Imam Al Sajjad (as): I heard my father say to his followers: “I glorify Allāh with the most perfect glorification and I praise Him in happiness and misfortune. O Allāh, I praise You for blessing us with prophethood, teaching us the Qur’ān and making us understand the religion. You have given us hearing, sight and hearts, and have made us among those who give thanks (to You). I know of no followers more loyal and more virtuous than my followers nor of any House more pious and more close-knit than my House. May Allāh reward you well on my behalf. Indeed, I do not think that there will be (any further) days (left) to us by these men. I permit you to leave me. All (of you) go away with the absolution of your oath (to follow me), for there will be no (further) obligation on you from me. This is a night (whose darkness) will give cover to you. Use it as a camel (i.e. ride away in it).”
His brothers and sons, the sons of his sisters and the sons of ‘Abd Allāh b. Ja‘far (as) said: “We will not leave you to make ourselves continue living after your (death). Allāh will never see us (do) such a thing.”
Al-‘Abbās b. ‘Alī (as) was the first of them to make this declaration. Then the (whole) group followed him, (all) declaring the same thing.
“Sons of ‘Aqīl,” said al-Ḥusayn, “enough of your (family) has been killed. So go away as I have permitted you “
“Glory be to Allāh.” they replied, “what would the people say? They would say that we deserted our Shaykh, our lord, the sons of our uncle, who was the best of uncles; that we had not shot arrows alongside them, we had not thrust spears alongside them, we had not struck swords alongside them. (At such an accusation) we do not know what we would do. No, by Allāh, we will not do (such a thing). Rather we will ransom you with our lives, property and families. We will fight for you until we reach your destination. May Allāh make life abominable (for us) after your (death).”
Then Muslim b. ‘Awsaja arose and spoke: “Could we leave you alone? How should we excuse ourselves before Allāh concerning the performance of our duty to you? By Allāh, I will stab them with my spear (until it breaks), I will strike them with my sword as long as the hilt is in my hand. If I have no weapon (left) to fight them with, I will throw stones (at them). By Allāh we will never leave you until Allāh knows that we have preserved through you (the company of His Apostle) in his absence. By Allāh, if I knew that I would die and then be revived and then burnt and then revived, and then scattered, and that would be done to me seventy times, I would never leave you until I met my death (fighting) on your behalf. So how could I do it when there can only be one death, which is a great blessing which can never be rejected?”
Zuhayr b. al-Qayn (as) spoke: “By Allāh, I would prefer to be killed and then recalled to life; and then be killed a thousand times in this manner; and that in this way Allāh, the Mighty and Exalted, should protect your life and the lives of these young men of your House.”
All his followers spoke in a similar vein, one after the other. Al-Ḥusayn (as) called (on Allāh to) reward them well and then went back to his tent.