THE PRELUDE TO THE MARTYRDOM OF AL-HUSAYN

[What al-Kalbi, al-Madani and other historians (ashab al-sira) have reported]

When al-Hassan, peace be upon him, died, the Shia in Iraq began to make plans.
They wrote to al-Husayn, peace be on him, about removing Mu'awiya and giving
the pledge of allegiance to him. However, he refused them and pointed out that
there was an agreement and contract between himself and Mu'awiya which he
could not break until the period( of the contract) came to an end. However, when
Mu'awiya did die, he would examine that (matter).

When Mu'awiya did die-and that was halfway through the month of Rajab in the
year 60 A.H. (680 A.D.) - Yazid wrote to al-Walid b. Utaba b. Abi Sufyan, who
was in Madina (acting)on behalf of Mu'awiya, instructing him to get al-Husayn,
peace be on him, to pledge allegiance to him and allow him no delay in (doing that).
Therefore, al-Walid sent in the night to al-Husayn, peace be on him, and
summoned him (to attend). Al-Husayn, peace be upon him, was aware of what he
wanted and so he called a group of his retainers (mawali) and ordered them to
carry arms. Kitab al-Irshad Shaikh Mufeed. pp. 299-300.

Al-Husayn, peace be upon him, went to al-Walid, and Marwan b. al-Hakam was
with him. Al-Walid gave him the news of the death of Mu'awiya and al-Husayn,
peace be upon him replied with the formula : "We belong to God and to Him we
will return". Then (al-Walid) read out Yazid's letter and his order to get the pledge
and allegiance from him.

"I do not see that my pledge of allegiance to Yazid in private would be sufficient",
al-Husayn, peace be upon him, said "(Wouldn't you prefer me) to give it in public
so that people are aware?"

"Indeed, " agreed al-Walid.

"So see what you think about that in the morning," suggested al-Husayn, peace be
on him.

"Go then, in the name of God but come to us when the people gather, said
al-Walid."

"By God", interrupted Marwan, "if al-Husayn leaves you now without giving the
pledge of allegiance, you will never have the same power over him until there Is a
great number of slain men between you and him. Imprison the man and don't let him
leave you until he has paid homage (to Yazid) or you executed him".

"At that, al_Husayn jumped up and said : "O son of foreign Woman, would you or
he kill me? By God, you are a liar." With that he went out and walked away
accompanied by his retainers until he reached his house". Kitabal Irshad, Sheikh
Mufid. p. 301

"Towards the end of Saturday he sent men to al-Husayn, peace be on him, to bring
him to pledge allegiance to al-Walid on behalf of Yazid b. Mu'awia. Al-Husayn,
peace be on him, said to them : "come in the morning. Then you will (have time to)
consider (the situation) and so shall we".

"They left him that night without insisting upon him (attending). He, peace be on
him, left under (cover of the) night, it was the night of Sunday (i.e. Saturday night)
with two days left in the month of Rajab, and he headed towards Mecca
accompanied by his sons, his brother's (al-Hassan's) sons and brothers. There was
most of the House except for Mohammad b. al-Hanafiyya, may God have mercy
on him. Kitab-al-Irshad op. Cit .p. 301.

It is reported from two sources (Rauza-us Shuhada, Mulla Hussain Waiiz and
Muqtal Abi Makh naf) that Husayn, peace be upon him, visited the grave of his
grand father (the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) a night before going out of Medinah to
say good by to his father, while he was there, he felt asleep for a while and in his
dream he saw the Holy Prophet saying to al-Husayn (A.S.) "My son your parents
and brother have reached me and now you too make haste". Unless you are
martyred you cannot reach the Paradise (Tareskh Ahmadi p. 242). Mulla Hussain
Waiiz has narrated that "When the Imam came to know about the situation, he kept
silence till the sunset. In the early night he went to the grave of the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W.) and saluted and said I am your grand son, about whom you did a will to
followers but they have forgotten it. He cried and offered prayers for the whole
night. The for a while he slept on his grave and dreamt the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
who told him that "my followers will soon kill you, you will be thirsty and they will
not give you water". Tareekh Ahmadi, Ahmad Hussain Khan Sahib, Nami Press
Lucknow, 1291 A. H. pp. 240-242.

Husayn (A.S.) offered two cycles (rakas) of prayers beside the grave of his
grandfather Muhammad (S.A.W.) and then raised his hands in supplication : "O
Allah, this is the grave of your Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), and I am the son of
the daughter of your Prophet. You Know what I am going through. O Allah, I love
good and detest evil. I beseech you, O the Lord of glory and honour and adjure
you by this grave and its contents, to choose for me whatever pleases You and
Your Apostle". The Day of Aushura, p. 51.

When Mohammad Hanifiyya heard of his decision to leave Medina, he did not
know where he was intending to go. He said : "My brother, you are the most
lovable of people to me and the dearest of them to me. I could not give advice to
any creature except to you while you are more entitled to it. Avoid giving pledge of
allegiance to Yazid bin. Mu-awia and (avoid) towns while you can. Then send your
messengers to the people and summon them to (follow) you. If the people pledge
allegiance to you, I praise God; if the people agree upon someone other than you,
God will not make your religion nor your reason deficient on that account, nor will
he remove your manliness and outstanding merit because of it. Yet I am afraid that
you will enter one of these towns and the people will differ with each other, a group
will be for you and another against you. They will fight and you will be the target for
the first of their spears. Then, the best of all the community, in person, in father and
in mother, would be the one in it, whose blood was most terribly exposed and
whose family most humiliated" Kitabal Irshad. p. 302

Al Husayn, peace be on him, set off for Mecca reciting : "Then he left it out of fear
while he kept on the look out. He said : My Lord save me from unjust people
(XXVIII, 21). The caravan included his male relatives and devout companions.
Also accompanying him were his women folk, most notable his sister Zainab, peace
be upon her. He kept the high road and members of his house suggested : "If you
avoided the high road, like Ibn. al-Zubayr did, the search (party) could not follow
you". "No by God," He replied, "I will not leave it until God judges what He will
judge". Kitabal Irshad, p. 302

On his way to Makkah he met Abdullah bin Muti, who sympathized deeply with
him and was haunted by the possibility of Imam Hussein's (A.S.) possible demise
and the loss of the only soul who sort out the problems of the Muslims.

Hopes centred around Husayn (A.S.) and hearts clung to him. There was no figure
comparable to him which automatically rendered him the refuge off the ummah and
the actuating force and could challenge uncompromisingly Yazid's power. Hence
Abdullah bin Muti told him :

"By Allah, should you be killed, we will be enslaved after you"

"This statement reflected precisely the opinion of the Islamic world at that time.
Abdullah bin Muti was keenly aware of the oppression and eventual bondage being
forced on the ummah and there was no liberator save Imam Husayn (A.S.). He
emphasized this view by again swearing by Allah : "By Allah should you be killed,
we would enslaved after you".

He then asked Husayn (A.S.), in a bid to ascertain his attitude and know his next
step, for Husayn's position was that of ummah :

"May I be your ransom, what is your destination?", he asked

"Now I am going to Makkah. Then, I will ask Allah to guide me" replied Husayn
(A.S.) Day of Aushura p. 52.

When al-Husayn, peace be upon him, entered Mecca, his entry occurred on the
night of Friday (i.e. Thursday, 3rd (of month) of Shaban. As he entered, he recited:
And when he set out towards Madyn, he said : Perhaps my Lord will guide me in
the right path (XXVIII-33). Kitabal Irshad. p. 302

THE KUFFAN REACTIONS

In Kufa the news of the demise of Muawia and taking over of Yazid as his
successor generated reactions among the pious people. The news also spread that
al-Husayn, peace be upon him, has refused to give pledge of allegiance to Yazid
and how al-Zubayr and al-Husayn has left Medinah for Mekkah. The Shi'a in
Kufah gathered in the house of Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuzai, they discussed the
death of Moawiya and praised and glorified God.

"Muawiya is dead", announced Sulayman b. Surad. "Al-Husayn has withheld giving
his pledge of allegiance to the people (i.e . the Ummayads) and has gone to Mecca.
You are his Shia's and Shia's of his father. If you know (in your hearts) that you will
be his helpers and fighters against his enemy, and that our lives will be given on
behalf of him, then write to him and tell him of that. But if you fear failure and
weakness, do not tempt the man (to risk) his own life" Kitabal Irsha p. 303

The response from the masses was "indeed we will fight his enemy and our lives will
be given on behalf of him". Then a letter was written to him (al-Husayn) (A.S.).

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,
To al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be on him,
From Sulayman b. Surad, al- Mussayab b. Najaba, Rifa'a b.
Shaddad al-Bajali, Habib b. Muzahir, and the believers and Muslims
of his Shia's among Kufans.

Greetings, we praise God before you, other than Whom there is no
diety. Praise be to God who has broken your enemy, the obstinate
tyrant who had leapt upon this community, stripped it of its authority,
plundered its fay' (booty for distribution) and seized control of it
without its consent. Then he had killed the choice members of it and
had preserved the wicked members of it. He had made property of
God a state (divided) among its tyrants and wealthy. He has
destroyed as Thamud were destroyed (Now) there is no Imam over
us. Therefore come; through you, may your God unite us under truth.
Al-Numan b. Bashir is in the governor's palace and we do not gather
with him for the Friday (service). Nor do we accompany him (out of
the mosque) for the Festivals service. If we learn that you will come to
us, we will drive him away until we persue him to Syria, if God, the
Exalted, wills. Kitabal Irshad. pp. 303-304

The letter was dispatched through Abd. Allah b. Musma al-Hamdani and Abd
Allah b. Walin. They reached al-Hussayn (A.S.) on 10th of Ramadhan. Two days
after the first despech fo around one hundred fifty letter were sent through Qays b.
Mushir al-Saydavi and Abd Allah and And al-Rehman - the two sons of Shaddad
al-Arhabi. Some of the letters were written by individuals and others by groups of 2
to 4. After another two days Kufans sent Hani b.Hani al-Sabii and Sa'id b.Abd
Allah al-Hanafi (with another letter in which) they had written :"

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,
To al-Husayn b.Ali, peace be on them,
From the believers and Muslims of his Shi'a,
Make haste, the people are waiting for you. They have no opinion (of
any man) except you. Therefore, speed, speed! And then again
speed, speed! Greetings.

Another group consisting Shabsath b. Rabi, Hajjar b. Abjar.al-Hajjaz al-Zubaydi
and Muhammad b. Amr al-Taymi wrote to him :

"The dates have grown green; the fruit has ripened. Therefore if you
want to, come to an army which has been gathered for you".
Greetings.

When all the messengers gathered together with him he responded to the letters
received and sent the reply through Hani b. Hani and al-Sabi and Sa'id b.
Abadallah al-Hanafi.

"In the name of God the Merciful, the compassionate,
From al-Husayn b. Ali,
To the leaders of the believers and the Muslims.

Hani and Sa'id have brought me your letters; they are the last two of
your messengers who have come to me. I have understood
everything which you have described and mentioned. The (main)
statement of your great men is : "There is no Imam over us. Therefore
come; through you may God unite us under truth and guidance.”. I am
sending you my brother, Muslim b. Aqil who is my cousin and my
Trustworthy (representative) from my house. If he writes to me that
the opinion of your leaders and of the men of wisdom and merit
among you is united in the same way as the messengers who have
come to me have described and as I have read in your letters, I will
come to you speedily, God willing. For by my life, what is the Imam
except one who judges by the Book, one who upholds justice, one
who professes the religion of truth, and one who dedicates himself to
the essence of God". Kitabal Irshad. P. 305

Al-Husayn summoned Muslim bin Aqil with three others to go to Kufa. Muslim bin
Aqil departed until he came to Medina. There he prayed in the Mosque of the
Apostle of God, may God Bless him and his family, said farewell to the dearest
members of the family. On his way to Kufa he lost two guides on the way who died
because of not getting water. Muslim bin Aqil, the mercy of God be on them, wrote
(a letter) from the place known as al-Madiq (sent it) with Qays b. Mushir,
informing about the death of his two escorts on the way and taking it as a bad omen
for his mission. Asking him to be relieved if al-Hussayn (A.S.) thinks it is proper.

Al Husain peace be upon him, wrote back :

I am afraid that your urging me in the letter to relieve you from the task which I sent
you is only cowardice. Therefore go on with your task which I gave you. Thus
Muslim peace be upon him, continued his journey till he reached Kufa. He stayed
at the House of al-Mukhtar b. Abi Ubayda. People started to come in groups and
given pledge of allegiance on a mass scale for al-Hussain (A.S.) till it reached 18
thousand. The place of his stay became well known. This came to the knowledge
of al Numan b. Bashir who had been the Governor of Kufa in Moawia's time and
now was confirmed as the Governor by Yazid. He went on the pulpit and
threatened the masses about the consequences of turning their faces away from him
and violating the pledge of allegiance as well as opposing Imam which may result
in confiscation of the property destroying of men and bloodshed. However this was
not enough Abdallah b. Muslim and Umara b. Uqba wrote to Yazid about the
changes in the loyalty of the people to Muslim b.Aqil, peace be upon him, and
suggested him to change the Governor of Kufa which Yazid did and appointed
Ubayed Allah b. Ziyad by a letter sent through Muslim b. 'Amr al-Bahili.

After receiving the letter Ubayed Allah ordered for the preparation to go to Kufa
from Basra. On reaching Kufa he was welcomed by Kufans as he was wearing a
black turban, people thought that he was Al-Husayn. They were saying : "Welcome
son of the Apostle of God, your arrival is a happy event". This troubled and
worried Obayed Allah. Kitabal Irshad pp. 306-308.

Ubayed Allah b. Ziyad started his manipulations to detract people from the pledge
of allegiance to al-Husayn (A.S.) and succeeded in first tracking down Muslim b.
Aqil, peace be upon him, and his supporters including Hani, both of whom were
brutally martyred by ibne Ziyad Both of them were deserted by those who pledged
allegiance for al-Husayn (A.S.) and in the fear of being killed and families as well as
the personal properties destroyed they deserted Muslim b. Aqil, peace be upon
him.

Muslim b. 'Aqil's (attempted rising in Kufa was on Tuesday, 8th of Dhu-alHijja in
the year 60 A.H.(680 A.D.). He, may God have mercy on him, was killed on
Wednessday, the 9th of Dhul-Hijja, the day of Arafa. Al Husayn, the blessings of
God be on him, set out from Mecca to Iraq on the day of Muslim's (attempted)
rising in Kufa, that is the day of Tarwiya, after staying in Mecca for the rest of
Sha-aban, the month of Ramdhan, Shawwal and Dhu-alquada, and eight days of
Dhu al-Hijja. Kitab-al-Irshad p. 327.

When Al-Husayn determined on journey to Iraq, he made the circumambulation of
the (sacred House and the ritual running between al-Safa and Marwa. Then he left
the state of consecration and performed Umra instead of Haj, because he was not
able to perform Haj. He set out early with his House, his sons and those of his Shia'
who had joined him.

[As is reported to us : ] "News of Muslim's (capture and death) had not reached
him because (it had only happened) on the day he set out." Kitabal Irshad p. 327

[It is reported that al-Farzdaq, the poet, said : ] I made the pilgrimage with my
mother in the year 60.A.H. (680), I was driving her camel when I entered the
sanctuary. There, I mat al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be on them, leaving Mecca
accompanied by (some men carrying) swords and shield.

Whose caravan is this?" I asked

"Al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be on them, was the reply. So I went up and greeted
them.

"May God grant you your request and (fulfil) your hope in what you want, by my
father and mother, son of the Apostle of God," I said to him. But what is making
you hurry away from the pilgrimage?"

"I did not hurry away, I would be apprehended," he replied. Then he asked me :
Who are you?"

"An Arab, : I answered and he did not question me (about myself) any further."

"Tell me about the people you have left behind you," he asked.

You have asked a good (question) : I answered. "The hearts of the people are with
you but their swords are against you. The decision comes from heaven and God
does what it wishes". Kitabal Irshad p. 327

"After reaching al-Tanim some people left the caravan and some continued,
Abdallah b. Jafar sent his sons, Awn and Mohammad and wrote a letter to the
Imam (A.S.) bearing :

"I ask you before God (to return) if you have set out when you see my letter. For I
am very concerned because the direction in which you are heading will have within
it your destruction, and the extirpation of your house. If you are destroyed today,
the light of the land will be extinguished, for you are the (standard) of those who are
rightly guided and the hope of the believers. Do not hurry on your journey as I am
following this letter" Kitabal Irshad p.328

'Abdallah, then sent to 'Amr b. Sa'id and asked him to write to al-Husayn (offering
him) a guarantee of security, and (promising) to favor him, so that he would return
from where he was going. Amr b. Sa'id wrote a letter in which he offered him
favour and guarantee of security for himself. He dispatched it with his brother
Yahya b.Sa'id. Yahya b. Said and Abdallah both handed over the letter (Amr's) to
him and strove (persuade) him to return.

"I have seen the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, in my sleep,"
answered (al-Husayn), "and he ordered me (to do) what I am carrying out"

"What was that vision?" they both asked.

"I have not told anyone of it”, he answered, "and I am not going to tell any one until
I meet my Lord, the Mighty and the Exalted". Kitabal Irshad p. 329.

When al-Husayn was approaching al-Hajir, from where he wrote a letter to the
Kofans urging them to stand fast and informing them of his arrival

He folded this letter and handed it to Qays bin Musahhir al-Saydawi who set off for
Kufa. Unfortunately, he could not penetrate the line of troops positioned outside
Kufa. He was captured and carried before Ubaidullah bin Yazid.Qays never
wavered and defiantly stood in front of Ibn.Ziyad, who ordered him to curse
Husayn (A.S.) from the pulpit. He thereupon took the pulpit, violently attacked
Ubadullah and urged the people to support Husayn (A.S.). Ubaidullah was, then
furiously angry. He ordered his bodyguards to take him to the top of the palace and
throw him down. They did so. Qays was propelled to the ground and thus attained
martyrdom.

Husayn and the Day of Aushura p.88.

At Kufa Ubaidullah moved swiftly to crush the ligering seeds of opposition. bin
Aqeel and Hani bin Urwah were already killed while al-Mukhtar bin Ubaidah
al-Thaqafi languished in prison.

Husayn (A.S.) was unaware of the latest developments and therefore despatched
Abdullah bin Yaqtar to Muslim bin Aqeel. At a place known as al-Tha'labiyah
Husayn (A.S.) was finally informed of the breakdown of the uprising and the
martyrdom of Muslim bin Aqeel. His messenger, Abdullah bin Yaqtar, was
captured by Ibn Mumayr's soldiers and then transferred to Kufa to face Ubaidullah
bin Ziyad." Ibn Yaqtar was also meted with the same fate as did Qays bin
Musahhir and was thrown from the place and then beheaded. Husayn and the Day
of Ashura p. 88.

It was at Zubalah that Husayn (A.S.) heard of the arrest and subsequent murder of
his messenger and then the news of the failure of uprising. He was then sure that
those who called him to come to Kufa and had given him a pledge of fealty had
broken their vows and failed him. He felt it necessary to tell it to his companions
and thus addressed :

"Our Shia have deserted us. Those of you who prefer to leave us may do so freely
and without guilt. They dispersed from him right and left, until there were only left
with him those who had come with him" Imam Husayn and the Day of Ashura p.89

After spending the night at Zubalah al-Husayn (A.S.) the journey was resumed they
passed by Batn al-Aqbah and reached Sharaf at sunset and spent the night there.
The following day they started at dawn and around midday, one of the troops saw
black spots and shades. At first he thought them to be palm-tree orchards, but they
were found to be military forces on the move. Husayn (A.S.) and his group behold
surprised a huge army, travelling into their direction from al-qadisiya. Husayn (A.S.)
questioned his men :

"Is there any place we can put at our rear, so that we face them in only one
direction". They moved towards the mountain of Thu-Hasm on their left and
camped there. The enemy army composed of 1000 horsemen led by Hur bin Yazid
Riyahi was persistently moving towards them and the orders were to surround
Al-Husayn (A.S.) and to lay siege to Husayn and his followers. Hussein (A.S.) to
the contrary treated them kindly and provided water to them and even their horse.
When the time of noon prayer came, al-Hajjaj bin Masrooq called for the prayer
and Husayn (A.S.) led both camps in prayer. Before the afternoon prayer Husayn
(A.S.) apprised Hur about the letters sent to him from Iraq. He then ordered his
followers to depart, but Hur did not allow them to leave. After a long talk between
them. Hur said" I have been ordered to bring you to Kufa. Husayn and the Day of
Aushura pp 89-91.

Husayn continued to move towards Kufa till Ummayad army blocked the march of
Imam Husayn and his followers. Husayn (A.S.) thereupon asked the name of the
location" What is the place called ?

he questioned." The land of Taf" they told him.

"Is there any other name by which it is known?", he asked again”. It is called
Karbala they told him. At this he said:" This is the place of affliction and calamity.
Dismount, for there is the end of our journey, the place where our blood will be
shed, the place of our graves. That is what my grandfather had told me". Imam
Hussain and the Day of Aushura. p. 94.

On the 7th of Muharram water supply to the Imam's camp was cut and the torture
of thirst and hunger started. The Holy Imam's camp consisted of ladies, innocent
children including babies and some male members of the Holy Prophet's family;
along with a small band of some faithful friend of Imam Husayn who had chosen to
die with the Holy Imam, fighting against the devil for the cause of Allah. A brief
History of fourteen Infallible, Ansarian Publications, Qum, Iran. p 99