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Majlis 8 HAZRAT ABBAS
Tonight is the night of 8th of Moharram.
Surely tonight, we will shed more tears. We will
do more matam.
Tonight is a very tragic night, it is the night
of Hazrat Abbas.
Abbas! Who was Abbas?
Abbas, the Captain; Abbas, the Commander; Abbas,
the brave and strong warrior; Abbas, the Alamder - flag bearer; Abbas, the
faithful brother; Abbas, the guardian of Umme Kulthoom and Bibi Zainab; Abbas,
Sakina's dearest uncle; Abbas, son of Ummul Baneen; Abbas, the lion son of
Ali.
Abbas was like his father, Ali. He had all the
qualities of his great father. Abbas was brave, strong, wise, loving, obedient
and faithful.
His father, Ali, on his dying bed, gave Abbas'
hand to Husayn said:
My son Abbas, Husayn is the son of Bibi Fatemah.
Abbas, you are my son. Abbas, Husayn is your master. You are Husayn’s
slave. Abbas, take care of Husayn."
Since that day, Abbas had fulfilled Husayn's
every wish like a faithful slave.
Abbas treated Husayn like his master.
He always treated Bibi Kulthoom and Bibi Zainab
with great respect.
He followed Husayn like a shadow.
Abbas was with Husayn in Kerbala.
Husayn knew Abbas was like their father, Ali,
a brave and strong warrior.
He would tell Abbas:
"My brother Abbas keep your sword in its place.
Don't take your sword out to fight. We have come to save Islam. Abbas, we
have come to teach true Islam. We will teach Islam - not with our swords
but with our character. Patience Abbas, patience"
When Yazid's men pulled out Husayn's tents from
the river bank, Abbas became very angry. He pulled out his sword and wanted
to fight there and then. Husayn said:
"No Abbas, no! Be patient. We have not come here
to fight, Abbas.
Imagine a warrior like Abbas, asked not to pull
his sword out, after being treated so badly. That needs great patience.
Ashura came. Ali Akber gave his last Adhan. Everyone
in Husayn's camp prayed Fajr Namaaz.
The battle of Kerbala began. One-by-one, Husayn's
companions went to the battlefield and were martyred.
Everytime a body was brought to the tent, Abbas
went to Husayn and said:
Master, now allow me to go to the battlefield.
Enough, Master, enough. Let me go and fight those beastly men, Master."
Every time, Husayn calmed Abbas down by
saying:
"No Abbas, no! How can I let you go? You are
the captain of my army. You are my right hand man, Abbas. You are mu support,
Abbas. Where would I be without you, Abbas? No Abbas, no."
Abbas' three brothers went to the battlefield
and were martyred.
Auno - Mohammed went to the battlefield and were
martyred.
Qasim went. His body was trampled and torn to
pieces,
Abbas became very restless and could not take
it anymore. Somehow, he must get permission.
Abbas walked to Umme Kulthoom and Zainab's tent
and then turned back.
He knew they won't let him go.
Abbas walked to Husayn's tent several times and
back again. How could he persuade Husayn to let him go?
Abbas is restless. Abbas wants permission to
fight.
Just then, little Sakina, with her mashk, came
to Abbas. "Uncle Abbas, look at my mashk. It is very dry. AL-ATASH, uncle.
Sakina is very thirsty, uncle Abbas."
Abbas thought of a way to get permission from
Husayn.
He picked up little Sakina and went to Husayn's
tent.
Abbas sat in front of Husayn, with Sakina on
his lap.
Abbas didn’t have to say anything.
Husayn looked at Abbas and then at Sakina and
her mashk.
Husayn understood Abbas' expression.
"Abbas, how can I say no, now? You have brought
Sakina with you. Go Abbas, go. Go and fill Sakina’s mashk with
water.
One request, Abbas, leave your sword with
me!
Remember, Abbas, you are not going to the fight.
You are just going to get water for Sakina."
Abbas gave his sword to Husayn. He kissed Sakina
and put her down. He said:
"Sakina, pray for me, pray that I get water for
you."
Abbas then went to Zainab.
"Sister Zainab, give me permission to go to the
battlefield."
"Brother Abbas, I used to hear that my hijab
would be looted. Abbas, I used to say, how dare could anyone snatch my hijab
when I have eighteen brothers. Now Abbas, that you are going, I believe that
my hijab will really be looted."
Abbas went to the battlefield.
In one hand Abbas carried the Alam of Husayn's
army and in the other he held a spear and Sakina's mashk. He had no sword
to fight but had a spear for protection. He headed for River Furaat.
Yazid's soldiers saw Abbas coming. They had seen
Abbas fight and knew he was like his father, Ali. They were scared,
The few who dared to attack Abbas were killed
by his spear.
Abbas reached the river and filled Sakina's
mashk.
He then asked his faithful horse to drink water.
The horse looked towards Husayn's camp and seemed to say:
"Master, are you sure that the water will reach
Sakina? Master, how can I drink when Sakina and Ali Asghar are thirsty? Let
us first give them water, and then I will drink some."
Abbas, with his Alam in one hand and his spear
and Sakina's water-filled mashk in the other, rode back.
Umar Saad, Yazid's commander, ordered his men
to stop Abbas taking water to Husayn's tents.
The enemies surrounded Abbas. They fired arrows
from all directions.
Abbas was hit with many arrows. He was
bleeding.
Just then, a soldier came from behind and struck
his sword on Abbas' shoulder. Abbas gripped the mashk with his teeth, as
his arm and spear fell to the ground.
Another soldier came and struck his sword into
Abbas' other shoulder. The Alam and the other arm fell to the ground.
Imagine, Abbas on his horse - No arms - holding
Sakina's mashk between his teeth.
Water must reach Sakina. Abbas, still had the
strength to go on.
Sakina’s mashk is still filled with
water.
An arrow was shot. It hit Sakina's mashk. The
water began to pour out.
Poor Abbas lost all his strength as the water
poured out from Sakina's mashk. He fell from his horse and cried out:
"Master, come to me. Master let me see you for
the last time."
Husayn heard Abbas. He was heartbroken. With
his hands on his back he cried out:
"Son, Ali Akber, my back is gone. My support
is gone. My Alamdar is gone."
Husayn and Ali Akber rushed to the
battlefield.
Husayn saw his brother lying on the ground.
Imagine how Husayn felt when he saw his brother
lying on the ground - covered with blood, both arms severed.
He placed Abbas' head on his lap.
My brother, Abbas? You are leaving me too. Abbas,
what will I do without you? My support, Abbas, I am finished without you.
My brother Abbas, can I do anything for you?"
"Yes, Master. When I came to this world, I saw
your face first. Now, as I am going from this world, Master, I would like
to see your face for the last time."
'Abbas, why can't you see me?"
"Master, my eyes are covered with blood."
Imam Husayn cleaned Abbas' eyes. Abbas gazed
at Husayn.
"Abbas, I have a wish too. All your life you
have called me Master. Once, brother Abbas, just once, call me brother."
Abbas said:
"Husayn, my brother, do not take my body to the
tents. I am ashamed of myself. I don't want Sakina to see me. I don't want
my sisters Kulthoom and Zainab to see me like this. I don't want Kulthoom
and Zainab to cry."
Abbas took his last breath and died on Husayn's
lap.
Poor Husayn? What should he do now?
Husayn picked up the Alam and tied Sakina's mashk
to it.
Sakina saw the Alam coming. She shouted:
"Children, come children. My uncle Abbas is coming
with water. I will give all of you water. Come children, come."
Husayn reached the tent. He cried out:
"Z-A-l-N-A-B…….Help me,
Zainab…….The Alam has come……But the Alamdar has
not…"
