It is recorded in the prostration after the Visitation of Ashura: "O Allah, make my foothold of truth firm with You alongside Hussain and the companions of Hussain, those who gave their souls for Hussain (a)."

And everyone who reads the biography of Karbala knows that the giving of souls was not a coincidence, but the result of a deep love for meeting Allah the Exalted. On the night of his departure from Mecca, Imam Hussain (a) said: "Death is inscribed upon the children of Adam as a necklace is inscribed upon the neck of a young woman, and how I long for my forebears with the longing of Jacob for Joseph... Indeed, whoever is willing to give his soul for our sake, and has settled his self upon meeting Allah — let him journey with us."

The Meaning of Settling the Self Upon Meeting Allah

It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful (a) in the Sha'baniyya Supplication: "And illuminate the eyes of our hearts with the light of beholding You, until the eyes of the hearts pierce the veils of light and our souls become suspended in the glory of Your sanctity." What we derive from those words is that settling the self upon meeting Allah means establishing the love of Allah in the heart until certainty in Him becomes like direct witnessing. The meeting is not spatial or temporal — it is the attainment of the station of nearness.

Among the finest stances of the companions that embody this settling:

• Al-'Abbas ibn 'Ali (a), when Hussain offered them safe passage and they refused, said to his brother: "Why would we do that? So that we may remain after you? May Allah never show us such a thing."
• Zuhayr ibn al-Qayn: "If the world were to last forever and we were to live in it immortally, we would still prefer to rise with you over remaining in it."
• Burayy ibn Khudayr: "O son of the Messenger of Allah, Allah has blessed us with the grace of fighting in your presence, so that our limbs may be severed for your sake, and then your grandfather will intercede for us on the Day of Resurrection."

These are the ones who loved meeting Allah and therefore had no concern for death — rather, they embraced it as an offering in the path of Hussain (a).

First: Who Were Those Who Fulfilled Their Covenant Alongside Hussain (a)?

Absolute Sincerity in the Covenant with Allah

It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a) that the root of all good is monotheism, prophethood, and guardianship, and that the covenant Allah took from the believers is loyalty to the People of the House and the support of Hussain (a). In the noble verse, the Exalted declares: {Among the believers are men who were true to the covenant they made with Allah} — they were not content with mere inner faith but translated it into actual sacrifice. They were true to their covenant and fulfilled their vow, so Allah honored them with the nobility of martyrdom. Among them are those who still await the opportune moment, and the greatest of waiting after Ashura is the waiting alongside the Mahdi (atfs), so that they may attain the honor of fulfilling their covenant alongside the Proof of Allah.

Manhood, Not Mere Maleness

The Quranic text distinguishes between the male (dhakar) and the man (rajul). Maleness is a biological attribute, while manhood belongs to one who possesses penetrating insight, firm conviction, steadfastness in hardship, and faithfulness to covenant. This is the secret behind the verse saying {men} rather than {males}. The companions of Hussain (a) were peaks of manhood: Habib ibn Muzahir, Burayy ibn Khudayr, Sayf ibn Malik al-'Abdi, 'Abdullah al-Qaf'ami and his four sons, and others. They abandoned the world and its desires and advanced toward death as though walking to a wedding.

Familiarity with Death Like an Infant with Its Mother

The Prophet (s) described the companions of Hussain (a) with a striking expression: "They are more familiar with death in my presence than an infant is with its mother's breast." A nursing infant has no fear of the mother's breast — it longs for it. Likewise, these men longed for meeting Allah through martyrdom. The Prophet also described them as "a band who are like stars of the sky," for they illuminated the world with their insight and sincerity, and "they would pass death to one another as a gift" — meaning one would gift his companion martyrdom, or they would walk toward it with ease and without hesitation.

Spiritual Power Defeats an Army of Thousands

A remarkable exchange is recounted between an officer from the Umayyad army and one of the martyrs. The officer asked: "Why did you not take these seventy-eight as prisoners instead of killing them?" The reply came: "A band rose against us, their hands on the hilts of their swords like striking lions, crushing the horsemen left and right, hurling themselves upon death, seeking neither safety nor wealth... Had we let up against them for even a moment, they would have finished the entire army." Power is not in weaponry — it is in the power of the heart and faith. This is the secret that caused fewer than one hundred men to repel an army of thirty thousand.

Second: Who Stayed Behind from Hussain (a), and Why?

Love of the World and Position

History tells us that thousands joined Hussain's army at first, but dispersed when they realized the matter was not about governorship and spoils but about sacrifice. The commander of the Kufan army, 'Umar ibn Sa'd, coveted the governorship of al-Rayy, so he fought for his seat, not for his creed — just as the cowards who directed their baseness against the women and children.

The Abundance of Flimsy Excuses

In Basra, Lady Mariya bint Sa'd — a wealthy widow — gathered the Shi'a men in her home to rouse them to support Hussain. They began fabricating excuses: "No weapons, no money, I have a family, I have work." So Mariya rose and proved herself better than those men by pouring out a bag full of gold and silver before them and saying: "Let every man among you take what he needs and set out to support my master Hussain." But some remained insistent on their excuses. She later returned home and died afterward as a result of the torture inflicted upon her by the Umayyad governor. Nevertheless, Sayf ibn Malik al-'Abdi and others were able to join Hussain and achieve martyrdom thanks to her.

The Difference Between Manhood and Maleness

As for those who stayed behind entirely, their sole attribute is that they were "males" — for the qualities of manhood were never realized in them: no steadfastness, no insight, no readiness for sacrifice.

The Story of the Father and His Four Sons

The story of 'Abdullah al-Qaf'ami is recounted — an elderly man who wished to join Hussain but was prevented by his ten sons on the grounds of his old age. He grew exasperated with them and said: "Do you see this widow (Mariya)? Her sense of honor drove her to support Hussain, while you sit with no sense of protective zeal for your grandfather the Messenger of Allah?!" The sons were divided: four went with their father and achieved martyrdom, while the rest stayed behind. Where do those who remained stand in comparison to those who attained the blessing of martyrdom?

Conclusion: Lessons That Transcend Time

The martyrdom of the companions of Hussain (a) was not a coincidence — it was the crowning of an accumulated faith and a long spiritual journey. They graduated from the school of revelation and guardianship, and so they became stars in the heavens of guidance. As for those who stayed behind, they were not less intelligent or less capable, but they lacked sincerity in their covenant, insight, selflessness, and courage. They made the world their greatest concern, and so they became contemptible and insignificant figures in the pages of history.

Here is the banner of Hussain today, still flying — and it will remain so until the rise of the Awaited Qa'im (atfs). So which of the two parties do we choose to belong to? Are we among those who honor their covenant with the Awaited Proof of Allah (atfs), or among those who, when called "let him journey with us," found a thousand flimsy excuses?

O Allah, grant us sincerity of covenant and the steadfastness of men, alongside Hussain and the companions of Hussain, those who gave their souls for Hussain.

‍