Abbas carried the straps of the\nwaterskin around his neck. He held it close and protected it with the shield in\nhis left hand, as one would protect an infant. \nHe swung his sword with his right hand as he moved forward. Behind all\nthe palms and trees there are numerous battlers, horses, swords. Every second a\nbattler can come out and attack, but Abbas moves at a speed that allowed no one\nto move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abbas has never experienced such\nbattle. The job has become extremely difficult for him. It is not the thousands\nof enemy. It is not the unfair ambushes behind the palm trees. It is not the\nhunger. Not the extreme thirst either. It is not the exhaustion; nor the wounds\non his face, hands, feet and body. But\none thing had made it ultra difficult for Abbas to fight, the fact that his\nhands were occupied, and that was the waterskin that Abbas held so dearly to\nhis life. For if anything happens to the\nwaterskin, if an arrow approaches the body of the waterskin, or if the tip of a\nsword rips the waterskin, Abbas\u2019 entirety will be destroyed. The children, who for some time have been\nthirsty for just a sip of water, their hopes will be shattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abbas must protect both the waterskin\nand his life. Saving his life to save the water, saving the water to save the\nlives. What Abbas has seen today in the\neyes of Imam Hussain (PBUH) following the order, or perhaps request, he had\nnever seen before: \u201cDearest Abbas! Bring little water if you can.\u201d(1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abbas loves, Abbas obeys, Abbas seeks,\nAbbas respects, Abbas is loyal, and he is restless in face of this request. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abbas\u2019 respect throughout his life was\nto identify and act upon Hussain\u2019s (PBUH) request before its utterance. But today Hussain (PBUH) has spoken with a\npleading, yet humble tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Abbas, this is not just a\nwaterskin of water. It is the most\nexpensive load of this world. This is not just a waterskin of water; it is\nAbbas\u2019 historical mission. Prophet Muhammad\u2019s (PBUH&HP) request to love his\nclose ones (the Ahl al-Bayt)(2) has become manifested in this waterskin. And if\nAbbas must deliver this waterskin with the price of his life, he has nothing\nelse to do in this world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A man whose name was Hakim ibn Tufeil\nhas been following Abbas in ambush. He finally takes his sword and cuts off the\nright arm of Abbas. The only act Abbas can do is to get the sword by his left\nhand before his right hand falls. His right hand fell on the ground but he\nstill has his left hand and the sword. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Abbas moves on, fighting,\nadvancing, and chanting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy Allah if you\ncut off my right hand, be aware that I will always defend my faith and my Imam,\nwho has truthfully attained certainty and is the grandson of the trustworthy\nProphet (PBUH&HP).\u201d(3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fighting with just one hand has become\neven more difficult. Especially now,\nthat he no longer has a shield to protect the waterskin with. The waterskin is\nnow exposed to the enemy. But Abbas advances, chanting his praise. That which\ngives Abbas hope is the black images of the tents, visible through the palm\ntree branches, giving hope that the thirst of the children will be quenched. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was here that Zaid ibn Raqad, who\nhad been ambushing Abbas with his sword, made the move and cut off Abbas\u2019 left\narm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abbas\u2019 hope has now been reduced, but\nnot gone entirely. He continues with his chant, moving forward,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cO life! Do not\nfear the infidels, for the powerful Lord will bestow His mercy upon you. I give you tidings to companionship with the\nchosen prophet. They took away my left arm so cowardly. O\u2019 Allah bestow upon\nthem the heat of your fire.\u201d(4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abbas is now left with no shield, no\nsword; but a waterskin. And what fear\nremains so long as nothing but the waterskin remains, even Abbas himself; so\nlong as he can reach the waterskin to the tents. His horse has now reduced its speed, so Abbas\ncan retain his balance. And Abbas fears the tearing of the waterskin, which he\nhas held onto with his teeth. With his sharp eyes, he watches his surroundings\nfrom all sides, to prevent an arrow from tearing the waterskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than tens of arrows have now\nlanded on Abbas\u2019 body, and blood has covered his body like a red shield. But it is as though Abbas does not feel the\nwounds on his body; for the waterskin is still\u2026\u2026but no\u2026\u2026suddenly, an arrow sits\nat the heart of the waterskin, one which sets Abbas\u2019 heart on fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not an arrow on the heart of the\nwaterskin, but on the hope of Abbas. Abbas loses himself, and the enemy clearly\nunderstands that Abbas no longer has the strength to fight, nor a purpose to\nlive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alas, an arrow hits Abbas in the\nheart, the only arrow that Abbas welcomes and receives gladly, embracing it\nwarmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And this is Hakim ibn Tufeil, who has\nrounded the palm trees and now comes forth with a mace and sets the final blow\nof the enemy to free Abbas of his shame from the children. And the sound that\nwas heard: \u201cDear Hussain, Help me.\u201d(5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection from the book \u201cThe Bearer of Water and Respect\u201d by Sayyed Mahdi\nShoja\u2019ee)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd website offers its condolences\nto you and all devotees of Abbas ibn Ali (PBUH) On the arrival of the day of\nTasu\u2019a, the commemorating day of the symbol love, knowledge, and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Montakhab\nTarihi, p. 305, Ma\u2019ali al-Sibtain, vol. 1, p. 441, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 45, p.\n41<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. A reference\nto the Quran, Surah Shura, verse 23, in which Allah orders the love of the\nProphet\u2019s (PBUH&HP) kinship to all Muslims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Manaqib, vol.\n4, p. 108<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Manaqib, vol.\n4, p. 108<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Bihar\nal-Anwar, vol. 45, p. 42, Awalim, p. 285<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Abbas carried the straps of the waterskin around his neck. He held it close and protected it with the shield in his left hand, as one would protect an infant. He swung his sword with his right hand as he moved forward. Behind all the palms and trees there are numerous battlers, horses, swords. Every […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28425,28555,28248],"tags":[24592,24374,18762,20199,24037,17890,24594,18418,24593,18536,24591,19046],"class_list":["post-4838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-abbas-ibn-ali-pbuh","category-martyrdom-en-abbas-ibn-ali-pbuh","category-occasional-letters","tag-2013-11-13","tag-hadrat-abbas","tag-hope","tag-horse","tag-left","tag-life","tag-moving","tag-occasion-letters","tag-palms","tag-prophet","tag-turn-to-your-lover","tag-water"],"yoast_head":"\n