Religion

Al-Ṣabāḥ Supplication (Arabic: دُعاء الصَّباح) was a hymn recited by the Commander of the Faithful (a) after dawn (fajr) prayer. According to Shi’a scholars, this supplication contains highest spiritual, mystical and theological teachings in a very eloquent style. Due to the significance of its content, various scholars and thinkers have authored several commentaries on this supplication.

Authenticity

The sources that report this supplication are:

• The earliest source which contained the supplication, was Ikhtiyar al-misbah, (653AH/1255) by Sayyid Ali b. Husayn b. Hasan b. al-Baqi al-Qurashi, a contemporary of Muhaqqiq al-Hilli and Sayyid b. Tawus. However, there’s no mention of this Du’a’ in earlier supplication sources, such as Misbah al-mutahajjid of al-Shaykh al-Tusi. Although Ikhtiyar al-misbah is not available anymore, the author of Riyad al-‘ulama’ had a copy of it, which was witnessed by al-Khwansari, the author of Rawdat al-jannat.

• Al-Majlisi presents another chain of transmission by Sharif Yahya b. Qasim al-‘Alawi al-‘Abbasi al-Yamani (d. circa. 753/1352) who had seen the supplication written on a long leather scroll and reported it in his book in 734/1333.

• It is famous that the supplication af Sabah (morning) had been written in Kufic script, on a long leather scroll, bearing the signet of Imam ‘Ali (a). Al-Majlisi writes: in 939/1532 my great grandfather, Mawlana Darwish Muhammad al-Isfahani has recited it for Nur al-Din ‘Ali b. ‘Abd al-‘Ali al-Karaki and authorized him to narrate the supplication based on a copy of that scroll.

• Al-Fayd al-Kashani (d.1090/1679) has narrated the supplication at the end of his book: Dhari’a al-dara’a.

• ‘Abd Allah Salih Samahiji (b. 1076/1665 – d. 1135/1722) reports a long part of the supplication in his book: al-Sahifa al-‘Alawiyya al-Mubaraka.

Since the aforementioned sources are not among the most authentic ones, and there’s no mention of an authentic chain of transmission for this supplication in them, according to the terminology of ‘Ilm al-Rijal, the report of Sabah supplication is considered Zanni al-sudur (one with non-deterministic origin). However, its sophisticated spiritual, mystical and theological content which is articulated miraculously in a significantly eloquent style has given it a unique validity and led Shi’a scholars to deem it as authentic.

The Date of Writing

Based on the account of al-Majlisi in Bihar al-anwar, Imam ‘Ali (a) wrote this supplication by his own blessed hands, on Thursday, eleventh of Dhu l-Hijja, 25/646.

The Content

(An excerpt from the Supplication of Sabah: My God, if mercy from You does not begin with fair success for me, then who can take me to You upon the evident path? If Your deliberateness should turn me over to the guide of hope and wishes, then who will annul my slips from the stumbles of caprice? If Your help should forsake me in the battle against the soul and Satan, then Your forsaking will have submitted me to where there is hardship and deprivation.)

The hymn of morning starts with praising God and thanking him for his bounties such as: arising the dawn, creation of heavens, motion of the stars, the Sun and the Moon. Then it mentions the unity, knowledge, generosity, beneficence and mercy of God before sending salutation to the Prophet (s) and his progeny. The hymn follows by making some requests to God: asking for guidance and divine patience, that is, not to hasten one’s punishment. Then he considers his need for the fulfillment of his requests as the reason of turning toward God; and the carnal desires of soul as the reason of being away from God. In addition to such desires, false beliefs, wishful thinking, committing sins and disobedience to God’s laws are counted as reasons for one’s deprivation from eternal blessing. Then he expresses his hope in God’s mercy and seeks refuge in God’s protection from his carnal desires.

The hymn continues with making some other requests. It mentions the limitless mercy of God and the trust in God’s promise for accepting repentance and fulfilling hopes and granting requests. He mentions his poverty and desperation and says: My God, how could You drive away a poor beggar who seeks refuge in You from sins, fleeing? How could You disappoint one seeking guidance who repairs to Your threshold, running? How could You reject a thirsty man who comes to Your pools to drink? Never! (you won’t do that) In the next phrase he again remembers the Divine Mercy and presents God as the ultimate being toward whom all hopes are directed and by whom only, the affairs of all creation are taken care of. He says “My God, these are the reins of my soul I have bounded with the ties of Your will.” Then he mentions his complete trust in God and God’s power, knowledge and benevolence and asks Him for guidance. In final phrases, he regards God as the possessor of all characteristics of perfection, praises God for His bounties, sends salutations to the Prophet and His household and mentions their purity from sins. The hymn ends with praising God and making some requests to Him.

Commentaries

The significant content of this hymn has attracted the attention of many Muslim scholars and theologians. As a result, there are various commentaries written on this supplication. In al-Dhari’a, Aqa Buzurg Tihrani counts 23 titles in Arabic and Persian, in the style of poetry or prose, that were written as commentaries on this supplication.

1. The Persian poetic commentary by Mawla Abu l-Wafa, titled: Miftah al-falah and misbah al-najah. The composer has dedicated this book to Nawwab Afrasiyab Bayk. The book starts with this line: Praising God is necessary in every dawn and sunset, with sincerity and upon all people.
2. The Persian poetic commentary by Mawla Ahmad b. Sayf al-Din Astarabadi which starts with this line: the prelude to speech is better to be the Name of God, the Exalted and the Holy.
3. A commentary by Ahmad b. Muhammd, known as: Nishanchizade. (d.986/1578)
4. A commentary by Shaykh Isma’il b. Hasan b. Muhammad ‘Ali Al ‘Abd al-Jabbar Qatifi (d.1328/1910)
5. A commentary by the reputable philosopher, Haj Mulla Hadi Sabziwari (d.1289/1872) which has been published in 1283/1864 along a commentary on al-Asma’ al-husna.
6. A commentary by ‘Allama Haydar Quli Khan, famous as Sardar Kabuli (d.1373/1953)

Al-Rabāb bt. Imriʾ al-Qays (Arabic: الرَباب بنت إمرِئ القَیس) was the wife of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the mother of ‘Ali al-Asghar (‘Abd Allah al-Radi’) and Sukayna. She was known as a knowledgeable and eloquent woman. She was present in the Battle of Karbala, and was taken as captive to Syria. One year after the Battle of Karbala, she passed away due to grieving and weeping.

Lineage

Al-Rabab was the daughter of Imru’ al-Qays b. ‘Adi. Her father was ‘Arab Christian from Syria who converted to Islam in the time of the second caliph. According to sources, Hind al-Hunud, the daughter of Rabi’ b. Mas’ud b. Musad b. Husn b. Ka’b was her mother.

Characteristics

According to al-Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin: “As quoted from Hisham b. al-Kalbi in al-Aghani, al-Rabab was among the best women in the aspects of beauty, eloquence, and wisdom.”

Marriage

It is narrated due to fondness toward ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (a), Imru’ al-Qays accepted the marriage of his three daughters with Imam Ali (a), Imam al-Hasan (a), and Imam al-Husayn (a).

Al-Shaykh al-Mufid mentioned the names of the children of Imam al-Husayn (a), and also his wives, where al-Rabab is named as his wife. Their marriage is narrated as when Imru’ al-Qays came to the mosque and converted to Islam in the time of Umar b. al-Khattab, he saw Imam Ali (a) and his sons, al-Hasan (a) and al-Husayn (a), on the way back to his house. Imam Ali (a) said to him: I am Ali b. Abi Talib, the cousin of Prophet Muhammad (s), and they are my sons. We request to marry your daughters. Then Imru’ al-Qays accepted their request and let his daughter Mahya marry Imam Ali (a), Salma (according to al-Baladhuri: Zaynab) marry Imam al-Hasan (a), and al-Rabab marry with Imam al-Husayn (a).

Apparently, Awf was the only narrator of the cited event, whose father’s name was mentioned in Ansab al-ashraf as Haritha, and in Tarikh madina al-Dimashq (History of Damascus) and al-Aghani as Kharija. As stated in Ansab al-ashraf, Umm Ya’la was the child of Imam ‘Ali (a) and Mahya, Imam al-Hasan and Zaynab did not have a child, while Sukayna was the child of al-Rabab and Imam al-Husayn.

Because this event was only narrated by only one source, also, al-Shaykh al-Mufid did not mention the name of Umm Ya’la, as a child of Imam Ali (a), therefore, accepting this event and this request of marriage seems highly improbable. At least it raises questions that are unanswered in this narration.

Children

Al-Rabab gave birth to two children from Imam al-Husayn (a), Sukayna and ‘Abd Allah. ‘Abd Allah (‘Ali al-Asghar) was martyred in the Battle of Karbala in the arms of his father, while he was an infant.

Fondness of Imam al-Husayn (a) toward al-Rabab

According to narrations Imam al-Husayn (a) adored al-Rabab, he (a) even wrote poems to her:

I swear I love the house in which al-Rabab and Sukayna are living

I loved them dearly and I sacrifice all my belongings to them

And no one can disapprove of my admiration toward them.

Presence in the Battle of Karbala

According to narrations, al-Rabab was present in the Battle of Karbala, and was taken captive to Syria. It is said, she witnessed the martyrdom of Ali al-Asghar in the arms of his father, Imam al-Husayn (a). Ibn Kathir stated: “She accompanied Imam al-Husayn (a), and after his martyrdom, she was heavily grieving.”

It is also said that she held the holy head of Imam al-Husayn (a) in the palace of ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad and said:

Oh, Husayn; I will never forget you

your body was hurt by enemies’ spear

They betrayed him in Karbala and martyred him

Oh! Allah, bring drought to Karbala

After the Battle of Karbala

As stated in several narrations, al-Rabab stayed in Karbala, near the burial site of Imam al-Husayn (a) for a year and then returned to Medina. However, Qadi Tabatabai believes she returned to Medina after the incident. In addition, Imam al-Sajjad (a) would not let her stay in the deserts of Karbala for a year. He also said: no narration has said with certainty that al-Rabab has stayed in Karbala for a year. Even Ibn al-Athir, who narrated it, did not mention the narrator’s name. As a result, this narration seems weak and improbable.

When al-Rabab came back to Medina, she was offered requests for marriage and she refused them all; she said I want no other father-in-law after the Prophet Muhammad (s).

Masqalat al-Tahhan narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a): When Imam al-Husayn (a) was martyred, his Kilabiyya wife held mourning ceremonies and they all wept for Imam until their tears gone dry, except for one of the servants who was still constantly weeping for Imam al-Husayn (a). When she asked her about the reason, she replied: I drank Sawiq syrup. Afterward, she ordered to prepare the syrup as it helped to weep for Imam al-Husayn (a).

Demise

Ibn al-Athir wrote about al-Rabab: “After the Battle of Karbala, al-Rabab did not live more than a year during which she was mourning and weeping.” Al-Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin stated that al-Rabab has passed away a year after ‘Ashura, in 62/681-2.

Sukayna (Arabic:سکینة) (b. ? – d. 117/735) was the daughter of Imam al-Husayn (a). Her mother was Rabab bt. Imri’ al-Qays. Her mother and she were present in Karbala. After the event of ‘Ashura’, she along with other women of Ahl al-Bayt were taken as captive to Kufa and Damascus.

Birth and Lineage

Sukayna bt. al-Husayn b. Ali b. Abi Talib (a) was the daughter of Imam al-Husayn (a) and Rabab bt. Imri’ al-Qays. Although she was characterized as younger than Fatima, the other daughter of Imam al-Husayn (a). in early historical sources; there is no report about her exact birthday. However, it can be concluded from the report, in which Hasan al-Muthanna asked Imam al-Husayn (a) to marry him one of his daughters and in response Imam let him choose Sukayna or Fatima, that she was an adult woman and in the right age for marriage when Imam al-Husayn (a) started his journey toward Karbala.

Name and Title

Her name is “Amina” (آمنة) or according to some reports “Amina” (اَمینة) or “Amima” (اَمیمة). However, she is mostly known by her title Sukayna, which was given to her by her mother, as she was so calm, tranquil and in peace (Sukayna is a derivative of “Sukun” meaning “Peace.”

Marriage

Some sources reported that she married her cousin (son of her father’s brother) Abd Allah (Abu Bakr) b. al-Hasan. Qadi Nu’man al-Maghribi said that she married Abd Allah b. al-Hasan, but before consummation, he was martyred in Karbala. However, these reports contradict with that of al-Shaykh al-Mufid and some other historians that Abd Allah b. al-Hasan had not reached puberty in Karbala.

Imam al-Husayn’s Affection to Her

Imam al-Husayn (a) liked her and was very affectionate to her. It is reported that Imam al-Husayn (a) has expressed his affection to her and her mother by composing a poem, which is translated as following: “By your life! I do like a house, in which there are Sukayna and Rabab. I love them and give all my properties [for them] and no blamer has the right to blame me.”

Presence in Karbala

Historians and biographers mentioned her name in various occasions in Karbala. According to a report, on the day of ‘Ashura’, when Imam al-Husayn (a) came to women tents for bidding farewell, he said to women of Ahl al-Bayt: “Be patient and put on your long clothes (chadors). Get ready for affliction, and be reassured that Allah is your protector; he will guard you against the evil of the enemy, turn your mishap into good, chastise your enemy with all sorts of torment, and compensate you for this tragedy with a plethora of bounties and dignity. So do not complain, and do not utter that which may degrade your lofty prestige.”

Then Imam (a) bade farewell to each of his family members. He went to Sukayna, who had sat in the corner of the tent and was weeping. He asked her to be patient, hugged her, wiped her tears and read her a poem translated as following:

“O, my dear Sukayna! Know that after me your weeping is prolonged. [So my daughter] do not burn my heart by your sorrowful tears as long as I am alive. O, the best of women! Weeping is more suitable for you after my martyrdom.”

In another report about Imam al-Husayn’s last farewell, Imam (a) came to women’s tents and said calling the women of Ahl al-Bayt: “O Zaynab, O Umm Kulthum, O Fatima and O Sukayna! My salutation be upon you!”

Captivity

After the event of Ashura’, Sukayna along with other members of Ahl al-Bayt were taken as captives. They were taken to Kufa and then to Damascus. Throughout this journey, she along with other captives informed people about the tyranny of Umayyad and the horrifying act they did to descants of the Prophet (s) in Karbala. It is reported that on the day after ‘Ashura’ and when Ahl al-Bayt were bidding farewell to pure bodies of martyrs of Karbala, Sukayna hugged his father’s headless body and mourned. She spoke with her father and wept until a group of soldiers from Umar b. Sa’d’s army took her away from her father by force and dragged her to other captives.

Sukayna and other members of Ahl al-Bayt passed very hard and difficult times in captivity. However, the day that they entered Damascus was the hardest and most painful day. Describing the entrance of the caravan of Ahl al-Bayt to Damascus, Sahl b. Sa’d al-Sa’idi, a companion of the Prophet (s), reported: “On the day that captives entered Damascus, I saw a man holding a spear with a head, whose face looked like the Prophet (s), at its point. After the spearman, there was a girl on a bareback camel. I hurried to her and said, “O, my daughter! Who are you?” she said, “Sukayna bt. al-Husayn.” I said, “Can I do you any favor? I am Sahl b. Sa’d, who has seen your great grandfather and heard his speech.” She responded, “O, Sahl! Could you tell them to move us away from these heads so by looking at these heads the people would not look at women of Ahl al-Bayt?” ”Sahl said that I went to the man who was carrying Imam al-Husayn’s pure head by a spear and told him, “Could you do me a favor? and in return, I will give you forty dinars [or four hundred dinars].” He said, “What do you want?” I said, “Take this money and move forward and keep this head away from these women.” He accepted, took the money, and moved the head away from the women.”

Return to Medina

After the captivity, Sukayna and other members of the caravan returned to Medina. There are not many authentic and reliable reports about her life in Medina until her demise. Her conversation with ‘Uthman’s daughter is perhaps one of the few reliable reports of this period. It is narrated that once Sukayna and ‘Uthman’s daughter were present in a gathering. Uthman’s daughter boasted that “I am a daughter of the martyr.” Sukayna did not respond until the time of Adhan. When mu’adhdhin (reciter of Adhan) said, “I witness that Muhammad is the apostle of God,” Sukayna asked her: “Is that your father or mine?” Uthman’s daughter felt embarrassed and said, “I will never boast in front of you.” Evidently, after returning to Medina, she along with other members of Ahl al-Bayt did their best to inform people of the brutality and oppression of Umayyad especially in the tragedy of Karbala. Her lament poems about martyrs of Karbala, especially Imam al-Husayn (a) prove this. Therefore, the government could not stand their residence in Medina and eventually she and her aunt, Lady Zaynab (a), were exiled to Egypt. According to some reports, Sukayna, her sister (Fatima) and some other women from Ahl al-Bayt accompanied lady Zaynab to Egypt. They arrived there on the last days of Rajab and Maslama b. Khalid, the governor of Egypt, and other people welcomed them warmly.

Controversial Ascriptions

Composing Poems

Abu l-Faraj al-Isfahani ascribed to her that she composed romantic poems and held poem gatherings, in which poets read their poems in her presence and would accept her judgment about the best poem.

However, this report is not reliable, as Abu l-Faraj has narrated it from Zubayr b. Bakkar who was an enemy of the descendants of Imam Ali (a) and even all Banu Hashim. He made up false reports about Ahl al-Bayt (a) to the point that they wanted to kill him; so, during the caliphate of al-Mutawakkil, he fled from Mecca and settled in Baghdad. Moreover, ‘Umar b. Abi Bakr al-Mu’mili is among the narrators of this report. He is so weak (Da’if) according to Rijali scholars that even some Sunni scholars refused his narrations and said that he is “a blight of blights”.

Even Abu al-Faraj mentioned the improbability of this report and said, “A similar gathering to what was reported to be held by Sukayna bt. al-Husayn was held by an Umayyad woman, and I do not tell her name to anyone as long as I live.”

Furthermore, many poems which are attributed to her are not composed by her, rather by Sukayna bt. Khalid b. Mus’ab al-Zubayri, whose meetings and relations with ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi’a, who was a poet, is well-known.

Having a similar name with Sukayna bt. Khalid b. Mus’ab, ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi’a’s wife, and, sometimes deliberate, confusion between them, resulted in made-up stories about her like what Abu l-Faraj has reported.

In addition, many of those poem gatherings were held by ‘A’isha bt. Talhat b. ‘Abd Allah, Mus’ab b. al-Zubayr’s wife, who was famous for her poetic relations with ‘Umar b. Abi Rabi’a.

Multiple Marriages

It has also been ascribed to her that she has married several times. What makes this odder is that some of her husbands were among the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt and their Shi’a. It has been reported in Sunni Hadiths that after the tragedy of Karbala, when Sukayna returned to Medina, she married Mus’ab b. Zubayr and gave birth to a girl named “Fatima.” After that Mus’ab was killed, she married ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Uthman b. ‘Abd Allah b. Hakim b. Hizam b. al-Khuwaylid and gave birth to a son named “’Uthman.” After him, she married Ibrahim b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Auwf; but they divorced because of a letter from Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik, the governor of Medina. Then she married Asbagh b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. Marwan and afterward remarried Ibrahim b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Auwf.

These Sunni reports suffer from various problems, the two most important of which are:

1. No Shi’a historians have reported that she had a child or married to anyone, except than ‘Abd Allah b. al-Hasan. These reports have been narrated by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani and narrators like him who were very close to Umayyad. How could these reports be true about Sukayna, whom Imam al-Husayn (a) described as, “Sukayna is mostly engrossed in Allah so she is not suitable for men.”

1. Some of these marriages are completely impossible. For instance, Mus’ab b. Zubayr was a great enemy of Ahl al-Bayt and their Shi’a. He had killed many Shi’a including Mukhtar b. Abi ‘Ubayda al-Thaqafi.

However, in Shi’a sources, Sukayna did not marry any men in her life after that her only husband, ‘Abd Allah b. al-Hasan was martyred. Considering this, the stories about her holding poem gatherings or marrying several times are just false reports with the purpose of insulting and humiliating her or as a piece of evidence for their fake claim that descendants of Ali had very good relations and ties with their enemies.

Spiritual and Scholarly Characteristics

Sukayna was one of the eminent, most intelligent and most virtuous women of her time. She was so virtuous and spiritual that Imam al-Husayn (a) said, “Sukayna is mostly engrossed in Allah …” In Rijal, she is considered as a reliable hadith narrator. She has narrated hadiths from his father, and narrators such as Salma ‘Ammat Ya’la, Fa’id al-Madani, Sukayna bt. Isma’il b. Abi Khalid and Sukayna bt. Qadi Abi Dhar have narrated hadiths from her. She was also so eloquent in Arabic and composed many lament poems about his father, Imam al-Husayn (a).

Demise

There are various reports about the place of her demise. According to majority of sources, she passed away on Rabi’ I 5, 117/April 4, 735, in Medina during the government of Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah b. al-Harith or Khalid b. ‘Abd al-Malik. Based on Sunni reports, Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah performed funeral prayer on her body and she was buried in al-Baqi’ cemetery. On the other hand, some said that when Sukayna married Asbagh b. ‘Abd al-Aziz b. Marwan, they headed to Egypt but she passed away in Damascus. Therefore, there is a tomb by her name in the cemetery of Bab al-Saghir in Damascus. However, some said that she arrived in Egypt and passed away and was buried there.

Mount Thawr (Arabic: جبل ثور) is a famous mountain in Mecca. The fame of this mountain is because of the cave where the prophet (s) at the beginning of Hijra (the Immigration) in Laylat al-Mabit sought shelter there from the polytheists. Polytheists went to the door of the cave, but thanks to the divine assistance, they could not find the Prophet (s).

Geographical Location

Mount Thawr is located south of Mecca and Masjid al-Haram, on road to Yemen. Some have recorded the name of this mountain as Athal or Thawr Athal. Further, some historians have recorded it as Abu Thawr which does not look to be a correct name. It is not unlikely that this naming, meaning “cow” has been because it is like a cow heading towards south of Mecca!

In the past, people climbed Thawr from two main passes, one of which was difficult but short and the other was easier to climb but longer. The distance of mount Thawr depended on the way people chose; thus, this distance has been mentioned one parasang [about 5.6 km], 2-3 miles and two hour walk from Mecca. Currently , the distance of mount Thawr to Masjid al-Haram is 3 to 4 kilometres.

Cave of Thawr

Cave of Thawr is located on top of mount Thawr with a view over surrounding mountains. It is in the form of a rock or a hallowed rock and looks like an upside-down boat. Its altitude from the ground is a little more than 500 meters. Climbing up to the cave is very difficult and requires making a lot of efforts.

Cave of Thawr has two entrances, one in the west which is very narrow and almost at the bottom of the cave, entering from which is very difficult, and another is on the east which is somehow wider and it is believed that it has been made by a miracle from God after the Prophet (s) entered the cave.

Length of the cave is about 18 hand spans [about 4 meters] and its width in the middle is 11 hand spans [near to 2.5 meters]. The height inside the cave is about the height of a man and its area is 2.5 cubic meters.

Some historians have mistaken the cave of Thawr, where the Prophet (s) took refuge, with the cave of Hira where the first revelations appeared for him.

Presence of the Prophet (s) in the Cave

Main article: Laylat al-Mabit

After God informed the Prophet (s) of the plot of the polytheists for killing him, Imam Ali (a) stayed in the bed of the Prophet (s) while he (s) left Mecca for Yathrib at night. To escape the polytheists who were searching for him, the Prophet (s) took refuge in the cave of Thawr together with Abu Bakr and remained in there for three days and nights. The holy Qur’an has mentioned the story of polytheists’ plot, the Prophet’s (s) leave from his house in Mecca and his stay in the cave of mount Thawr.

Divine Miracles

For the blessing of the Prophet’s (s) stay in this cave, several miracles happened such as spinning of a spider’s net in the front of the cave, nestling of two wild pigeons and in a report growing of a tree.

Polytheists who were searching for the Prophet (s) came up to the opening of the cave of Thawr, but God stopped them from entering it. This way, Quraysh who saw the spider’s net and the eggs of the pigeons, assumed that the cave must have been an isolated one. Because, had anyone entered it before, the spider’s net would have been cut apart, the eggs of the pigeons would have been broken and the pigeons would have not been sitting there with ease.

People’s Seeking Blessings from the Cave

Mount of Thawr has been regarded as blessed by Muslims after the three days staying of the Prophet (s) there and has always been a place of visiting for hajj pilgrims.

Around the year 800/1397-8 or according to another report 810/1407-8, the ruler of that time ordered to extend the range of the entrance of the cave so that people would have less troubles there. In later times, the ruler of Mecca, widened the entrance of the cave once again. Today, the height of the opening and the width of the cave is about half a meter.

The Tawwābūn Uprising (Arabic: ثَورَة التَّوّابين, lit. the penitents uprising), is the first of Shi’i uprisings which took place after the Battle of ‘Ashura to respond to the increasing demand for vengeance for Imam al-Husayn’s (a) blood in the year 65/684-5. This uprising was joined by Muslims and all those devoted to the Ahl al-Bayt (a) to confront the army of Syria in ‘Ayn al-Warda under the leadership of Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza’i.

Ambitions
A group of Shi’as who had invited Imam al-Husayn (a) to Kufa, promising to give him their allegiance and support his cause, but failed to do so, strongly regretted their decision in betraying Imam al-Husayn (a) after the Battle of ‘Ashura’ and decided to compensate their mistake in the past. After numerous sessions, they concluded that the only way to wash off this shame was to join hands to fight in vengeance for Imam al-Husayn (a)’s blood and being killed on this endeavor of killing his murderers.

Development
A couple of months after the Battle of Karbala, approximately one hundred Shi’as gathered in the house of one of Kufa’s most prominent and pious men called Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza’i. Citing verse 54 of Quran 2 which is about Israelite and that their repentance for worshiping the calf was to kill themselves. Later, Sulayman addressed his fellow fighters by saying, “We promised the Prophet’s household to support them, but we didn’t. We waited to see the result of the event until the Prophet’s son was killed. Now God will not be satisfied with us unless we fight his murderers. Sharpen your swords and gather your horses and your strength until you are called to gather.”

After this speech, other known Shi’a figures such as Musayyib b. Najaba al-Fazarai, Rifa’a b. Shaddad al-Bajali, ‘Abd Allah b. Wal al-Taymi, and ‘Abd Allah b. Sa’d al-Azdi also spoke. Finally, Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza’i was chosen as the leader of the rise.

Goals
According to speeches and sessions recorded from the Tawwabun in history, their uprising was aimed at:

Taking vengeance on the murderers of Imam al-Husayn (a).
Handing over the rule to the Ahl al-Bayt (a).
Formation of Army
The Tawwabun secretly held weekly sessions on the development of their uprising in the year 61/680-1, where they discussed issues from gathering forces to the time of rising in the presence of Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza’i. They secretly gathered manpower and arms from Kufa and the tribes surrounding Kufa to prepare for their fight.

Upon establishing the army, Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza’i sent letters in the year 64/683-4 to Sa’d b. Hudhayfa who was the leader of Shi’as in al-Mada’in and Muthanna b. Makhrama al-‘Abdi who was a well-known Shi’a from Basra to invite them to the uprising. The Shi’as of Basra and al-Mada’in promised him that they would take part in their uprising.

Beginning of the Uprising
Historians suggest that the outbreak of uprising was on Rabi’ I 1 of the year 65/October 16, 684 when Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza’i began summoning his men. Their army of several thousand marched towards a place called Nukhayla while chanting their slogan, which was; “Ya la-tharat al-Husayn” (Arabic: یا لثارات الحسین, O, avengers of al-Husayn). However, Sulayman b. Surad was disappointed when a large group of Shi’as, especially the people of Basra and al-Mada’in, dishonored their promise to take part in the rise. It is said that of the sixteen thousand men who had promised to show up, only four thousand were present in Nukhayla.

It is said that al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi believed that Sulayman b. Surad lacked both political and military skills required for such an uprising, and as a result, many Shi’a troops from Sulayman’s army began to desert him in large numbers.

On Rabi’ I 5/October 20, the Tawwabun army moved from Nukhayla towards Damascus. When the army reached Karbala, they got off their horses and paid an emotional visit to Imam al-Husayn’s (a) burial place. Sulayman b. Surad said, “Oh Lord, witness that we are followers of Husayn’s religion and path. We are the enemies of his murderers.” The Tawwabun prayed that since they had missed the chance to be martyred along with Imam al-Husayn (a), God would not deny them another chance to be martyred after al-Husayn (a).

Beginning of the Battle
Before the army of Syria arrived, the Tawwabun stopped at ‘Ayn al-Warda and took five days to rest. On the day of the conflict, Sulayman b. Surad organized the fights, announced his advice, and introduced his successors. He said:

“If I am killed, the leader of the army would be Musayyib b. Najaba. After him, Abd ‘Allah b. Sa’d b. Nufayl shall take the leadership of the army. After his death, Abd Allah b. Wal and Rifa’a b. Shaddad are going to be the leaders of the Tawwabun’s battle.”
On the Jumada I 25, 65/January 7, 685, the two armies confronted in a fierce battle. The army of Syria was led by ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad.

Result of the Battle
After four days of battle, many of the Tawwabun were slaughtered. Their leaders were killed one by one, and the few remaining soldiers were surrounded. They had no choice but to retreat under the leadership of Rifa’a b. Shaddad al-Bajali. On their way back, the Tawwabun were met by the Shi’as of Basra and Mada’in who had come to help them. They exclaimed their grievances and went back to their cities. When the defeated Tawwabun army reached Kufa, al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, who was incarcerated, praised Sulayman b. Surad and the martyrs of their war and vowed to take vengeance on their killers, and rise to avenge Imam al-Husayn’s martyrdom.

In his book The Origins and Early Development of Shi’a Islam Sayyid Husayn Muhammad Ja’fri believes that the Tawwabun were evidently defeated by the Umayyads army; however, in reality, they managed to form the first-ever integrated Shi’a organization, which was influenced by Imam al-Husayn’s (a) thought and the manner to serve the Shi’a community.