Tonight we commemorate the sacrifice of the youngest soldier in Karbala, Hazrat Ali Asghar. On the day of Ashura, Imam Hussain’s companions were martyred, until there was seemingly no one left. By Asr, Imam Hussain was alone. It was now time for him to go to the battlefield. Imam Hussain mounted his horse and cried out “Is there anyone to help me? Is there anyone to help the grandson of the Holy Prophet?”
No one answered his call, until he heard a cry coming from the tents. As he entered the tents Bibi Zainab said “My brother Husayn, when you called out, ‘Is there anyone to help me?’, Ali Asghar’s cradle started moving.”
Imam Hussain whispered in the ear of Ali Asghar to calm him down. He said “My son, ‘Ali Asghar, do you want to come to the battlefield with me? Asghar, do you want to show your strength on the battlefield? Come, let us go, my little Mujaheed, my little soldier, Asghar.” Imam Hussain then took Hazrat Ali Asghar to the battlefield to get him some water.
As he approached the army of Yazid he said “O soldiers of Yazid, you feel I have offended you, but what has this little child done to you? His mother’s milk has dried up. He has not had a drop of water for three days. He is dying of thirst. I ask you to give water to this innocent little child.”
No one stepped forward to offer this 6 month old child water. Imam Hussain asked once more and said “Maybe you think that when you bring water for this child, I will drink it too. I will put this little child on the ground. You can come and give him water yourself.” With that, Imam Hussain placed Ali Asghar on the hot sands of Karbala, yet no one came to give him even a drop of water.
Some of the men became restless, some even started crying. Ummar Saad began to worry that his soldiers would turn against him and ordered his best archer, Harmallah, to shoot and arrow at Ali Asghar. Harmallah aimed his large, 3-headed arrow at Hazrat Ali Asghar. He shot the arrow and it pierced the neck of Ali Asghar.
Imam Hussain was distraught, he thought about what to do next. He paced back and forth from the tents to the battlefield 7 times, not knowing how to face the mother of Ali Asghar. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaih Raja’oon.
