The World Federation of KSIMC

GREATER THAN A MOTHER'S LOVE

Names: Aun & Muhammad

Father: Abdullah ibn Ja'far

Mother: Zaynab bint Ali

Date & Place of Martyrdom: 10th Muharram 61 AH, Karbala

To even begin to comprehend the uniqueness of the martyrs of Karbala is extremely difficult.  It is hard to imagine the bravery and dedication of the adults, but one can at least credit them with the benefit of age, experience and wisdom.  However, the attitude of the children of the Household of the Ahlul Bayt (a) is awe-inspiring.

On the eve of Ashura, all the mothers were sitting with their children, reminding them of their duty towards their Imam (a) and encouraging them to be amongst those in the forefront of sacrifice.  What mothers these were!   What strength of love did they have for al-Husayn (a) that their basic instinct of preserving and keeping their offspring safe was over-ridden by it?

No mother in Karbala could have loved al-Husayn (a) more than his sister, Zaynab (a) and none could have been more eager to present her sons as a sacrifice for him.  It was a strange transaction - as all things on that day were.  A sister who wanted to her children to die in defence of their Imam (a) and a brother who had to accept this 'gift' although it involved the brutal killing of his nephews.

The most striking part of the martyrdom of Aun and Muhammad is the reaction of their parents.  Their mother mourned and wept over the body of every martyr who had been carried back to the tents, but when their bodies were brought, Lady Zaynab (a) was nowhere to be seen.  It is speculated that she may have thought that her weeping for her sons might cause the Imam (a) the embarrassment of thinking that he was the reason for their deaths. (Source: Tadhkirat al-Shuhada')

When the news of their death reached Abdullah, their father, he exclaimed: "Praise be to Allah Who allowed my sons to attain the rank of martyrdom alongside al-Husayn! If only I had been with them and been killed before them! By Allah! I told them to die for al-Husayn. Now I am left mourning them and our master Imam al-Husayn." (Source: Rayyhan al-Shari'ah)