In spite of the fact that many companions were martyred , none of the martyrdoms attained the popularity of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu). The reason is that other martyrdoms were related after the occurrence of actual incident of martyrdom whilst Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu)’s martyrdom was foretold by Holy Prophet Muhammadﷺ himself during Imam Husayn (Radiyalahu Anhu)’s childhood.
Ibn Kathir (701AH/774AH) records a hadith in his book al-Bidayah wa’an-Nihayah (The Beginning and the End) or Tarikh ibn Kathir (The history book of Ibn Kathir) that Abu Hurayra (Radiyallahu Anhu) reported that he heard the Holy Prophetﷺ warn: “O People! Supplicate to Allah to save you from the time of the end of 60 A.H. when young fools will sit on the throne of leadership.”(Similar hadith is reported in Musnad Imam Ahmed, Hadith No: 3800)
Hadrat Abu Hurayra (Radiyallahu Anhu) used to supplicate thereafter:
اللهم انی اعوذبک من رائس الستين وامارة الصبيان
O Allah ! I seek your refuge from the beginning of the 60th year of the Hijrah and the rule of foolish youngsters.
When Hadrat Abu Hurayra (Radiyallahu Anhu) saw that Yazid was pressurizing Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu) he realized this was the period prophesied by the Holy Prophet Muhammadﷺ so he prayed to Allah to take his life before he witnesses the full scale oppression. Thus he passed away before witnessing Karbala, in the 59th year of the Hijrah at the age of 78.
Hafidh Ibn Hajar Asqalani (Radiyallahu Anhu) writes after mentioning this Hadith: In this Hadith, it is indicated that the first youngster would become a ruler in 60 Hijri. Accordingly this is what happened. Yazid occupied the seat of power in this year, stayed on it till 64 Hijri and died. The paternal aunt of the Holy Prophetﷺ- Hadrat Umm Fadl (Radiyallahu Anha) saw a dream and reported it to the Holy Prophetﷺ. The Holy Prophetﷺ gave an interpretation of the dream and gave glad tidings of the birth of Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu), as given in Imam Baihaqi’s Dalail Un Nabuwwa.
In this hadith of Ummul Fadl (Radiyallahu Anha), the knowledge of unseen bestowed upon Holy Prophetﷺ is revealed.
Hadith #1 Hadrat Umme Fadl bint Haris (Radiyallahu Anha) narrates that she went to the Holy Prophetﷺ and said:
“O Prophet of Allah ﷺ! This night I saw a horrifying dream.”
The Holy Prophetﷺ asked her: “What dream did you see?”
She said: “I saw as if a part of your body has been cut and placed in my lap.”
The Holy Prophetﷺ said: “You saw a good dream. If Allah wills, Fatima (Radiyallahu Anha) will have a son and he will be placed in your lap.”
It happened as the Prophetﷺ had said. Hadrat Fatima (Radiyallahu Anha) was blessed with Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu) and he was placed in my lap, as the Holy Prophetﷺ had said. Then one day, I went to the Holy Prophetﷺ and placed Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu) before him.What I saw! That the Holy Prophet’sﷺ eyes were full of tears.
Upon seeing this, I asked: “O Prophet of Allah ﷺ, May my mother and father be sacrificed for your sake, what is the reason of your crying?”
The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: “Jibril came to me and said that very soon, some people from my Ummah will martyr this son of mine.”
I asked: “O Prophet, will they martyr this prince? “The Holy Prophetﷺ said: “Yes and Jibril gave me the red sand of that place.”
(Dalaail Un Nubuwwa, Hadith No: 2805; Mishkaat Ul Masabeeh, Vol. 2, Pg No. 572; Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 5, Pg No. 327/328)
Whilst watching Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu) playing the Holy Prophetﷺ was seen to have tears in his blessed eyes. On enquiry as to why he was crying he said that Hadrat Jibril (AS) had informed him that people from his Ummah will martyr Imam Husayn (Radiyallahu Anhu) at a place called Karbala and thereafter Jibril (AS) gave him some sand of Karbala.
Hadith #2
عن ام سلمه قالت قال رسول االله صلی االله عليه وآله وسلم
أخبرني جبرئيل ان ابني الحسين يقتل بأرض العراق فقلت
لجبرئيل ارني تربة الارض التي يقتل فيها، فجاء فهذه تربتها
The mother of the believers, Umm Salama (Radiyallahu Anha) narrates that The Holy Prophetﷺ (who was asleep at her house), woke up during the night being visibly disturbed and informed her:“Jibril (AS) had visited me and informed me that my beloved son Husayn would be martyred in Iraq. I asked him to bring me some sand of the place where he was martyred and he brought it to me.”[Ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah wa-Nihaya 8:196;Kanzul Ummal 12:34313]
Hadith #3
In another similar hadith heﷺ asked Ummi Salama (Radiyallahu Anha) to keep the sand with her and when she notices it has turned to blood she should known that Husayn (RA) has been martyred.
يا ام سلمه اذا تحولت هذه الترته دما فاعلمي ان ابني قد قتل
فجعلتها ام سلمة في قارورة ثم جعلت تنظر اليها کل يوم و
تقول ان يوما تحولين دما ليوم عظيم
‘O Ummi Salama, when this sand turns into blood then you must know this son of mine has been martyred; ‘Ummi Salama (Radiyallahu Anha) had kept that sand in a bottle and everyday when she looked at it she exclaimed: ‘O sand! The day you become blood will be an earth-shattering occasion’.[Khasais ul-Kubra 2:125;Al-Mujam Al-Kabir by Tabarani 3:108]
Hadith #4
Also, Hazrath Ummi Salama (RA) narrates that: Tears were flowing from the blessed eyes of the Holy Prophet Muhammadﷺ and when I asked him as to why he was crying he told me:
“Jibril (AS) has just informed me:
ان امتک ستقتل هذا بأرض يقال لها کربلاء
“Your Ummah will martyr your son Husayn (AS) at a place called Karbala.” [Al Mu’jam al-Kabir,3:109 #2819]
This reflects the knowledge of the Holy Prophet Muhammadﷺ for he knew Hadrat Umm Salama (RA) will be the only surviving wife during the event of Karbala.
The following hadith is reported in Jame’ Tirmidhi about the incident of Karbala.
Hadith #5
Hadrat Salma narrated , When I went to meet Hadrat Umme Salama (Radiyallahu Anha), she was crying. I asked her: “What is the reason for your crying?” Hadrat Umm-e-Salama (Radiyallahu Anha) said: “I saw a dream in which the Holy Prophet’sﷺ blessed face and hair were covered with dust. Upon asking, heﷺ said: I was present at Husayn‘s martyrdom……..”(Jame’ Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, Pg No. 217, Hadith No: 3704)
The presence of the Holy Prophetﷺ in the Battle of Karbala is a striking proof of Imam Husayn’s truthfulness.
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