Saturday 15 June 2013

Hazrat Shahzada Qasim Ibn e Hassan asws

jashan wiladat e Shahzada Qasim ibn hassan (a.s)

 
Imam Hassanasws and Syeda Umm-e-Farwaasws were blessed with Shahzada Hazrat Qasimasws on the Seventh of Sha'aban in 47 A.H., only three years after little-oneasws‘s father were to be martyred. When Imam Hassanasws was poisoned by his wife Joudala, he gave a letter to Bibi Umm-e-Farwaasws to tie around Qasimasws’s neck and to ask him to open it under exceptionally unbearable circumstances.
Hazrat Qasimasws, though only 13 years old, had like his cousins HazratAunasws and Hazrat Muhammadasws, learnt skills of fighting from his uncle, Hazrat Abbasasws and cousin Hazrat Ali Akbarasws,Hazrat Qasimasws had so much resemblance to his father Imam Hassanasws and Prophet Mohammed that Imam Hussainasws used to look at him for the purpose of performing ‘Ziarat’ of his ancestorsasws. It was not only in looks but also in Qasimasws ‘s gentle personality and noble character.
Travel to Karbala
When Imam Hussainasws prepared to leave Madina in the month of Rajab 60 A.H. Hazrat Qasimasws’s mother Bibi Umme-e-Farwaasws asked Imam Hussainasws to take her and Qasimasws with himasws. Imam Hussainasws agreed to their request, in accordance with the will of his elder brother, Imam Hassanasws.
Wedding of Shahzada Qasimasws
Imam Hassanasws left in his will that Syed Qasimasws was to be taken as son in law by Imam Hussainasws. Unfortunately, at the time of the journey to Kufa , Shahazada Qasimasws was too young and Imam Hussainasws deferred this wedding for a later day. On the night of seventh of Moharrum, Imam Hussainasws reminded Umme-e-Farwaasws    of the will of Imam Hassanasws and asked Ahlul Baitasws to make arrangements for the wedding of Qasimasws with his daughter Syeda Fatima Kubraasws.
Imam Hussainasws selected this day and place as it was in Imamasws ‘s knowledge that there are only three days left to the day of 10th of Moharram, when shahzada Qasimasws will be martyred, his daughter will be made widow, so when the army of Yazeedla would come to plunder the tents of Ahlul Baitasws, there will only be children,widows, ill and elderly among the survivors, so they would refrain from harming them any further.
Commemoration of ‘Mehndi’1 of shahzada Qasimasws
Some historians do not agree with the occurrence of this ceremony, as being brought in by the influence of Hindu culture when Shias migrated to Indian sub-continent, without any reference from the Arabic rituals. However, an answer to this argument is that in order to commemorate any occasion, one needs to recreate the environment of the past, putting up important features in symbolically, e.g., Zuljinnah, Alam, Taboot etc, these are not the actual horse, Alam or taboot of Molaasws but replica of the originals, basically to visuallize the actual historical occurrence of the grief and pain of the events of Karbala. Thus creating things to remember the Mehndi of shahzada Qasimasws is also one of ‘Shair-Allah’ (Holy Symbols), as per Verses of Quran, and needs to be respected, even if someone is not prepared to participate in the rituals.
It is narrated from Imam Jafar-e-Sadiqasws that Rasool Allahsaww saw a portrait of Imam Ali bin Abi Talibasws upon visiting the 5th skies on the night of ‘Miraj’. Angel Gabriel responded to Rasool Allahsaww with the following narration. “Once angels prayed to Allahazwj that they wouldlike to be able to perfom the ‘Ziarat’ of Amir-ul-Momaneen, in a similar way the inhabitants of earth do i.e. to see Amir-ul-Momaneenasws in person. Thus Allahazwj created a portrait of Amir- ul-Momaneenasws through His own sacred ‘Noor’. Therefore, this portrait is always in front of us, we regularly perform ‘Ziarat’ of Mola Aliasws all day long, from morning till dusk.”2Ashura Night
On Ashura night, all mothers were preparing their sacrifices for the day. Syeda Umm-e- Farwaasws was telling Shahzada Qasimasws: ‘you are the son of the eldest son of Imam Aliasws. So my brave son, Listen! you should offer your life for the ‘Just Cause’ of Allahazwj as led by your uncle, before any of your cousins offer their lives. This was the will of your fatherasws. However, your uncle would never let you go to the battlefield and will try to protect you until the very last moment. For this reason, your fatherasws left a will for you, which is wrapped in a tablet and I made you wear it since the departure of your fatherasws. Son, never think of your young age, you are the descendant of the Lion of Lord (Shar-e-Khuda)3. Your fatherasws belongs to Aya-e-Tatheer, so please do not embarrass me by showing any sign of weakness. I am sure your sacrifice will be as your father had wished for. If you stumble, I shall not forgive you and will disassociate myself from you, when I meet you in the presence of your grandmotherasws.’
Shahzada Qasimasws replied, ‘Do not worry mother, just wait until sun rises, I will bow down to Uncle’s feet and plead him by showing the will of my father. I am sure my uncle, for the sake of his enormous love for my father, will permit me to fight against the army of infidels. O my kind and honourable mother! Consider me as an ‘elm’ (Sadaqa) for brother Ali Akbarasws. I shall fight bravely to make you and my father proud and there will nothing near our tents but the dust and noise of ‘Alaman al hafiz’ from running army of Yazeedla. If I do not finish all of them then you will not see me in ‘One piece’!
Ashura day
On the day of Ashura, all companions and relatives of Imam Hussainasws were eager to meet Shahadat. They had spent the Ashura night in prayers and were fully explained about all that were to take place during the day, the places of their martyrdom, and their places in the Paradise. But Shahzada Qasimasws’s desire for Martyrdom was unique with fervour that if his father were here he would too sacrifice his life to save the true Islamic virtue which was suffocating under the tyrannical grips of infidels. When Imam Hussainasws asked him, ‘How do you feel about tasting the death as a saviour of Islam?’ ‘I find Martyrdom sweeter than honey’, was the reply of Shahzada Qasimasws.
Before everyone else, Shahzada Hazrat Qasimasws pledged his uncle to grant him permission for fighting, But Imam Hussainasws was not prepared to lose him so early in the day, and asked him to wait, ‘How can I allow the Mirror image of my brother to embrace death’?
Hazrat Qasimasws was becoming eager and emotional when he observed that his uncle was bringing back the bodies of the martyrs from the battlefield. After remaining patient for a while, Shahazada Qasimasws went to see his mother and asked for an advice for getting permission to fight against the infidels. Syeda Umm-e-Farwaasws noticed signs of extreme emotions and zest in the eyes of her son and immediately reminded him the letter which his father gave to herasws with instructions: "If ever you find Qasimasws in severe difficulty, open this letter." Syedaasws asked Shahzada Qasimasws ‘there would not be any compelling time than this, so take it out of your necklace and present it to your uncleasws.’Shahzada Qasimasws opened the letter and it was written as, "My brother Hussainasws, when my son Qasimasws seeks your permission in Karbala, please accept him as a sacrifice on my behalf.”
Hazrat Qasimasws’s face started to glow with the hope as if he was brought back to life. He, without wasting any time, ran out of his mother’s tent to see his uncleasws and gave him the letter. After reading the letter of his late brother, Imam Hussainasws could not help but to cry and uttered, ‘O my brother's son, how can I stop you from undertaking what your father had wised for you’. He was also my Imamasws : Bismillah, go forward and perform your duty. Surely, Allahazwj is with you. Your grandfatherasws is eager to offer you a drink of Paradise when you greet him after meeting martyrdom".
Fight of , Shahzada Hazrat Qasimasws
Imam Hussainasws torn the turban in two pieces and tied one on the head of Hazrat Qasimasws and wrapped the other part on his face like a veil and said good bye . Imamasws helped him mount his horse. Hazrat Qasimasws came to the battlefield. The army of Yazeedla was stunned after seeing the ‘reincarnation’ of Imam Hassanasws and Prophet Mohammedsaww, such a young and radiant face took their breath away and they started whispering ‘is he not an angel in the outfit of a beautiful and handsome boy?’ Some of them started murmuring, "How can we kill someone whose face is shining like the full-moon?"
In a loud and a clear voice Hazrat Qasimasws introduced himself and asked for a rival warrior to settle the battle of the ‘just’ against the ‘unjust’. When Umar-e-saadla4 saw pure image of Imam Hassanasws, he asked Arzaqla (a famous warrior, who could fight against one thousand soldiers and could lift a baby camel as a shield) to advance and fight. He felt insulted fighting against a three-day starved young boy, undermining the strength and valour of the grandson of Amir-ul- Momaneenasws. Instead, he signalled his sons to take on the young Bani Hashim. Shahzada Qasimasws pointed four of his sons, one after the other, to the hell fire. This made Arzaqla extremly furious and he came out to fight and was also sent to Hell by Shahzada Qasimasws.
On seeing the bravery and skills of Shahzada Qasimasws, no one could dare to come forward and challenge, so Umar-e-saadla asked his whole army to attack together and surround Qasimasws from all directions.
Shahzada Qasimasws was fighting very heroically, like his grandfatherasws ,and made a pile of dead bodies of several famous warriors. Yazid’s army started to throw stones and arrows on Shahzada Qasimasws from every direction. A Maloonl.a, who was hiding and waiting for Shahzada Qasimasws to pass near a dune, attacked Hazrat Qasimasws from behind with a spear. He could not stay on horse and fell on the ground calling to his uncleasws, "YA AMMAHO, ACCEPT MY LAST SALAM."
Imam Hussainasws and Mola Ghaziasws along with Ali Akbarasws ran towards Shahazada Qasimasws. Upon seeing them come towards them, the army of Yazidla started running away out of fear. This unorganised flee from the battlefield led to the stampede of Shahazada Qasimasws ‘s injured body, cutting it into several pieces. Upon reaching there, Imam Hussainasws looked up in the skies, as was telling Qasimasws’s father, how could I take his body back to my camp? How will his mother react after seeing the mutilated Qasimasws? Will not his widow pass away after looking at her groom in unrecognisable shape?Imam Hussainasws took off his ‘Abaa’5, spread it on to the ground and started gathering the remains of Qasimasws as if one would collect the disintegrated verses of Quran and brought in the recovered pieces of Qasim back to the camp.
Imam Husssainasws opened the sag of Qasimasws inside Syed Umm-e-Farwaasws’s tent and told his sister-in-law: ‘Allahazwj has accepted every single piece of your sacrifice’.
Sitting in a corner, Syed Kubraasws pleaded her aunt, Syeda Zainabasws, to give her a black outfit, which a widower would wear, on hearing this request, all present could not help crying and doing matam therein.
 

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