Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Composing Poetry in Their Memory

What is obvious beyond the shadow of doubt is that composing poetry about anyone means introducing him to others, keeping his name alive, and publicizing for him. Men's legacy, no matter how highly esteemed by others and how great, may lose its glow as time goes by.

Such legacy, therefore, will eventually be overlooked and its great significance forgotten. Poetry is faster to steal people's attention and appreciation. People disseminate it, tongues articulate it, hearts memorize it and pass it on from one generation to another, from one nation to another.

Arabic literature has preserved a great deal of this nation’s history, biographies and wars, during the period of jahiliyya and since the dawn of Islam. Among what Du’bal al-Khuza’i has said about poetry's perpetuation across the centuries are these lines:

If I compose a line, its composer will die, yet I

Am quoted: one whose verse shall never die.

‘Urwah Ibn Uthaynah has said,

I was told about men who did fear

That I vilify them, and I do not vilify.

If they are innocent, my poetry shall not come near

Them, nor shall they be censured thereby.

But if they are in esteem less than that,

And utter something with an effect to last,

It will mean to these men

Many a book and many a pen.

Since remembering Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is the pillar of the creed and the spirit of reform, and through it are their teachings taught and footsteps followed, the Infallible Imams (‘a) kept urging their followers to publicize their abundant merits, the calamities they underwent, and their suffering as they tried to keep the creed alive.

Publicizing the tragedies that befell them and the agonies they had to withstand will keep their cause alive. May Allah have mercy on all those who keep their memory alive and who invite others to remember them.

Imam Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (‘a) said the following to al-Kumait when the latter recited for him his poem which starts with“Who shall solace a heart suffering from overflowing passion?”: “May you always be supported by the Holy Spirit.” 215

When al-Kumait once sought permission of Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) during the days of tashriq to recite his poem to him, the Imam (‘a) thought it was quite a serious offence to recite poetry during such great days. But when al-Kumait said to him,

“It is composed about you (Ahl al-Bayt [as]),” the father of ‘Abdullah (‘a) became quite relaxed because doing so is obligatory due to its resulting in keeping the traditions of Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) alive. Then he called upon some of his family members to join them both, whereupon al-Kumait recited his poem. There was a great deal of weeping when he recited the verse saying,

Shooters hit thereby the mark the others are missing:

O last one led to misguidance by the first: Do listen!

It was then that Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) raised his hands and supplicated saying, “O Allah! Forgive al-Kumait's sins, the ones he committed, and the ones he will commit, the ones he hid, and the ones he revealed! And grant him, O Lord, of Your favours till he is pleased!”216

Abu Ja’far Imam al-Jawad (‘a) permitted ‘Abdullah Ibn al-Salt to eulogize him and mourn his father Imam al-Rida (‘a).

Abu Talib once wrote the Imam (‘a) seeking his permission to eulogize his father Imam al-Rida (‘a), so he cut the parchment in which the poem was written and kept it with him, then he wrote him saying,“An excellent job you have done, and may Allah reward you with goodness.” 217

Imam Abu ‘Abdullah, as-Sadiq (‘a), said to Sufyan Ibn Mis’ab,“Compose for me poetry about al-Husayn (‘a),” then he ordered Umm Farwa and his own children to be brought near them. Once they all gathered, Sufyan started his poem by saying,

“O Farwa! Be generous with your over-pouring tears.” It was then that Umm Farwa cried loudly, and so did the other women with her, whereupon Abu ‘Abdullah (‘a) shouted:“The door! (Close) the door!” The people of Medina assembled, so Abu ‘Abdullah (‘a) sent them a child who fainted (having become overwhelmed by emotion).218

This is one good method of disseminating awareness (of the tragedy of Karbala’) among the public. Indeed, their children did faint during the Battle ofal-Taff , and I do not know which one of them the Imam (‘a) had then in mind. Was it ‘Abdullah, the infant, or was it ‘Abdullah Junior son of Imam al-Hasan (‘a) who was killed with an arrow while in al-Husayn's lap? Or was it Muhammad son of Abu Sa’id son of ‘Aqil son of Abu Talib?

Ja’far son of ‘Affan219 came once to see Imam as-Sadiq (‘a). The Imam (‘a) said to him, “You compose poetry about al-Husayn (‘a), and you do a good job, don't you?” He answered in the affirmative, whereupon the Imam (‘a) asked him to recite some of it for him. Ja’far did. The Imam (‘a) cried so much that his tears ran profusely on his cheeks and beard.

Then he said to him,“Allah's angels who are near to Him have all witnessed what you have said about al-Husayn, and they have all cried just as we here cry. Allah has ordered you to be lodged in Paradise.” After a while, the Imam (‘a) turned to those present there and then to say,“Anyone who composes poetry in memory of al-Husayn (‘a) and he cries and causes others to cry will be forgiven by Allah, and he will be worthy of entering Paradise.” 220

This Ja’far is a sincere Shi’a who has earned a great deal of praise and is regarded as a reliable authority by biographers. He is the one who responded to Marwan Ibn Abu Hafsa when the latter said,

Clear the way for people whose customs are

The crushing of flanks whenever throngs jostle,

Accept what the Lord has decreed for you,

And let alone inheriting every protecting knight.

How can it be, and it never will,

That a daughters' son should inherit his uncle?221

Ja’far Ibn ‘Affan responded by syaing,

Why not?! And it surely is:

Sons of daughters shall inherit their uncles,

For the girls have his wealth, while the uncle

Is left without a share. Why should a taleeq

Talk about inheritance at all? The taleeq prayed

Only out of his fear of the sword.222

A group of men came to see Imam al-Rida (‘a) once and found him looking out of the ordinary. They asked him why. He said to them,“I have spent my entire night awake thinking about what Marwan Ibn Abu Hafsa said,” then he quoted the lines cited above.

The Imam (‘a) went on to say, “I later fell asleep. It was then that someone took hold of the door as he said,

How can it be? And it shall not:

Pillars of Islam do not belong to polytheists.

Grandaughters inherit no grandfathers,

While the uncle is deprived of his share.

Why should a taleeq about inheritance say a word?

The taleeq prayed only out of his fear of the sword.

The Qur’an has already informed you of his worth,

So the judges issued about him and decreed.

Fatima's son to whom reference is made

Earned his inheritance from his cousins,

While the son of the wide shield stands

Hesitant, weeping, only by his kin pleased.”223

Marwan stole the theme from verses composed by a slave of Tammam Ibn Ma’bid Ibn al-’Abbas Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib who stood to attack with his poetry ‘Ubaydullah Ibn Abu Rafi’, servant of the Messenger of Allah (S). He had come to Imam al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali (‘a) and said: “I am your servant,” and he used to write down quotations from (the Imam's father) Imam ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib (‘a). Tammam's slave then said:

Al-’Abbas's offspring denied their father's right

So you in your claim seek no good end;

Since when do the offspring of the Prophet

Behave like an heir who earns, then he,

When opportune, claims linkage to the father?224

Marwan Ibn Sulayman Ibn Yahya Ibn Abu Hafsa was a Jew who embraced Islam at the hands of Marwan Ibn al-Hakam. Some say that he was taken captive from Istakhar, and that ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan bought him and gave him to Marwan as a slave.

He participated in the incident of the Dar on Marwan's side. When Marwan Ibn al-Hakam was wounded (in that incident), he was carried by his slave, Ibn Abu Hafsah, on his shoulders.

He dragged him as he (Marwan) moaned. He kept telling him to remain silent else he should be heard and killed. He was able to bring him to a safe haven inside the tent of a woman who belonged to the tribe of ‘Anzah and treated him till he healed. Marwan freed him and let him participate with him in the Battle of the Camel and of Marj Rahit.225

‘Salih Ibn Atiyyah al-Adjam was angry with Marwan's verse “How can it be, and it shall not, etc.,” so he kept company with him for some time serving him till he and his family felt comfortable about him. When Ibn Abu Hafsah fell ill, ‘Salih acted as his nurse. Once those around the sick man had

left with the exception of ‘Salih, the latter suffocated him and killed him, but none among his family suspected anything at all.226

The Question of Marching With the Family

Al-Husayn (‘a) transported his family [from Medina] to Iraq knowing that he and all those in his company would be killed. Why? He knew beforehand that his murder would be in vain if no eloquent tongues and determined persons acquainted the nation with the misguidance of Maysun's son and with the oppression of Marjana's son who attacked the pure progeny of the Prophet (S), and without the refutation of the bid’as which they had introduced in the sacredShari’a .

The Father of the Oppressed realized that the theologians were apprehensive of pretending to denounce the oppressive authority to which they surrendered. He was also informed of the imprisonment of many of them.

He concluded that even the greatest among them would not be able to expose the horror of what such authority was committing. What happened to Ibn ‘Afif al-Azdi underscores this reality which any clear conscience supports.

The Father of the Oppressed also knew that the ladies who were born in the Message were used to persevere during the time of calamity and when facing hardships, and difficulties, with hearts more firm than the mountains. They did not neglect, even under the most adverse of situations, to expose to the public the lies and falsehood resulting from what those misleading rulers were promoting as well as their ultimate goal of undermining the creed.

They rose with their Imam who sacrificed himself for the sake of the right creed only to bring theShari’a of his grandfather, the Prophet (S), back to life.

Even while their hearts were on fire on account of the tragedy, and even when calamities plunged them into the deepest depression, the wise ladies belonging to the family of the Prophet (S) were largely prepared for revenge and for defending the sanctity of the creed.

Among them is [Zainab] the wise lady and daughter of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), peace of Allah be upon her, who was not deterred by captivity or by the humiliation of exile, or by losing dear ones, or even by her enemy rejoicing at her misfortune, or by the wailing of the widows, the cries of the children, the moaning of the sick.

She often spoke out her mind to those ruffians even when she was between their claws and fangs, without stuttering a bit, hurling words like thunderbolts at their assembly. She, for example, stood before Marjana's son, the ill-begotten tyrant, the defenseless lady that she was, having none with her to protect her nor any of her family's men except the Imam's wali [Zain al-’Abidin] who was exhausted by sickness, in addition to women seeking refuge in her shadow, complaining, weeping, and children filled with the pain of thirst, and young ladies severely beset, while the severed head of the Imam (‘a) and those of his supporters and kinsfolk were all in front of her as the limbs were left in the desert for the sun to incinerate.

Even a single one of such calamities would overpower and shatter the mind of anyone.

Yet the daughter of Hayder (‘a) maintained a great deal of self-restraint and self-composure, so she delivered her speech as though she had been her

father, a speech which was more forceful than the fiercest arrow, rendering the son of Marjana speechless as she said,

“These are people whom Allah decreed to be killed; so they came out welcoming their destiny. Allah will gather you and them, and arguments will be lodged against you, and you will be disputed; so, see whose lot will be the crack of the fire, may your mother lose you, O son of Marjana.”

She made it clear for those who were unaware of his malice and meanness that he would never be able to wash away the shame and infamy of what he had committed. She baffled the minds and amazed everyone when she delivered another speech at Kufa's cemetery where people were confused, weeping, not knowing what to do.

Said she, “How can the shame and infamy of their killing the son of the Prophet, the substance of the Message, and the Master of the Youths of Paradise, ever be washed away from them? May their endeavour be rendered futile! May their hands perish! May their bargain be a loss, and may they be exposed to shame in the hereafter! Surely Allah's retribution is greater, had they only known.”

Having finished her speech, she was succeeded by [her younger niece] Fatima daughter of al-Husayn (‘a) who spoke eloquently while remaining unruffled, calm [the child that she was]. Her speech acted like spears that pierced the hearts.

People could not help raising their voice as they wept, and they came to realize the extent of the tragedy and the pain it inflicted. They said to her,“Suffices you what you have said, O daughter of the pure ones, for you have certainly burnt our hearts and slit our throats!”

She hardly finished when Umm Kulthum, Zainab daughter of ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib (‘a), spoke [again]. Zainab described the horror which those misled people had committed, whereupon everyone present wailed and cried, and nobody had ever witnessed more crying and weeping.227

One wonders whether anyone can deliver a speech under such a most grave situation, when one is surrounded by the swords of the oppressors, no matter how strong his tribe may be. Yet who else besides the daughters of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) could publicly expose the sins committed by the son of Hind and the son of Marjana?

Heavy burdens were placed on the tongues, and fear filled everyone's heart.

Yet all of this is looked upon as abominable had its benefits only been worldly and its motives the doing of one's insinuating self. But if it benefits the religion, such as clearing the faith introduced by the Messenger of Allah (S) from any falsehood that those adversaries had attached to it, there will be no ugliness in it according to reason and custom, and it is supported by theShari’a .

Allah has exempted women from wagingjihad and confronting the enemies, and Allah Almighty has required them to stay at home.

Yet such is the case when a confrontation like this is undertaken by the men. But when such an obligation is removed from them in a confrontational way from which they should refrain, the foundations of theShari’a will be undermined, and the sacrifice of those elite ones will be cleared from any falsehood, women will then be required to do just that.

It is for this reason that the Head of the Women of the World, Fatima al-Zahra’, peace be upon her, stood to defend Allah's supreme caliphate after the oath of allegiance had been sworn to someone else other than to the master of wasis [her husband, Imam ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a), who was thus forcibly distanced from the political process], so she delivered a speech at the Mosque of the Prophet (S) which was very eloquent and which was witnessed by a large crowd of the Muhajirun and the Ansar.

But al-Husayn (‘a) had already been informed by his grandfather, al-Amin (S), that those folks, although they would have attained their goal, and although they would go to extremes in their villainy, they would not harm the women.

This is clear from a statement made by al-Husayn (‘a) in which he said to those women at the final farewell hour, “Put on your outer mantles and get ready for the test, and be informed that Allah will protect and safeguard you, and that He will save you from the evil of your adversaries and render the outcome of your cause righteousness.

He will torment your adversaries with all norms of torture, and He will compensate you for going through such a calamity with numerous types of blessings and graces. So, do not complain, and do not utter that which may demean your status.”

We can say all of this even if the master of the martyrs (‘a) had not been the Imam. But in the case of submitting to the encompassing knowledge of the Imam, the knowledge of what was and of what will be, and his marching as directed by the best realistic interests, and his being infallible in everything he says and does, and it is the truth which cannot be refuted that we are bound to submit that all the divine wisdom he undertook and the divine interests are beyond any doubt..., we have to do nothing but to believe in all his actions without being bound by reason to know the interests served thereby. The same can be said about anything with which adults are obligated.

The servants of Allah are not required except to submit and surrender to their Lord without knowing the underlying motives behind what He orders them to do. The same case is applicable to the slaves with their masters. Reason does not require a slave to do anything more than obeying his master whenever the latter bids or forbids him.

 ‘Alawides Revolutions

One of the products of that sacred uprising and clear victory was a transformation in the outlook of the ‘Alawides, in their lineage and creed, and in that of those who developed some norm of attachment to Muhammad's Progeny, even when one concealed the opposite of what he revealed.

All of these were relentless in propagating the rightful cause, in weakening the government of falsehood, and in reminding the nation that there was a right that belonged to Muhammad's Progeny and which was usurped, and that they were obligated to sever the hand that usurped it, hence those successive revolutions that brought a fresh hope to the hearts and to the desire to research the true guidance in order to find out where the truth lies.

The nation used to think that it was not possible to rise in the face of those who controlled its fate, and who ruled the Muslims, because of their might, and that to challenge the cruel authority would be futile; rather, theShari’a prohibits anyone from tragically throwing himself in the pitfalls of perdition without gaining anything.

But the master of dignity and self-esteem, the Master of the Youths of Paradise, inspired the people who cared about the religion at theTaff incident with a loud scream to reject such an attitude, a scream the echo of which can still be heard by generations after generations. He called for theShari’a mandating a revolution against every oppressor in the absence of any other means to subdue him.

Such is the level of conviction of those who make the attainment of restitution the motto of their revolution. So they will either score a victory, or their successors will, till the hopes are transformed into a glorious victory.

This is what we witness from the succession of revolutions that were the outcome of the Umayyads playing havoc with the pureShari’a , hence al-Mukhtar's call for revenge for the wronged and the persecuted progeny of Muhammad (S).

Zayd Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn (‘a) and his son Yahya stood to earn the pleasure of the progeny of Muhammad (S), and the remnant of the Hashemites demonstrated their denunciation of the oppressive rulers, leaping like lions to put an end to the sweeping torrent of misguidance.

If you contemplate on the biography of the Infallible descendants of the Messenger of Allah (S) and what the Master, Praise to Him, has bestowed upon them by making them the means to remove the thorns of abomination, and by their being the means to guide His servants to what is exemplary, you will clearly see their desire, peace be upon them, for waging such bloody brawls, aiming thereby to remind the nation of their being the most worthy of the post of successors of the holiest Messenger (S).

Anyone who foils their attempts to attain what belongs to them, that which the Creator, Praised is His Name, had allotted to them, deviates from the right path. Such an understanding is conceived and discussed because of such revolutions in various lands so that the argument against the nation will be completed. Nobody will then seek an excuse of being ignorant about the Imams appointed by the greatest Prophet (S).

If we come across statements made by some of the Imams of guidance denouncing or dissociating themselves from the ‘Alawides or others who revolted against oppressive rulers, it is only on account of the taqiyya, a safeguard against the schemes of the oppressive authority, so that such revolutions will not be attributed to them, for they would then face a dreadful fate.

Yes; there have been among the revolutionaries those who used the persecution meted to Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) as a trap to hunt simpletons. [‘Abdullah] Ibn al-Zubayr, for example, used to extol the name of al-Husayn (‘a) and denounce the injustice done to him.

But when he took charge, he abandoned such a line, becoming the most bitter enemy of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, revealing what he had

hidden in his chest. He, therefore, suspended [the custom of] blessing the Prophet (S) for full forty Jum’as. He was asked about his reason for doing so, whereupon he answered by saying,

“His Ahl al-Bayt are evil; whenever I mention his name, they become excited, and they become elated; therefore, I hated to bring happiness to their hearts by mentioning his name.”228

He was in reality encouraged to do so by Mu’awiyah. The latter heard the caller to the prayers reciting the kalima (which, of course, contains the name of Muhammad [S] as the Messenger of Allah), whereupon he commented by saying,“This brother of Banu Hashim yells his name five times a day saying, ‘AsHadu anna Muhammadan rasool-Allah' What deed can survive with something like this, may you lose your mother? By Allah, only burying it will, only burying it will.” 229

When al-Ma'mun heard about this incident, he issued his orders to all regions to curse the Prophet (S) from the pulpits, but people thought that that was monstrous, indeed, and there was a great deal of uproar among the people, so much so that he was advised to withdraw his orders, which he did.230

The ‘Abbasides pretended to express their love for al-Husayn (‘a), filling the air with their shouts denouncing the atrocities committed against the family of Muhammad (S) during theTaff Battle. Having attained their goal, however, they turned against Muhammad's family, wiping them from the face of earth.

Musa Ibn ‘Eisa, the ‘Abbaside (general) who commanded the assault at Fakhkh, said,“Had the Prophet opposed us, we would have struck his nose with the sword.” 231

These and their likes are the ones from whom one's conscience is detached. They will never be protected against the Almighty's wrath although the nation benefitted from their eradication of its enemies who belonged to the offspring of Harb and Umayyah.

Harb's sons coveted to see

In him submission to force and oppression,

They tried to hunt his valiant heroes

Like birds they shook off humiliation and flew.

They wished to forcibly drag him into disgrace,

Though to dignity he was accustomed and to grace.

How could he swear and submit

To filth only for fear of death?

He refused, hence the event that

Shook the world in awe and in fright.

So he came in an army and marched

Against hosts that filled the plains,

He and lions from ‘Amr, exalted ones

Wearing for the brawl steadfastness.

They dealt blows in a desert where

Death became in the morrow their mark

So they exalted justice and were spent

Pure in honour, clean of filth they went.

They sacrificed souls great and precious

Too dignified to please the lowly ones.232