Imam Zayn al-'Abideen (peace be upon him) is one of the founders of true piety and virtue of Islam. Historians have reported that he used to seek Allah's mercy for his uncle, Al-Abbas, and used to refer to him with the finest words of admiration and commendation:
"Allah may have mercy upon my uncle, Al-Abbas. He preferred his brother to himself, did well, and sacrificed himself for his brother until he lost his two hands for sake of such. Thus, Allah, instead of his two hands, will give him two wings with which he will fly with the angels in Paradise, just like Ja'far ibn Abi Taleb. Verily Abbas has a status in the presence of Allah that all the martyrs will envy on the Day of Judgment."
The previous statement of Imam Zayn al-'Abideen (peace be upon him) includes the most significant sacrifices that Al-Abbas (peace be upon him) did towards his brother; Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him). For sake of his brother, Al-Abbas sacrificed his two hands and went on resisting until he was felled. For these great sacrifices, God will grant Al-Abbas an unparalleled rank that all martyrs will wish if they had its like.
In addition to that, the divine rule says that only an Imam can bury and Imam, and this is why Imam as-Sajjad (peace be upon him) by miracle went back to Karbala to bury his father Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him). Historians state that once there he (peace be upon him) guided the tribe of Bani Asad to identify the corpses, and requested them to bury all the martyrs, apart from his father and his uncle Al-Abbas (peace be upon both of them). He came down from his horse, and walked between the corpses and stopped at the body of his father Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him) and hugged him, and started smelling and kissing him, crying out loudly, saying: "O dear father! After you, our distress is long. O dear father! After you, our sorrow is long..." Then he came to the gravesite and lifted a handful of its soil. A grave already dug appeared, and so did a pre-constructed shrine... He placed his hands under the Imam's back and said, “In the Name of Allah, and according to the creed of the Messenger of Allah, Allah has said the truth, and so has His Messenger (Allah's prayers be upon him and his holy Household). The will of Allah be done; there is no power nor might except in Allah, the Great.”
Then he took it and went down without being assisted by anyone from among the Banu Asad to whom he said, “I have with me someone who will assist me.”
Once he laid it down in the grave, he put his cheek on his father's sacred neck and said, “Congratulations to the land that contains your pure body, for the world after you is dark whereas the hereafter in your light shall shine. As to the night, it is the harbinger of sleep, while grief remains forever, for Allah shall choose for your Ahl al-Bayt (Allah's prayers be upon them) your abode wherein you shall abide. From me to you is Salam [peace], O son of the Messenger of Allah, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.” On the grave he wrote: “This is the grave of al-Hussayn son of ‘Ali son of Abu Taleb, the one whom they killed even as he was a thirsty stranger.”
Then he walked to the body of his uncle, Al-Abbas (peace be upon him), and he saw him in a condition that had left the angels in the heavens' strata baffled and caused the huris to weep even as they were in the chambers of Paradise. He fell upon it kissing his sacred neck and saying, “May the world after you be obliterated, O moon of Banu Hashim, and peace from me to you, O martyr, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.” He dug a grave for him and took him down in it by himself just as he had done to the corpse of his martyred father (peace be upon him). He said to Banu Asad, “There is someone with me to help me.”
Yes, he gave the opportunity to Banu Asad to participate in burying the martyrs, and he assigned for them two places, ordering them to dig two pits in the first of which he buried those slain from Banu Hashim and in the second those slain from among their companions.
Therefore, we must comprehend that Al-Abbas (peace be upon him) has a greater status than all martyrs, that the Imam buried him himself like he did for the Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon them all).
Main Source: Alkafeel Global Network
