Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Who is Habib? Habib was a childhood friend of Hussain (as). He didn't get to know Hussain
(as) later on as an adult. From the time he was a child, Habib was in love with Hussain
(as). The Arbab of Aza say, that one day, when Rasulullah (pbuh&hp) was sitting on the
mimbar, and he saw some children playing, he said to one of his Ashab (companions):
"Go bring me that boy there, the son of Muzahir." And the man brought Habib to Rasulullah (pbuh&hp),
and Rasulullah (pbuh&hp) took Habib in his arms, he hugged him and he kissed him, and
the Ashab (companions) said "Ya Rasulullah, why, why this special treatment with the son
of Muzahir?", he said "You did not see what I saw." "What did you see O' Rasulullah?"
he said "This boy is truly the habib of my Hussain(as). I saw that where ever Hussain(as)
was walking, Habib was taking the dust from his feet and wiping it on his head. This young
boy is the habib of my Hussain(as)." You can imagine the love of Habib. When Habib came
to Karbala, he was an old man, he said to Imam Hussain(as), "Aba Abdillah, when I see
you, I feel young, I feel like a youth, I feel filled with energy and zeal I want to
do jihad." This is what Hussain (as) was to Habib. And the books on Ashura say, that when
they come to the land of Karbala, and they saw that there is a small caravan of Hussain(as)
in the middle of the desert, they would gallop their horses with speed and force and pound
the hooves of the horses on the ground just to scare the children of Imam Hussain(as),
to frighten the children and the woman. And every time these troops would come, beating
drums and charging the horses, the children would cry. And at one point, Umm Al Musaib
(the mother of calamities), Zaynab (as) came to Hussain (as), "My brother Hussain(as),
all these troops coming one after another, one after another, do you not have any habib
who can come to our help, do you not know anyone who can come to our rescue?" Thus Hussain
had Habib, "Yes I have a Habib, I will write to him." He wrote a letter and sent it with
a messenger. Kufa was in a state of fear, there was curfew in Kufa. When this messenger
came to Kufa, Habib was having super with his wife. The door, there was a knock on the
door. Habib asked in this state of fear: "Who is it?" And a man whispered "Ana bareed Al-Hussain",
I am the messenger of Hussain(as). Habib opened the door, he took the letter, the messenger
left, Habib took the letter of Hussain(as), he placed it on his forehead, he kissed the
letter, "A letter from the son of Zahraa'(as), he has remembered me, my childhood friend
has remembered me!" Habib opened the letter, what would the letter say? The letter said
"Min Hussain(as) Ibn Ali(as) ila Rajulah Al Fakih Habib Ibn Muzahir, from Hussain(as)
Ibn Ali(as) to the lineage Habib Ibn Muzahir. O' Habib, I have been surrounded in the desert
of Karbala, O' Habib I need your help, come to me O' Habib, Al Ajal Al Ajal." Habib began
weeping, his wife came to him: "O' Habib, what is it that is making you weep?" He said
"I have received a letter from Hussain(as)." She said: "What does the letter say?" She
says, He said: "The letter Hussain(as) has called me for help. Hussain(as) has been surrounded
by enemies, Hussain(as) wants me to go and help him, his wife said: "O'Habib then what
are you thinking?" He said: "I am thinking about you, what will become of you if I go?"
Thus his wife stood up and said, "O'Habib, the son of Zahraa'(as) is calling you, the
son of Mustapha(pbuh&hp) is surrounded don't you be concerned about me, O'Habib, by Allah(swt)
if you do not go I will go and help Hussain(as). Habib was pleased with his wife, Habib said
to his servant: "Take my horse and wait in the outskirts of Kufa, there is fear in Kufa,
I will come to you in the middle of the night." Habib prepared himself, Habib bed farewell
to his wife. He left in the middle of the night and went towards his servant waiting
with his horse. Habib was delayed when getting to his horse. When he came to the horse, he
found his servant holding the horse and weeping and talking to the horse and saying O horse,
my master is late in coming, by Allah(swt) if he does not show up, I will go and you
will go to Karbala and help Hussain(as). This man was a slave, he did not have to do jihad,
Habib heard this, he was pleased with his slave, he said: "I have freed you for the
sake of Allah(swt)" The man said: "If you have freed me then I also wish to come to
Karbala." Habib took his slave with him and headed towards Karbala. As Habib was going
towards Karbala, the books of Ashura tell us, that Imam Hussain(as) was preparing alams
and banners for his commanders that would fight on the day of Ashuraa'. Hussain(as)
prepared 12 rayat, 12 banners for the day of Ashuraa', he gave 11 to different individuals,
he kept one beautiful alam on the side. His Ashab (companions) kept asking him: " O' Hussain,
for whom is this alam? For whom is this rayat?" He said: "Wait you will see, this is for my
Habib. I am waiting for my Habib." When Habib showed up in Karbala, there was rejoice in
amongst the Ashab (companions) of Hussain(as). They were delighted to see such a great man,
a commander in his own rite has come to join them. Zaynab (as) heard the voices of rejoicing
on the camp. This was a different thing. She sent Fitha off, "Fitha go and see, why have
the Ashab (companions) of my brother started talking so loudly with such happiness and
rejoicing." Fitha went and came back, she said: "O' Zaynab, O' Sayidati, Habib has come
from Kufa". She sent her again, she said: "O'Fitha, go and give him my salams!" When
Fitha came to Habib and said: "O' Habib, the daughter of Ali(as) sends you salams." Habib
began slapping himself on the face and said: "Alas, sick times have befallen on AhlulBayt(as),
the daughter of Ali(as) should send salams to a servant like Habib.."