“When I left my house, I heard the voice of a herald calling me three times, saying, ‘You are promised paradise!’ I said to myself, ‘May your mother mourn for you! You are going to fight the son of the Messenger of God, and yet you hear the good news of paradise?'[1]
Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) encountered an army on his way. This army, led by Hur ibn Yazid al-Tamimi, approached him in the scorching heat of midday to confront him. Hur was known for his bravery and skills in battle, and he had been ordered to prevent the Imam from continuing unless he took him to Kufa to be delivered to Ubaidullah. Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) refused to go with him and turned to his companions, instructing them to return to Medina.
As Hur’s army blocked the Imam’s movement, the Imam said to Hur: “May your mother mourn for you, what do you want?”[2]
Hur replied: “If anyone other than you had said this to me, I would have said the same thing, but by God, I cannot speak of your mother except in the best possible way.”
It was this good manners towards Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her) (the daughter of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him) that reflected his inner righteousness, which eventually changed the course of his life.
Time passed…
Now, Umar ibn Sa’d had been appointed by Ubaidullah as the commander of the army[3]. It was the day of Ashura. When Hur heard the cries of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) for help, he was awakened from his state of heedlessness. Upon realizing that the people were determined to fight the Imam, he went to Umar ibn Sa’d (the commander of the army) and asked: “Will you fight Imam Hussein (peace be upon him)?” Umar Sa’d replied: “Yes, by God, I will fight him in a way that the easiest part will be the severing of heads and limbs.”
After this conversation, Hur gradually moved closer to Imam Hussein’s (peace be upon him) army. Someone asked him: “Hur! What are you thinking? Are you going to attack?” Hur did not answer, and he trembled. The person said: “I am really confused about your situation. By God, I have never seen you like this in any battle. If anyone had asked me who was the bravest man in Kufa, I would have surely mentioned your name among the bravest. What is this state I see in you?”
Hur replied: “By God, I see myself caught between Heaven and Hell, and I swear by God, I choose nothing but Heaven, even if they tear me apart and burn me.”
Hur had made his decision. He spurred his horse and joined Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), while placing his hand on his head and saying:
“O Lord! I have returned to You. Forgive me and accept my repentance, for I instilled fear in the hearts of Your friends and the children of Your Messenger.”
Hur approached Imam Hussein, greeted him, and said: “May I be sacrificed for you, O son of the Messenger of God! I am the one who blocked your path and became an obstacle to you, but I never imagined things would come to this. By God, if I had known, I would never have done such a thing.” Then, he repented and requested to be the first person to enter the battlefield.
When Hur entered the battlefield, he addressed the enemy and admonished them, then began to fight, killing many of the enemy soldiers.
In the final moments, when Hur had little strength left, he opened his eyes and saw the Imam. He smiled and asked: “O son of the Messenger of God! Are you pleased with me?”
Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) replied: “I am pleased with you, may God be pleased with you.” Hur was filled with joy and passed away. Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and his companions wept for him.[4]
Someone like Hur chooses the Hereafter over this world, while someone like Umar ibn Sa’d chooses Hell. Some do not rely on the promises of this world, but others view the Hereafter as something deferred.[5] The event of Karbala is one of the most glaring examples that demonstrates human choice in shaping their life and destiny, because in this event, some chose Paradise for themselves, while others chose Hell. But truly, what is our choice?
(Adapted from the book “Sahab-e-Rahmat” by Abbas Ismaili Yazdi)
Footnotes:
[1] Jala’ al-Uyun, p. 377 and similar in Amali Saduq, p. 154.
[2] Maktal Khwarazmi, Vol. 1, p. 232.
[3] Ubaidullah chose Umar Sa’d as the leader of the army instead of Hur. Umar Sa’d was not known for military skill or bravery, nor was he famous for his swordsmanship. The reason for his selection was that his father had a distinguished reputation, and Umar himself was a pretentious ascetic, well-known for his duplicity. Ubaidullah sought to use him to his advantage, knowing that fighting Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) would be a daunting task that few would take on.
[4] Rawdat al-Shuhada, p. 280.
[5] Before Umar Sa’d accepted Ubaidullah ibn Ziyad’s proposal to lead the army, he consulted with his friends and family. His wife, young son, friends, and even a close friend of his father warned him against this decision, informing him of the consequences. However, his eldest son encouraged him to accept. Umar Sa’d replied to them that worldly position and wealth were immediate, while the Hereafter was deferred, and he preferred the immediate reward over the deferred one.