In a haunting couplet transmitted every Muharram, the poets relay in choking tears, breaking hearts and chest beating lamentations

‘when the heroes of Karbala all took turns to call out their salaam and condolences to the great Imam Hussein (as) crying out Yaaa Hussein, before his own demise at the hands of the evil Hordes Imam Hussein cried out Yaaa Abbas”.

Al Abbas (as), Son of Imam Ali (as) and Um Al Baneen, the second wife of Imam Ali (as) after the passing of Fatima Al Zahra (as), was a man dedicated to the service and defence of his brother Imam Hussein (as) and his beloved sister Zeinab (as).

Such was the devotion of the great saint Abbas that for his entire life, he could not bring himself to utter the words “Hussein My brother” but rather reverentially and always, “Hussein my master”.

The General of Imam Hussein’s army and the bearer of his standard, Abbas (as) is described by both the Ahlul Bayt and interestingly by the chroniclers of the hordes of Yazid (LA) as the lion of Imam Hussein’s army.

Abbas (as) is buried in the mausoleum illustrated in this image at a short distance from the mausoleum of Imam Hussein, in the place where he lay slain on the plains of Karbala