MUHARRAM SERIES-7

MARTYRDOM OF ALI AKBAR

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Among the Companions of Husayn was a man named Hajjaj bin Masrooq. He was Husayn's Mu'azzin. Every time Husayn would stop at a stopping place and the time of a prayer of the day would arrive, Hajjaj bin Masrooq would recite the Azan and then Husayn would lead the prayers. This procedure continued in Makkah as well as in Karbala for eight days. When the morning of Ashoora came, Husayn did not ask Hajjaj bin Masrooq to do the Azan, instead he asked his 18 year old son, Ali, to do the Azan.

One of the great Urdu poets has captured the scene of Ali Akbar's Azan in one of his Marthiyas. Professor Matthews of London University has translated thos elines in English verse. We present here those lines of poetry for our readers:

Then suddenly the dawn's white light came in;
To lead the prayer the King came from his throne.
All stood behind the Lord of men and Jinn;
Ali Akbar called the prayer in Hasna's tone.
The eyes of everyone were filled with tears.
As if Prophet's voice fell in their ears.

The birds fell silent; trees in ecstasy
Rocked to an' fro; their buds and fruit sand praise.
The towns and deserts joined in harmony,
And ocean-beasts emerged to hear their lays.
The darling of Shabbir to all lent weight;
O'er land and sea they cried:"Our God is great.'

The women fo the King wept bitter tears;
While Bano of renown stood silently,
Zainab repeated blessings with her prayers:
'My muezzin, I give my life to thee!'
They call in praise of God; O hear their joy!
As beautiful as Joseph is my boy.

He reads from the Qur'an; what majesty!
His grandsire once for speaking held the prize.
Ah, may his voice remain eternally!
The strains of David, who was called The Wise!
Thos emelodies like petals of flower!
A nightingale chirps in the Prophet's bower.

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