Abul Fadhl al-Abbas In The Eyes of Imam As-Sajjad

One day, Imam Zayn Al-'Abidin, 'Ali Ibn al-Husayn As-Sajjad [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad] was sitting, when a young boy came into the room. His name was Ubaydillah Ibn Al-Abbas. He was a son of Abu 'l-Fadhl al-Abbas Ibn Amir Al-Mu'minin. As soon as the Imam saw this young boy, the hadith says: "fa 'sta'bar". Ista'bar means he began to cry. He could no longer speak.

"Fa 'sta'bara fa qal". He then said: "ma mim yawmin ashadda 'ala Rasuli Allah". One of the days that was incredibly painful and difficult upon the Holy Messenger of Allah, was the day of Uhud, when his uncle Hamza was savagely murdered and his body was cannibalized. That was a painful day upon the heart of the Messenger of Allah. And another painful day that the Prophet witnessed was the day of Mu'ta. The day when his cousin Abdullah, when his cousin Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib was also killed. That was a very heartrending day for Rasul Allah.

"Wa lakin". But there is a day even more painful than both of these days. "Wa lakin la yawm ka yawmi 'Ashura". No day was more painful, was more heartren changed than the day of 'Ashura. "Yawmi al-Husayn hayfu 'sdalafa ilayhi thalathuna 'alfa rajul". 30,000 people marched towards Aba Abdillah Al-Husayn. "Kullun yatakarrabu ila Allahi bi damih". Each one of them was seeking nearness to God, thinking they were doing God a favour, thinking that they were doing charitable deeds, by shedding the sacred blood of the grandson of the Messenger.

"Fa wa'adahum wa nasaha hum fa mattahadu". He tried to admonish them. He tried to reason with them. He tried to give them good advice, but they refused to accept it. Then the Imam said: "rahim Allahu Al-'Abbas". May Allah bestow His mercy upon Abi 'l-Fadhl al-Abbas. "Fa qad athara wa abla', wa fada' akhahu bi nafsih".

"Athara" means for someone to really need something, and yet you give it up so that someone else could have it. But there is an even higher level than that. A sacrifice that is even more noble than that. And that is when you refuse to eat or drink or to enjoy yourself. Just because someone that you truly love cannot enjoy himself, cannot eat or drink from this. Not because you are sacrificing it so that they could have it. But even though you know they can never have it, you will know not have it.

"Fa qad athara wa abla', wa fada' akhahu bi nafsih". And he sacrificed himself for his brother. Then the Imam said, listen to this. The Imam said: "Inna 'anda Allahi, 'Azza wa Jal", in the eyes of Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, the Exalted, Merciful Lord, there is a station, "Manzilatan li 'l-'Abbas". On the Day of Judgment, 'Abbas has a station and a position in paradise. "Yaghbituhu alayha jami'u ash-Shuhada'". All the martyrs covet the position of 'Abbas. All the martyrs feel jealous from the position of 'Abbas.

Now, that statement, brothers and sisters, in itself, should give us pause.

You see, if a poor person became jealous of a rich person, well, that is not too strange, is it? If an ignorant man was jealous of a knowledgeable person, again, that is not something to be surprised if someone who has nothing covets the possessions of one who has a lot, once again, it is not a surprise. But when you have someone who is so wealthy, that the richest people in the world covet his wealth, now that is something special. When you have a scientist, a doctor who is so lofty in his position that the highest ranking doctors in the land feel jealous of him, it means there is something truly special about this man.

A Shahid, a martyr, on the Day of Judgment, there is a special gate into paradise named Babu ash-Shuhada', the Gate of Martyrs. Martyrs have the highest position in paradise. A Shahid is one who is granted the station of intercession. Martyrs can intercede for other people on the Day of Judgment. So if the martyrs, who have their own special entry into paradise, special entrance into Heaven, and if the martyrs who can intercede for others, if they covet the position of 'Abbas, that tells you all you need to know about him. "Manzilatan yaghbituhu alayha jami'u ash-Shuhada'".

Abi 'l-Fadhl al-Abbas. What kind of a man was he? And what supreme sacrifice did he make? Such that when Imam As-Sadiq teaches us to recite his Ziyarah, this is what he says: "Salamu Allahi wa salamu mala'ikatihi al-muqarrabin, wa 'ibadihi 'l-mukramin, wa al-mala'ika alayka ya 'bna Amir Al-Mu'minin". May the peace of Allah and His Messengers, but not just any Messenger. Those who have the closest stations to Allah and His Prophets and apostles. "Fi mataghtadi wa taruh". Upon you, O son of Amir Al-Mu'minin.

This is 'Abbas. This is 'Abbas. Someone said who was 'Abbas? I said, 'Abbas is 'Abbas. And that is it. What else can you say? His very name is the most noble virtue. He enshrouded himself with generosity, and nobility, and sacrifice, and kindness, and all the great and most lofty values and virtues such that 'Abbas, the word 'Abbas became a virtue in and of itself.

He was the son of Amir Al-Mu'minin. What else do you expect, right? And the son of Ummu Al-Banin, Fatimah Al-Kilabiya. What else do you expect?