HAZRAT HUR

Hazrat Hur bin Yezid at-Tamimi al-Yarbu'i was a career officer in the Kufa army. When Hussain bin Numayr, the commander at al-Qadisiya, learnt that Imaam Hussain and his entourage were getting very close to Kufa he dispatched Hur with a detachment of 1,000 men to intercept Imaam.

Hur believed that Imaam was being prevented from entering Kufa because his presence might jeopardize the stability of the city. As a professional soldier he did not very much concern himself with what he considered to be political issues. His duty, he felt, was to execute the order of his superiors. However, lurking somewhere in that stout military heart was an Islamic conscience.

Hazrat Hur and his soldiers met Imaam Hussain and his companions at a place a few miles outside Kufa.

It was midday when the two parties met.

Hur and his people had been travelling since morning and were very thirsty. He requested Imaam Hussain for water for his army. Imaam Hussain asked Hazrat Abbas, Hazrat Ali Akber, Hazrat Qasim and the others to give Hur and his men water and also to give water to their horses. This must have been a poignant scene. Water bottles being brought out of the saddle bags and the youths pouring water for Yezid's army to quench their thirst.

Zuhr prayers were led by Imaam and Hur and his soldiers joined in. After the prayers Hur told Imaam Hussain that his orders were to stop Imaam Hussain from going to Kufa unless he agreed to give "Bai'at"-swear allegiance- to Yezid. Imaam Hussain said that he would never give Bai'at to Yazeed. Yazeed was an unjust ruler who wanted to destroy Islam. In any case he was going to Kufa because he had been invited by the people there.

Imaam produced two sacks of letters and petitions from the people of Kufa begging him to go there. Hur said that as his orders were not to let Imaam go to Kufa there was nothing that he could do save carry out his orders.

Imaam Hussain could have fought Hur and his soldiers and forced his way into Kufa, but he did not wish to start any battle.

He told Hur that he would take another route and go away from Kufa. Hur said that his orders were to follow Imaam Hussain. And so, followed by Hur and his 1000 soldiers, Imaam Hussain and his companion rode in the direction away from Kufa.

On the 2nd Muharram, they reached Kerbala. Imaam Hussain bought land there and put up his tents. Hur and his men pitched their camps some distance away.

The following day, Umar bin Sa'ad came to Kerbala with 4000 soldiers. Umar Sa'ad was the commander of the Yazeed's Army. He had several meetings with Imaam Hussain and was so impressed by Imaam that he began to join Imaam for prayers. When Ibne Ziyad heard this, he was furious. He sent Shimr with 10,000 men and wrote a letter to Umar bin Sa'ad, ordering him to get "Bai'at" from Imaam Hussain or kill him. Umar bin Sa'ad immediately changed his attitude towards Imaam Hussain. Following his instructions he imposed restrictions on Imaam Hussain and his followers from getting water from "Furaat", and from 7th Muharram, no one from Imaam Hussain's camp was allowed near the river.

On the night of Ashura, Hur was very restless. He could hear the children in Imaam Hussain's camp cry because of thirst. He began to think "What have I done?. Why did I put the son of Fatimah in this position? Will Allah ever forgive me?". He could not sleep the whole night. Within him there was a struggle between his duty as a soldier and his Islamic conscience. Just before dawn he made up his mind.

Hur, his son and his slave rode over to Imaam Hussain's camp. Hur threw himself at Imaam Hussain's feet, pleading for his forgiveness. Imaam Hussain took Hur in his arms and said, "Hur, I forgive you. I assure you that my grandfather, the Holy Prophet also forgives you".

Hur then asked Imaam Hussain for permission to go and fight the enemies of Islam. Imaam Hussain said "Hur, you are my guest. How can I let you die for me?". Hur insisted. Hur went to the battlefield, and after a valiant fight, he fell and was killed. His son and the slave were also killed.Imaam

Hur's example moved nearly thirty other soldiers to defect to Imaam Hussain, where the only reward to be had was certain death, but where Allah's pleasure lay.

The story of Hur is the story of a struggle between right and wrong within the human mind and victory of the Islamic conscience.

When he got to the body of Hur Imaam prayed to Allah: "Oh Allah! I Commend to you this brave man who has given his life for Islam".