Ali Asghar ibn Hussain

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Ali Asghar ibn Hussain (Tenth of Rajab, 60 AH - Tenth of Muharram, 60 AH) was the youngest child of Hussain ibn Ali (the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Imam) and Rubab (the daughter of the chief of the Kinda Imraul Qays tribe). He was born in Medina and is honored by Muslims, particularly Shi'a Muslims, as the youngest martyr in the Battle of Karbala. Ali Asghar was one of the three sons of Imam Hussain. The other two were Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Shia Imam, and Ali Akbar ibn Husayn, who Yazid's forces also martyred in the Battle of Karbala. Ali Asghar was also adored by his sister Sakina binte Hussain.

1 Martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala
2 Reverence after his martyrdom
3 See also
4 Notes

[edit] Martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala

On the day of Muharram 10, 60 AH (October 10, 680), which is known as Ashura when all companions of Imam Hussain were martyred in Karbala, Imam raised his voice and said, “Hal min nasiro yansorona” ("Is there anyone from among you who will help us?"). Responding to the voice, Ali Asghar made himself fall from his cradle. Rubab told Hussain 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 Hussain 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, Hussain 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.

Umar Sa'ad began to worry with this softened mood in his ranks. It seemed that Imam Hussain’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 Hussain!"

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.^[1] Ali Asghar is said to have smiled and kissed martyrdom while still in the hands of his father. Imam Hussain 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, "Hussain, don’t throw it towards the sky, otherwise it will not rain for ever till the Day of Judgment." Then Imam Hussain wanted to pour it on the earth but a heavenly voice said, "Hussain don’t pour it on the earth otherwise nothing will grow on the earth till the day of resurrection." So Imam Hussain 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 Hussain did this seven times. At last, Imam Hussain went to Rubab with their martyred infant and said: “Rubab! This is a test from Allah, which no mother has ever been asked to go through.”^[2]

[edit] Reverence after his martyrdom

Imam Hussain's Shrine where Ali Asghar is buried with his father

Hazrat Ali Asghar’s grave is located in the city of Karbala in Iraq. His grave is in Imam Hussain's Shrine, which is a regular stop for pilgrims.^[3] In Muharram (first month of the Islamic lunar calendar) ceremonies and commemorations, Ali Asghar is represented as an innocent child suffering unbearable thirst. His martyrdom 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 Agshar'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.^[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

^ Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ta'rikh ar-Rasul wa'l-Muluk, Ed. M.J. de Goeje, EJ Brill. Leiden, 1901
^ Husayn Wa'is al Kashifi, Rawdat ash-Shuhada p.343, ed. M. Ramazani, Tehran 1962
^ Journeys of Tears, published by the Wessex Jamaat
^ Islam and Revolution I, Writings and Declarations of Imam Khomeini (1941 - 1980), Translated by Hamid Algar 1981; ISBN 0-933782-04-7