Habib bin Mazahir called out to Azraq, “Woe be to you!

Habib bin Mazahir called out to Azraq, “Woe be to you! Lift your hands off us”, but Azraq refused to do so. When the people of Bani Asad realized that they were incapable of resisting them, they returned back to their tribe. They left their place that very night fearing Umar bin Sa’ad.

Habib returned to Imam (a.s.) and apprised him of the situation and Imam said, “There is no Might and no Power except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.” Umar bin Sa’ad’s horsemen retreated back and stopped the water supply for Imam Husayn (a.s.) and his companions, and intense thirst troubled them. Imam lifted up an arrow and went behind the tent of the ladies, and measur­ing nine steps towards the West, started digging the ground.

Sweet water emerged from therein, which Imam and his companions drank and filled their water skins, then the water disappeared and was never traceable. When this news reached Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, he sent someone to Umar bin Sa’ad saying, “I have received information that Husayn digs wells and drinks from therein along with his companions? Then when this letter reach­es you, beware and try as much as possible to stop them from digging the well and drinking water.

Then pester them as was done with (Caliph) Usman bin Affan.” When this letter reached Umar bin Sa’ad, he increased his persecution upon them. Muhammad bin Talha and Ali bin Isa Irbili relate, that when thirst intensi­fied, a man from among Imam’s companions, named Yazid bin Haseen Hamadani, who was a devout man, came to Imam Husayn (a.s.) and said, “O son of the Prophet of Allah!

Permit me to go to Umar bin Sa’ad and speak to him regarding (blockage of) water, perhaps he may abstain from it.” Imam agreed and Yazid bin Haseen Hamadani came to Umar bin Sa’ad but did not salute him. Umar said, “O brother from Hamadan! Do you not consider me to be a Muslim, for you have not saluted me”? Yazid replied, “If you had been a Muslim, as you say, then you would not have come to kill the progeny of the Prophet of Allah.

Then you would not have stopped the water of Euphrates from him, his brothers, his women-folk and his family, the water, which the pigs and the wild hogs drink, so that they may perish of thirst. You do not let them partake from it and then claim that you recognize Allah and His Prophet”? Umar bin Sa’ad bowed his head (in shame) and said, “O brother from Hamadan! I am well aware that persecuting them is unlawful.