Al-Abbas ibn Ali, from the words of our Imams
As discussed in my Yazid ibn Muawiyah article, much of Shi’i characterization of the personalities associated with the Battle of Karbala - whether righteous or wicked -
Are based on Sunni maqatil.
This is a problematic concept as the maqatil originating from Sunni books offer both positive and negative presentations of our Imams.
Meaning - if we were to accept some portions of an account by the same Sunni maqtal that are positive, we necessarily have to accept the other portions that are problematic and contradict Shi’i historical memory -
Else, our approach would be hypocritical and flawed.
It is acceptable to cite Sunni narratives on the Muharram pulpits, to offer perspective.
However, to do so - we must first measure them against the words of our Imams in the Shi’i books of hadith to ascertain their veracity and honesty -
As we are prohibited by our Imams from taking our religious teachings from Sunni works, due to the lies perjured against our Imams in the books of the Mukhalifeen (i.e, our non-Shi’i opponents).
Thus,
Our article today will be on a holy personality - al-Abbas ibn Ali (as) - purely from the words of our Imams in our ahadith.
So without further adue
Let us begin!
—
We will approach the topic of al-Abbas by laying out major pieces of the popular stories surrounding him and showing how they hold up, per our Imams words.
Additionally, we will add details unrelated to Karbala that we believe are important to know, to understand the status of al-Abbas (as).
The personality:
- General overview of al-Abbas, as presented by Imams al-Sadiq
(‘Umdat al-Talib by Ibn Unba)
“Abu Umar al-Bukhari narrated from al-Mufaddal ibn Umar, who said:
Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: "
Our uncle al-Abbas ibn Ali was of perceptive insight and firm faith. He struggled alongside Imam Husayn and proved himself excellently, and he passed away a martyr."
روى أبو عمر البخاري عن المفضل بن عمر، أنه قال: قال الصادق عليه السلام: كان عمنا العباس بن علي نافذ البصيرة صلب الايمان جاهد مع أبي عبد الله وأبلى بلاء حسنا، ومضى شهيدا
Note:
The source cited (Umdat al-Talib) is a genealogical work by a Shi’i scholar which cites both Sunni and Shi’i sources.
Its purpose is not religious per se, as much as it is documenting the family lineages and biographies of the tribe of Banu Hashim.
The above hadith is almost definitively Shi’i in origin, as al-Mufaddal ibn Umar appears exclusively in Shi’i ahadith and never presents as narrator in non-Shi’i works.
- Imam al-Sadiq visiting the grave of al-Abbas
(Kamil al-Ziyarat)
Narrated Abu Hamzah al-Thumali, from Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said:
"When you bid farewell to al-Abbas, peace be upon him, go to him and say:
'I entrust you to God and place you in His care, and I send peace upon you. We believe in God, in His Messenger, in His Book, and in what he brought from God. O God, write us among those who bear witness.
O God, do not make this the last time I visit the grave of the son of Your Prophet's brother. Grant me to visit it always, as long as You let me live, and gather me with him and with his fathers in the Gardens, and make known the bond between me and him, and between me and Your Messenger and Your close ones.'"
حدثني أبو عبد الرحمان محمد بن أحمد بن الحسين العسكري بالعسكر، عن الحسن بن علي بن مهزيار، عن أبيه علي بن مهزيار، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن محمد بن مروان، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال:
إذا ودعت العباس (عليه السلام)، فأته وقل:
أستودعك الله واسترعيك، واقرأ عليك السلام، امنا بالله وبرسوله وبكتابه وبما جاء به من عند الله، اللهم فاكتبنا مع الشاهدين.
اللهم لا تجعله اخر العهد من زيارتي قبر ابن أخي نبيك، وارزقني زيارته ابدا ما أبقيتني، واحشرني معه ومع ابائه في الجنان، وعرف بيني وبينه وبين رسولك وأوليائك.
Note:
Imam al-Sadiq is recorded in our ahadith to have visited the shrine of Imam Husayn at least several times.
If the Imam is encouraging his companions to bid farewell to al-Abbas with the aforementioned prayer,
It means that visiting al-Abbas’ shrine was likely a regular and expected segment of the Karbala pilgrimage,
And that the Imam probably took part in it himself - after visiting Imam Husayn’s shrine.
It also supports the idea that al-Abbas was buried separately from Imam Husayn and rest of the martyrs of Karbala, hence warranting an exclusive ziyara to his grave.
- Exclusion from the will of Imam Ali
Note:
Before an Imam dies, he assigns his succeeding son as the only, exclusive director of his will.
Meaning -
Only the succeeding Imam can execute the will of the deceased Imam and distribute the wealth & manage the estate however he wishes.
This assignment of this position is done publicly, in a will known to everyone in Medina - Sunni, Shi’i, young and old.
So that no one will doubt who the successor of the Imam is.
This specific will is known as al-Wasiya al-Dhahira الوصية الظاهرة.
Al-Abbas ibn Ali (as), Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, and other sons of Imam Ali were not included in al-Wasiya al-Dhahira -
So that, according to Imam al-Sadiq, no one can think that they are Imams equal to Hasan and Husayn.
It is important to note that while this criteria is specific to certain Imams such as Imams Hasan and Husayn,
The concept of Wasiya al-Dhahira was relinquished by later Imams to protect the Imam’s identity at times of harsh Abbasid persecution.
(Al-Kafi)
Imam al-Sadiq says:
“When Ali passed away, Ali was not able, and would not have done, to bring in Muhammad ibn Ali, nor al-Abbas ibn Ali, nor any one of his other sons, into his executive will (al-Wasiya Dhahira).
For - in that case al-Hasan and al-Husayn would have said: "God, blessed and exalted, revealed concerning us just as He revealed concerning you, and commanded obedience to us just as He commanded obedience to you, and the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, conveyed concerning us just as he conveyed concerning you, and God removed impurity from us just as He removed it from you."
So when Ali, peace be upon him, passed away, al-Hasan, peace be upon him, had the greater right to it because of his seniority. In age.
When he died, he was not able to bring in his own son, nor would he have done so, for God, mighty and exalted, says: "And those of blood relationship are closer to one another in the Book of God."
Had he placed it among his own children, al-Husayn would have said: "God commanded obedience to me just as He commanded obedience to you and to your father, and He conveyed concerning the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, regarding me just as He conveyed regarding you and your father, and God removed impurity from me just as He removed it from you and from your father."
So when it passed to al-Husayn, peace be upon him, no one among the members of his household could lay claim against him as he himself could have laid claim against his brother and against his father, had they wished to turn the matter away from him, and they would not have done so.
Then, when it had passed and come to rest with al-Husayn, peace be upon him, the interpretation of this verse was fulfilled: "And those of blood relationship are closer to one another in the Book of God." Then after al-Husayn it passed to Ali ibn al-Husayn, then after Ali ibn al-Husayn it passed to Muhammad ibn Ali, peace be upon him.
And he said: "Impurity (al-rijs) is doubt. By God, we never doubt concerning our Lord."
فلما مضى علي لم يكن يستطيع علي ولم يكن ليفعل أن يدخل محمد بن علي ولا العباس بن علي ولا واحدا (2) من ولده إذا لقال الحسن والحسين:
إن الله تبارك وتعالى أنزل فينا كما أنزل فيك فأمر بطاعتنا كما أمر بطاعتك وبلغ فينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله كما بلغ فيك وأذهب عنا الرجس كما أذهبه عنك، فلما مضى علي عليه السلام كان الحسن عليه السلام أولى بها لكبره، فلما توفي لم يستطع أن يدخل ولده ولم يكن ليفعل ذلك والله عز وجل يقول: " وأولوا الأرحام بعضهم أولى ببعض في كتاب الله " فيجعلها في ولده إذا لقال الحسين أمر الله بطاعتي كما أمر بطاعتك و طاعة أبيك وبلغ في رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله كما بلغ فيك وفي أبيك وأذهب الله عني الرجس كما أذهب عنك وعن أبيك، فلما صارت إلى الحسين عليه السلام لم يكن أحد من
أهل بيته يستطيع أن يدعي عليه كما كان هو يدعي على أخيه وعلى أبيه، لو أرادا أن يصرفا الامر عنه ولم يكونا ليفعلا ثم صارت حين أفضت إلى الحسين عليه السلامفجرى تأويل هذه الآية " وأولوا الأرحام بعضهم أولى ببعض في كتاب الله " ثم صارت من بعد الحسين لعلي بن الحسين، ثم صارت من بعد علي بن الحسين إلى محمد بن علي عليه السلام. وقال: الرجس هو الشك، والله لا نشك في ربنا أبدا.
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Battle of Karbala
This section of the article will lay out the popular conceptions about al-Abbas ibn Ali’s role in the Battle of Karbala -
And how they are verified by our Imams.
- Abbas’ hands were cut off in the Battle of Karbala
(Iqbal al-A’mal, by Sayyid ibn Tawus - narrating from his maternal grandfather, Shaykh al-Tusi’s book)
“We have narrated by our chain of transmission to my grandfather Abu Ja'far al-Tusi, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ayyash, from the righteous Shaykh Abu Mansur ibn Abd al-Mun'im ibn al-Nu'man al-Baghdadi, may God have mercy on him, who said:
A document came forth from al-Nahiya al-Muqdasa (i.e, Imam al-Mahdi) in the year 252 AH, by the hand of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ghalib al-Isfahani, at the time of the death of my father, may God have mercy on him, when I was young in age.
I had written seeking permission to visit my master Abu Abdullah al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and to visit the martyrs buried next him, may God's pleasure be upon them. So a reply came forth to me from Imam al-Mahdi via Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ghalib.
...
(When reaching the grave of al-Abbas, say)
Peace be upon Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas, son of the Commander of the Faithful, who consoled his brother with his own life, who took for his tomorrow from his yesterday, who sacrificed himself for Husayn, who protected Husayn, who strove toward Husayn with water, whose two hands were severed. May God curse his killers, Yazid ibn al-Raqqad al-Juhani and Hakim ibn al-Tufayl al-Ta'i.”
إقبال الأعمال للسيد ابن طاووس (ره): قال: روينا بإسنادنا إلى جدي أبي جعفر الطوسي، عن محمد بن أحمد بن عياش، عن الشيخ الصالحأبي منصور ابن عبد المنعم بن النعمان البغدادي رحمه الله، قال: خرج من الناحية سنة اثنتين و خمسين ومائتين 2 على يد الشيخ محمد بنغالب الأصفهاني حين وفاة أبي (ره) وكنت حديث السن، وكتبت أستأذن في زيارة مولاي أبي عبد الله عليه السلام وزيارة الشهداء رضوانالله عليهم فخرج إلي منه
...
السلام على أبي الفضل العباس بن أمير المؤمنين، المواسي أخاه بنفسه، الآخذ لغده من أمسه، الفادي له، الواقي الساعي إليه بمائه،المقطوعة يداه، لعن الله قاتله يزيد بن الرقاد الجهنني 2 وحكيم بن الطفيل الطائي.
- Imam al-Sajjad speaks about al-Abbas’ cut hands and how Allah compensated him for them
(Al-Khisal, by Shaykh al-Sadiq)
“Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn said:
"May God have mercy on al-Abbas ibn Ali.
He showed devotion and proved himself, and he sacrificed his life brother wholeheartedly, to the extent his two hands were severed.
So God gave him in their place two wings, with which he flies alongside the angels in Paradise, just as He granted to Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.
And indeed, al-Abbas has, with God, blessed and exalted, a station that all the martyrs will envy him for on the Day of Resurrection."
101 - حدثنا أحمد بن زياد بن جعفر الهمداني رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عنيونس بن عبد الرحمن، عن ابن أسباط، عن علي بن سالم، عن أبيه، عن ثابت بن أبي صفية (3) قال: قال علي بن - الحسين عليهما السلام: رحم الله العباس يعني ابن علي فلقد آثر وأبلى وفدى أخاه بنفسه حتى قطعت يداه فأبدله الله بهما جناحين يطير بهما مع الملائكة في الجنةكما جعل لجعفر بن أبي طالب، وإن للعباس عند الله تبارك وتعالى لمنزلة يغبطه بها جميع الشهداء يوم القيامة.
Note:
“And indeed, al-Abbas has, with God, blessed and exalted, a station that all the martyrs will envy him for on the Day of Resurrection."
As we read this statement,
It is likely to be puzzled by the wording.
How could al-Abbas attain a station that all the martyrs would envy?
What about Imam Husayn? Isn’t his martyrdom greater?
So how could he envy al-Abbas?
The answer is in the hadith of of Imam al-Baqir:
(Al-Mahasin of al-Barqi)
Abu Ja'far, peace be upon him, said: The Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, said: "Indeed, on the right side of the Throne there are a people whose faces are made of light, upon pulpits of light.
The Prophets envy them, though they themselves are neither prophets nor martyrs." They said: "O Prophet of God, what then have these people gained from God, beyond what was given to the prophets and the martyrs, if they are neither prophets nor martyrs themselves, except nearness to God?"
He said: "Those are the Shia of Ali, and Ali is their Imam."
قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله : إن عن يمين العرش قوما وجوههم من نور على منابر من نور يغبطهم النبيون ليسوا بأنبياء ولا شهداء، فقالوا : يا نبي الله وما ازدادوا هؤلاء من الله إذا لم يكونوا أنبياء ولا شهداء إلا قربا من الله ؟
- قال : أولئك شيعة علي وعلي إمامهم .
Being a loyal Shi’i of Imam Ali alone - even if you are not martyred - is enough to make all prophets and martyrs envy you.
Hence, it does not mean Imam Husayn and Shi’i martyrs will envy Abbas.
Rather -
Al-Abbas was a Shi’i, and so undoubtedly envied by all prophets and martyrs who lived prior to Imam Ali’s birth.
- Abbas’ quest to reach the al-Furat River to bring water for Imam Husayn’s camp
(Kamil al-Ziyarat)
Imam al-Sadiq says, in the ziyara of al-Abbas:
“O son of the Commander of the Faithful, I bear witness that you espoused submission, belief, loyalty and advice, to the successor of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, the messenger”
“May Allah curse those whom prevented you from reaching the Euphrates river (al-Furat)”
زيارة العباس رضي الله عنه على الوجه المأثور) " * 1 - كامل الزيارة: محمد بن أحمد بن الحسين العسكري، عن الحسن بن علي بن مهزيارعن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن محمد بن مروان، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي قال: قال الصادق عليه السلام: إذا أردت زيارة قبر العباس بن عليوهو على شط الفرات بحذاء الحير فقف على باب السقيفة وقل:
سلام الله وسلام ملائكته المقربين، وأنبيائه المرسلين، وعباده الصالحين، و جميع الشهداء والصديقين، والزاكيات الطيبات فيما تغتدي وتروح،عليك يا ابن أمير المؤمنين أشهد لك بالتسليم والتصديق والوفاء والنصيحة، لخلف النبي صلى الله عليه وآله المرسل، والسبطالمنتجب، والدليل العالم، والوصي المبلغ، والمظلوم المهتضم.
فجزاك الله عن رسوله وعن أمير المؤمنين وعن الحسن والحسين صلوات الله عليهم أفضل الجزاء، بما صبرت واحتسبت وأعنت، فنعم عقبىالدار، لعن الله من قتلك ولعن الله من جهل حقك واستخف بحرمتك، ولعن الله من حال بينك وبين ماء الفرات، أشهد أنك قتلت مظلوما "،وأن الله منجز لكم ما وعدكم، جئتك يا ابن أمير المؤمنين وافدا " إليكم، وقلبي مسلم لكم وتابع، وأنا لكم تابع ونصرتي لكم معدة، حتى يحكمالله وهو خير الحاكمين، فمعكم معكم لا مع عدوكم إني بكم وبإيابكم من المؤمنين، وبمن خالفكم وقتلكم من الكافرين، قتل الله أمة قتلتكمبالأيدي والألسن.
- “The Moon of Bani Hashim”, the water bearer, the flag bearer of Imam Husayn
(Manaqib Ibn Abi Shahrashoob)
Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn Ammar, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon them both.
They said:
al-Abbas the water-bearer was the moon of Banu Hashim, the standard-bearer of Husayn, peace be upon him, and he was the eldest of the brothers. He went out seeking water, and they charged at him, and he charged at them, saying:
"I do not fear death when death draws near, until I lie fallen among the brave warriors. My soul I offer as ransom for the soul of the pure Chosen One. I am al-Abbas, I go forth with the water, and I fear no evil on the day of encounter."
He scattered them, but Zayd ibn Warqa' lay in ambush for him from behind a palm tree, aided by Hakim ibn al-Tufayl al-Sunbusi, and struck him on his right arm. He took the sword in his left hand and charged, reciting:
"By God, even if you sever my right hand, I will forever defend my faith, and a true and certain Imam, son of the pure, trustworthy Prophet."
He fought on until he grew weak.
Then al-Hakam ibn al-Tufayl al-Ta'i lay in ambush for him from behind a palm tree and struck him on his left arm. He said:
"O soul, do not fear the disbelievers, and rejoice in the mercy of the All-Compelling. The Prophet, the master, the chosen one, they have, through their tyranny, severed my left arm. So cast them, O Lord, into the scorching Fire."
Then the accursed one struck him with an iron mace and killed him. When Husayn, peace be upon him, saw him fallen on the bank of the Euphrates, he wept and began to recite:
"You have transgressed, O worst of people, through your tyranny, and you have opposed the religion of the Prophet Muhammad. Did not the best of messengers charge you concerning us? Are we not the offspring of the rightly-guided Prophet? Was not al-Zahra my mother, more than any of you? Was not Ahmad the best of all creation? You are cursed and disgraced for what you have committed, and soon you shall meet the scorching, blazing Fire."
ذكر ذلك محمد بن علي بن حمزة، عن النوفلي، عن حماد بن عيسى الجهني، عن معاوية بن عمار، عن جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام (1) قالوا: وكان العباس السقاء قمر بني هاشم صاحب لواء الحسين عليه السلام وهو أكبر الاخوان، مضى يطلب الماء فحملوا عليه وحمل عليهم وجعل يقول:
لا أرهب الموت إذا الموت رقا (2) * حتى أواري في المصاليت لقي نفسي لنفس المصطفى الطهر وقا * إني أنا العباس أغدو بالسقا ولا أخاف الشر يوم الملتقى ففرقهم فكمن له زيد بن ورقاء (3) من وراء نخلة وعاونه حكيم بن الطفيل السنبسي فضربه على يمينه فأخذ السيف بشماله وحمل وهو يرتجز:
والله إن قطعتم يميني * إني أحامي أبدا عن ديني وعن إمام صادق اليقين * نجل النبي الطاهر الأمين فقاتل حتى ضعف، فكمن له الحكم بن الطفيل الطائي من وراء نخلة فضربه على شماله فقال:
يا نفس لا تخشي من الكفار * وأبشري برحمة الجبار
النبي السيد المختار * قد قطعوا ببغيهم يساري فأصلهم يا رب حر النار فضربه ملعون بعمود من حديد فقتله، فلما رآه الحسين عليه السلام صريعا على شاطئ الفرات بكى وأنشأ يقول:
تعديتم يا شر قوم ببغيكم * وخالفتم دين النبي محمد أما كان خير الرسل أوصاكم بنا * أما نحن من نجل النبي المسدد أما كانت الزهراء أمي دونكم * أما كان من خير البرية أحمد لعنتم وأخزيتم بما قد جنيتم * فسوف تلاقوا حر نار توقد
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CONCLUSION
Al-Abbas ibn Ali was a beautiful and esteemed man, with a close station to Imam Husayn.
Knowing aspects of his life from the ahadith is necessary, so that we may venerate and understand this blessed personality in the way our Imams intended.
May Allah have mercy on al-Abbas and reward him with the highest stations of paradise.
John Andaluso