By: Assistant Lecturer Zainab Hameed Kazem – University of Karbala – College of Islamic Sciences – Department of Quranic Studies
Talking about the companions of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) is a discussion about men unmatched in history. They possessed an exceptional level of awareness rarely found in any time or place. These were true heroes, beyond the description of mere words. They embodied the words of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him): “Whoever is willing to sacrifice his soul for us and has resolved to meet Allah should set out with us.” They chose to die alongside Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and to defend religion over living under oppression.
They achieved the highest levels of greatness in loyalty and sacrifice for the sake of their faith. They offered their lives to protect Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), purely for the sake of Allah and out of devotion and loyalty to religion and belief. Despite their small numbers compared to the multitude of their enemies, they astonished minds and left even their enemies in awe of their courage and determination to defend truth, Imamate, and to reject tyranny and injustice. Even their enemies described their bravery and fierce determination. For example, Amr ibn Al-Hajjaj addressed his companions, saying:
“Do you know who you are fighting? You are fighting the knights of this land, men of insight, and a people ready to sacrifice themselves. None of you comes out to face them without being killed. Even if you only threw stones at them, you would kill them.”
Their fight alongside Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) was grounded in pure faith, untainted by any tribal biases or personal gains. They entered the battle fully aware they would achieve martyrdom. Their souls were convinced of dying alongside Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). He had prepared them for their destiny with these words:
“Death is written upon the children of Adam as a necklace is upon the neck of a girl, and I long to meet my forefathers as Jacob longed to meet Joseph. I see my fate unfolding before me: my body being torn apart by the wolves of the desert between Nawawis and Karbala. They will fill their bellies with my flesh and quench their thirst with my blood. There is no escape from a day written by the pen.”
They found joy in the thought of dying with Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). For instance, Burair ibn Khudayr said:
“O son of the Messenger of Allah! Allah has blessed us with the opportunity to fight for you. Let our bodies be torn apart for your sake, and let your grandfather intercede for us on the Day of Resurrection.”
Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) himself said about them:
“By Allah, I have never seen companions better than my companions.”
From this blessed group, we can draw lessons and insights on how to choose companions. Companions should be selected based on faith, and they should be close to Allah, strong in belief and conviction, encouraging and paving the way for supporting Imam Al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance). They should emulate the companions of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), seeking to avenge Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and striving to uphold justice and truth.
