How did the Winged Ja'far gain renown?
The standard was the Prophet's gift he took;
And when he drew his sword and brought it down,
The lands of Syria and Turkey shook.
And when he lost his life that Son of Kings,
Instead of arms God gave him jewelled wings..
For three whole days their army faced defeat;
Then Ali bore the standard to the field.
The Lion of God put Marhab to retreat;
The foe within the fortress would not yield.
Put he broke down that door of infamy
As if it were a leaf plucked from a tree.
Now, Ali's noble son, in ambush caught,
Beholds our mother's garden laid to waste.
And you forget to ask why I'm distraught.
Incensed by rank and honour you make haste
To win for your own name a reputation.
For me you spare such scant consideration.'
The rose-faced boys in deference clasped their hands:
'Oh, Sister of Husain! Control thy wrath.
No further talk of standard on these sands,
But thou wilt see our worth when we go forth
To rout the foe, then sleep where martyrs fall.
You will say we were the bravest of them all.'
Her loving sons thus spoke; she drew her breath,
And then as the tears welled up within her breast,
She cried: 'You give me tidings of your death;
But wait and by your mother's hand be blessed.
You scorn your mother's words before you part.
Why do you plunge this dagger in my heart?'
The King drew near to Zainab and thus spoke:
'My sister, didst thou hear what thy boys said?
They are the lions which fearsome spirits broke.
13y such unequaled hearts are armies led.
Compared to the bravest ones who passed before,
Their frown is different and their courage more.
Just ten years old! What purpose they display!
Such stubbornness in ones so young is rare.
May dearest fortune smile on them today.
At whose breast were they suckled? 13y whose care
Were they brought up to grace the Prophet's name?
But they are young. How can I meet their claim?
The bearer of the standard is thy choice.'
'The King of Heaven must choose.' Zainab replied.
'Thou wert declared our mother with one voice',
Answered Husain, 'the day that Fatima died.
So now must thou decide; for thee to say
Which one will hear the standard to the fray.'
Zainab answered: 'I can do no more.
For thou art Leader of the Strong and Weak,
And after the Quran thy word is law.
But if it is thy will that I should speak,
Then I would choose the brave Abbas. For me
In valour no one stands as high as he.
He loves thee; he is thine obedient slave;
A younger brother who will give his life
For thee, and fight with strength among the brave;
A worthy son in time of war and strife;
A lion-hearted general, good and fair.
With his great courage no one can compare.'
The King who has no equal found his voice,
As tears came to his eyes: 'To thee my thanks.
My sister, thou hast uttered Ali's choice.
Go call Abbas, the terror of the ranks.'
Akbar called his uncle reverently:
'The King awaits. My aunt has chosen thee.'
Abbas came in the presence of the King.
'Go to thy sister', said Husain. 'She chose. '
Zainab placed the standard in the ring.
Taking the flag the Lord of Heaven arose:
'Here is the standard thou alone mayst lift.
For thee the Holy Ones reserved this gift. '
He clasped the pole and to his Master bowed,
Then filled with glory touched his sister's feet.
She blessed him, saying: 'Brother I have vowed
My life to thee. Protect me from the heat
Of battle. Go and bring us peace today,
And guard thy brother in this awesome fray.'
Abbas addressed his sister: 'While my head
Remains upon my neck, be not distressed.
Though a hundred-thousand swords on us be sped,
They will not pierce this shield,-my stalwart breast.
The sons of the Lion of God to action rise;
They fight with lions and tear out their eyes.'
To Ali's tomb he turned his noble face:
'Behold each atom has become a sun!
Ah, Lord of Dust! Have mercy on thy race.
Before Husain to martyrdom I run.
My head will fall to save thine only peer;
My blood and sweat are shed upon Shabbir.'
Hearing this, Abbas's wife drew nigh.
At first, she looked with coyness at her spouse.
She blessed Husain and Zainab with a sigh,
And said: 'These sufferings my grief arouse.
But such reward that you have now bestowed
Makes great the honour which we are not owed . '
Zainab laid her head upon her breast,
And said: 'I pray thy womb may e'er give life.'
She answered: 'May my Lady's name be blessed.
Let children be thy fortune as a wife.
May Ali Akbar pass his wedding night
Here 'neath the stars that make this heaven bright.
May destiny ensure their safe return.
Let the cry go up in Yathrib for the Lord.
May dear Umm al Banin with honour burn.
My joy on Ali Akbar's bride be poured.
May henna red his hands and feet adorn.
May his wedding greet the shadow of the morn.'
The little girl, Sakina came and said:
'Where is my uncle? Tell me, why this throng?
Let me place my blessings on his head.
May he be saved by God from harm and wrong.
He takes the standard; may his fame be mine;
For he is Ali's glory, Ali's sign.'
'Come, my dear', Abbas smiled through his tears.
'You're thirsty, and I did not stop to think.'
Sakina answered: 'No, allay thy fears.
Thou hast the standard now, but we must drink.
Go, fill my water-skin. No other boon
I crave from thee. Bring water. Bring it soon!'
Hearing her words, the Sayyid women cried.
Qasim came near and called to the Imam:
'The Syrian army masses with its pride
And fast approaches, bent on doing harm.'
Husain replied: 'No cause for fear this day!
Abbas will bear our standard to the fray.'
Standard in hand, Abbas to action fell.
The barefoot women ran with hair disheveled.
The Lord cried: 'Brood of Mustafa, farewell!
We part. 'Tis time the scores were duly levelled.
This is the morning of the night of sorrow.
Our fading stars unite to greet the morrow.'.'
Grief-stricken, Zainab fell before Husain;
And Bano, stumbling, fell before her son;
Trembling, Kulsum fell, her heart in pain;
Sakina, Baqir fell down one by one.
The garden was despoiled, no gay flowers danced;
The standard like a funeral-bier advanced.
The celestial Lord Abbas with firm intent
Strode out; the soldiers said their last farewell.
The King of Both Worlds left the women's tent,
But Zainab's piercing shrieks he could not quell.
His heart was pained; tears washed his eyes anew,
As when a sun-flower's face is washed with dew.
Just like Muhammad, mounted on his steed,
Husain attached his quiver to the rein.
The tongues of men and Jinn cried out: 'Indeed,
The Prophet's horse descends to earth again!
His graceful movement shames the mountain-quail;
His face that of a bride beneath her veil.
Behold the way his eyes flash, stern and bold!
How proudly struts and sways the noble horse!
His limbs were fashioned in a perfect mould.
He stops and pricks his ears up in his course.
His neck the fairies' hands would fain caress.
Swift as Huma he sports his comeliness.'
The wind began to blow; the horse advanced
With joy towards the desert, gaining strength;
The cavalry took their reins; their horses pranced
The standard, like a cypress fair in length,
Came forth to Iram's garden midst its bowers-
To Karbala, the land of desert flowers.
The five pronged emblem's radiance robbed the sight;
Its gleaming was reflected on the sand;
It lit the high empyrean with its light�
A bridegroom's face veiled in a golden strand.
The emblem and the sun shone in both ways,
Entangling in the air their brilliant rays.
God's chosen army of magnificence!
The infamous enemy flags began to droop.
Brave Hashimites with rare munificence,
Adornment of the earth, an honoured troop.
Each one the seed of Ali, each in price
Was dearer than the groves of Paradise.
Those eight young boys, fair-faced, straight-backed and wise
With awesome strength and grit were Haidar's scions.
Black locks entwining their narcissus eyes,
With little knives they were a match for lions.
Their moon-like breasts for arrows were the snare
They came like bridegrooms to a place of prayer.
The houris from their windows in delight
Called out: 'Bless the Imam and bless his sword.
The earth this day presents a wondrous sight,
For he resembles Mustafa, our Lord.
The banner of Ahbas goes forth unfurled.
The company of the Prophet rules the world
For when the Holy Prophet left his place,
We thought the world bereft of beauty's charm.
But let the old bent sky now hide his face!
Ali Akbar lives to he Husain's right arm.
Just see his comely looks and know his worth.
Muhammad in Heaven; his shadow on the earth.
Suddenly arrows rained upon the horde.
Husain advanced and pleaded with his foe.
His thirsty friends came to protect their Lord;
They struck the Syrian force and laid it low.
With swords held high, the fight w as underway
All strove like Malik Ushtar in the fray.
The King's companions, bent on Holy War,
Raised cries; the earth began to shake with fear.
Fierce lions against foxes to the fore!
The cursed foe in panic to the rear!
To north and south fell lightning on the flanks
And pierced the black clouds of the Syrian ranks.
Now Ali's grandsons fought with might and main.
Their daggers had the force of Zulfiqar.
On shield and shoulder savage blows would rain.
The wounded, dead and dying lay afar.
They proved themselves to be the Prophet's scions;
Nursed by the milk of Zainab, they were lions.
Those tiny little hands, those wrists so white;
Their speed created havoc in the field.
The enemy bowmen broke their ranks in fright,
And pleaded with the Prophet's men to yield.
In them Muhammad's strength was manifest.
'Twas Zainab's milk that fed their lion-like breasts.
Qasim, Hasan's son, so bravely fought;
Surrounded, he roared like an angry beast.
Three days of thirst and hunger were as nought.
With unveiled face no bridegroom to his feast
E'er ran so hard as he attacked his foes
And dealt the Syrian Arzaq hefty blows.
The sword of brave Abbas flashed with such power
That Gabriel sought protection from his Lord
The son of Sa'd there faced his final hour
'Midst shieldless corpses scattered-by the sword.
As lions spring to gain the river banks,
Abbas swam through the waves of serried ranks.
The guards of the Euphrates lost their heads
And like the river's current flowed away.
Black-hearted foes were tossed into its beds;
Their life-breath burst like bubbles in its spray.
Abbas, dry-lipped, took water for his men,
As if the Prince of Arabs fought again.
Ali Akbar seized his victims with a frown,
Like a hungry lion pouncing on its prey.
The proud were vanquished, mighty men put down;
His adversaries o'er the desert lay.
Their heads were severed; no one dared to pass
Beyond the lines defended by Abbas.
On both sides swords rained down till past midday.
The earth and skies resounded with the crash.
With folded wings the angels looked away.
No more the shouts, no more of swords the flash.
The shields were spent; the spears now joined the fight;
By afternoon the army was in flight.
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