ACTIVITY BOOKLET

Issue #5 Muharram 1430

John the martyr the imam.

During Muharam, we hear As he faced the enemies

about the tragic events of

of allah, he was reciting
a poem which said: All Slaves are freed
Karabala. Some names are IforamAllah
a soul willing to die

synonymous with these And I have a sword The Night before Ashura, Imam Hussain had
events. Hazarat Abbas thirsty for the freed all of them and told them to return to their
Blood of the enemies of
(as), Ali Akbar, Ali Allah homelands and seek safety. In an act of courage
Asghar, and of course our Before I die I shall fight
the enemies of Allah
and loyalty, all sixteen stayed. One of these
beloved Imam Hussain with my sword and my brave men was John Bin Huwai. He was given
(as). Their stories will tongue, and thus to Abu Dharr Ghiffari from Imam Ali. Ghiffari
Shall I serve the
forever be in our hearts grandson of the holy had freed him, but John chose to stay with him
and minds and are the core prophet even afterwards. After Ghiffari was exiled from
reasons of why we medina, John returned back to Imam Ali, who
commemorate this tragic event. then asked him to stay as a companion. During
his time with Imam Ali, John was able to learn
The 'Unsung Heroes' the tafseer of Quran,the traditions of Prophet
Mohammed and was able to memorize the
Quran by heart. His vast knowledge and
However, there are others who we may not pleasant manners made him a respected person
have heard about, who also gave their lives in by all men. After the martydom of Imam Ali,
the name of Allah and Islam. These great men He stayed with Imam Hassan and then
were not a part of Prophet Mohammad’s (as) afterwards with
family, and their names are not the most well Imam Hussain.
known, but their loyalty to Imam Hussain and At kerbala, John
love for him are reflected in their actions. was In This Issue
accompanying
John Bin Huwai Imam Hussain
by his side, just
as he did before • Freed Slaves
Although there are many whose names we
should know and whose stories we should be with Imam • Crossword
familiar with, this is the story of one particular Hassan and
hero by the name John Bin Huwai. before that with • Word puzzle
In Imam Hussain’s caravan, there were sixteen Imam Ali. On • Cartoon
slaves and freed slaves who were traveling with the day of
him. Most of them were from Abyssinia which Ashura, just after
is now known as the African country of Zuhr prayers,
Ethiopia. Some of these slaves still served some John was
of Imam Hussain’s family and companions and standing quietly
others who were freed and chose to stay with with his arms
folded in the presence John's Battle
of the Imam. It was a Crossword
habit of his to never Like his fellow martyrs
speak unless spoken to in Kerbala, John fought
while in the presence of courageously and kept
an imam. Imam Hussainreciting his poem. Even
finally looked at john after John was badly
and said “I know that injured and wounded,
you are here to ask my he continued reciting
permission to go to the his poem. Alas, John
battle-field. You are a was finally
good and trusted friend overwhelmed and was
and I will not deny you martyred in kerbala.
your martydom for Although John was a
Islam. Go! And may slave and a servant for
Allah be with you“. most of his life, he died
John smiled, he was a free man, so that one
waiting for this day all men can be free.
moment, he had spent
the whole night before
sharpening his sword.
Hussain's army

DOWN
ACROSS 1 I am a soul willing to
Write a summary in the box 2 The slaves in Imam die for ______
Hussain's army were 3 The country from
_____ where many of the
4 The slaves were slaves came
freed the night before 5 The name of one of
______ the slaves of Imam
6 The number of Hussain
slaves in Imam
 John the Martyr
I A Y E Y M X I X Z Q H P Z P
D B L S N F H C N Z A S A R E
N A S A H M A M I L J P O P V
H E T V B R U V L B A P A P A
S L W A T R S A H I H G A A L
J Q X U C Q A L P E N C U K S
T Q T C G P U K T O M J G A T
Y V U F O F B M G X C E C E H
W N H Y B V O Y H H Q J W J K
E C X G X H S Z N T J J P E O
Z C W X A Z F L R C V O X R E
P D S M F J J P Y B R U H T Q
A T M Z L F L I F T G J V N D
E E L I M T F R W P U Y I X H
D L D S F I G H T L K Y D U Y

ALLAH FIGHT IMAM-HASAN

JOHN KARBALA PROPHET-MOHAMMED
SLAVE

Draw a Picture Of the Story

 John the Martyr

I A Y E Y M X I X Z Q H P Z P
D B L S N F H C N Z A S A R E
N A S A H M A M I L J P O P V
H E T V B R U V L B A P A P A
S L W A T R S A H I H G A A L
J Q X U C Q A L P E N C U K S
T Q T C G P U K T O M J G A T
Y V U F O F B M G X C E C E H
W N H Y B V O Y H H Q J W J K
E C X G X H S Z N T J J P E O
Z C W X A Z F L R C V O X R E
P D S M F J J P Y B R U H T Q