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Martyrdom of Rushayd al Hajari
Source: Nafasul Mahmum by Ayatullah Shaykh Abbas Qummi
Hajar is one of the cities, which is the governor’s seat of Bahrayn or is its district. The commander of the faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) gave him the name of Rushayd al Balaya (Rushayd of Trials) and trained him in the Science of trials and death (Ilmul Balaya wal Manaya). Thus he predicted how a person would die or how such and such person would be killed, and whatever he said came out to be the truth. In the episode of Meytham we have related how he predicted regarding (the Martyrdom of) Habib bin Mazahir.
I recollect from the Ta’leeqah of Shaikh Bahai that Shaikh Kaf’ami has included Rushayd among the porters of Imams (a.s.).
It has been related in Ikhtisas, that when Ziyad (the father of Ubaydullah), was in pursuit of Rushayd, he went underground. One day he came to Abu Arakah, who was sitting on the door of his house with some of his friends, and entered therein. Abu Arakah was alarmed and followed him in fright. Then he told Rushayd, “Woe be to you! You have killed me and orphaned my children while spreading ruination.” Rushayd asked him as to why he said that. Abu Arakah replied, “These people are in search of you and you come to my house, when the people present here see you”? Rushayd said, “None of them have seen me.” Abu Arakah said, “Are you joking with me”? Then he caught hold of him, tied his hands, locked him in a room and closed the door and came out to his friends and said, “I sense that now an old man entered my house.”
They replied that they had not seen anyone entering therein. He repeated his question and they replied in the negative and hence he became silent. Then he feared lest someone else might have seen him, and hence went to the court of Ziyad to investigate whether they discussed Rushayd or no, and if they were aware (that Rushayd is in his house), he would hand him over to them. Thus he went and saluted Ziyad and sat near him. There was a cool atmosphere therein when suddenly he saw Rushayd, seated on a mule, coming towards Ziyad.
As soon as he saw him, the color of his face changed and was bewildered and was sure of his death. Rushayd entered therein and saluted Ziyad. On seeing him Ziyad arose and embraced and kissed him. Then he welcomed him and asked him as to how he was and inquired about his family and stroked his beard affectionately. Rushyad sat there for sometime and then arose and left. Abu Arakah asked Ziyad, “May your Lord reconcile you! Who was this nobleman”?
He replied that the man was among his Syrian friends, who came to visit him. Hearing this Abu Arakah arose and rushed towards his house. He entered therein and saw Rushayd in the manner he had left him. Abu Arakah said, “Now when you possess this art that I have just witnessed, do as you wish and come to my house as and when you desire.”2
An account of the personality of Abu Arakah
The author says that the above referred Abu Arakah is from the clan of Bajilah and is from among the companions of Imam Ali (a.s.). While Barqi says that he was from Yemen and includes him among Imam’s companions like Asbagh bin Nabatah, Malik Ashtar and Kumayl bin Ziyad.
The family of Abu Arakah is renowned among the Shi’ah biographers and the transmitters of traditions of Imams (a.s.) like Basheer Nabbal and Shajarah who were the sons of Maymoon bin Abu Arakah. While Ishaq bin Basheer, Ali bin Shajarah and Hasan bin Shajarah were all among the prominent and noblemen.
While the treatment of Abu Arakah with Rushayd was not due to his less distinction but because of the fear of his life, and because Ziyad was strongly in pursuit of Rushayd and other Shi’ah of Imam Ali (a.s.). He persecuted them, as also those who befriended them, hosted them or gave them shelter. Here the honor and manliness of Hani is apparent that he hosted Muslim bin Aqeel (in site of such harsh prohibitions), and gave him shelter in his house and sacrificed his life for him. May Allah sanctify his grave and descent Paradise unto him.
Shaikh Kashshi relates from Abi Hayyan Bajali who relates from Qinwa, the daughter of Rushayd. Abu Hayyan says that I told Qinwa to relate to me all that she had heard from her father. She said: I heard my father say that Imam Ali (a.s.) has informed me and said that, “O Rushayd! How will you forebear when the one (Ziyad), whom the Bani Umayyah have included among themselves, will call upon you and amputate your feet, hands, and tongue”?
I asked, “O commander of the faithful! Will Paradise be the outcome of this”? Imam replied, “O Rushayd! You are along with me in this world as well as the hereafter.”
Qinwa says that some days passed when Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, the illegitimate one, (Ubaydullah is an error of the narrator, while the correct one is his father Ziyad) called him. Then he told Rushayd to disassociate himself from Imam Ali (a.s.) and the guard struck him to utter this. The illegitimate (Ziyad) said, “You have been informed about it, then how do you wish to die”? Rushayd replied, “My friend (Imam Ali) had told me that I will be forced to disassociate myself from him, and that when I refuse to do so, both of my hands, feet and my tongue shall be cut.” Ziyad said, “Now by Allah! I shall belie his words.”
Then he ordered him to be brought forward, his hands and feet should be amputated while his tongue should be left intact. I (Qinwa) caught hold of his hands and feet and said, “O dear father! Do you feel the pain due to what has befallen you”? He replied, “No, but similar to a person who is trapped in the midst of people.” When they brought him out of the palace people started gathering at a distance away from him. He said, “Go and bring me ink and paper so that I may write down for you all that is destined to occur till the Qiyamah.” Then a barber was sent who cut off his tongue and he died the same night. (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon him)
Fuzayl bin Zubayr says that one day Imam Ali (a.s.), accompanied with his companions went to a garden named Barna and sat under the shade of a Palm-tree. He called for some dates, which were plucked from the trees, and brought to him. Rushayd Hajari said, “O Commander of the faithful! How good these dates are.” He answered, “O Rushayd! You shall be crucified on the trunk of this Palm-tree.”
Rushayd says that constantly in the morning as well as the evening I watered the tree. After the demise of Imam Ali (a.s.), when I passed by the tree, I saw that the branches of the tree had been cut down and I said to myself, “Now my end has drawn near.” After some days a headman came to me and said that the commander desired to see me. I went to the palace and saw the timber of the Palm-tree gathered there. When I came the other day I saw that the second part of the tree was made into a ring and was bound on both the sides of the well to draw water from it.
I said to myself, “Verily my friend has not lied to me.” (Another day) The headman came to me and said that the commander desired to see me. When I entered the palace, I saw the timber kept therein and the ring too was there. I went near the ring and striking it with my foot, said, “You have been fostered and grown up for me.”
Then I went to Ubaydullah and he said, “Relate to me the lies which your master has said.” I said, “By Allah! I am not a liar nor was he a liar. My master has foretold me that you will cut off my hands, feet and tongue.” He said, “Verily I shall belie his words. Take him away and cut off his hands and feet.” When they took him outside near his people, he started relating some important matters to them, then he said, “Ask me, for I owe this nation one thing which they have not returned back.” Hearing this a man went to Ibn Ziyad and said, “What have you done, you have cut his hands and feet and he has started relating important matters to the people.”
Ibn Ziyad ordered that he should be brought back. When he was brought back, Ibn Ziyad ordered that his tongue should be cut off and then crucified.
Shaikh Mufeed relates from Ziyad bin Nasr Harisi, who says that I was with Ziyad when they brought Rushayd al Hajari. Ziyad asked him, “What has Ali (AS) told you regarding that which we shall do to you”? Rushayd replied, “That you will cut off my hands and feet and thereafter crucify me.” Ziyad said, “By Allah! I shall falsify his prophecy, let him go away.”
When Rushayd started going out Ziyad said, “By Allah! I do not consider any other thing worst for him than what has been foretold by his master. Then cut off his hands and feet and hang him on the gallows.” Hearing this Rushayd said, “Far be it, another prophecy remains which has been foretold to me by Imam Ali (a.s.).” Ziyad said, “Cut off his tongue”, to which Rushayd said, “By Allah! This is the verification of the report of the Commander of the faithful (a.s.).”
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