Special Edition: Ali Asghar: From birth to martyrdom

Special Edition
Ali Asghar: From birth to martyrdom
We celebrate the tenth of Rajab, the birthday of the youngest companion of Ashoora and Bab ul-Hawaej (the door to all desires), Imam Hussayn’s six-month-old, Ali Asghar (a.s.)
It’s the tenth of Rajab, the year 60 (After Hejra, lunar calendar). The house of Imam Hussayn is filled with light once again. Medina’s sky is lit once again. The entire world is lit up. Tears of joy and excitement fall on the infant’s cheek. The tears of his father were like morning dew on the newly emerged bud. Allah has given his servant, Imam Hussayn a son to whom the rich and the poor turn to for help.
He named him Ali, just as he had named his other two sons, demonstrating his love for his great father Imam Ali. He said that if Allah were to give him one thousand sons, he would name them all Ali. The infant too, had the great name Ali: the name more magnificent than the sky and more splendid than the sea.
Abdullah, the nourrisson, is also known as Ali Asghar; the son of Imam Hussayn, Seyyede Shohadda; the son of Robab, the daughter of Emra Al-Gheys bin Uday (famous pre-Islamic poet).
Imam Hussayn held his newborn in his arms and cried. Ali Asghar is the six-month-old of Karbala, the infant of Ashoora. Ali Asghar, you came to be the traveling companion of Karbala. You came to leave your Hajj unfinished.
When you were born, everyone’s happiness came to a stop. It’s such a shame. All that you experienced in life was pain, thirst and martyrdom. You came to give more value to the concept of martyrdom. You are the smallest sacrifice made in the name of Allah. Although small, what you did is huge. Your name is on the list of the ones who sacrificed everything for Ashoora and Islam. Assalamo aleik, oh Ali Asghar. Your name is repeated by all who seek divine help.
Name: Hussayn, Father of Ali Asghar (p.b.u.h.)
Nick name: Aba Abdullah, Abol Masakeen ( Father of the Miserable)
Honorific title: Seyyede Shohadda (master of martyrs)
Father: Ali (p.b.u.h.)
Mother: Fatemeh Zahra (p.b.u.h.)
Birthdate: 3 Shaban, 4 (Lunar Hejri)
Place of martyrdom: Karbala
Name of murderer: Shemr bin Zil Joshan
Period of leadership as Imam: 11 years, 11 months, and 3 days
Life: 57 years, 7 months and 7 days
The holy city of Karbala
This city is located south of Baghdad, 80 kilometers northwest of Najaf, near Forat River. It is 455 kilometers away from the city of Kermanshah in Iran.
What does Karbala mean?
Karbala is a place that God considers to be holy. When Imam Hussayn reached this city, he asked what the name of the city was. They said it was Karbala. His eyes were filled with tears and he said:
“Allahoma enni a’uzo beka menal karbo val bala.”
He knew that this was the land where he and his companions were to be killed. He said: “This is the land of suffering and problems, this is where we go down and our blood will be shed.” There are many narrations about the land of Karbala; we will only mention three.
1. The prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h) says: “My (grand)son (Hussayn) will be buried in a place called Karbala. Karbala is where a dome is.”
2. Imam Reza (a.s.) says: “The Torbat (the dust that accumulates on the shrine) will cure all illnesses and give protection from all worries and phobias.
3. The prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h) says: “Any wish made under the dome of the shrine of Imam Hussayn will be granted. His torbat will cure and the generations of imams are from his progeny.
Ali Asghar
Be ayye zanbun ghotelat?
One of Imam Hussayn’s sons, an infant, was wiggling with thirst on the day of Ashoora. Imam called out to the enemy and said: “This infant is the only one left from my sons and companions. Can’t you see how desperate thirst has made him?" In the book Nafsul Mahmum it is said that he calls out: “If you won’t have mercy on me, at least have mercy on this child!” While he was talking, Harmala loosed an arrow that slit the six-month-old’s throat. Imam Hussayn took some of the gushing blood from his son’s throat and threw it up in the air.
In Maghtal books, there is reference to Ali Asghar and The Nourrossion. No clear consensus exists whether it is one child or two.
One might think that Ali Asghar was only an infant on Ashoora, and he didn’t play an important role. But this is not the case at all. He had an extremely important emotional and sentimental role. When he was killed so cruelly, the people who had the slightest humanity left in them realized just how cold-blooded and barbaric the enemy was. The enemy didn’t even take mercy on an innocent infant!
In Ziarah of Nahie Moghadassa, we send our salam to the infant. In one version of Ziarah of Ashoora he is referred to as Imam Hussayn’s son, Ali Asghar. There are many names for Ali Asghar: The Infant, The Six-Month-Old, Bab al-Hawaej, the Deliverer of Our Desires and the cradle is a symbol that represents the Infant of Karbala.

What is there to do for the infant but smile
The one who laughed at death, was your child
“Ali Asghar is the brightest face of Karbala, the greatest proof of oppression… Through the eyes of history, there has never been a more influential role for martyrdom.” (Bahar al-Anwar Vol.45, p.660) They call Ali Asghar “Bab al-Hawaej”, meaning the door to all desires, even though he is only a small child.
The door of the garden of martyrdom
Is unlocked by the small key of Ali Asghar


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