6th Muharram : Aun O Mohammad
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Today is the 6th night of Moharram.
Our majaalis continue. lnshallah, our eyes will shed more tears for the martyrs of Karbala.
We will do more Matam-e-Hussain(a.s).
"Hussain(a.s)! Karbala! MATAM! MAJAALIS!"
When these words echo from the walls of our mosque, a lady in black hijab joins us. She is Bibi Fatemah(SA). She watches us. She cries with us. She collects our tears.
Cry! Cry for Hussain(a.s)! lnshallah, our tears will not be wasted. Our tears for Hussain(a.s) will become our weapons against the hardships in our grave and on the Day of Judgement.
Hussain(a.s) is in Karbala. He hardly has 72 men with him. They are not all grown up adults. Some of Hussain(a.s)'s men are children. Aun and Mohammed, Bibi Zainab's young sons are there. Aun is only 13 years old. Mohammed is only 11 years old.
Tonight is the night of these two children, Auno - Mohammed.
First, let us send our greetings to those mothers of Karbala who sacrificed their children for Islam. Lucky are those mothers of Karbala whose children willingly and happily sacrificed their young lives for Islam.
Tonight, let us first comfort those mothers of Karbala who were proud to sacrifice their children for Islam.
Mothers of Karbala! Mother of Auno - Mohammed, Bibi Zainab(SA); mother of Qasim, Umme Farwah; mother of Ali Akber, Umme Laila; mother of Al Asghar, Umme Rubab.
Mothers of Karbala were proud of their children. They loved their children. Of course, like any mother they had the heart of a mother. A mother loves her children the most.
"Why then, did the Mothers of Karbala let their children die in Karbala?'
THEY KNEW Hussain(a.s) WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH. THEY KNEW THEIR SACRIFICES WOULD HELP SAVE ISLAM AND US FROM THE FIRE OF HELL.
Mothers of Karbala squashed their motherly love and sacrificed their children for Hussain(a.s) - FOR ISLAM!
How can we, the Hussain(a.s), ever forget those Mothers of Karbala?
Why shouldn't we cry and do matam for the Mothers of Karbala and their children Auno - Mohammed, Qasim, Ali Akber and Ali Asghar.
Majaalis-e-Karbala will never die. Matam-e-Karbala will never die. Yazids of yesterday have failed to stop it.
Yazids of today will not be able to stop it. Yazids of tommorrow may try thousands of times to crush it, but Majaalis-e-Hussain(a.s), Matam-e-Karbala, will not die. Allah Himself has promised to keep the name of Hussain(a.s) alive till the Day of Judgement.
Let us now focus our minds on Karbala.
Days and nights of Moharram unfolded on the land of Karbala.
The night of the 9th of Moharram came. Ashura night, a very tragic night and the last night of the martyrs of Karbala.
No-one in Hussain(a.s)'s camp slept on Ashura night.
Men spent the whole night praying, reciting duas and the Holy Quran.
Mothers of Karbala were preparing their children.
The next day was Ashura day. The day of the battle of Karbala.
What were the mothers telling their children? To be careful? To hide and save their lives?
No! They were telling their children to sacrifice their lives.
They were telling them to die! Didn't they love their children? Or course they did! They had the heart of a mother. They were proud of their children. They loved their children very much. Then why were they telling their children to sacrifice their lives? To die?
Because, THEY KNEW Hussain(a.s) WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH!
Because, THEIR SACRIFICE WOULD SAVE ISLAM!
Because, ALLAH WOULD BE PLEASED WITH THEM!
Now, let us listen to what the mothers of Karbala were telling their children on the right of Ashura.
Umme Laila is with her son, Ali Akber.
"My darling son, Ali Akber, tomorrow is the day of the battle. My son, Ali Akber, remember your life is not more important than the life of your father. Your father's life will be in danger tomorrow. My darling, don't hesitate to give your life to protect your father's life."
Umme Rubab is with her baby, Ali Asghar.
"My baby Asghar, I wish you were a young man. I would have sacrificed your life to save your father's life."
Umme Farwah is with her son, Qasim.
"Qasim! My son, my darling. If your father was alive today, he would have sacrificed his life first. My daring, don't embarrass me in front of your father on the Day of Judgement. Qasim, my son, do not hesitate to sacrifice your life to protect your uncle's life.
Umme KuIthoom, Imam Hussain(a.s)'s sister, was siting alone, weeping.
Abbas, her brother, heard her crying. He came to her tent.
"My sister, Kulthoom, why are you crying? What's the matter?"
"Abbas(AS)! Tomorrow is the day of sacrifice. I have no children to sacrifice."
"My sister, Kulthoom! Don't cry. Abbas(AS) is still alive. Tomorrow I will sacrifice my life as a gift on your behalf. I will be your sacrifice,"
Bibi Zainab(SA) is with her two sons, Auno - Mohammed.
"My sons, Auno - Mohammed, tomorrow is the day of battle. Your uncle, Hussain(a.s)'s life will be in danger. My darlings, if anything happens to Uncle Hussain(a.s), while you are still alive, I will be filled with shame. My Auno - Mohammed, I will not be able to face your grandmother, Bibi Fatemah(SA), on the Day of Judgement. Please, my dearest sons, don't let me down. Be the first ones to sacrifice your lives."
Ashura came.
Ali Akber gave the Adhan. Imam Hussain(a.s) led the Fajr prayers.
The day was already very hot. The battle began.
Imam Hussain(a.s)'s army of 72 thirsty and hungry men, against 20,000 of Yazid's men.
Hur went to the battlefield and was martyred by Yazid's beasts.
One-by-one, Hussain(a.s)'s companions went to the battlefield and were killed.
Since dawn, Bibi Zainab was watching the bodies being brought to the tent - one-by-one.
She called her sons, Auno - Mohammed.
"My sons, what are you waiting for? Why have you not been to the battlefield yet? Go and fight the enemies of Islam."
"Mother, since dawn, we have been to Uncle Hussain(a.s) many times for permission to fight. He keeps refusing us. Mother, you help us. Ask Uncle Hussain(a.s) to give us permission to fight Jehad."
Bibi Zainab called her brother, Hussain(a.s), to her tent.
"Brother Hussain(a.s)! I have been like a mother to you, haven't I? Hussain(a.s), your mother is begging you to let Auno - Mohammed go to the battlefield."
"Zainab, my sister, Jehad is not wajib on children. How can I let my sister's sons be killed while I am still alive? No, Zainab(SA), no!"
"Hussain(a.s), my brother! If Ali Akber dies before Auno- Mohammed, how will I be able to face our mother on the Day of Judgement. My brother, I will be filled with shame. Please, brother! Let them go."
Hussain(a.s) saw the disappointment on Zainab's face. Her eyes were filled with tears.
Hussain(a.s) put his arms around Auno - Mohammed and led them to their horses. He kissed them and helped them mount their horses.
"Go, go and show those beastly men that you have the blood of Jaffer (AS)and Ali(AS) in your veins."
Auno - Mohammed looked at their mother and said:
"Fl AMMANI-LLAH, MOTHER! KHUDA-HAFIZ, MOTHER!"
"BISMILLAH, my sons."
Auno - Mohammed rode out on to the battlefield. They fought bravely together. They were the grandsons of Jaffer and Ali. They pushed the enemies back. Hundreds of Yazid's men were killed.
Abbas(AS) and Hussain(a.s) watched the two brothers fight so fiercely despite being thirsty for three days. Abbas(AS), who had trained Auno - Mohammed in the art of sword fighting, was filled with pride.
Umar Saad, Yazid's commander, got worried. He ordered his soldiers to separate the two brothers and then attack them from all sides.
Auno - Mohammed were separated. Each one was then surrounded by Yazid's soldiers.
The two brothers were attacked by horsemen running from one side to another. Auno - Mohammed were attacked with arrows, swords, spears and daggers from all sides.
How much can two young children, thirsty and hungry for three days take? As they fell, they called out for their uncle.
'Uncle! Came quickly! Uncle, come and help us."
Hussain(a.s) and Abbas (AS)rushed to the battlefield.
The children were severely wounded. They were taking their last breaths.
"Uncle, give our salaam to our mother. Uncle, please tell our mother that just as she had told us, we did not go towards the river".
Imam Hussain(a.s) and Abbas (AS)carried the two young bodies to the tent.
Ali Akber(AS) cried out:
My brothers, Auno - Mohammed, have been killed."
Zainab(SA) heard the cry from her tent. She did not cry. She laid her muslah and performed a sajdah.
Ya, Allah I thank you for accepting my sacrifice. Ya, Allah! I am proud of my two sons who have given their lives for Islam!"
Auno – Mohammed's bodies were laid on the floor. The ladies gathered around. They cried and did matam.
'WA AUNNA, WA MOHAMMEDA, WA AUNNA, WA MOHAMMEDA."
Zainab(SA) did not cry. She did not do matam for Auno- Mohammed.
INNA LILLAHE WA INNA ELAIHI RAJEOON!
WE ARE FROM GOD AND TO GOD WE RETURN!
SYEDA ZAINAB ABBAS.
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