Editing Ali Asqar ibn HussainNew

'''Ali Asqar ibn Hussain''' (d. 10 [[Muharram]] 61/ 10 October 680), commonly known as Ali al-Asqar (“younger Ali”), was [[Hussain ibn Ali|Imam Hussain]]’s youngest son. He was killed at the [[Battle of Karbala]] by an arrow shot at his throat and is commemorated annually by Shi’a community during Muharram rituals. He is the youngest martyr of the Battle of Karbala on the day of Ashura. He is given the title "Bab al-Hawa'ij".

== Birth and Martyrdom ==
His mother was Robab bint Imraʾ al-Qays b. Adi Kalbi.<ref>Tabari, p. 387; Mofid, al-Ekhtesas, Tehran, 1379/1959-60, p. 83</ref> According to various sources, he was a new-born child <ref>Yaʿqubi, II, pp. 290f.</ref>, or an infant. <ref>one-year-old in Balʿami; Tarikh, p. 268; Chronique IV, p. 43; six months in the Arabic “historical romance” of Ebn Taʾus Taʾusi, tr. F. Wüstenfeld, Der Tod des Husein ben ʿAli und die Rache, Göttingen, 1883, p. 91</ref> After trying to reach the Euphrates River, Hussain, surrounded by his enemies and badly wounded, took Abdallah in his lap. A man from the Banu Asad shot an arrow into the baby’s neck, killing him; Hussain gathered his blood in his hands, spilled it on the ground, and invoked God against the evil-doers. <ref>Tabari, II, pp. 359-60; Baḷʿami, p. 268; Chronique IV, p. 44</ref> Various later accounts confuse Abdallah b. Hussain and [[Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan|Abdallah b. Hasan]], the latter of whom was killed defending his uncle Hussain. According to Tabari <ref>II, p. 387</ref>, the Abdallah b. Hussain was killed by Hani b. Thabit Hazrami, and Abdallah b. Hasan by [[Harmala b. Kahil al-Asadi|Harmala b. Kahel]]. According to the later Persian tradition, Abdallah b. Hussain was killed by Harmala b. Kahel Azdi, who shot an arrow through the baby’s throat.<ref>Hussain Waʿez ashefi, [[Rawzat al-Shuhada]], ed. M. Ramazani, Tehran, 1341 Sh./1962, p. 343; Habib al-siar [Tehran], II, p. 55</ref> Rawzat al-Shuhada adds that the arrow also penetrated Hussain’s arm; he removed it, stanched the bleeding, and took care not to spill a drop of blood on the ground.

== Name ==
In various chronicles not concerned with [[Shiʿa|Shiʿite]] tradition regarding the three sons of Hussain named Ali, there are further confusions; thus [[Ali b. al-Hussain|Ali Zayn-al-Abedin]] is sometimes called Ali Asqar instead of Ali Awsat.<ref>e.g., Dinavari, Cairo, 1330/1912, p. 256; Habib al-siar II, p. 61</ref> In Tarikh-e Qom <ref>ed. S. J. Ṭehrani, Tehran, 1313 Sh./1934, pp. 195ff.</ref> “Imam [[ʿAli Akbar|Ali Akbar]]” refers to Shahrbanuya’s son (i.e., Zayn-al-Abedin), and “Ali Asqar, the son of Layla,” to Ali Akbar; Abdallah (= Ali Asqar) is killed by an arrow in his mother’s arms.

== Commemoration and Shi’i Rituals ==
In Muharram ceremonies and commemorations, ‘Ali Asqar is represented as an innocent infant suffering unbearable thirst; his martyrdom provokes loud lamentations in the whole harem (and in Muharram assemblies). Popular iconography represents Hussain, generally riding a white stallion, holding ‘Ali Asqar in his arms before the enemy ranks; he says to them, “Oh people, even if in your opinion I am a sinner, this baby is sinless. Give him a sip of water!”.<ref>Rawzat al-Shuhada, p. 342; Habib al-siar II, p. 55</ref> Ali Asqar’s [[martyrdom]] is celebrated at length in [[Rawza-Khani]] literature <ref>e.g., Jawhari, Tufan al-bokaʾ, Tehran, n.d., pp. 254-59</ref>; in Cerulli’s collection of [[Ta'ziya|taʿziyas]], he is not specifically mentioned, though his martyrdom is represented in the majles dedicated to the death of Imam Hussain.<ref>Rossi and Bombaci, Elenco, nos. 539, 576, 583, 603/1, 699</ref> It seems that in earlier taʿziya tradition a complete [[majles]] was dedicated to ‘Ali Asqar.<ref>A. Chodzko’s collection, Cat. Bib. Nat., Supplément persan, no. 993, drame no. 23</ref> The infant’s cradle is a conspicuous element on the stage.<ref>see, e.g., the list of properties in Rossi and Bombaci, Elenco, no. 603/1</ref> ‘Ali Asqar is also represented in Muharram processions <ref>H. Massé, Croyances et coutumes persanes, Paris, 1938, I, p. 127, after S. G Wilson</ref> and celebrated in folklore. He is buried with other martyrs of Karbala near Imam Hussain’s grave.

== Bibliography ==

* See also Y. Lassy, The Muharram Mysteries among the Azerbeijan Turks of Caucasia, Helsingfors, 1916, pp. 39ff., 99, 124.

* E. Rossi and A. Bombaci, Elenco di drammi religiosi persiani (fondo mss. Vaticani Cerulli), Vatican City, 1961 (indices).

* H. ul-Ameene, Islamic Shiʿite Encyclopaedia, Beirut, 1973, IV, pp. 172ff.

* J. Calmard, Le Culte de l’Imām Ḥusayn, Etude sur la commémoration du drame de Karbaladans l’Iran pré-safavide, thesis, University of Paris III (Sorbonne), May, 1975, index and Tableau A, Tableau B. (J. Calmard).

== Source ==

* Encyclopaedia Iranica

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |[hide]

* [[Template:Companions of Imam al-Hussain|<abbr>v</abbr>]]
* [[Template talk:Companions of Imam al-Hussain|<abbr>t</abbr>]]
* <abbr>e</abbr>

Companions of [[Martyrs of Karbala]]
|-
!Died before
the Uprising
|[[Sharik b. al-A'war]]
|-
!Martyrs
|
{| class="wikitable"
!Before

Ashura
|[[Muslim b. Aqil b. Abi Talib|Muslim b. Aqil]] • [[Maytham al-Tammar]] • [[Haniʾ b. ʿUrwa al-Muradi|Hani b. Urwa]] • [[Abd Allah b. Yaqtar]] • [[Qays b. Mushir al-Saydawi|Qays b. Mushir]] • [[Umara b. Salkhab]] • [[Sulayman b. Razin]] • [[Abd al-A'la b. Yazid al-Kalbi]] • [[Hanzala b. As'ad al-Shibami|Hanzala b. Marwa]] • [[Abd Allah b. al-Harith]] • [[al-Abbas b. Ja'da]] • [[Ubayd Allah b. Amr]]
|-
![[Ashura]]
|
{| class="wikitable"
!Separated from

Army of

[[Omar Ibn Sa’d|Umar b. Sa'd]]
|[[Horr B. Yazid al-Riahi al-Yarbuʾi al-Tamimi|Al-Hurr b. Yazid al-Riyahi]] • [[Sa'd b. al-Harth al-Ansari]] • [[Abu l-Hutuf b. al-Harth al-Ansari|Abu l-Hutuf]] • [[Nu'man b. Amr]] • [[Hulas b. Amr]] • [[Bakr b. al-Tamim]] • [[Juwayn b. Malik]] • [[Yazid b. Ziyad b. Muhasir|Abu l-Sha'tha al-Kindi]] • [[Qasim b. Habib]]
|-
!First Attack
|[[Muslim b. Awsaja al-Asadi|Muslim b. Awsaja]] • [[Amr b. Khalid al-Saydawi|Amr b. Khalid]] • [[Sa'd b. Harith al-Khuza'i]] • [[Mas'ud b. al-Hajjaj]] • [[Na'im b. Ajlan]] • [[Salim b. 'Amr b. 'Abd Allah]] • [[Jundab b. Hujayr]] • [[Jabala b. Ali al-Shaybani|Jabala b. Ali]] • [[Kurdus b. Zuhayr al-Taghlibi|Kurdus b. Zuhayr]] • [[Muqsit b. Zuhayr al-Taghlibi]] • [[Qasit b. Zuhayr al-Taghlibi|Qasit b. Zuhayr]] • [[Amir b. Muslim al-Abdi|Amir b. Muslim]] • [[Umran b. Ka'b]] • [[Amr b. Dubay'a]] • [[Ammar b. Hassan]] • [[Muslim b. Kathir al-Azdi|Muslim b. Kathir]] • [[Sulayman b. Kathir]] • [[Khalid b. Amr]] • [[Qarib b. Abd Allah]] • [[Zahir b. Amr]] • [[Umm Wahb bt. Abd|Umm Wahb]] • [[Amr b. Qaraza]] • [[Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Rabb al-Ansari al-Khazraji|Abd al-Rahman al-Ansari]] • [[Yazid b. Thubayt al-Abdi al-Basri|Yazid b. Thubayt]] • [[Shabib b. Abd Allah al-Nahshali|Shabib b. Abd Allah]] • [[Mujammi' b. Abd Allah]] • [[A'idh b. Mujammi']] • [[Junada b. al-Harath]] • [[Ammar b. Abi Salama]] • [[Harith b. Nabhan|al-Harith b. Nabhal]] • [[Al-Hajjaj b. Zayd al-Sa'di]] • [[Salim (Slave of Amir b. Muslim)]] • [[Munjih b. Sahm]] • [[Sa'd (Slave of Amr b. Khalid)|Sa'd]] • [[Habbab b. Amir]] • [[al-Harith b. Nabhan]] • [[Qarib b. Abd Allah]]
|-
!Hand to Hand

Combat
|[[Nafi b. Hilal b. Jamil|Nafi' b. Hilal al-Bajali|Nafi' b. Hilal]] • [[Hanzala b. As'ad al-Shibami|Hanzala b. As'ad]] • [[Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Allah al-Arhabi]] • [[Burayr b. Khudayr al-Hamdani al-Mishraqi|Burayr b. Khudayr al-Hamdani|Burayr b. Khudayr]] • [[Habib b. Muzahir]] • [[Abd Allah b. Umayr al-Kalbi]] • [[Yahya b. Sulaym]] • [[Amr b. Muta']] • [[Unays b. Ma'qil]] • [[Qurra b. Abi Qurra]] • [[Anas b. al-Harith al-Kahili|Anas b. al-Harith]] • [[Sa'd b. Hanzala al-Tamimi|Sa'd b. Hanzala]] • [[Khalaf b. Muslim b. Awsaja]] • [[Jawn b. Huway|Jawn]] • [[Sayf b. al-Harith al-Hamdani]] • [[Malik b. Abd Allah al-Hamdani]] • [[Yazid b. al-Hussain al-Hamdani|Yazid b. Husayn al-Hamdani]] • [[Umayr b. Abd Allah]] • [[Yazid b. Maghfil]] • [[Junada b. al-Harth]] • [[Amr b. Junada al-Ansari|Amr b. Junada]] • [[Abd al-Rahman b. Uzra]] • [[Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Allah]] • [[Wahb b. Wahb]]
|-
!Defence of

[[Prayer]]
|[[Sa'id b. 'Abd Allah al-Hanafi|Sa'id b. Abd Allah al-Hanafi]]
|-
!After

the Prayer
|[[Zuhayr b. al-Qayn]] • [[Abu Thumama al-Sa'idi]] • [[Shawdhab Mawla of Shakir|Shawdhab]] • [[Al-Hajjaj b. Masruq al-Ju'fi]] • [[Bashir b. Amr al-Kindi|Bashir b. Amr]] • [[Darghama b. Malik al-Taghlibi|Darghama b. Malik]] • [[Abis b. Abi Shabib al-Shakiri|Abis]] • [[Sayf b. Malik]]
|-
![[Banu Hashim]]
|[[Abbas B. Ali B. Abu Taleb|Abbas b. Ali]] • [[Ali al-Akbar ibn al-Hussain|Ali Akbar]] • Ali al-Asghar • [[Uthman b. Ali]] • [[Abd Allah ibn Ali|Abd Allah b. Ali]] • [[Ja'far b. Ali]] • [[Muhammad b. al-Imam Ali (a)|Muhammad b. Ali]] • [[Umar b. Ali]] • [[Abu Bakr b. Ali]] • [[Abu Bakr b. al-Hasan b. Ali]] • [[Qasim b. al-Hasan|al-Qasim b. al-Hasan]] • [[Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan|Abd Allah b. al-Hasan]] • [[Awn b. Abd Allah b. Ja'far al-Tayyar|Awn b. Abd Allah]] • [[Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. Ja'far|Muhammad b. Abd Allah]] • [[Ja'far b. Aqil]] • [[Abd al-Rahman b. Aqil]] • [[Abd Allah b. Muslim b. Aqil|Abd Allah b. Muslim]] • [[Abd Allah ibn Aqil]] • [[Muhammad b. Abi Sa'id b. Aqil|Muhammad b. Abi Sa'id]]
|-
!After

Martyrdom

of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)|Imam]]

(Injured Ones)
|[[Amr b. Abd Allah al-Jundu'i]] • [[Sawwar b. Mun'im]] • [[Muwaqqa' b. Thumama]] • [[Hafhaf b. al-Muhannad]] • [[Suwayd b. Amr al-Khath'ami|Suwayd b. Amr]]
|}
|-
!After

Ashura
|[['Abd Allah b. 'Afif al-Azdi]] • [[Two Sons of Muslim b. Aqil]] • [[Durrat al-Sadaf]]
|}
|-
!Survivals
from
of Karbala
|[[Imam Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sajjad (a)|Ali b. al-Husayn (a)]] • [[Dahhak b. Abd Allah al-Mashriqi|Dahhak b. Abd Allah]] • [[al-Hasan al-Muthanna]] • [[Umar b. al-Imam al-Hasan (a)]] • [[Uqba b. Sam'an]]
|-
!Absents
in Karbala
|
{| class="wikitable"
!Among [[Companions of the Prophet (s)|Sahaba]]
|[[Abd Allah b. Ja'far b. Abi Talib|Abd Allah b. Ja'far]] • [[Abd Allah b. al-Abbas|Ibn Abbas]] • [[Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza'i]] • [[Sulaym b. Qays]] • [[al-Bara' b. Azib]] • [[Jabir b. Abd Allah al-Ansari]] • [[Abu Barza al-Aslami]] • [[Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi]] • [[al-Musayyib b. Najaba]] • [[Zayd b. Arqam]]
|-
!Among [[Tabi'un]]
|[[Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya]] • [[Al-Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi]] • [[Rifa'a b. Shaddad al-Bajali|Rifa'a b. Shaddad]] • [[al-Tirimmah b. Adi]]
|}
|-
| colspan="2" |'''[[Template:Battle of Karbala|Battle of Karbala]] / [[Template:Perpetrators of the Battle of Karbala|Perpetrators of the Battle of Karbala]]'''
|}
[[Category:Karbala Martyrs]]
[[Category:Battle of Karbala]]
[[Category:Hussain’s Followers]]
[[Category:Historical Characters]]
[[Category:Hussain’s Family]]
[[Category:Martyrs of Karbala]]
[[Category:Children of Imam Hussain]]