Draft:Habib ibn Muzahir

Habib ibn Muzahir
File:Habib ibn Muzahir.jpg
Name	Habib ibn Muzahir ibn Ri'ab ibn al-Ashtar ibn Jawan ibn Faq'as ibn Zarif ibn Amr ibn Qays ibn al-Harith ibn Tha'labah ibn Dudan ibn Asad
Personal Details
Brith Date	14 years before Hijrah or one year before Bi'thah
Death Place	Karbala
Religion	Islam

Habib ibn Muzahir with the original name "Habib ibn Muzahir" from the tribe of "Banu Asad" and was among the Companions of the Noble Messenger of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny). He was born one year before the Bi'thah of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny). His childhood coincided with the years when the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) was inviting the people in Mecca to Tawhid and worship of God.

He was present in the Karbala movement at the age of 75 and was martyred.

Habib is among those who attained the grace of meeting five Infallible Imams. His face was beautiful and his spiritual beauty had reached perfection. So much so that he became renowned among others in worship, courage, knowledge, asceticism, and in defending the sanctity of Wilayah.

Summary of the Biography of Habib ibn Muzahir

"Habib ibn Muzahir al-Asadi" was among the special companions of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) and Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). He was from Kufa and from the tribe of Banu Asad and had the kunya Abu al-Qasim. His birth year is written in some history books as 14 years before the Hijrah or one year before the Bi'thah. Habib ibn Muzahir migrated to Medina along with his family in the ninth year of Hijrah and settled there. He was martyred at the age of 75 and in the Event of Ashura to Martyrdom.

Moral Virtues of Habib ibn Muzahir

Habib ibn Muzahir in addition to having a simple and unpretentious life in which he was completely indifferent to worldly affairs, had a high degree of morality and faith. He was a pious and sincere individual who spent every night in Worship of God the Great. Habib ibn Muzahir was also a memorizer of the entire Quran and according to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), he recited the entire Quran every night. Habib also had special expertise in other fields such as literature, debate and argumentation, Tafsir, sciences of Jurisprudence and recitation.

The Role of Habib ibn Muzahir During the Time of the Prophet of Islam

During the time when the Prophet of Islam Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) began his invitation in Mecca, Habib ibn Muzahir was young. At that time, he was also a playmate of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him); therefore, the Prophet had great affection for him and said about him: I love him, because my son Hussein (peace be upon him) loves him. After the Prophet's migration from Mecca to Medina, he went to the Prophet and learned the rulings of Islam from him. After that, he was included among the Companions of the Prophet and became one of the well-known servants of the Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt. Whenever Habib heard a hadith from the Prophet, he would recount it to others.

The Role of Habib ibn Muzahir During the Time of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)

When Imam Ali (peace be upon him) made Kufa the center of his caliphate, Habib ibn Muzahir came there and settled. He was present in all wars in the service of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and was considered one of his special companions. One of his other duties was transferring the knowledge and science of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) alongside other individuals such as Amr ibn Hamq al-Khuza'i, Maytham al-Tammar and Rashid al-Hijri to others. Also, he was placed in a group called "Shurta al-Khamis" which included a specific group of companions of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and carried out special missions on behalf of His Holiness.

The Role of Habib ibn Muzahir During the Time of Imam Hussein and Before Ashura

In the year 60 AH and after the death of Muawiyah, Habib ibn Muzahir along with a number of other elders of the Shia in Kufa such as Musayyib ibn Najbah, Sulayman ibn Surad and Shaddad al-Bajali refrained from paying Allegiance to Yazid. They wrote a letter to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) inviting him to the city of Kufa to rise up against Umar. Also, when Muslim ibn Aqil came to Kufa, Habib ibn Muzahir spoke about Muslim at Mukhtar's house in support of him and rushed to his aid. After the betrayal of the Kufans towards Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), Habib ibn Muzahir went towards Karbala. Upon observing the few companions and very numerous enemies of the Imam, he requested from him to go to the tribe of Banu Asad which was located nearby and invite them. The Imam gave him permission to go. Then he went there and began to preach, but in the end Umar ibn Sa'd prevented them from joining the companions of the Imam (peace be upon him) by sending an army.

Habib ibn Mazahir on the Afternoon of Tasua and the Night of Ashura

Habib ibn Mazahir on the afternoon of Tasua warned the enemies of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) who were attempting to attack his tents, cautioning them against war and mentioning the virtues of the Imam and his companions. He also advised the individual who had brought a letter from Umar ibn Sa'd to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), warning him against returning to the oppressors. Additionally, on the night of Ashura, he went to the Imam along with the companions of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and declared that he would support the family of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny) until the last drop of his blood.

Habib ibn Mazahir's Role on the Day of Ashura and the Story of His Martyrdom

Before the battle intensified on the morning of Ashura, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) positioned Zuhayr ibn Qayn on the right flank of the army, Habib ibn Mazahir on the left, and Hazrat Abul-Fadl (peace be upon him) with the flag in the center of the forces. At the beginning of the battle, when the troops of Umar ibn Sa'd began calling for duels, Habib ibn Mazahir and Burayr intended to go to the battlefield, but the Imam prevented them. During the Zuhr prayer on Ashura, Habib ibn Mazahir attacked "Husayn ibn Numayr", who was addressing the army of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) saying their prayers were not accepted, and struck his horse's face with his sword, knocking him to the ground. Then Husayn's companions attacked and rescued him from Habib's grasp. After the fighting resumed, Habib ibn Mazahir fought heroically at the Imam's side despite his old age, killing approximately 62 enemy soldiers. Then, a man from the enemy forces named "Badil ibn Sarim Uqfani" attacked and struck his sword on Habib's head. At that moment, another individual attacked him with a spear and knocked Habib off his horse. Finally, while Habib's beard was stained with the blood from his head, Badil severed his head from his body.

Text of Habib's Rajaz Chanting on the Noon of Ashura

I am Habib and my father is Mazahir, a warrior of the battlefield and the blazing fire of combat. Your numbers are greater and higher, but we are more loyal and patient than you in the path of truth. Our proof is superior and clearer; in truth, we are more pious and more accepted than you.

Burial Place of Habib ibn Mazahir

After the battle ended and when the Banu Asad tribe proceeded to bury the martyrs of Karbala, they buried Habib's headless body, who was one of their elders, separately ten meters from the holy grave of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). Years later, the shrine of Habib ibn Mazahir was located inside the Shrine of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), and now its location is in the southern corridor of the shrine. Additionally, his head was buried alongside the heads of Ali Akbar and Abbas ibn Ali in the "Bab al-Saghir" cemetery in Syria.

Sources

Adapted from the website Biography of Habib ibn Mazahir - Rasekhoon.