Page 254 - Pure Life 20

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266 PURE LIFE, Vol. 6, No.20 (Rajab 1441. Esfand 1398. March 2020)

They were attempting to save Husayn's life by

shielding him. Every casualty had a considerable effect
on their military strength since they were vastly
outnumbered by Yazid I's army. Husayn's companions
were coming, one by one, to say goodbye to him, even
in the midst of battle. Almost all of Husayn's companions
were killed by the onslaught of arrows or lances.
After almost all of Husayn's companions were
killed, his relatives asked his permission to fight. The
men of Banu Hashim, the clan of Muhammad and Ali,
went out one by one. Ali al-Akbar ibn Hussein, the
middle son of Hussein ibn Ali, was the first one of the
Hashemite who received permission from his father.
(Maqtal al Husain – Al-Hurr Repents. p. 189)
Casualties from Banu Hashim were sons of Ali ibn
Abi Talib, sons of Hasan ibn Ali, a son of Hussein ibn
Ali, a son of Abdullah ibn Jaafar ibn Abi-Talib and
Zaynab bint Ali, sons of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, as well
as a son of Muslim ibn Aqeel. There were seventy-two
Hashemites dead in all (including Hussein ibn Ali).
There are two accounts regarding the death of Abbas
ibn Ali; One is by Abu Mikhnaf which mentions no
detail on the death and, however, the other well-known
report clearly details how he was killed somewhere
near the river and far from the camp while fetching
water with a large skin of water, since the besieged Ahl
al-Bayt were thirsty. Al-Abbas ibn Ali advanced
towards a branch of the Euphrates along a dyke.
Al-Abbas ibn Ali continued his advance into the
heart of ibn Sa'ad's army. He was under a shower of
arrows but was able to penetrate them and get to the
branch, leaving heavy casualties from the enemy.