Ali Asghar ibn Hussain
Encyclopedia
Abdullah Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn ( April , 61 AH - Tenth of Muharram
the 10th of October, 61 AH) was the youngest child of Husayn ibn Ali
(the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
and the third Shia Imam) and Rubab
(the daughter of the chief of the Kinda Imra al-Qays tribe). He is honored by Muslims as the youngest martyr of the Battle of Karbala
.
. He was one of the three sons of Husayn
. The other two were Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Shia Imam, and Ali Akbar ibn Husayn
, whom was also killed by Yazid
's forces in the Battle of Karbala
. His sisters were Sakina (Rukayya), 4 years old, Sakinah (Fatema Kubra)
and Fatema Sugra. Imam Husain took Ali Asghar in battlefield to show the condition of 6 month old child without water. The tragedy was that in place of giving him water, Ali al-Asghar was killed by Hurmala who shot an arrow that pierced his neck. According to both Shia and Sunni traditions, the arrow was three-headed.
Ali Asghar's death at 6 months old occurred on 10 October 680 CE, 10 Muharram 61 AH, which is known as Ashura
. He is considered a martyr.
, Iraq
, which is now the most visited shrine in the world. In Muharram ceremonies and commemorations, Ali al-Asghar is represented as an innocent child suffering unbearable thirst. His death is mourned at length in rawza-khani (recital of the Rawdat ash-Shuhada "The Paradise of the Martyrs") literature and in early ta'ziya (passion play) traditions, a complete majles was dedicated to Ali al-Asghar, with the infant's cradle a conspicuous element on the stage. Ali al-Asghar is also represented in Muharram processions and celebrated in folklore.
The story of Ali al-Asghar's martyrdom has influenced modern politics. In a June 3, 1963 speech delivered by the leader of the Iranian Revolution
, Ayatollah Khomeini, at the Fayziya Madrasa in Qum, Iran
, specific mention was made to Ali Asghar as part of a comparison between the Umayyads actions at Karbala and the policies implemented by the Shah against the maraji. His argument was that just as Ali Asghar had done nothing to incur the wrath of Yazid ibn Mu'awiya, similarly an eighteen year old madrasah student who had been recently killed by the Pahlavi regime had done nothing against the Shah or his government to warrant being murdered.
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
the 10th of October, 61 AH) was the youngest child of Husayn ibn Ali
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
(the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
and the third Shia Imam) and Rubab
Rubab bint Imra al-Qais
Rubāb bint Imrā al-Qays bin ‘Adī bin Aws was the wife of Husayn ibn ‘Alī that gave birth to ‘Alī al-Asghar , as well as Sakina bint Hussain. Her father was Imrā al-Qays bin ‘Adī and her mother was Hind al-Hanūd....
(the daughter of the chief of the Kinda Imra al-Qays tribe). He is honored by Muslims as the youngest martyr of the Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
.
Life
Abdullah "Ali al-Asghar" ("Youngest Ali") ibn Husayn was born in MedinaMedina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
. He was one of the three sons of Husayn
Husayn
Hussein , is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", "handsome" or "beautiful"...
. The other two were Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Shia Imam, and Ali Akbar ibn Husayn
Ali Akbar ibn Husayn
Ali al-Akbar ibn Husayn was the son of the third Shi'ah Imam, Husayn ibn Ali, and Umm Layla.- Life :...
, whom was also killed by Yazid
Yazid
-Given name:* Yazid I , second Umayyad Caliph upon succeeding his father Muawiyah* Yazid II, Umayyad caliph* Yazid III, Umayyad caliph* Yazid Kaïssi, French-born Moroccan footballer* Yazid Mansouri, French-born Algerian footballer...
's forces in the Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
. His sisters were Sakina (Rukayya), 4 years old, Sakinah (Fatema Kubra)
Sakinah bint Husayn
Sakinah bint Husayn 669-736) was the daughter of the early Islamic martyr Husayn ibn Ali. It is believed that there were two daughters of Husayn who were with him at the battle of Karbala, Sakinah and Sukayna ....
and Fatema Sugra. Imam Husain took Ali Asghar in battlefield to show the condition of 6 month old child without water. The tragedy was that in place of giving him water, Ali al-Asghar was killed by Hurmala who shot an arrow that pierced his neck. According to both Shia and Sunni traditions, the arrow was three-headed.
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
. He is considered a martyr.
Reverence after his death
Ali al-Asghar is buried along with his brother Ali al-Akbar with Husayn in KarbalaKarbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, which is now the most visited shrine in the world. In Muharram ceremonies and commemorations, Ali al-Asghar is represented as an innocent child suffering unbearable thirst. His death is mourned at length in rawza-khani (recital of the Rawdat ash-Shuhada "The Paradise of the Martyrs") literature and in early ta'ziya (passion play) traditions, a complete majles was dedicated to Ali al-Asghar, with the infant's cradle a conspicuous element on the stage. Ali al-Asghar is also represented in Muharram processions and celebrated in folklore.
The story of Ali al-Asghar's martyrdom has influenced modern politics. In a June 3, 1963 speech delivered by the leader of the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
, Ayatollah Khomeini, at the Fayziya Madrasa in Qum, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, specific mention was made to Ali Asghar as part of a comparison between the Umayyads actions at Karbala and the policies implemented by the Shah against the maraji. His argument was that just as Ali Asghar had done nothing to incur the wrath of Yazid ibn Mu'awiya, similarly an eighteen year old madrasah student who had been recently killed by the Pahlavi regime had done nothing against the Shah or his government to warrant being murdered.
- Sakinah (Fatema Kubra) bint Husayn