Zuhayr b. al-Qayn: Difference between revisions

  | Activities = The commander of right wing of Imam al-Husayn's (a) army in the [[Event of Ashura]]

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Imam al-Husayn (a) sent someone to Zuhayr and asked him to set up a meeting. Zuhayr was first reluctant to meet the Imam (a), but when his wife, Daylam or Dalham, the daughter of 'Amr, encouraged him to do so, he went to Imam al-Husayn (a). The meeting changed the course of his life. After the meeting, he happily went back to his family and friends, and had his camp and stuff moved near Imam al-Husayn's (a) camp.

After saying goodbye to his wife, Zuhayr asked his companions to accompany him if they love to be martyred; otherwise this would be their last visit. According to some sources, [[Salman b. Mudarib]]—Zuhayr's cousin—accompanied him and joined Imam al-Husayn's (a) army.

When [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] encountered [[Hurr b. Yazid]]'s army, he delivered a speech in the [[Dhu Husam]] area, talking about changes happened to the world, corruptions dominant in the society, and the insignificance of this-worldly life. When the Imam's (a) speech was over, Zuhayr was the first one who declared his obedience of Imam al-Husayn (a). The Imam (a) prayed for him and appreciated him.

Zuhayr suggested to Imam al-Husayn (a) that they fight with this group, since it is easier to fight with them than with the group that was about to arrive. But Imam al-Husayn (a) replied that "I will not start the war".

Zuhayr suggested that they dwell in a land near [[Euphrates]] called [['Aqar]], since it had natural ramparts. Imam al-Husayn (a) said: "I refuge to God from 'Aqar!"

On the day of [[Tasu'a]] afternoon, when [['Umar b. Sa'd]]'s army attacked Imam al-Husayn's (a) camps in order to start the battle, the Imam (a) asked his brother, [['Abbas b. 'Ali (a)]] to go to them to see what they had in mind. 'Abbas and twenty of Imam al-Husayn's (a) companions, including Zuhayr b. Qayn and [[Habib b. Mazahir]], went to the enemy's army and asked them what they wanted and what they had in mind.  

[['Uzra b. Qays]] (from [['Umar b. Sa'd]]'s army) said: "O' Zuhayr! You were not a [[Shiite]] (follower) of this household and were an advocate of 'Uthman!" Zuhayr replied:

[[The night before Ashura]], when Imam al-Husayn (a) withdrew the allegiance of his companions and household and gave them the permission to run away and save their lives, every one of his companions declared their allegiance and faithfulness to him. After members of Imam al-Husayn's (a) household expressed their allegiances, [[Muslim b. 'Awsaja al-Asadi]] declared his faithfulness. Then Zuhayr b. Qayn stood up and said:  

:"I swear to God that I want to be killed, then be alive again, and then be killed again for a thousand times so that God protects you and your household from being killed".

In the morning of [[Ashura]] after the [[Fajr prayer|morning prayer]], Imam al-Husayn (a) organized his companions and the army. He appointed Zuhayr b. Qayn as the commander of the right front of his army, and [[Habib b. Mazahir]] as the commander of its left front. He gave the flag to his brother, [['Abbas (a)]].

On the day of [[Ashura]] when the two armies met, before the war began, Imam al-Husayn (a) preached the enemy's army. After the Imam's speech, Zuhayr b. Qayn asked the Imam to let him give a speech. He addressed the people of [[Kufa]] and warned them about fighting with Imam al-Husayn (a). But the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd responded by cursing Zuhayr and praising 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, and insisted on the war. Finally, [[Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan]] threw an arrow to him.

: Imam al-Husayn (a) told you to come back. As the believer from the Pharaoh's household preached his tribe but to no avail, you too have preached them enough.

When the war began, [[Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan]] and a number of his soldiers approached Imam al-Husayn's (a) camps from the back. Shimr hit the Imam's camp with a spear and cried: "bring a fire so that I burn the place with its residents". Imam al-Husayn (a) replied: "O' the son of Dhi l-Jawshan! You need fire to burn the camp and my household? May God burn you with fire!" At this time, Zuhayr and ten people from his companions attacked Shimr and his soldiers and forced them out of the location. Zuhayr killed Abu 'Izza al-Dababi—a friend and a relative of Shimr.

When [[Habib b. Mazahir]] was martyred before the noon on [[Ashura]], Zuhayr and [[Hurr b. Yazid al-Riyahi]] went to the battlefield. They supported one another; whenever one was surrounded by the enemies, the other helped him out. They fought until Hurr was martyred and Zuhayr went back to the camp.

When Imam al-Husayn (a) and some of his companions were saying [[Zuhr prayer|noon prayers]] on the day of Ashura, Zuhayr b. Qayn and [[Sa'id b. 'Abd Allah al-Hanafi]] stood in front of the Imam and the rest of his companions to protect them against the attacks of the enemy. They shielded themselves against the arrows until the prayer was finished.

Zuhayr asked for Imam's permission to go to the battlefield. It is said that he killed about 120 people from the enemy's army, and was eventually [[martyrdom|martyred]] by [[Kathir b. 'Abd Allah al-Sha'bi]] and [[Muhajir b. Aws al-Tamimi]].

When Zuhayr was martyred, Imam al-Husayn (a) prayed for him thus:  

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Zuhayr b. Qayn is mentioned in [[Ziyara al-Nahiya al-Muqaddasa]] as follows: