“Be quiet, may God have mercy on you.

“Be quiet, may God have mercy on you.” Then he turned to Abbas bin Ali, “Brother, the enemy have come, so get ready; but [1] Ibne Athir, Tarikh 4/56 first, Abbas, you, yourself, ride out to meet them, to talk to them about what they have in mind and what appears appropriate to them and to ask about what has brought them against us.” Abbas went towards them with about twenty horsemen, among whom was Zuhair b. al-Qain. [1] “How do you see (the situation)?” he asked.

“What do you want?” “The command of the governor has arrived that we should offer you the opportunity of submitting to his authority, otherwise we must attack you,” they answered. “Do not hurry to do anything until I have gone back to Abu Abd Allah and told him what you have said,” Abbas requested. They stopped where they were and told him: “Go to him and inform him, and tell us what he says to you.” Abbas went galloping back to al Husain, peace be on him, to give him the information.

[2] Now Habib bin Mazahir addressed those men reminding them about the Hereafter and dispensed them good advice.

He said, “By Allah, the worst people to meet the Almighty Allah and His Prophet tomorrow would be those who have killed the Progeny of the Prophet and his partisans; those who spend their days and nights in Allah’s remembrance.” Azra bin Qais replied to him saying, “O Ibn Mazahir, do you claim to be purified?” Zuhair bin Qain glanced at him and said, “O son of Qais, fear Allah, and do not be of those who help misguidance and falsehood and slay the Purified Progeny of the foremost Prophet.” [3] Azra told him, “You were a follower of Uthman in our opinion, what has happened to you?” Zuhair said, “By Allah, I did not write to Husain and I did not send any messenger to him.

But I met him on the way. When I saw him I was reminded of Allah’s Messenger and I understood what disloyalty and betrayal of trust you are committing. I saw you inclined towards the material world and I decided to help him, and join his entourage so that I may defend the rights of the Messenger of Allah (s) that you have trespassed.” Abbas came to the Imam and told him what the enemy had said.

[4] “Go back to them,” he, peace be on him, said, “If you can, delay them until the morning and persuade them to keep from us during the evening. Then, perhaps, we [1] Ansaab al-Ashraaf 3/322.