Page 153 - Pure Life 07

The Day of Ashura: A Microcosm of the Human Condition / 83

It is further narrated that the companions of
Zuhair “disliked this message so much that [they]
put down [their] morsels.”
1
Zuhair did not immediately oblige to join the
Imam. Instead, his true duty and the reality of the
situation was shaken into him by his wife, Lady
Dulham who reminded him, “‘The son of the Holy
Prophet of Allah has sent someone to you and
called you; are you not prepared to go to him?
Allah be praised! What is the harm if you go and
see him, hear what he has to say and then return!’”
2
It was when Zuhair remembered that this world is
not permanent and that he had to, one day, face Allah
(swt) in the next world even if he turned his face
from Imam Hussain in this world. And so, Zuhair
decided to leave behind his wife and comfortable life
and began his journey to be one of the greatest
martyrs in history. Imam Hussain, recognizes the
difficulty of this choice, and comforts Zuhair, “Do
not be worried on account of what has happened…”
3
Zuhair “offered to stand in from of Imam to
protect him” during Zuhr prayers on the Day of
Ashura, and would “smile as he intercepted an
arrow shot at Hussain by receiving it in his chest.

1. Ayati, https://www.al-islam.org/probe-history-ashura-dr-
ibrahim-ayati.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.