Ali al-Akbar ibn Husayn

Ali al-Akbar ibn Husayn ( _ar. علي الاكبر بن حسين) (Fifth of Sha'aban, 44 AH - Tenth of Muharram, 61 AH) was the son of the third Shi'ah Imam, Husayn ibn Ali, and Umm Layla.

Life

Zaynab bint Ali, Husayn ibn Ali's younger sister, raised Ali Akbar. His other two brothers were also named Ali: Ali Asghar ibn Husayn and Ali Zayn al-Abidin (the fourth Shi'ah Imam). Abbas ibn Ali, Ali Akbar's uncle, taught him fencing and archery. He so much resembled Muhammad that Husayn ibn Ali often said 'whenever I remember my maternal grandfather I look at Akbar'. Ali Akbar was killed by Murrah ibn Munqad in the battle of Karbala. Cite book|author=Aghaie, Kamran Scot|title=The Martyrs Of Karbala|publisher=University of Washington Press|id=ISBN 0295984481|date=November 30, 2004|pages=p. 200]

Martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala

He had a loud and beautiful voice, on the morning of the day of Ashura, Husayn ibn Ali asked Ali Akbar to recite the adhaan. Husayn ibn Ali, and many women in their tents, began to weep when Ali Akbar began reciting the Adhaan, knowing that it maybe the last time they are hearing Ali Akbar’s adhaan. Cite book|author= Jalali, Ali Husayn|title= Karbala and Ashura|publisher= Ansariyan Publications|id= ASIN B000EEP2NM|year=2000]

Ali Akbar stood in front of Husayn ibn Ali after Zuhr prayers and said, "Father I request for permission to go and fight the enemies of Islam." His father gave him permission and said, "May Allah be with you! But Akbar, you know how much your mother, sisters, and aunts love you. Go and say farewell to them." Ali Akbar went into the tent of his mother. Every time he wanted to come out of the tent his mother, aunts, and sisters would pull his cloak and say, "O Akbar, How will we live without you?" Husayn ibn Ali had to plead with all to let Ali Akbar go. Cite book|author=Haeri, Shaykh Fadhlalla|title=Son of Karbala: The Spiritual Journey of an Iraqi Muslim|publisher=O Books|id=ISBN 1905047517|date= April 25, 2006|pages=p. 240]

Husayn ibn Ali helped his son mount his horse. As Akbar began to ride towards the battlefield he heard footsteps behind him. He looked back and saw his father. He said, "Father, we have said good-bye. Why are you walking behind me?" Husayn ibn Ali replied, "My son, if you had a son like yourself then you would have surely understood!" Cite book|author=Mathews, David|title=The Battle of Karbala|publisher=Rupa & Co|id=ISBN 8171672132|date=July 18, 1994|pages=96]

He killed many well-known warriors. No one dared to come close to him in a single combat. Umar Sa'ad ordered his soldiers to kill him, saying, "When he dies, Husayn will not want to live! Ali Akbar is the life of Husayn." While a few soldiers attacked Ali Akbar, Murrah ibn Munqad threw a spear through Ali Akbar’s chest. Murrah ibn Munqad then broke the wooden part of the spear and left the blade inside Ali Akbar's chest, to cause him more pain. As Ali Akbar fell from his horse, he said, "O Father, my last salaams to you! Here is my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, giving me my water. He says yours is here waiting for you". Cite book|author=Aghaie, Kamran Scot|title=The Martyrs Of Karbala|publisher=University of Washington Press|id=ISBN 0295984481|date=November 30, 2004|pages=p. 200] The reason he said this was because after Ali Akbar killed significant members of the enemy forces, he went to Husayn and said he is too thirsty to fight. According to well known Shia traditions Ali Akbar put his tongue on the tongue of the Imam and realised that Husayn was even more thirsty than he was. Husayn was very sad and told his son: 'Do not worry, Akbar. After you are martyred your grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, will give you water that is so sweet, that you will never forget the taste'. According to the book entitled 'Karbala and Ashura', by Ali Hussain Jalali, during Ali Akbar's death his grandfather gave water to him.

When Husayn ibn Ali heard Akbar's salaam he looked at Furaat where Abbas ibn Ali's body was laying and asked, "Abbas, now that this brother of your needs you the most, where have you gone?" Husayn ibn Ali walked towards the battlefield. Cite book|author=Darbandi, Aqay-e|title=Israr-e-Shahadat Lang. Persian|pages=p.337]

When Husayn ibn Ali went to Akbar, Akbar placed his right hand on his wounded chest and his left arm over the shoulder of his father. Husayn ibn Ali asked, "Akbar, why do you embrace me with only one arm?" Akbar did not reply. Husayn ibn Ali tried to move Akbar's right hand, but Akbar resisted. Husayn ibn Ali forcefully moved the hand. Then he saw the blade of the spear. Husayn ibn Ali laid Ali Akbar on the ground and sat on his knees, he placed both of his hands on the blade of the spear. He looked at Najaf, and said, "Father, I too have come to my Khaybar!" He pulled out the blade. Ali Akbar sighed and died. Cite book|author=Jalali, Ali Husayn|title=Karbala and Ashura|publisher=Ansariyan Publications|id=ASIN B000EEP2NM|year=2000]

While lifting the spear from the chest of Ali Akbar, Husayn faced towards the direction of Najaf, where his father Ali ibn Abi Talib's grave was, and shouted out: "O father, you lifted the gates of Khaybar, yet you never had to lift a spear from the chest of your own son. Come to Karbala and see me lifting the spear from the chest of my son, Ali Akbar."

This is considered by Shias, mainly Twelver Shias, as the most saddest day in all of existence, because Husayn gave up him and his family's life for the sake of God's religion to continue existing in this world.

ee also

* Islamic Prophet Muhammad
* Ali ibn Abu Talib
* Hasan ibn Ali
* Husayn ibn Ali
* Ali ibn Husayn
* Muhammad al-Baqir
* Ja'far al-Sadiq
* Musa al-Kazim
* Ali al-Rida
* Muhammad al-Taqi
* Ali al-Hadi
* Hasan al-Askari
* Muhammad al-Mahdi
* Abbas ibn Ali
* Qasim ibn Hasan
* Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah
* Shi'a Islam
* Battle of Karbala

References