Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn

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Abdullah Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn ( April , 61 AH - Tenth of Muharram the 10th of October, 61 AH) was the youngest child of Husayn ibn Ali (the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Imam) and Rubab (the daughter of the chief of the Kinda Imra al-Qays tribe). He is honored by Muslims, particularly Shi'a Muslims, as the youngest martyr of the Battle of Karbala.

Life

Abdullah "Ali al-Asghar" ("Youngest Ali") ibn Husayn was born in Medina. He was one of the three sons of Husayn. The other two were Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Shia Imam, and Ali Akbar ibn Husayn, who Yazid's forces also killed in the Battle of Karbala. His sister was Sakinah bint Husayn. Ali al-Asghar was killed by Hurmala who shot an arrow which pierced his neck. According to both Shia and Sunni traditions, the arrow was three-headed, and when it hit this six-month old baby, the equilibrium of his body was not stable thus enabling the turning of his body. This is a depiction of the arrow that hit this innocent baby.

Imam Husayn's Shrine, where Ali Asghar is buried with his father

At six months of age, Ali Asghar was killed by an arrow to his neck from Yazid's army on the 10th of October 680, 10 Muharram 61 AH, which is known as Ashura. He is considered a martyr to the Shi'ah.

When most of Hussein Ibn-Ali's companions had sacrificed their lives for him, there was a cry heard. It was Hussein, who was calling for anyone to help him. He reminded his enemies that he was the Grandson of the Prophet Muhammed. The same Muhammed, who used to tell the people how much he loved Hussein and his brother Hassan. According to traditions, once when he was preaching in the popular Mosque of Medina, and when Hussein entered, he had tripped and fell because of the length of his thoub. The Prophet of God thus, left his preaching and ran to Hussein, kissed him and brought him along and showed the people how much love he had.

Ali Asgher, fell from the cradle hearing the cry of his father Hussein. Hussein Ibn-Ali was called, and when he came, he saw the thirst that was gradually killing Ali Asgher. Therefore, he asked permission of his wife who was the mother of Ali-Asgher to take him to the battle field and ask his enemies for water. Hussein introduced his son Ali-Asgher and asked water for his son. The Army of Yazid was so grieved that they began questioning their belief in Yazeed and his ruling. Ibn-Zyad, the Commander of the Army of Yazid, ordered Hurmala to kill this child.

Hussein, in seeing this, put Ali-Asgher on the ground and told them that he would not take the water and that they themselves should give this six-month old child water. Hurmala was one of the greatest archers at the time. He shot the arrow which then pierced the neck of Ali-Asgher. This arrow according to many narrations, was a three-headed arrow. When it pierced the neck of Ali-Asgher killing him, the equilibrium of his body was unstable. So much so that his body turned. This is the depiction of the weight of the three-headed arrow which was used for hunting deers.

As a result, Hussein Ibn-Ali was grieved and weeped. He did not know how to take this child of his back to his mother, narrations inform us that Hussein approached the entrance to the tent of his infants mother Rabab seven times as if he was building up the courage to face Rabab who would be runied, disraught and will never again smile, while approaching back and forth seven times narrations state Hussein recited 'Verily we are Allah’s and verily unto Him we return. We are hapy with His will and carry out His command'. Other narrations say that when Hussein finally infromed Rabab they both dug a tiny grave in the desert of Karbala with Hussein's sword and buried their six-month old baby.

When Hussein was beheaded and murdered, Ibn-Zyad announced that anyone who could bring the sever heads of all the companions of Hussein, would be rewarded. Eventually, all of Hussein's companions' severe heads were brought. Ibn Zyad questioned the head of the six-month old child Hurmala had killed. One of the people of Yazid's Army explained that he saw Hussein Ibn Ali burrying his son. Therefore, Ibn Zyad demanded that his army should go around the camp of Hussein and stabbing the ground with their swords and spears until they find the grave.

As a result, one of the soldiers found the body and beheaded Ali-Asgher's head from his body. His severe head, along with all the companions' heads was raised on spears. The ladies of Hussein who were taken prisoners were constantly reminded of their loved ones especially the wife of Hussein and the mother of the six month old Rabab.

Reverence after his death

Ali al-Asghar is buried along with his brother Ali al-Akbar with Husayn in Karbala, Iraq, which is now the most visited shrine in the world.^[1] In Muharram ceremonies and commemorations, Ali al-Asghar is represented as an innocent child suffering unbearable thirst. His death is celebrated at length in rawza-khani (recital of the Rawdat ash-Shuhada "The Paradise of the Martyrs") literature and in early ta'ziya (passion play) traditions, a complete majles was dedicated to Ali al-Asghar, with the infant's cradle a conspicuous element on the stage. Ali al-Asghar is also represented in Muharram processions and celebrated in folklore.

The tragic story of Ali al-Asghar's martyrdom has even influenced modern politics. In a June 3, 1963 speech delivered by the leader of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, at the Fayziya Madrasa in Qum, Iran, specific mention was made to Ali Asghar as part of a comparison between the Umayyads actions at Karbala and the policies implemented by the Shah against the maraji. His argument was that just as Ali Asghar had done nothing to incur the wrath of Yazid ibn Mu'awiya, similarly an eighteen year old madrasah student who had been recently killed by the Pahlavi regime had done nothing against the Shah or his government to warrant being murdered.^[2]

Notes

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