The companions of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) in Karbala
Abu Thumama Sa’idi (Sa’idawi)
Umar ibn Abdullah, known as Abu Thumama, was a prominent figure among the Shi’a in Kufa, known for his bravery and expertise in weaponry. When Muslim ibn Aqil arrived in Kufa to seek allegiance from the people, Abu Thumama was appointed responsible for receiving financial assistance and procuring weapons. After the dispersal of the people who had gathered around Muslim ibn Aqil and before the start of the battle of Karbala, Abu Thumama made his way from Kufa to Karbala and joined the ranks of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). It is narrated that on the day of Ashura, near noon, he approached Imam Hussain and said to him, “I am willing to sacrifice my life for you. The enemies are approaching us moment by moment. I wish to hinder their advance towards you, even if I am killed in the process. But before martyrdom, I want to pray the noon prayer with you.” Imam Hussain looked up at the sky and said, “You have reminded us of prayer; may God make you among the sincere worshippers.” Abu Thumama and others then stood for prayer with Imam Hussain. After the prayer, he went to the battlefield and attained martyrdom.
Amr ibn Qurzah Ansari
Qurzah Ansari was one of the loyal companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family. He participated in the Battle of Uhud and defended the nascent Islamic school. After the passing of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, he settled in Kufa and actively engaged in jihad alongside Amir al-Mu’minin Ali, peace be upon him, in the battles of Jamal, Siffin, and Nahrawan. Qurzah Ansari had a son named Amr, who accompanied Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, in Karbala and took upon himself the responsibility of protecting the Imam’s life. He willingly sacrificed his own life, intercepting every arrow and sword aimed at Imam Hussain, peace be upon him. In the incident of the attack on Sa’d’s army, he recited the following verses:
“The Ansar forces believe that I defend the sanctity, My blow is the strike of a valiant and vigorous youth. I sacrifice my life and wealth for Hussain!”
It is narrated that when he received numerous wounds during the battle, in his final moments, he suddenly opened his eyes and asked Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, have I fulfilled the condition of loyalty?” The Imam replied, “Yes, convey my greetings to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family.”
Bukair ibn Hurr ibn Yazid Riahi
When Hurr ibn Yazid Riahi realized that Umar ibn Sa’d was determined to engage in battle with Imam Hussain, he said to his son Bakir, “My son, your father’s body cannot endure the flames of Hell. If you agree, let us go to Imam Hussain.” Bakir agreed with his father, and at an opportune moment, they disassociated themselves from Umar ibn Sa’d’s army and made their way to the camp of Imam Hussain. When Imam Ali, peace be upon him, accepted them, Harr said to his son, “Praise be to Allah, who saved us from the company of these oppressive people. Now, defend the son of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, from these unjust oppressors.” Following his father’s suggestion, he obtained permission from Imam Hussain and fought alongside Umar ibn Sa’d’s forces until attaining martyrdom. When Harr came to his son’s body, he said, “Thanks to God, He granted you martyrdom in the company of our master, Hussain, peace be upon him.”
Jaun ibn Khawiy
Jaun served Abu Dharr al-Ghifari. After the passing of Abu Dharr, he returned to Medina and served Imam Ali, peace be upon him. He was knowledgeable in weaponry and equipment repair. After the martyrdom of Ali, peace be upon him, he served Imam Hasan, peace be upon him. When the matter of Imam Hussain’s journey to Mecca arose, he accompanied him from Medina to Mecca and from there to Karbala, never parting from his side. On the day of Ashura, he came into the presence of Imam Hussain and requested permission for jihad. Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, said to him, “O Jaun, although you have always been with us, you now have permission to save yourself from the danger that threatens us.” Jun replied, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, I have been by your side during days of happiness and ease. Is it fitting for me to withdraw from you in times of hardship?” With that, he stepped onto the battlefield and valiantly gave his life in the way of God.
Muslim ibn Awsaja Asadi
Muslim ibn Awsaja was a renowned and courageous figure of his time. When Muslim ibn Aqil arrived in Kufa on behalf of Imam Hussain, Muslim ibn Awsaja served as his representative in taking allegiance from the people and collecting financial aid. It is narrated that on the night of Ashura, when Imam Hussain declared, “I have lifted my allegiance from your necks, you may depart from me,” Muslim ibn Awsaja exclaimed, “O son of the Prophet, shall we abandon you and leave? By God, I swear I will never withdraw from your service. If I am killed in your support, then revived and killed again, and my body is burned, I will still do the same and never separate from you.” After the battle with the enemy, when he fell to the ground, Habib ibn Mazahir said to him, “If I had survived after you, I would have wanted you to give me instructions to fulfill your desires. But I know that shortly I will join you.” Muslim ibn Awsaja said, “My only instruction is that you never cease to support Hussain as long as you are alive.”
Amr ibn Junadah
After Junadah ibn Harith was martyred, his wife requested their son, Amr, to defend the family’s honor, just as his father had done, as they belonged to the Prophet Muhammad’s lineage. Amr came to the presence of Imam Hussain and requested permission to go to the battlefield. Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, did not grant permission and said, “The martyrdom of your father has been very hard for your mother. If any harm befalls you, undoubtedly your mother will be more distressed.” Amr replied, “O Abu Abdullah, my mother has sent me to your presence to seek permission for battle.” It is narrated that when this young man attained martyrdom, the enemy severed his head from his body and threw it towards his mother, who was watching the battle. That devoted mother lifted his head from the ground, wiped the blood from his face, and said, “O light of my eyes, O tranquility of my heart, well done for fulfilling your duty.” Then she threw that head towards the enemy’s army and declared, “When we present something to God’s cause, we never take it back.”
Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Aqil
On the day of Ashura, after the martyrdom of all the companions of Imam Hussain, the young men of Banu Hashim prepared themselves for battle against the enemy. The first person to come forward before Imam Hussain was Abdullah ibn Muslim. When he sought permission from Imam Hussain, the Imam said, “It has not been long since the martyrdom of your father, Muslim. If you go to battle, your mother will be distressed. It is better for you to hold your mother’s hand and leave from here.” Abdullah replied, “I am willing to sacrifice my worthless and transient worldly life for the eternal life in the way of God. I request from you to accept this insignificant life of mine to be sacrificed in the path of God.” Finally, after receiving permission from Imam Hussain, he went to the battlefield and, after fighting bravely for the sake of God, attained martyrdom.
Bashr ibn Amr Hazarmi
Bashr was from Hadramaut, Yemen, and was one of the companions of Imam Hussain in Karbala. It is narrated that on the day of Ashura, when the battle intensified and he was engaged in defending Imam Hussain, he received news that his son had been captured as a prisoner at the border of Rayy. In expressing his emotions and feelings, he said, “I do not wish for my son to be taken captive while I am alive.” When Imam Hussain heard these words, he said to him, “I release you from your allegiance. You may go and save your son from captivity.” Bashr, in response to Imam’s statement, said, “O son of the Messenger of God, may my body become food for the predators of the desert if I leave you alone in this situation. By God, it is impossible for me to abandon you and your family. May my life and the lives of my family be sacrificed for you!”
Wahb ibn Wahb:
He was previously a Christian and converted to Islam by the hands of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). He, along with his mother and wife, participated in the Battle of Karbala. It is narrated that on the day of Ashura, which was about seventeen days after his marriage, his wife said to him, “Now that you are determined to defend the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) against his enemies, if you become a martyr in this path, you will surely enter Paradise. You must make a covenant with me in the presence of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) that you will not forget me on the Day of Judgment.” They both went to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his wife expressed her request in a way that deeply affected Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), and they both cried. When Wahb went to the battlefield and fought bravely, killing some of Imam Hussain’s enemies, he returned to his mother and wife and asked his mother, “Are you now pleased with me?” His mother replied, “If you don’t fight against the enemies of Imam Hussain as long as you’re alive, I will not be pleased with you.”
Qasim ibn Hasan (peace be upon him):
Qasim ibn Hasan (peace be upon him) was a young boy who insisted on seeking permission from Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) to go to the battlefield. Initially, Imam (peace be upon him) did not agree for him to go, but when he persisted excessively, he was granted permission for jihad in the way of Allah. After displaying great valor in the battlefield, he was martyred. It is narrated that when Qasim ibn Hasan (peace be upon him) went to the battlefield, he recited these verses: “If you do not recognize me, then know that I am the son of Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) and the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and this is Hussain (peace be upon him) who is now surrounded by you. May God not quench your thirst.” When Qasim fell to the ground, his uncle (Imam Hussain, peace be upon him) called him, and they immediately rushed to his side. When his head was placed in Imam Hussain’s lap, he said, “May the people who killed you be far away from God’s mercy.”
Abdullah Al-Asghar:
Abdullah Al-Asghar was another companion of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) who attained martyrdom on the day of Ashura. He was another son of Imam Hasan (peace be upon him). It is narrated that when he heard the voice of his uncle Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) calling for help and assistance in the final moments of the Battle of Ashura, he came out of the tent and headed towards the battlefield. Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) tried to stop him, but he said, “I swear by God, I will not separate from my uncle.” When he reached Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), who was being attacked by one of the enemies from behind, Abdullah raised his hand to block the sword, and as a result, his hand was severed. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) embraced Abdullah and said, “O my nephew, be patient. It won’t be long before Allah joins you with your noble forefathers, and you will find tranquility.” At that moment, an arrow was shot by one of the enemies, which caused Abdullah to attain martyrdom while in the arms of his noble uncle.
Hazrat Ali Akbar (peace be upon him)
Was born to a noble mother named Leila, the daughter of Abi Murra, in the city of Medina between the years 33 and 35 AH. He learned the principles of humanity from his father’s school and adopted the correct methods of defending the school and obeying the Imamate within the pure family. He never wavered in this matter and defended it until his last breath, remaining loyal to his Imam of the time.
On the day of Ashura, Ali Akbar was the first member of the Hashemite family to join the battlefield. After a valiant fight, he achieved martyrdom. When Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) sent him to the battlefield, he said, “O God, bear witness that I am sending a youth to fight against these oppressive people who resemble your Prophet the most in terms of character and appearance. Whenever we desired to see your Prophet, we would look at his face.”
It is reported that during the battle with the forces of Yazid, Ali Akbar would recite the following poem: “I am Ali ibn Hussain. By God, we are the most deserving of the Prophet. By God, a tyrant like Yazid shall never rule over us. I fight with my sword against you and support my father.”
Aslam ibn Amr:
Aslam was a servant who Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) freed. He was always in the service of the Imam and even his son served as the scribe for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). Aslam accompanied Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) from the beginning and never left the side of his Imam of the time.
When he was granted permission to fight against the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt, he would recite the following poem: “Amiri Hussain wa Na’mal Amir, Surur al-Fu’ad al-Bashir an-Natheer” which means “My leader is Hussain, and what a great leader he is. He is the source of joy for hearts and the bearer of glad tidings and warnings.”
When he fell valiantly on the ground after fighting, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) embraced him and placed his face against Aslam’s face. Upon witnessing this scene, Aslam smiled and said, “Who else has the honor of having the son of the Prophet place his face against theirs?” He said this and surrendered his noble soul.
Hajjaj ibn Badr Saadi:
Hajjaj was from the people of Basra and belonged to the tribe of Saad ibn Tamim. Among the letters that Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) wrote to the people of Kufa, there was a letter addressed to Mas’ud ibn Amr. In response, Mas’ud sent a letter to Hajjaj for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). In that letter, it is mentioned: “After that, O son of the daughter of the Prophet, your letter reached us, and its contents became known. We are obedient to you. God does not leave the earth without a guide to goodness and a proof of the true path. Today, you are the proof of God among the people and the trust of His existence on earth, and you are a branch from the tree of the Ahmadid existence. Come to our side, for the necks of the Banu Tamim have bent under your command, and they are more obedient than a thirsty camel entering water.”
After delivering this letter, Hajjaj remained in the entourage of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) until he attained the great blessing of martyrdom on the day of Ashura.
Aabis ibn Abi Shabib Shakiri:
Aabis was known for his bravery, eloquence, devotion, and spending nights in worship. He belonged to the tribe of Banu Shakir. This tribe was unparalleled in their sincerity and sacrifice for the cause of the leadership of Ali (peace be upon him). They were so courageous that they were called the noble Arab warriors. Aabis was among those who pledged allegiance to Muslim ibn Aqil when he came to Kufa, and later, on behalf of Muslim, he delivered a letter to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) in Mecca. During the events of Karbala, he displayed great valor alongside his comrade Shurb. The army of Kufa was unable to match his bravery in hand-to-hand combat. When Umar ibn Sa’ad witnessed his courage, he ordered his forces to rain arrows upon him. It is reported that when his head was separated from his body after his martyrdom, there were multiple claimants seeking rewards for having killed him.
Hazrat Abbas (peace be upon him)
Hazrat Abbas (peace be upon him) embodied sacrifice, loyalty, and selflessness. It is narrated that when he went to fetch water upon the command of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and after an unparalleled battle, he reached the banks of the Euphrates River. Despite his thirst, he refrained from drinking water, remembering the thirst of his brothers, children, and the sanctity of Imam Hussain’s (peace be upon him) household. When he attained martyrdom, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) came to his side and said, “Brother, now I am left without support or helper.”