Bravery has a unique place in our daily life. It has a holy definition and becomes meaningful with danger. Perhaps the highest level of bravery occurs when one’s life is in danger.
Nonetheless, there is a higher level of bravery. This level of courage was shown in the day of Ashura by Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his companions and children. In the day of Ashura, the challenge was not about endangered lives. It was obvious that everyone in the battlefield were going to be killed. This was a matter of fact even before reaching the land of Karbala and Imam Hussain (PBUH) had mentioned it several times amidst the journey from Mecca toward Kufa. Further, the reality of getting killed not only bothered Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his companions, but also increased their commitment to the decision they had taken for this trip until every single companion was killed in the battlefield defending their belief and religion. Such sacrifice is the essence of bravery and its peak status…
… Imam Hussain (PBUH) has reached to Th’alabiyah(1) in his path to Karbala. The caravan settled temporarily. Imam (PBUH) fell asleep for little while and then woke up and said, ?I heard a sound saying that ‘You are going fast but death will take you to paradise faster.?
His eldest son, Ali Akbar (PBUH) said, ?Aren’t we on the right path??
Imam Hussain (PBUH) replied, ?I swear to Allah whose every man’s return is to Him, we are on the right path.?
Ali Akbar (PBUH) said, ?Then why should we be concerned about death!?
Indeed, Ali Akbar (PBUH) had no fear from death and how gloriously proved his word in the day of Ashura:
… Imam’s companions had vowed to prevent Imam’s family members to go to the battlefield as long as they are alive. Every companion had devoted his life and there was no one in Imam Hussain’s (PBUH) army other than his own children. Ali Akbar (PBUH) who was a handsome man came out of his tent and asked his father to go to the battlefield. Imam Hussain (PBUH) gave him permission and then looked at Ali Akbar hopelessly (since he was about to lose his eldest son). After Ali Akbar (PBUH) left, Imam closed his eyes and cried; he said, ?O Allah! Witness that we are sending a young man whose is most similar to Your prophet in creation, behavior, and language. Whenever we missed the Prophet, we looked at him…?
Then Ali Akbar (PBUH) entered the battlefield and shouted these slogans, ?I am Ali the son of Hussain. I swear by the Ka’ba that we are the ones on Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) path. By Allah we will not belittle ourselves. I will fight until my spear bends; I will fight so hard with my sword until it breaks…?
After a while of fighting, Ali Akbar (PBUH) went back toward his father and said, ?Dearest Father, thirst is killing me, and the heavy shield has made me restless. Is there any water?? Imam Hussain (PBUH) cried
Ali Akbar (PBUH) entered the battlefield once again reciting the same phrases. He killed two hundred men until he was struck on the head unfairly by one of the armed men. Ali Akbar (PBUH) fell to the ground and the soldiers all gathered to attack him further ?
Imam Hussain (PBUH) hurried to his son Ali Akbar and put his face on his son’s face, and said, ?May there be no world without you! These men have no respect for Allah and the Prophet (PBUH&HP).?
The Imam then gathered a handful of Ali’s blood and threw it to the sky…
This day will pass too, but the day of Ashura is alive for ever. Bravery holds a deep meaning, a meaning which I do not know how close we are to.
Peace be on the oppressed Imam who with his companions gave meaning to the word bravery…
?Peace be on the protector who had no helpers; peace be on the face decorated with blood; peace be on the cheeks covered with dirt…?(2)
(Selection taken from ?Maqtal of Imam Hussain (PBUH)? gathered by the research center of Baqir al-Ulum (PBUH) the group of Hadith(3),with certain changes)
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