Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

الحسين بن علي

رضي الله عنه

al-Husayn ibn Ali

al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib al-Hashimi al-Qurashi

Grandson of the Prophet and son of Ali and Fatimah, loved by the Prophet as a child and named a chief of the youth of Paradise; killed at Karbala.

  • Sayyid Shabab Ahl al-Jannah (Chief of the youth of Paradise)
  • Sibt Rasul Allah (grandson of the Messenger of Allah)
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu Abd Allah
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Hashim)
  • Born11 January 626 CE (approx., early 4 AH)
  • Died10 October 680 CE / 10 Muharram 61 AH
  • Resting placeKarbala, Iraq
  • Counted amongAhl al-Bayt

Introduction

Al-Husayn was the younger son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah, the Prophet's daughter, and the younger brother of al-Hasan. He was born in Medina and spent his early years in the household of the Prophet, who loved him deeply and was frequently seen carrying, kissing and playing with him, even in the middle of sermons.

The Prophet prayed protection for him and his brother, called them the chiefs of the youth of Paradise, and said that whoever loves them loves him. He was about five or six years old when the Prophet died, so what we have from him personally is limited. He transmitted a few narrations, including one from his mother Fatimah.

After his father's death and the settlement made by his brother al-Hasan, he lived quietly in Medina. When Mu'awiyah's son Yazid demanded allegiance, he left Medina and travelled toward Kufa, and was killed with his family and companions at Karbala on 10 Muharram 61 AH. Muslims of all schools grieve his death and honour his place in the Prophet's family.

The story

  1. 4 AH / 626 CE, Medina

    Born to Ali and Fatimah in Medina.

  2. Childhood

    Carried, kissed and held by the Prophet, who stepped down from the pulpit to pick him and his brother up during a sermon.

    Read the wording
    Sunan Ibn Majah 3600Sahih
    Arabic text

    … حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَخْطُبُ فَأَقْبَلَ حَسَنٌ وَحُسَيْنٌ عَلَيْهِمَا قَمِيصَانِ أَحْمَرَانِ يَعْثُرَانِ وَيَقُومَانِ فَنَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَأَخَذَهُمَا فَوَضَعَهُمَا فِي حِجْرِهِ فَقَالَ" صَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ{إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلاَدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ} رَأَيْتُ هَذَيْنِ فَلَمْ أَصْبِرْ". ثُمَّ أَخَذَ فِي …

    “stepped down, picked them up and put them in his lap”

    Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani); Sahih (Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi)

  3. 11 AH / 632 CE

    Lost his grandfather the Prophet at about the age of six.

  4. 40-50 AH

    Supported his father Ali and then his brother al-Hasan, and lived quietly in Medina afterwards.

  5. 60-61 AH / 680 CE

    Refused to give allegiance to Yazid, set out for Kufa and was killed at Karbala on the 10th of Muharram.

A day in their footsteps

2 small, repeatable practices from al-Husayn ibn Ali's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Washing hands after eating, before sleep

    He relayed to the community the instruction he had received from his mother Fatimah, that the Prophet said a man who goes to bed with a greasy smell on his hand has only himself to blame if anything harms him.

    Try this today

    Wash your hands after eating, before you sleep.

    Sit with this

    Which small hygiene sunnah could you add to your evening?

    Source

    Sunan Ibn Majah 3296Hasan

    … جُبَارَةُ بْنُ الْمُغَلِّسِ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ وَسِيمٍ الْجَمَّالُ، حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ أُمِّهِ، فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ أُمِّهِ، فَاطِمَةَ ابْنَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " أَلاَ لاَ يَلُومَنَّ امْرُؤٌ إِلاَّ نَفْسَهُ يَبِيتُ وَفِي يَدِهِ رِيحُ …

    “A man has no one to blame but himself, if he goes to bed with a smell emanating from his hand”

    Grade: Hasan (Al-Albani); Hasan Lighairihi (Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi)

  2. Growing up under the du'a of protection

    The Prophet used to seek Allah's refuge for al-Hasan and al-Husayn with the words about Allah's perfect words, saying that Ibrahim used the same du'a for Ishaq and Ismail. It is a protection parents can still make for their children today.

    Try this today

    Read this du'a over your children, and ask Allah to protect them from every harm.

    Sit with this

    Do you say a du'a of protection over the children in your care?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 2060Sahih

    … بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ". وَيَقُولُ" هَكَذَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يُعَوِّذُ إِسْحَاقَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ". حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلاَّلُ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ وَعَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ نَحْوَهُ بِمَعْنَاهُ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ …

    “I seek refuge for the two of you in the Perfect Words of Allah”

    Grade: Sahih (Ahmad Muhammad Shakir); Sahih (Al-Albani)

Virtues

  • The Prophet said that al-Hasan and al-Husayn are the chiefs of the youth of Paradise.

    “Al-Hasan and Al-Husain are the chiefs of the youths of Paradise”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ سَيِّدَا شَبَابِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ". حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ وَكِيعٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ نَحْوَهُ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ. وَابْنُ أَبِي نُعْمٍ هُوَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي نُعْمٍ الْبَجَلِيُّ الْكُوفِيُّ وَيُكْنَى أَبَا الْحَكَمِ.

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3768Sahih

  • The Prophet said that whoever loves al-Hasan and al-Husayn loves him.

    “Whoever loves Hasan and Husain, loves me”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " مَنْ أَحَبَّ الْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنِي وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمَا فَقَدْ أَبْغَضَنِي".

    Sunan Ibn Majah 143Hasan

  • The Prophet said: Husayn is part of me and I am part of him.

    “Husain is part of me and I am part of him”

    Arabic text

    … فَجَعَلَ الْغُلاَمُ يَفِرُّ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا وَيُضَاحِكُهُ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ حَتَّى أَخَذَهُ فَجَعَلَ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ تَحْتَ ذَقَنِهِ وَالأُخْرَى فِي فَأْسِ رَأْسِهِ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَقَالَ " حُسَيْنٌ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْ حُسَيْنٍ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَحَبَّ حُسَيْنًا حُسَيْنٌ سِبْطٌ مِنَ الأَسْبَاطِ". حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ …

    Sunan Ibn Majah 144Hasan

  • The Prophet called al-Hasan and al-Husayn his two sweet basils in this world.

    “They (i.e. Hasan and Husain) are my two sweet basils in this world”

    Arabic text

    سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي نُعْمٍ، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، وَسَأَلَهُ، عَنِ الْمُحْرِمِ،، قَالَ شُعْبَةُ أَحْسِبُهُ يَقْتُلُ الذُّبَابَ فَقَالَ أَهْلُ الْعِرَاقِ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنِ الذُّبَابِ وَقَدْ قَتَلُوا ابْنَ ابْنَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هُمَا رَيْحَانَتَاىَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا".

    Sahih al-Bukhari 3753Sahih

  • The Prophet kissed al-Hasan and al-Husayn and said that whoever shows no mercy will be shown none.

    “Whoever shows no mercy, he will be shown no mercy”

    Arabic text

    … أَبِي عُمَرَ الْحُسَيْنَ أَوِ الْحَسَنَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ لِي مِنَ الْوَلَدِ عَشَرَةً مَا قَبَّلْتُ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّهُ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمْ لاَ يُرْحَمْ". قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ وَعَائِشَةَ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَأَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ اسْمُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ. وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ …

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 1911Sahih

Words on this page

Du'aدعاء
Supplication: calling on Allah and asking Him, in any language and at any time.
Jannahالجنة
Paradise, the Garden promised to the believers.
Madinahالمدينة
The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.

The full glossary

Sources and review

Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.

This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.

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