Martydom of Wahab bin Abdullah bin Habbab Kalbi

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Wahab bin Abdullah bin Habbab Kalbi came out into the battlefield. His mother too was accompanying him on that day, who told him, “Arise O son! And defend the grandson of the Prophet of Allah (S).” Wahab replied, “Verily I shall not act miserly.” Thus he came out into the battlefield while saying: “If you do not know me, I am from Bani Kalb, very soon you will see me and my sword, and will behold my attack and influence in bat­tle, I will seek my revenge after the revenge of my companions, and I will ward off grief and affliction before my grief, to fight me in the battle­field is not a joke.”

He attacked the Kufan army and killed a group among them one after the other. Then he returned back to his mother and wife and stood facing them and said, “O mother! Are you pleased now”? She replied, “I shall not be pleased until you attain martyrdom in the presence of Imam Husayn (a.s).” Then his wife said, “I request you in the name of Allah not to bereave me.” Hearing this his mother said, “O dear son! Do not accept what she says, go and fight in the way of the grandson of the Prophet, so that he may inter­cede for you on the day of Qiyamah.”

Wahab returned back saying: “I swear to you O Umm Wahab, to strike them with spears and sword, similar to the swordsmanship of a youth who believes in the Almighty, so as to give a taste of the bitter battle to this nation, I am valorous and a youth possessing a clear-cut sword, I am not fearful during battle, Allah, the Wise, is sufficient for me.”

Then he lay siege until he had killed nineteen horsemen and twelve foot-soldiers. Both his hands were severed, seeing this his mother lifted a peg of the tent and ran towards him saying, “May my parents be your ransom! Strive in the way of the Household of the Prophet of Allah.” Wahab proceed­ed further so as to return her back to the tents, when she caught hold of his shirt and said, “I shall not return back until I am killed along with you.” When Imam Husayn (a.s.) saw this he said,

“May Allah reward you favorably due to the right of my family! Return back to the ladies, may Allah have mercy upon you.”

Hearing this the woman returned back and Wahab fought until he was martyred (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon him).

The wife of Wahab came and sat at his head and started wiping the blood from the face of her husband. When Shimr saw her, he commanded his retainer to strike her with his club. He did so and she was the first woman to attain martyrdom in the ranks of Imam Husayn (a.s.) (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon her).

Reference : Nafasul Mahmoom – Shaikh abbas Qummi (r.a.)