The Lamentation of Jinn on Ĥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.)

I did not hear the lamentation of Jinn since the night Allāh took the life of His Prophet (s.a.a.w.) until tonight, and I believe that I have been afflicted by (the killing of) my son, Ḥusain (a.s.). I heard a Jinni recite (the following poem): O my eyes! Shed abundant tears. Who will weep over the martyrs?! (Shed tears) over a group who are being led toward (their) death by a tyrant who is from the progeny of a slave.

Five men from Kūfah wanted to go and support Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.). On their journey, they passed by a village called Shāhi where they met two men, one of whom was elderly and the other was a youth. They greeted the five men. The old man said, “I am a man from among the Jinn and this (referring to his young companion) is my nephew. We (also) want to support the oppressed man (Imam Ḥusain (a.s.)) and I have an idea.” The five men asked him, “What is your idea?” He replied, “I will fly (quickly) and bring some information about the situation so that you can go to him informed.” The (five) men replied, “This is an excellent idea.” So he disappeared from their sight. After an entire day, they heard (his) voice reciting the following (poem) but they could not see him: I swear to Allāh that I did not come (back) until I saw him in Ťaf with his cheeks covered with dust and he had been slaughtered. He was surrounded by some men whose throats were gushing with blood; they were shining like lamps whose light had overcome darkness. I impelled my sumpter (to go faster) so that I could meet them before they (died and) met the virgin houris. Ḥusain (a.s.) was the light with which guidance was sought and Allāh is my witness that I am not forging a lie. (Now) he is pleased in rooms in the neighbourhood of the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), Batūl (s.a.), and Ťayyār. (Upon hearing this), one of the five men replied to him by reciting the following poem: Go back and stay committed to the grave through which the rains of blessings are poured until the Day of Judgment. I (surely) follow the same path that you have and I drink from a cup which is filled (with blessings). And I follow the path of those who have freed themselves from everything for (the sake of) Allāh and have abandoned their dwellings, their wealth, and their loved ones.

When Ḥusain (a.s.) was killed, the masons who used to work in Jabbānah used to hear the lamentation of Jinn at dawn. They used to hear the Jinn recite the following poem: The Messenger (of Allāh (s.a.a.w.)) has rubbed his hands over Ḥusain’s forehead, therefore his cheeks radiate with light. His parents are from the elite of the Quraysh and his grandfather is the best of grandfathers.

The Jinn used to weep over Ḥusain (a.s.) and recite the following poem: To whom do these houses in Ťaf belong, the houses which were built unwillingly? These are the houses of Ḥusain (a.s.) and they reciprocate each other’s weeping (over Ḥusain (a.s.)).

I heard Laylā say that she heard the lamentation of Jinn over Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.). She heard them recite the following poem: O eyes! Shed abundant tears over Ḥusain (a.s.), for verily the grieved ones cry with agony. O eyes! Do not allow the people of Madīnah to distract you from remembering the family of Muḥammad (s.a.a.w.) and (weeping) over their agonies. Their bodies were left for three days on the desert where they were martyred (and their bodies were left) among the beasts.

The Jinn cried over Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) and recited the following poem: How will you respond to the Prophet if he asks you: (O people!) You were the last of the nations. What did you do to my family, my brothers, and those whom I honoured? Why are they either caught as captives or killed, covered in blood?

Abul Ḥasan (Imam Riďā (a.s.)) said: As Ḥusain (a.s.) was traveling toward Iraq, he heard a man recite this poem in the middle of the night: O my camel! Do not be frightened by my scolding and break out before the rising of dawn. (Carry me to) the best of riders on the best of journeys until you arrive at the most honourable place. (Carry me to Ḥusain (a.s.)) whose grandfather is the most glorious grandfather and Ḥusain (a.s.) is the most magnanimous one. Verily Allāh has chosen him for the best of affairs. May he remain until the end of time! So Ḥusain (a.s.) replied by reciting the following poem: I shall go toward death and there is no shame for a man in death as long as his intentions are based on the truth and he fights (for Allāh) as a Muslim. (There is no shame in death for men) as long as they support the righteous ones, fight the criminals, and abandon the sinners. (I shall fight) and if I live, I shall not have any regrets. And if I am killed, I will not be blamed. Nothing is more humiliating than living under the humiliation of the oppressors. The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chain: My father, from Sa’d ibn ‘Abdillāh, from Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Isā, from Mu’ammar ibn Khallād, from Imam Riďā (a.s.).

Muḥammad ibn ‘Ali (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said: When Ḥusain (a.s.) was about to leave Madīnah, the women of Banī ‘Abdil Muťťalib gathered around him and started mourning. Ḥusain (a.s.) (stood up) and started walking between them and said, “I ask you by Allāh not to disobey Allāh and His Messenger (s.a.a.w.) by revealing this matter (publicly).” The women replied: Then who should we cry and mourn over if we do not mourn today, for today is like the day when the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), ‘Ali, Fāťimah (a.s.), Ruqayyah, Zaynab, and Um Kulthūm died. O the most loved one from among (our loved ones) who have passed away! We ask you by Allāh (to allow us) to be your ransom to keep death away from you. Then one of his aunts came forth crying and said: O Ḥusain! I testify that I heard the Jinn lament over you and recite the following poem: Verily the slain one from the family of Hāshim lowered the necks of the Quraysh and disgraced them. He was the love of the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) and he was not an immoderate person. (O Ḥusain!) Your tragedy is the great(est) tragedy and it has grieved everyone. Imam Bāqir (a.s.) added: The Jinn also recited the following poem: Weep over Ḥusain (a.s.), the master, the one whose death turned the hairs white. You have been afflicted with earthquakes and the moon has eclipsed because of his killing. And the horizons turn red (everyday) at sunrise and sunset. And the sun has been covered with dust and the earths have been covered with darkness. He is the son of Fāťimah (s.a.) and the entire creation has been afflicted by his tragedy. (After the killing of Ḥusain (a.s.)) we have lost our glory and we have inherited humiliation.

On the morning of the day after the killing of Ḥusain (a.s.), one of our servants told us in Madīnah that he had heard a caller the night before recite the following poem: O those who killed Ḥusain (a.s.) unjustly! Be ready for a severe chastisement and torture! (Verily) all of the inhabitants of the heavens, all of the prophets, and all of the angels curse you! Verily you have been cursed by the son of Dāwūd (a.s.) (Sulaymān), by Mūsā (a.s.), and by (‘Isā (a.s.)), the one who brought the Bible!

My grandmother narrated to me that when Hussain (a.s.) was killed, the Jinn cried over him and recited the following poem: O my eyes! Shed abundant tears! Cry, for verily the news (of the killing of Hussain (a.s.)) was accurate! Cry over the son of Fatima (s.a.) who went to (the shores of) the Euphrates but never returned! The Jinn wept over him with agony when they heard the news of the killing of Hussain (a.s.) and his companions. What terrible news!!!!! (O Hussain!) I shall cry with agony over you morning and night, and I shall cry for you as long as there is blood in my veins and as long as the trees bear fruit.