The Holy Imam and his devotees performed 'Tayammum' instead...

The Holy Imam and his devotees performed 'Tayammum' instead of ' Wozu' (Ablution) and the Holy Imam offered the last congregational prayers with his devotees on earth. An Urdu poet has referred to this historic 'Namaz' (Prayer) and the ' Namazies', i.e., the supplicants in a beautiful couplet:- " Chand shar' maa'ey Chah'ray mutajalli aisay Na Imam aisa,howa Phir na musalli aisay." "Ashamed would be the Moon, faces so bright, The Imam of the kind, never did appear Nor the supplicants like these.

Husain had not even finished his prayers when a rain of arrows from the Yazidian forces began to shower on the praying Imam and his godly devotees.

It is reported that Omar Ibne Sa'd was the first to take the how in the Yazidian camp and shoot an arrow towards Husain saying: (addressing the men of his forces):- "Witness ye all that I am the first to shoot an arrow against Husain." Reporters of the event relate that along with Omar 4,000 archers in the Yazidian ranks simultaneously shot towards the Holy Imam's camp, and before the holy souls could conclude their prayers, thirty (30) of the godly ones, who were engaged in the prayer, were shot dead.

Soon after the prayer was over, the Holy Imam ordered all his faithful companions to fall in, and divided his small godly band into three flanks, i.e., the right and the left wings and the central body. Husain called his brave brother, Abbas, the Faithful and presented to him the Holy Standard of Truth and thus Abbas from that day came to be known as ' Abbas-e-Alamdar' or Abbas the Standard Bearer.

Sermon of the Holy Imam on the Day of Ashoora AT LAST WHEN it became sure that the devilish forces were bent upon a wholesale massacre, Husain spoke out aloud addressing the men of the Yazidian forces in an apostolic tune. "o' people! Do ye recognise me? By God tell me?" The reply from the enemy was: " By God, yes, We do recognise thee, Thou art the Son of the Holy Prophet." Husain again said:- " Do ye know me!

Am I not the son of the Apostle of God?" The reply was:- " Yes, we do know thee, Thou art the son of the Apostle of God." Husain said :- " Do ye know that my father is Ali-a l-Murtaza son of Abu Taleb, and my mother is Fatema Zahra, the daughter of the Apostle of Cod and my grandmother is Lady Khadija daughter of Khowailad, who was the first to embrace Islam?" The reply was:- " Yes.

It is so." Husain said: - " By Cod, tell me, is not Harnza the Chief of the Martyrs of Islam, one of my uncles?" The reply was:- " Yes.