34. The Birth of Abu Fadhil

On the 4th of Shaaban 26 AH, Imam Ali had his first son from Umm al-Banin, al-Abbas. On the day of his birth, Imam Ali recited the Athan and Iqamah in his ears, as per Islamic tradition. Following this, the Imam (as) looked at the hands of al-Abbas and began kissing them and crying. This concerned Um al-Banin. She asked him, “Oh Imam, is there a problem with my son’s hands?” The Imam (as) responded by telling her the story of his martyrdom in Karbala, and how he would lose his hands while defending the Imam of his time and Islam.