Martyrdom of Nafe’ bin Hilal

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Naf’e bin Hilal Jamali (or Bajali) had engraved his name on his arrows and dipped them in poison and shot them one after the other towards the enemies saying, “I shoot these arrows whose teeth contains signs, while it will not benefit those who fear, they are smeared in poison which keeps the enemies in motion, and it’s striking fills the earth with blood.”

He shot the arrows one after the other until they were exhausted and his quiver became empty. Then he placed his hand upon his sword and said, “I am a youth of the Yemeni tribe of Bajalah, I follow the Religion of Husayn and Ali, I shall be martyred today and this being my heart’s desire, and I shall meet my actions.”

Tabari says that he killed twelve men from the companions of Umar bin Sa’ad, apart from those whom he wounded, until both his arms were severed. Then he was arrested by Shimr, who called his companions to drag him to Umar bin Sa’ad. Umar bin Sa’ad told him, “Woe be to you! What have you done to yourself”? Nafe’ replied, “Verily my Allah knows my intentions.” The narrator says that blood was flowing on his beard while he was saying, “By Allah! I have slain twelve men among you, excluding those whom I have wounded, while I do not reproach myself for this. And if my hands would have been present, and my wrists would have been there, you would not have arrested me.”

Shimr told Umar bin Sa’ad, “May Allah straighten your affair, kill him.” Umar replied, “You have brought him, then kill him if you de­sire.” Hearing this Shimr unsheathed his sword and Nafe’ said, “If you are a Muslim, you would have despised meeting Allah with our blood upon your neck. Praise be to Allah, who has destined our death at the hands of the most accursed of the creation.” Then the accursed (Shimr) killed him. (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessing be upon him).

Then Shimr attacked the army of Imam while saying, “Leave him, O Lion of Allah, leave Shimr, so that he may strike at them with his sword and will not flee, and he is a bitter tree and a fatal poison for you.”

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