When the news of the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ) reached Medina...
What have you done?” “{What did you do} with my descendants and Household after I passed away? Half of them were taken as captives while the other half was weltered in blood.” “It was not my reward for my admonition to you that you would do the worst treatment to my nearest of kin.” [^3] Among the most heartrending elegies ever recited for the martyrs of Karbala’ are the elegies of Umm al-Banin, the mother of Hadhrat Abu’l-Fadhl.
Abu’l-Faraj al-Isfahani has narrated that Umm al-Banin was holding the hand of ‘Ubayd Allah, son of Hadhrat al-‘Abbas and going to the Baqi‘ Cemetery while the people of Medina were gathering around her and weeping because of her elegies.
Even an enemy such as Marwan ibn al-Hakam used to weep with of her elegies.[^4] Umm al-Banin was thus saying: يا من رأى العباس كر على جماهير النقد وورائه من أبناء حيدر كل ليث ذي لبد انبئت أن ابنى اصيب براسه مقطوع يد ويل على شبلى اما ل براسه ضرب العمد لوكان سيفك في يد يك لمادنا منك احد I wished I saw (with my own eyes) how ‘Abbas was assaulting the groups of vile people! Behind him were the sons of Haydar (Imam ‘Ali (‘a)) standing like lions.
I have been informed that his hands have been amputated while his head has received a blow. Woe to my son whose head has received a strong blow! If your sword were in your hand, no one could have ever come near you.
[^5] When the caravan of the captives of Karbala’ was heading toward Medina and arrived near the city, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin ( ‘a ) dispatched Bashir ibn Jadhlam to Medina ahead of them, and Bashir informed the people of their arrival in the city through this poem: يا اهل يثرب لامقام لكم بها قتل الحسين فادمعى مدرار الجسم منه بكربلاء مضرّج و الرأس منه على القناة يدار O people of Yathrib! No more opportunity for you to stay there. Husayn was killed; shed your tears.
His corpse has been weltering in blood in Karbala’ and his head is placed on top of spear.