society, is good and represents the utmost obligation
and the best act a man could ever perform towards his
mother.
However, if we wish to talk about the attitude of Qays
when he returns to Layla who knows what he did?
after leaving her for a period of time, should he return
and act normally as if nothing happened or should he
apologize for leaving her alone for some time despite

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

the necessity of his act? According to the melody of the


heart, the answer would be that he should apologize to
her on the basis that the mind has a tone that differs
from that of the heart. His deed in accordance with the
tone of the mind is good and in accordance with the
tone of the heart requires an apology.
This is the case of most prophets; they regard that
their privacy with Allah the Exalted and servicing
Him represent for them the peak of the approached
perfection and the peak of human worship.
Therefore, when they dismiss themselves from their
service to Allah the Exalted in order to embark on other
issues in life that are definitely good, later they return
to their privacy with Allah the Exalted while regarding
their behavior [suspension of service] as a misconduct
for which they must ask forgiveness from Allah the
Exalted.
This issue can be categorized under the following
saying, The good deeds of the righteous are the sins
of the Near Ones.

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Conclusion:
First: Error or misconduct does not always mean
sin nor is considered as disobedience to the obligatory
commandments of Allah the Exalted.
Second: Error can be attributed to a good deed
within itself; however, this depends on the stature of
certain people and their priorities.

24

Third: Error can be used to categorize an issue that


may not be ugly; however, it can be regarded as an
offense depending on certain considerations apart from
others.
Back to the two verses of conquest
Accordingly, one can understand that the aim behind
revealing the words advanced errors and those to
follow in the second verse of the victory chapter (Surat
al Fat) is not sin and disobedience. Therefore, what
is the aim behind the revelation of this verse?
By contemplating on the context of the verse in
light of the prophetic biography leads us to the fact
that the aim behind the error is the bad outcome that
the polytheists saw in the invitation of the Prophet
(pbuh&hh). Why?

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

For instance, they received great harm from the


invitation of the prophet (pbuh&hh) because they
regarded it as an issue that would demolish the
cornerstones of their heritage and what they regard as
their religion, consequently, damaging their pride and
dignity before the eyes of all Arabs and other nations.
Therefore, they would regard the prophets mission,
encouraging Islamism and resisting the worship of
idols, as a serious crime. They worked hard on making
sure that the people would regard his invitation as a
crime and they propagated this issue throughout the
widest possible regions.
For this cause, from the very beginning when he
announced his invitation, they launched an attacking
propaganda on the prophet (pbuh&hh) that distorted his
image and the very religion to which he invited them.
Hence, they called him names such as the sorcerer,
the madman, and the poet who invented the Quran.
It was even stated that during the seasons of Makkah
they would assign a number of their bullies to adhere
to the prophet in order to disrupt his task and disfigure
his image by attributing those negative qualities to his
personality.
This propaganda had its effect on the Arabs greatly,
preventing them from being influenced by the prophets

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

logic, preventing their hearts from being attracted


towards his divine message.
Yes, the citizens of Quraish invented a false cause
concerning the character of the prophet and his mission.
They circulated and spread their false cause throughout
the regions, and with it, they controlled a large number
of the minds and hearts of the Arabs. Hence, their minds
and hearts remained sealed to the invitation of Islam.

26

The work of the citizens of Quraish focused on


the public awareness because in controlling such
awareness one can steer the people in the direction
that he desires. The behavior of man acts as a servant
to his awareness and knowledge, not to the reality of
the issue. For example, if a person is approached by a
venomous snake while he is unaware, he will not move
from his place and will not run away. On the other
hand, if he senses it approaching he will run away. This
proves that the issue that motivates man and affects his
behavior is his awareness. It is not the actual presence
of the object.
In this sense, one can realize that a mans view
together with his behavior towards the other does not
depend on the reality of that other person. Instead, it
depends on the awareness of the first man to the other,
who may happen to be an illusion, not a reality. Besides,

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

man might not even react towards an object of high


value due to his lack of awareness or knowledge of its
value. For instance, someone might circle the Kabah
side by side with the holy Imam al-Mahdi (Sahib al-Asr
Waz-Zaman may Allah quicken his rise) while being
unaware of this fact. Hence, he will not be influenced
due to his lack of awareness. On the contrary, if the
Imams presence beside him is brought to his attention
his emotions would become indescribable. Moreover,
a man might revere and highly esteem another person
thinking that he is of a high stature and value and yet
he might be mistaken in his thinking.
Therefore, the issue that motivates man and
influences his behavior is his perception. It is not the
reality that is separate from such perception.
This issue applies to the case of the individual and
society together. He who wishes to change the society
needs to control the perception of the community in
order to obtain the required change. Man can simply
change a false legend into a believable one within the
minds of people and manage to render them adopt it
as a true cause that can be associated with a number of
resulting effects and outcomes.
One example is the holocaust cause (The Jewish
holocaust). The Jews managed to graft this idea as

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

a believable event within the minds of many people


in this world to be treated as a cause expressing the
utmost wrongness towards the Jewish nation. It reached
the point where it even affected governments in the
western world that claim freedom of expression and
ideology. Suddenly, these governments condemn to
prison and haunt great thinkers for simply questioning
the story of the Holocaust.

28

There is also the story of the Masada that narrates


the killing of 900 Jews who refused to surrender to
the Romans in an alleged epic battle. The historic
investigators confirm that there is no trace of such a
story in history. There is only a story about a bunch of
Jewish troublemakers who committed suicide during
their siege by the Romans. Yet still, the Jews turned
the Masada into a symbol of sacrifice. Consequently,
the Israeli soldier visits the Masada monument
whenever he wishes to swear an oath of loyalty to the
Zionist entity.
This is the case of the many invented causes which
the media invert through the battle of awareness and
perception into what others may believe as facts. The
USA in our present time is doing the same in its soft
war against Islam and its values.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

On returning to the disbelieving citizens of Quraish,


history tells us that they practiced the game of awareness
with cunning and wickedness until they managed to
greatly influence the minds and hearts of the Arabs.
Their widespread propaganda, which disfigured
the picture of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh) and
his religion, became susceptible to continuity in a
concentrative form throughout time.
Therefore, the minds and hearts of the Arabs were
tightly sealed in a way that was susceptible to continuity
and survival, hindering them from embracing the
religion of Allah the Exalted. In other words, the
Prophet (pbuh&hh), in their view, was guilty of serious
crime, as we said earlier regarding his invitation; and
that his guilt will continue into the future as long as his
mission continues.
At this point, this sealing of the minds and hearts
hindered large numbers of people from embracing
the religion of Allah the Exalted. Hence, how can the
prophet (pbuh&hh) create a change in the community
and open the minds and hearts of its citizens?
Alternatively, how can he succeed in spreading the
religion of Islam without obstacles, opening with his
success the closed doors?

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The elements of the successful invitation


There are three main elements required for a
successful invitation and to open the minds. They are:
1- The strength of the thesis (presentation).
2- The credibility of the owner of the thesis.
3- Sacrificing the dearest ones.

30

These elements can be clearly seen in the invitation


of the greatest Prophet (pbuh&hh).
Islam is his thesis, the sealing message that
represents the greatest mission that can achieve human
perfection. It depends on the associated conclusive
mind and reveals that which the divine script does not
explain, with its secrets detailed and revealed by the
noble tradition of the prophet.
This thesis is supported by an inimitable rhetoric. The
people failed and continue to fail in authoring similar
rhetoric even when challenging the smallest chapter
of the holy Quran. The inimitability accompanied the
script regarding the evidence in its trueness.
The credibility of the owner of the thesis mirrored a
great influence on the people who were touched by the

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

message. One of the orientalists said: Had Islam been


revealed as a holy book without it being tied to the
biography and behavior of Muhammad Bin Abdullah
(pbuh&hh), it wouldnt have had the same effect on its
great circulation.
As an example to the effect of the credibility, we
present the story of the Jewish neighbor who used to
continuously harm Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh).
For instance, he would place his garbage every day at
the doorstep of the Prophet (pbuh&hh). However, the
noble prophet (pbuh&hh) would never react negatively
toward his neighbor despite the long period of harm
that took place.
One day, Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) left home
while noticing on his way out there were no traces of
his neighbors garbage. He wondered and investigated
the issue. He was told that his Jewish neighbor was ill.
At this point, Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) took upon
himself an important matter, visiting the patient. He
wanted to manifest to his companions one of the great
values of Islam, which is patients visitation, especially
if the ill is a neighbor. When the Jew learned about the
aim of the prophet (pbuh&hh) behind his visitation and
that this issue represented a great value and a morality
that belonged to the prophets, he decided to recognize

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Islam in the presence of the noble Prophet (pbuh&hh)


and Muslims and said: I testify that there is one and
only one god, Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is
the messenger of Allah.
The Jewish neighbor, although he witnessed the
strong demonstration, still, he was not influenced in the
beginning. However, he was touched by the trueness
of such credibility of the noblest Prophet (pbuh&hh).
There are other similar examples that took place during
the life of the seal of the prophets (pbuh&hh).
32

With respect to sacrificing the dearest ones, Allahs


messenger (pbuh&hh) was the first on this way,
sacrificing himself and his dearest ones. He was the
first to attend the battlefield while his companions
would seek refuge by his side during the battles, said
commander of the faithful, Ali Bin Abil Talib (pbuh),
I could see ourselves on the day of Badr seeking
protection by Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) while he
is the nearest to the enemy. He was the strongest of all
people.
In the beginning of this battle, the Prophet
(pbuh&hh) sent forward his household members and
closest relatives before the rest of the Muslims. He did
the same issue during other battles in his lifetime.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Perhaps the story that clarifies these three elements


in the life of Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) is the issue
of Mubahala (earnest supplication). For instance,
in his interpretation, ascribing the story to Imam alSadiq (pbuh), Al Qummi narrated that the Christians of
Najran, when they came to Allahs messenger (pbuh)
with their masters Al-Ahtam, Al-Aqeb and As-Sayyid,
they arrived while ringing the bell because it was time
for their prayers, and they prayed. The companions
of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) said: this happens inside
your mosque! He said, Let them be. When they
finished from their prayer they approached the Prophet
(pbuh&hh) and said: to what do you invite us? He
said, To testify that there is no god but Allah and that
I am the messenger of Allah and that Jesus is a created
servant who eats drinks and breaches purity.
They said: well, who is his father? Hence, the
revelation came to the Prophet (pbuh&hh) and said,
Ask them, what they say about Adam (pbuh)? Was he
a created servant who eats and marries? They said: yes.
Thus, the prophet (pbuh) asked, Who is his father?
And they were stunned in silence. In the end, Allah
the Exalted revealed, Lo! The likeness of Jesus with
Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of
dust, and then He said unto him: Be! And he is. (This
is) the truth from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

not thou of those who waver. And whoso disputeth


with thee concerning him, after the knowledge which
hath come unto thee, say (unto him): Come! We will
summon our sons and your sons, and our women and
your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we
will pray humbly (to our Lord) and (solemnly) invoke
the curse of Allah upon those who lie.

34

The prophet (pbuh) said: Challenge me in


supplication, if I was right the damnation will strike
you and if I was wrong it will strike me. They said:
fair enough; and they made an appointment for the
supplication challenge. Their masters Al-Ahtam, AlAqeb and As-Sayyid said: if he brings his people for
the supplication we will challenge him for he should not
be a prophet. On the other hand, if he brings along his
own household we should not challenge him because
he would not do so if he was not being honest.
In the morning, they came to the prophet (pbuh&hh)
and found that he brought along with him Ali, Fatimah,
Hassan and Hussein (pbut). The Christians asked: who
are they? They were told that this was his cousin,
guardian and brother in law, Ali Bin Abi Talib; the
woman was his daughter, Fatimah, and the two boys
were his grandsons, Hassan and Hussein (pbut). At this
moment, they realized and said to the prophet (pbuh):

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

we will satisfy you if you spare us the challenge. Hence,


the Prophet (pbuh&hh) made a deal with them to pay a
tax and they left.
The eye-catching issue in the supplication challenge
story is that the prophet (pbuh) started at the beginning
of his dialogue while depending on the strength of
the thesis. However, this issue was useless with them.
Hence, he sought refuge at the second choice, which
indicates to the two other elements, honesty and
willingness to sacrifice the dearest ones. The masters
of the delegation understood this issue very clearly
because they regarded that when the prophet (pbuh)
brought his own household the dearest ones to his
heart it represented a high credibility and readiness to
sacrifice them, which encouraged them to retreat and
accept the tax payment.
However, these three elements, despite their
availability (knowing that the third element was in the
level of preparedness and not actuality because the
subjective conditions were absent) did not succeed in
opening the minds and hearts in general; hence, the
door of Islam was opened widely to those arrivals.
However, Allah the Exalted was generous to provide
His messenger (pbuh&hh) with the fourth element,
which is military victory, enabling him to defeat the

35

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

citizens of Quraish in Makkah. With this victory, the


gates of Makkah were opened to the Muslim combatants
at that time. After the military achievement, the greater
conquest was achieved, opening the minds and hearts
of the people. Therefore, Allah the Exalted revealed
to his prophet (pbuh&hh) saying, Lo! We have given
thee (O Muhammad) a signal victory.
This is how the message of Islam defeated the game
of the Qureshi perception that wanted to distort the
image of the Prophet (pbuh) and his religion.
36

In the end, the result was victory and conquest, That


Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is past and
that which is to come, and may perfect His favor unto
thee, and may guide thee on a right path.
As a result, their cunning was thwarted and their
distortion of the past and future was gone with the
wind. Moreover, after When Allahs succour and
the triumph cometh; you thou seest mankind
entering the religion of Allah in troops...
The Husseini Conquest
Yes, the Prophet (pbuh&hh) was able to open the
minds and hearts of people using four elements:
1- The strength of the thesis or presentation.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

2- The credibility of its owner.


3- Willingness to sacrifice the dearest ones.
4- Military victory.
However, a conquest that is similar to this one
took place fifty years later after this very conquest.
It possessed the strength of the presentation because
its power derived from that of Allahs messenger
(pbuh&hh) coupled with the credibility of its owner
who was completely merged with Allahs messenger
(pbuh&hh). However, the military victory was replaced
with the sacrificing of the dearest ones, actuality instead
of preparedness. The same issue took place also at
the time of the message, revealing the most beautiful
scenes of sacrifice in history.
It is normal, when talking in this sense, to ask a
question about the closure that required opening. What
happened to these minds and hearts to be closed again
in order to require a new opening?
The closure following the prophetic
opening
Shedding light on the twenty years during which
Muawiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan ruled projects to us the truth
of the conversion that happened to the nation, leading

37

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

to the closure of the minds and hearts of its children.

38

I begin with the words of Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, in his


explanation of Nahjul Balagha (Peak of Eloquence),
he said, Al-Zubeir Bin Bakkar a man who
does not protest Muawiyah or belong to the Shiite
concept because he was famed for his neutrality and
deviation from Ali (pbuh) narrated in his book AlMuwaffaqiyyat saying: Al-Mutrif Bin Al-Mughirah
Ibn Shubah said: My father and I visited Muawiyah;
my father would approach and talk to him after which
he returns to me and starts to mention Muawiyah and
his mentality, wondering about what he witnessed
from him. For instance, one night he came and stopped
dining. I noticed his gloominess. I waited for an hour
thinking that something must have happened to us. I
asked: Why are you gloomy this night? He said: son,
I returned from visiting the most wicked and worst
infidel among the people. I asked: How so? He said:
I said to him in privacy: You have reached a fair age
Amirul Momineen, why dont you show justice and
spread goodness for you have grown old; why dont
you look with kindness to your brothers of the children
of Hashim and make ties with their relatives; I swear in
Allah you have nothing to fear on their side. This way
you will have something to be remembered about with
a reward. He said: Never, never!

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

What remembrance do I wish for survival! The


brother of Taym [Abu Bakr] reigned and was just and
he did what he did. Later he died and his remembrance
died with him unless someone utters: Abu Bakr. Next,
the brother of Adey [Omar] reigned and he died with his
remembrance unless someone utters: Omar. Besides,
Ibn Abi Kibsha is being uttered five times each day:
(I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah).
Hence, what act and what remembrance remain after
this; may you be bereaved with your father! No, I swear
in Allah there is nothing but burial, burial!
This story sheds the light on the revengeful
background of the policy of Muawiyah Bin Abi Sufyan,
who regarded Muhammad Bin Abdullah as a man who
humiliated the sons of Umayyah, seizing their pride by
the force of the weapon. Therefore, Muawiyah had a
quest to eliminate the Islam of Muhammad (pbuh&hh)
by emptying it from its subject and real content. A large
number of researchers Muslims and others realized
this truth. This we can read in the book of Nickelson,
as transcribed by Dr. Hassan Ibrahim Hassan in his
book, the history of Islam. For instance, that orientalist
said: The Muslims considered the victory of the
sons of Umayyah topped by Muawiyah as a victory
of the pagan aristocracy which constantly antagonized
Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) and his companions.

39

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

40

The Prophet (pbuh&hh) struggled against it until he


wiped it out. With him, the Muslims were patient in
their struggle against it and they resisted until Allah
granted them victory. And they wiped it out and built
on top of its rubble the pillars of Islam, the kind
religion that rendered the people equal in good and
bad times. It also removed the supremacy of a group
that scorned the poor, despised the weak, and extorted
money. Therefore, we do not wonder if the Muslims
hate the sons of Umayyah with their autocracy, pride,
and incitement of the ancient grudges coupled with
their inclination to the spirituality of ignorance. The
Muslim public regarded many loyalists of Umayyah as
people who embraced Islam only to seek their personal
interests. It is not strange to see Muawiyah as someone
who wanted to render the caliphate as a kingship
similar to that of Csar. The most evident issue was in
his words: I am the first of the kings.
Yes, reading the behavior and policies of Muawiyah
clearly shows his hidden intentions and aims to
eliminate the real content of the Original Islam of
Muhammad (pbuh&hh).
Muawiyahs steps to achieve the Umayyah project
Muawiyah took several steps to achieve this aim,
some of these steps are:

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

1- Distortion of the Islamic doctrine


Muawiyah tried to change a dogmatic foundation
that could serve his plan to succeed and establish
his reign. Hence, he feigned the embracement of the
fatalism dogma (al-Jabr)
so that it could provide excuses for his wrong deeds
in the eyes of the people.
For instance, based on al-Jabr or the fatalism dogma,
he remains irresponsible regarding these actions and
he would even be forced to undertake these actions. In
this sense, his actions will represent the will of Allah
the Exalted. Hence, no one has the right to protest
them.
In addition, Muawiyah faked the embracement of
Al-Erjaa dogma which regards the faith as a pure act of
the heart that requires no expression by deeds. Hence,
it would be sufficient for a person to be a believer in
his heart alone in order to be protected by Islam, and
assault on him would be forbidden.
Here are some of the famous sayings of the embracers
of Al-Erjaa dogma: A wrongdoing does not hurt with
the faith present as the obedience does not benefit with
the infidelity present.

41

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

They even said: Faith means believing from the


heart even if one announces infidelity by the mouth,
worships idols, embraces Judaism and Christianity in
a Muslim homeland, worships the cross, and declares
triplicity of the deity in a Muslim homeland and dies
with it. One remains a man of complete faith with
respect to Allah the Exalted and a resident of heavens.

42

It was evident that Muawiyah and the rest of the


Umayyads had a great benefit in this creed which
rendered them believers regardless of their serious
perpetrations.
Al-Erjaa dogma embracers (known as Al-Morjeah)
used to circulate these thoughts among the ranks of
the Muslim nation in order to numb their thinking and
distract them from responding to those who wish to
revolt against the Umayyads.
While the Umayyads continued to oppress all kinds
of religious invitations that did not agree with them, one
could see that they acted reversely with Al-Morjeah.
They embraced that group and showed sympathy
to its leaders. The only reason was that their master
Muawiyah was the man that set its foundations.
2- Changing the Islamic Sharia

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Imam Hussein (pbuh) wrote a letter to a number


of the leaders of the tribes of Kufa saying, I simply
invite you to the book of Allah and the prescription of
his prophet; the prescription has been terminated and
innovation has been revived.
Innovation means adding something new to the
religion which is irrelevant. Therefore, terminating the
prescription and reviving innovation, especially the
practical ones, represented a serious issue. The gravest
issue happens when the concepts and rules are changed.
Addressing the army of Al-Horr Bin Yazid Ar-Riyahi,
Imam Hussein (pbuh) said using the same previous
content, And you knew that these men adhered
to obeying Satan and abandoned obeying the Most
Merciful. They demonstrated corruption, breached
the boundaries, monopolized the booty, permitted the
proscription of Allah, and prohibited his permission
Muawiyah had a quest to numb the thinking of
the people in the name of the religion by distorting
the political rules of Islam in order to paralyze any
rebellious movement against him. His quest did not
utilize the power of arms. Instead, he used a religious
background that he wished to implant within the minds
of the people by inventing spurious speeches of Allahs
messenger (pbuh&hh). Therefore, he bribed sinister

43

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

scholars in order to disseminate them in the society. One


of these fabricated speeches of the Prophet (pbuh&hh)
reads, He who sees something that he hates from his
commander should act with patience; and if he parts
from the Jamaa (group) by even one span he will die
as an ignorant (infidel).

44

These spurious speeches that were taught in classes by


lecturers resulted in the creation of a popular condition
that believed in forbidding opposition against the tyrant
ruler. It even encouraged its elimination regardless of
the rightful range of its presentation. Moreover, they
looked with a blind eye to the unjust performances of
the regimes.
3- Defacing the Original Paradigm
Muawiyah was truly cognizant of the effect of the
paradigm regarding creed and behavior. He himself
experienced the significant outcomes resulting
from following the messenger of Allah Muhammad
(pbuh&hh). This issue generated a great upset for him,
as we said earlier.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Distorting the image of Prophet Muhammad


(pbuh&hh)
At this point, Muawiyah started to plot the plots
in order to tarnish the image of Allahs messenger
(pbuh&hh) within the minds of the Muslims. Therefore,
he bribed sinister scholars in order to publicize false
speeches on this matter.
Unfortunately, some of these false speeches continue
to be read in our present day such as:
- One narration on a supplication that was ascribed to
the Noblest Prophet (pbuh&hh) reads, I am nothing
but a human being. Any Muslim whom I have cursed
or insulted, I will make it as a purge and reward for
him.
- One story reads that he (pbuh&hh) helped one of his
wives to watch an Abyssinian dancing group inside
his mosque.
- One story reads that a musical festival was held in
his house by two maids who beat drums when Abu
Bakr entered and rebuked them. And he (pbuh&hh)
said to him: Let them be Abu Bakr, these days are
holidays.
This clear deformation of the holy image of Allahs

45

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

messenger (pbuh&hh) incited one of the rulers to take


to the rostrum of the Muslims and say to them: Who is
more generous to Allah, one of your caliphates or His
messenger?
Distorting
(pbuh)

46

the

image

of

Imam

Ali

In the same way that aims to distort the image of the


original paradigm in order to prevent its influence on the
Islamic community, Muawiyah plotted and continued
his efforts to distort the image of the commander of the
faithful, Ali Bin Abi Talib (pbuh).
Therefore, he bribed a man named Sumrah Bin
Jundub paying him 400 thousand Dirhams some
accounts stated 500 thousand Dirhams in order to
recite a false verse stating that Allah the Exalted said,
And of the people is he whose speech pleases you
He does not favor corruption and say that it was
revealed in favor of Ali Bin Abi Talib.
That Allah the Exalted said, And of the people is
he who sells himself, seeking means to the approval
of Allah and that it was revealed in favor of Abul
Rahman Bin Muljam, the slayer of the commander of
the faithful (pbuh).

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Muawiyah wrote one letter to his workers reading,


Insecure is anyone who narrates any of the merits of
Abi Turab [another name of Imam Ali (pbuh)] and his
household. Hence, all the lecturers in every town and
every rostrum rose in order to curse Ali, disassociate
themselves from him, and disobey him and his
household.
Ibn Abil Hadid also stated that the Umayyads
prevented the people from naming their children after
Ali.
History mentions that several people would scatter
after the holiday prayers to avoid listening to the speaker
as he curses Ali. Therefore, Muawiyah invented a new
rule and instructed the scholars to read the speech
in advance of the prayer so that people listen to the
cursing of Ali (pbuh).
Muawiyah, a Religious Paradigm!
Side by side with the deformation of the two images
of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh) and Imam Ali
(pbuh), Muawiyah began his attempts to make himself
as a religious paradigm for the Muslim community.
Therefore, he began circulating false speeches
pertaining to this issue. A number of the false speeches
of Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) read:

47

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The trustees of Allah are three: I, Gabriel and


Muawiyah.
I am the city of knowledge, Ali is its door and
Muawiyah is its door handle.
He falsified another story reading that the Prophet
(pbuh&hh) gave Muawiyah an arrow and said to him:
Take this arrow until you meet me with it in heaven.

48

To stress on his advanced religious reverence within


the Muslim community, Muawiyah appointed people
who would call to him and his cohorts after the prayer.
For example, Al-Layth Bin Saad said, On the other
hand, regarding the special stories, Muawiyah was
the one who appointed a man regarding these stories.
Therefore, after ending the Morning Prayer, he would
sit and recite saluting and praising Allah the Exalted
and he would send blessings to the Prophet (pbuh&hh).
He would also pray for the Caliphate and his household,
servants, soldiers and would supplicate condemning
his foes and the polytheists in their entirety.
4-Dividing the Muslim community
Yes, Muawiyah practiced the policy of religious
misinformation and paradigm disfiguration. Besides,
in order to achieve his aims in spreading his regime and

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

eliminating the content of the Prophetic message, he


began kindling sedition amongst the tribes employing
the method divide and rule. He wanted to easily
eliminate any opposition against him.
Muawiyahs priority in this policy focused on the
countries where the religious distortion was difficult
such as the city of Makkah and the cities of Iraq. The
open cities of Sham (Syria now) were easier and their
values and religions were easy to be changed.
An example of this policy was Muawiyahs words
to his dispatcher to Basra, asking him to remind them
of the Camel Battle and the killing of Othman. His
words read, Reside in Madar and beware of Rabeiah.
Befriend with al-Azad and Wae Bin Affan and remind
them of the battle that exhausted them. Be generous to
the listeners and submitters with a life that will last and
tracks that will never be lost.
5-Terrorizing the People
To achieve his aims, Muawiyah practiced the policy
of terrorization, murder, torture and displacement
especially in the regions that were difficult for him
as we said earlier by distorting the religion and
disfiguring its leaders. Some of his most prominent
methods were killings, burning houses and looting

49

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

possessions and money. For example, in Makkah and


Medina 30 thousand people were killed, let alone those
burnt by fire.
The most afflicted were the citizens of Kufa because
it was home to many loyalists of Ali (pbuh&hh). He
killed them anywhere he could find them, dismembered
their bodies, blinded their eyes, crucified them to palm
trees, expelled and displaced many away from Iraq.

50

Historians reported that he displaced 50 thousand


people of the citizens of Kufa to change the demographic
situation.
The terror of Muawiyah reached a limit that rendered
man to prefer to be called a disbeliever or atheist in
replacement from being called a loyalist of Ali (pbuh).
Nothing stopped Muawiyah coupled with his
loyalists from practicing anything to achieve their
aims. One example of their horrors was a report about
the terrible crimes that Samrah Bin Jundub, a loyalist
of Muawiyah, perpetrated. On one occasion, he killed
47 men of those who collected the Quran. Moreover,
he captured the women of Hamadan and sold them as
slaves. Hence, they were the first Muslim women to be
bought (enslaved) in Islam.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Samrah Bin Jundub demolished the homes of the


citizens of holy Medina and interrogated the people.
Anyone who was accused or claimed to be a partner in
the murder of Othman was sentenced to death without
trial.
He killed eight thousands of the citizens of Iraq.
When asked are you not afraid of killing innocents
he replied: Even if I kill the same amount I am still
unafraid.
He did all these crimes to support the reign of
Muawiyah. On this issue he said: May Allah curse
Muawiyah. I swear in Allah, had I obeyed Allah like I
obeyed Muawiyah He would have never tortured me.
The effects of Muawiyahs policies on the
Muslim community
For twenty years, Muawiyah applied these policies
to the Muslim community.
For twenty years, Muawiyah misled the society
distorting its creed, changing its rules, deforming the
images of its true leaders, dividing its children, waving
his sword against anyone who opposed him, terrorizing
all those who did not pledge allegiance.
Over the twenty years of Muawiyahs regime, the

51

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Muslim community has been divided into two parts:

52

1- The first part was affected by the influence of the


religious disinformation policy. Hence, it became
emotionless in the name of the religion and
embraced Muawiyah as its primary paradigm with
attraction towards him to achieve what it sought
from him even if it contradicted with the original
values of Islam. For this part, the images of the
divine leaders were disfigured to the point where
a man was shocked when heard that Ali Bin Abi
Talib was killed while praying inside the mosque.
The reason for his astonishment was his question, as
some people expressed his words in that community:
Did Ali pray?
2- The second part was secure and the religious
disinformation policy could not affect it. However,
the terrorization, killing, displacement and dispersion
still affected it profoundly. Hence, it became a
defeated community beyond ones imagination.
History reported some of these examples from the
Kufa community that belonged to this part. For
example, when 4000 fighters gathered with Muslim
Bin Aqeel, the ambassador of Hussein (pbuh&hh)
to Kufa at the time of Karbala epic, and surrounded
the emirate palace, inside which only thirty soldiers

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

garrisoned, the 4000 fighters were defeated before


the thirty soldiers.
The reason for this loss was the psychological defeat
that struck this part of the community and rendered
the mother pull her son out of the army of Muslim,
the father pull his son, the brother frustrate the morale
of his brother, and the neighbor frighten his neighbor
to the point where Muslim [the ambassador] was left
alone.
Another example of the psychological defeat of
this second part of the community was the incident
of Habib Ibn Muthahir when he asked permission
from Hussein (pbuh) to invite the sons of Asad for his
support and the Imam gave him permission. When he
came to them and asked them for their support, only
tens of them responded. However, before they reached
the camp of Imam Hussein (pbuh) they collided with
a division of the army of Ibn Saad. The outcome was
not only the withdrawal of these people. It was also
the withdrawal of all the members of the tribe of Asad
overnight because they feared Ibn Saad. This issue
rendered Habib return to Imam Hussein (pbuh) alone
without anyone of them.
The fear of the community can even be read in the
words of the seniors as they addressed Imam Hussein

53

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

(pbuh) expressing their fear for his life because he


decided to go out to Iraq.
For instance, Ibn Abbas said to him: I fear for you
if you take this way, it may lead to your doom and
elimination.

54

Besides, Abdullah Bin Jafar wrote to him saying:


I beseech you in the name of Allah; do not go when
you read my letter. I fear for you if you take this way,
it may lead to your doom and the elimination of your
household.
In addition, Omar Bin Louthan said to the Imam
(pbuh): I beseech you in the name of Allah, O son of
Allahs messenger, if you go ahead I swear in Allah
you will face nothing but the spears and the edges of
the swords.
This was the situation of the community for twenty
years, overpowered by Muawiyah, while Imam Hussein
(pbuh) experienced this situation.
This was a misinformed community with numbed
feelings, dispersed and scared at a time in which Islam
was under attack by the most violent cultural war that
targeted its originality. No one said a word. The reason
was the locking of the minds and hearts.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Minds were locked due to disinformation and


numbed feelings.
Hearts were locked due to fear and terror.
Imam Hussein (pbuh) sensed the great danger
threatening the religion of Allah and His everlasting
message. He knew that opening the minds and hearts
again could not be achieved through speeches, lectures,
words and sermons. Instead, to achieve this conquest,
sacrificing the dearest ones was another requirement
along with the strength of the presentation and the
credibility of its originator. Therefore, sacrificing
oneself, the beloved family and companions was a
necessity coupled with the shed tears of the orphans
and the captivity of the women while marching on the
way to the divine and holy alter.
This way, in the absence of a military victory,
Imam Hussein (pbuh) managed to achieve the second
conquest, the opening of the minds and hearts of the
nation. Hence, he succeeded, as his great grandson
Imam Khomeini (RIP) expressed, to generate the
second birth of Islam, accomplishing in this profound
sense the category of his grandfather, the Noblest
Prophet (pbuh&hh) who said about him, Hussein is
from me and I am from Hussein.

55

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Perhaps the best example of the practical


implementation of the Prophets category was the
answer of Imam Zein El Abideen (pbuh) to a mans
question regarding the identity of the triumphant in
Karbala. The Imam (pbuh) replied that the sign to
the right answer resides in the continuity of the Azan
(Prayer Call) of the Muslims. For example, when the
caller says I testify that Muhammad is the messenger
of Allah, the triumphant in Karbala becomes familiar.

56

This was not a military victory. Instead, it was a


conquest (an opening) without which nothing of Islam
would have continued.
It is a conquest to which each benefit of Islam is
indebted.
It is a conquest to which each merit of Islam returns.
It is a conquest that laid the foundation for the
struggle of the strugglers and the martyrdom of the
martyrs.
It is a conquest and a cause of the conquerors in
Karbala, to which belongs every good deed that was
conditioned by the survival of Islam.
On this issue, Imam Ali (pbuh) expressed as he
foresaw the situation of these conquerors in Karbala,

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The deaths of the adorers of martyrdom, no one before


will advance them and no one after will excel them.
Imam Hussein (pbuh) was right when he wrote to
the sons of Hashim saying, Whosoever stays behind
will not achieve conquest.
Therefore, whosoever stays behind the Husseini
caravan (whether excused or not) will deprive himself
from the conquest and from being one of those who
will not be advanced by those before them or exceled
by those after them.
One question remains:
What is the reason that caused those people to stay
behind and fail to join the conquest, hence became
deprived from the great generosity?
We will discuss this issue in the second chapter of
this book: Those who failed to join the conquest.

57

Second Chapter

Those who failed


to join the conquest

Those who failed to join the conquest


In the telegram of Imam Hussein (pbuh) to the sons
of Hashim, one can read that he (pbuh) was talking
about two sections, the martyrs and those who failed
to join the conquest. He (pbuh) was not talking about
the participants in the fight against him because their
fate would be worse than the fate of those whom
Imam Hussein described quoting the words of Allahs
messenger (pbuh&hh), Whosoever hears the caller of
my household and fails to support them for their just
cause, Allah will overturn his face into the Fire.
If we exempt the participants in the combatant army
plus looking into the history of the Husseini revolution,
one can categorize those who failed to join the conquest
into seven types:
1- He who joined him at the beginning of his rise in
Makkah, but withdrew during the journey.
2- He who was called by Imam Hussein (pbuh) for
support while traveling to Iraq and did not answer

61

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

the call.
3- He who participated partially in the fight to withdraw
before the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (pbuh).
4- He who knew of the departure of the army of Ibn
Saad to fight against Imam Hussein (pbuh), but did
not act in support.
5- He who fled from the army of Omar Bin Saad
before the fight started.
62

6- He who witnessed the massacre without supporting


Imam Hussein (pbuh).
7- He who did not joint Imam Hussein (pbuh) from the
beginning of his journey to Iraq.
We will explain these types according to three points:
One: remembering some examples of them.
Two: the reason why one did not join.
Three: the eternal fate of those who stayed behind.
Type (1): He who joined Imam Hussein (pbuh)
at the beginning of his rise in Makkah, but withdrew
during the journey.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

History books reported that a large number of people


joined Imam Hussein (pbuh) on his way from Makkah
to Iraq. Some of them maintained their position in the
Husseini caravan such as the seven combatants from
Basra who joined the caravan after the speech of Yazid
Bin Nabit al-Abdi in Basra inside the house of Mariah
Bint Monqiz, a loyalist of the Prophets household
(pbut). He sent two of his ten sons to join the holy
fight. They were Abdullah and Obaidallah. To all those
present inside the house of Mariah he said, I have
decided to revolt and I am leaving. Who wants to leave
with me?
After his speech, a few good men joined him while
others said, We fear for you from the companions
of Ibn Ziyad. The reason for their fear was that the
borders of Basra were placed under observation to
arrest anyone trying to depart it. However, he insisted
on leaving saying, I swear in Allah, even if their feet
cover the earth, still I will happily comply with the
request of the caller.
He and his two sons went with Amir Bin Muslim
Al-Abdi, the servant of Amir, Saif Bin Malik Al-Abdi,
and Al-Adham Bin Umayya Al-Abdi. They were seven
men who joined the Husseini caravan in an area called
Al-Abtah in Makkah.

63

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

These men maintained their positions until they


died as martyrs.
When the Husseini caravan reached a neighborhood
called Juhainah, his news circulated across the
houses of this neighborhood. Hence, other Arabians
joined him such as Majma Ibn Ziyad Al-Juhani, a man
who joined in the past the battles of Badr and Uhud.

64

In addition, in an area called Zroud, Zuhair bin AlQain Al-Bajali joined in after meeting Imam Hussein
(pbuh). In this meeting, Imam Hussein (pbuh) gave the
good news to him about his martyrdom and his destiny
in heaven, a prophetic prediction that had been long
forgotten by Zuhair.
When Zuhair returned to his wife and companions
at his own caravan wishing to take his belongings and
inform them of his conversation he said to them, Who
amongst you wishes to follow me? This will be the
last time we see each other. I wish to tell you that we
invaded in the past Blanjar, a country of Al-Khazar.
At that time, Allah granted us success and we gained
spoils of war. We were happy. Salman Al Farsi (RIP)
said to us: If you catch up with the master of the youth
of the household of Muhammad (pbuh&hh), be happier
for fighting with him due to greater gains. No one
responded to his speech but his cousin Suleiman Bin

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Madarib al-Bajali. Together, they joined the Husseini


caravan while the others left. The Husseini caravan
continued its way to Iraq. On the road, many people
and Arabs joined him.
Signs of Danger
Later, signs of danger loomed on the horizon. For
example, in an area called Al-Saffah or Zat Erq
Imam Hussein (pbuh) met poet Al-Farazdaq who
described to him the citizens of Kufa saying, The
hearts of the people are with you but their swords are
with the Umayyads.
Imam Hussein (pbuh), however, still maintained his
resolution, and recited a few verses of poetry before
the poet Al-Farazdaq.
This is an English translation of the Arabic verses:
If the worldly life is deemed rich
The life of Allah is richer and nobler
If the bodies were made to perish
Dying by the sword for the way of Allah is sweeter
If sustenance is something that is predetermined

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The less man quests for sustenance is more


beautiful
If money was meant to be left behind
Why be stingy about something to be left behind?
Al-Farazdaq understood the determination of the
Imam (pbuh), yet he did not join him. Instead, he bid
him farewell and left, hence, he deprived himself from
the conquest.
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Away from meeting with the people, in an area


called Ath-Thalabiyah, Imam Hussein (pbuh) had
a vision and with his usual candidness he explained to
those with him saying, I saw a knight standing beside
me and said: you are marching while death is racing
you to heaven. Then, I knew that our death has been
announced to us.
At this point, his older son Ali embarked on saying
to his father: Are we not right? The Imam (pbuh)
answered: Yes my son; I swear in the One to Whom
returns all servants.
The news of the fall of Kufa
In the area of Zbalah, Imam Hussein (pbuh) received
the news of the fall of Kufa and the martyrdom of

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Muslim Bin Aqeel, Hani Bin Arwah, and Abdullah Ibn


Yaqtor.
Hence, the Imam (pbuh) stood to address his
followers and those who joined him. He said with
transparency, In the name of Allah, the Beneficent,
and the Merciful. So far, I received the bad news of
the death of Muslim Bin Aqeel, Hani Bin Orwa, and
Abdullah Bin Yaqtar. Our Shiites have failed us.
Whosoever wishes to be dismissed can be so without
any embarrassment, and free of debt.
In the accounts, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari reports quoting
Abi Makhnaf quoting the words of the Imam (pbuh)
as saying, Hence, the people scattered away from
him, some went right and some left to the point where
only his companions who came with him from Medina
remained.
The reasons for the withdrawal of these people are
clear. They lacked faith when they joined the Husseini
caravan. In fact, they joined him because they thought
that he was arriving to a country that was already under
his submission and so they would share him the secular
gains. Therefore, when the opposite reality appeared
to them, they lost the drive that made them join.
Consequently, they did not accomplish the conquest.

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Type (2): He who did not answer the call for support
by Imam Hussein (pbuh) on his way to Iraq
Imam Hussein (pbuh) met several people on his way
and asked them for their support. However, a number of
these people did not benefit from such a historic chance
to be among the conquerors. They did not answer the
call for support either because they were deserters (in
time of need) or they favored other issues over joining
very early.
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Here are some examples of these people:


1- At-Turmah Bin Adi At-Taei
At-Turmah was the guide of the group of the
combatants who joined the Husseini caravan after it
was besieged by Al-Horr Bin Yazid Ar-Riyahi. This
group included Nafe Bin Hilal al-Muradi, Amro Bin
Khalid As-Saidawi, Saad Bin Abdullah Mawla Amro,
Junada or Jabir Bin Harith As-Salamani, and Majma
Bin Abdullah Al-Aaeithi coupled with his son Aaeth.
In spite of the clarity of the combative and faithful
personality of At-Turmah, yet the reports on his
biography affects ones judgment regarding him while
giving consideration to his percentage of awareness
and priorities.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

For example, he called upon Hussein (pbuh) not to


go to the citizens of Kufa saying, I appeal to you in
the name of Allah, if you can avoid going to them by
even one step do so.
In addition, he suggested to Imam Hussein (pbuh)
that he go to the tribe of Tayyei at mount Aja.
He guaranteed to the Imam (pbuh) that 20 thousand
Tayyeists will fight with him. He said to him, If you
wish to seek refuge at a certain town where Allah
will protect you until you decide your case and issues
become clearer to you, march on until I lead you to the
fort of our mountain Aja.
I swear in Allah that it protected the kings of
Ghassan and Himyar from An-Noman Bin Al-Monzir
as well as lions and beasts. I swear in Allah, anyone
who attacks us will be humiliated. Let me walk with
you and lead you to the village. Next, we will summon
the men at Aja and Salma from Tayyei. I swear in
Allah, within ten days soldiers and knights will come to
you from Tayyei. After that, you can decide with us
whatever you wish. If you decide to rise I am a leader
of yours with 20 thousand Tayyeists who will strike
before your hands with their swords. I swear in Allah,
nothing will harm you as long as their eyes blink.
For several reasons, it was natural for Imam Hussein

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

(pbuh) to reject this suggestion, which he did.


Moreover, At-Turmah accompanied the Husseini
caravan on its way as a guide while reciting the
following beautiful verses of poetry:
This is a translation of the Arabic verses:
O my camel panic not of my roaring
Be prepared before the rise of dawn
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The best of rides and the best of journeys


Until you arrive to the generous land
The free and glorious is a man of welcoming
Brought by Allah with the best of causes
History reports that At-Turmah Bin Adi was among
the martyrs of Karbala.
This issue excludes him from the second type and
regards him as one of the conquerors. However, Ibn
Jarir At-Tabari reported quoting Ibn Makhnaf who
quoted Jamil Bin Marthad that At-Turmah informed
him that he abandoned the Husseini caravan under the
pretext that he had a provision and outlay which he
wanted to deliver to his family after which he would

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

return to support Imam Hussein (pbuh). The quoted


words of At-Turmah to Jamil read, And I bade him
farewell meaning Imam Hussein (pbuh) and said
to him: May Allah protect you from the evil of Jinn
and Humans. I bought something from Kufa for my
family and I have provisions for them. I will deliver
it and return to you god willing. If I catch up with you
I swear in Allah I will support you. He (pbuh) said: If
you are opting hurry may Allah have mercy on you
When I reached my family, I left them with enough
and wrote my will. My family started saying: This time
you are behaving like never before. So I told that about
my desire and I took the road of Bani Thael until I
approached Othaib Al-Hijanat, I was received by Ibn
Badr who announced his death to me, so I returned.
Based on the authenticity of this story, At-Turmah,
despite his good resume, did not prioritize his matters.
Therefore he lost the greatest chance of his lifetime in
being one of the martyrdom adorers who will not be
advanced by those before them or exceled by those
after them.
2- Obaidallah Bin Al-Horr Al-Juhfi
The Husseini caravan reached an area called Qasr
Bani Moqatil, where a tent was built with a horse
in front and a spear planted in the ground. This was

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

the tent of Obaidallah Bin Al-Horr Al-Juhfi (or AlJufi according to the report of At-Tabari), one of
the renowned characters of Kufa. Therefore, Imam
Hussein (pbuh) sent one of his partisans, Al-Hajjaj Bin
Masrouq al-Jufi who entered to give him the good
news saying: Allah has granted you a generosity.
Obaidallah asked him about it. Al-Hajjaj replied: This
is Hussein Bin Ali inviting you to support him. If you
fight for him you will be rewarded and if you die you
will be a martyr.
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Suddenly, Al-Juhfi responds frankly: The reason


why I left Kufa was my fear of Hussein arriving to it,
where I would not even support him.
Al-Hajjaj returned to deliver the words of Ibn alHorr to his Imam. Suddenly Imam Hussein (pbuh)
went himself to Obaidallah telling him, O Ibn AlHorr, knoweth that Allah the Exalted will hold you
responsible for your gains and your past sins of the
past days. I am inviting you at this particular time
to a repentance that will wash away your sins I
am inviting you to support us the household of the
prophet.
After Imam Hussein (pbuh) opened for al-Horr a
wide gate of the gates of heaven, suddenly Obaidallah
expresses duplicity pertaining to his dogma and his

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

behavior. He said to the Imam: I swear in Allah, I


know that he who takes side with you will be happy in
the hereafter. However, what can one person like me do
for you? I did not even leave behind one supporter for
you in Kufa. Therefore, I beseech you in the name of
Allah, spare me from this plan. My self does not allow
me to die, not yet. On the other hand, this horse of mine
is fast. Anything you aim for while riding it will be
reached. And anyone racing me while I am riding it
loses in my favor. Therefore, take it, it is yours.
This was a clear expression that the problem of this
lingerer was not in his knowledge because he believed
in the rightful cause of Imam Hussein (pbuh) and that
whosoever follows him will be happy in the hereafter.
However, it was another clear expression of his
attachment to this secular life which rendered him
refuse martyrdom.
Imam Hussein also sealed his meeting with
Obaidallah Bin Al-Horr saying, If you can avoid
hearing our scream or witness our battle do so. I heard
Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) saying: He who hears
the caller of my household and fails to support them
for their just cause, Allah will overturn his face into the
Fire.

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

3- Amro Al-Mashriqi and his cousin


In the same area, Qasr Bani Moqatil, Imam Hussein
(pbuh) met Amro Bin Qays al-Mashriqi coupled with
his accompanying cousin. When they greeted him
he said: Are you here to support me? They replied
negatively justifying, No, we have large families
coupled with trusts for people. We do not know what is
going to happen and we hate to lose the trusts.

74

This logic fails to support justice completely under


religious titles such as keeping the trust or social titles
such as sponsoring families while abandoning the
greatest trust of Allah that is represented by Imam
Hussein (pbuh) who was going with his large family to
the divine alter.
Imam Hussein (pbuh) ended his meeting with them
providing his usual advice, Move along, dare not hear
or see a shadow of mine. He who hears our call or sees
our shadow without responding or supporting us, Allah
the Exalted will have every right to overturn his face
into the fire.
Type (3): He who took part in the fight and withdrew
prior to the martyrdom of the Imam (pbuh)
Among those whom Imam Hussein (pbuh) saw on

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

his journey was Ad-Dahhak Bin Abdullah Al-Mashriqi.


The accounts reported that he answered the call of
Imam Hussein (pbuh) asking for support, but on one
condition, which was explained by Ibn Jarir At-Tabari
saying, I will fight for you as long as I see another
fighter. If I see no more fighters I am excused. Imam
Hussein (pbuh) accepted his condition. And this is
what happened. Ad-Dahhak mentioned, as quoted by
Abdullah Bin Assim, that when he saw the companions
of Hussein (pbuh) injured and no one was left with
the Imam (pbuh) but his household and two men, he
reminded the Imam (pbuh) of his condition. At this
point, the Imam (pbuh) dismissed him. Therefore,
he rode his horse, which he had hidden inside a tent
and raced with it towards the enemy which gave him
way. Fifteen horsemen followed him until some of his
cousins recognized him and beseeched the fighters to
leave him be.
Ad-Dahhak may have saved his body but he deprived
himself of the great conquest and a heavenly position
with the adorers of martyrdom.
Type (4): He who knew of the deployment of Ibn
Sads army against Imam Hussein (pbuh) without
acting in support

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

This type includes a large number of the citizens of


Kufa and others with knowledge. Among these people
were renowned personalities of the society who did not
act due to their fear and cowardice and not because of
imprisonment as in the case of others.
Scholar Sayyid Mohsen Al-Ameen reported in his
book Ayan Ash-Shia (Lords of Shia) that among
the personalities who did not act in support of Imam
Hussein (pbuh) due to fear of Ibn Ziad was Suleiman
Bin Surd al-Khuzae.
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Suleiman became severely regretful after the tenth


of Muharram until his regret rendered him lead the
revolution of At-Tawabeen (The repenters), the men
whom he addressed expressing his psychological
upheaval that was generated by the rise of Imam
Hussein (pbuh) in Ashura. He said to them, Revolt;
your Lord has become dissatisfied with you. Do not
return to your wives and children until Allah is pleased.
I swear in Allah, I do not think He will be satisfied until
you fight his slayers. Do not fear death; all those who
feared it are now disgraced.
Type (5): He who fled from the army of Omar Bin
Saad before the fight started
The history of Karbala reports that one of the soldiers

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

of Omar Bin Saad, Harthama Bin Salama, remembered


a stance of the commander of the faithful Ali Bin Abi
Talib (pbuh) as he rested in Karbala; it was during a
battle that he witnessed himself. At that time he saw
Imam Ali (pbuh) resting in Karbala, where he prayed
under a tree. When he finished praying, Harthama saw
him with his own eyes grabbing a fistful of the dust of
that land.
Next, he smelled it and said while foreseeing the
future: How wonderful this dust is! People will
be killed on top of you and enter heaven without
questioning.
Harthama found himself obliged to visit Imam
Hussein (pbuh) and tell him what he remembered. The
Imam asked him about his loyalty: Are you with or
against us? Nonetheless, Harthamas attachment to
this secular life led him to say to the Imam (pbuh):
I am neither with nor against you, I left behind a
family The Imam concluded his speech with him
like he did with others: Vanish in the land; I swear in
He Who controls my spirit, no man that witnesses our
death today will escape the hellfire. Hence, Harthama
ran away.
It is obvious that Harthama did not lack the
knowledge. What he remembered was sufficient for

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

man to side with the right. However, this issue was not
beneficial for him. His case was unlike the case of the
man who also heard that Imam Hussein (pbuh) will be
killed in Karbala. However, he did not know the exact
date. Therefore, he garrisoned in the desert observing
Karbala with fortitude to join the Imam (pbuh).

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Ibn Asakir narrated the story of that man quoting


Al-Aryan Bin Al-Haitham as saying: My father would
settle near the area where the battle took place. Whenever
we passed that place, we would always find a man of the
sons of Asad tribe residing in that location.
Hence, my father said to him: I see you constantly
adhering to this place! The man said: I was informed
that Hussein will be slayed right here. I am only
garrisoning hoping that I will meet him and be killed
with him. In addition, Al-Aryan Bin Al-Haitham
states that his father accompanied him after the battle
to investigate the Asadian man, and they found him
among the martyred conquerors.
Type (6): He who witnessed the battle without
supporting the Imam (pbuh)
The historians stated that during the Husseini battle
the Sheikhs of the citizens of Kufa stood on the top
of the hill crying, O Allah, bring down your victory.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

This is a sympathy that lacks attitude and a tear that


lacks practical honesty.
Type (7): He who did not follow the Husseini
caravan from the beginning of the rise
We said earlier that among the people of this type
were senior men of the society such as Ibn Abbas who
said to Imam Hussein (pbuh): I fear for you, if you take
this way it might lead to your doom and elimination.
In addition, Abdullah Bin Jafar addressed Imam
Hussein (pbuh) saying: I beseech you in the name of
Allah; do not go when you read my letter. I fear for you
if you take this way, it might lead to your doom and the
elimination of your household.
This type of people must not be categorized similarly
to those who were hindered by the secular life from
joining the Imam. Instead, they had other basics that
we will discuss in the following material.
The real reasons behind those who failed
to join the conquest
As we examined briefly the seven types of those who
failed to join the conquest we noticed the following
cases:
1- The case of people who did not join yet must not be

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

accused of devotion to the life of this world.


2- The case of people who did not join while keeping a
low profile, yet the reason was clear, their fear from
Ibn Ziad. This was the case of most of the citizens of
Kufa including Suleiman Bin Surd, a story embraced
by Mohsen Al-Ameen.
3- The case of people who did not join yet at the same
time they cried with a supplication for victory, as in
the case of the Sheikhs on top of the hill.
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3- The case of people who withdrew also keeping a low


profile. However, the withdrawal condition clarifies
the reason as in the case of the great withdrawal that
took place in the area of Zbala after the news of
the falling of Kufa.
5- The case of people who withdrew giving the reason
as the lack of sufficient fighters, as in the case of
Ad-Dahhak.
6- The case of people who withdrew with the hope of
returning under the pretext that they had to deliver
provisions to their families, as in the case of AtTurmah.
7- The case of people who refused to join and support the
Imam (pbuh) under the pretext that they supported

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

large families, which was the logic of most of the


lingerers.
8- The case of people who refused to join and support
the Imam (pbuh) under a religious pretext, preserving
the trusts of the people, as in the case of Amro AlMahsriqi and his cousin.
9- The case of people who refused to join and support
the Imam (pbuh) under the pretext that they were
not ready to die, as in the case of Obaidallah Bin
Al-Horr.
Although these cases vary and differ from each
other, yet we can always return to the real reason, either
of the following:
One: Attachment to this mortal life.
Two: Insufficient awareness.
First reason: attachment to the secular world utmost desire
Attachment to the secular world was the reason why
most people failed to join the conquest. Imam Hussein
(pbuh) clearly explained this issue to his companions
in Karbala saying, People are slaves to this life and
religion is merely talk to them, exploiting it in harmony

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

with their livelihood; once they are tried the devotees


become scarce.
Imam Hussein (pbuh) focused on this reason in his
first speech on the tenth day of Muharram. Loud and
clear, he (pbuh) said, Hear my words O people, and
do not be hasty until I deliver to you what is your right
from me, a lecture of mine.

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Servants of Allah fear Allah and beware of this secular


world. If the world was meant to last for someone or
someone was meant to last with it the prophets would
have been the most entitled to such survival, worthiest
of satisfaction, and the most satisfied with such fate.
However, Allah created this life with an end. Hence,
its newest is fated for aging; its comfort is fated for
changing, and its happiness is fated for gloominess.
The house in it is a mount and the home is a castle.
Therefore, take along provisions, the best provision is
piety. Fear Allah so that you may succeed.
People, Allah the Exalted created the world but
rendered it as a place for termination and extinction. It
controls its residents, one situation after another. It will
seduce the conceited, and lure the evildoer. Therefore,
be not seduced by this secular world because it will
sever the hope of those who trust it and it will disappoint
the greed of those who crave it

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

This was a warning that launched form the true


reason behind the disappointment of that society and
its avoidance in supporting right. This issue was openly
spoken by the leader of the army of Ibn Ziad, Omar Bin
Saad, when he recited the following lines of poetry:
This is a translation of the Arabic words:
Should I abandon the kingship of Rai while Rai
is my wish?
Alternatively, should I return sinned with the
slaying of Hussein?
His slaughter results in hellfire that has no
partition
And the kingship of Rai is the delight of my eye
This man was placing himself between two choices:
1- Ruling the region that he desired [Rai], an Iranian
region which he was promised to rule if he kills
Imam Hussein (pbuh); 2- Killing the grandson of
Allahs messenger (pbuh) which based on his
conviction would necessitate his doom in the
hellfire. Nonetheless, he surrendered himself to the
governing of Rai.
In his speech, Imam Hussein (pbuh) answered him

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

and lectured his army that desires this secular world


which was described by the holy Quran as a place of
mortality and vanishing, taking its residents from one
situation to another, a world of turbulence. Allah the
Exalted said, And coin for them the similitude of the
life of the world as water which We send down from
the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingleth with
it and then becometh dry twigs that the winds scatter.
Allah is able to do all things.

84

His Exaltedness also said, Know that the life of the


world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and
boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth
and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain,
whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but
afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow,
then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is
grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from
Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the
world is but matter of illusion.
The Imam (pbuh) invited them to contemplate on
the changes of this life, which Imam Al-Hadi (pbuh)
described in his renowned poem when he lectured AlMutawakkil saying:
This is a translation of the Arabic verses:

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

They ended on the peaks of high mountains guarded


By strong men yet the peaks were defenseless
And were brought after their glory down from
their strongholds
Into holes how wretched they are in their descent
A caller cried out after their burial asking
Where are the king-beds crowns and jewelry?
Where are the faces that lived in bliss?
Covered by screens and ornamented clothes
The grave answered on their behalf when asked them
These faces are being fought over by worms
For so long they ate and drank
And after a long eating they are now being eaten
For so long they built houses for their security
And departed homes and families to move on
For so long they treasured money and saved it
Leaving it behind for enemies and now theyre gone

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Their homes have become useless desolates


The residents of which have gone to graves
Imam Hussein (pbuh) lectured them in his sermon
asking them to abandon secularism that they regarded
as their only desire instead of rendering it as a means
for the afterlife and a method to see the truth through it.

86

For instance, commander of the faithful (pbuh) was


quoted describing the life of this world as saying, He
who sees through it, it will give him perception, and he
who sees it alone, it will blind him.
Therefore, he who sees the worldly life on the bases
of looking at, in other words as being his utmost wish,
life at this point will be to him as Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
Life is a lost trade.
Life is the battle of the minds.
Life is the mineral of evil and the place of conceit.
Life is the farm of evil.
On the other hand, he who sees the worldly life on the
bases of looking through it, in other words regarding
it as a method the leads to the hereafter, life at this point
will be to him as Imam Ali (pbuh) said: Life is a house

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

of sincerity for the sincere, a house of sermon for the


learners, a mosque for the adorers of Allah, a prayer for
the angels of Allah, a place for revelation from Allah, a
place of trading for the guardians of Allah, where they
gained mercy, and profited heavens with it.
The problem of many of those who stayed away
from joining the conquest, more so the assassins, was
the fact that they attached themselves to the worldly
life as being their utmost wish. Therefore, they became
extremely passionate about it to the point where it
pulled them away from Allah the Exalted. Hence, they
reached the stage where they failed to support right
during the most delicate phase of history.
Their love towards the secular life was unlike the
love that man utilizes to make a living and gather
money to support his family, live in dignity among the
people, keep family ties, and help the needy.
Their love towards the secular life was unlike the
love that man utilizes to love his children and educate
them to be obedient to Allah the Exalted.
Their love was unlike the love described, as reported,
by the commander of the faithful (pbuh) when he said,
People are the children of this world; one cannot be
blamed for his love towards his mother.

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The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Instead, their love of this secular world rendered


them abandon Imam Hussein (pbuh) and those with
him, leaving them go to the martyrdom alter. They did
not act in his support.
Their love of this secular world was a reason for
them to give the tyrant a chance to unjustly slaughter
the people, displace them, and deem their possessions
free for everyone, even their women on some occasions.
They did not act to rise against the tyrant.
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Their love of this secular world was an example of


the love described by the divine speech of Allah the
Exalted, If a servant bids a prayer that equals the
prayers of the residents of heavens and earth, fasts a fast
that equals the fasting of the residents of heavens and
earth, eats food like the angels [angels dont eat food],
and wears clothes like the poor, after which I see inside
his heart passion towards the secular world that equals
one atom, or loves its spaciousness, or its presidency,
or its ornaments, or its jewelry, he will not neighbor
me in my heaven and I will pluck my adoration out his
heart.
Their love towards this secular world was an
example in the story reported by the revelation of Allah
the Exalted to his Prophet Moses (pbuh) who returned
home crying after he passed by a weeping man. He

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

said, O Lord, your servant is weeping in fear of you.


Allah the Exalted replied saying to him, O Moses, if
he weeps until his brain comes down with his tears I
will not forgive him as long as he loves the life of this
world.
A large number of those who failed to join the
conquest had a main reason for their failure. This is the
kind of love and attachment to the life of this world as
their utmost wish. Hence, it blinded their hearts and
they ended without insight.
Second reason: Lack of Sufficient Awareness
However, attachment to the life of this world as an
utmost wish cannot be generalized regarding all those
who failed to join the conquest as we said earlier
while we know that among them are people who were
renowned for their faith, commitment, and abidance to
the religious assignment.
Therefore what was the reason for their failure?
To answer this question, I will refer to the words of
Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei (May Allah Prolong his
Life).
He describes these people saying, Religiously
committed people existed among those who did not

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rise with Imam Hussein (pbuh) But this issue does


not mean that they all should be deemed as lovers of
this life. There existed among the heads and symbols of
the Muslims at that time faithful individuals and people
who obeyed and acted in accordance with the religious
assignment. However, they did not understand the main
assignment and could not diagnose the circumstances
of that period of time. They did not recognize the main
enemy and mixed between the primary task and other
tasks of the second or third degree.
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Nonetheless, there is no doubt that these people were


wrong and they did not cognize their correct assignment
as they deprived themselves from the great conquest.
However, this issue does not mean that they are secular
people. Instead, their problem resided somewhere else
relating to the definition of the religious assignment
required for the nation in light of the circumstances of
that period of time.
Some of those people thought that the priority was
in the physical protection of Imam Hussein (pbuh) plus
his security. Therefore, they advised him to go to places
where he could find security for himself. On the other
hand, the vision of the inerrant Imam (pbuh) gave priority
to protecting the religion, even if that issue necessitated
the martyrdom of the inerrant Imam (pbuh).

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It is difficult to understand the complexity of those


believers because they permitted themselves to diagnose
and define the religious and guardian assignment in the
presence of the inerrant Imam, the definer of that issue.
Perhaps, they misunderstood what the Imam (pbuh)
defined regarding the assignment.
This is on the level of the theoretical background
regarding the religious assignment of the nations.
However, one can notice from the preceding cases
that some lingerers deprived themselves from the
conquest because they did not categorize their practical
priorities without relating this issue to the matter of the
general assignment of the nation and the primary task
required for it.
For example, At-Turmah did not have a problem as
it seems from his biography as we discussed earlier.
However, his problem was in his leniency towards
prioritizing his issues while giving consideration to
the sensitivity of the situation. For instance, he gave
the priority to going to his family first in order to
provide them with money with his intention to return
and support rather than staying with the Imam (pbuh).
Hence, he left but was late in returning, hence deprived
himself from the conquest.

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At-Turmah and martyr Abdul Rasoul


The act of At-Turmah represented a harsh lesson for
the children of the school of Imam Hussein (pbuh) who
drank from the spring of the values of Ashura.

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Among those learners was one of the martyrs of the


Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Ali Zihri, whose code
name was Abdul Rasoul. The man in charge of him
narrates his story from the beginning of his arrival to the
frontline, when he told him about a dream that he saw in
that blessed place. He saw that the day of resurrection
arrived and the people were being questioned by Allah
the Exalted. When he glanced with his eyes he saw
Imam Hussein (pbuh) leading some people to paradise
through one of its gates. He noticed that the gate was
crowded with a long row of people. Martyr Abdul
Rasoul could not hold himself but went forward to the
gate advancing those waiting in row. Someone called
him:
Go back and wait in line. This is not your time. Your
time will come after ten years. The martyr continues
narrating his dream telling that after a certain period
of time, which he did not feel, the ten years passed and
his turn came to go to the gate and enter the paradise.
The martyr told his dream to his commander Abu

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Hussein at the beginning of his combative work when


he arrived to the frontline, where he remained fighting
for ten years.
It was noticed that during these years he would
practice his military missions in an imprudent manner,
where he would not behave cautiously during any
mission or whenever cautiousness was necessary. He
would explain this issue to his commander saying: the
ten years have yet to pass.
However, after ten years, when the leaders of the
resistance chose him to participate in the Sujud
operation, his commander noticed that his behavior
began to change and he acted seriously unlike before.
At that time, his commander remembered his dream
and began to count the period of time that has passed
since Abdul Rasoul started his work. He discovered
that it was the tenth year of his military work on the
frontline.
As someone who cares for him, his commander said
to him: Go to Beirut and bid farewell to your fiance
and return to participate in the operation.
Abdul Rasoul replied: For ten years I have been
waiting for this moment. Perhaps if I go to Beirut an
accident will happen to me on the road and I will be late

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for the operation deriving myself from martyrdom.


Martyr Abdul Rasoul succeeded in joining the
caravan of the conquerors whereas At-Turmah deprived
himself from the conquest.
The fate of those who failed to join the
conquest

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I confirmed in the beginning that our discussion


here does not include the assassins. Instead, it includes
the previous seven types. Therefore, what is the fate of
these types?
Based on the previous discussion, it is not right to
give the same answer to the seven types. The fate issue
is one of the sensitive causes that submit to delicate
standards.
Some people might answer saying that the fate of he
who was present and heard the call without providing
support will be the hellfire, which was confirmed by
Imam Hussein (pbuh) to more than one laggard as we
mentioned earlier. Among the examples are his words
to Ibn al-Horr, If you can avoid hearing our scream
or witness our battle do so. I heard Allahs messenger
(pbuh&hh) saying: He who hears the caller of my
household and does not support them for their just

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cause, Allah will overturn his face into the Fire.


However, I wish to go into the root of the answer by
including history and our present time, which creates
a culture that has its mirroring effects regarding the
attitude towards the others. In my reply, I will employ
the conclusive mind and the script of the members of
inerrancy.
The divine reckoning according to the
logic of the mind
The conclusive mind will rule in favor of the justice
of Allah the Exalted and the impossibility of Him
giving verdict to that which the mind decisively sees
as unjust.
This philosophy has ramifications regarding the
divine justice on Judgment Day.
The decisive mind rejects the idea that the Judgment
Day be limited to the standardization of the true
identity with the compatibility of the acts to the reality
without regarding other considerations. In other words,
it rejects the idea that the grading on Judgment Day be
executed on the basis that all non-Muslims will go to
hell after which Muslims will be separated according to
their different sects, hence, those who did not embrace

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the true sect will go to hell after which the embracers


of the true sect will be divided based on their deeds,
hence, the people whose deeds conform to the reality
will go to heaven and the rest will go to hell.

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Based on the decisive mind, the justice of Allah


the Exalted disagrees with this manner of judgment.
Instead, it points towards another definition of the divine
justice that gives consideration to the preparations that
resulted in the dogmatic identity and the behaviors that
followed. These preparations might include certain
failure and might even start from negligence.
Regarding the negligent that had the ability to reach
the truth and quittance (absolution) in a subjective way
but failed due to the lack of will, there is no problem in
him deserving punishment.
On the other hand, it is unreasonable to punish an
incapable person who failed to act accordingly due to
the lack of his capacities and because his environment
did not allow him to reach the truth.
Our discussion being limited to worthiness launches
from our faith in Allah the Exalted and that He obliged
Himself to deliver His promise. Hence, if He promises
reward the reward becomes an obligation from His
Exaltedness. On the other hand, if He promises

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punishment, it remains indefinite that His punishment


will happen. Why? Allah the Exalted can be merciful
and his mercy always advances his fury.
In conclusion: The negligent deserves punishment
but may still receive mercy whereas the incapable does
not deserve punishment since due to his incapacity.
The divine reckoning according to the
logic of the script
Our previous discussion regarding the logic of the
mind can be read in the script of the holy Quran as well
as the scripts that came from the inerrant prophetic
household (pbut). For instance, the holy Quran mentions
the pardon of Allah the Exalted that will be delivered
to the incapable people who were described as the
oppressed people. Therefore, Allah the Exalted said,
Lo! As for those whom the angels take [in death] while
they wrong themselves, [the angels] will ask: In what
were ye engaged? They will say: We were oppressed in
the land. [The angels] will say: Was not Allahs earth
spacious that ye could have migrated therein? As for
such, their habitation will be hell, an evil journeys end;
except the feeble among men, and the women, and the
children, who are unable to devise a plan and are not
shown a way. As for such, it may be that Allah will
pardon them. Allah is ever Clement, Forgiving.

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One of the kind reports on this issue is the speech of


Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) categorizing the people based
on the divine retribution. For example, Al-Kafi book
reported that Hamza Bin At-Tayyar quoted Imam alSadiq (pbuh) as saying, The people are six divisions;
they all derive from three divisions: faith, infidelity
and deviation - people of the two promises
whom Allah promised with heaven and fire.

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[The six divisions are] the believers, the disbelievers,


the oppressed, those hoping for Allahs mercy, either
He punishes them or grants them absolution, those
admitting their sins while mixing a good deed with
another bad, and the people of the heights.
Some reports stressed on the descent of the divine
mercy upon some of those deserving punishment due
to their qualities that included some human values,
which manifested the divine qualities as we will read
in the two following reports:
1- In book Al-Kafi, Imam al-Baqir (pbuh) was quoted
as saying, A believer lived in a kingdom of a tyrant
who became very interested in him. Therefore
he escaped to a country of polytheism, and found
refuge at a place of a polytheist who took him in
as a guest and treated him with kindness. When

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death came to him Allah the Exalted inspired him


saying: I swear in my pride and sublimity, if I had a
house for you in my heaven I would have given you
residence in it; but, it is forbidden for anyone who
died as a polytheist. However, O hellfire, keep away
from him and do not harm him; while his sustenance
comes to him at the two ends of the day.
2- Sheikh As-Saddouq narrated quoting Imam alKazim (pbuh) as saying, A believer lived among
the children of Israel neighbored by an infidel who
was always good to the believer and did him favors
in this world. When the infidel died Allah built a
house from clay for him in the hellfire. It protects
him from its searing heat and his sustenance comes
from another place. He was told: this is because you
were kind to your faithful neighbor so-and-so, doing
him kind favors in the previous world.
The divine reckoning in the words of the
scholars
The scholars of the clergy school of the Prophetic
Household (pbut) stressed on this creed in their revered
books. One example is the famous book of laws that was
given by the scientific clergy schools in the previous
curriculum. Besides, it represents a scientific reference
of great magnitude in our present time. Its author,

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Ayatollah al-Uthma Abul Qassim al-Qummi said in


his speech on the natural rules of the intellectuals that
disagree with the requisites of the religion, What they
select from the issues that disagree with the origins of
the religion derives from: either their interpretation
in denying one of the very origins such as prophecy,
or from denying that which necessitates denial such
as denying the information of the prophet with their
knowledge that it derived from the prophet.

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First explanation: Infidelity in this world


resulting from negligence necessitates punishment
in the afterworld. The first [infidelity] not resulting
from negligence does not necessitate the second
[punishment].
Second explanation: Without negligence, there is
neither infidelity nor punishment. With negligence,
infidelity is not a requisite yet necessitates questioning
and punishment. Therefore, anyone who rules the
infidelity of a denier must contemplate.
In this same context, Imam Khomeini (RIP) speaks
in his book Al-Makasib Al-Muharrama (Forbidden
Gains) about the deed of the excused ignorant. Hence
he said, He is sinless; instead, he will be requited
according to his compliance (obedience); besides, his
act might represent obedience. Regarding the realistic

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wrongdoing, one remains sinless; someone excused in


his perpetration remains sinless.
Guardianship (Al-Wilayah) and the divine
reckoning
As a practical form of our previous discussion, we
will explain the doctrine of the true guardianship. We
believe that Allah the Exalted described the pledging of
allegiance to the Prophet (pbuh&hh) and his infallible
household (pbut) as a main pillar that is required for
the acceptance of the services of the Muslim. The mind
and logic do not protest such a term regarding ones
worthiness. For example, Allah the Wise said, I am
entitled to reward anyone who embraces this way and
feeds its embracers of the poor. Therefore, anyone
who embraces this way and feeds its embracing poor
deserves remuneration from the Lord. On the contrary,
anyone who embraces a different way and feeds its
embracing poor does not deserve the reward of the
Lord. Yes, Allah the Exalted might be generous in
giving him absolution. However, it is not obligatory
according to reason. Based on this rule, several reports
reached us recurrently telling that the acceptance of
the deeds is conditioned by pledging allegiance to the
prophetic household (pbut). Here we present a number
of these reports:

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1- One report quoted from Imam Abu Jafar (pbuh) as


saying, The peak of the matter with its magnitude
and key as well as the cracking of the objects
coupled with the satisfaction of the Merciful resides
in ones obedience to the Imam after paying him
recognition. Allah the Exalted said, Whoso obeyeth
the messenger hath obeyed Allah, and whoso turneth
away: We have not sent thee as a warder over them.

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On the contrary, if a person remains up all night,


fasts all day, gives all his money in charity, and goes
to pilgrimage throughout his life while ignoring
the guardianship of Allahs assigned guardian, not
supporting him, and not letting all his actions point
back to him, he will lose the right to Allahs reward
and his affiliation to the faithful people.
2- Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) was quoted as saying to his
followers, He who does not meet Allah the Exalted
on the Day of Judgment embracing what you
embrace none of his good deeds will be accepted
and none of his wrongdoings will be pardoned.
3- Imam [Hussein] Abu Abdullah (pbuh) was quoted as
saying, I swear in Allah, had Iblis [Satan] prostrated
for Allah the Exalted following his disobedience
and haughtiness for as long as the world remains
this would never have resulted in any benefit for

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him and Allah would never have accepted it from


him until he kneels for Adam as he was instructed
by Allah the Exalted. The same issue applies to
this nation that became troubled after its prophet
(pbuh&hh) departed, and after they abandoned their
guardian [Imam] who was assigned by its prophet
for them. Allah the Exalted will not accept any of
their services nor will He elevate any of their good
deeds until they meet Allah with His commandment
and accept the guardianship of the guardian under
whose commandment they were told to submit as
well as enter through the door that Allah the Exalted
and His Messenger opened for them.
In addition, in his book Al-Arbaoun Hadithan [The
Forty Speeches], Imam Khomeini (RIP) commented
on these speeches saying, The aforementioned words
of the holy speech stipulating that the guardianship of
the household members (pbut) with their recognition
as a condition to accept services is regarded as one of
the conceded matters. This issue can even be regarded
as one of the necessities of Shiism.
The Prophetic Household (pbut) and the
classification culture
In order to avoid any misconception regarding the
meaning of these words, it is necessary to differentiate

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104

between entitlement and favoritism which were


mentioned earlier. For example, guardianship is an
entitled condition required for the acceptance of the
services. However, this does not mean that all those
who do not recognize the guardianship will be doomed
by Allah the Exalted in hellfire. For example, a man of
this kind - as a result of certain values that he embraced
without objections on his side might receive the
mercy of Allah the Exalted and be with those who will
be allowed by Allah the Exalted to enter His paradise
out of His kindness and mercy, even if this person did
not deserve such fate. Therefore, no man has the right
to divide the people into two parts to conclude that one
part will definitely enter the hell and the other part will
definitely enter paradise.
The Prophetic Household (pbut) rejected this logic
which narrows the mercy of Allah the Exalted. This
issue was clear in the report that was narrated by the
author of Al-Kafi (The sufficient) book quoting Zararah
as saying, Hemran (or Bakeer) and I entered to see Abu
Jafar (pbuh). I said to him: we are simply extending
this Mitmar, he (pbuh) asked: What is the Mitmar? I
said: At-Tur (building thread). Therefore, whosoever
agrees with us, Alawi (Shiite) he was or not, will have
our support; and whosoever disagrees with us, Alawi
(Shiite) he was or not, will be disavowed by us. He said

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to me: O Zararah, the words of Allah are more truthful


than yours; why not count those about whom Allah the
Exalted said, Except the feeble among men, and the
women, and the children, who are unable to devise a
plan and are not shown a way.?
Where are those who hope for Allahs mercy?
Where are those who mixed a good deed with another
bad deed? Where are the owners of the heights? Where
are the owners of the hearts to be reconciled?
These are clear words about the rejection of the
school of the prophetic household (pbut) to the idea of
separating people regarding their fate in the hereafter
in a conclusive manner while disregarding the privacy
of man coupled with his environment which might
draw the divine mercy and kindness.
The effects of the school of the prophetic
household (pbut)
Once this dogma becomes deeply rooted and
established within the public culture it will mirror great
psychological effects and good educational results on
both levels, individualistic and socialistic. Why? It
widens mans vision and horizon between the mercy of
Allah and His compassion.

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Besides, it establishes unity of Muslims in a way


that no Muslim will view the other on the basis of the
fate of the other, and that the inevitability would be the
hellfire.
Moreover, it twins the educational and political
behaviors in the relationship with the other.
It is also an important base for discussion with the
other with an open spirit (open-mindedness).
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The fate of those who failed in light of the earlier


discussions
Based on earlier discussions, we cannot reach a
general verdict on all the aforementioned seven types
of those who failed to join the conquest.
Yes, we do not expect any defects [lack of knowledge]
in those who witnessed the battle while maintaining
neutralism on their part. Hence, they deserve to be
overturned by Allah the Exalted on their faces in the
hellfire.
It is also evident that a large number of those who
stayed behind did not lack the required knowledge,
such as Obaidallah Bin al-Horr al-Juhfi, who declared
that he who supports Hussein (pbuh) is the happy one
in the hereafter. The problem in these people was in

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their attachment to the life of this world the utmost


wish. This was the reason why they failed their Imam
(pbuh). Hence, they deserve the punishment of Allah
the Exalted because they rejected an open request of
their Imam to support him.
The type of people whose absence was not based
on their attachment to this life but based on their
awareness and miscalculated prioritization will have a
fate that will be measured in accordance, as we said
earlier, with the criterion of the questionability that is
linked to defect or to truancy.
However, in all cases, all the previous types made a
mistake and they deprived themselves from the great
conquest, the way of which Imam Hussein (pbuh)
clearly shaped - martyrdom.
All these types of people deprived themselves from
the great position of martyrdom, on which we will shed
light in the third chapter, Martyrdom [shaheed].
Preface:
Dear reader: From this point on, we will be discussing
the issue of the martyrs. The word Martyrs is the
plural of martyr, the Arabic term of martyr is shaheed
and the plural of shaheed is shuhadaa. Our reader must

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understand the meaning of shaheed before continuing


the reading of this book. Shaheed has two meanings:
one is martyr and the other is witness. Shaheed can
be someone who sacrifices himself for a noble cause
in which he believes, rendering him on the Day of
Judgment a martyr and a witness at the same time
for what happened, and thus we call him in Arabic
shaheed.

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Those who were martyred with Imam Hussein (pbuh)


in Karbala gained the highest grades that Allah the
Exalted mentioned in the Quran, the witness martyrs.
Allah the Exalted says, Whoso obeyeth Allah and
the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah
hath shown favor, of the prophets and the saints and
the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are
they!
Other times, shaheed may be a witness of an event
without being martyred, yet we still call him in Arabic
shaheed. Consequently, we will use the word shaheed
instead of martyr or witness where applicable so that it
harmonizes with our book as we continue.

Third Chapter

Martyrdom

Martyrdom
He who follows me from amongst you will be
martyred
This is the introduction of the letter in which Imam
Hussein (pbuh) regarded martyrdom as good tidings.
Allah presents to you a high repute; this is Hussein
Bin Ali calling you to support him; if you fight with
him you will be rewarded, and if you die you will be
martyred.
These were the words of al-Hajjaj Bin Masrouk
al-Juhfi to Obaidallah Bin al-Horr, telling him about
an honor that Allah presented to him, the reward for
fighting or martyrdom.
The deaths of the adorers of martyrdom who will
not be advanced by those before them or exceled by
those after them.
This is how Imam Ali (pbuh) foresaw the future

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when his son Imam Hussein (pbuh), his household and


his companions would be martyred.
May Allah bring us together with you among the
martyred as well as grant us your company in the
highest grades.
This was a supplication of Imam Al-Mahdi (May
Allah Prompt his Rise) when he paid a visit to the
graves of the martyrs of Karbala.
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In this manner, when we read the scripts [words]


of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) and his household (pbut)
we can notice that the title martyrdom remains an
adherent feature to the heroes of the battle of Karbala as
well as notice that the title shaheed remains adherent
to Imam Hussein (pbuh). Here are a number of these
scripts:
1- Sheikh At-Toussi reported in his book AlGhaiba (The occultation) that Allahs messenger
(pbuh&hh) said on the night when he was dying to
Imam Ali (pbuh), O Abul Hassan, bring me a paper
and a quill; and Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) wrote
his will In one of its parts he (pbuh&hh) said,
O Ali, twelve Imams [guardians] will descend after
me In another part he (pbuh&hh) said, When
death comes to you handed it over to my grandson

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Hassan the pious visitor; and when death comes to


him let him hand it over to my grandson Hussein the
shaheed, the virtuous and the slayed.
2- There are the words of Imam Ali Bin Moussa ArRidha (pbuh) in a speech titled as the golden chain,
describing the most prominent features of each
Imam of his ancestors, each of which expressed
the main role or the special stature of each Imam.
Hence, he (pbuh), addressing the gathering crowds
in Nishapur, which came up to 20 thousand writers
pleading him to speak one of the speeches of Allahs
messenger (pbuh), said, My father Moussa alKazim (pbuh) said to me quoting his father Jafar
al-Sadiq (pbuh), quoting his father Muhammad alBaqir (pbuh), quoting his father Ali Zein el-Abideen
(pbuh), quoting his father Hussein the martyr of
Karbala (pbuh), quoting his father Ali Bin Abi Talib
(pbuh) as saying: My beloved and the delight of my
eyes, Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) said quoting
Gabriel (pbuh) as saying: I heard the Lord Who is
exalted in His pride saying: saying there is no god
but Allah is my fortress, he who utters it enters my
fortress, and he who enters my fortress will be safe
from my punishment.
3- There is the statement of the board of Fatimah (pbuh)

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that mentioned the names of the inerrant Imams


(pbut) explaining their most prominent qualities
and stations of their lives. It reads, And I made
Hussein the keeper of my revelation, honored him
with martyrdom, and ended his life with happiness;
hence, he is the best of those martyred and the
highest of the martyrs in grades

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The entirety of this issue invites us to study the


truth of the martyrdom which Imam Hussein (pbuh)
gained coupled with his household and companions
in Karbala, whereas many others deprived themselves
from such gain.
The shaheed (martyr/witness) and the
martyrs in the holy Quran
The holy Quran granted man with the shaheed
quality should he be present and witness a certain
event, qualifying him to give his statement regarding
what happened. Therefore, Allah the Exalted said, O
ye who believe! When ye contract a debt for a fixed
term, record it in writing. Let a scribe record it in
writing between you in (terms of) equity. No scribe
should refuse to write as Allah hath taught him, so let
him write, and let him who incurreth the debt dictate,
and let him observe his duty to Allah his Lord, and
diminish naught thereof.

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But if he who oweth the debt is of low understanding,


or weak, or unable himself to dictate, then let the
guardian of his interests dictate in (terms of) equity.
And call to witness, from among your men, two
witnesses. And if two men be not (at hand) then a man
and two women, of such as ye approve as witnesses, so
that if the one erreth (through forgetfulness) the other
will remember. And the witnesses must not refuse
when they are summoned. Be not averse to writing
down (the contract) whether it be small or great, with
(record of) the term thereof. That is more equitable in
the sight of Allah and surer for testimony, and the best
way of avoiding doubt between you; save only in the
case when it is actual merchandise which ye transfer
among yourselves from hand to hand. In that case it
is no sin for you if ye write it not. And have witnesses
when ye sell one to another, and let no harm be done to
scribe or witness. If ye do (harm to them) lo! It is a sin
in you. Observe your duty to Allah. Allah is teaching
you. And Allah is knower of all things.
It also gave this quality to the vigilant and fully
aware cognizant person. Therefore, Allah the Exalted
said, Lo! Therein verily is a reminder for him who
hath a heart, or giveth ear with full intelligence.
Some verses of the Quran talked about the grade

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of the martyrs at Allah the Exalted in the intellectual


sense of martyrdom without defining the reason that
led them to this position. Allah the Exalted said:
1- Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are
with those unto whom Allah hath shown favor, of
the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the
righteous. The best of company are they!

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2- And the earth shineth with the light of her Lord,


and the Book is set up and the prophets and the
witnesses are brought, and it is judged between them
with truth, and they are not wronged.
3- Know that the life of the world is only play, and
idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you,
and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as
the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the
growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward
it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then
it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is
grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from
Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the
world is but matter of illusion.
The quality shaheed (witness) has been regarded
as one of the qualities of Allah the Exalted. Allah the
Exalted said:

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1- Say: O People of the Scripture! Why disbelieve ye


in the revelations of Allah, when Allah (Himself) is
Witness of what ye do?
2- And when Thou tookest me Thou wast the
Watcher over them. Thou art Witness over all
things.
3- Say (O Muhammad): What thing is of most weight
in testimony? Say: Allah is Witness between me and
you.
4- Whether We let thee (O Muhammad) behold
something of that which We promise them or
(whether We) cause thee to die, still unto Us is their
return, and Allah, moreover, is Witness over what
they do.
5- Lo! Those who believe (this revelation), and those
who are Jews, and the Sabaeans and the Christians
and the Magians and the idolaters - Lo! Allah will
decide between them on the Day of Resurrection.
Lo! Allah is Witness over all things.
6- Say: Whatever reward I might have asked of you
is yours. My reward is the affair of Allah only. He is
Witness over all things.
7- We shall show them Our portents on the horizons

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and within themselves until it will be manifest unto


them that it is the Truth. Doth not thy Lord suffice,
since He is Witness over all things?
8- On the day when Allah will raise them all together
and inform them of what they did. Allah hath kept
account of it while they forgot it. And Allah is
Witness over all things.

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9- He unto Whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the


heavens and the earth; and Allah is of all things the
Witness.
One can notice that the words shaheed (martyr
or witness] and shuhadaa (martyrs or witnesses)
in the previous verses although they derive from
one meaning which relates to knowledge, yet this
knowledge ranges depending on its degree and its
attribution. For instance, the human knowledge, as in
the case of someone witnessing a certain event such as
selling, works only through the senses. On the other
hand, when the intellectual or intelligence testimony
is attributed to Allah the Exalted it must be weeded
and purified from all that which does not harmonize
with the Absolute Perfect, amongst Whom and His
information nothing has ever mediated.
This is the case of the many qualities and actions that

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are attributed to Allah the Exalted, such as in His words,


Lo! They plot a plot (against thee, O Muhammad).
And I plot a plot (against them).
For example, the plotting of Allah the Exalted is
a sort of the positive divine planning that fights and
neutralizes the plots of the wicked enemies.
Consequently, the testimony of Allah the Exalted,
mentioned in the previous verses, indicates the highest
level of witnessed knowledge. The existence with its
entirety is ever present before Allah the Exalted without
any mediation since He is the source (creator).
The shaheed according to the prophetic
tradition (Sunnah)
Despite the great volume of the verses that talk about
the shaheed (martyr or witness), shuhadaa (martyrs
or witnesses) and shahada (martyrdom or testimony),
none of these verses declared that the shaheed could
be the one slayed in the battlefield or in other similar
fields. Some verses may still bear the meaning that the
one slayed could be among the martyrs. However, the
prophetic tradition and reports that arrived repeatedly
from the inerrant Imams of the prophetic household
(pbut) used the word shaheed repeatedly as someone
who had been slayed in the way of Allah the Exalted,

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which resulted in inflecting such a meaning of the word


shaheed. Here are some of their speeches:
Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) was quoted as saying,
The shaheed acquires seven qualities from Allah: the
first drop of his blood brings him absolution.
Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) was quoted as saying,
The shaheed is given six qualities: he is forgiven at
the first spurt of his blood
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Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) was quoted as


saying, No soul after death would wish to return to the
world except that of the shaheed after he sees Allahs
generosity. Hence, he would wish to return and be
killed in this world again after experiencing the value
of martyrdom.
The commander of the faithful (pbuh) was quoted as
saying, Jihad [struggle in the way of Allah] is the best
of deeds after Islam It is coupled with good deeds
and good news of heaven after martyrdom.
The commander of the faithful (pbuh) was quoted
as saying, The best of creatures after the guardians
are the martyrs; the best of the martyrs is Hamza Bin
Abdullah and Jafar Bin Abi Talib

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The shaheed and the reason behind the


naming
Perhaps the insistence of the noble scripts on
naming the one slayed in the way of Allah as shaheed
was because this phonation holds a special perceptive
and intellectual quality, which Islam continuously
emphasized because it bears a meaning that points to
the stature and particularity of the shaheed.
The stature and particularity come to light by
contemplating on the phonations that have been used
in the sense of cognition and knowledge. Scholar
At-Tabatabaei (RIP) said, The utilized phonations
in the holy Quran pertaining to cognition are many.
Perhaps they reached twenty such as: thinking,
counting, sensation, invocation, gnosis, understanding,
jurisprudence, cognition, certainty, ideology, opinion,
pretense, memorizing, wisdom, experience, testimony,
and intellect
On comparing between these phonations pertaining
to their cognitive meanings and the shahada (testimony)
from which the quality of the shaheed has been phrased,
the ranking position will emerge. This issue is clear in
the following demonstration that was detailed by the
author of al-Mizan, which is:

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Thinking: the preferable credence, even if it does


not reach the limit of conclusiveness and decisiveness.
Counting: it is similar to thinking with one simple
difference.
Sensation: the accurate awareness; it is very precise
and mostly used in the tangible material without
referring to rationality.

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Invocation: invoking the image that is treasured


inside the mind after its absence from cognition or by
memorizing it without being absent from consciousness.
Gnosis plus knowledge: implementing the
appearing image by the section of perception based on
the treasures of the mind.
Understanding: the influence of the mind by the
outer world, inscribing the image inside it.
Jurisprudence: confirming the image inscribed
inside the mind and stabilizing its credibility.
Cognition: deepening further into that confirmation
until the particularity of the learnt matter is cognized
with its secrets and qualities. This is why it is used in
the form of magnifying and glorifying the issue. Allah
the Exalted said, The Reality! What is the Reality?

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Ah, what will convey unto thee what the reality is?
Certainty: the intensity of the mental cognition in a
way that rejects disappearance.
Ideology: inspecting and checking the present
information in order to obtain its adherent obscurities.
Opinion: the occurring authentication of the
ideology and prudence. However, it is often used in
the practical sciences, which are applicable or nonapplicable, but without the theoretical sciences that
refer to the formational matters. This is similar to
perception, jurisprudence, and wording.
Pretense: this is authenticity based on it being an
image inside the mind whether it is a preferable or a
decisive and conclusive authentication.
Knowledge: the perception that rejects the contrast.
Memorizing: controlling the learnt image in a way
that no change or disappearance would affect it.
Wisdom: the scientific image pertaining to its
control and precision.
Experience: the emergence of the scientific image
in a way that the intellectual will not miss any result

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resulting from its introductions.


We can notice regarding these cognitive phonations
that some of them express a preferable cognition
without certainty and decisiveness. Others express a
cognition that results from the presence of the image of
an object inside the mind. Therefore, the best meanings
of these cognitive phonations do not go beyond the
presence of the image of an object inside the mind.

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This is when the meaning of martyrdom protrudes


because martyrdom or testimony means obtaining
the very object that is being sought. This meaning
clarifies once we distinguish between the three ranks
of unquestionable knowledge.
Frist: we must reach certainty about the existence of
hellfire without seeing it, which we call the knowledge
of certainty.
Second: we must reach certainty about the existence
of hellfire by seeing it with our own eyes, which we
call the eye of certainty.
Third: we must reach certainty about the existence
of hellfire by touching it, which we call the perfect
certainty. In this level, knowledge means obtaining the
very object that is different from seeing its image or

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learning about its essence.


The secret of the description of the testimonial
martyrdom
Why did Islam choose the martyr quality for
the person slayed in the way of Allah the Exalted?
Islam provides us with a feeling that the value of the
sacrificing person fountains from his knowledge and
awareness prior to embarking on his practical behavior.
This issue clarifies through learning the theoretical
structure by which the self-sacrificing act has been
legitimized in Islam.
According to the legitimacy of the true religion of
Allah, Allah the Exalted did not give man the power
to control his spirit unlimitedly. Hence, suicide was
forbidden. Allah the Exalted said, and kill not one
another. Lo! Allah is ever Merciful unto you.
Allah the Exalted forbade this issue considering
it to be one of the matters that would result in divine
punishment. For example, one corroborated report
was quoted from Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) as saying,
Whosoever kills himself purposely will reside in hell
for eternity.
Moreover, Imam Baqir (pbuh) was quoted as saying,

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The faithful person is tried with all kinds of affliction


and tastes all kinds of death; however, he does not take
his own life.

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Similarly, the reports of the Sunnites contain the


same meaning. For example, the collection of Musnad
Ahmad Bin Hanbal quotes the Prophet (pbuh&hh) as
saying, Anyone who jumps from a mountain to kill
himself is in the hellfire forever and for all eternity.
Anyone who consumes a poison to kill himself
consumes the poison with his own hand in the hellfire
forever and for all eternity. Anyone who kills himself
with a metal his metal will be in his hand cutting his
stomach open in the hellfire for eternity.
This issue is based on a divine evaluation specialized
for mans life which he has no right to risk. Instead, he
must defend it even if this issue necessitated the killing
of the person who is trying to kill him. The jurisprudents
issued a fatwa (legal opinion) regarding this defense.
Subsequently, embracing the road that leads
ultimately to death such as the self-sacrificing mission
or any act that is being thought as risky or might lead to
death eventually such as the military combative works
requires a clear legal permission that prefers to maintain
mans life as much as possible. Therefore, the legality
of this self-sacrificing combative action requires a

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great cause which transcends oneself and individuality


in order to reach the main principle such as defending
Islam and religion or defending the Muslim community
on the basis of prioritization when there is confliction
between the great cause and self-protection.
It is evident that defining such priority cannot be
always available for the common individual by the
community. Instead, it must be defined by a qualified
leader who possesses a good knowledge of the legal
lines and rules, capable of practicing and implementing
them at the right time and place on the basis of the
priorities of the nation.
On this issue, Imam Ali (pbuh) was quoted as saying
in his will, By Allah by Allah, struggle for the way
of Allah using your money and lives; only two men
struggle in the way of Allah, a leader of guidance and
an obedient who follows his lead.
One of the kind reports that indicated this meaning
was the report of Abbad al-Basri who said to Imam
Zein al Abideen (pbuh) during Haj season: I abandoned
Jihad [struggle] and its difficulty and came to the Haj
(pilgrimage) and its easiness while Allah the Exalted
says: Lo! Allah hath bought from the believers their
lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs:
they shall fight in the way of Allah and shall slay and

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be slain. It is a promise which is binding on Him in the


Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. Who fulfilleth
His covenant better than Allah? Rejoice then in your
bargain that ye have made, for that is the supreme
triumph.

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The Imam (pbuh) said to him: finish the verse,


and Abbad continued saying, (Triumphant) are those
who turn repentant (to Allah), those who serve (Him),
those who praise (Him), those who fast, those who bow
down, those who fall prostrate (in worship), those who
enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those
who keep the limits (ordained) of Allah - And give glad
tidings to believers!
Hence, the Imam (pbuh) said to him: If we see
those whose qualities are of such, Jihad (struggling)
with them is better than Hajj (pilgrimage).
Therefore, Jihad and martyrdom require precision
regarding the designation of the path. This issue
demands the Mujahid (struggler) or the martyrdom
seeker to possess a religious awareness regarding the
legality of his action as well as a social awareness
through which he can understand the value of his
act which goes under the great causes of the religion
and the priorities of the nation. This way he decides
to sacrifice that which is dear to him, his life, for the

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dearest common good, the religion or the community,


the service of which plus self-sacrifice represent a
conclusion on the way of his perfection for the way of
Allah the Exalted.
Therefore, the knowledge of the martyrdom seeker
and his wide insight on his way of struggle is necessary
to acquire the position of martyr. In this manner, one
can reach martyrdom and be described as a martyr.
The Stature of the Shaheed (Martyr)
Allah the Exalted said, Think not of those, who are
slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living.
With their Lord they have provision. Jubilant (are they)
because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them
of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have
not joined them but are left behind: That there shall no
fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. They
rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and
that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers.
In these verses, there are special bounties and ranks
for the person slain in the way of Allah. They are:
1- Life.
2- Security.

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3- Continual bliss.
4- Being joyful with the reward.
5- Good tidings about the comrades to follow in Jihad.
Here are the details about these issues.
1- The Life of the Shaheed (martyr)
The holy Quran forbade two issues relating to the
life of the shaheed:
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First: We must not believe in his death. Allah the


Exalted said, Think not of those, who are slain in the
way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their
Lord they have provision.
Second: We must not express that the shaheed
(martyr) is dead; Allah the Exalted said, And call not
those who are slain in the way of Allah dead. Nay,
they are living, only ye perceive not.
The reason for this is that the original meaning of
death as it was stipulated by Ibn Faris in the dictionary
Mojam Maqayees Al-Lugha is the leaving of the force
of the being. On this issue, he cited a report about garlic,
quoting the noble prophet (pbuh&hh) as saying, Anyone
who ate from that harmful plant must not approach our

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mosque. If you should eat it, kill it by cooking.


It is evident that the words kill it mean make its
strong smell leave.
Consequently, the holy Quran disagrees with the
leaving of the force of a martyr. Instead, it informs us
that he sustains his position as a powerful living being,
which continues, but not inside the material body that
changes and alters. Instead, it is in the human soul, with
which the life differs hence the force differs. This spirit
will not be in the form of a material being. Instead, it
will be in the form of a perfect body in the world of the
partition, as stated by the reports. For example, when
asked about the whereabouts of the faithful spirits,
Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) answered, In a semi paradise in
the form of bodies in heaven; another report reads, In
the form of similar bodies.
The martyrs and the dead of the partition
(Barzakh)
This is where a dogmatic question arises regarding
the life of the partition about which several reports
talked with corroborations that this life is designed
for all the dead, whether they were people of faith or
people of infidelity. In both cases, this life was not
designed for the martyrs.

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Here are some reports that generalize the life of the


partition:
1- A quotation from the commander of the faithful
Imam Ali (pbuh) reads, Grave is a garden of the
gardens of heaven or a hole of the holes of hellfire.

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2- A quotation from Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) reads, The


spirits of the believers are in a tree from heaven,
eating from its food, drinking from its drink, and
they say: Our Lord, let the resurrection happen for
us, accomplish that which You promised us, let our
lasts join our firsts.
3- Another quotation from Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) reads,
Spirits in the forms of bodies in a tree from heaven,
getting acquainted and questioning. Therefore, when
a new spirit arrives to the spirits someone utters: let
it be; it has escaped a great horror. Then they ask it:
what did so-and-so do? And what did so-and-so do?
If it says to them: I left him alive, then they beg for
him, and if it says to them: he perished, they say: he
has fallen, fallen.
It was reported that when Abu Baseer asked Imam
Abu Abdullah (pbuh) about the spirits of the believers,
the Imam (pbuh) replied: Inside rooms in heaven,
eating from its food and drinking from its drink. They

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say: our Lord, let the resurrection happen for us,


accomplish that which You promised us, let our lasts
join our firsts.
Other reports on the life of the partition, which is
designed for the embracers of faith and the embracers
of infidelity, quoted Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) as saying:
1- No one is questioned in the grave but the embracers
of faith and the embracers of infidelity. Others will
be overlooked.
2- The one questioned in his grave are the embracers
of faith and the embracers of infidelity. Others will
be overlooked.
3- In the grave no one is questioned but the embracers
of faith and the embracers of infidelity.
By placing these two sections together in one
hand, one can understand from the reports that the
aim behind overlooking the remaining section in the
other hand does not mean denying their sensation and
life permanently; instead, they are being left without
questioning and without being transferred to the heaven
of the partition and the fire of the partition. They are
being left to rest in their graves.

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What supports this idea is the narration of the book


Sahih Durays al-Kanasi, in which Durays quoted
Imam Abu Jafar (pbuh). He said, I asked him: May
I be your shield, what is the condition of the unifiers
who recognize the prophecy of Muhammad (pbuh&hh)
pertaining to the Muslim sinners who die without
embracing an Imam [holy guardian], and without
recognizing your guardianship? He replied: For these
people, they will be in their pit-holes without any exit.
Anyone with a good deed without any animosity on his
side, a canyon will be drawn for him leading to heaven
that Allah created in the west, and thus ease will visit
him in his pit-hole until the Day of Judgment when he
will meet Allah who will question him for his good and
bad deeds. Hence, either to heaven or to the hellfire;
these are the halted ones awaiting Allahs decision. He
added: the same issue happens to the oppressed, stupid,
children, and Muslim children who did not reach
puberty. The embraces of animosity from the people of
the Kiblah will have a canyon drawn for them leading
to the hellfire, which Allah created in the east. Hence,
flames, sparks, smoke, and boiling lava enter to them;
later they will meet their destiny in the hellfire.
This story fits as an example that those who will
be overlooked are The halted ones awaiting Allahs
decision.

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Consequently, if the dead in general have beings


that remain alive either in the heaven of the partition or
in its hellfire or inside their graves, what is the reason
behind particularizing the speech about the martyrs as
being alive?
To answer the question we say: the quality of life
for the martyrs is different. It is a special and strong
life containing an exceptional bliss expressed by the
place, With their Lord they have provision. And this
is a true answer to which we can add another special
feature pertaining to the life of the martyrs. It relates
to the period extending between the time when the
trumpet of death is blown and the time when trumpet
of life is blown on the Day of Judgment. During this
period, all the living people will die except the very
few. For example, Allah the Exalted says, And the
trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and
all who are in the earth swoon away, save him whom
Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and
behold them standing waiting!
The meaning in these two verses tells us that the
strike will include all the beings in the heavens and on
earth including all those who died earlier and moved
to the partition. This issue was quoted from Imam
al-Sadiq (pbuh) when someone asked him: Will the

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spirit vanish after it departs its body or will it remain?


The Imam (pbuh) replied: It will remain until the time
when the trumpet is blown. At that time, all things will
nullify and perish, thus, no sense or matter with sense
will exist, and all things will be restored as they were
first originated by their creator, and for four hundred
years the creation will hibernate, between the two
blows.

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Congruently, the words of Allah the Exalted


corroborate the previous explanation as in the verse,
They say: Our Lord! Twice hast Thou made us die,
and twice hast Thou made us live. Now we confess our
sins. Is there any way to go out?
The aim behind the first death in this world is the
separation of the spirit from the body and the aim
behind the second death is the strike and hibernation
caused by the first blow.
Consequently, at the first blow there will be a general
hibernation without any life for all beings. However,
there are exceptions regarding such hibernation and
lifelessness as it was expressed previously by Allah
the Exalted when He said, save him whom Allah
willeth. Some experts explained that those saved in
the verse are the martyrs. For example, Sheikh AtTabarsi wrote in his book Tafsir Jawame al-Jame

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(Interpreting the Volumes of the Volume), quoting Ibn


Jubeir in his interpretation of: (save him whom Allah
willeth) as saying that they are the martyrs, the carriers
of the swords around the throne.
This means that there is a generating power in the
life of the martyrs that enables them to maintain their
lives between the two blows.
2- The confidence of the Shaheed (martyr)
The previous holy verses describe the situation of
the martyrs as, there no fear shall come upon them
neither shall they grieve. When we contemplate on the
meaning of fear and grief we will notice that the first
relates to mans caution in losing all that he owns or is
entitled to in the future. Therefore, he who has a child
will fear for it regarding illness and death. He who has
money will fear for it regarding loss, etc Grief on
the other hand relates to the psychological condition
that strikes man when he loses something that he
had possessed or was entitled to possess. Hence, one
grieves for his dead child and one grieves for the loss
of money, etc
Therefore, grief relates to the past and fear relates
to the future; and both strike anyone who believes he
owns something or is entitled to own.

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However, this feeling does not strike a multitude


of people whom Allah the Exalted named in his book
as the guardians of Allah. Hence, He said about them,
Lo! Verily the friends of Allah are (those) on whom
fear (cometh) not, nor do they grieve?

138

Why? The guardian of Allah believes with all his


mind and heart that anything that he owns belong to
Allah the Exalted and it is His own right. Therefore, he
does not grieve for any loss like someone who grieves
what he owned or had the right to own. Moreover, he
does not fear like the one who fears to lose something
that belongs to him or that which he had the right to
possess. Let us not forget his mental fear and caution
as well as his passionate and human grief.
At this point, the guardian of Allah the Exalted lives
his life confidently without being disturbed by fear or
grief. Why? The remembrance of Allah the Exalted
fills his life hence his heart is an example of the worlds
of Allah the Exalted, Who have believed and whose
hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in
the remembrance of Allah hearts do find rest!
The previous verse that interprets the pronoun
they by referring it to those, who are slain in the
way of Allah describes the situation of the martyrs
as confident. They, in their life in the partition do not

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grieve for their past because they found that which is


better. Moreover, they do not fear for the future while
they are guests and under the care of Allah the Exalted.
The confidence of the martyrs is one of the main
reasons for the force of life within. The true confident
feels that very power which fountains from the
remembrance of Allah the Exalted and His constant
invocation. Coupled with this force, the martyrs will
set a true example for the powerful being that is armed
with the force which the wise man seeks and thus says
while on his quest:
I searched for the strongest objects and I found the
metal
I looked into the metal to find that fire expands it by
heat thus knew that fire is stronger
I looked into fire to find that water extinguishes it
thus knew that water is stronger than fire
I looked into water to find that clouds carry it thus
knew that clouds are stronger than water
I looked into clouds to find that winds drag them
thus knew that winds are stronger than clouds
I looked into winds to find that mountains block them

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thus knew that mountains are stronger than winds


I looked into mountains to find that man towers above
them thus knew that man is stronger than mountains
I looked into man to find that sleepiness silences
him thus knew that sleepiness is stronger than man
I looked into sleepiness to find that anxiety
overcomes it thus knew that anxiety is stronger than
sleepiness
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I looked into anxiety to find that confidence removes


it thus knew that confidence is stronger than anxiety
At this point, I understood the meaning of my Lords
words, Verily in the remembrance of Allah hearts do
find rest.
At this point, the signs of confidence and strength
were beaming clearly from the features of Imam
Hussein (pbuh) which astonished anyone who saw him
prior to his martyrdom. Whenever the situation became
more difficult for him his soul and limbs would pacify
while his face projected radiance and magnificence.
Someone would say: look at him; he does not care about
death. He (pbuh) would tell them: Patience children
of the noble; death is simply a bridge that will take
you away from misery and adversity to the spacious

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heavens and eternal bliss. Who amongst you hates to


be transferred from a prison to a castle? As for your
enemies, they are like someone moving from a castle
to a prison and torture. My father said to me quoting
Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) as saying: the world is
the prison of the faithful and the paradise of the infidel,
and death is the bridge of these people to their heavens
and the bridge of those people to their hell.
3- The constant felicity
The previous verse described them reading, they
have provision Their provision based on the present
verb have is continual and everlasting. And lo is the
provision of the martyrs!
It is the good provision from the Best of all who
make provision. Allah the Exalted said, Those who
fled their homes for the cause of Allah and then were
slain or died, Allah verily will provide for them a good
provision. Lo! Allah, He verily is Best of all who make
provision.
It is the kind of provision for the sake of which
the martyr would wish to return to this world to be
martyred again. In a previous speech, the noblest
prophet (pbuh&hh) was quoted as saying, No soul that
dies and sees its goodness at Allah would be pleased to

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return to the worldly life and even be given the worldly


life with all its belongings except the martyr; he would
wish to return to be killed another time in this life after
seeing the merits of the martyrdom.

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At this point, we can understand part of the secret


of the spirituality of the greater martyr of Islam, Ali
Bin Abi Talib, who complained to the messenger
(pbuh&hh) for not being martyred during one of
the conquests. The prophet (pbuh&hh) said to him,
Rejoice, the martyrdom is behind you. He asked him
about it during another battle saying: Oh messenger of
Allah, did you not tell me when some Muslims were
martyred and I was spared, which saddened me that
I should rejoice because the martyrdom was behind
me? He (pbuh) replied: And so it will be. How is your
patience? He (pbuh) replied: O messenger of Allah,
this is not an act of patience, it is an act of rejoicing
and gratitude.
4- Rejoicing the reward
The holy Quran continues describing the martyrs as,
Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath
bestowed upon them of His bounty
how can they not rejoice when Allah the Exalted
describes their reward as great such as in His words,

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of
this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of
Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall
bestow a vast reward.
Some reports talked about some features of such
divine payment and reward designed for the shaheed
(martyr). The Prophet (pbuh) was quoted as saying,
There are seven qualities rewarded from Allah:
One: The first drop of his blood brings him
absolution.
Two: His head ends [find himself] in the lap of his
wives with lustrous eyes, wiping dust off his face and
saying welcome; and he replies the same.
Three: He will be clothed from the clothes of
heaven.
Four: The treasurers of the heaven anticipate him
with all kinds of sweet smelling winds, competing to
welcome him.
Five: He sees his house.
Six: His spirit is told: proceed freely in heaven
without any restraint.

143

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Seven: He is allowed to look at the face [special


graces] of Allah, which is the comfort of each prophet
and shaheed (martyr).

144

For these reasons, the faithful companions of Allahs


messenger (pbuh) insisted on sacrificing their lives for
the way of Allah the Exalted because they knew about
the value of martyrdom. One of those companions was
Amro Bin al-Jamouh, who sustained a limp. On the
day of the battle of Uhud knowing also that his four
sons witnessed with the prophet (pbuh) all kinds of
battles such as Asad his people wanted to restrain
him telling him you are a crippled man and therefore
you are excused, suffice your sons are accompanying
the prophet (pbuh) to the battle. He would reply: Lo;
great for them, they go to heaven while I stay with you!
Therefore, his wife Hind Bint Amro said: I looked at
him as he left with his leather shield while saying: O
Lord, do not send me back to my household. While
he was leaving some persons of his people followed
him trying to talk him into returning. He refused and
came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said: O messenger
of Allah, my people wish to prevent me from this
destiny and from charging with you; I swear in Allah
I am hoping to succeed, with this limp of mine, in
stepping into heaven. The prophet (pbuh) replied:
As in your case, Allah has excused you; jihad has

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

been lifted from you. But the man refused. Thus, the
prophet (pbuh) said to his people and his sons: Feel
not guilty should you prevent him not; perhaps Allah
will grant him martyrdom. Thus, they released him.
On that day, he was killed as a martyr. Hind, his wife,
with her son Khallad and her brother Abdullah carried
him after his martyrdom on a camel. When she reached
the crossroads of al-Horra Burak al-Baeir, the camel
would sit still each time she tries to direct it towards
Medina whereas it would move when she directs it to
Uhud. She returned to the prophet (pbuh) and told him
about the issue. He (pbuh) said: The camel is being
commanded, did Amro say anything? She said: yes,
when he went to Uhud he received the Kiblah with his
face and said: O Lord, O Lord: do not send me back to
my household and grant me martyrdom.
The prophet said: This is why the camel would not
proceed. Some of you, O the community of al-Ansar, if
taken an oath, Allah will accept it from them, including
Amro Bin al-Jamouh.
We can understand from the previous story the
secret of the great joy that appeared in the features of
the martyrs of Karbala prior to their martyrdom. Some
even wondered about this issue.
Burair, prior to his martyrdom, could be seen joking

145

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

with Abdul Rahman al-Ansari. Abdul Rahman said


to him: O Burair, this is not a time to joke! Burair
replied: My people know that I never like to joke,
when young or old. I am simply doing this to rejoice
what is coming to us. I swear in Allah, soon we will
meet these people with our swords, battling them for
one hour after which we will embrace the lustrouseyed wives.

146

Yazid Bin al-Husayn sees Habib Bin Muthahir


laughing in Karbala. He says to him: Brother, this
is not a time to laugh! Habib replies: Which place
is more suitable for such joy? I swear in Allah, soon
these people will attack us with their swords and we
will embrace the lustrous-eyed wives.
The combatants of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon
learned from these martyrs how to rejoice and laugh on
the doorstep of their martyrdom. One of these sweet
stances was the story of the first self-sacrificing fighter
of this resistance, shaheed Ahmad Qaseer, who was
martyred at the age of nineteen.
For instance, his comrade-in-arms who was setting
the explosive device in the car saw him laughing
repeatedly. He asked him the reason why. The martyr
replied: place the largest of the explosives under my
seat; I want to fly fast.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

5- Rejoicing for the joining comrades in arms


The previous verse of the holy Quran explains that
the martyrs, although they are happy with the eternal
bliss and happiness, they do not experience selfishness
with this bliss which would make them forget the
others. Instead, they maintain a spiritual and moral
communication with their faithful comrades. This is
why they, Jubilant (are they) because of that which
Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing
for the sake of those who have not joined them but are
left behind: That there shall no fear come upon them
neither shall they grieve..
Some reports stated that the spirits of the believers
ask the arrival in their heaven of the partition about
some of their faithful comrades. If it says to them, I
left him alive, they would beg for him.
In Karbala, Imam Hussein (pbuh) declared to his
companions that the martyrs are expecting their arrival
right after finishing the prayer. He said to them, O
Nobles, this is heaven opening its gates, connecting its
rivers, and ripening its fruit. This is Allahs messenger
and the martyrs who were slain in the way of Allah
expecting your arrival and giving each other good tidings
about you. Protect the religion of Allah, the religion of
his prophet, and defend the women of the messenger.

147

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

6- Rejoicing for the foreseen happiness


In spite of all the happiness and generous rewards
that Allah the Exalted gives to the martyrs, the verse
continues to describe them as, Jubilant (are they)
because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them
of His bounty

148

One of the bounties that the martyrs receive is the


rank of the intercessor, on which the Prophet (pbuh)
was quoted as saying, Three will intercede with Allah
and will be accepted: the Prophets, the scholars, and
the martyrs.
The intercession activates on the Day of Judgment
pertaining to the occurrences on that day and due to the
guiding role that the mediator played in his lifetime.
The prophets and scholars played a major role, guiding
the people. Therefore, their intercession for the people
will come in light of the peoples response to them
through their guidance. This issue explains the quality
that gives the prophets and scholars an advance for the
intercession position.
A question will arise after saying that the rank of
the guidance intercession clarifies itself through the
role of the prophets and scholars. How do we explain
the guidance intercession of the martyr who was not a

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

scholar, who was a young lad and did not write a book,
take a rostrum, give a lecture, or even the very young
man who executed a self-sacrificing mission after
reaching his puberty recently? Imam Khomeini (RIP)
praised this example of the very young man describing
him as, Our leader, that child who blew himself, under
the tanks of the enemy, in Khorramshahr.
The question is: How can we comprehend when the
rank of the guidance intercession is given to him? On
this point, Imam Khomeini (RIP) was quoted answering
beautifully a question in which he said that the martyr
guides through his blood.
Truly, the words of Imam Khomeini (RIP) were
right. We have witnessed a large number of people
returning to faith thanks to the grace of the martyrs
blood, relatives and neighbors! We have witnessed a
large number of young people being influenced by the
martyrs and being guided towards religiousness and
commitment! We have witnessed how the graces of the
martyrs played a great role in changing the community
in general towards faith, which keeps advancing due to
the blessing of their pure blood.
From this point, we address:
Our responsibilities towards the martyrs

149

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

First responsibility: We must preserve the cause


for which they were martyred. He who delivered the
message of a conqueror is like someone who freed a
salve and he is his partner in the reward of his conquest.
If this is the case, what about someone who
took responsibility and delivered the cause that was
constantly observed by the martyr when he was slain
in the way of Allah?

150

May Allah have mercy on the lord of the martyrs of


the Islamic resistance, Sayyid Abbas Musawi who said,
The main commandment: preserving the resistance.
Second responsibility: We must preserve their
families and sponsor their orphans. Imam Khomeini
(RIP) said, The satisfaction of Sahib al-Asr wazZaman [the companion of our present and future times,
the guided one] derives from the satisfaction of the
families of the martyrs.
Third responsibility: We must maintain rapport
with them by offering them holy recitations that result
in reward and bounty and act as consolation to Lady
Fatima al-Zahraa (pbuh) who in her lifetime visited the
martyrs of Uhud each week, and made from the soil
of the grave the lord of the martyrs, Hamza (pbuh) a
special rosary that she used to praise Allah the Exalted.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Fourth responsibility: We must preserve and


cultivate the martyrdom spirituality within the souls
of the believers. The Noble Prophet (pbuh) drew the
minimum line of jihad by saying, Whoever dies
without conquering, and without thinking about it, dies
with a fraction of hypocrisy.
I beseech Allah the Exalted to bestow His mercy on
our martyrs and let us join the Imam (holy leader) of
the conquerors in Karbala.
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds
Akram Barakat
Beirut, Muharram 1432 A.H. / December 2011

151

Sources and References

-1- The Holy Quran


(A)
AL-KHOMEINI, Ruhullah, Al-Arbaoun Hadithan
(The Forty Speeches]), translated by Muhammad
al-Ghazwi, printing edition unknown, Qum, Dar AlKital Al-Islami (Publishing House), printing date
unknown.
AL-AMEEN, Mohsen, Ayan ash-Shia (Lords of
Shia), audited by Hassan Al-Ameen, printing
edition unknown, printing date unknown, Beirut,
Dar At-Taaruf (Printing House).
AD-Dainury, Ahmad, Al-Akhbar At-Tiwal (The Long
News), audited by Abdul Monem Amir, first edition,
Cairo, Dar Ehyaa al-Kutub Al-Arabiya (Publishing

153

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

House).
AR-RAYSHAHRI, Muhammad, Al-Aql Wa Al-Jahl
Fi Al-Kitab Wa As-Sunnah (Mind and Ignorance in
the Script and Tradition), first edition, Beirut, Dar
Al-Hadith (Publishing House), 1421 A.H.
(B)

154

AL-MAJLISI, Muhammad Baqir, Bihar al-Anwar


(Oceans of Light), corrected by Muhammad Mahdi
al Musawi al Kharasani, printing edition unknown,
Tehran, Dar al Kutub al Islamiyah (publishing
house), 1396 A.H.
(D)
AL-HASANI, Hashim Marouf, Dirasat Fil Hadith
Wal Muhaddithin (Studies in the Speeches and
Narrators), second edition, Beirut, Dar At-Taaruf
(Printing House).
ABDEEN, Muhammad Ali, Ad-Dawafe Az-Zatiyah Li
Ansar Al Hussein (The Self Motives of the Partisans
of Hussein (pbuh)), third edition, Qum, Dar AlKitab Al-Islami (Publishing House), 1983.
(E)

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

AT-TABARSI, Al-Hassan Bin al-Fadl, Elam Al Wara


Bi Alam Al Huda (Informing the people with the
signs of guidance), first edition, Qum, Moassasat
Aal Albayt le-Ehyaa at-Turath (Printing House),
1417 A.H.
(F)
IBN ATHAM AL-KUFI, Ahmad, al-Futuh (The
Conquests), audited by Ali Sheery, first edition, Dar
Al-Adwaa (Printing House), 1411 A.H.
(GH)
AL-AMEENI, Abdul Hussein, al-Ghadeer Fi alKitab Wa As-Sunnah (the Rivulet of the Book and
Tradition), third edition, Beirut, Dar al-Kitab alArabi (Publishing House), 1967.
(H)
HASSAN, Hassan Ibrahim, the history of the political,
religious, cultural and social Islam, seventh edition,
Beirut, Dar Ehyaa At-Turath al-Arabi (Publishing
house), 1964.
AL-QURASHI, Hayat Al-Hussein (The life of
Hussein).

155

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

(J)
AL-HORR AL-AMILY, Muhammad Bin al-Hassan,
al-Jawahir As-Saniyyah (The Sublime Jewels),
An-Noman Printing, Najaf, printing edition
unknown.
(K)

156

AL-KULAINI, Muhammad Bin Yacoub, al-Kafi (The


Sufficient), audited by Ali al-Ghafari, third edition,
Tehran, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah (Publishing
House), 1367 SH.
Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-Ummal (Treasure of
Workers), printing edition unknown, audited by
Bakri Hayyani, Beirut, Moassasat Ar-Risalah
(Publishing Institution), 1409 A.H.
(L)
AL-KHOMEINI,
Ruhullah,
Al-Makasib
AlMuharrama (Forbidden Gains), third edition, Qum
Ismaeliyan (Printing House), 1410 A.H.
BARAKAT, Akram, Mushaf Fatima (The script of
Fatima), fourth edition, Beirut, Dar As-Safwah
(Publishing House), 2009.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

IBN HUJUR AL-ASQALANI, Ahmad, Lisan alMizan (The Scales tongue), second edition, Beirut,
al-Alami, 1971.
(M)
IBN FARIS, Ahmad, Mojam Maqayees al-Lugha
(Language Standards Dictionary), audited by
Abdul Salam Muhammad Haroun, Printing Edition
Unknown, Qum, Islamic Information Bureau, 1404
A.H.
AT-TABATABAEI, Muhammad Hussein, al-Mizan
Fi Tafsir al Quran (The Scales of Interpreting the
Quran), second edition, Beirut, al Alami (printing
firm), 1973.
AR-RAYSHAHRI, Muhammad, Mizan al-Hikmah
(The Scale of Wisdom), first edition, Qum, Dar al
Hadith (Printing House), 1416 A.H.
AYOUB, Saeed, Maalim al-Fitan (Landmarks
of seditions), Majma Ehyaa Ath-Thaqafah alIslamiyah (printing house), 1416 AH.
AL-ASKARI, Murtada, Maalim al-Madrasatayn
(The Two Schools Landmarks), printing edition
unknown, Beirut, Al-Noman, 1990.

157

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

AL-MUQARRAM, Abdul Razzaq, Maqtal Al Hussein


(The slaying of Hussein), second edition, Qum, Dar
Ath-Thaqafah, 1411 A.H.
AL-AMEEN, Hassan, Mustadrakat Ayan Ash-Shia
(Follow-ups of the Lords of Shia), second edition,
Beirut, Dar At-Taaruf Lil Matbuat (Printing
House), 1418 A.H.

158

AL-MUHTADI AL-BAHRANI, Abdul Azeem, Min


Akhlaq Al-Imam al-Hussein (Of the Ethics of Imam
Hussein (pbuh)), first edition, Qum, Entisharat
Shareef Ar-Radhi (Printing House), 1421 A.H.
AR-RAYSHAHRI, Muhammad, Mizan al-Hikmah
(The Scale of Wisdom), first edition, printing date
unknown, audited by Dar al Hadith (Printing House).
(O)
AL-HAERIE, Kathim, Osoul Ad-Dean (The Principles
of Religion), first edition, Qum, Maktab al-Moallef
(Bookshop), 1424 A.H.
(R)
AT-TABATABAEI, Ali, Riyad al-Masael (Gardens of
Matters), audited by Moassasat an-Nashr al-Islami
(Publishing House), Qum.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

(S)
AN-NISAEI, Sunan An-Nisaei (An-Nisaei Laws),
Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1348 A.H.
An-NAYSABOURI, Muslim, Sahih Muslim (The
Correction of Muslim), printing edition unknown,
Beirut, Dar Al-Fikr (Printing House), 1992.
AL-BUKHARI, Muhammad Bin Ismael, Sahih alBukhari (The Correction of al-Bukhari), audited
by Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Baz, first edition,
Beirut, Dar Al-Fikr, 1991.
AL-HASANI, Hashim Marouf, Sirat al-A`emmah alEthnai Ashar (the biography of the twelve Imams),
first edition, Qum, al-Sharif al-Radi, 1409 A.H.
(SH)
AL-BAGHDADI, Makki Qassim, Ash-Shahada
Taseel La Estisal (Martyrdom is Foundational
not Extraction), first edition, Beirut, Ad-Dar alIslamiyah (Publishing House), 1993.
AL-MOTAZILI, Ibn Abil Hadid, Sharh Nahjul
Balagha (Explaining the peak of eloquence), audited
by Muhammad Abul Fadl Ibrahim, first edition,
Beirut, Dar Ehyaa Al-Kutub Al-Arabiyah (Printing

159

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

House), 1959.
AL-MOTAZILI, Ibn Abil Hadid, Sharh Nahjul
Balagha (Explaining the peak of eloquence), audited
by Sheikh Muhammad Abdu, first edition, Qum,
Dar Az-Zakhaer (Publishing House), 1412 A.H.
AL-JARJANI, Ali Bin Muhammad, Sharh al-Mawaqif
(explaining the attitudes) by Abdul Rahman al-Aiji,
first edition, Egypt, As-Saadah printing firm, 1907.
(SH)
160

AL-KHUNSARY, Muhammad Baqir, Talweeh AnNuriyat Min Al-Kalam Fi Tanqeeh Ad-Daruriyat


Min Al-Islam (The beckoning of the lights of
words in revising the necessities of Islam), printing
edition unknown, Publisher unknown, printing date
unknown.
AL-HUWAIZI,
Tafsir
Nour
Ath-Thaqalayn
(Interpreting the light of the two weights), audited
by Hashim Rasoul al-Mahallati, first edition, Qum,
Ismaeleyan Foundation, 1412 A.H.
AL-MASHADI, Muhammad, Tafsir Kanz al-Daqaeq,
first edition, Qum, Moassasat An-Nashr Al-Islami
(Publishing House).

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

AZ-ZUBEIDI, Muhammad Murtada, Tajj al Arous


Min Jawahir al Qamous (The Brides Crown
Derives from the Pearls of Dictionary), audited by
Ali Sheery, printing edition unknown, Beirut, Dar al
Fikr (publishing house), 1414 A.H.
AL-QUMMI, Ali Bin Ibrahim, Tafsir Al-Qummi (AlQummi Interpretation), third edition, Dar al Kitab
(Printing House), 1404 A.H.
IBN ASAKIR, Ali Bin al-Hassan, Tarikh Madinat
Dimashq (The History of Demascus City), audited
by Ali Sheery, printing edition unknown, beirut, Dar
al-Fikr (Publishing House), 1415 A.H.
AT-TABARI, Muhammad Bin Jarir, Tareekh al-Umam
Wal Muluk (The History of Nations and Kings), alMaktaba al-Tijariyah al-Kubra (Bookshop), Cairo,
printing edition unknown, 1939.
AT-TABARI, Muhammad Bin Jarir, Tareekh al-Umam
Wal Muluk (The History of Nations and Kings),
printing edition unknown, al-Maktaba al-Tijariyah
al-Kubra (Bookshop), Cairo, 1939.
IBN ASAKIR, Ali Bin al-Hassan, Tarjamat al-Imam
al-Hussein (Interpreting Imam Hussein), audited by
Muhammad Baqir al-Mahmoudi, second edition,

161

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Qum, Majma Ehyaa Ath-Thaqafah Al-Islamiyah


(Publishing House), 1414 A.H.
AT-TABARSI, Tafsir Jawame al-Jame (Interpreting
the Volumes of the Volume), 1st edition, Qum,
Moassasat an-Nashr al-Islami (Publishing
Foundation), 1421 A.H.
(TH)

162

SHAMS ED-DEAN, Muhammad Mahdi, Thawrat alHussein wa Thrufuha al-Ejtimaeya was Athariha
al-Insaniya (Husseins revolution and its social
circumstances and human effects), printing edition
unknown, printing date unknown, Qum.
SHAMS ED-DEAN, Muhammad Mahdi, Thawrat Al
Hussein (Hussein Revolution), p. 119, cited from
Fajr Al-Islam.
SHAMS ED-DEAN, Muhammad Mahdi, Thawrat
al-Hussein (al-Hussein Revolution), third edition,
Beirut, Ad-Dar Al-Islamiyah (Publishing House),
printing date unknown.
(W)
AL-HORR AL-AMILY, Muhammad Bin al-Hassan,
Wasael ash-Shia (The Means of Shia), printing

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

edition unknown, audited by Sheikh Muhammad


Ar-Razi, Beirut, Dar Ehyaa at-Torath al-Arabi
(Publishing House), printing date unknown.
AL-HORR AL-AMILY, Muhammad Bin al-Hassan,
Wasael ash-Shia (The Means of Shia), Qum,
second edition, 1414 AH, Moassasat Aal Albayt leEhyaa at-Turath (Publishing House).

163

Contents

Preface..............................................................................................................................7
First Chapter: Conquest..............................................................................11
Conquest..................................................................................................................... 13
The meaning of conquest by language and the holy
Quran....................................................................................................................... 14
A glimpse of the errors of the prophets (pbut).......... 16
Back to the two verses of conquest...................................... 24
The elements of the successful invitation...................... 30
The Husseini Conquest.................................................................... 36
The closure following the prophetic opening............. 37

165

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

Muawiyah, a Religious Paradigm!....................................... 47


The effects of Muawiyahs policies on the Muslim
community.......................................................................................................... 51
One question remains:...................................................................... 57
Second Chapter: Those who failed to join the
conquest....................................................................................................................... 59
Those who failed to join the conquest......................................... 61
166

Signs of Danger ..................................................................................... 65


The news of the fall of Kufa ..................................................... 66
The real reasons behind those who failed to join the
conquest................................................................................................................ 79
At-Turmah and martyr Abdul Rasoul................................ 92
The fate of those who failed to join the conquest... 94
The divine reckoning according to the logic of the
script......................................................................................................................... 97
The divine reckoning in the words of the scholars.99
Guardianship (Al-Wilayah) and the divine
reckoning............................................................................................................101

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

The Prophetic Household (pbut) and the classification


culture...................................................................................................................103
The effects of the school of the prophetic household
(pbut)......................................................................................................................105
Preface:.........................................................................................................107
Third Chapter: Martyrdom................................................................ 109
Martyrdom............................................................................................................. 111
The shaheed (martyr/witness) and the martyrs in the
holy Quran........................................................................................................114
The shaheed according to the prophetic tradition
(Sunnah)..............................................................................................................119
The shaheed and the reason behind the naming.....121
The Stature of the Shaheed (Martyr)................................129
1- The Life of the Shaheed (martyr).................................130
The martyrs and the dead of the partition
(Barzakh)........................................................................................................131
Other Publications of the Author.................................................. 169

167

Other Publications of the Author

1- Haqiqat al-Jafr end Ash-Shia (The truth of al-Jafr


Book with respect to the Shias), Dar As-Safwah
(Publishing House)
2- Haqiqat Mushaf Fatima end Ash-Shia (The truth
of Fatimas Quran with respect to the Shias), Dar
As-Safwah (Publishing House). This book won the
Best Book Prize in 2003 A.D. at the International
Commandment Festival in Iran.
3- Wilayat al-Faqih, Bayn al Badaha wa al-Ekhtilaf
(Supreme Jurist Leadership, amid intuition and
differences), Dar As-Safwah (Publishing House).
This is a Masters thesis that was awarded excellence
coupled with commendation and recommendation
for publishing.

169

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

4- Dourous Fee elm Ad-Dirayah (Lessons in cognitive


science), Dar As-Safwah (Publishing House),
approved for use by the religious studies curriculum.
5- Mizan as-Siyar Wa As-Solouk (The Scale of
Biographies and Conduct), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).

170

6- Kayfa Tajal Waladaka Salihan (How to make


your child righteous?), Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah
Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture and
Publishing).
7- Kayfa Tarje Kama Waladatka Ummuk (How to
leap back to the day when your mother gave birth
to you?), Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr
(As-Siraj House for Culture and Publishing).
8- Limaza Noqallid? Kayfa Wa Man? (Why do we
imitate? How and Whom?), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).
Translations to English and French by:
(Noun Center for printing and translation)
8-Why do we imitate? How and whom? English issue.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

(Noun Center for printing and translation)


8-Pourquoi imiter? (suivre un concept) Comment? Et
qui? French issue. (Noun Center for printing and
translation)
9- Wa Layal (in) Ashr [And [by] ten nights (Inspirational
Ashura)], Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr
(As-Siraj House for Culture and Publishing).
10- Nidaa Ar-Rahil (Departure invitation (Death and
the Partition [amid both words]), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).
11- Dalil al-Arousayn (The bride and bridegroom
manual, from Engagement to Marriage), Dar AsSiraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House
for Culture and Publishing).
11-The bride and bridegroom manual, from Engagement
to Marriage, English issue.
12-Barqiyyat al-Hussein peace be upon him (Al
Husseins telegram), Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah
Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture and
Publishing)
13- Thalath Houqouq Lihayat Zawjiyyah Najiha (Three

171

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

rights made for a successful marital life), Dar AsSiraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House
for Culture and Publishing).
14- Saadat Az-Zawjayn Fee Thalath Kalimat (The
spouses happiness in three words), Dar As-Siraj
Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for
Culture and Publishing).

172

15- Hakaza Takoun Saeedan (Finding Happiness),


Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj
House for Culture and Publishing).
16- Wa Atmamnaha Biashr (And we completed it with
ten others (Inspirational Ashura)), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).
17- Al-Masael al-Musaffat Fee Ahkam At-Tahara Wa
As-Salat (Chosen matters regarding the rules of
purification and prayer).
18- Ahkam An-Nisaa (Women Matters).
19- At-Tableegh Min Wahei At-Tajribah (Information
inspired by experience).
20- Paulo em busca da verdade (Paulo, in search of
the truth), Portuguese issue.

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

21- ISLAM NO ORACAO A <<Assalat>> (Prayer in


Islam), Portuguese issue.
22- Khoyout Al Qubbaah (Hat linings), Dar As-Safwa
(Publishing House).
23- Hayek Al Qubbaah (Hat weaver), by Imam Sayyid
Abdul Hussein Sharaf Ed-Dean, Dar As-Safwa
(Publishing House).
24- Shahrullah (The month of Allah Decorum
Occasions Commanders), Bayt As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (Lantern House for Culture
and Publishing).
25- Yasalounaka An Allah (They ask you about Allah),
Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (Lantern
House for Culture and Publishing).
25-1- They ask you about Allah, English issue.
26- Yasalounaka An al-Anbiyaa (They ask you about
the prophets), Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa AnNashr (Lantern House for Culture and Publishing).
27- Yasalounaka An al-A`emmah (They ask you about
the Imams peace be upon them), Bayt As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (Lantern House for Culture
and Publishing).

173

The Telegram of Hussein (pbuh)

28- Yasalounaka An al-Waley (They ask you about


the guardian), Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa AnNashr (Lantern House for Culture and Publishing).
29- Kayfa Nabni Mujtamaan Arqa (How do we build
an advanced society).
30- Kayfa Natawasal Ma An-Nas (How do we
communicate with the people).

174

31- Qafilat al-Bashariyah, Min Safinat Nuh Ela Dawlat


al-Mahdi (The caravan of mankind, from the time of
Noahs ark until the time of the state of al-Mahdi
the guided one; may Allah hasten his advent).
You can review all these books and more
at siraj-alqaem website.
www.sirajalqaem.com
[email protected]

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