Wahab’s Ultimate Love for Hussian
Wahab, a Christian, and his wife, also a Christian, were married only a fortnight ago. Having witnessed what went on between Hussian and his foes, they sympathized with Hussain. The words of the Imam’s sermons penetrated their hearts and found an echo. Wahab’s mother, a Christian, said to her son, “I will not be pleased with you till you give your life away for the sake of Hussain.” Hussain allowed Wahab to fight. Wahab charged at the enemies of God like a lion, and when a man from Kufa severed his right arm, he transformed the sword to the left and went on fighting as if nothing at all had happened. Soon his left arm, too, was lopped off by a single stroke of a sword, and the hero fell to the ground. His wife watched the whole scene.
She pleaded to the Imam as she darted towards his enemies, “O’ Imam! Please do not ask me to go back! I prefer to die fighting rather than to fall as a captive in the hands of Banu Umayyah!” The Imam tried to dissuade her, explaining to her that fighting is not mandated on women; but at seeing her husband martyred, she ran to him and put his lifeless head on her lap, she began to wipe it with her clothes. Soon a slave of Shimer put an end to her life while she was thus engaged; the bride died by her groom’s side. Umar son of Sa’ad ordered his soldiers to cut Wahab’s head off and throw it to his mother. The soldiers did as they were told . Wahab’s mother came forward. Picked up his severed head. Wiped the dust off his forehead, kissed it and threw it back saying: “This was an endowment, given away in God’s way. It will not be taken back.”
