Title Of The Chief Of The Martyrs

O mourners of the Chief of the Martyrs!

His Eminence, Hamza (A), was called the chief of martyrs before the event of Karbala. However, this title was conferred to Imam Al-Husayn (A) afterwards. It was as if the martyrdom of Imam Al-Husayn (A) eclipsed the martyrdom of His Eminence, Hamza (A).

The loyal companions of Imam Al-Husayn (A) were also somewhat like this because they acquired precedence over all the martyrs of the past. Imam Al-Husayn (A) himself said:

“Certainly, I have not seen companions more loyal and better than mine.” Also, “I do not know people better than my Ahl al-Bayt.”1

Imam Al-Husayn (A) was free from the side of his friends as well as from his enemies.

The Imam himself said:

“Look (O my loyal companions)! They do not have anything against anyone except me. I willingly permit you to go if you like.”

After that he said:

“Go away, taking advantage of the darkness of night.”

Saying this, the holy Imam bowed his head so that when the companions look up, they do not have to feel ashamed looking into the eyes of the Imam. The condition of the companions of Imam Al-Husayn (A) was not like that of the companions of Tariq who had burnt their rations (leaving behind only a day’s supply) and their ships; nor their condition was like that of a person forced to stand at the doorstep by a friend. Imam Al-Husayn (A) bowed his head so that his eyes do not have any forceful effect on his companions.2

Status Of Al-Husayn’s (A) Companions

Just as the companions of Imam Al-Husayn (A) were better than the companions of the Prophet who fought in the battle of Badr and companions of Imam Ali (A) who fought for him in the battle of Siffeen, in the same way the army of Umar Saad was more stone-hearted and worse than the army of Abu Sufyan at Badr and the army of Mu’awiyah at Siffeen because the army of Umar Ibn Saad was not fighting for their ‘faith’ like the people of Badr; nor did they have any controversial issue like the people of Siffeen had of revenging Uthman’s murder.

They were committing this crime in spite of repeated opposition from their conscience. Their state was like the saying goes “their hearts supported him but their swords were against him”.3 How strange it is that Umar Saad’s army was weeping as well as slaying the Prophet’s grandson.

It was shedding tears and at the same time snatching earrings from the ears of the innocent children of Al-Husayn. It was beheading Al-Husayn (A) with the dagger of oppression and was trembling at the same time.4

In the name of Allah and by Allah and on the religion of the Messenger of Allah (S)

• 1. Mausuat al-Kalimat al-Imam al-Husayn, Pg. 344.
• 2. Apparently, the words of Ibn Abil Hadid: “They preferred death.” are appropriate for those companions. According to Imam Ali, “The riders will come down from their mounts at this place and this place would become a battlefield of devotees.” Neither the martyrs of the past nor future are better than these. Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 41, Pg. 295.
• 3. Mausuat al-Kalimat al-Imam al-Husayn, Pg. 370.
• 4. Hamasa al-Husayni, Vol. 3, Pg. 56-57.