On the day of the Hudaibiya Treaty...

On the day of the Hudaibiya Treaty, Imam ‘Ali served the Prophet and the Muslims with water. When Uthman ibn Affan was blockaded at his house, Imam ‘Ali ordered his sons to send him water. Finally, during the battle of Siffin Imam ‘Ali allowed the other party to drink from the water which was under his control whereas, Muawiya prevented Imam ‘Ali’s army from reaching the river when it was he who had first controlled it.

Like their father, the Imams al-Hasan and al-Husayn supplicated to God for rain for people of Kufa when they were afflicted by drought. Because of the Imam’s supplication, the city of Kufa was watered with heavy rain that reurned life to it.

After all, history has not forgotten the situation when Imam al-Husayn, after he had left Medina and Mecca and directed his caravan towards Kufa, served water to people of Iraq: At the last hours of that night, Imam al-Husayn ordered his servants to fetch water as much as possible. They did although they did not know the reason.

In their way, the caravan of the Imam met the army headed by al-Hurr ibn Yazid and they were intolerably thirsty under the heat of that sun and the iron of their military uniform. Only then did the servants of Imam al-Husayn know the reason why their master had asked them to take water as much as possible.

Then the Imam (a) ordered, “Serve them with water and give their horses some.” Copying his fathers and two brothers, al-’Abbas ibn ‘Ali assumed to himself the mission of serving water and he was completely worthy of it. On every occasion and every opportunity he could seize, al-’Abbas served the others with water. On the day of Ashura even more so than ever, he undertook this mission in several situations.

On the seventh of Muharram that year, Omar ibn Saad banned the army, household, harem, and children of Imam al- Husayn from reaching the river or taking a single drop of water. This blockade continued to the tenth of Muharram. This occurred in an area in the middle of Iraq which is known of its dry weather and it was summer. Besides from all the conditions of that situation arose even more heat - heat of war, heat of swords and spears and the heat of breaths.

To fetch water in such a situation is really a heroic deed that leaves a great effect on hearts. Hence, Abu’l-Fadhl al-’Abbas won this position not only in the hearts of people but also in the sight of God who conferred upon him innumerable merits and excellences.