لطفا منتظر باشید ...
In The Name Of Allah,
The Most Compassionate,
The Merciful
Abbas :The Standard Bearer of Husain
O Allah! Send your blessings to the
head of your Messengers and the
Last of your Prophets Muhammad (saw),
and his pure and cleansed progeny.
The shifting sand dunes of Karbala were smeared with blood.
Near one of wash dunes, on the bank of Alkoma, lay the
prostrate figure of a youth with blood gushing out from
innumerable wounds. The crimson life-tide was ebbing
fast. Even so, it seemed as if he was anxiously expecting
somebody to come to him, to be near him before he
breathed his last. Through his starched throat he was
feebly calling somebody.
Yes, Abbas was anxiously expecting his master to come to
him before he parted with his life, as he had come to the
side of all his devoted friends who had laid down their
dear lives for him and in espousing his cause.
It is said that before a man's death al the past event
of his life pass before his mind's eye in a flash-back.
In his last moments Abbas was experiencing this. He was
seeing himself as a child in Medina following Husain with
a devotion which was considered unique even for a
brother. He was seeing the events of that hot and sultry
day in Kufa
when his illustrious father Ali was addressing a
congregation in the mosque and he, as a child, with his
characteristic devotion, was looking at the face of his
beloved brother watching him intently so that he could
attend to his wishes on an instant command. Seeing from
the parched lips of Husain that he was feeling extremely
thirsty, how he had darted out from the mosque and
returned with a tumbler full of cool, refreshing water
and in the hurry to carry the water as quickly as
possible to quench the consuming thirst of his dearest
brother, how he had spilled water on his own clothes. He
was recalling how this incident had made his illustrious
father stop in the midst of his speech, with tears
rolling down his cheeks at the sight of his young son all
wet with water. He was remembering his father's reply to
the queries from his faithful followers as to what had
brought tears in his eyes, that Abbas who had wetted his
body with water in the process of quenching Husain's
thirst would in the not too distant future wet his body
with his own blood in attempting to quench the thirst of
his young children. He was vividly seeing the scene on
the 21st Ramazan, way back in 40 Hijra, when his father
mortally wounded, was lying on his death-bed and
entrusting his children and dependents to the care of the
his eldest brother, Hasan - all except him. Seeing that
his father had commended all but him to the care of Hasan
- how he, a child of 12, had burst out into
uncontrollable tears. His father, on hearing him sobbing,
had called him to his side and given his hand in Husain's
hand with the words:
Husain, this child I am entrusting to you. He will
represent me on the day of your supreme sacrifice and
lay down his life in defending you and your dear
ones, much as I would have done if alive on that day.
How his father had turned to him and affectionately
told him:
Abbas, my child, I know your unbounded love for
Husain.
Though you are too young to be told about it, when
that day dawns, consider no sacrifice too great for
Husain and his children.
He saw before his mind's eye that parting with his
aged mother Fatima in Medina. How she had affectionately
embraced him and reminded him of
the dying desire of his father to lay down his life in
the defense of Husain and his dear ones.
A faint smile of satisfaction flickered for a brief
moment on his parched lips a smile of satisfaction that
he had fulfilled his father's wish; that he had performed
his duty for which he was brought up. It just flitted for
a moment and vanished as other scenes came before his
mind's eye. He was re- living the events of the night
before. He was seeing Shimr stealthily coming to him; and
talking to him about his ties of relationship; about the
protection he had been promised for Abbas by the
Commander of Yazid's forces, only if he would leave
Husain and go over to Yazid's camp; about the promises of
riches and rewards that he would get; how he had spurned
the suggestion of Shimr with the utmost disdain to the
chagrin of that servile minion who had sold his soul for
a mess of pottage. How he had scared away that coward by
his scathing rage saying:
You worshipper of Mammon, do not think that Abbas
will be lured by your tempting offer of power and
pelf. If I die in fending my master, Husain, I shall
consider myself the luckiest person. O coward,
remember that valiants die but once. Nobody is born
to live eternally. By betraying my master, you have
betrayed the Prophet, whose religion you profess to
follow. On the Day of Judgement you will be doomed to
eternal perdition.
I am ashamed to own any relationship with you. Had it
not been for the fact that you have come here
unarmed, I would have given you the chastisement you
deserve for your impudence in asking me to become a
turncoat.
How that wretch had scampered from there seeing him
roaring like an enraged lion. The thought of that
unpleasant interlude contracted his brows. Or was it the
excruciating pain he was suffering on account of the deep
gashes he had all over his body?
Yet another scene passed before Abbas's eyes - Sakina
leading 42 children, each with a dry water-bag. The
children were shouting as if in chorus
Thirst, consuming thirst, is killing us.
Sakina coming to him and putting her dry water-bag at
his feet and saying to him:
O uncle, I know you will do something to get water
for us. Even if you can bring one bag full of water,
we can wet our parched throats.
He could see that thirst, aggravated by the scorching
heat of the desert, was squeezing their young lives out
of them. The sight of these youngsters had moved him more
than any other soul-stirring events of that faithful day.
How he had picked up the water-bag with assurance to
Sakina that he would go and bring water - God Willing.
How he had taken Husain's permission and marched out
of the camp with a sword in one hand, the flag in the
other, and the bag on his shoulder, with the children
following him in a group up to the outer perimeter of the
camp. How Husain had repeatedly requested him to avoid
fighting as much as possible and confine himself to the
task of bringing water!
His thoughts switched over to the events that had
preceded his fall from the horse. With the object of
procuring water for his dear little Sakina, he had
charged on the enemy who held the river banks. He had run
through the enemy ranks like a knife through butter.
Again this surging onslaught the cowards could not stand
and had run helter-skelter shouting for protection. For a
moment it seemed as if Ali, the Lion of God, had
descended from heaven. In no time Abbas was near the
rivulet. He had jumped down from the horse and bent to
fill the water-bag. When it was filled to the brim, he
had taken some water in his cupped hand to drink and
satisfy his killing thirst. But, on second thoughts, he
had thrown the water away. How could he drink water when
Sakina and the children were still withering without it?
How could he be so callous as to forget that his
master Husain had not had a drop of water since the last
three days. He had turned to his horse which had been let
loose so that it could satisfy its thirst.
The animal had been intently looking at its master as if
to say:
I too am aware that, so long as our master and his
children
remain without water, our thirst cannot be quenched.
With the water-bag filled he had jumped into the
saddle with one thought uppermost in his mind, to get the
water to the anxiously waiting children as quickly as
possible. Seeing him galloping towards the camp of
Husain, the enemy had turned. Somebody had shouted from
the enemy ranks that if Husain and his people got water,
it would be difficult to fight them on the battlefield.
Though it was an uneven fight, he fought them with valour
which was so characteristic of his fathers Though he was
thirsty and hungry, he charged on them and scattered
them. The mercenaries of Yazid were running like lambs in
a fold when charged by a lion. Seeing that a frontal
assault on a man so brave was not possible, they had
resorted to a barrage of arrows. When arrows were coming
form all sides, Abbas had only one thought in his mind,
how to protect the water-bag than his life. Seeing that
Abbas was preoccupied with this thought, one treacherous
foe, hiding behind a sand-dune, had rushed out and dealt
a blow on his right hand and cut it off. In a flash Abbas
had transferred his sword to his left hand and the
standard he was bearing he had hugged to his chest. Now
that the Lion of Ali was crippled, the foes had found
courage to surround him. A blow from an enemy's sword
severed his left arm. The odds were now mounting against
him. He held the bag with his teeth and protected the
flag with his chest pressed on the horse's back. Now the
paramount thought in his mind was to reach the camp
somehow or the other. A silent prayer had escaped his
lips:
Merciful Allah, spare me long enough to fulfill my
mission.
But that was not to be. An arrow had pierced the
water-bag and water had started gushing out of it. Was it
water that was flowing out of that bag or the hopes of
Abbas? All his efforts had been in vain.
After all Sakina's thirst would remain unsatisfied and
all her hopes would be frustrated. The enemies who had
made bold to surround him, now seeing his helpless
condition, were now gathering thick round him.
One of them came near him and struck mortal blow with an
iron mace. He reeled over and fell from the horse.
He tossed on the burning sand with excruciating pain.
He felt that life was fast ebbing out but his wish to see
his master had remained unfulfilled. With one last
effort, with all the strength that was left
in him, he shouted:
O my master, do come to me before I die.
As it in answer to his prayers he felt some footsteps
near him, Yes, his instinct told him that it was his
lord. His one eye had been blinded by an arrow and the
other filled with blood and so he could not see. But he
felt his master kneeling down beside him, lifting his
head and taking it into his lap. Not a word was said for
a few seconds because both were choked with emotion. At
last he heard Husain's voice, a half-sob, half-muffled
cry:
Abbas, my brother, what have they done to you?
If Abbas could see, would he have recognized his
master? With back bent and beard turned white and hoary,
on hearing the parting cry of his beloved brother,
Husain's plight was such that nobody could have
recognized him - such was his transformation. Abbas was
now feeling the loving touch of his master's hand. With
effort he muttered:
You have come at last, my Master. I thought I was
not destined
to have a last farewell with you but, thank God, you
are here.
With these words he put his head on the sand. Tenderly
Husain lifted his head and again put it on his lap,
inquiring why he had removed it from there.
My Master, replied Abbas, the thought that when
you will be breathing your last, nobody will be there
to put your head in a lap and to comfort you, makes
me feel that it would be better if my head lies on
the sand when I die, just as yours would be. Besides,
I am your slave and you are my master. It is too much
for me to put my head on your lap.
Husain burst into uncontrollable tears. The sight of
his brother, whose name was to become a byword for
devotion and unflinching faithfulness, laying down his
dear life in his arms, was heart-rending.
Abbas was heard to whisper softly:
My master, I have some last wishes to express.
When I was born, I had my first look at your face and
it is my last desire that when I die, my gaze may be
on it, too. My one eye is pierced by an arrow and the
other is filled with blood. If you will clear the
blood from my one eye, I'll be able to see you and
fulfill my last dying desire. My second wish is that
when I die you may not carry my body to the camp. I
had promised to bring water to Sakina and, since I
have failed in my attempt to bring her water, I
cannot face her even in death. Besides, I know that
the blows that you have received since morning have
all but crushed you and carrying my body to the camp
will be heart breaking work for you. And my third
wish is that Sakina may not be brought here to see my
plight. I know with what love and affection she was
devoted to me. The sight of my dead body lying here
will kill her.
Husain sobbingly promised him that he would carry out
his last wishes added:
Abbas, I too have a wish to be fulfilled. Since
childhood you have always called me master.
For once at least call me brother with your dying
breath.
The blood was cleared from the eye, one brother looked
at the other with a longing lingering look. Abbas was
heard to whisper:
My brother, my brother
and with these words he surrendered his soul to his
Maker: Husain fell unconscious on the dead body of Abbas
with a cry:
O Abbas, who is left to protect me and Sakina
after you?
The flow of Furat became dark as winter and a murmur
arose from the flowing water as if to protest against the
killing of a thirsty water-bearer on its banks.
