A
brief look at Kerbala
Yazid's Demand for
Allegiance
In 50 A.H. when
Imam Hasan (A), the elder grandson of Prophet Muhammad
(S) was poisoned, the duty of Imamat became the
responsibility of his younger brother Imam Hussain
(A).
At the time,
Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan, the governor of Syria and
arch-enemy of the family of the Holy Prophet (S), was
virtually the ruler of the whole Muslim Empire.
Muawiya, who had caused the poisoning of Imam Hasan (A),
continued to disregard the human rights of the people and
employed gangs of criminals to terrorise them. Imam Husain
(A) was not frightened by the power of Muawiya, and openly
condemned him and criticised his actions in his letters,
warning him against the punishment of Allah.
Muawiya broke the conditions of the treaty he had signed
with Imam Hasan (A) and declared his evil son
Yazid as Caliph. In 60 A.H., news was conveyed to
Walid, Yazid's governor in Madina, about the death of
Muawiya. At the same time, Yazid sent orders to Walid to
demand the oath of allegiance (Bay'at) from Imam Husain
(A). The orders stated that if Imam (A) refused, his head
should be cut off and sent to Yazid in Damascus.
On receipt of the letter of Yazid, Walid sent his servant
to Imam (A), requesting a meeting. It was night time and
Imam (A) was in the mosque when Walid's servant found him.
When the servant informed him that Walid was calling him,
he at once exclaimed that Muawiya was dead. He then sent
word to Walid that it was late and he was in the mosque,
and that he would visit him the next morning.
When Imam (A) returned home to his family with the news of
his invitation by the governor, they were very worried.
His sisters
Lady Zainab (A) and Lady Umme Kulthum (A) asked him to
take along the youth of Bani Hashim, especially Abbas (A),
for protection. Imam (A) was reluctant to take any one
along, saying that he had been invited alone. He finally
agreed to allow some of the Hashimite youth, including his
brother Abbas (A) and his son Ali Akbar to accompany him.
When they reached the Government House the next morning,
Imam (A) asked the men to remain at the door, and only to
come in if they heard his voice become unusually loud.
Walid was well aware of the position of Imam (A) and
greeted him with respect and offered him a seat beside
him. He then read out the letter he had received from
Yazid, and when he reached the part about sending the
severed head of Imam (A) if he refused to pay allegiance,
he was too embarrassed to continue and handed over the
letter to Imam (A) to read.
Imam (A) read it and smiled and said: "O Walid, invite the
Muslims of Madina tomorrow and ask them if they say I
should pay allegiance to Yazid, and then let us decide."
Walid accepted this reply, but Marwan, the old enemy of
Islam who the Holy Prophet (S) had expelled from Madina,
said, "Do not let Husain out of your grip now. If the fox
gets out of the four walls of your court you will not see
it again. Cut off his head here and now and do not let
this opportunity pass or you will not get it again."
When Imam (A) heard these insulting words of Marwan, he
put his hand on his sword and said aloud, "O enemy of
Allah, will you or Walid touch my head?" On hearing the
raised voice of Imam (A), the young men of Bani Hashim
burst into the court room.
Abbas (A), who was well known for his skill in combat,
had already drawn his sword. Imam (A) managed to calm the
boiling blood of his companions and averted a situation
which would have certainly resulted in a blood bath. The
shaken and cowardly Marwan took advantage of Imam's (A)
mercy and quickly ran away from the scene.
Imam (A) flatly refused to pay allegiance to Yazid, well
knowing that giving 'Bay'at' to him would leave Islam and
the Muslims in ruins. His famous answer to the governor of
Yazid was, "A man like me can never give allegiance to a
man like him."
After this confrontation the life of Imam (A) was in
danger, and with a heavy heart he began to plan to leave
Madina, the city of his beloved grandfather.
Imam Husain's (A) Departure from
Madina
When Imam (A) announced that he was leaving Madina, the
people of the city were struck with grief. They could not
bear the loss of their dear Imam (A) who reminded them so
much of the Holy Prophet (S) in his appearance, manner and
speech. Groups of people approached him asking him why he
was leaving, and begging him not to go. Imam (A) explained
that Yazid had demanded his allegiance and that because of
his refusal, the tyrant would not hesitate to make Madina
a battlefield. Imam (A) did not want bloodshed of innocent
Muslims in the city of his grandfather. Therefore, he was
going to Makka for pilgrimage and then he would decide
what to do.
Imam (A) then visited the graves of his grandfather, his
mother Bibi Fatimah (A) and his brother Imam Hasan (A).
After this, he went home to make preparations for the
journey. Imam Husain's (A) sister Bibi Umme Kulthum (A)
was a widow and lived with him. His other sister Bibi
Zainab (A) was married to Abdullah bin Ja'far (R), and she
asked her husband for permission to accompany her brother,
saying that she could not live without him in the city.
Abdullah, who was ill and could not travel, granted Bibi
Zainab (A) his permission and told her to take their two
sons, Aun and Muhammad with her so they can also serve and
help Imam Husain (A). She returned to Imam (A) and
prepared to leave with him. The caravan began moving and
Imam Husain (A) bid farewell to the people of Madina. The
people were weeping openly, wondering whether they would
ever see him again.
Imam Husain (A) in Makka
Imam (A) arrived in Makka on 3rd Sha'baan 60 A.H. While he
waited for the Haj season, he pondered about his future
action. He could not have continued to live in Madina
after refusing to pay Yazid the allegiance he demanded.
Had he stayed on in Madina, he would have undoubtedly been
killed and his murder would cause the clash of the loyal
people of Madina, especially the Hashimites, with the
forces of Yazid.
This would result in the massacre of innocent people and
destruction of the city of his beloved grandfather, the
Holy Prophet (S). Besides if he had stayed in Madina, the
world would always ask why he had not sought shelter
elsewhere.
The whole empire was going through terrible times. Yazid's
grip on the people was absolute and anyone who dared to
say anything against him was harshly dealt with. Yazid
favoured those worthless people who flattered him, and he
installed them as governors and leaders in the mosques.
The chastity of women was no longer safe, with their
dignity at the mercy of Yazid's brutal soldiers. Marriage
lost its sanctity and protection to married women. If a
woman was desired by men of the government, deceitful
measures were adopted to force the husband to divorce his
wife so that she could be made available to these
shameless men.
Human rights were deliberately denied and the laws of
religion were openly defied by Yazid, who remained in a
constant state of intoxication. There was no protection
for life or property and looting and persecution was
freely practised in the political interests of the state.
At last, people could bear it no longer and messengers
began to come to Imam (A), with written requests to come
to the rescue of Islam and the Muslims. People wrote to
Imam (A) saying that if he did not do something to defend
the religion of Allah from getting lost and the people
from going astray, they would complain about him to Allah
and the Prophet (S) on the Day of Judgement.
Many of these desperate messages came from Kufa, begging
Imam (A) to come to their urgent aid. When Imam (A)
received these calls for help in Makka, he had to respond.
However, he could not blindly accept the call from Kufa,
because the people of that city were well known for their
fickle and unstable character and conduct.
Therefore, he decided to send a deputy to Kufa who would
write to him after having studied the sincerity of the
invitation.
Imam (A) sent his cousin Muslim bin Aqeel (R) to Kufa and
asked him to report from there. Muslim left for Kufa on
the 14th of Ramadhan, along with his two sons and two
guides.
Meanwhile, Yazid received news in Damascus that Imam (A)
was in Makka for Haj. He therefore hired 30 men to
disguise themselves as pilgrims and murder Imam (A). These
men entered Makka with daggers under their Ehram (special
white robes worn during Haj) with a view to kill Imam (A)
even if he was within the boundaries of the Holy Ka'ba.
At the same time, Imam (A) received a letter from Muslim
bin Aqeel (R) that it was safe for him to come to Kufa.
Scores of people had assured Muslim (R) that they would
help and welcome Imam Husain (AS). He decided to leave for
Kufa once the Haj was over. However, he was then made
aware of the presence of Yazid's assassins in Makka.
On the eve of Haj, Imam (A) decided to change his
intention to Umrah instead of Haj, and leave Makka
immediately to avoid bloodshed on the sacred ground of
Makka.
In response to the call of the people of Kufa, Imam (A)
made his way towards that city. By that time however,
Muslim was in dreadful trouble in Kufa, where after being
welcomed, he was now having to fight for his very life.
Although Muslim desperately tried to send a message to
Imam Husain (A) to avoid Kufa at all costs, he was not
successful.
Muslim bin Aqeel in Kufa
In Kufa, Muslim was given a very warm reception and
thousands of people swore the oath of allegiance to Imam
Husain (A) at Muslim's hands. He was impressed, and,
guided by the enthusiasm and assurances of the people, he
immediately wrote a letter to Imam (A) advising him to
come to Kufa.
When Yazid learnt of Muslim's arrival in Kufa and the
reaction of the people, he despatched Ubaidullah ibne
Ziyad as his governor to Kufa with instructions to force
the people to withdraw their support of Muslim. Soon after
his arrival, the new governor had managed to bribe all the
leading figures of Kufa to change their allegiance. To the
rest of the population a strong threat was issued. At the
time of evening prayers, the following message was
announced: "The Caliph Yazid will consider anyone who is
found associating with Muslim bin Aqeel, the Deputy of
Husain bin Ali, to be a rebel. By way of punishment, such
people will be hanged, their families put to sword and
their property confiscated. If anyone has extended any
help to him upto now, no harm will come to him as long as
the support is withdrawn immediately".
The time for prayers came and Muslim (R) rose to lead the
congregation as he had done since his arrival. When he
completed his prayers, he turned back to find the whole
mosque deserted, except for Hani bin Urwah (R), at whose
house Muslim was a guest. The people of Kufa had all
succumbed to the warning of the governor, too cowardly to
make a stand against this injustice and knowing that they
had effectively passed the death sentence on Muslim (R).
These were the same people who had deserted Imam Ali (A)
and Imam Hasan (A) in their times of need.
Both men realised that their first priority was to get a
message to Imam Husain (A) and warn him to turn away from
Kufa. Hani knew the town better so they decided that he
should get away with the message.
With a quick farewell, Hani ran out. He knew that before
he left Kufa he had to do something to secure the safety
of Muslim's two little boys. He rushed home and told his
wife to get the children out of the back door with
instructions to leave the city.
As Hani prepared to leave, his house was surrounded by
armed soldiers. Hani drew out his sword, determined not to
give in easily. However, he was hopelessly outnumbered and
was overpowered, chained and taken to the governor.
Meanwhile, Muslim (R) left the mosque not knowing where to
go. At last he rested against a doorway, tired and
thirsty. The door opened and an old lady stood there.
On learning his identity she quickly pushed him in,
warning him that soldiers everywhere were hunting for him.
This pious lady, who's name was Tau'a (R), told Muslim (R)
to hide in her attic till it was safe to leave. Before
retiring into the attic, Muslim (R) told the old lady that
he had to get an urgent message to Imam Husain (A). She
assured him that her son would soon return and he was a
noble young man who would do his best to help.
When Tau'a's son returned she explained the situation to
him. The evil man immediately thought of the reward being
offered for Muslim's capture. He cunningly assured his
mother that he would make arrangements for Muslim's escape
the next day. In the morning the traitor went and informed
the governor of Muslim's whereabouts.
When Muslim (R) heard the approach of soldiers, he knew
that he had been betrayed and had to leave. He snatched a
sword from the room and rushed out. The soldiers, who were
expecting a meek surrender, were surprised to see Muslim
(R) emerge from the house like an enraged lion. The lane
outside was too narrow for the soldiers to attack him in a
group and Muslim (R) could thus fight in single combat.
Muslim (R) was no ordinary soldier. He had extensive
experience and skill in combat and the enemies began to
fall back under his attack, dying and being trampled by
the hooves of the horses of their own men. The leader of
the soldiers sent word to the governor that they needed
more men, a request that astounded Ubaidullah. He
tauntingly asked how many warriors they needed to capture
a single man. When it was suggested that perhaps he would
like to go and capture Muslim (R) himself, the coward
backed away. Instead, he suggested that it would be better
to trap Muslim by foul means.
Accordingly, a trench was dug and then disguised with
straw and sticks.
As Muslim surged forwards attacking the enemy, they broke
away and he unsuspectingly fell into the trench.
Immediately, the cowards who had been running from him,
returned to pelt him with stones.
His head pouring with blood, Muslim (R) fell unconscious.
He was dragged up, chained and brought to Ubaidullah. When
Muslim (R) was presented to Ubaidullah, he stood erect
with dignity. He was asked for his last wish before he
joined Hani (R), who had already been killed. Muslim (R)
asked for a messenger to be sent to Imam Husain (A). This
request surprised the governor, who expected a plea for
mercy for Muslim's sons, who had also been found and
captured. In any case, he refused the request. Muslim (R)
then asked for his armour to be sold and his debts in Kufa
be paid with the proceeds. Agreeing to this, Ubaidullah
then ordered that Muslim (R) be beheaded.
As the sword of the executioner fell on his neck, Muslim
spoke his last prayer: "O Holy Imam, pardon me for I was
misled. O Allah!, let him know what has happened here and
not come to Kufa."
The Arrival in Karbala
When Imam Husain (A) left Makka for Kufa, a large group of
people accompanied him. Many of these people thought that
if the grandson of the Holy Prophet (S) was making a stand
against Yazid, the whole Muslim world would support him
and Yazid would surely be toppled. They thought that they
would be able to share in the glory and war booty that
would follow. Although Imam Husain (A) repeatedly warned
them that they were mistaken in their thinking, the crowd
persisted in travelling with him.
Imam Husain (A) continued on his journey towards Iraq
until he neared Kufa. From there he wrote a letter to the
people of Kufa and sent it through Qays bin Mashar
Saidaawi (R). In the letter he informed the people of Kufa
that he had received Muslim's letter and that he was on
his way to Kufa and would arrive soon. Qays took the
letter to Kufa but was arrested outside the city and taken
to the governor, Ubaidullah ibne Ziyad.
As he was led to the governor, Qays managed to tell some
people where Imam Husain (A) was, and the word spread
secretly amongst the loyal Kufans, many of whom managed to
reach Imam (A) in Karbala.
The governor told Qays (R) that the only hope he had to
save himself was to mount the pulpit and publicly abuse
Imam Husain (A). Qays (R) addressed the people by first
praising Allلh and then said, "O People, Husain (A) is the
best of men living at present and is the son of Fatima (A)
the daughter of your Prophet (S). I have been sent by him.
All of you should rise and assist him." He then cursed
Ubaidullah and his father and praised Imam Ali (A). By
this time, the governor had heard enough and ordered that
Qays be thrown down from a high roof. Qays (R) did not
survive this brutal treatment and was martyred. His broken
body was left on the ground where it fell.
Meanwhile, Imam Husain (A) continued his journey towards
Kufa until he reached a place called Zurud. There, he
learnt about the martyrdom of Muslim (R) and Hani (R) and
said: "We are from Allah and to Him we all will return."
He prayed to Allah to bless them.
At the stopping place of Uzaybul Hajanaat, Imam Husain (A)
received news about Qays. When the caravan stopped at
Zabala, he informed his companions of the deaths of
Muslim, Hani and Qays and the state of affairs in Kufa.
Thereafter, he said, "Our supporters have withdrawn their
support from us. Whoever wishes to leave us and go his own
way should do so." At this time most of his companions
left and very few remained. These few were his sincere
followers and had not come with him for material gains. In
response to the news of Imam Husain's (A) approach,
several military parties had been sent out to search the
desert and stop his advance. One such party, led by a
famous commander, Hur ibne Yazid ar-Riyahi, met the
caravan of Imam Husain (A) on the 1st of Muharram 61 A.H.
Arrival of Hur
When they met, Hur's army was exhausted and desperately
thirsty. Imam Husain (A) instructed that water from their
stores be provided to Hur's men and horses.
It was time for noon prayers. Imam Husain (A) led the
Jamaat prayers and Hur's army also prayed behind him.
After the prayers were over, Imam Husain (A) addressed Hur
and his companions. He reminded them that he was only
there in response to their written invitations. He also
explained that he was the rightful Imam and that he was
one of the people mentioned in the Holy Qur'an in the
verses relating to Mubahila (3:61) and Purification
(33:33). He warned them of the consequences of obeying a
man like Yazid, and urged them to refrain from staining
their hands with the innocent blood of the family of the
Holy Prophet (S).
Hur did not accept these words of advice, and although
there was no fighting, he diverted the path of Imam Husain
(A) away from Kufa and led him into the desert. On
Thursday, 2nd of Muharram 61 A.H., they reached a place
where the horse of Imam Husain (A) stopped. Although he
changed horses several times, the animals would not carry
him further.
Gathering the people who lived there, Imam Husain (A)
asked the name of the place. Some said that it was called
Naynava, others said it was also called Mariya. Imam
Husain (A) asked if there was any other name. Someone said
it was also known as Shattul Furaat. Then one old man came
forward and said that he had heard his ancestors say that
one name for this area was Karbala.
When Imam Husain (A) heard this, he smiled and thanked
Allah and then said, "Surely this is the plain where my
Holy Grandfather has prophesied that I, with my faithful
companions shall lay slain after suffering three days of
hunger and thirst. We will not move from here - we have
reached our destination."
Imam Husain (A) then ordered for his caravan to stop and
tents were pitched next to the banks of the river
Euphrates.
Events of the First Days in Karbala
The caravan of Imam Husain (A) had arrived in Karbala and
their tents were pitched next to the river Euphrates. As
his companions settled down, Imam Husain (A) took his
brother Abbas (A) around the barren desert and pointed out
the various places where each of his comrades would fall
and be slain on the Day of Ashura.
The people living in the area were from the tribe of Bani
Asad. Imam Husain (A) purchased the land of Karbala from
them and then gifted it back to them. He then addressed
the men of Bani Asad saying, "On the tenth of this
month you will see our dead bodies lying on this plain
with our heads severed and taken away. Please bury us, and
when our devotees come to visit our graves, treat them
with honour and point out to them the places of our
burial." He then turned to the women of the tribe
and said, "O virtuous ladies! If your husbands,
fearing Yazid, do not bury us, then please encourage them
to do so or do it yourselves." Finally, he turned
to the children of Bani Asad and said, "O innocent
ones! If your parents, out of fear of the ruler, do not
bury us then, by way of playing, bring some earth and
throw it on our bodies to hide them." This
heartrending appeal of Imam Husain (A) made all the
listeners weep.
When Ubaidullah ibne Ziyad, Yazid's governor in Kufa,
learnt that Hur had brought Imam Husain (A) and his
companions to Karbala, he sent his troops to surround
them. The first man to arrive in Karbala on behalf of
Yazid was Amr ibne Sa'ad, who was the commander-in-chief
of all the forces. He brought with him 6,000 men. After
that, regiment after regiment began to pour in onto the
plains of Karbala. Historians all agree that at least
33,000 of Yazid's men gathered to fight Imam Husain (A),
while some state that the figure was closer to 900,000
men. This large army was bent on the massacre of Imam
Husain (A) and his companions for the sake of the rewards
that Yazid had promised them. Many amongst them were the
same people of Kufa who had invited Imam Husain (A) to
come there in the first place.
The first act of the enemy was to order Imam Husain (A) to
remove his tents from near the river. Abbas (A) objected
to this demand, claiming priority of occupation and the
right of the grandson of the Holy Prophet (S) to stay
where he had first camped.
When the enemy threatened to march towards their tents,
the lion-hearted Abbas (A) stood firm and drew out his
sword shouting, "If anyone dares to advance one more step
forward, he shall lay headless on the ground." His bravery
was well known and none dared to step closer. However,
Imam Husain (A) called to his brother saying, "Brother
Abbas, do not let the bloodshed be started by our side.
When Allah is with us, it does not matter how far the
river is."
Imam Husain (A) then ordered for their camp to be moved
further into the interior of the desert.
In the days that followed there were several meetings
between Imam Husain (A) and Amr ibne Sa'ad. Amr kept on
insisting that the only way to stop war was for Imam
Husain (A) to give the oath of allegiance to Yazid. He
said that once the allegiance was given, all worldly
comforts would be at the disposal of Imam (A). However,
Imam (A) remained firm on his stand and replied: "I
shall never yield to the one who does not believe in Allah
and one who defies Him, both by words and actions. I am
willing to meet any calamity but will never surrender
Truth to falsehood."
On the 7th of Muharram, Amr ibne Sa'ad received orders to
block all sources of supply of water to Imam Husain (A).
From that day onwards, not a single drop of water was
allowed to reach the camp of Imam (A). The scorching
desert sent heat waves everywhere and the little children
began to cry with intense thirst. Even little babies could
not receive milk, because their poor mothers were
themselves suffering from thirst.
The brave group of Imam Husain (A) suffered these tortures
with patience as they watched the enormous army that faced
them prepare for war.
The Night of Ashura
On the 9th of Muharram, Shimr arrived in Karbala with
orders from Ubaidullah ibne Ziyad for Amr ibne Sa'ad. The
orders stated that if Imam Husain (A) did not surrender
and give the oath of allegiance at once, he must be fought
and killed immediately.
On receipt of these orders, Amr rallied a part of his army
and marched towards the camp of Imam Husain (A). Abbas (A)
advanced towards the enemy with 20 horsemen and enquired
from them the reason for their sudden approach. When he
was told of the ultimatum, he said that he would inform
Imam Husain (A) of the position and bring back the reply.
When Abbas (A) briefed Imam Husain (A) of the situation,
Imam (A) said to his brother, "Go back to them, and if
possible, ask for an extension of time till tomorrow
morning, so that tonight we may offer prayers to Allah,
make Du'as and ask for His forgiveness".
Amr granted them respite till the next morning with great
reluctance. Now that they knew that death was inevitable
the next morning, the whole camp of Imam Husain (A)
readied themselves for martyrdom.
Imam Husain (A) gave a speech on the night of Ashura
saying in part, "O Lord! I thank You, because You
have honoured us by means of Prophethood and taught us the
Qur'an, made us understand the religion and its
commandments, granted us eyes, ears and hearts, kept us
free from the evils of idol-worship and then enabled us to
thank You for Your blessings. I am not aware of any
companions more faithful and honest than my companions,
and any relatives more righteous and kind than my
relatives. May Allah grant you all a good reward. I think
the day of our fighting with this army has arrived. I
permit you all to go away, because the enemies are after
me only. You are free to depart without any restriction
and can take advantage of the darkness of night".
The people who had come with the wrong intentions had
already left before, and the ones who remained were
perfect in their faith and loyalty. The listeners all
rejected the option of abandoning Imam (A). One said,
"Should we go away to live after you? We pray to Allah
that the time may not come when you may be killed while we
remain alive".
Thereafter the whole camp busied itself in preparation for
the events of the next day. The sound of prayers and
supplications filled the air like the buzz of hundreds of
bees. Some soldiers checked their weapons, while others
discussed tactics of warfare that would allow them to
cause the most damage to Yazid's army. Mothers prepared
their sons to lay down their lives with Imam Husain (A) in
the cause of Islam.
Imam Husain (A) went around the camp talking to his men as
well as his family and giving encouragement and last
minute instructions. He consoled his sister Bibi Zainab
(A) and urged her to remain patient in the face of the
hardship that was to follow his martyrdom.
The night eventually came to an end and the morning of the
day of great sacrifices arrived. After reciting the dawn
prayers, Imam Husain (A) arranged his small army in
readiness for the battle. Just about one hundred brave men
readied themselves to face the onslaught of thousands.
The Day of Ashura
The 10th of Muharram 61 A.H. is known as the day of
Ashura. On this day in Karbala, the army of Yazid fought
the army of Imam Husain (A). On this day the household of
the Holy Prophet (S) was killed, alongside the faithful
companions of Imam (A).
Imam Husain (A) and his companions had spent the entire
night in prayer. In the morning Ali Akbar gave the Adhan.
He resembled the Holy Prophet (S) greatly and his recital
reminded the people of the early days of Islam.
After the morning prayer, Imam's (A) followers took it in
turns to come forward to address Yazid's army. Many had
relatives and friends in the enemy camp and they tried to
convince them of the terrible crime they were about to
commit.
Finally, Imam Husain (A) came forward himself and
addressed the enemy. He introduced himself and informed
them that he was a peaceful man, living quietly in Madina
and not harming anyone. He asked them why they were so
bent on killing the grandson of the Holy Prophet (S), in
whom they all believed.
Hur bin Yazid ar-Riyahi meanwhile realised that he had
committed a big sin by siding with Yazid. He went to Imam
Husain (A) and begged for forgiveness.
He stood before Hussain (A), eyes cast down, and asked
him, "0! could I but sacrifice myself for you, You son of
the Messenger of Allah! I have been stalking you all the
way. It was me who prevented you from going back (to where
you came from), kept close watch on you, and roared on you
in this place. I have never thought that the people would
not agree to your proposition. Oh Lord! I turn to you in
repentance for I frightened the hearts of Your friends,
the offspring of Your Messenger."
"Oh father of Abdullah! I seek penitence from Allah for
what I did. Do you, think that He will accept it? " Imam
Husain (A) answered, "Yes, he will accept your
repentance".
Hur then addressed Yazid's army after taking permission
from Imam Husain (A).
"Oh, people of Kufa! You called on this good servant of
God; when he responded you welcomed him and claimed that
you do not mind getting killed to spare him. Then you
changed your minds, transgressing against him with a view
to killing him. You put a stranglehold on him, stretched
his patience, and besieged him to prevent him from seeking
a safe haven in Allah's vast land. He became like a
hostage. You denied him, members of his household, and
companions access to the waters of the River Euphrates
from which Jews, Christians, and fire worshippers drink,
and pigs and dogs wade in. Yet Husain, his family, and
companion, are dying of thirst. What misery you inherited
the offspring of Mohammad (S)! May Allah not give you
drink on the day of thirst."
Seeing the result of the words of Imam Husain, Amr ibne
Sa'ad, the commander of Yazid's army, was concerned that
the morale of his troops would be affected. He therefore
declared that all should witness that he was casting the
first arrow in battle and he shot an arrow towards Imam
(A).
This was the beginning of the battle. Imam (A) had only 32
horsemen and about 72 to 110 soldiers in all. He had
fortified his camp by locating it so that it was enclosed
by a chain of hills on three sides. This area is known as
"Haa-yer" and can be seen even today.
He pitched his tents close together and dug a ditch at the
exposed rear. The ditch was filled with firewood which was
set alight when the enemy attacked the camp.
After a few single combats, there was a general attack in
the mid-morning. Although the enemy was repulsed. Most of
the army of Imam (A) was killed. By now it was time for
the Zuhr prayer. Imam (A) prayed Salatul Khawf (prayers
under attack) while the battle continued.
In the afternoon, it was the turn of the family of the
Holy Prophet (S), the Banu Hashim, to sacrifice
themselves. Ali Akbar (A) was the first to go and within
an hour, no adult male remained alive in Imam's (A) camp
except his ill son Ali Zainul Abideen (A) and himself.
The mother of Ali Asghar, Imam Husain (A)'s six month-old
child, requested the Imam to ask Yazid's army for some
water as the infant had been thirsty for three days. The
Imam held the child in his arms and brought him infront of
Yazid's army. Instead of providing him with water, Hurmala
bin Kahil on orders of Omar bin Sa'ad, shot the baby with
an arrow, killing him in the arms of his father.
After burying the baby, it was Asr time when Imam Husain
(A) bid the ladies and children farewell and entered the
battle-field. He gave his last speech, once more urging
the enemy to consider their actions. Yazid's army did not
want to listen. They wanted to fight. The Imam met in duel
with many a man, killing them all.
Thereupon Omar bin Sa'ad yelled at the crowd, "Mind! He is
the son of the exterminator of the Arabs. Set upon him
from every direction." They rained him with 4,000 arrows.
The soldiers cut him off his camp. Imam Husain (A) fought
bravely, scattering them wherever he turned. The enemy
could not stop him.
Finally, Imam (A) paused. He was dizzy with the loss of
blood. He slid off his horse in a little hollow. Here the
enemy found him with his head in Sajdah. The accursed
Shimr committed the most terrible of crimes when he
beheaded Imam (A).
Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi
Raji'oon.
The Aftermath of Karbala
After the supreme sacrifice had been accepted and our Holy
Imam Husain (A) had been martyred, a gloomy silence hung
over the battlefield of Karbala.
Every now and then the silence would be broken by the
sound of drum-beating to celebrate victory. Not content
with spilling the innocent blood of Imam Husain (A) and
his companions, Amr ibne Sa'ad, the commander of Yazid's
army, ordered the horses to be shod afresh and then run
over the bodies of the dead Muslims. Although some people
from his army objected to this gross disrespect to the
dead, he managed to enforce this horrible action. Having
trampled over the bodies of the martyrs, the enemy next
turned their attention to the defenceless camp of Imam
Husain (A).
Yazid's soldiers marched into the camp where they
subjected the grief-stricken ladies to further torment and
indignity. They had expected to find luxurious articles in
the tents of the family of the Holy Prophet (S), but all
they found were simple items and clothes, some of which
had been stitched by Bibi Fatima (A) with her own hands.
The ruthless soldiers snatched away these few possessions
of sentimental value. They were angry at the lack of
booty, and they took the veils off the struggling ladies
forcing them to expose their hair and faces. This
humiliation was almost too much to bear.
Not satisfied with this, the enemy set fire to the tents.
The terrified ladies of the prophet's family gathered
their children and rushed from tent to tent, trying to
escape the burning flames. One young child was seen
rushing out of a tent with her clothes on fire. One of the
enemy soldiers, seeing her pitiable condition came forward
and put out the flames. The child looked at him, surprised
at the unexpected kindness. Tearfully, the little child
asked him, "O Shaikh, do me one more kindness and tell me
the way to Najaf." The soldier was very surprised at this
unusual request, and replied, "Najaf is far away from
here. Why do you want to know the way there?".
The child said with heartbreaking innocence, "I want to go
to the grave of my grandfather Imam Ali (A) and complain
about what your people have done to us - how our men were
butchered and how our ladies have been whipped. I want to
tell him how the earrings were snatched from my cousin
Sakina's ears, leaving her earlobes torn and bleeding."
Bibi Zainab (A), who had been left in charge of the camp
by Imam Husain (A), was at a loss as to what to do. She
went to the seriously ill Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (A). He
lay unconscious on the ground after the enemy had even
robbed the mattress on which he lay. She shook him
urgently to ask his advice. He was burning with fever but
with a great effort he replied that it was compulsory on
them to save their lives and he asked her to get everyone
out from the burning tents into the open.
Soon the raging fires subsided leaving only one tent
standing, although it was also damaged by fire. The ladies
and children salvaged whatever they could of their few
belongings and huddled together in that little shelter
waiting for nightfall.
The night following the day of Ashura is known as Shaam e
Ghariban. It was the night when the bereaved family of
Prophet Muhammad (S), exhausted by the tragic events of
Ashura and after being looted by the Muslims, sat in
loneliness, each thinking about the loved ones they had
lost in the unjust battle on that day.
Due to the illness of Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (A), Bibi
Zainab (A) realised that she would have to take care of
the small group of women and children herself. She called
her sister Bibi Umme Kulthum (A) to help her and they
decided to count all the children to see that none had
gone missing in the confusion of the fire. To her horror
and dismay Bibi Zaynab (A) found that Bibi Sakina (A), the
beloved daughter of Imam Husain (A), was not there.
The two ladies searched everywhere for the young girl but
in vain. Finally, in desperation, Bibi Zainab (A) went to
the place where the body of her brother Husain (A) lay and
cried, "O my brother, Sakina, who you left in my care, is
nowhere to be found. Where shall I look for her in this
wilderness?" Just then, the moon came out from behind a
cloud and Bibi Zainab (A) saw that little Sakina (A) lay
on her father, sleeping on his chest like she always used
to. She shook the child awake and said, "My child, how did
you find your father's beheaded body in this darkness?"
The little girl replied innocently, "I wanted to tell my
father about what the people had done to me. I wanted to
tell him how Shimr had robbed the earrings that my father
had so lovingly given me. I wanted to tell him how he had
ripped them from my ears leaving my earlobes torn and
bleeding. I wanted to tell him how the beast had
mercilessly slapped me when I cried in pain. When I was
running aimlessly in the desert I thought I heard my
father's voice telling me he was here. I followed the
voice and I found him lying here. I told him everything
and then I felt like sleeping on his chest the way I
always did, for the last time. So I kept my head on his
chest and slept till you came."
Bibi Zainab (A) took the little child's hand and led her
back to the camp where her mother Bibi Rubab waited
anxiously. She had just returned the exhausted child to
her mother when she noticed that a group of people were
advancing towards the camp carrying flame torches. She
thought that some soldiers had returned to loot them and
she hurried to stop them from disturbing the children who
had finally gone to sleep despite their hunger and thirst.
However, it turned out that the arrivals were a group of
ladies, the wives of some of the enemy soldiers. They were
led by the widow of Hur, who had joined Imam Husain's (A)
army from the enemy camp.
Hur's widow said, "Dear lady, we have been asked to bring
food and water for the children and bereaved ladies of
your camp." She continued sadly, "I am the widow of Hur
who died fighting for your brother. When the soldiers of
Amr ibne Sa'ad realised that all of you would perish of
hunger and thirst, and that they would not be able to take
you back to Yazid according to his command, they sent me
to bring food and water to you."
Bibi Zainab (A) offered her condolences at the death of
Hur and apologised that they had not been able to offer
him much hospitality. This remark prompted Hur's widow to
say, "My lady, I do not know how to offer you condolences,
because you lost not one, but 18 members of your family."
Bibi Zainab (A) supervised the feeding of all the children
and ladies. She then took a broken sword in her hands and
began going around the camp ensuring that the small group
was safe from any further disturbances during that night.
The Journey to Damascus
On the morning of 11th Muharram, the army commander, Amr
ibne Sa'ad called his officers to decide what steps they
should take next. It was decided that the captives should
be led through Kufa to Damascus to the court of Yazid. Amr
ibne Sa'ad marched directly on to Damascus to inform Yazid
about the events of Karbala, and to obtain his promised
reward. He left Shimr and Khooli in charge of the
captives.
With these arrangements completed, some soldiers were
appointed to bind the ladies and children. They tied ropes
and chains round their hands and feet. The ladies were put
on camels with no saddles. The hands of some of the ladies
were tied behind them and linked to the necks of the young
children. Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (A) was heavily chained
and made to walk on foot, despite his weakened condition.
The heartless officers made the captives pass by the place
where the bodies of their loved ones lay, headless and
without even shrouds over them. Many of the ladies and
children threw themselves down from the camels to the
bodies of their dead relatives, only to be whipped by the
soldiers. Even the innocent children were not spared the
lashes.
Once the captives were made ready, the heads of all the
martyrs were mounted on spears. Every soldier who was
given a severed head was made in charge of it and marched
at the front of the army. The head of Imam Husain (A) was
given to Khooli, who was a hard-hearted tyrant.
Finally the caravan got underway for Kufa. The pitiful
condition of the little children was such that they could
not hold on to the camels due to their inexperience and
the rapid pace of the march. Many children fell to the
ground as a result. Despite the pleading of the mothers,
the heartless soldiers would not halt the march to remount
a fallen child. Today, the road from Karbala to Kufa has
many graves of such children who were left to die in the
hot desert.
Within a few hours, the caravan reached the outskirts of
Kufa. Shimr decided to send a messenger to inform the
governor, Ubaidullah ibne Ziyad, of their arrival. The
messenger returned, saying that all preparations had been
made, and the captives should be marched through the main
streets of the town.
The people of Kufa lined the streets and looked from the
balconies of their houses as the family of prophet
Muhammad (S) was paraded in front of them. The announcer
was saying, "O people of Kufa, we are bringing you the
grand-daughters of the Prophet and other women and
children of the family of Husain son of Ali. Husain, who
had risen in rebellion against our Caliph Yazid, has been
defeated and killed with his companions on the battlefield
of Karbala. The members of his family are now being taken
to the court of Yazid, to face whatever punishment he
wishes to inflict upon them. People of Kufa, this is the
fate that awaits all those who question the authority of
Yazid, and no person who tries to rise against Yazid will
be spared."
The people heard all this in astonishment. Not long ago
Kufa was the capital of Imam Ali (A), and they all
remembered the kindness shown to them by him and his sons
and daughters. On seeing the pitiful condition of the
captives, many were crying, but none dared to raise their
voice against the oppressors, in case a similar fate
befell them.
Finally the caravan reached the court of the governor.
When he saw the condition of the captives, he mockingly
said that it seemed that some slave girls had been brought
before him, and not the grand-daughters of the Holy
Prophet (S). This remark made Bibi Zainab (A) lose her
temper and she addressed Ubaidullah ibne Ziyad with a
fiery and eloquent speech.
Bibi Zainab (A) related the status of the Holy Prophet (S)
and his Holy Ahlul Bayt (A). She reminded him of the
teachings of Islam about the considerations to be given to
prisoners, especially women and children. She warned him
about the temporary nature of his victory and the doom
that he and his evil master Yazid would soon face. She
began to tell the assembled people about the inhuman
crimes committed against Imam Husain (A) and his
companions.
As she spoke, the people were reminded of the eloquence of
her father Imam Ali (A). Ubaidullah became worried at the
effect the speech of Bibi Zainab (A) was having on the
people. He tried to shout her down by threatening the
worst possible torture if she did not stop. Undaunted by
his threats, the brave lady continued and her words moved
many to tears. One of the aged companions of the Holy
Prophet (S), Zaid bin Arkan, who was blind, rose up and
protested at the cruel treatment of the members of the
family of the Holy Prophet (S).
Ubaidullah realised at once that the situation could get
out of hand. The speech of Bibi Zainab (A) could cause an
uprising against him if he did not act quickly. He ordered
his men to get rid of the companion of the Holy Prophet
(S) and told Shimr and Khooli to get the captives out of
Kufa immediately.
Arrangements were made for departure straight away, and
Shimr chose the quietest route to Damascus so that he
would not face any surprise attacks from anyone wishing to
avenge the martyrs of Karbala. The caravan of the captive
families of Imam Husain (A) and his companions was led by
Shimr through the deserts of Iraq and Syria, from Kufa to
Damascus (Sham).
Throughout the journey people noted with wonder that the
lips of the cut head of Imam Husain (A) kept on moving,
reciting verses from the Holy Qur'an. Clearly heard was
the following verse:
Do you think that the people of the
Cave and of the Inscription were of Our wonderful
miracles?
By reciting this verse, the Holy Imam (A) was calling the
attention of the people to the next verses of this chapter
of the Holy Qur'an (18 : 9-14), where Allah relates how He
increased the guidance and strengthened the hearts of the
Companions of the Cave, when they stood up against the
evil- doers. Even in death, our Holy Imam (A) was pointing
out the similarity of the message of his stand in Karbala
to the other event from ancient history.
The captives finally reached Damascus. On reaching the
city gates, the caravan was halted and Yazid was informed
of their arrival and his permission was sought to bring
the captives into his court.
The Court of Yazid
By the time the captive ladies and children of prophet
Muhammad's family reached Damascus, they were in a
terrible state. Their bodies were covered in dust, their
clothes were in rags and blood oozed from the wounds and
cuts inflicted by the tight ropes and whips.
As the caravan was paraded through the streets, majority
of the people of Damascus hurled stones at them. Some were
moved by their pitiable condition. They could not believe
that these ladies, who were covering their faces with
their hair, were actually from the family of the Holy
Prophet (S). They wondered how Yazid had dared to
humiliate these holy people in such a manner.
Finally, the prisoners arrived at the court of Yazid.
After a wait of one full hour under the scorching sun, the
orders came from Yazid to admit the captives into the
court. As they entered they saw that Yazid sat on an
elevated gold throne while his courtiers and foreign
envoys sat on gilded chairs around him. Yazid was already
quite drunk. What a terrible spectacle the poor prisoners
had to witness. They saw that the accursed oppressor had
the head of Imam Husain (A) on a tray at his feet and he
was rattling a cane against the teeth and lips of the Holy
Imam (A). He was boasting, "Ah, aren't these the same lips
that received the kisses of Muhammad? How delighted will
be my ancestors when they see how I have taken revenge for
their defeats in the battles of Badr and Hunayn." In his
drunk state, Yazid could not believe that the people he
saw before him were members of the family of the Holy
Prophet (S). In a quivering rage he accused Amr ibne Sa'ad
of substituting slaves instead of the relatives of Imam
Husain (A).
Amr ibne Sa'ad knew that Yazid was more dangerous than
normal when he was drunk so he quickly reassured him and
began to point out the ladies. He said, "O Commander of
the Faithful, your slave has done exactly what you asked.
Those are the sisters of Husain, Zainab and Umme Kulthum.
The young girls are Sakina and Rukayya, the daughters of
Husain. That lady is Rubab, the widow of Husain, while the
others are orphans and widows of Husain's friends and
relatives. The man before you is Husain's son Ali."
Yazid turned his attention to the people that Amr ibne
Sa'ad had identified. He noticed that an old lady was
standing in front of one of the lady prisoners, as if
shielding her from the gaze of Yazid. He pointed towards
the direction of the lady and shouted, "Who is that one
sheltering behind the old woman, and why?" Amr ibne Sa'ad
replied, "Your Majesty, she is Zainab, daughter of Ali and
Fatima and the old woman standing in front of her is Fizza,
the Abyssinian princess, who calls herself the slave of
Fatima and Zainab."
Yazid ordered Shimr, who was guarding the prisoners, to
throw Fizza aside so he could have a full view of Bibi
Zainab (A). Seeing Shimr advance towards her, Fizza turned
to the Abyssinian slaves who stood armed behind Yazid as
his bodyguards, and said, "O brothers from my native
country, will you watch silently while an aged lady from
your land is molested in this manner?"
Hearing the words of Fizza, some of the slaves stepped
forward and warned Yazid, saying, "Your Majesty, ask Shimr
to step back from our lady Fizza. If he does anything to
her, blood will flow like water in your court."
Yazid was stunned at this threat and immediately stopped
Shimr and assured his bodyguards that he would not harm
Fizza. However, he was furious at the fact that he had
been humiliated in this manner in front of everyone and he
soon wound up the court session, deciding to imprison the
captives in the dark dungeons of the fort of Damascus.