The Habib of Husayn ('A)

Who is Habib? Habib was a childhood friend of Husayn. He didn't get to know Husayn later on, as an adult. From the time he was a child, Habib was in love with Husayn. The arbab of 'aza' say that one day when Rasul Allah was sitting on the mimbar and he saw some children playing, he said to one of his as-hab, "Go bring me that boy there, the son of Madhahir".

And the man brought Habib to Rasul Allah and Rasul Allah took Habib in his arms. He hugged him and he kissed him. And the as-hab said, "Ya Rasul Allah, why? Why the special treatment with the son of Madhahir?" He said, "You did not see what I saw." "What did you see ya Rasul Allah?" He said, "This boy is truly the Habib of my Husayn. I saw that whenever Husayn was walking, Habib was taking the dust from his feet and wiping it on his head. This young boy is the Habib of my Husayn." You can imagine the love of Habib.

When Habib came to Karbala, he was an old man. He said to Imam Husayn, "Aba Abdillah, when I see you, I feel young. I feel like a youth, I feel filled with energy and zeal, I want to do jihad. This is what Husayn was to Habib.

And the books of Maqtal said that when they would come to the land of Karbala and they saw that there is a small qafeela of Husayn in the middle of the desert, they would gallop their horses with speed and force and pound their feet the hooves of the horses on the ground, just to scare the children of Husayn, to frighten the children and the women. And every time these troops would come, beating drums and charging their horses, the children would cry. And at one point, Umm al-Mas'ib, Zaynab, alayha as-salam, came to Husayn, "My brother, Husayn, all these troops coming, one after another, one after another. Do you not have any Habib who can come to our help? Do you not know anyone who can come to our rescue?"

But Husayn had Habib. "Yes, I have a Habib, I will write to him." He wrote a letter and sent it with a messenger. Kufa was in a state of fear. There was a curfew in Kufa. When this messenger came to Kufa, Habib was having supper with his wife. The door, there was a knock on the door. Habib asked in this state of fear, "Who is it?" And the man whispered: ana bareedh al-Husayn, I am the messenger of Husayn." Habib opened the door. He took the letter. The messenger left.

Habib took the letter of Husayn. He placed it on his forehead. He kissed the letter, a letter from the son of Zahra'. He has remembered me. My childhood friend has remembered me. Habib opened the letter. What would the letter say? The letter said min Husayn ibn Ali ila rajulu al-faqeeh Habib ibn al-Mudhahir. From Husayn ibn Ali to the erudite, to the learned Habib ibn al-Mudhahir. Oh Habib, I have been surrounded in the desert of Karbala. Oh Habib, I need your help. Come to me oh Habib al-'ajal, al-'ajal.

Habib begin weeping. His wife came to him, oh Habib, what is it that is making you weep? He said, I have received a letter from Husayn. She said, What does the letter say? She says. He said the letter. Husayn has called me for help. Husayn has been surrounded by enemies. Husayn wants me to go and help him, his wife said, or Habib then, what are you thinking? He said, I am thinking about you. What will become of you if I go?

As his wife stood up and said, oh Habib, the son of Zahra is calling you, the son of Mustafa is surrounded and you are concerned about me! Oh Habib by Allah, if you do not go, I will go and help Husayn. Habib was pleased with his wife. Habib said to his servant, Take my horse and wait on the outskirts of Kufa. There is fear in Kufa. I will come to you in the middle of the night. Habib prepared himself. Habib bid farewell to his wife. He left in the middle of the night and went towards his servant, waiting with his horse. Habib was delayed in getting to his horse.

When he came to the horse, he found his servant holding the horse and weeping and talking to the horse and saying, Oh, horse, my master is late and coming by Allah, if he does not show up, I will go and you will go to Karbala and help Husayn. This man was a slave. He did not have to do jihad. Habib heard this. He was pleased with the slave. He said, I have freed you for the sake of Allah. The men said, if you have freed me, then I also wish to come to Karbala. Habib took his slave with him and headed towards Karbala.

As Habib was going towards Karbala the books of 'Azaa' tell us that Imam Husayn was preparing alams and banners for his commanders that would fight on the day of Ashura. Husayn prepared 12 rayat, 12 banners for the day of Ashura. He gave 11 to different individuals. He kept one beautiful 'alam the side. His as-hab kept asking him oh Husayn, for whom is this 'alam? For whom is this raya? He said, Wait, you will see. This is for my Habib. I am waiting for my Habib. When Habib showed up in Karbala, there was rejoicing amongst the as-hab of Husayn they were delighted to see such a great man. A commander in his own right has come to join them.

Zaynab heard the voices of rejoicing on the camp. This was a different thing, she sent Fidhdha go and see why have the heart of my brother started talking so loudly with such happiness and rejoicing. Fidhdha went and came back. She said, Oh, Zaynab, oh Sayyidati, Habib has come from Kufa. She sent her again. She said, Oh Fidhdha, go and give him my salam.

When Fidhdha came to Habib and said, Oh Habib, the daughter of Ali sends you salams. Habib begins slapping himself on the face and said, alas, such times before the noowa Ahlul Bayt. The daughter of Ali should send salams to a servant like Habib!

Ya Husayn!