Qissat Bani Aqil (The Story of the Children of Aqil)

عين جودي بعبرة وعويل

O eye, pour forth tears and wailing

واندبي إن ندبت آل الرسول

And mourn, if you mourn, the family of the Messenger

سبعة كلهم لصلب علي

Seven, all from the loins of Ali

قد أصيبوا وتسعة لعقيل

Were struck down, and nine from Aqil

كان علي بن الحسين عليه السلام يميل إلى ولد عقيل، فقيل له: "ما بالك تميل إلى بني عمك هؤلاء دون آل جعفر؟" فقال: "إني أذكر يومهم مع أبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي فأرق لهم."

Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be upon him, used to show a special affection toward the children of Aqil. He was asked: "Why do you favour these cousins of yours over the family of Ja'far?" He replied: "I remember their day alongside Abu Abdillah, Husayn ibn Ali, and my heart softens for them."

كان السجاد يميل لبني عقيل

Al-Sajjad had a special affection to the Children of Aqil

ولكم له عويل لبني عقيل

And how much he wailed for the Children of Aqil

فالحزن بلا مثيل لبني عقيل

Their sorrow has no equal, the Children of Aqil

قصة آهات وبين، ضل يبچي إعليها حسين

A story of sighs and grief, over which Husayn kept weeping

واجب تجري كل عين لبني عقيل

Every eye must shed tears for the Children of Aqil

بين السيف وبين الناگة وبين الحافر

Between the swords, between the camels, and between the hooves

گبل العاشر، يوم العاشر، عگب العاشر

Before the tenth, on the tenth, and after the tenth

خلصت عيلة بكبرها

An entire family was wiped away

والطف ضيّع أثرها

And al-Taff (Karbala) erased their trace

بين السيف وبين الناگة وبين الحافر

Between the swords, between the camels, and between the hooves

أما سيدهم، فمولانا مسلم الذي بعثه الحسين عليه السلام سفيرا له إلى الكوفة، فقال في كتابه: "أما بعد، فإني باعث إليكم أخي وابن عمي والمفضل من أهل بيتي، مسلم بن عقيل بن أبي طالب، فاسمعوا له وأطيعوا رأيه."

As for their master, he was our master Muslim, whom Husayn, peace be upon him, sent as his envoy to Kufa. He wrote in his letter: "To proceed: I am sending to you my brother, my cousin and the chosen one from my household, Muslim ibn Aqil ibn Abi Talib. Listen to him and obey his judgement."

من الحسين ابن علي، ابن أبي طالب

From Husayn ibn Ali, son of Abu Talib

إلى الذي أرسل لي بالفتح يطالب

To those who sent to me, asking for victory

إني باعث إليكم ثقتي وابن عمي

I am sending to you my trusted one and my cousin

هذا حجتي عليكم في حربي وسلمي

He is my proof over you in war and in peace

مرسالي وإيدي الأمينة، وديته يسبگ الظعينة

My messenger and my trusted hand; I sent him ahead of the caravan

هو إعله الكوفة عيناي

He is my eyes over Kufa

من أهلي مسلم الـ أفضله، والرائد ما يكذب أهله

From my family, Muslim is the one I have chosen; a scout does not lie to his people

صادق ما يخطي بالراي

Truthful, never mistaken in his judgement

رفعوله الأيادي للبيعة بأول أمرهم

They raised their hands to him in allegiance at the beginning

ورفعوله الهنادي للغيلة بتالي غدرهم

Then raised their swords against him in treachery at the end

بس تمم صلاته ودار عينه

As soon as he finished his prayer, he looked around

بگه مفرد ولا واحد يعينه

He remained alone, with not one person to help him

تلفت بالصفوف ودار طرفه

He looked through the rows and turned his gaze

لن ينظر ولا واحد بخلفه

Only to see that not a single man remained behind him

تحسر، ويل گلبي، وصفگ چفه

He grieved - woe to my heart - and struck his palm in sorrow

على العافوه وأمس مكاتبينه

Over those who abandoned him, though only yesterday they had written to him

بايعوه، وسفة وتالي باعوه

They pledged allegiance to him - what a tragedy - then eventually sold him out

وهو الدر الما ينشره وينباع

Though he was a pearl not to be displayed and traded away

سالموه، ووكت الوثبة سلموه

They greeted him in peace, but when the uprising came, they handed him over

وبس طوعة الـ من دون الزلم فزاع!

And only Taw'a, without any men beside her, came to his aid!

واغربتاه، فردا قد أدى الصلاة

O loneliness! Alone he performed the prayer

إذ من كاتبه وشاه، حشاه

While the very ones who had written to him betrayed him, casting him

في ناب الدهر نهشا

Into the fangs of time to be torn apart

ذاوي الشفاه، وعلي ماء الحياة

His lips withered, while Ali is the water of life

وابن أخيه في ظماه يراه

And his nephew, in the midst of his thirst, would see him

شلالا يشكو العطشا

As a flowing stream that itself complains of thirst

نعم، حتى أتى دار طوعة، فقال لها: "يا أمة الله، اسقيني شربة من الماء، فقد بلغ مني العطش، وليس لي في هذا المصر منزل ولا عشيرة، وقد كذبني هؤلاء القوم وغروني." فقالت له بانكسار: "أأنت مسلم؟" قال: "بلى."

Yes, until he reached the house of Taw'a and said to her: "O servant of God, give me a drink of water. Thirst has overcome me. I have neither a home nor a clan in this city, and these people have lied to me and deceived me." Broken-hearted, she asked: "Are you Muslim?" He replied: "Yes."

گالت يا هلا ويا يوم المبارك

She said: Welcome! What a blessed day

يـ إغاتي، الدار دارك وآنه خطّارك

O my protector, the house is yours, and I am but your guest

بالكوفة يمسلم شاعت أخبارك

Your news has spread throughout Kufa, O Muslim

گالوا غادرينك يا نظر عيناي

They said they had betrayed you, O delight of my eyes

أصير بخدمتك يا مسلم أمنيتي

To serve you, O Muslim, is my wish

دعيت الله ونطاني الله إعله گد نيتي

I prayed to God, and God granted me according to my intention

إجيت لباب بيتي يا بعد بيتي

You have come to the door of my home, O one dearer to me than my home

أنا وبيتي من إيدك هاي لإيدك هاي

Myself and my house are entirely at your disposal

بات الليلة عندها وفكره بايت يم الحسين

He spent the night with her, but his thoughts remained beside Husayn

ومن گبل الفجر لن الوسن خيم على العين

Before dawn, drowsiness settled over his eyes

شاهد عمه، لصدره يضمه

He saw his uncle embracing him to his chest

گوم الجنة اشتاقتلك يا أول جرح بعاشور

"Rise as Paradise longs for you, O first wound of Ashura

هالليلة نضمك سالم ونضمك باچر منحور

Tonight I embrace you safe; tomorrow I will embrace you slaughtered

تتلگه سهام بصدرك وباچر تتلگاك الحور

Arrows will meet your chest, and tomorrow the maidens of Paradise will meet you

يلّه يا أبو حميدة إجاك الأجل

Come, O Abu Hamida, your appointed time has arrived

الوحا الوحا، العجل العجل

Hurry, hurry - make haste, make haste"

وهكذا قضى مسلم ليلته الأخيرة، وما إن أصبح الصباح وإذا بصهيل الخيل وقعقعة اللجم عند دارها، فأتته الحرة مسرعة وهي تقول:

Thus Muslim spent his final night. Morning had barely arrived when the neighing of horses and clatter of bridles sounded outside her house. The noble woman hurried to him, saying:

انهض لفاك الجيش يا حيد

Rise! The army has surrounded you, O lion

يردون يولونك يا صنديد

They want to drive you back, O mighty warrior

أريدك مراجل عمك تعيد

I want you to repeat the courage of your uncle

تخلي جثثها تارسة البيد

And leave their corpses filling the open land

يگلها يا طوعة تشجعيني

He says to her: O Taw'a, are you encouraging me?

وبعمي حيدر تذكريني

And reminding me of my uncle Haydar?

ما دام صمصامي بيميني

So long as my sword remains in my right hand

بعزم الله أرد جمع اليجيني

By God's strength I will repel every force that comes against me

فنزل الميدان وأخذ يخبطهم بالسيف خبطا، وينزل عليهم من عذابه سخطا، وكان من قوته أنه يأخذ الرجل بيده فيرمي به فوق البيت.

He entered the battlefield and began striking them fiercely with his sword, pouring his wrath down upon them. Such was his strength that he would seize a man with his hand and throw him over the roof of a house.

أقسمت لا أقتل إلا حرا

I have sworn that I shall only be killed as a free man

وإن رأيت الموت شيئا نكرا

Even if I see death as a dreadful thing

كل امرئ يوما ملاق شرا

Every man will one day encounter hardship

أضربكم ولا أخاف ضرا

I strike you and fear no harm

ضرب همام يستهين الدهرا

The blow of a champion who looks down upon fate itself

وأخلط البارد سخنا مرا

I mix what is cold with what is burning and bitter

ولا أقيم للأمان قدرا

I place no value upon promises of safety

أكره أن أخدع أو أغرا

I hate to be deceived or beguiled

بشمرة حيدر يوم الخندق، مرزم

With the charge of Haydar on the Day of the Trench, he roars

ما ينهزم بالملگه، بطبعه يهزم

By nature he is not defeated in battle, he defeats

وخشوم إعداه من الذلة مخزم

The noses of his enemies are pierced by humiliation

وبحزام الغيرة الـ من عمه محزم

He is girded with the belt of honour inherited from his uncle

رفرف راية خيبر بيده ويزم

The banner of Khaybar flutters in his hand as he drives forward

دب الشك، ما بيهم واحد يجزم

Doubt spread among them; not one of them could be certain

منهو الكر وبين العسكر معزم؟

Who is this charging resolutely through the army?

شي گالوا حيدر، شي گالوا مسلم

Some cried, "Haydar!" and others cried, "Muslim!"

غالب من بني غالب، لأرواح العدا جالب

A Victor from the family of Victors, collecting the souls of his enemies

ظهر من كنز أبو طالب، شبل بموسط الكوفة

A lion cub drawn from the treasure of Abu Talib, in the very heart of Kufa

بيمينه الأجل طيّع، وبالدم صارمه مريّع

Death itself obeys his right hand, and his bloodied sword strikes terror

هيّع بيها المهيّع، وسال السيل ش يروفه

He launched his fearsome charge, and the flood poured forth, who could turn it back?

بيهم طگ عذاب الويل، مفرد وهم شبه السيل

The torment of woe burst upon them; he stood alone while they were like a flood

الخيل شِما تگول الخيل، والمردوف مردوفة

What can words say of those horses? Rider after rider was brought down

فلما بلغ ابن زياد، لعنة الله عليه، ما فعله البطل الهاشمي بجنوده، كتب إلى ابن الأشعث يقرعه، فأجابه قائلا: "أيها الأمير، أتظن أنك بعثتني إلى بقال من بقاقيل الكوفة؟ أو جرمقاني من جرامقة الحيرة؟ أفلا تعلم أنك بعثتني إلى أسد ضرغام، وبطل همام، من آل خير الأنام؟"

When Ibn Ziyad, may God's curse be upon him, heard what the Hashemite hero had done to his soldiers, he wrote rebuking Ibn al-Ash'ath. Ibn al-Ash'ath replied: "O governor, do you think you sent me against some grocer from among the grocers of Kufa, or some ordinary man from the people of Hira? Do you not know that you sent me against a raging lion and mighty champion from the family of the best of creation?"

سربة من بعد سربة، فوگ ظماه والغربة

Troop after troop came against him, on top of his thirst and loneliness

من فوگ السطح وجّ الگصب نار

From above the rooftops they set the reeds alight

طعن السيف والحربة، والضربة على الضربة

Sword and spear wounds, blow following blow

دارن عالبطل من كل الأكتار

They surrounded the hero from every side

طوعة تنادي حيف

Taw'a cried: Alas!

محد حاضر يعينه، لا عباسه له حسينه

There is no one present to help him - neither his Abbas nor his Husayn

يا فشلة من الضيف

What shame before one's guest!

ضل يتلفت بعينه، لا عباسه له حسينه

He kept looking around, neither his Abbas nor his Husayn

صاحت يمسلم واعظمها خجلتي بيك

She cried: O Muslim, how great is my shame before you!

شبيدي وأنا حرمة وضعيفة ولا أكدر أحميك

What can I do? I am a woman, weak, and unable to protect you

لو يتركونك چان أفت گلبي وأداويك

If only they would leave you, I would tear open my heart to tend your wounds

إن چان اسلمت من گيدهم سلم على حسين

If you escape their trap, give my greetings to Husayn

گلها يا طوعة اليوم ما تحصل سلامة

He told her: O Taw'a, today there will be no escape

أوصيچ چان بهالبلد طبّوا يتامه

I entrust something to you: if his orphans enter this city

گولي ترى مسلم يبلّغكم سلامه

Tell them that Muslim sends them his greetings

وأجرچ على الله والنبي سيد الكونين

And may your reward be with God and the Prophet, master of the two worlds

ثم أخذوه مكتوفا إلى ابن زياد ودموعه على خديه، فقيل له: "إن من يطلب مثل الذي تطلب، إذا نزل به مثل الذي نزل بك لم يبك." فقال: "إني والله ما لنفسي بكيت، ولكن أبكي لأهلي المقبلين، أبكي للحسين وآل الحسين."

Then they took him, his hands bound, to Ibn Ziyad while tears ran down his cheeks. Someone said to him: "One who seeks what you sought should not weep when something such as this befalls him." He replied: "By God, I do not weep for myself. I weep for my family who are approaching. I weep for Husayn and the family of Husayn."

عجبا للذي مثلك محله

How strange that a man of your rank

بهذا المحل دمعه يهله!

Should shed his tears in such a place!

والما ثنت جيده المذلة

A man whose neck humiliation could never bend

ما ينتحب لو حان چتله

Does not sob when the time of his death arrives

شال البطل راسه ويگله

The hero raised his head and told him

موش إعله حالي النوح كله

All this mourning is not over my own condition

لحسين والحسرة على أهله

It is for Husayn and my grief for his family

وابچي على ظعونه المجبلة

I weep for his caravan that is approaching

تغدروه ومحد ينتصرله

They will betray him, and there will be no one to come to his aid

صعدوا بيه لأعلى السطح

They took him to the highest part of the roof

من طوله لطوله أصبح جرح

From head to toe, his body had become one wound

ينزف دم وآهات وغيرة

Bleeding blood, anguish and wounded honour

شي گالوا لازم ينذبح

Some said: He must be slaughtered

وشي گالوا يعفى وينسرح

Others said: Pardon him and let him go

وضل وجهه لحسين يديره

Yet he kept turning his thoughts and face toward Husayn

بينما هم كذلك، وإذا بالصرخة ترتفع

While they were in that state, suddenly the cry rose

والطمت له الملائك من شافوا راسه منگطع

And the angels mourned him when they saw his severed head

وامسلماه، وامسلماه

O Muslim! O Muslim!

والمگدر جره وشاعت أخباره

What had been decreed took its course, and the news spread

رموه الگوم من قصر الإمارة

The people threw him down from the governor's palace

وهاني انچتل بعده وبگت داره

And Hani was killed after him, and his house remained

مظلمة ولا بعد واحد يصلها

Dark, with no one ever coming to it again

مصيبتهم مصيبة تصدع الجبال

Their tragedy is a tragedy that splits the mountains

ومن گبل المشيب تشيّب الأطفال

And turns children grey before the age of grey hair

شفت ميت يجرونه بالحبال

Have you ever seen a dead man dragged by ropes?

يا صاحب لا تظن صارت مثلها

My friend, do not imagine that anything like it has ever happened

وسحبا تجر بأسواقهم

Dragged through their marketplaces

ألست أميرهم البارحة؟

Were you not their commander only yesterday?

لئن تقضي نحبا فكم في زرود

If you have now met your death, how many there are at Zarud

عليك العشية من صائحة

Who will cry for you this evening

وكم طفلة لك قد أعولت

And how many little girls of yours have wailed

وجمرتها في الحشى قادحة

While the ember of grief burns within their hearts

وفي الجانب الآخر، هذا الحسين عليه السلام يسير والمنايا تسري إليه، وقد لقيه رجل من بني أسد، فسأله الحسين عن خبر الكوفة، فقال: "لم أخرج من الكوفة حتى قتل مسلم بن عقيل وهانئ بن عروة، ورأيت الصبيان يجرون بأرجلهما." فقال الحسين: "إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون."

Meanwhile, Husayn, peace be upon him, continued on his journey while death itself drew nearer to him. He met a man from Banu Asad and asked him for news of Kufa. The man replied: "I did not leave Kufa until Muslim ibn Aqil and Hani ibn Urwa had been killed, and I saw the children dragging them by their legs." Husayn said: "Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we shall return."

ضل يتلفت ويصفج غده بإيده إعله إيده

He kept looking around in grief, striking one hand against the other

يا زينب دگوميلي بعجل نادي حميدة

"O Zaynab, rise quickly for me and call Hamida"

ناداها وسلاها، وگالت أدري بإحساسك

He called her and comforted her, and she said: "I know what you are feeling

وكل أهلي لو راحوا، يا عمي فدوة لراسك

Even if all my family were to go, O uncle, they are a sacrifice for your life"

لم يبكها عدم الوثوق بعمها

It was not lack of trust in her uncle that made her weep

كلا ولا الوجد المبرح فيها

Nor simply the crushing grief within her

لكنها تبكي مخافة أنها

Rather, she wept out of fear

تمسي يتيمة عمها وأبيها

That she would become orphaned of both her uncle and her father

يتيمة وخايفة تنفجع مرتين

An orphan, afraid she will be struck by tragedy twice

وعگب مسلم تخاف يروح الحسين

After Muslim, she fears that Husayn too will be taken

حميدة مدللة بجاله وحياته

Hamida was cherished in his presence and throughout his life

وحاسبها مثل حسبة بناته

He regarded her just as he regarded his own daughters

لچن حسين لو حانت وفاته

But if the time of Husayn's death should come

عگبه من اليتم تنطي الوجه وين

After him, where can an orphan turn her face?

حتى أصبح يوم العاشر على سيد الشهداء، وقد قتل أنصاره جميعا، ولم يبق إلا أهل بيته، تقدم الطالبيون واحدا تلو الآخر لنصرة مولاهم الغريب.

Then the tenth day dawned upon the Master of Martyrs. All of his companions had been killed and none remained except his household. The descendants of Abu Talib advanced one after another to defend their lonely master.

عين جودي بعبرة وعويل

O eye, pour forth tears and wailing

واندبي إن ندبت آل الرسول

And mourn, if you mourn, the family of the Messenger

سبعة كلهم لصلب علي

Seven, all from the loins of Ali

قد أصيبوا وتسعة لعقيل

Were struck down, and nine from Aqil

عبد الله بن مسلم أول من فك بيهم ريجه الموت

Abdullah ibn Muslim was the first among them upon whom death took its first taste

وعبد الرحمن بهالغيرة بدرب الدم بزوده يفوت

And Abd al-Rahman, with this zeal, advanced boldly along the road of blood

وعون وأحمد مثل حسين يقاتل وبگلبه المفتوت

Awn and Ahmad fought like Husayn, their hearts shattered within them

عطشانين ونصروا ضامي وما لمهم مثله التابوت

Thirsty themselves, they aided the Thirsty One; like him, no coffin gathered them

ذوله أولاد مسلم حيف، غرگانين بدمهم

These are the sons of Muslim, alas, drowned in their own blood

أما بناته بيا ظيم من حرگوها خيمهم

But as for his daughters, what oppression did they face when their tents were burned?

تنطي وين الوجه، يا صوب تتجه

Where can she turn her face? Toward which direction can she go?

والخيالة إعليها تجول

While the cavalry circles over her?

فرّن بالمعركة، وبنت مسلم عاتكة

They scattered through the battlefield, and Muslim's daughter Atika

وماتت من سحگتها خيول

Died beneath the trampling of the horses

وإبراهيم ومحمد

And Ibrahim and Muhammad

أطفال ومن الطف فروا، لچن الحال بيا حال

Children who survived al-Taff (Karbala), but what a state they were in

بغربة وما عندهم أحد

Strangers, with no one beside them

من إيد السجان لإيد ابن زياد لإيد الچتّال

From the jailer's hand, to Ibn Ziyad's hand, to the killer's hand

مسلم وبنايباته، وذوله أولاده وبناته

Muslim and all his calamities, these are his sons and his daughters

بين السيف وبين الناگة وبين الحافر

Between the swords, between the camels, and between the hooves