Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) never acted under the influence of anger and wrath, and he never deviated from moderation and dignity, even for the blink of an eye. One of the manifestations of his noble character and generosity — which shows that the martyr Imam was able to demonstrate full strength and steadfastness in the face of factors like anger, wrath, and hatred — is his act of providing water to the army of Harb. When Harb’s army (which had orders to block Imam Hussein’s way) arrived on the scorching hot day and Imam saw their thirst, he commanded that they and their horses be given water to drink. According to the Imam’s orders, the entire enemy army (both soldiers and their horses) was watered, and water was poured on the legs and bellies of the animals.
Ali ibn Ta’aan, a warrior from Harb’s army (who was the last member of the army to confront the Imam), said: “I arrived after everyone else. When the Imam saw me in that state, he spoke to me in the noble language of the people of Hijaz and said with kindness and grace:
‘Ankhir al-Rawiyyah’ (Lay down the camel).
I laid down the camel, and then he said:
‘Ikhnith al-Siqa’ (Turn the neck of the water-skin and drink the water!).
I couldn’t manage to do it. The Imam came forward, took the neck of the water-skin in his blessed hands, and helped me drink.”[1]
Another example of the Imam’s patience and nobility is his refusal to initiate combat. Even though he knew that the forces of infidelity would show no mercy to him or his loved ones, and despite the fact that their actions and behavior made it very hard to endure such atrocities, the Imam completed his duty and did not draw his sword, nor did his companions.
When Ibn Ziyad’s letter arrived ordering Harb to be strict with Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and force him into an open, barren desert with no water or grass, Zuhayr ibn Qayn suggested to the Imam (peace be upon him): “By God, those troops that will come later will be far greater in number. Let us fight with this group right now!” Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) replied: “I will not start the war.”[2]
Similarly, when water was cut off from Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and his companions, and when all of the Imam’s army — men, women, children, the young, the old, the sick, the healthy, even the horses and mules — were thirsty, and the cries of the thirsty could always be heard by Imam Hussein, he refrained from starting the battle.
Even when the wicked and evil Shamir approached the tents of the Imam on the Day of Ashura, wandering around to find a weak spot where he could attack the tents and the camp, he noticed a trench where the Imam’s army had started a fire. He called out and insulted Imam Hussein. Muslim ibn Awsajah, who was an expert archer, asked permission to shoot Shamir with an arrow and rid the ground of his impurity. However, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) did not give permission, as he was reluctant to begin the war[3]. It seemed as though he wished to ensure that his fight with them would only be in self-defense.
These historical examples, along with many others throughout Imam Hussein’s journey from Medina to Karbala and his martyrdom, shed light on the patience and nobility he displayed at every step of the way. This patience is a reflection of his divine intentions and his detachment from any worldly desires.
(Adapted from the book “Messages of Ashura” by Ayatollah Safi Golpaygani)
Footnotes:
[1] Mufid, al-Irshad, vol. 2, p. 78; Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 44, p. 376; Mu’tamad al-Dawlah, Qumqam Zakhkhar, p. 350
[2] Ibn Dawood, al-Dinuri, al-Akhbar al-Tawil, p. 251-252; Mufid, al-Irshad, vol. 2, p. 83-84; Aqqad, Abu al-Shuhada, p. 188
[3] Mufid, al-Irshad, vol. 2, p. 96; Tabarsi, A’lam al-Wari, vol. 1, p. 458; Ibn Jawzi, al-Muntazim, vol. 5, p. 339; Mu’tamad al-Dawlah, Qumqam Zakhkhar, vol. 1, p. 390; Aqqad, Abu al-Shuhada, p. 237