The valor and calmness of Imam Husain (a.s.) shows that he had left
everything aside. He displayed such courage that all the brave Arabs were
confounded. A narrator from the enemy’s side says: “I swear by Allah, I
have not seen a person who has suffered so many calamities that all his
Ahle Bayt, children and companions are killed in front of him and he
remains so calm?”
“I swear by Allah, I am confounded that what a courage he had! What
a power he had that his calmness was not affected even after being
heart-broken when his loved ones were cut into pieces in front of him!
Such a brave heart cannot be found anywhere even though you may
search everywhere.”
Imam Husain (a.s.) had selected a spot as his center on the Ashura day. He
used to come at that place, stand and address the enemy and then return
to his camp. It is a fact recorded by all historians that no one dared to
fight Imam Husain (a.s.) in one-to-one combat. Whoever came in front of
Imam Husain (a.s.) did not return with his head intact. In the beginning a
few persons came forward for one-to-one combat and were dispatched to
hell. Seeing this, Umar bin Saad shouted, “What are you doing? The heart
of his father, Ali, is beating in his chest. You must know whom you are
fighting with.”
After that, one-to-one combat came to an end and those
malicious ones started throwing stones and arrows from all sides. Just
imagine! An army of thirty thousand had surrounded a lone person from
all sides and started raining arrows and stones on him!
Husainite sense of honor
When Imam Husain (a.s.) attacked this army, it started running like a
pack of wolves flees on seeing a Hon. Imam Husain (a.s.) did not chase
them long because he did not want to go far from his camp. His honor
did not permit that the respect of his household be attacked while he was
alive.
“This is son of Ali who has killed brave Arabs. Attack him from all sides.”
That is why he used to attack the enemy, drive them away and return to
his center. It was a place from where his voice can easily reach the camp.
Although his Ahle Bayt would not be able to see but they could hear him
easily. Hence, Imam Husain (a.s.) used to recite: There is no power and
might except by Allah the High and the Mighty, loudly so that Lady Zainab
(s.a.) gets calmed, Sakina is assured and his children retain hopes that he
would return to them alive. Whenever he reached his center, he used to
move his tongue over his dry lips and recite: There is no power and might
except by Allah the High and the Mighty.23 Husain wanted to show that the
power given to him belonged to Allah.
On one hand the Imam was raising the slogan of monotheism and on
the other he was informing Lady Zainab (s.a.) that he was alive. He had
instructed his household that no lady should come out of the tent as long
as he was alive.
Lohoof, Pg. 119; Tarikh Tabari, Vol. 4, Pg. 245; Muntahaiul Amaal, Vol. 1, Pg. 695