Dhu Husam
Dhū Ḥusam (Arabic: ذوحُسَم) is a waystation between Mecca and Medina. In the Battle of Karbala, Imam al-Husayn (a) met the army of 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad led by al-Hurr b. Yazid in this place. Imam (a) ordered his companions to give water to them and then they followed Imam (a) in Zuhr and 'Asr prayer. Some speeches have been narrated from Imam (a) addressing them in this place. In these speeches, Imam (a) has mentioned the invitation of the people of Kufa and their letters. Also, a conversation between Imam (a) and al-Hurr took place here.
Location
Dhu Husam is one of the stations between Mecca and Kufa. Imam al-Husayn (a) had been stationed in Sharaf before this station and after Dhu Husam he moved to Bayda.[1]
First Encounter with the Army of Kufa
Dhu Husam was the first place where Imam al-Husayn (a) met the army of 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad led by al-Hurr b. Yazid. Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions stayed in Sharaf for one night and then they continued their travel, at noon they noticed that the army of Ibn Ziyad are approaching them. Then Imam (a) asked his companions about a place to shelter so that the army of Ibn Ziyad could not surround them, and they told Imam (a) about Dhu Husam. When Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions settled in Dhu Husam, the army of Ibn Ziyad with one thousand soldiers, led by al-Hurr b. Yazid faced Imam (a).[2]
Giving Water to the Army of Kufa
Al-Hurr b. Ziyad and his men met Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions in Dhu Husam at noon. Imam (a) ordered his companions to give water to them and their horses. Then his companions brought water to the soldiers and then fetched water for their horses.[3]
A ritual called Tashtgudhari (Basin-placing) is held in Iran during Muharram in mourning ceremonies. Some believe this ritual is adopted from the behavior of Imam al-Husayn (a) who ordered his companions to give water to the army of al-Hurr b. Ziyad and their horses.[4]
Imam al-Husayn's (a) Speech
In the time of Zuhr prayer, Imam al-Husayn (a) told al-Hajjaj b. Masruq al-Ju'fi to recite adhan. Then Imam (a) gave a speech and told the army of al-Hurr b. Ziyad: "O people! I have excuse before God and you. I have not come here unless after receiving your letters and your representatives telling me, 'Come soon since we do not have imam and leader. May God guide us by you.' If you assure me to keep your promise, I will come to your city and if you do not like my coming, I will withdraw and return to where I have come from."[5]
After that, Imam al-Husayn (a) told al-Ju'fi to recite iqama and then he said to al-Hurr b. Ziyad: "Do you want to say prayer with your soldiers?" And he replied: "We will follow you in saying prayers." And they followed Imam (a) in prayers."[6]
Conversation with al-Hurr
After performing 'Asr prayer, Imam (a) gives a speech for the army of al-Hurr b. Yazid. In that speech, he (a) mentioned the invitation of the people of Kufa and their letters for which he (a) moved toward Kufa. But, al-Hurr b. Yazid expressed his ignorance about the invitation of the people of Kufa and their letters. By the order of Imam (a), 'Uqba b. Sam'an draw out the letters of the people of Kufa from a bag and showed them to al-Hurr. Al-Hurr said, "we are not from those who wrote letters." Then Imam (a) requested al-Hurr to let them return to Medina but al-Hurr didn't accept, Imam (a) told him, "May your mother mourn for your death! What do you want from us?".[7]
Notes
- ↑ Ṭabarī, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, vol. 5, p. 400-404.
- ↑ Ṭabarī, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, vol. 5, p. 400-401.
- ↑ Ṭabarī, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, vol. 5, p. 400-401.
- ↑ Maẓāhirī, Farhang-i sūg-i Shīʿī, p. 330.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil, vol. 4, p. 47; Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 79.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil, vol. 4, p. 46; Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 79.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil, vol. 4, p. 47; Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 79.
References
- Ibn al-Athīr al-Jazarī, ʿAlī b. Abī l-Karam. Al-Kāmil fī l-tārīkh. Beirut: Dār Ṣādir, 1385/1965.
- Maẓāhirī, Muḥsin Ḥisām. Farhang-i sūg-i Shīʿī. Tehran: Kheyma, 1395 Sh.
- Mufīd, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-. Al-Irshād fī maʿrifat ḥujaj Allāh ʿalā l-ʿibād. Qom: Kungira-yi Shaykh al-Mufīd, 1413 AH.
- Ṭabarī, Muḥammad b. Jarīr al-.Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk. Edited by Muḥammad Abu l-faḍl Ibrāhīm. Second edition. Beirut: Dar al-Turāth, 1387 AH.
- Yāqūt al-Ḥamawī. Muʿjam al-buldān. Second edition. Beirut: Dār Ṣādir, 1995.