The night before Ashura, Imam Hossein (AS) delivered his sermon and then said:

       O you who have accompanied me up to this moment, these people are only after me. Anyone who wants to leave may do so now that it is still dark. I will cover my face so you will not feel embarrassed to leave.

      Imam Hossein (AS) covered his face. He could hear the sound of the hooves of the horses riding away. Then there was silence. Imam Hossein (AS) uncovered his face. He saw a few sitting on their knees across from him.

      He asked, “Why didn’t you leave?” They said, “O Hossein! We swear we truly love you. If we were mutilated to death seventy times, we would ask God to give us life again for the seventy-first time so that we could be martyred again.”

      Imam Hossein (AS) said, “I swear by God that I do not know anyone better than my companions.”

      He then said to his companions “Come and look between my two fingers.” They saw a magnificent and beautiful place and asked, “Where is this?” The Imam said, “This is where the martyrs of the path of truth live.”

Imam Hossein asked, “Do you wish to wash yourselves?"

      There was a stone behind the tent, at the edge of Tal al-Zeynabia. Imam Hossein (AS) put his blessed finger on the stone and said, “O stone give out water!”

 Suddenly water started pouring out from the edge of the stone.

Esteemed philosopher Dr.Seyyed Ali Mosavi: Do not think Imam Hossein (AS) was weak and did not have access to water, he merely abstained.

Imam Hossein (AS) then said, “Use this water to perform ghusl (full ablution) and wudu (partial ablution) but do not drink from this water so that you will meet God with thirsty lips.”     

Esteemed philosopher Dr.Seyyed Ali Mosavi

Source: Description and Review of Surah Anfal,2000