The Land of Karbala
Anas ibn Malik says: The Angel of Rain asked Allah's permission to go to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). The Angel was given the permission. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) ordered Umm Salama: "Stay outside so that nobody could come in". Anas says: Al-Husayn (A.S.) came in and wanted to enter the room, but Umm Salama prevented him. Husayn (A.S.) rushed inside the room and jumped on the Holy Prophet's back and neck. The Angel asked the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) do you love him. He replied: Yes. The Angel said: Know that your Ummah will kill him, and if you wish I will show you the place where he will be martyred. The Angel struck out with hand and brought a handful of red clay. Umm Salama took it and kept it in the corner of her kerchief. Thabit who is a transmitter of this hadith says: We heard that land was Karbala.
Umm Salama says: One day the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) was sitting in my room and said that no one should come inside. I waited outside. At this time al-Husayn (A.S.) entered the room. I heard that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) was sobbing bitterly. I looked inside and saw that al-Husayn (A.S.) was in the bosom of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) and he was caressing al-Husayn's (A.S.) forehead and shedding tears. I said I swear by Allah I did not notice his entering.
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said: Gabriel was with us in the room and asked: Do you love him? I replied: Ay, of all in the world [I only love him]. Gabriel said: Know that your ummah will kill him in a land called Karbala. Then Gabriel took a small amount of that earth and showed it to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). Later on when al-Husain (A.S.) was besieged and was going to be killed, he asked what this land is called. They replied: Karbala then he said Allah and his Messenger have told the truth. This is the land of "karb" [which means sorrow,] and Bala, [meaning calamity].
Abd Allah ibn Nojji quoting his father: When Ali (A.S.) was on his way to "Siffin" my father was Imam's retainer in that journey when we reached Nainawa he called: Wait Abu 'Abd Allah, wait at the Euphrates! Wait here. I asked: what has happened? He replied: One day I was at the Messenger of Allah's (S.A.W.) presence and saw that his eyes were full of tears. I said: O Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.)! Has someone bothered you? Why are your eyes tearful? He replied: No, a moment ago Gabriel left me. He told me that al-Husayn will be killed near the Euphrates. Gabriel had asked the Messenger of Allah: Do you wish to smell the earth of his martyrdom place? I said: yes then he took a handful of the earth and gave it to me that made me crying.
Source: Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in The Qur'an and Hadith
By: Muhammadi Rayshahri