Imam Ali (a.s.) A Beacon of Courage
By Sulaiman Kattani, Translated By: I. K. A. Howard

Hisham wrote to his governor in Basra, al-Qasim b. Muhammad al-Thaqafi, to move all the Hashimites in Iraq to Medina because of the fear that they might rebel. Similarly he wrote to his governor in Medina to detain some of them, to inspect them once every week and to get guarantors on their behalf that they would not leave there.

Al-Fadi b. Abd al-Rahman has given us a picture of their treatment, articulating their sentiments, in a long poem. Some of this we present here as a fleeting glimpse into some of this cruel treatment which the Alids met at the hands of their enemies. The full version is presented by lbn Abi al-Hadid in Shark Nahj al-Balagha:

Whenever they cause any discontent in any land, they put us into prisons or expel us. My God, feared by all, may not suffice those who have taken us to Medina as prisoners.

They kill us without any crime being done against them. May God be the One who fights against a people who kill us.

They make us the closest of enemies of theirs and they swim in our blood.

Where are our dead whom you have unjustly treated and wrongfully killed?

Bring back Hashim and return Abu al-Yaqzan and lbn Budayl among others.

Bring back the man of two testimonies and the dead in fighting against whom you were wickedly involved. Then return Hujr and the companions of Hujr in whose killing you once unjustly took part. Then return Abu Umayr and return Rushayd and Maytham and those of the Hashimites who were killed on the banks of the river at the battle with Husayn.

And return Husayn.

Al-Fadi goes on in his poem to include, with these, those killed at Karbala, Muslim b. Aqil, Zayd b. Ali and others.

The Alids disdain the idea of gaining vengeance from their opponents whenever they gained victory over them.

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