Al-'Abbas (a): Difference between revisions

  | Father = [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]

Abbas is considered by Shi'a among the children of Imams (a) holding the highest positions. Shi'a speak of his merits and mourn for him especially on the Day of [[Tasu'a]] (9th of [[Muharram]]).

He is considered the exemplar of dignity, bravery, generosity, and obedience of the infallible Imam (a). In [[Karbala]], he was the standard-bearer and water-supplier of the army of his brother, al-Husayn b. 'Ali (a) and thus he is also known among Shi'a as Saqqa [the water-supplier] of the plain of Karbala.

According to reports, after the caravan of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] faced with the problem of the shortage of water, al-'Abbas succeeded to bring water for the family and companions of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the 7th of Muharram . On the day of 'Ashura', once again he (a) attempted to bring water from the [[Euphrates]]; but on his return, they shot his leather water pouch, cut his hands and martyred him.

The father of al-'Abbas was the first Imam of Shi'a, [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] and his mother was [[Fatima bt. Hizam]] whom Imam 'Ali (a) married years after the martyrdom of [[Lady Fatima al-Zahra (a)]] and she was then known as Umm al-Banin.<ref>Amīn, ''Aʿyān al-Shīʿa'', vol. 7, p. 429; Qummī, ''Nafas al-mahmūm'', p. 285</ref>

On the 7th of Muharram, when [[Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]] ordered [['Umar b. Sa'd]] to subdue Husayn (a) and his companions and prevent their access to the water of the [[Euphrates]], Imam (a) called al-'Abbas and sent 30 horsemen with 20 foot soldiers with him to fill leather water pouches with water and return to the camp. In this attack, no one got hurt from the companions of Imam al-Husayn (a) but some of the troops of Umar b. Sa'd got killed.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 412; Amīn, ''Aʿyān al-Shīʿa'', vol. 7, p. 430; Abū l-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī, ''Maqātil al-ṭālibīyyīn'', p. 78</ref>

On the day of Ashura', he (a) went again to the Euphrates to bring water by the order of Imam (a), but when he filled a leather water pouch, on the way back to the tents, they shot his leather water pouch and martyred him.<ref>Pīshwāyī, ''Maqtal-i jāmiʿ-i Sayyid al-shuhadāʾ'', vol. 1, p. 838</ref>

On the evening of [[Tasu'a]], [[Shimr]] went near the tents of the caravan of Imam al-Husayn (a), and offered a safe conduct for sons of [[Umm al-Banin]], including al-'Abbas,<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 183</ref> but al-'Abbas ignored him, until [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] asked him to reply to Shimr. Al-'Abbas told Shimr, "May your hands be cut and curse [of God] be upon your safe conduct. O the enemy of God! Do you suggest us leave our brother and master al-Husayn (a), son of [[Fatima (a)]] and join the cursed, sons of the cursed?! You give us safe conduct while the son of [[the Prophet (s)]] [Husayn b. Ali (a)] is not safe?!"<ref>Ibn Aʿtham, ''al-Futūḥ'', vol. 5, p. 94; Māzandarānī, ''Maʿālī l-sibtayn'', vol. 1, p. 433; Abū Mikhnaf, ''Waqʿat al-ṭaff'', p. 219-220 </ref>

Shimr called al-Abbas as his nephew because Shimr and al-'Abbas' mother, Umm al-Banin, were from the same tribe i.e. Banu Kilab.

Zuhayr told al-Abbas about how Imam 'Ali (a) proposed to [[Umm al-Banin]] and mentioned that the intention of Imam 'Ali (a) from marriage was having brave sons, and said, "O al-'Abbas! Your father wanted you for a day like today; behold not to fail to fulfill your duty!" Al-'Abbas became angry about such words and told him, "Zuhayr! Do you want to lionize me with such words?! By God I swear, I would not fail to assist and support my brother until death. I will show you that tomorrow in a way that you would have never seen in your life!"<ref>Bīrjandī, ''Kibrīt al-aḥmar'', p. 386; Muẓaffar, ''Baṭl al-ʿalqamī'', vol. 1, p. 97</ref>

In the morning of Ashura', when Imam al-Husayn (a) finished his prayer and worships, the enemy's army held a military position and announced war. Imam (a) prepared his troops for defense. They consisted of 32 horsemen and 40 foot soldiers.

: "When al-'Abbas b. 'Ali (a), may God's blessings be upon him, saw that many of his relatives were martyred, told his brothers [['Abd Allah b. 'Ali|'Abd Allah]], [[Ja'far b. 'Ali|Ja'far]], and [['Uthman b. 'Ali|'Uthman]], 'O sons of my mother! You go ahead so that I see you have purified your goal for God and the Prophet (s) since you do not have any children.' Then 'Abd Allah went to battle and fought severely. Then he and [[Hani b. Thubayt al-Hadrami]] exchanged two hits of sword and Hani killed him. Then Ja'far b. 'Ali (a), may God's blessings be upon him, went ahead and Hani killed him too. When 'Uthman b. 'Ali filled the empty place of his brothers, [[Khawli b. Yazid]] shot an arrow toward him and dropped him down. Then, a man from Banu Darim attacked him and beheaded him.

:: [[File:The ceremony of Alambandan in Masuleh Iran.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|The traditional mourning ceremony of [['Alambandan]] in [[Masuleh]], a city in northern [[Iran]]. In this ceremony which is done every year in [[mourning]] days of [[Muharram]], people of the city do Sinizani, while they're singing a special song about [['Abbas b. 'Ali (a)]].]]

:: The army of 'Umar b. Sa'd stopped them. Among them, there was a man from Banu Darim tribe who told the army, "Woe be to you! Stop him from reaching the Euphrates and do not let him reach the water. Imam al-Husayn (a) said, "O God! Let him die thirsty!" That man became angry and shot an arrow towards Imam (a) which hit Imam (a) under his chin. Imam (a) took the arrow out and put his hand on the wound. When his hand became full of blood, let it spill and said, "O God! I complain to you about what they do about the son of the Prophet's (s) daughter." He (a) then came back while he (a) was very thirsty. The army besieged al-'Abbas and separated him from Imam al-Husayn (a). He (a) fought them until he was martyred. [[Zayd b. Warqa' al-Hanafi]] and [[Hakim b. Tufayl al-Sunbusi]] killed al-'Abbas after he (a) could not move due to the severity of his wounds.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'',  p. 411-412</ref>

About his martyrdom, [[Ibn Shahrashub]] wrote, "al-'Abbas was the water-bearer, Qamar Bani Hashim and the standard-bearer of Imam al-Husayn (a) who was elder than his brothers. He (a) went out of the camp to bring water. The enemy attacked him and he (a) fought them and dispersed them. Then Zayd b. Warqa' al-Juhani who had ambushed behind a palm tree was helped by Hakim b. Tufayl al-Sunbusi to hit the right hand of al-'Abbas and cut it. Al-'Abbas took the sword with his left hand and attacked them, but he (a) was weakened. Then Hakam b. Tufayl al-Ta'i who had ambushed behind a palm tree, hit him on his left hand. Then al-'Abbas shouted,

:O my soul! Do not fear the unbelievers and be blessed by the mercy of great God and being with the noble Prophet (s); these people cut my left hand unjustly. My Lord will drop them in the flames of the hell.

[[File:ضریح حضرت عباس.jpg|thumbnail|The shrine of al-'Abbas b. 'Ali (a) in [[Arba'in]] 2014]]

Due to the eminence of 'Abbas (a), [[Ta'ziya]]s and Shabih-khani plays especial to 'Abbas (a) are held in different places. In these certain forms of Ta'ziya, special parts are played such as the separation of 'Abbas (a) from the children of [[Bani Hashim]], farewell to [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]], farewell to [[Lady Zaynab (a)]], war cries to the enemies, cutting of his arms, how he (a) was martyred and going of Imam al-Husayn (a) to him.

Maqam Kaff al-'Abbas (a) refers to two places where it is said that the hands of 'Abbas (a) were cut off and dropped to the ground. These two places are in north-east and south-east of the shrine at the entrances of two alleys leading to the bazaar. In these two places, some symbols are made which pilgrims visit.<ref>ʿAlawī, ''Rāhnamāy-i muṣawwar-i safar-i zīyāratī-yi Iraq'', p.300</ref>

It is narrated from [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]] that, "May God have mercy upon my uncle al-'Abbas. He surely made sacrifice and did a great fight until his hands were cut and he sacrificed himself for his brother. God gave him two wings like his uncle [[Ja'far al-Tayyar]] to fly in the paradise together with angels. Indeed, al-'Abbas has a position before the Almighty God that all the martyrs would wish to reach on the Day of Judgment."<ref>Ṣadūq, ''al-Khiṣāl'', vol. 1, p. 68</ref>

==Further Reading==

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