MUHARRAM SERIES-7/2

MARTYRDOM OF ALI AKBAR

previous episode

Ali Akbar looked like the Prophet, in looks, in speaking and in everything else. By asking Ali Akbar to do the Azan, Husayn was sending a message to his enemy - Remember, who we are? What you are doing?

When all his companions had fought and had laid their lives in the battlefield, Husayn now asked his eighteen year old son, Ali to proceed to fight. Ali Akbar is the first martyr from the family of Banu Hashim at Karbala.

Ali who looked like the Prophet Muhammad, came out of his tent attired in Muham-mad's cloak and turban. The scene of Ali's departure from his tent has been described by eyewitness reporters from among Yazeed's army in most touching and pathetic terms, and recorded in books of history.

When his son was thus proceeding towards the battlefield, Husayn paused and pointing his finger to the heavens, said: 'Allah ! Be witness to the fact that now I am sending my son to be sacrificed who looked exactly like your Prophet in appearance, in speaking, in walking and in temperament and character. When we wanted to see your Prophet, we used to look at him.'

next episode