grandsons in his lap. I went to him and asked, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Shall I take them home?” He gave me permission to do so.

A narration then describes what happened after this: due to the dark, these two esteemed young imams رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُما felt uneasy returning home. Lightning then illuminated the sky, which lit the path for them until they returned home.^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers! Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ possessed excellent character. Here are some famous parables from his life regarding this.

Imam Ḥusayn’s acts of worship

Dear Islamic brothers! Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was amazingly pious and a great worshipper. The scholar Ibn Athīr Jazrī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes, “Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ would offer salah, fast, perform ḥajj, gave charity, and enact other righteous actions in great amounts.”^[2]

The son of Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ, Imam Zayn al-ʿAbidīn رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said, “My honourable father would offer a 1000 cycles of optional salah throughout the day and night.”^[3]

It is also reported the esteemed imam رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ performed 25 ḥajj on foot.^[4]

Imam Ḥusayn’s 4 favourite acts of worship

On the night of ʿAshurā, when Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was in Karbala, he said to his brother ʿAbbās رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ:

Kindly find a way to delay the fighting until tomorrow, so I may worship Allah Almighty on this holy night. Allah Almighty knows