Habib bin Muzahir from the Banu Asad tribe was also known by the kunyah Abu al-Qasim. His father’s name is recorded as either Muzahir, Muzahar, or in some sources, Mutahhar. Mamaghani has validated Muzahir as correct based on popular usage in prayers and supplications, while Sayyid Mohsen Amin has noted that older book versions state […]
Habib bin Muzahir from the Banu Asad tribe was also known by the kunyah Abu al-Qasim. His father’s name is recorded as either Muzahir, Muzahar, or in some sources, Mutahhar. Mamaghani has validated Muzahir as correct based on popular usage in prayers and supplications, while Sayyid Mohsen Amin has noted that older book versions state Muzahir as correct, and Muzahir contradicts the ancient transcription.
Habib, according to “Absar al-Ain” and “Zakhira,” was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and participated in the battles of Jamal, Siffin, and Nahrawan alongside Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
According to a report from al-Kashi:
“One day, Habib met Maysam al-Tammar, and they conversed. Habib said to Maysam, ‘I see an old man with a bald head and a fat belly who sells dates in Kufa, will be hung for his love of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) family. When he is on the cross, his belly will be slit with a weapon’ (meaning Habib was foretelling Maysam’s martyrdom). Maysam responded, ‘I also know a red-faced man with two locks of hair who will go out to aid the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) daughter’s son and will be killed. His head will be paraded in Kufa.’
Then Habib and Maysam parted ways. The attendees said they had never seen greater liars than these two.
Before the gathering had even dispersed, Rashid al-Hijri arrived and inquired about them. They told him what had been said, and Rashid said, ‘May Allah have mercy on Maysam. He forgot to mention this statement: ‘The one who brings Habib’s head to Kufa will receive an extra hundred dirhams.’
The narrator said, ‘Not long after, Maysam was hanged on the house of Amr ibn Hareth, and Habib’s head, who had been martyred with Hussein (peace be upon him), was brought to Kufa. We saw with our own eyes all that Habib, Maysam, and Rashid had foretold.’
Habib was one of those who wrote to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). When Muslim arrived in Kufa and stayed at the house of Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubaid, the Shi’ah visited him. According to Tabari, Muslim would read the letter of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) to them, and they would weep. Then Abbas ibn Abi Shabib al-Shakri spoke, and after him, Habib stood up and said:
‘May Allah have mercy on you. You have expressed what was in your heart with your concise words. Then he said: By Allah, the One besides whom there is no deity, I am on the same path as you.’
Habib told the people of Kufa: ‘O people! By Allah, on the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah), you will be the worst people before Allah if you kill the Prophet’s children and relatives, and the pious men of this city who used to rise in the early mornings for worship and frequently remembered Allah.’
On Ashura, Habib was the commander of the left wing of the army. When Muslim ibn Awsajah fell to the ground, and Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) came to his side, he said: ‘May your Lord have mercy on you, O Muslim ibn Awsajah. Some have passed away and some are waiting, and they have not changed in the least.’ Habib approached Muslim and said: ‘O Muslim! Your martyrdom is very hard on me; may you be granted glad tidings of paradise.’
Muslim, weak and feeble, responded: ‘May Allah reward you with good.’ Habib replied: ‘As you are my relative and religious brother, it was right and I wished to hear your last wishes and fulfill them properly. But I will soon attain the blessing of martyrdom.’ Muslim said: ‘My only will is that you give your life in the way of this man (pointing to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him)).’ Habib said: ‘By the Lord of the Kaaba, I will do that,’ and Muslim died at that moment.
Tabari narrates that Habib fought fiercely and recited his war poetry. A man from Banu Tamim named Badil ibn Sarim attacked him, and Habib sent him to hell. Another man from Banu Tamim struck Habib with a spear. When Habib attempted to rise, Husayn ibn Tamim struck him on the head with a sword, causing him to fall again.
The Tamimi dismounted, beheaded him, and said: ‘I participated in killing Habib.’ The Tamimi replied: ‘I am the only one who killed him.’ Husayn was satisfied with taking the head from the Tamimi and hung it from his horse’s neck, parading it among the troops, and then gave it to the Tamimi. The Tamimi then carried the head on his horse to Kufa and presented it to Ibn Ziyad.
Qasim, Habib’s son, saw his father’s head and recognized it, never leaving the man. He went to the palace and came out with him. The Tamimi grew concerned and said to Qasim: ‘Why do you not leave me?’ Qasim replied: ‘It’s nothing, but when pressed by the killer, he said: ‘This head is my father Habib’s. May I have it so that I may bury it?’ The Tamimi said: ‘O boy, the governor of Kufa does not want this head to be buried, and I must receive my reward from the governor.’
Habib’s son wept and said: ‘You will see nothing from God except punishment for this sin! By Allah, you have killed a man better than you!’ Qasim, forced to endure, later sought revenge against his father’s killer. During the time of Musab ibn al-Zubair, he found his father’s killer in Musab’s army and, while the man was asleep in his tent during midday, entered and killed him with his sword.
According to Tabari, Habib’s martyrdom deeply affected Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), who said: ‘I count myself and the devoted companions who fell for the sake of God as a sacrifice.’ He also said: ‘Blessed is Habib, you were a noble man who would complete the Quran in a single night.’
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