The Greater Severity of the Calamity of the Oppressed Imam Husain (a.s.) Compared to the Oppressed Yaḥyā (a.s.)

اعظميت مصيبت حسين مظلوم از يحيي مظلوم

امر سوم: در اعظميت مصيبت حسين مظلوم (عليه‌السلام) از يحيي مظلوم.و اين مطلب را بيان كنيم در ضمن سلام بر يحيي، زيرا كه سلام بر او مي‌كرد، در وقت ذكرش در هر منزل، حال نزول و ارتحال، ما نيز تأسي به آن جناب مي‌كنيم در منازل تطبيق، پس مي‌گوئيم سلام باد بر يحيي كه خداوند او را گرامي داشت به شهادتش [1411] ، حال مي‌خواهي قصد كن آن يحيي را كه به طريق صبر كشتند يعني او را گرفتند و سرش را بريدند، يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه به طريق صبر كشتند، يعني آن قدر زخم بر او زدند كه [ صفحه 442] از حركت افتاد، پس سرش را بريدند. اگر خواهي قصد كني يحيي را كه سرش را به دست گرفتند و در طشت بريدند، يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه نيزه به پهلويش زدند تا از اسب بر زمين افتاد، پس سرش را بريدند. اگر خواهي قصد كن آن يحيي را كه عداوت قاتلش ساكن شد به كشيدن يك كارد به خنجرش يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه اكتفا نكردند به چهار هزار تير و صد و چند ضربه‌ي شمشير و صد و چند نيزه و به آن چه رسيد به آن حضرت از بريدن گلو، و نحر كردن، و نيزه زدن و به آن چه به بدنش رسيد بعد از قتل از پامال كردن و مثله نمودن، پس عداوت ايشان نسبت به سر مقدس او ساكن نگرديد بكشتن، بلكه بر نيزه‌اش كردند و به شهرها گردانيدند، و به دار كردند، باز كفايت نكردند، باز چوب به لب و دندانش اشاره كردند در چند مجلس. [1412] .اگر خواهي قصد كن آن يحيي را كه سرش را به هديه بردند ز خانه‌اي به خانه‌اي يك دفعه، و حسين (عليه‌السلام) بر اين امر تأسف مي‌كرد و گريه مي‌كرد، يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه سرش را در شهرها گردانيدند و هديه فرستادند مرتبة بعد اخري (يعني نه يك مرتبه بلكه دفعات متعدده از مكاني به مكاني و از شخصي به شخصي) اگر خواهي يحيي را قصد كن كه چون سرش را به نزد ظالم بردند حالتش متغير شد، يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه چون سرش را در نزد ظالمش گذاشتند تبسم نمود، و اين تبسم بالاتر بود از همه‌ي آن زخمها كه بر آن جناب زده بودند، كور مباد چشمي كه در وقت سماع اين تبسم گريان شود. اگر خواهي قصد كن يحيي را كه از مسجدش بيرون كشيدند از براي كشتن و حال آنكه هيچ علاقه و عيال و اطفالي نداشت، يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه او را از خيمه‌ها بيرون كشيدند كه در آن بود زنان حيران تشنه، بي‌كس در ميان دشمنان، و هر يك فرياد واويلاه واثكلاه مي‌كشيدند [1413] ، پس ايشان را ساكت كرده بيرون آمد ، ناگاه دختر صغيره‌اش به او رسيد، و بر پايش افتاد و مي‌بوسيد و فرياد مي‌كرد، داد از بي‌كسي و ذلت، حضرت [ صفحه 443] برگشتند و او را به دامان مرحمت نشانيدند، و فرمودند اشعاري كه مضمونش آن است كه: تا زنده‌ام دل مرا به گريه‌ي خود مسوزان و چون كشته شوم هر چه خواهي گريه كن. [1414] .اگر خواهي قصد نما آن يحيي را كه سرش را در طشت بريدند، و از خونش يك قطره بر زمين افتاد، پس جوشيد و ساكن نشد از جوشش، تا اينكه فاني نمود بسياري از بني‌اسرائيل را، آن وقت از جوشش افتاد، يا قصد كن اين يحيي را كه بر روي خاك سرش را بريدند و خونش را بر خاك ريختند، مگر چند قطره از آن كه خودش بدست گرفت، و بر صورت ماليد، و به آسمان پاشيد، و به سوي زمين برنگشت و الا تمام زمين سرنگون مي‌شد. اگر خواهي قصد كن آن يحيي را كه به كشش يك كارد سرش را بريدند، يا اين يحيي را كه سرش را به دوازده ضربت جدا نمودند با شمشير. [1415] .اگر خواهي قصد كن آن يحيي را كه سرش را بريدند، و ليكن بدنش صحيح بود، يا اين يحيي را كه سرش را بريدند و بدنش پامال شده، و سوراخ سوراخ، و مجروح بود، سلام بر اين يحيي كه سرش را از قفا بريدند، و بدنش پامال شد، سلام بر اين يحيي كه سرش را بر روي سنگ گذاشتند و بر نيزه بلند نمودند و بر درخت آويختند و بر دروازه نصب كردند و در تنور و در زير ابخانه گذاشتند و محل دفنش معلوم نيست هر چند عاقبت سر با بدن است. [1416] .

The Greater Severity of the Calamity of the Oppressed Imam Husain (a.s.) Compared to the Oppressed Yaḥyā (a.s.)

Third Matter: Concerning the greater severity of the calamity of the Oppressed Imam Husain (a.s.) compared to the Oppressed Yaḥyā (a.s.).

We shall explain this matter while offering salutation upon Yaḥyā (a.s.), because Imam Husain (a.s.) would send salutations upon him whenever he mentioned him at every stopping place, whether while halting or departing. We too follow that noble one (a.s.) in these comparisons and thus say:

Peace be upon Yaḥyā (a.s.), whom Allah honoured through his martyrdom. [1411]

Now, if you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) who was killed by way of patient endurance, meaning that he was seized and his head was severed.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), who was killed by way of patient endurance, meaning that so many wounds were inflicted upon him that

[ صفحه 442]

he could no longer move, and then his head was severed.

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose head was taken in the hand and severed in a basin.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), who was struck in the side with a spear until he fell from his horse to the ground, and then his head was severed.

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose killer's hatred was satisfied by drawing a single knife across his throat.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), concerning whom they were not satisfied with four thousand arrows, more than a hundred sword strikes, more than a hundred spear wounds, the cutting of his throat, his slaughtering, the piercing of his body with spears, and what was inflicted upon his body after his martyrdom through trampling and mutilation.

Even then, their hatred toward his sacred head was not satisfied by killing him.

Rather, they raised it upon a spear, carried it through the cities, and displayed it publicly.

Even that was not enough.

Then, in several gatherings, they pointed sticks toward his blessed lips and teeth. [1412]

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose head was presented as a gift from one house to another only once, and Imam Husain (a.s.) would grieve and weep over this matter.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), whose head was carried through cities and sent as a gift repeatedly, one time after another—that is, not merely once, but many times, from one place to another and from one person to another.

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose condition changed when his head was brought before a tyrant.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), who smiled when his head was placed before his oppressor.

And this smile was more painful than all the wounds that had been inflicted upon that noble one (a.s.).

May no eye be blinded that weeps upon hearing of this smile.

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) who was taken out from his place of worship to be killed, while he had no dependents, family, or children.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), who was brought out from the tents in which there were bewildered, thirsty, and helpless women surrounded by enemies.

Each of them cried out:

« واويلاه واثكلاه »

“Alas for our calamity! Alas for our bereavement!” [1413]

Then he calmed them and came forth.

Suddenly, his young daughter approached him, fell at his feet, kissed them, and cried out in anguish over her helplessness and humiliation.

The Imam (a.s.)

[ صفحه 443]

turned back, seated her in the lap of his mercy, and recited verses whose meaning was:

“So long as I am alive, do not burn my heart with your weeping; but when I am killed, then weep as much as you wish.” [1414]

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose head was severed in a basin, and a single drop of his blood fell upon the earth. Then it boiled forth and did not cease boiling until many of the Children of Israel were destroyed, after which it became still.

Or intend this Yaḥyā (a.s.), whose head was severed upon the bare earth and whose blood was poured upon the ground, except for a few drops which he himself gathered with his hand, wiped upon his face, and cast toward the heavens.

Those drops never returned to the earth; otherwise the entire earth would have been overturned.

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose head was severed with a single stroke of a knife.

Or this Yaḥyā (a.s.), whose head was separated from his body by twelve sword strikes. [1415]

If you wish, intend that Yaḥyā (a.s.) whose head was severed while his body remained intact.

Or this Yaḥyā (a.s.), whose head was severed while his body was trampled, pierced through with holes, and covered with wounds.

Peace be upon this Yaḥyā (a.s.), whose head was severed from the back of the neck and whose body was trampled.

Peace be upon this Yaḥyā (a.s.), whose head was placed upon a stone, raised upon a spear, hung upon a tree, mounted upon a gate, placed in an oven, placed beneath a bathhouse furnace, and whose burial place is unknown, although in the end the head is reunited with the body. [1416]