Zuhayr b. al-Qayn: Difference between revisions

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  | Full name = Zuhayr b. Qayn al-Bajali

'''Zuhayr b. Qayn al-Bajalī''' ({{iarabic|Arabic: زهير بن قين البجلي}}) was a senior member of the [[al-Bajila tribe]] based in [[Kufa]]. He was known in Kufa and his tribe as a noble and brave man. He was highly respected in virtue of his attendance in many battles and conquests. In some sources, Qayn—Zuhayr's father—is mentioned as one of the [[companions]] of [[the Prophet (s)]]. Zuhayr was a [[:Category:Companions of Imam al-Husayn (a)|companion]] of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] and a high-ranking member of his army who was [[Martyrdom|martyred]] in the [[Event of Ashura]] in [[Karbala]].

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.  

They said: "we are ordered to fight you if you do not abide with Ibn Ziyad's orders". 'Abbas (a) told them to wait until he gives the message to Imam al-Husayn (a). They agreed and waited for the reply. In the meanwhile, Habib b. Mazahir and Zuhayr b. Qayn seized the opportunity to preach 'Umar b. Sa'd's army.

[[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:  

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.

Zuhayr was known by people of [[Kufa]] as a brave, distinguished and famous figure. Thus he was challenged to individual battles by Salim and Yasar—servants of [[Ziyad b. Abih]] and [['Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]]—who were chanting paeans. When [['Abd Allah b. 'Umayr al-Kalbi]] went to fight with them, they told him: "we do not know you. Let Zuhayr b. Qayn or Habib b. Mazahir come and fight with us". Zuhayr raised to smash them, but Imam al-Husayn (a) did not let him go, and sent [['Abd Allah b. 'Umayr]] to fight them.

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

:"Peace be upon Zuhayr the son of Qayn al-Bajali; when the son of the Prophet (s) gave him the permission to leave, he replied: 'I swear to God that I will never abandon the son of the Prophet (s)—may peace be upon him and his progeny. Do I leave the son of the Prophet (s) while he is surrounded by the enemies and save my life? May such a day never come!'"