Abbas, The Lion Roars

   Abbas, his brother; fearless, grand,

     Thundered, with rage, took a bold stand:

          Proximity of water, deny you can"t

your witting Caliph"s obnoxious flaunt

in sheer buffoonery, arrant nonsense

          Convey to him scorn, intense.

          Pompous pride I abhor, detest,

Like the prismatic glass "tis just a jest.

         His faith is dimmed by the lure of gold,

And conscience, to rapacity he has sold.

         Drained off is his fount of sense,

 And creed abandoned to vain aberrance.

  Padlocked his brains, and mind is packed,

   Deposed his prudence, judgement sacked.

        An egregious scamp, pretentious fool,

        Egoism"s caricature, asininity"s toot.

He filled in the skin container with water, mounted his horse, and aimed towards the camp. Enemy soldiers cut him off, upon which he engaged them; he managed to fend them off and gained a leeway.

Zaid bin ar-Raqqad al-Juhui was laying in wait for him behind a tree. Helped by Hakim bin at-Tufail as-Sanbasi, he hit him on the arm and severed it. He was indifferent about his right arm, forging ahead to deliver the water to Hussain"s children and household. Hakim in the meantime was still laying in wait for him behind a tree. When Abbas got passed him, Hakim dealt him a sword blow on his left arm and severed it. Taking advantage of his weakened state, the rest of the troops took heart and swooped down upon him. They rained him with arrows from every direction; one arrow hit the water container and punctured it, spilling its contents; another hit him in the chest. A man hit him with a pole on the head, crushing his skull. Thereupon he fell to the ground calling,

"0 Aba Abdillah! Farewell". Hussain rushed to him only to find him aimless, his forehead ruptured, an arrow embedded into the eye, the brain strewn on the shoulders, the colors and water container beside him. Hussain face showed signs of despondency throwing himself down upon him, sobbing and saying, "Now is the time my backbone broke; I can see no way out, and my enemy is rejoicing at my misfortune".

Stealthily, a furtive foe appeared

The arms of the valiant, brave, severed.

The renegades" treacherous act did work

They this cowardice, did not shirk

The angel"s saintly wings were clipped,

The flag, he held high, lurched and dipped.

The standard with his blood was red

Its bearer brave lay cold and dead

Stifled my waves, was shocked, alas!

With grief I froze - it was Abbas."

Despondent, sorrowful, weeping, wiping his tears with hit shin sleeves, Imam Hussain returned to his camp only to see that the enemy soldiers had already invaded it. He appealed to the crowd, "Is there not one from amongst you who can respond to our cry for help?

Who can grant us a safe haven?

Is there not a seeker of right who can lend support to us? Is there not one, who is wary of hell fire, who can protect us?

"Sukaina" approached and asked him about her uncle.

He told her that he had been killed! Zainab overheard him and screamed,

"0 Our Abbas! What a loss! ". The women started crying and Hussain joined them saying,"We are at a loss after your demise! ".