WAHAB BIN ABDULLAH QALBI

This is the story of a young bride and a young bridegroom who were at Kerbala. They had been married only two months. The bridegroom was his mother's only child.

After his marriage the mother decided to go for Hajj and take the son and his bride. They left Kufa for Mecca in the month of Shawwaal.

On their way back, they found Kufa sealed off. At the border the mother asked why Kufa had been placed under such a strict blockade. She was told that a rebel group was camped at Kerbala and that Kufa was sealed off to protect the city and its inhabitants from an attack by the rebels. She asked who the rebels were. She was told the leader was Hussain Ibne Ali Ibne Abu Taalib.

On hearing the name, the lady almost fainted.This lady was the widow Abdullah Qalbi and her son, the newly wed bridegroom, was Wahab Bin Abdullah Qalbi. His father was a companion of Hazrat Ali. In 40 Hijrah when Abdullah Qalbi's wife was pregnant she became very ill. Abdullah Qalbi went to Hazrat Ali and said "My wife and I have been childless for so long. Now that she is expecting a baby she is so ill that I may lose her. Please Mawla, pray for her". Hazrat Ali prayed, and Abdullah Qalbi's wife recovered. Same year Hazrat Ali was martyred. A few months later Wahab was born. Two years later his father died. The widow had brought up her son with great love.

Now she heard the son of Ali being accused of wanting to attack Kufa and kill the people there. She refused to believe it. She said to her son, "Wahab, I must go and find out what is happening". Wahab said, "Mother, I too would like to come". The three arrived in Kerbala on the 7th Muharram.

On learning the true situation Wahab decided to stay on with Imaam Hussain and fight for him. When he told his mother of his decision, she said "I am the proudest mother in Iraq".

On the day of Ashura, Wahab fought for Imaam Hussain. When he was killed the mother and the bride were standing at the gate of the camp. Their faces were radiant with pride. Umar Sa'ad ordered Wahab's head to be cut off from the body. He threw the head at Wahab's mother. She picked it up, kissed it and threw it back at Umar Sa'ad saying, "What we have sacrificed for our Imaam and for Islam we do not take back. I am sorry I have one son only. If I had twenty, they all would have fought Yezid today". Then she went into the camp. Took the young bride in her arms. Just then, the tent's curtain lifted and Bibi Zainab came in. She embraced them both and offered her condolences saying: "May Allah grant you patience to bear Wahab's loss!!