Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn

Abdullah (Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn) (Tenth of Rajab, 60 AH - Tenth of Muharram, 61 AH) was the youngest child of Husayn ibn Ali (the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Imam) and Rubab (the daughter of the chief of the Kinda Imra al-Qays tribe). He is honored by Muslims, particularly Shi'a Muslims, as the youngest person killed in the Battle of Karbala.

Life

Abdullah (Ali al-Asghar) ibn Husayn was born in Medina. He was one of the three sons of Imam Husayn. The other two were Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Shia Imam, and Ali Akbar ibn Husayn, who Yazid's forces also killed in the Battle of Karbala. Ali Asghar was also adored by his sister Sakinah bint Husayn.

On the day of October 10, 680,(Muharram 10 61AH) which is known as Ashura when all companions of Imam Husayn were killed at Karbala, Imam raised his voice and said, "“Hal min nasir yansuruna”" ("Is there anyone from among you who will help us?"). Responding to the voice, Ali Asghar made himself fall from his cradle. Rubab told Husayn what had happened, so the Imam lifted his infant son from the cradle and decided to try and appeal to their humanity. He took him in his hands under covers towards the army of Yazid. As Imam Husayn reached the battlefield, the army murmured with the assumption that he was carrying the Quran.

Walking up to Yazid's army, while uncovering the infant, Husayn said, "This child has done you no harm. He is dying of thirst and I am asking only for a few drops of water for him." There was stillness in Yazid's army. Then the Imam said to his son, "Asghar! My son, show them how thirsty you are." Asghar turned his head towards the soldiers, smiled and opened his mouth. He brought out his dry tongue and moved it over his dry lips. The soldiers, many who had left their own families behind, were affected so much by this that they could be heard sobbing.

"Yeh Jihad-e-Ali Asghar mein Nudrat Dekhi"" Ladnen aiye Hain magar Haath mein Talwar nahi"This lovely Urdu couplet by Kamaal Lahnavi epitomises the unique martyrdom of Ali Asghar in the battlefield of Karbala.

Umar ibn Sa'ad began to worry with this softened mood in his ranks. It seemed that Imam Husayn’s 6-month old son was emerging victorious against the might of Yazid. Umar Sa'ad looked at Hurmala ibn Kahel Azdi (a famous archer) and ordered him, "Silence Husayn!"

Hurmala, said to have quivering arms, lifted his bow and made Ali Asghar the target of his arrow which was used to kill horses. He took aim and immediately shot Ali Asghar with an arrow that pierced the infant's neck. [Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, "Ta'rikh ar-Rasul wa'l-Muluk", Ed. M.J. de Goeje, EJ Brill. Leiden, 1901] Ali Asghar is said to have smiled and kissed martyrdom while still in the hands of his father. Imam Husayn caught the blood of his son in the palm of his hands and wanted to throw it into the sky. At once, a heavenly voice said, "Husayn, don’t throw it towards the sky, otherwise it will not rain for ever till the Day of Judgment." Then Imam Husayn wanted to pour it on the earth but a heavenly voice said, "Husayn don’t pour it on the earth otherwise nothing will grow on the earth till the day of resurrection." So Imam Husayn rubbed the blood on his face and beard and exclaimed, "Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raje'oon" "("From God We Come and To Him We Return")".

The Imam looking at the sky and prayed “O Allah, give me courage in this most difficult moment of my life." Then the Imam walked towards the tent of his wife Rubab. As he approached near he saw her standing at the entrance to her tent with anxiety, the hope, the fear and the restlessness in her eyes. Imam took seven steps back the tent saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajeoon" (To Allah we belong and to Him we return). He again took seven steps forwards saying "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajeoon". Once again he walked backwards repeating the same ayat. Imam Husayn did this seven times. At last, Imam Husayn went to Rubab with their dead infant and said: “Rubab! This is a test from Allah, which no mother has ever been asked to go through.” [Husayn Wa'is al Kashifi, "Rawdat ash-Shuhada" p.343, ed. M. Ramazani, Tehran 1962]

Reverence after his death

Ali Asghar’s along with his older brother Ali Akbar is buried with Imam Hussain the city of Karbala in Iraq, which is now the most visited shrine in the world. ["Journeys of Tears", published by the Wessex Jamaat] In Muharram (first month of the Islamic lunar calendar) ceremonies and commemorations, Ali Asghar is represented as an innocent child suffering unbearable thirst. His death is celebrated at length in "rawza-khani" (recital of the "Rawdat ash-Shuhada", or "The Paradise of the Martyrs") literature and in early "ta'ziya" (a passion play of the Karbala tragedy) traditions a complete majles was dedicated to the Ali Asghar, with the infant's cradle is a conspicuous element on the stage. Ali asghar is also represented in Muharram processions and celebrated in folklore.

The tragic story of Ali al-Asghar's martyrdom has even influenced modern politics. In a June 3, 1963 speech delivered by the leader of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, at the Fayziya Madrasa in Qum, Iran, specific mention was made to Ali Asghar as part of a comparison between the Umayyads actions at Karbala and the policies implemented by the Shah against the "maraji". His argument was, just as Ali Asghar had done nothing to incur the wrath of Yazid ibn Mu'awiya, similarly an eighteen year old "madrassa" student who had been recently killed by the regime had done nothing against the Shah or his government to warrant being murdered. [Islam and Revolution I, Writings and Declarations of Imam Khomeini (1941 - 1980), Translated by Hamid Algar 1981; ISBN 0-933782-04-7]

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