Abbas ibn Ali
May 15, 647 –October 10, 680
Military leader
Lived 33 years
- Born in
- Medina
- Passed away in
- Karbala
Abbas ibn Ali (Arabic: الْعَبَّاس اِبِنْ عَلي, c. 15 May 647 – 10 October 680 CE), also known as Abu al-Fadl (Arabic: أَبو الْفَضْل, lit. 'father of virtue'), was a son of Ali and Umm al-Banin, a half-brother of both Hasan and Husayn, Husayn's standard-bearer in the Battle of Karbala, and one of his principal supporters. His fame and popularity extend across the Muslim world, particularly among Shia Muslims. Abbas is highly revered for his loyalty to Husayn, his courage, and his death while attempting to obtain water from the Euphrates River for Husayn's thirsty children and companions. Abbas accompanied Husayn during his journey from Medina to Kufa, and ultimately to Karbala. He desperately attempted to reach the Euphrates to fetch water for the besieged family of Muhammad, and was killed in the process on 10 Muharram 61 AH (10 October 680 CE), the day known as Ashura.
Abbas's death at the Battle of Karbala contributed to the development of a legendary figure revered among both Shia and Sunni Muslims. It is said that Abbas was the son of Ali who most closely resembled his father, inheriting his boldness and bravery. He is regarded by Shia Muslims as an ultimate paragon of courage and self-sacrifice. Along with the Imam Husayn Shrine, the Al-Abbas Shrine is a profoundly holy site in Shia Islam. Each year, millions of people around the world visit the shrines during Muharram and later undertake the Arba'in pilgrimage to the shrines, the world's largest annual public gathering. Over the centuries, the Euphrates River changed course, and it now flows around the Abbas Shrine. It is said that the Euphrates has come to Abbas now.
Source: Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbas_ibn_Ali