Bashir b. Amr al-Kindi

Bashir b. Amr al-Hadhrami al-Kindi was a companion of Imam Hussain who was martyred at the Battle of Karbala. According to historical sources, Bashir was one of the two companions who were still alive when Imam Hussain decided to enter the battlefield. Learned about Imam's decision, Bashir asked Imam's permission to go to the battlefield before him.

Bashir b. Amr al-Kindi
Martyrs of Karbala.jpg
Native nameبَشیر(بُشر) بن عَمرو الحَضرَمی الکِندی
Full NameBashir b. Amr al-Kindi
Companion ofImam al-Hussain
LineageKinda
Death/Martyrdom61/680
Cause of
Death/Martyrdom
Martyred in the Battle of Karbala
Burial PlaceShrine of Imam Hussain,Karbala

LineageEdit

His father’s name is mentioned as Amr or Umar.[1] He was from Hadhramaut from the Kinda tribe.[2]

Accompanying Imam HussainEdit

Bashir (or Bushr) accompanied by one of his sons, Muhammad, joined Imam Hussain in Karbala. Bashir was told on the Day of Ashura that another son of his was captivated on the Rey border. He responded: “I leave his affair to God. I do not like him to be captive and me to be alive”.

When Imam Hussain heard this, he told him: “May God have His mercy to you! You are free from my allegiance. Go and try to save your son.”

Bashir replied: “May wild beasts eat me alive if I leave you alone while you have so few people on your side so that I would look for you in caravans. I will never do so”.

The Imam told him: “so give these clothes to your son, Muhammad, [who was accompanying Bashir in Karbala] to sell them in order to help free his brother”. Then the Imam gave him his precious clothes that were worth 1000 dinars.[3]

MartyrdomEdit

According to Abu Mikhnaf’s account, when Imam Hussain decided to go to the battlefield to start fighting, only two of his companions were still alive:[4] Bashir b. Amr, and Amr b. Abi Muta (or Suwayd b. Amr al-Khath'ami). When Bashir found that the Imam was preparing to go to the battlefield, he went to fight before the Imam did. So he went to the battlefield and was martyred before Imam Hussain was martyred.

He is mentioned in al-Ziarat al-Rajabiyya of Imam Hussain: “Peace be upon Bashir b. Amr al-Hadrami”. [5]

SourceEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. Muḥammadī Riyshahrī, Dānishnāmah-yi Imām al-Ḥusayn (a), vol. 6, p. 214.
  2. Samāwī, Ibṣār al-ʿayn, p. 173.
  3. Samāwī, Ibṣār al-ʿayn, p. 174
  4. Samāwī, Ibṣār al-ʿayn, p. 169.
  5. Shahīd al-Awwal, al-Mazār, p. 152.