The Tales of the Prophets and the Land of Karbala

1. The Sorrow of Prophet Adam
It is narrated that when Adam descended to earth, he searched tirelessly for Eve. In his journey, he passed through the land of Karbala. As he walked, an inexplicable sorrow filled his heart. In this sacred land, he stumbled, injuring his foot, and blood flowed from his wound. Lifting his gaze to the heavens, Adam cried, “O my Lord, have I committed another sin for which I am being punished? I have roamed the earth, yet I have not felt such grief as I do here.”

Allah revealed to Adam, “No, O Adam, this sorrow is not due to your sin. It is because your descendant, Husayn, will be unjustly martyred on this land. The blood from your wound mirrors his blood that will be shed.” Adam asked, “O Lord, will Husayn be a prophet?” Allah replied, “No, but he will be the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, the seal of all prophets.” Adam then asked, “Who will be his killer?” Allah revealed, “It will be Yazid, the cursed one, despised by the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth.”

In anguish, Adam asked Gabriel, “What should I do?” Gabriel advised him to curse Yazid. Adam raised his hands and cursed Yazid four times before continuing his journey. Finally, he found Eve at Mount Arafat.

2. Prophet Noah’s Ordeal
When Prophet Noah embarked on the ark, it sailed across the vast expanse of the earth. When the ark passed over Karbala, the earth trembled, and the ark nearly capsized. Overwhelmed with fear, Noah prayed, “O Lord, I have journeyed through the entire world, but never have I felt terror as I do here.”

Gabriel descended and explained, “O Noah, this is the land where Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, will be martyred.” Noah asked, “Who will kill him?” Gabriel replied, “It will be Yazid, the cursed one, despised by the inhabitants of the seven heavens and the seven earths.”

Noah raised his hands and cursed Yazid four times. The ark then resumed its course and eventually rested on Mount Judi.

3. Prophet Abraham’s Fall
Prophet Abraham once passed through Karbala while riding his horse. Suddenly, the horse stumbled, and Abraham fell, injuring his head. Blood trickled from his wound, and he began to seek forgiveness from Allah, fearing he had erred. Gabriel descended and reassured him, “O Abraham, you have committed no sin. This land is where Husayn, the grandson of the last prophet, will be slain. Your blood mirrors his blood, which will flow unjustly.”

Abraham asked, “Who will kill him?” Gabriel answered, “It will be Yazid, cursed by the heavens, the earth, and all creatures. Even the pen of destiny wrote a curse upon Yazid without the need for its Lord’s permission.” Hearing this, Abraham cursed Yazid extensively. Even his horse, with a clear voice, joined in the curse, expressing remorse for causing Abraham’s fall.

4. Prophet Ishmael and the Refusal of the Sheep
Prophet Ishmael’s sheep grazed along the banks of the Euphrates River. One day, his shepherd informed him that the sheep refused to drink from the river. Ishmael prayed to Allah for understanding, and Gabriel descended, saying, “Ask your sheep why they refuse the water.” Ishmael asked, and the sheep, speaking clearly, replied, “We have heard that your descendant, Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, will be killed here, dying of thirst. We refuse to drink from this river out of sorrow for him.”

When Ishmael asked about the killer, the sheep responded, “It will be Yazid, cursed by all inhabitants of the heavens and earth.” Moved by grief, Ishmael raised his hands and cursed Yazid.

5. Prophet Solomon’s Encounter with the Winds
Prophet Solomon was traveling on his flying carpet when the wind that carried it suddenly halted, spinning the carpet in circles three times over the land of Karbala. Solomon, fearing a fall, commanded the wind to stop. When the wind finally calmed, he descended and asked, “Why did you cease carrying me?”

The wind replied, “O Solomon, this is the land where Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, will be martyred.” Solomon asked, “Who is Husayn?” The wind explained, “He is the grandson of Muhammad and the son of Ali, the valorous. His killer will be Yazid, cursed by all beings.”

Solomon raised his hands and cursed Yazid. The jinn and humans in his company joined in the curse. The wind then resumed its course, and Solomon’s carpet soared once again.

6. Prophet Jesus and the Lion of Karbala
Prophet Jesus was traveling through the wilderness with his disciples when they encountered a ferocious lion blocking their path. The disciples were terrified, but Jesus approached the lion and asked, “Why do you block our way?”

The lion, speaking clearly, replied, “I will not allow you to pass until you curse Yazid, the killer of Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.” Jesus asked, “Who is Husayn?” The lion explained, “He is the grandson of Muhammad, the unlettered prophet, and the son of Ali, the noble guardian. Yazid, cursed by the beasts, insects, and all creatures, will kill him, especially during the days of Ashura.”

Jesus raised his hands and cursed Yazid, and his disciples followed suit. Only then did the lion move aside, allowing them to continue their journey.

These tales of the prophets encountering the land of Karbala reveal the sanctity of this soil and the weight of the tragedy of Imam Husayn’s martyrdom. From Adam to Jesus, each prophet bore witness to the sorrow tied to this land, cursing Yazid and mourning the impending sacrifice of the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

{Bihar Al-Anwar – Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi – Part 44 – Page 242}