Muslim b. Awsaja al-Asadi
| Muslim b. Awsaja al-Asadi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | ابوحَجَل مسلم بن عوسجه الأسدی |
| Full Name | Muslim b. Awsaja al-Asadi |
| Companion of | Prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali, Imam al-Hussain |
| Teknonym | Abu Hajal |
| Religious Affiliation | Shi'a |
| Lineage | Banu Asad |
| Death/Martyrdom | 61/680 |
| Cause ofDeath/Martyrdom | Martyrdom in the Battle of Karbala |
| Burial Place | Holy shrine of Imam Hussain, Karbala, Iraq |
| Activities | Being one of sahaba and narrating hadith from the Prophet, participating in the Battle of Karbala |
Muslim b. Awsaja al-Asadi was a sincere friend of ahl al-bayt and the first one among the companions of Imam Hussain to attain martyrdom on the day of Ashura. He was also a companion of Prophet and Imam Ali.
Lineage
Abu Hajal, Muslim b. Awsaja b. Sa'd was from the tribe of Banu Asad, Kufa.[1] He was a companion of Prophet Muhammad who met the Prophet in his life time and narrated hadith form him[2] and also a companion of Imam Ali[3] and Imam Hussain.
In Kufa
According to some sources, the first place where Muslim b. Aqil resided upon his arrival in Kufa was the house of Muslim b. Awsaja's house.[4] People gathered there to take oath of allegiance.[5] They swore to Allah they would defend Imam Hussain to their last breath. They sent letters to Imam Hussain about the allegiance of people. Then Imam Hussain left Mecca to Kufa.
The spy of Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, Ma'qil, met Muslim ibn Awsaja al-Asadi in the mosque. Ma'qil told Muslim ibn Awsaja that he was a friend and follower of the Ahl al-Bayt and that having heard that Muslim b. Aqil was in Kufa as the Ambassador of Imam Hussain, he was desirous of meeting and paying his allegiance to Imam Hussain at the hands of Muslim ibn Aqil. Ma'qil told Muslim ibn Awsaja that he was carrying three thousand Dirhams to be given to Imam Hussain through Muslim ibn Aqil. The ruse worked and Muslim Ibn Awsaja, after extracting promises of secrecy, took Ma'qil to Hani’s house. Ma'qil met Muslim ibn Aqil and handed over the bag of coins to his (Muslim) treasurer Abu Thumama. Ma'qil then returned to the palace to inform Ibn Ziyad that Muslim was staying with Hani. After Hani b. Urwa was arrested, Muslim b. Aqil chose commanders for his army in order to organize the soldiers; he assigned Muslim b. Awsaja as the commander of Banu Asad and Madhhij.[6]
Following the arrest and martyrdom of Hani b. Urwa and Muslim b. Aqil, Muslim b. Awsaja decided to hide in a safe house. Then after the arrival of Imam Hussain, he joined Imam's army with his family in Karbala. [7]
In Karbala
Muslim b. Awsaja's wife and children attended the Battle of Karbala.
At the night before Ashura, when Imam Hussain told his soldiers: "you are allowed to leave Karbala and your promises and oath of allegiance have served well so far, you are not obligated to stay for the battle." Then, some companions declared their loyalty to Imam Hussain over again. After the descendants of Banu Hashim, Muslim b. Awsaja was the first one who said:
"Oh, Abu Abd Allah! We would never leave you alone. How is it possible to bring excuses to Allah? O, by Allah, never! We will never leave you alone; I will never give up; I will slay the enemies with my spear and sword until it drops on the ground; then I stone them. By Allah, I would never leave you alone until I fulfill my duties to Allah and defend the descendants of Prophet Muhammad. O, by Allah, if I am perished, I would reborn, and then if I am burnt and turned into ashes, I would reborn; and if it happens seventy times I would reborn and fight for you until I am martyred for you. I would never leave you as I know I will be perished once. Consequently, eternal prosperity and dignity would be mine."[8]
Imam Hussain expressed gratitude to each one of them and returned his tent.
The Day of Ashura
Imam Hussain and his soldiers dug a trench around the rear part of their tent and set fire inside it. After seeing the flaming fire, Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan shouted: "O Hussain! You are preparing fire of this world for yourself before the judgment day?! "
Imam Hussain replied: "Who is that man? Is he Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan?"
Then Imam referred to Sura Maryam, verse 70 and said: "O goatherd boy! You deserve flames of Hell! "
Then Muslim b. Awsaja was ready to kill Shimr with an arrow and asked for Imam Hussain's permission; however Imam rejected his request and said: "I do not want to commence the battle."[9]
Martyrdom
Muslim fought valiantly in the battle of Karbala, while reciting the following Rajaz: “If you inquire about me, (know that) I am a male Lion, (I am) from the chiefs and notables of the branch of Bani Asad, thus the one who oppresses us has deviated from the Right Path and from the Religion of the Self Sufficient, Omnipotent (Lord).” Muslim b. Awsaja had numerous injuries and he was bleeding heavily, then he fell on the ground. Imam Hussain and Habib b. Muzahir came by his side. Imam said: "May God have mercy on your soul".
Then he recited the verse: "some have completed their vow to (the extreme) and some still wait, but they have never changed (their determination) in the past."[10]
Then Habib b. Muzahir said to him: "your loss is hardly tolerable to me, but I give glad tidings to you on Paradise".
Muslim b. Awsaja replied with difficulties: "May God send his blessing on you."
Habib replied: "I wish I could carry out what you desire as your will."
Muslim replied: "I advise you to defend him (Imam Hussain ) to your last breath and never give up trying".
And Habib replied: "I accomplish what you desire and I will make you delighted."[11]
According to Ziarat al-Shuhada, Muslim b. Awsaja was the first one who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala.[12] And Imam Hussain promised him salvation by the name of Allah. While those who participated in the martyrdom of Muslim b. Awsaja are cursed by Imam Hussain .[13]
The murderers of Muslim bin Awsaja were Muslim bin Abdullah Zababi and Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Khushkara al-Bajali.
Source
References
- ↑ Ḥusaynī Tehrānī, Maʿādshināsī, vol. 2, p. 319.
- ↑ Abī Mikhnaf, Maqtal al-Ḥusayn, p. 136-138.
- ↑ Maḥallātī, Fursān al-hayjāʾ, vol. 2, p. 155.
- ↑ Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya, vol. 8, p. 152.
- ↑ Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya, vol. 8, p. 163.
- ↑ Qarashī, Mawsūʿat sīrat Ahl al-Bayt, vol. 13, p. 380.
- ↑ Samāwī, Ibṣār al-ʿayn, p. 137.
- ↑ Muḥammadī Rayshahrī, Dānishnāma-yi Imām Ḥusayn bar pāya-yi Qurʾān wa ḥadīth, vol. 6, p. 20.
- ↑ Mufīd, al-Irshād, p. 449.
- ↑ Qurʾan 33:23.
- ↑ Sayyid b. Ṭāwūs, al-Luhūf fī qatlā l-ṭufūf, p. 133.
- ↑ Abī Mikhnaf, Waqʿat al-Ṭaff, p. 225.
- ↑ Ibn Ṭāwūs, Iqbāl al-aʿmāl, p. 50.