The Unwavering Legacy: Inner Beauty on the Eve of Ashura
The Loyalty of Imam Husayn's (AS) Companions
In addition to all its terrible, bitter scenes, Karbala was full of beauty as well. The presence of Imam Husayn’s (AS) companions gave them the chance to step into the battlefield one by one and make their own epic stand. Because of this, the enemy could never quietly assassinate Aba Abdillah al-Husayn (AS) — his uprising carried a beauty of its own. What follows are some glimpses of that inner beauty.
The Test of Free Will
On the night before Ashura, Imam Husayn (AS) told his companions plainly: if they stayed, they would be martyred. So he released them to go.
This is one of the most striking facts of Ashura, and one we shouldn’t pass over lightly. We shouldn’t assume, “Well, of course it was their duty to stay anyway.” No — the Imam himself said he was satisfied with them, and that they were free to leave.
The Plea of the Selfless
And yet it was the companions who pleaded to stay. Importantly, they weren’t asking for permission to rescue Imam Husayn (AS) from martyrdom, or to stop his household from being taken captive — they knew they couldn’t do either. They were asking only for the chance to sacrifice themselves alongside someone who would be martyred regardless.
Reassuring the Household
Imam Husayn (AS) then went to Lady Zaynab’s (AS) tent. Nafi’ bin Hilal overheard her ask him, “Have you tested your companions? I’m afraid they may turn their backs on us and hand you over in the middle of the fighting.”
Troubled by what he’d heard, Nafi’ went straight to Habib bin Mazahir and urged that the women’s fears be put to rest. Habib gathered all the companions, and together they declared they would stand with the Imam to the end.
They did — and that declaration carried many faces.
A Tapestry of Devotion
Abul Fadl al-Abbas (AS) stood as standard-bearer, his bond with his brother becoming one of the most remembered loyalties in this history. Ali al-Akbar (AS), said to resemble the Prophet (S) in face and manner, declared that as long as they stood on the truth, death held no fear for him.
Al-Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi — the very commander once sent to block the Imam’s path — had already crossed over before dawn, choosing, as it’s remembered, heaven over hell. Zuhayr ibn Qayn commanded the right flank with a seasoned soldier’s discipline, while the elder Muslim ibn Awsaja fought on beside Habib until his last breath.
Even Jaun bin Huwai, a freedman, asked to be counted among them, saying his blood was not too lowly to mix with the blood of the Prophet’s household.
The Unshakable Resolve of Nafi’ bin Hilal
One companion’s devotion is worth lingering on a little longer. On the eve of Ashura, Imam Husayn (AS) left the tents to study the hills and passes around the camp. Nafi’ saw him and followed quietly. The Imam noticed, and the two spoke.
“Don’t you want to slip between these two hills tonight,” the Imam asked him, “and save your life?”
Nafi’ threw himself at the Imam’s feet and begged to be allowed to stay.
The Glory of the Guardian
Karbala was a scene that revealed people’s love for the Guardian God had sent them. That love — and the Guardian’s own station — lies at the heart of the Ashura epic. The truth of Ashura is the glory of this Guardian, and the willingness of those around him to give themselves for his sake.
Reference: Shaykh Ali Reza Panahian