Brothers' Day

On the dusty plains

Of the land of Karb and Balaa’

At the shores of the Euphrates

And the cluster of pitched tents

Three sets of brothers

Will make the ultimate sacrifice

Ali Akbar has said his goodbyes

The likeness of the Prophet will give his blood for truth

The enemy are bewildered as he slices through their ranks

This undaunted lion won’t go down in a duel

By a shower of arrows and a cowardly pack,

The first brother is felled

The land of Taff’ has soaked in the brave brother’s blood

Ali Asghar’s feeble cries are tearing his mother’s heart

She wraps him in a blanket woven with love

And hands him to his father to go beg for the young life

In reply to Ismail’s thirsty cries, zam zam gushed forth

To this parched throat, an arrow made its mark

The fountain of sacrifice gushed forth

The land of Taff’ has soaked in the infant brother’s blood

The paired youths have secured permission

The time has come to prove their faith’s worth

Aun and Muhammad will make Zaynab proud

Like a dance in slow motion, they mesmerize the enemy

Such prowess, such skill

Have Ali the lion and Ja’far the winged

Returned to haunt this field?

Amr steps out of his trance, and says to his men

Bring them down, once and for all

The two flowers of Zaynab are plucked from this earth

The land of Taff’ has soaked in two worthy brothers’ blood

The Hashemite moon sets out with his flag and water skin

The children’s cries of thirst have brought the uncle out

Dazzling the army with his radiant face and sword

Abbas makes it to the shore and fills his bag of love

Worse than quench thirsts, this bag will fulfill a pledge

A shower of arrows is sent to break the trust

The arms are severed to make the flag fall

When the water bag is struck, it is Sukayna’s hope that spills

The flag comes to half mast with the cry of “My Master!”

Husayn runs to the spot where the moon will set

With his last breath, he fulfills another wish

“My Brother!” and the noble son has set forever

The land of Taff’ has soaked in the blood of the loyal brother

The enemies’ drumbeats get more frenzied

And the desert sands kick up a storm

Nature does not wish to witness such atrocity

The son of Ali and Fatimah calls to the truth one last time

Alas! Remembrance is only of benefit to those who believe

With the sword he strikes fear in the enemy camp

It takes a promise of the allure of glittering Rayy

To give courage for the dastardly act

In prostration

Dust and dust meet

With a fatal strike,

Master and Servant meet

The land of Taff’ is now quenched

It has soaked the blood of Hasan’s brother.

~Shahida~