Hazrat Aqeel (a.s.) was one
of the brothers of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.).
Hazrat Muslim (a.s.) was the
son of Hazrat Aqeel (a.s.). He had two sons aged about 10 and 12 years. The name
of older son was Muhammad and the younger one was Ibrahim.
There are two versions of
their whereabouts before the great tragedy of Karbala. One version states that
they were with their father Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel (a.s.) in Kufa at the time
of his martyrdom. The second version says that they were with Imam Husayn (a.s.)
in Karbala and subsequently imprisoned in Kufa. Their imprisonment in Kufa is confirmed.
They were in the prison for about a year. They underwent extreme hardships.
They were provided barley bread and one cup of water every day.
After a year, they talked to
each other and decided to disclose their identity to the jailor. When the jailor
came to know that they were from Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and belonged to the
Hashemite tribe, he apologized to them and set them free. He also gave them
some provisions and direction to go to Madina. As it was becoming dark, they
lost their way to Madina. They were tired and exhausted and approached an old
woman who was sitting outside her house and requested for shelter for the
night. When she learned that they were from the Noble Prophet’s family, she was
very kind to them. But she was worried about her son-in-law, Harith who was a
supporter of Ibne Ziyad, the governor of Kufa. Earlier, the Governor had proclaimed
that two prisoners had escaped from the prison and offered to pay two thousands
Dirham to any one who would bring the heads of the sons of Hazrat Muslim bin
Aqeel.
The two brothers slept in a
dark room. Both of them saw their father in the dream. They woke up and started
crying and sharing their dream with each other. Harith had returned home and
was sleeping when he heard the crying voices. He searched the whole house and
found them. He bound their feet together and attached to a pillar.
Next morning, Harith ordered
his slave to take them to the river, kill them and bring back their heads. The
slave refused to comply when he learned that the boys belonged with Ahlul Bayt.
He asked his son to kill them but he also refused. Finally, the tyrant took the
boys to the Euphrates River to kill them. They pleaded with him to sell them as
slaves rather than killing them. But he refused to listen. They again pleaded
with him to take them to Ibne Ziyad, and let him decide their fate. But the
cruel and greedy man would not listen. He said, “I better earn his nearness by
spilling your blood and also collect the prize money. They finally requested
permission to offer two raka’at prayers, which was granted.
After the prayer, they looked
up towards heaven and prayed, “O’ Thou Alive, O’ Thou Wise, O’ Who is the best
of all the Judges. Thou judge us and him with justice.” Then the evil man
killed the older brother first and threw his head-less body in the river, the
body waited for the younger brother. When the younger brother was also killed
and thrown his body in the river, then both the bodies swept away
simultaneously.
The man wrapped their heads
in a cloth and took it to the court of Ibne Ziyad to collect two thousands Dirham
in bounty. Their tomb is at Musaiyab, a place about 10 miles from Karbala.
It is to be noted that even
the children of Ahlul Bayt remember prayers in the face of any catastrophic
death.
It is an irony that Imam Ali at the age of about 11
years offered to help and assist the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and defend Islam at the First Feast in Islam
called “Dawat-e-ZulAshira” in Makkah, when Allah directed his Apostle to warn
his kin’s and community members. As time passed, Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Zulfiqar
saved and protected not only Islam but also the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) in
various battles e.g. Uhad, Badr, Khandaq, and Khyber, to name a few. He (a.s.)
saved the Prophet of Islam on the night of Hijra by sleeping in the Prophet’s
bed. On that night, who ever slept on that bed was sure to be killed. The
Quraish were waiting to kill the Prophet in the morning. In return for these
valiant and brave services to Islam and the Prophet of Islam, Imam Ali and his
Ahlul Bayt were made to pay dearly. This onslaught on the family of Hazrat Abu
Talib (a.s.) reached the zenith at Karbala. Allah says in Surah al-Rahman Ayah
60, “Hal Jaza-al- Ehsaan Illal Ehasn?” meaning: “Can anything else be a
response to a favor but a favor?”History narrates that instead of respecting
and loving Ahlul Bayt, the Muslims mercilessly killed, tortured and imprisoned
the Ahlul Bayt from Imam Ali (a.s.) to Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.)!
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