Question 166: What happened to Imam Hussein’s horse (Zuljanah) in Karbala?
Answer 166: The writers of books on what happened on Ashura (these books are referred to as ‘maqatil’) have not mentioned much about what happened to Zuljanah. What is mentioned is that he made his mane bloody with the blood of the Imam and returned to the tents neighing very highly.[1]
When the household of the Imam heard Zuljanah they came out of the tents and found out that the Imam had been martyred.[2] But, some of the later maghatel like Nasekhul-Tawarikh have extended saying that Zuljanah banged his head to the ground so much that he died[3], some say that Zuljanah had been killed before the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) and Imam himself fought against Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad till has been martyred[4] or that Zuljanah threw himself in the Furat (the river in Karbala that Imam Hussain was denied water from).[5]
For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answer:
Index: Every day is Ashura and Every Place is Karbala, answer 071.
Index: The Wedding of Hadrat Qasim in Karbala on the Day of Ashura, answer 605.
Index: Enemies killed by Imam Hussain (as) in Karbala on the Day of Ashura, answer 598.
[1] . Biharul Anwar, Majlesi, Vol. 44, Pg. 321, A.H. 1404.
[2] . Qummi, Muntaha al-Amaal, Vol. 2, Pg. 910.
[3] . Ibid, Pg. 909.
[4] . Refer to: Tahqiq wa Pegouhish dar Tarikh Zendegani Imam Hussain (as), Pg. 684.
[5] . The ziyarah of Nahiyah Muqaddasah; Amaliyy of Sheikh Saduq, pg. 163; Mirza Muhammad Taqi Sepehri, Nasekhul-Tawarikh, vol. 6, pg. 2.