04/12/2015

Al Muntazar - Online Islamic Coure, Imam Husain (a.s.) and Imam Mahdi (a.s.)

TheEvilTree:Shimrb.ZilJawshan
ThemurderersofImamHussain(a.s.)havebeendiscussedintheearlierissuesunderthecaption,
TheEvilTree.AmongtheImamskillers,Shimr,theaccursed,standsoutforhismalevolenceand
notoriety.
Allah,theGlorified,statesintheHolyQuran,
theexampleofanevilwordislikethatofaneviltree..
(Ibrahim:26)
i.e.neitheritsrootsarefirmnorareitsbrancheslofty.Itisnotfirmlyplantedandcanbe
uprootedeasily.LikewiseAllahsays,
Andtheaccursedtreeisalsoasourceofdepravityamongthepeople.
(BaniIsraaeel:60)
Boththeversesmentionedabovehavebeenelucidatedintheearlierissues.Butitispertinentto
reiterateherethat,undertheseverses,bothShiaandSunnischolarshaverecordedtraditionsthat
accursedanddamnedtreealludetotheenemiesofAhleBayt(a.s.).Amongtheantagonistsof
AhleBayt(a.s.),someaccountfortherootsofthistreewhilesomeconstitutethebranchesand
Someothersmakeupfortheleaves.
Shimr,thesonofZilJawshan,occupiesadespicablepositionamongthekillersofImamHussain,
forwhichloversofImam(a.s.)singlehimoutandcurseprofusely.Eventheangelsholdhimin
contemptandinflictunceasingabusesonhim.Sodamnedishethateventheonewhohas
sympathieswithhimisliableforthisdamnation.
OAllahcursethosewhotookuparmsagainstImamHusain!Andcursethosewhowere
satisfiedwithhiskillersandcursethosegavetheirfealtytothemandthosewho
subscribedthem!OAllahcursethemall!
OAllahcurseUmarbSaadandShimr!
ShimrplayedapivotalroleinthemassacreperpetratedatKarbalaingeneralandImam
Hussainsmurderinparticular.
Inordertoevaluatethegravityofhisrole,aderailedportrayalofShimrslifehasbeenundertaken
below
HISBACKGROUND
ShimrwasnamedSharhabeelatbirth.Hisagnomen(kuniyah)wasAbuasSaabegah.Hisfather
ZilJawshanalZiyaabiwasfromtheclanofBaniKilaab.Hisnamewasmentionedamongthe
affluentindividualsofHawaazan.JanabeUmmulBaneen,motherofHazratAbbas(a.s.),wasfrom
thesameclan.ThisiswhyShimronthe9thofMuharram,approachedImamHussainscamp,
offeringamnestytoHazratAbbasandhisbrothers.Buttheyshunnedhisoverturesandchoseto
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staywithImam(a.s.)andembracemartyrdom.TheyhadrecognizedtheirImamandtheirduties
visvistheImamandeverythingelsetothemseemedameredistractionthatwoulddistance
themfromthisrecognition.
SHIMRSADVENTATKARBALA
TabarirecordsthatUmarb.SaadsinclinationwasforpeacewithImam(a.s.),andwasnot
favorablydisposedtowardsaconfrontation.WhenIbneZiyadlearntofthisdisposition,hewrote
alettertoShimrandcommandedhimtotakeittoUmarb.Saad.Heinstructedhimtoensurethat
Umarb.SaadtookthepledgeofallegiancefromHusainandhisfriends.Iftheyacceded,then
ShimrwastobringthemtoIbneZiyad,inamannerakintoslaves.However,iftheydidnot,Shimr
wastoconfrontthem.IfUmarb.SaadwasalsoforconfrontationthenShimrwastosimplyobey
him.But,iftheformerdesistedfromwagingabattle,thenShimrwastobeheadUmarb.Saad,
takechargeofhisarmyandwageabattleagainstHussain.AtthesametimeIbneZiyadalsowrote
alettertoUmarb.Saad.Hereprimandedhimfortryingtoseekmeansofsalvagingthesituation
andpreventingaconfrontationwithHussain.IfUmardidnotwishtosubmitthenhewasto
surrenderchargeofthearmyinfavourofShimrwhowasgivensuitableinstructions.
PLEAFORAMNESTY
WhenShimrreceivedhisletter,healongwithAbdullahb.AbiMahal,approachedUbaydillahLAto
pleadexemptionforthesonsofhispaternalaunt,UmmulBaneenbinteKhuram.Shewaswife
ofAmeerulMomineen,Ali,andhadfoursonsfromhimviz.Abbas,Abdullah,Jafarand
Usman.Ahdullahb.AbiMahalexplainedtoUbaydillahthatUmmulBaneenssonswerein
HussainscampandbeseechedUbaydillahtowritealetterofamnestyforthem.Thelatter
compliedwiththisrequestandissuedaletter.Abdullahb.AbiMahalorderedhisfreedslave,
Karman,todeliverthelettertohisnephews.Karmandidasorderedandhandedovertheletter
toUmmulBaneenssons.However,thelatterdidnotevenbotherreadingthemessage.Theysaid
thattheywouldneveracceptanyimmunityfromIbneZiyadasAllahspromiseofdeliverancewas
moreveraciousthanthatofIbneZiyad.
INTENSEATTACHMENTTOWARDSIMAM
Tabariwritesfurther,thatontheeveofAshoora,whichhappenedtobeaThursday,
ShimrapproachedImamHussainscamp.Hedemanded,
Wherearemynephews?
Hearinghim,Abbas,Abdullah,UsmanandJafar,steppedoutoftheirtents.Theyaskedhim,
Whatdoyouwantwithus?
Shimrreplied,
Ibringtidingsofreprieveforallofyou?
Theyretortedcontemptuously,
Cursebeuponyouandyourreprieve!You,ouruncle,arewillingtoofferusimmunitybut
deprivetheProphetssonofit..
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Al Muntazar - Online Islamic Coure, Imam Husain (a.s.) and Imam Mahdi (a.s.)

(TarikheTabaripartIV,page,241242,printedbyNafisAcademy,Karachi)
SHIMRSPEDIGREE
ShimrslowpedigreecanbegaugedfromanincidentthatoccurredonthedayofAshoora.
ImamHussainstentwaspitchedonalowlyingland.Imam(a.s.)hadamassedsomereedsand
woodsnearhistent.Theideabehindthiswasthatintheeventofaraidhecouldsetalightthe
firewoodandcurtailtheattacktoonlyonedirection.OnthedayofAashoora,Imam(a.s.)was
forcedtoresorttothismove.WhenShimrwitnessedthisspectacle,herushedpastImams
tents.Thetonguesofflamesleapthighintheairblockingthetentsfromhisview.Hecriedoutto
Imam(a.s.)inhisinsolence,
OHussain!YouseemimpatienttoenterthefireandcouldnotwaitforQiyamat.
Imam(a.s.)inquiredfromhiscompanion,
ThisseemslikeShimr.
Imamscompanionaffirmed.Imam(a.s.)cried,
Osonofaherdsman!Itisyouwhoshallbeengulfedinthefire.
(TabaripartIV,250251)
Umarb.SaadhadstationedAmrb.HajjajonhisrightandShimronhisleft.
SHIMRSIMPUDENCE
WhenZuhairh.Qain(r.a.)exhortedUmarb.SaadsmentorefrainfromfightingagainstImam
Hussain(a.s.),ShimrshotanarrowatZuhair.HecastigatedZuhairthus,
MayAllahstrikeyoudumb!Youtalkshavepesteredusnoend!
Zuhairretorted,
Iamnotaddressingyou!ByAllah,Iknowthatyouwillfinditdifficulttocomprehend
evenacoupleofversesfromtheQuran!Maythehereaftergreetyouwithdestruction
andapainfulchastisement!
HISATTEMPTSTOSETABLAZETHEAHLEBAYT(A.S.)
ShimrinthecourseofthebattleatKarbala,attemptedseveralforaysonImamHussainstentswith
theintentionofsettingthemablaze.However,hishenchmenchidedhimforhisintentiontoraid
helplesswomenandchildren.ApersonnamedHameedremarked,
Themurderofmenbyyouissufficienttopleaseyourmaster.
AtthatmomentZuhairassaultedShimrwithagroupoftensoldiers.HeforcedShimrtowithdraw,
butnotbeforekillingAhuFarahZababi,oneofShimrsclosecompanions.
(Ibid,265)
HISATTACKONTHEIMAMSTENTS
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ShimralongwithabandoftenKufansadvancedtowardsImamstentswhichwere
inhabitedbytheAhleBayt(a.s.).TheyinterceptedImam(a.s.)andstoodbetweenhimandthe
tents.
Onseeingthis,Imam(a.s.)said,
Woeonyou!Youaredevoidofanyfaithandifyoudontfearthehereafter,atleast
observethebasichumanrights!
SHIMRANDHISCRONIES
WhenShimrsawImam(a.s.),headvancedtowardshimwithhisinfantry.AmongthesewereAbul
JunoobJofee,Qashamb.AmrJofee,Salehb.WahabYazalee,Sinaanb,AnasNakhaeeand
Khuleeb.YazeedAsbahee.ShimrtriedtoinstigatethemintomurderingImam(a.s.).He
commanded
AbuJunoobtoadvancetowardsImam(a.s.).Theformerrejoined.
Whydontyou(doit)?
Stungwiththisreply,Shimrsaid,
Youdarespeaktomeinthisway!
AbuJunoobshotbacksimilarly,
Youdarespeaktomeinthisway!
Shimraccusedhimofbeingslothful.AbuJunoobrepliedmenacingly,
`Iwilltearyoureyeswithmydagger.
ThishadthedesiredeffectandShimrlefthimalone.Buthekeptmutteringunderhisbreathabout
gettingevenwithAbuJunoob.
(Ibid276)
MUKHTARANDSHIMR
MukhtarSaqafeesentforthhisslaveZarbitotrackdownShimr.Muslimb.AbdullahZababi,oneof
Shimrshenchmen,relates,
Mukhtarsslave,Zarbigaveusachase.WehadleftKufabehindus,ridingonour
skinnyhorses.Hecontinuedinhotpursuit,notwillingtorelent.Whenheclosedinon
us,Shimrcautioned,`Distanceyourselffromme,Ithinkheisonlyafterme.Wehustled
ourhorses.WhenZarbi,theslavehadreachedwithinstrikingdistance,heassaulted
Shimr.Shimr,wardedofftheblow.Butmeanwhile,Zarbihadpattedfromhis
companions.Shimrsawhischanceandstruckhimsohardthathebrokehisspine,killing
him.Later,whenZarbiscorpsewastakentoMukhtar,hewasaggrievedandsaidthathe
wouldneverhavepermittedZarbitocombatShimr.Anyhow,Shimr,afterkillingZarbi,
fledtoSaaneedmawherehetookshelterinavillagecalledQultaneesa,locatedona
riverbank.Hehidnearahillock.Hechanceduponafarmerfromthevillage.Heroughed
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himupandorderedhimtopassonalettertoMusabb.Zubair.Thatfarmertooktheletter
andonhiswayhadtotraversethroughavillage.IncidentallyMukhtarhadpostedAbu
UmrahinthatvillageasaconduitbetweenhimselfandthepeopleofBasrah.Afarmer
from
thatvillagemetthisfarmer(sentbyShimr)andcomplainedtothelatterofShimrs
excesses.One
ofAbuAmarahsmenoverheardthisconversationandinquiredaboutShimrs
whereaboutsfromthem.ThefarmerdisclosedShimrsexactlocation,whichwasonly
somedistanceaway.All
ofthemsetforthinthatdirection.OnreachingtheshackwhereShimrhadtakenshelter,
they
encircledhimandlaunchedaconcertedonslaught.Shimrwasattiredinonlyacloakand
nothing
else.Hetriedtoretaliatewithhislancebutinvain.Hisopponentswereinamerciless
mood
anddidnotevensparehimthechancetoputonhisclothes.Meanwhile,wewere
watchingthe
entireepisodefromadistance.WhenwesawShimrinthisconditionwedecidedtomake
ourselvesscarceandfledsilently.Wehadonlygonealittledistancewhenweheardthe
triumphantcriesofAllahuAkbarrejoicingShimrsdeath.
AbdurRahmanb.AbulKunoodrecounts,
IwastheonewhosawShimrsletterwiththefarmerandtookhimtoAbuUmrah.AndI
wastheonewhofinallykilledShimr.
SHIMRSEND
AllAkbarDehkhudahaschronicledinhisNaatNamahthatShimractuallyfoughtthebattleof
SiffeenfromHazratAlisside.HethensettleddowninKufa.Eventuallyheparticipatedinthe
carnageatKarbalaandkilledImamHussain(as.).
IndeeditismostironicalthatonewhofoughtthebattleofSiffeenfromAmeerulMomineensarmy,
afewyearslaterslayshisbelovedson.However,itisnotreallyastonishing.Historyisrepletewith
suchinstances.IbnMuljimisacaseinpoint.HewasoneofthesupportersofAmeerul
MomineenbeforeheactuallykilledhisownImam.Therefore,onemustnevertakethelightof
guidanceforgranted.Onthecontrary,onemustallowforintenseintrospectiontosafeguardthis
light.Godforbid,thegenerationstofollowmustnotmentionournamesinthesamebreathas
ShimrandIbnMuljim.
Anyhow,MukhtarSaqafeethrewShimrscorpsetothedogsafterslayinghim.
MostofShimrschildrenmigratedtowardsthewestandsettleddowninAndaloos(Spain).Theone
toachievesomeprominencewashisgrandson,Samilb.Hatimb.Shimrb.ZilJawshan.

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