The narrator said: “By God, I have never seen a man whose children, family, and companions were killed, and who bore so much pain and suffering, yet still displayed such bravery and valor on the battlefield. To the point that the enemy, one after another, rushed at him in groups, and he attacked them in defense, causing them to flee like a herd of goats running from a wolf.”
Indeed! Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him), in defense of himself and his family (peace be upon them), would charge into the tightly packed ranks of thousands of the enemy, forcing them to flee. The enemies scattered like locusts.
The narrator said: “The Imam kept fighting until the enemy placed themselves between him and his family.”
Hussain (peace be upon him) cried out to them and said: “Woe to you! O followers of the children of Abu Sufyan! If you have no religion and do not fear the Day of Judgment, then be free in this world. And if you claim to be Arabs (and fight like men), then return to your lineage and ancestry.”
Shimar ibn Dhil-Jawshan shouted: “O son of Fatima! What do you say?”
The Imam (peace be upon him) replied: “What I am saying is that I fight you, and you fight me. There is no sin upon the women. So, keep these arrogant, tyrannical, and ignorant men from harming my family as long as I am alive.”
Shimar agreed, and the army once again began attacking Hussain (peace be upon him)…
Throughout this journey of no return and filled with bloodshed, in every moment, the actions and behavior of Hussain (peace be upon him) are a model of honor and chivalry. Even in the final moments of his worldly life, the Imam (peace be upon him) calls upon his bloodthirsty enemies to embrace freedom. Thus, throughout history, even non-Muslims have seen him not only as a religious leader but also as the true measure of liberty.
(Excerpted from the book “Lohuf”, written by Seyyed Ibn Tawus (with abridgments and additions))