Habib ibn Muzahir

Tribe

Habib ibn Muzahir was of the Banu Asad clan and was a martyr in Karbala. See:List of Martyrs of Battle of Karbala.

Clan

Habib was of the Banu Asad clan.

Battle of Karbala

Habib heavily contributed in the Battle of Karbala. He fought with the third Shia Imam, Husayn ibn Ali against the forces of Yazid, led by Umar ibn Sa'd. Husayn's forces were heavily outnumbered. With a total number of 72 companions, Husayn's forces fought at least 40 000, of the enemy forces led by Umar ibn Sa'd. Although, Husayn was given a chance to surrender himself and swear loyalty to Yazid, he always refused saying: "Yazid is a drunkard womanizer, who is unfit for leadership. I am the grandson of the messanger of Allah. A person like me does not surrender himself to a person like him. I am the heir of the messanger of Allah, and I deserve leadership more than anyone else".

Husayn's army was split into 3 sections, the left flank, the right flank and the Ahl al-bayt. The Ahl al-bayt are the family of Muhammad. Habib was given the duty of being in charge of the left flank of Husayn's army, despite the fact that he was 70 years old. It is said in the book 'Karbala and Ashura', by Ali Husayn Jalali, that Habib killed 62 of the enemy soldiers before being decapitated. He killed these many soldiers, at his old age and after not eating or drinking for three days, as the water supply was cut off.

See also