Al-Husain: To Karbala

By A.S. Hashim. MD

Al-Husain at Age 37

Al-Hasan, being sick with the poison:vomiting blood material

Jaundiced and feeling very weak

Al-Hasan designates Al-Husain as the 3rd Imam

Wants to be buried by the Prophet if possible

Al-Husain’s Imamah starts

Al-Husain as the Imam

Al-Husain is in pain about the Ummah

1. Sees Ali being damned in every Jumu’ah Prayer

2. Numerous charlatans and opportunists playing havoc with Islam

3. Worried about the course Muslims taking for 10 years

4. Mu’awiya and his intrigue to install yazid, his son

Al-Husain Continues

Al-Husain continues to conduct his discourses at the Masjid Al-Nabawi

Is busy at home with family

Helps the poor and disadvantaged

Thinks about the future course of the Ummah with alarm

Mu’awiya sends Yazid for Haj

Yazid agrees to go for Haj

Yazid takes supply of liquor with him and singers to entertain him

Takes girls of ill-repute for company

The show was a disgrace, and the people see for themselves

To Install Yazid for Khilaafah

Mu’awiya sends to the Ummah:1. Government workers

2. Secret Agents (spies)

3. Collaborators

To bribe and reward people who accept Yazid

To punish people with losing jobs or even being killed, if they oppose Yazid

Mu’awiya dies

At age 75 Mu’awiya diesAt the time, Yazid was entertaining himself, huntingYazid was 30 years old by thenMu’awiya ruled for 40 years and:1. Introduced Monarchy2. Lived Caesar like3. Used the Public treasury as if it was his own4. Hadith fabrication became common

Yazid and the People

Majority of people refuse Yazid

People look for Husain’s leadership

Gloomy and resentful feeling prevails

High emotions in Iraq

12,000 letters reach Al-Husain from Iraq urging him to lead them

In Medina

Governor of Medina (Waleed ibn Ut’ba) calls on Al-Husain for interviewAtmosphere: somber and tenseAsks Al-Husain to give Allegiance to YazidAl-Husain answers: Tomorrow I’ll announce it to the PeopleNext morning Al-Husain leaves Medina for Mecca

Al-Husain and family in Mecca

It was Haj time, Husain was advised by many not to go to Iraq

Al-Husain sends his cousin (Muslim ibn Aqeel) to Kufa to ask for full support

Gives a very stirring Du’aa at Jabal Arafat

Leaves Mecca with family to Iraq before performing Haj

On the Way to Kufa

Husain goes with family and close associates.

Sees Farazdaq (the poet) who says: Iraqis’ hearts are with him but their swords are against him

They hear that Aqeel was doing well in Iraq

Al-Husain is intercepted by Al-Hur and 1000 troops

Meanwhile in Kufa

At first Muslim ibn Aqeel was supported by 18,000 enthusiastic people in KufaThe new Governor (Ibn Ziyad) induced an atmosphere of terrorBetrayal at its worst, people run away leaving ibn Aqeel to fend for himself Alone, Muslim ibn Aqeel had to take refuge in a house

Muslim ibn Aqeel Killed

Muslim was overwhelmed by the troops

Was taken as a captive to Ibn Ziyad

Was promised by Al-Ash’ath to send a message to Al-Husain, but did not do it

Was killed and body thrown from top of building to the street

Same thing happened to Hani ibn Ur’wa

The Interception

Al-Hur did not allow Al-Husain except to go north, waiting for ordersIbn Ziyad sent a force of 4000 under Omar ibn Sa’adThe force stopped at KarbalaAl-Husain was intercepted, and the enemy swelled to 5000 (some say 30,000) fightersAl-Husain’s group consisted of 72

Karbala

It was during Summer, the heat was blazing

Al-Husain was aware of Karbala and what the Prophet had said about it.

Al-Husain was also aware of what Ali had said about Karbala

Al-Husain knew Karbala was the place for confrontation

Mecca to Karbala

Distance about 1000 Distance about 1000 milesmiles18 overnight stops18 overnight stopsDistance between Distance between overnight stops varies overnight stops varies from 35 to 55 milesfrom 35 to 55 milesThe route is across the The route is across the desertdesertTrip is arduous to say Trip is arduous to say the leastthe least

Karbala

Al-Husain Remembers Ali Saying:

On the way to confront Mu’awiya, they passed by a dreary place

Ali asked about the name of the place

The answer was Karbala

Ali’s face showed profound grief and he said:

   ِر�حالهم محُّط� هنادمائهم ومهراق

"IT IS HERE WHERE THEY WILL BE STOPPED

AND IT IS HERE WILL BE THE BLOOD-SHED."

With Al-Husain

72 persons were at Husain’s camp

3 year old Al-Baaqir was with them

8 were old Sahaaba (one was older than 90)

20 were Companions of Ali

Al-Husain’s family (total of 44)

All knew they were facing imminent death

They faced an enemy of 5,000 (some say 30,000)

The Negotiation

Al-Husain and Omar ibn Sa’ad negotiated about the direction to take

Commands came from Kufa by Ibn Ziyad as follows:

EITHER HAVE HUSAIN SURRENDER OR ANNIHILATE THE GROUP.

IF YOU DON'T CARRY OUT THE ORDER, SHIMR WILL REPLACE YOU

AND IMMEDIATELY CUT OFF YOUR HEAD!

Water was cut off by the seventh day

For 3 days water was cut off

Children were crying of devastating thirst

No water for cooking

No water for horses

Much Suffering and misery because of thirst

Conditions were desperate by the 10th day

The 9th day is Spent in Prayer

Al-Husain gives a speech to all to leave him alone and go for safety

They adamantly refuse

Night spent in intensive Prayer in anticipation to meet their Lord

Women preparing for the eventuality ahead

Al-Husain’s Speech on the 9th 

BE IT IN COMFORT OR TROUBLE, THE PRAISE IS FOR ALLAH, AND I ALWAYS THANK HIM.  I THANK HIM FOR HAVING HONORED OUR HOUSEHOLD WITH THE PROPHETHOOD.  HE GRANTED US THE FAVOR OF UNDERSTANDING OUR FAITH AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE QURAN.  O' LORD!  MAKE US THY GRATEFUL SERVANTS.NEVER HAVE I KNOWN BETTER AND MORE FAITHFUL COMPANIONS THAN THESE MY OWN, AND NEVER HAVE I KNOWN BETTER AND MORE LOVING RELATIVES THAN THESE MY OWN.  MAY YOU, O' ALLAH, REWARD THEM PLENTIFULLY!  TOMORROW WILL BE THE FATEFUL DAY FOR ME AND MY FOE: THE ENEMY IS INTERESTED IN NONE BUT ME, IN ME ALONE.  I'LL BE MOST DELIGHTED TO PERMIT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU TO GO BACK, AND I URGE YOU TO DO SO.  BY SO DOING, I WON'T HAVE EVEN THE LEAST COMPLAINT OR REGRET AGAINST ANY.  NOW THAT DARKNESS HAS COME, HOW ABOUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AND AVAIL YOURSELVES, AND MAKE GOOD YOUR ESCAPE, ALONG WITH MY FAMILY.  PLEASE SAVE YOURSELVES FROM CERTAIN DEATH.“

 

Facing each other on the 10th

72 of Al-Husain’s facing thousands of the enemy

Many of the enemy were those who previously urged Al-Husain to join them against Yazid

They were Arabs, Muslims, Iraqi: Bound and determined to kill

To kill the very family of the Prophet and desecrate it

Al-Hur breaks away

Seeing the malice ahead, Al-Hur breaks away to join Al-Husain’s campAl-Hur asks forgiveness and is grantedOmar ibn Sa’ad throws an arrow to start the fightAl-Hur was one of the firsts to face the enemy to fight till deathAl-Husain’s side had only 32 on horses

The Fight

Al-Husain’s fighters were on the offensive

Enemy had to ask for reinforcement

They burned the tents in the back

The companions started to fall one after the other

By noon they stopped for Dhuhr Prayer

Ibn Mudhahir protected Al-Husain with his body, and fell of his wounds dead as the Prayer was finished

In the afternoon

Left were the family consisting of:

Son Ali, about 19 Yrs old

Son, Zainul Abideen who was sick with fever

Al-Abbas with 4 of his brothers

17 Nephews all teenagers

Women and other young children

Al-Abbas

Al-Abbas was the Commander and the flag bearerWent to get water for the parched mouthsOn way back fought an overwhelming enemy and was killed, arms cut, an arrow in his eyeHe was preceded by all 4 brothers in fighting the enemy. All by then killedAl-Husain in great grief at the loss

The Fighting in the Afternoon

Ali ibn Al-Husain fights bravely and ferociously, but is eventually overwhelmed by the enemy

Women and children watch in horror and anxiety, have very heavy feeling

17 Teenagers go out for the fight, get killed one after the other

A crying baby a few months old is hit with an arrow as Al-Husain was pleading for a drink of water for him

Al-Husain supplicates facing the enemy

O' LORD!  MAY I ASK YOU TO TAKE AWAY YOUR BOUNTY FROM THESE PEOPLE! 

AND IF YOU, LORD, ALLOW THEM A RESPITE, MAY I ASK YOU TO SOW

DIFFERENCE AMONG THEM AND LET THEM BE DIVIDED!

At another time Al-Husain said:

 

IT IS MY BLOOD THAT YOU WANT, BUT I ASK ALLAH ALMIGHTY TO HAVE ME

HONORED BY DISGRACING YOU AND HUMILIATING YOU, AND IN WAYS YOU

CANNOT IMAGINE, TAKE A FULL RETRIBUTION FROM YOU. 

Al-Husain bids farewell

Al-Husain bid his family good-bye

Saw to it to confer Zainul Abideen the Imamah

The heavy burden, emotional, physical, and thirst was unbearable

Goes to fight off the enemy in the service of Islam

Gets Severely Wounded

Cut in many places and severely bleeding

Al-Husain becomes weak and falls from his horse

No one dared to finish him off

Shimr screamed at them, but they refuse

Then Shimr himself finished him off

Shimr’s mother was a disbeliever (Majoosi)

And with that:

WITH THAT, A SUDDEN LOUD THUNDER WAS HEARD AS IF IT WAS

FROM FAR, HIGH ABOVE.

Was the Heavens welcoming Al-Husain, its Hero!

Or: Was the Heavens giving a notice to the atrocities committed!!!

The horror to see

Flabbergasted women in anguish watched Al-Husain’s head severed

The heads of everyone else were severed

The horses trampling on the slain holy bodies

Cloths were stripped of the bodies

Zainul Abideen while sick was in great anguish, as well as others

The Enemy

The enemy stole the women’s jewelry

Desecrated the family of the Prophet

Took all of them as captives to Ibn Ziyad in Kufa

Food and water was finally allowed

They face Ibn Ziyad

Ibn Ziyad tried to intimidate them, thinking he had shattered them beyond repair. 

Husain's sister, Zainab, answered him so sharply and in such a cutting manner he was taken aback

He turned back to the sick Zainul Abideen, and did the same.  Zainul Abideen's answer was just as sharp as his aunt’s, but through quoting the Holy Quran.

A few days later they were taken to Damascus

To Damascus

A trip of 800 miles, on camel’s back, taking many weeks to arrive

In front of them were 72 heads on the tip of spears

People in Syria were under the fabricated propaganda that Al-Husain was simply a rebel

On finding who he was, feelings changed dramatically

Processions were pathetic, to see how haggard and how humiliated the family of the Prophet was!

Face to face with Yazid

The evil 30 year old Yazid was sitting like the Byzantines. He was the fruit of Mu'awiya and Abu SufyanSeventy two severed heads with the horrible mask of death Seventy two severed heads with the horrible mask of death on them, were brought forward.on them, were brought forward.The women along with Zainul Abideen were in fetters. The women along with Zainul Abideen were in fetters. Yazid had the audacity to play with the lips of Al-Husain with Yazid had the audacity to play with the lips of Al-Husain with the end of his stick!!the end of his stick!!These lips represented Muhammad (pbuh) and taught Islam.These lips represented Muhammad (pbuh) and taught Islam.It was these very lips that were kissed by Muhammad (pbuh) It was these very lips that were kissed by Muhammad (pbuh) 57 years back57 years back

The Exchange

A powerful exchange took place between the two sides

Yazid was rebuffed by Zainul Abideen through quotes from the Quran, and so did Zainab

They put the women and children in special quarters where the first Majlis took place, done by Zainab

Zainul Abideen gave a stirring speech at the Mosque

There was fear of uprising against the 30 Yr old Yazid

They return

Given the choice to return to Medina or stay in Damascus:They chose to returnAccompanied by a contingency of guards, they headed towards MedinaZainab and Zainul Abideen worked incessantly to expose the disgrace that befell the Ummah at the hands of Benu Umayya

About the End:

A N D   Such comes an end, to give birth to a

beginning, since the end of Imam Husain was the beginning, the beginning of

awakening.  It was the beginning of the Islamic awakening all over the world, it

was almost the REBIRTH OF ISLAM.We Owe our Totality to Imam Husain

Husain for whom the Quran Says

Hه�َبJْذL �ُي ل LُهO الَّل Lر�يُدL ي OَمHا �َّن ِإ HَلJهH َأ HَسJْج Zالر LمL َعHنُك

ا HْطJه�ُير[ َت JمL ُك HرZهHْطL وHي Jِت� Hُي Jَب ال(Surah  33:  Ayah  33.  According to

A'isha, Ayah of Tat'heer (Purification) was revealed on

behalf of Fatima, Ali, Al-Hasan, and Al-Husain, see Sahih Muslim Vol.

3, Page 130.)

VERILY, ALLAH HAS DECREED TO PURIFY YOU, O' AHLUL BAYT,

AND SANCTIFY YOU IN A PERFECT WAY

Husain for whom the Prophet Says

سـُيُدا   والحسـُين الحسـنالجنُه اهَل شـَباب

    والحسـُين Hالحسـن Oَأحَب jنHHم

    َأبَغHَضHـهLَما jنHوم �ي Oن َأحَب فقُدَأبَغHَضHني فقُد

 

   سالَمـتم، �َمHن ل sَّلم س� َأَّناLم حاِربت �َمHن ل Lsوحرب

AL-HASAN AND AL-HUSAIN ARE EACH A PRINCE OVER THE YOUTHFUL IN HEAVEN".

THE ONE WHO LOVES HASAN AND HUSAIN WILL ALSO HAVE LOVED ME, AND HE WHO DETESTS THEM,WILL HAVE DETESTED ME.

"IN PEACE I AM WITH HIM WHOM YOU ARE IN PEACE WITH AND IN BATTLE I AM WITH HIM WHOM YOU ARE IN BATTLE WITH

 

VIRTUE over VICE

 BENU HASHIM 

   BENU UMAYYA

MUHAMMAD (pbuh) Abu Sufyan fought

Muhammad and Islam. ABU SUFYAN

ALI (a.s.)Mu'awiya fought Ali,

used deception.

   MU'AWIYA

AL-HASAN (a.s.)Mu'awiya used

deception with Al-Hasan then poisoned him.

 

AL-HUSAIN (a.s.)Yazid killed Al-Husain in

the worst manner.YAZID

 

THE TRIUMPH OF VIRTUE OVER VICE 

Ziyarah (Visitation) of Al-Husain

Oُه� الَّل سLوِل� Hِر HنJ اب Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس Oُه� الَّل Jُد� َعHَب Hا Hب َأ Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال OلسH Oُه� ا الَّل سLوِل� Hِر HنJ اب Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس Oُه� الَّل Jُد� َعHَب Hا Hب َأ Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال OلسH ا

�ُه َت HرH ُي ِخ� HنJ وHاب Oُه� الَّل Hَة HرH ُي ِخ� Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oُه الس� َت HرH ُي ِخ� HنJ وHاب Oُه� الَّل Hَة HرH ُي ِخ� Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس

HُينZ JوHِص�ُي ال Zُد� ُي Hس HنJ وHاب Hُين� JَمLْؤJم�ن ال Hم�ُير� َأ HنJ اب Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس HُينZ JوHِص�ُي ال Zُد� ُي Hس HنJ وHاب Hُين� JَمLْؤJم�ن ال Hم�ُير� َأ HنJ اب Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس

Hَم�ُينH JَعHال ال اِء� Hس� َّن ZُدHَة� ُي Hس HَةHاِط�َمHف HنJ اب Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس Hَم�ُينH JَعHال ال اِء� Hس� َّن ZُدHَة� ُي Hس HَةHاِط�َمHف HنJ اب Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس

HوِرL JَمHوJَت ال HرJ Jو�َت وHال Hاِر�ِه� َث HنJ وHاب Oُه� الَّل HاِرH َث Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس HوِرL JَمHوJَت ال HرJ Jو�َت وHال Hاِر�ِه� َث HنJ وHاب Oُه� الَّل HاِرH َث Hا ي HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس

م�نZي JمL Jُك Hُي َعHَّل Hَك� Hائ �ِف�ن ب JِتOَّلHح �ي Oت ال وHاِح� JِرH Jاَأْل َعHَّلHى Hو HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oي السZم�ن JمL Jُك Hُي َعHَّل Hَك� Hائ �ِف�ن ب JِتOَّلHح �ي Oت ال وHاِح� JِرH Jاَأْل َعHَّلHى Hو HَكJ Hُي َعHَّل LُمH َال Oالس

LاِرHهO الن Hو LَلJ Oُي الَّل Hق�يH ب Hو Lق�ُيِتH ب مHا ] Hُدا Hب َأ Oُه� الَّل LُمH َال Hس ] OهHاِرL ْجHَم�ُيَعا الن Hو LَلJ Oُي الَّل Hق�يH ب Hو Lق�ُيِتH ب مHا ] Hُدا Hب َأ Oُه� الَّل LُمH َال Hس ] ….. …..ْجHَم�ُيَعا

Ziyarah (Visitation) of Al-Husain

Peace be on you, O Aba Abdillah! Peace be on you, O son of the Peace be on you, O Aba Abdillah! Peace be on you, O son of the Messenger of Allah! Messenger of Allah! Peace be upon, O the Finest of God’s Creatures and the son of the Peace be upon, O the Finest of God’s Creatures and the son of the Finest of God’s Creatures!Finest of God’s Creatures!Peace be on you, O son of the Commander of the Faithful and the Peace be on you, O son of the Commander of the Faithful and the forebear of the Prophet's successors!forebear of the Prophet's successors!Peace be on you, O son of Fatima, the choicest among the women of the Peace be on you, O son of Fatima, the choicest among the women of the worlds!worlds!Peace be on you, who was martyred while fighting in the cause of Allah, Peace be on you, who was martyred while fighting in the cause of Allah, and the son of Allah's fearless warrior, who was attacked with a and the son of Allah's fearless warrior, who was attacked with a vengeance!vengeance!Peace be on you and on those souls which had gathered in your camp, Peace be on you and on those souls which had gathered in your camp, in your journey. in your journey. To all of you I pray Allah to be in Peaceas long as I live, and as long as To all of you I pray Allah to be in Peaceas long as I live, and as long as nights follow the days.nights follow the days.

Shrine of Imam Al-Husain

May Allah Bless you

Be in Allah’s Care

A.S. Hashim MD