The Lamentation of the Owl on Ĥusain (a.s.)

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked, “Have you ever seen an owl during the day?” (People) replied, “No, it never appears during the day. It only appears at night.” Imam (a.s.) said: The owls used to take only developed structures as abodes but when Ḥusain (a.s.) was killed, they refused to stay in developed structures and refused to take anything but wreckages as abodes. Verily the owls always fast during the day and they are grieved until nightfall. At night they chant in grief over Ḥusain (a.s.) until morning.

I went to (Imam) Riďā (a.s.) and he asked me, “What do people say about owls?” I replied, “May I sacrifice myself for you! We have come here to ask you (about this).” Imam (a.s.) said: At the time of my grandfather, the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), owls used to live in palaces, houses, and developed structures. When people used to eat, owls would fly and sit next to them and people would throw (their) food to them and give them water, after which they would return to their abodes. However, when Ḥusain (a.s.) was killed, the owls abandoned the developed structures for wreckages, mountains, and deserts and they said, “What an evil nation you are! You have killed the son of your Prophet’s daughter. We will never feel safe with you again.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Verily owls fast during the day and after they break their fast, they are extremely bewildered with grief over Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) until morning.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked, “O Ya’qūb! Have you ever seen an owl during the day?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) asked, “Do you know why that is?” I replied, “No.” Imam (a.s.) said, “It is because during the day, owls abstain from eating that with which Allāh has sustained them. At night, after breaking their fast with their sustenance, they keep chanting with grief over Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) until morning.”