Below is an excerpt from one of the oldest and most authentic Shia Imami text on the event of Karbala and the martyrdom of the chief of martyrs (Syed al Shuhada) Imam Hussain (as), from the transcript of the lecture delivered by Shaikh Sadooq (ra) on 9th Muharram, 368 AH.
الأمالي - الشيخ الصدوق - الصفحة ٢٢٠
Al Amali by Shaikh Sadooq (ra), Page 220
ثم إن الحسين (عليه السلام) أمر بحفيرة فحفرت حول عسكره شبه الخندق، وأمرفحشيت حطبا، وأرسل عليا ابنه (عليه السلام) في ثلاثين فارسا وعشرين راجلا ليستقوا الماء، وهم على وجل شديد، وأنشأ الحسين (عليه السلام) يقول:
يا دهر أف لك من خليل * * كم لك في الاشراق والأصيل من طالب وصاحب قتيل * *
والدهر لا يقنع بالبديل وإنما الامر إلى الجليل * * وكل حي سالك سبيلي ثم
قال لأصحابه: قوموا فاشربوا من الماء يكن آخر زادكم، وتوضؤوا واغتسلوا،
واغسلوا ثيابكم لتكون أكفانكم. ثم صلى بهم الفجر وعبأهم تعبئة الحرب، وأمر بحفيرته التي حول عسكره فأضرمت بالنار، ليقاتل القوم من وجه واحد
Imam Ali b. al Hussain (as) said (narrating the events of the night before Ashura): "....................Then indeed Imam Hussain (as) ordered digging up of the ground, so the like of a ditch was dug up around their camps. He ordered for the ditch to be filled up with wood, and dispatched his son Ali (i.e. Ali Akbar, not Imam Zainul Abideen) with thirty horsemen and twenty foot soldiers to obtain water while they were in a state of extreme fear (due to their immense love for Imam Hussain, they were fearful of the slightest of harm being inflicted upon the noble Imam, Imam Hussain [as]). Meanwhile, Imam Hussain recited the following poetic verses:
O Time (of this worldly and materialistic life)! Woe unto you of a friend!
How many of your seekers (who strove all their lives for material things) and companions have been killed in the mornings and evenings
But the time does not settle for an exchange (and people still die), and the authority is only for Allah!
And every living person will walk my path (such would be the impact of my martyrdom!)
Then Imam said to his companions: "Rise and drink from the water (brought by Ali Akbar and his companions) as it would be your last provision, and perform wudu and ghusl, and wash your clothes for they are your shrouds." Then Imam Hussain prayed Fajr with them, mobilized them in war formation and issued order about the ditch which had been dug around their camps, so it was set on fire so that the enemy may only be able to fight from one direction (instead of being able to attack them from all around their camps)."
Grading
Shaikh Abdullah al Bahrani (Al Awalim, page 159): Sahih
Shaikh Hurr al Amili (Khatima Wasail, Page 154): Sahih
Translator's note: As can be seen, temporarily the Imam and his companions were able to obtain enough water to not just drink and satiate themselves, but also to do wudu, ghusl and wash their clothes. While it is wrong to exaggerate about the events of karbala (such as saying that Imam Hussain and his companions were completely without water for many days on end in Karbala, as it is not humanly possible to survive in a hot desert without water for more than a few days at the very best), on the other hand it is also completely wrong to display a knee jerk reaction, and undermine the extreme hardships and miseries endured by the Imam and his companions in Karbala.
As for the issue of water (or the lack of it), while it is fully established that Imam Hussain's companions had managed to temporarily obtain water (this view has also been supported by modern scholars such as Ayatullah Muhammad Hussain Dhakkoo al Najafi and Ayatullah Ali Naqi Naqvi Naqqan), however, it is also established that the obtained water was still not enough for them (after all, unlike camels, humans do not have humps in which they can store water) and later on they again felt pangs of thirst, and tried to request the enemy force for water. However, their request was completely discarded, and they were told that they would not be allowed water just as Uthman and his family had been denied water during the siege on his house (even though Imam Hussain was in no way responsible for what befell Uthman, rather, it was his own crimes which led to his doom). Perhaps, it is for this reason that there are many ahadith recommending us to remember Imam Hussain and his companions and to send la'nah on his murderers when we drink water.
All in all, as far as the miseries of Karbala are concerned which befell Imam Hussain and his companions, it is impossible to encompass them in a post. Just to give a brief idea about Imam Hussain's sufferings, this hadith maybe helpful:
الامالي للصدوق ص 228ح240 / 1 :
حدثنا الشيخ الجليل أبو جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن
موسى ابن بابويه القمي ( رضي الله عنه ) ، قال : حدثنا أبي ( رحمه الله ) ،
قال : حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله ، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى ، عن أبي عبد الله
محمد بن خالد البرقي ، عن داود بن أبي يزيد ، عن أبي الجارود وابن بكير
وبريد بن معاوية العجلي ، عن أبي جعفر الباقر ( عليه السلام ) ، قال : أصيب
الحسين بن علي ( عليهما السلام ) ووجد به ثلاثمائة وبضعة وعشرون طعنة برمح
أو ضمرة بسيف أو رمية بسهم ، فروي أنها كانت كلها في مقدمه لأنه ( عليه
السلام ) كان لا يولي.
[[الرواية صحيحة الاسناد]].
Al Amali by Shaikh Sadooq (ra), Page 228 hadith number 1
Told us Shaikh Sadooq, who said: Told us my father (ra), who said: Told us Sa'd b. Abdullah, from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa, from Abi Abdillah Muhammad b. Khalid al Barqi, from Dawud b. Abi Yazid, from Abi al Jarud and Ibn Bukair and Buraid b. Muawiya al Ajli, from Abi Ja'far al Baqir (as), who said: "When Imam Hussain (as) was wounded in Karbala, more than three hundred and twenty wounds were found on him, resulting from javelin/lance shot, or sword strikes or arrow shots. It has been reported that all the wounds were on the front of his body because he did not turn around/show his back (i.e. to run away from the enemy)."
Grading: Sahih
They went for water and were returning with water. The imam a.s could see them but the water was destroyed by yazeed's army before it could reach the camps. That was part two of the story u posted
ReplyDeleteas salaamu alaykum, when akhbari scholars grade narrations, what method do they use? isnad? Qur'an?
ReplyDeleteThanks
It was not Ali Akber, it was Hazrat Abbas Alamdar who went to get the water. But after he went got water and was coming back, the enemies attacked him and his hands were cut off and the water container fell down and the water was lost!
ReplyDeleteAll our scholars agree that the people of karbala could not get water. Please don't create fitnah in muharram by creating wrong posts.
^As salaamu 'alaykum,
ReplyDeleteThe narration above is referring to an incident apart from the incident of 'Abbaas during 'Aashoora.
But it is very obvious that not all of our scholars believed the shuhaaaa' of Karbalaa' were without water for three days since one of our biggest scholars, Shaykh Sadooq, is writing here denying that!
Assalaamu `Alaykum,
ReplyDeleteMutahhari has said something similar to this in his 'Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions, Sermon 2:
"Access to water had been closed for three days and nights, but during this time they had been able to get some water on one or two occasions, including the night of 'Ashura', when they had taken bath and washed their bodies." (http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/ashura/2.htm)
Maybe you can add it to your sources as he is a well respected modern scholar.
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ReplyDeleteI would also like to point that Abbas al-Qummi narrated this hadeeth in his Nafaasul Mahmoom, but the translators and publishers in English added a footnote that was not Abbas al-Qummi's own words. They said:
ReplyDelete[1] The above narration cannot be relied upon due to some basic reasons: (1) There are numerous traditions which confirm that Imam Husain (a.s) and his companions were martyred thirsty, while majority of Shi'ah Ulema and historians have acknowledged that access to water was stopped since the seventh of Moharram. (2) In the above report Imam Husain (a.s) commands his companions to drink the water as well as perform ablutions, take a bath and wash the clothes. It seems quite strange that Imam should have command�ed thus, although the children and womenfolk were thirsty, while according to the Islamic law, during scarcity of water, it is obligatory for one to save oneself and others, rather than purify. (3) If there was water avail�able in the tents of Imam Husain (a.s), then despatching Hazrat Abbas (a.s) to fetch water on the day of Ashura and his subsequent martyrdom seems illogical, while Imam Husain (a.s) taking his infant babe Ali Asghar (a.s) to the battlefield requesting for water would also seem incredible. (4) According to certain reports it is narrated that on the night of Ashura, Burayr bin Khuzayr Hamadani, a loyal companion of Imam Husain (a.s), tried to fetch water after a fierce fight with the enemies. He, accompanied by only three others, had to face the powerful contingent of Yazid's forces deputed to guard the river. A single water skin was finally brought to the tents and all the children crowded around it frantically trying to quench their thirst. Some were pressing themselves upon it while others falling upon it and suddenly the mouth of the water skin flung open and all the water flowed out on the earth. All the children started weeping and Burayr too could not control his tears. (Ref. Me'atayn fil Maqtalal Husain - Allamah Gulam Hasnain Kantoori). (5) In the above report of Shaikh Sadooq, Imam commanded his companions to drink water, perform ablutions, have bath and wash clothes, but there is no direct reference that the companions finally did it or succeed in getting the water. Shaikh Mohammad Mahdi Mazandarani, in his book Ma'aliyas Sibtayn refutes the claim that there was water available. Thus it can be concluded that there was no water available in the tents of Imam Husain (a.s) since the seventh of Moharram. Allah knows best. (http://www.imfi.ir/english/library/pro_ahl/imam03_husain/nafasul_mahmoom/25.htm)
This is not the words of Abbas al-Qummi, as I Have the Arabic to this book, and they do not have this in there. The publication of my Arabic Nafasul Mahmoom is by Daar Mahajjah al-Baydaa', 1st ed., 1412/1992, and this narration is on page 209.
What a terribly unjust and utterly mournful event, is it not? No water, for so long. Slayn, teribly thirsty.
DeleteSo ALL our scholars are wrong who say in majlises that there was no water in karbala for many days, and this yazeedi lanti pig bhooka is right???
ReplyDeleteAzadari is the PILLAR of our religion. Wahabis do bomb attacks on azadars and their agents like bhooka write posts on computer to attack azadari from inside. But azadari will always go on!
Shazia, you really shouldn't write posts like this, this form of slander is a sin, and it is unfounded. If you read through the various articles, you and every one can see that very little is from the brother himself, rather he translates what is found in our books of hadith or the opinion of scholars. So when you throw all these insults at him, due to the content of his articles, you are also in throwing these insults at the scholars who recorded these narrations in the first place, or worse, you are insulting the Imams (a) for narrating them.
DeleteIf you can't control yourself, or there are parts of our religion that don't sit well with you, don't read this blog. Or if you really feel the brother has lied, then why don't you refute him in an academic way.
But these kinds of insults are uncalled for and you do a huge injustice to yourself through them.
May azadaari continue, but as performed by the Ahlul Bayt (a) and not how people please.
ReplyDeleteSalam brother,
ReplyDeleteI have been reading your blog for long time and I really like it. I was just wondering why you post so little now? Early on you used to post pretty frequently and you would also respond quickly to comments, but now you post so little and reply so late to comments.
Please post more, like before. Jazakallah khair.
I think he is busy because of muharram
ReplyDelete@Ali_Hussain: Assalamu alaikum,
ReplyDeleteSorry for late reply, was very busy. As for grading method of akhbaris, neither the akhbaris or the usoolis practically use the Qur'an to normally grade ahadith. It is just lip service when they say they do, otherwise they only use the Qur'an sometimes while trying to weaken a hadith by trying to show that it contradicts (their interpretation of) the Qur'an. (Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, because practically Qur'an can only be sometimes used as a 'negative filter' for ahadith, it isn't possible to conclusively authenticate a hadith by using the Qur'an)
Essentially, the basis of akhbari hadith authentications is twofold:
1) The usool were meticulously compiled by the companions of the Imams (as), which would undergo 'peer review' among the companions/narrators themselves (for example the verifications of ashaab al ijma) as well as often presented to the Imams themselves for verification. I personally am not fully convinced by this argument and I believe it is to an extent an exagerration. I concur more with Ayt Asif Mohsini here, who points out that the nature and number of the usool is not unanimous, and it is fair to say that the usool were akin to what the kutub al arba are for the usulis i.e. they are their major books but nonetheless not everything in them is considered authentic. So I personally believe that while the usul were compiled very meticulously and many of them were very reliable, but it would be an exaggeration to say that each and every single one of them was authentic/reliable.
2) The compilers of our primary ahadith books such as Shaikh Kulaini, Sadooq etc are unanimously regarded as the best muhaditheen and highly trustworthy people, and they meticulously compiled their ahadith books by carefully extracting ahadith from the usul, and after compiling their books they vouched for the authenticity of their books as seen in the preface/introduction of their books. This is a very valid point and 100% true, and makes up for what is a bit of exaggeration (in my view) in the first point mentioned above. I've elaborated on this point in more detail on many places (outside the blog), including some rough answers here (in comments section): http://realtashayyu.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/authenticity-of-ahadith-in-kutub-al.html
Wassalam
I would like to warn fellow shias about random anonymous blogs like this. The people of haq always develp enemies who then try to attack from all sides.
ReplyDeleteThis has been happening to shias in all times because we shias are on haq. Enemies attacked shias in all ways. The bani umayya and bani abbas would kill and imprison the shias. They also tried to weaken shias from inside. If you read history you will find that bani umayya also fabricated many hadeeses.
Bani ummayya and bani abbas are gone now, but that doesnt mean our enemies are finished. Other enemies have now replaced them. This anonymous blog is also an example of attempt by enemies to destroy shia mazhab from inside. The enemies know that they can not directly attack imamat of Hazrat Ali, so they start by attacking things like azadari to fool weak shias. Their real intention is to destroy hussainiat and enliven yazidiat. When they destroy azadari then their next move will be to destroy imamat of hazrat Ali.
That is why I willagain warn shias to stay away from anonymous blogs like this. If this blog was shia then why will he not use his own name and prove he is shia? Instead of wasting time of anonymus blogs setup by enemies, listen to majlises of our scholars who dont hide behind computers like this blog.
You tell him to use his name, while you use "Anonymous?"
DeleteHow will his name prove he is Shi`a?
Are you referring to the majaalis where our scholars put forth the hadeeth of our Aa'imma (a) or the majaalis where not a single hadeeth of our Aa'imma (a) are mentioned?
^^^So Sheikh Saduq was also an enemy of the shias? You people seriously need to stop with these conspiracy theories.
ReplyDeleteSalam.
ReplyDeleteApart from these narrations which talk on presence of water in Karbala, we also have other narrations which talk about the thirst of Imam Husain (as).
قال اسقوني شربة من الماء فقد نشفت كبدي من الظّمأ
Imam Husain (as)said, "Quench my thirst by a glass of water, as my heart/liver has dried up due to extreme thirst"
[Source: Asraar Al-Shahadah, Pg. 409 / Al-Muntakhab Le Tareehi, Pg. 439]
The above words indicate that the thirst of the Imam (as) would be at least of a few days.
Other than this we also have a few more narrations which say that the Imam Husain (as) and His companions were thirsty when martyred.
Wassalam
http://www.marefateahlebait.com/husain-and-karbala/ashura-distortions/thirst-of-imam-husain
May you and all your family be blessed by Allah, The Most High and Mighty One, for not invalidating or denying this injustice done against them and their struggles in the way of The Most High One, and coming to their defense against this injustice.
Delete@Ashiq Ali Ratnani: Wa'laikummus salam,
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 points I'd like to draw attention to.
1) There's a VERY big reason why I chose Shaikh Sadooq's Amali for this post. This book is arguably the EARLIEST ever shia Imami (Keyword: Shia Imami) extant source for the event of karbala. I don't know of a single shia imami extant book earlier than this on karbala. We have Kamil al Ziarat and Kafi, but they don't tell the full maqtal. Then ofcourse there is Maqtal al Husayn by Abi Mikhnaf. There is no doubt that Abi Mikhnaf was a "shia" (a kufan who preferred Ali, Hasan, Husayn etc over the bani umayyads), his being Imami is a bit questionable (Allama Mamqani in Tanqihul Maqal considers him Imami) but that is not a big issue because many of our usul were also written by people with corrupt aqeeda but they're accepted as long as they are reliable.
BUT the major problem is that Abi Mikhnaf's maqtal is NO LONGER extant. There are currently 2 reconstructed versions of it. One is a complete fabrication as stated by Muhadith Noori in Lulu wal Marjan, and another one was published in 1398AH by extracting it from Tarikh Tabari (i.e. a SUNNI book). So point being, Shaikh Sadooq (one of our greatest muhadith ever)'s Amali is the earliest extant and most reliable book on Maqtal Husayn that we have now (even Shaikh Mufid's al Irshad is completely useless, it is just a copy paste from aami sources, as well as being latter than Shaikh Sadooq).
اللؤلؤ والمرجان - الشيخ النوري - الصفحة 156-157
Deleteal-Lulu wal Marjan by Sheikh al-Nuri, page 156-157
أبو مخنف لوط بن يحيى من كبار المحدثين في الأخبار والسير والتواريخ ، ومقتله معتمد لدينا ونقل عنه أعاظم العلماء قديماً ، ومقتله الاصلي خالي من العيوب والمنكرات ، وأما ما ينسب إليه من هذا المقتل المتداول والذي يحتوي على منكرات ومخالفات لأصول المذهب ، فأن حتماً دسها في داخله الأعداء والجهال تبعاً لآهوائهم المريضة مما يجعله ساقطاً من الاعتبار والوثوق .. ونرى في أعصارنا من هذا المقتل نسخاً متفاوتة زيادة ونقصاً ناً
Abu Mikhnaf Lut b. Yahya: one of the great hadith scholar of history and siyar. his book "Maqtal" is authentic book and trusted. and big scholars take quotes from this book an narrated. original of it is good and pure. but in or opinion current "Maqtal" book includes impure things and something contrast to our sect. there must ve deletion and adition must be happened to this book.
2) As said in the above point Shaikh Sadooq's Amali is the earliest and most reliable ever book on karbala, and whether we like it or not, the hadith (yes hadith, the narration is quoted from Imam ZainulAbideen, unlike other maqtals which mainly quote common people including enemy soldiers) mentions water had become available temporarily. As for the books that you've brought forward:
ReplyDeletea) Muntakhab by Turaihi (979-1085AH): It is not even a hadith or historical book about event of karbala, it is a literary and poetic book about karbala written specifically for reciters of "majalis" (Fairy tale recitation sessions in muharram). We are now going to rely on a 11th century hijri poetic book instead of the 4th century work by one of our greatest muhadith (Shaikh Sadooq)???!! On top of that major scholars like Ayatullah Muhammad Mahdi Shamsuddin have completely denied the attribution of this book to a scholar of the calibre of Shaikh Turaihi (compiler of Majma' al Bahrayn). So again, we are now going to rely on a fabricated and useless book??!!
b) Asraar al Shahadah by Fadil Durbandi (1286AH): This is one of THE most useless books ever on karbala, which all major scholars, from Muhadith Noori to Ayatullah Mutahhari haveripped to pieces. On top of that it is a 13th century hijri book. So now we are to rely on a weak 13th century book instead of Shaikh Sadooq (ra)'s work??!! Wow!
As for the particular narration you quoted from these books, again it is not found in any of the earlier reliable books and most modern scholars like Shaikh Hobollah (Senior lecturer of rijal and tarikh at Qum Hawzas) have debunked this fabricated narration.
Yes, it is true that Imam Hussain and his companions were martyred thirsty, as I myself stated in this post that they only had water temporarily and they soon ran out of it, and obviously tired travelers in a hot desert will need lots of water. But how in the world do we get this notion that they were "thirsty for at least a few days"??!! Even if for just the sake of argument I were to accept the fake and fabricated narrations that you quoted from these useless modern books, where in the world does that narration say that Imam Hussain was "at least thirsty for a few days"? A fifty seven year old man (Imam Hussain at Karbala) would survive for "a few days" in an extremely hot desert without water??
I fail to understand, are the REAL tragedies that Imam Hussain (as), his family and his companions had to go through at karbala NOT enough that we HAVE to add fabricated tales into the mix to make the event sound tragic? May Allah (swt) save us from these filthy deviations.
Salam
ReplyDeleteBrother I am not sure why you are trying to compare the two issues.
I never contradicted the narration you had posted. I only wanted to prove that Imam Husain (as) was martyred thirsty and the narrations prove this. Whats fabrication in this??
It's strange how people out rightly reject somethings as if they were personally present in Karbala.
And the common belief is that Imam Husain (as) reached Karbala on the 2nd of Muharram and they were left thirsty for 3 days. So it is commonly believed that they had water for a few days even after reaching in Karbala.
When one highlights the availability of Water in Karbala, its necessary to even highlight that Imam Husain (as) was killed thirsty, so as to have a balanced approach.
Wassalam
And can you tell me what day the above event which you quoted took place?
ReplyDeleteIts really strange that Imam Husain (as) uses all water for performing Gusl etc and then end up without any water and then say that Imam (as) was martyred thirsty? Stange if one beliefs this.
Wassalam.
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ReplyDeletefirst hadith is weak (daeef). isnad first hadith:
ReplyDeleteحدثنا محمد بن عمر البغدادي الحافظ (رحمه الله)، قال: حدثنا أبو سعيد الحسن بن عثمان بن زياد التستري من كتابه، قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن عبيد الله بن موسى بن يونس بن أبي إسحاق السبيعي قاضي بلخ، قال: حدثتني مريسة بنت موسى بن يونس بن أبي إسحاق وكانت عمتي، قالت: حدثتني صفية بنت يونس بن أبي إسحاق الهمدانية وكانت عمتي، قالت: حدثتني بهجة بنت الحارث بن عبد الله التغلبي، عن خالها عبد الله بن منصور وكان رضيعا لبعض ولد زيد بن علي (عليه السلام)، قال:
Sheikh al-Sadooq r.a, "al-Amali", page 215
all narrators are majhool (unkown), not mentioned in the rijal books.
hey we murdered him, but at least we let him drink water first... what kind of article is this... May Allah curse you
ReplyDeleteHere is a thought.....what if i told you people used to have water bags, pretty large ones too which they filled up(would last them days due to long distances between cities).
ReplyDeleteSo let's say, day 7 the access to the river was blocked. Day 6 they filled up all their water bags, which could last them 3-4 days. What then?Any issue about water and their access to it is a simple diversionary tactic from the main issue that Imam Hussain (as) and his companions died thirsty.
I do believe he died thirsty as well, i don't think anyone denies that. That is actually exactly what I'm saying, that how long they were thirsty for isn't really really important, the fact is the Imam of that time, the grandson of the prophet was denied water, even at his last moment. His children were denied water, his entire camp were denied water, which doesn't make it a cornerstone of faith, but it makes it a significant happening that did happen.
How many wells were dug by hazrat abbas in search of water ?
ReplyDeleteThe number of wells dug
DeleteI can only say the above narration is neither supported by the authentic Tarikh e Tabri Vol 11 nor it is supported in Most authentic Maqtal by Abu Mikhnaf. Though I agree that Maqtal available is incomplete.
ReplyDelete