They helped me in many ways and made my short research trip...

They helped me in many ways and made my short research trip to India as pleasant and fruitful as possible. May God reward them all. Dr. Mahmoud Mahdavi-Damghani of Mashhad, Iran, Dr. Farideh Mahdavi-Damghani and her eminent father, Dr. Ahmad Mahdavi-Damghani (presently at Harvard University) showed great interest and encouraged me to go along with the project. I also thank my French friend Dr. Mouslim Fidahoussen and the famous Lebanese Christian literary figure, Dr.

Georges Gordak, widely renowned for his scholarship on the life of Imam ?Al? b. Ab? T?lib, for their moral support. Last but not least, I offer my most heartfelt thanks to my wife for her patience and understanding and for creating a fitting environment for the accomplishment of this task.

17 Abbreviations A./rabic b., Arabic ibn, son (of) E./nglish L./line Lit./eral(ly) Ll., lines P./ersian s.v., Latin sub verbo, under Var./iant, various 18 Permission (to fight) is given unto those upon whom war is made for they have been oppressed, and verily, to help them, God is Most Potent; Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly save that they say: ?Our Lord is God!? The Holy Quran, 22 [al-Hajj]. 39-40.

And say not of those who are slain in God's cause, ?They are dead?: nay, they are alive, but you perceive it not. The Holy Quran, 2 [al-Baqara]. 154. God loves whoever loves [Imam] al-Husain. The The place where [Imam] al-Husain is buried has been one of Paradise Gardens since he was buried therein. Imam Jafar al-Sadiq Once God wishes to do a favor to someone, He makes them love [Imam] al-Husain.

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq In a distant age and climate the tragic scene of the death of Hussain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader. Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall o f the Roman Empire The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Husain and his followers were the rigid believers of God, they illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Husain despite his minority marvels me.