Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

tations of the family of Houssain,* who annually lament his death, or, as they term it, martyrdom, during the Mohurrum, or ninth month of the Mohammedan year:

"It is related, that upon the death of the Iman' (on whom be peace,) his faithful horse, Zu al Jinnah," remained near the body of his master in the utmost affliction, permitting no one to approach: and whosoever attempted to lay hold of him, he instantly repelled by his heels and teeth.

[ocr errors]

When the infidels saw this they retired to a distance, and pierced his body with a shower of arrows. Unable to sustain this attack, he threw himself upon the ground, and rolled in the dust, mingling his own blood with that of the Iman. Then rising up, he made to the tents where the weeping family of his master remained.

Houssain was the son of Alee, and married Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed. Being persecuted by Yezid, who usurped the Khalifat, endeavouring to escape from Mecca to Coufah, whither he was invited by the inhabitants, he was intercepted in the plain of Kerbela, with 72 of his children and relations, by Obedalla, one of the generals of the usurper Yezid, and cut to pieces. This happened the 10th day of the month Mohurrum, the 61st year of the Hijreh. This murder was the foundation of that implacable enmity which subsists between the Ommiades and Abassides to the present day. From the 1st to the 10th of this month, which answers to our October, the Persians observe a solemn mourning for the death of these two Imans, Houssain and Hussen.

y Iman, sovereign successor of Mohammed in things religious and civil.

z Zu al Jinnah, the famous horse on which Houssain was mounted when slain in the plains of Kerbela.

"On his arrival, he began to neigh vehemently; and those within, hearing the sound of his well known voice, immediately rushed forth, hoping once more to see their beloved patron return. But alas! O misfortune! they perceived the faithful Zu al Jinnah pierced with wounds, and covered with blood. At this sight the whole family set up a loud lamentation. And first, the Lady Zineb, barefooted, and with dishevelled hair, rushed forth from the tents, and fell at the feet of the horse Zu al Jinnah, and thus addressed him :

"O horse! what hast thou done with my beloved brother? Where is the light of the prophet Mohammed Mustafah? Wherefore hast thou returned alone from the battle?

METRE.

Say, O horse, where is the son of Mortaz Alee ? b
Where is the martyr of Kerbelaie ?*
Whither is fled my comfort, my support?
The favour'd of God, whither is he fled ?

After her came the youth Zeen ul Abedeen (upon whom be peace :) at that time he laboured under a dangerous fever: but regardless of any thing but his grief, he threw his arms about the neck of the horse Zu al Jinnah, Zineb, Houssain's sister,

a

b

Mortaz Alee, (the chosen of God) a surname of Alee.

* Kerbela, the place in which Houssain and his 72 attendants were slain by Obedalla, who surrounded them with 10,000 horse. Houssain and his followers fought desperately, and sold their lives at a very high price.

* Zeen ul Abedeen, the eldest son of Houssain:

still bleeding from the wounds received in the battle, and thus in passionate exclamations he addressed him :-

"O horse! what hast thon done with the prince of religion? What is become of the fragrant flowers of the garden of Kheen ul Nissa? Alas! alas! O misfortune and distress!"

Next came the beauteous Sekeena, the daughter of the Iman. Pierced with the most poignant anguish, she rushed forth from the tents, and with tears flowing from her eyes, thus addressed the horse Zu al Jinnah :

METRE.

O horse stained with blood!

What hast thou done with my father?

That unfortunate, grief-smitten, much-enduring man.
O horse, stain'd with blood!

Where lieth the crown of my delight?
Where lieth the son of Alce, my friend?

My companion-my morning-my evening.
O horse stain'd with blood!

Say, where lieth my father, my father?

Say, where licth the offspring of the victorious lion ?* Say, where lieth the prince of pure religion?

O horse, say whither is the grandson of the prophet gone? Where is he who is slain by the points of the daggers? Where is the delight of the unfortunate Sekeena? Where is the Iman expiring with thirst?

Where is the father of Sekeena ?

Keen ul Nissa (the most excellent of women) Fatima, daughter of Mohammed, wife of Alce, and mother of Houssain.

e Victorious Lion, Alce, surnamed Assad Allah, or the Lion of GOD.

Where is the bright taper of Sekeena's nights?
Where is the support, the comfort of Sekeena?

O horse, thou hast pierced with wounds the heart of Sekeena ?

Thou hast borne her father to the field of martyrdom. Say where is the life's blood of Fatima?

Where is the Iman beloved of God?

O horse, why is thy body stain'd with blood?
Why is thy saddle in disorder?

Alas! I now remain an unfortunate orphan!
My father, my protector, is no more!--

O horse, stain'd with blood, I am thy sacrifice;

I am the sacrifice to thy bleeding master:

I am the sacrifice to thy overflowing eyes.

O horse, I am the sacrifice to thy dishevelled mane. Go, O faithful Zu al Jinnah'! once more return to the field of battle;

Perchance thou may'st restore my father to me.

O my oppressed and unfortunate father, where art thou? Wherefore art thou separated from Sekeena?

Thou wentest forth, alas! in search of water for thy family, expiring with thirst;

But, alas! thou bringest not back consolation to the afflicted.

Return-O return, my father!-our thirst is satisfied.
Without thee nothing can be acceptable.

O GOD! by the hapless situation of the orphans,
By the grief of the weeping domestics;
Look upon us with the eyes of compassion,
And restore us the prince of the martyrs!

The address of Sekeena to the horse of Houssain may to a European reader appear perfectly extravagant; but it is exactly in the Eastern manner, and examples of it are very numerous in the poetic and rhetorical works of the Asiatics. The sacred writings also abound with it:

so the Prophet Micah, Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S. controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and will plead with Israel. ch. vi. 2,8. And Isaiah, Howl, O gate! Cry, O city! ch xiv. 31. Howl ye ships of Tarshish, for your strength is laid waste, ch. xxiii. 14. And Moses, Give hear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear O earth, the words of my mouth! Deut. xxxii. 1. Examples of this kind might be multiplied to any amount: but independently of these references, the Lamentation itself, which is now published for the first time, cannot fail to interest and affect every intelligent reader. EDIT.

OBSERVATION XIV.

Some farther Particulars relative to the Lamentation for Houssain.

IT is not only customary for the people of these countries to repair to the graves of the dead, to lament their departed friends, and to cover their tombs with tears and with flowers, or herbs; they lament those of a public character in anniversary solemnities (at a distance from their tombs) with mournful music, and oftentimes in such a manner as they think may best represent the circumstances of their af

« AnteriorContinua »