Zuhair ibn al-Qin was not a descendant of Ali, but an Ottoman. On the way, he had the honor of conversing with Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). His speeches in various situations reveal his position. When Zuhair embraced the cause of Hussein, he was aware that he was entering a battle against the Umayyads. […]
Zuhair ibn al-Qin was not a descendant of Ali, but an Ottoman. On the way, he had the honor of conversing with Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). His speeches in various situations reveal his position. When Zuhair embraced the cause of Hussein, he was aware that he was entering a battle against the Umayyads. To ensure his wife would not be harmed, he divorced her and sent her to her family so that she would receive nothing but good from him. Zuhair is the same person who asked Imam (peace be upon him) for permission to fight with Har and said, “A large army will come after him, and we are not capable of fighting them.”
Zuhair is also the one who, on the eve of Ashura, was asked by Habib if he wanted to speak with the enemy or if he should do so. Zuhair supported Habib’s stance and defended him.
On the night of Ashura, in response to Imam (peace be upon him) giving his companions permission to return to their homes, Zuhair said, “By God, I wish to be killed, then brought back to life and killed again a thousand times, so that by this means, God may preserve you and these young men of your family.”
On the day of Ashura, he delivered a detailed speech to the enemy and confronted Shimmer, saying: “O son of the camel driver, who are you addressing? You are nothing more than a beast.” He considered himself too noble to address Shimmer directly and deemed Shimmer as just one of the animals.
Thus, it is evident that he was a noble, wise, and eloquent speaker. The slaves of Yazid and Ibn Yazid wanted to engage in one-on-one combat with him, Habib, or Burair, but Abdullah ibn Umair al-Kalbi did not grant them a respite and defeated both.
Historical books record Zuhair’s commendable actions on Ashura. When Shimmer attacked the tents of the family and sought to burn them with anyone inside, Zuhair, with ten of his companions, attacked Shimmer and his group, driving them away. They killed one of Shimmer’s men, Abu Azzah al-Dhubabi. The remaining members of Shimmer’s group fled, unable to resist Zuhair and his companions. If they had been able to resist, they would not have fled.
Zuhair remained alive until after noon on Ashura, defending Imam (peace be upon him) and fighting alongside Har ibn Yazid against the enemy. According to Tabari from Abu Mukhnaf, Zuhair and Har fought valiantly. Whenever one of them was surrounded by the enemy, the other would come to his aid and rescue him. They fought in this manner for some time. After Har was killed, Zuhair continued to fight fiercely, saying:
“I am Zuhair, the son of al-Qin,
I defend them with the sword from Hussein.”
He would pat the shoulder of Imam (peace be upon him) and say:
“Forward, you are guided and destined
Today, you will meet your grandfather the Prophet,
And Hasan and the righteous Ali,
And the martyr Hamza with the two wings,
And the lion of God, the living martyr.”
It seems that Zuhair was consoling Imam (peace be upon him) and giving him the glad tidings of meeting the Prophet, Ali, Hamza, Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, and Imam Hasan on such a day.
Eventually, Kathir ibn Abdullah al-Sha’bi and Muhajir ibn Aws attacked him together and martyred him.
Kathir ibn Abdullah al-Sha’bi was the one sent by Ibn Sa’ad to inquire why Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) had come. He was known as a brave and ruthless horseman, unafraid of anything. He told Ibn Sa’ad that if he wanted, he would go and kill Hussein by surprise. He was the same person whom Abu Thumama al-Sa’idi confronted, preventing him from getting close to Imam (peace be upon him) and telling him that the worst and most ruthless people would come to you.
Zuhair was thirsty, had not slept at night, and had been engaged in fighting, defending, and speaking from morning until afternoon. After all the hardships and battles, Kathir ibn Abdullah and Muhajir ibn Aws martyred him. Such a brave and ruthless horseman could not have been defeated alone by the exhausted Zuhair.
This reflects the courage of these champions of Islam, though the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and the Umayyad narrators may try to conceal it. Zuhair’s poetry reveals the utmost bravery and faith of that noble person and his recognition of the friends of God.
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