The Hussaini Encyclopedia is a one-of-a-kind encyclopedia completely themed on the third Holy Imam, Imam Hussain, as a person, biography, thought and way of conduct, as well as on the social circle of personalities around him and also of places, chronicles and various other related subjects. It is authored by Sheikh Mohammed Sadiq Al-Karbassi. He started work in September 1987 CE and has not stopped since, with his work exceeding 600 volumes and well over 95 million words.
About Imam Hussain
Imam Hussain was the Third Holy Imam of the Shia sect of Islam; he was son of the First Holy Imam Ali, and grandson of Muhammad. Imam Hussain was known as the Martyr of Martyrs, this is due to his slaughter on Friday, 10th Muharram, 61 A.H., in the Battle of Kerbela, at the Holy City of Kerbela, Iraq, at the age of 57 years old. This day is more commonly known as the Day of Ashura. He was massacred along with some of his family members by the army of Yazid ibn Mu’awiya, but through this mass slaughter the faith of Islam was rescued. Yazid’s attempted to disrupt Imam Hussain’s Cause because Imam Al-Hussain refused to pledge allegiance to him, Yazid’s actions actually had a counter effect and increased the following of Islam.
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar[2] (October 10, 680)[5][6] in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side were supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, on the other side was a military detachment from the forces of Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph.
The Battle of Karbala is commemorated during an annual 10-day period held every Muharram by the Shi'ah as well as many Sunnis, culminating on its tenth day, Ashura.
Husain and his followers were two days away from Kufa when they were intercepted by the vanguard of Yazid's army; about 1000 men led by Hurr ibn Riahy. Husain asked the army, "With us or against us?" They replied: "Of course against you, oh Aba Abd Allah!" Husain ibn Ali said: "If you are different from what I received from your letters and from your messengers then I will return to where I came from." Their leader, Hurr, refused Husain's request to let him return to Medina. The caravan of the Mohammad's family arrived at Karbala on Muharram 2, 61AH (October 2, 680 CE).[26] They were forced to pitch a camp on the dry, bare land and Hurr stationed his army nearby.
Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad appointed Umar ibn Sa'ad to command the battle against Husain ibn Ali. At first Umar ibn Sa'ad rejected the leadership of the army but accepted after Ibn Ziyad threatened to take away the governorship of Ray city and put Shimr ibn Zil Jawshan in his place.[27] Ibn Ziyad also urged Umar ibn Sa'ad to initiate the battle on the sixth day of Moharram.[28] Umar ibn Sa'ad moved towards the battlefield with an 80,000[2]-strong army and arrived at Karbala on Muharram 2, 61 AH (October 3, 680 CE).
Ibn Ziyad sent a brief letter to Umar ibn Sa'd that commanded, "Prevent Husain and his followers from accessing water and do not allow them to drink a drop [of water]. Ibn Sa'ad followed the orders, and 5000 horsemen blockaded the Euphrates. One of Husain's followers met Umar ibn Sa'ad and tried to negotiate some sort of access to water, but was denied. The water blockade continued up to the end of the battle on Muharram 10th (October 10, 680 CE).[29]
Umar ibn Sa'ad received an order from Ibn Ziyad to start the battle immediately and not to postpone it further. The army started advancing toward Husain's camp on the afternoon of Muharram 9th. At this point Husain sent Abbas ibn Ali to ask Ibn Sa'ad to wait until the next morning, so that he and his men could spend the night praying. Ibn Sa'ad agreed the to the respite.[27][30][31]
On the night before the battle, Husain gathered his men and told them that they were all free to leave the camp in the middle of the night, under cover of darkness, rather than face certain death if they stayed with him. None of Husain's men defected and they all remained with him. Husain and his followers held a vigil and prayed all night.[32]
[edit] Start of the day of the battle
On Muharram 10th, also called Ashura, Husain ibn Ali completed the morning prayers with his companions. He appointed Zuhayr ibn Qayn to command the right flank of his army, Habib ibn Muzahir to command the left flank and his half-brother Abbas ibn Ali as the standard bearer. There is controversy regarding the date for the day of Ashura in the Gregorian Calender. October 10 is a calculated date through calculators.[33][34] These calculators however, are not always correct. According to book Maqtal al Husain Muharram 9th is October 12, 680, so it appears that the date was October 12, 680 A.D.
Husain ibn Ali's companions numbered 32 horsemen and 40 infantrymen.[35] Husain rode on his horse Zuljenah.
Husain ibn Ali called the people around him to join him for the sake of Allah and to defend Muhammad's family. His speech affected Hurr ibn Yazid Al-Riyahi, the commander of the Tamim and Hamdan tribes who had stopped Husain from his journey. He abandoned Umar ibn Sa'ad and joined Husain's small band of followers.[36]
On the other side, Yazid had sent Shimir (his chief commander) to replace Umar ibn Sa'ad as the commander.[36][37][38]
[edit] The battle starts
Umar ibn Sa'ad advanced and fired an arrow at Husain ibn Ali's army, saying: "Give evidence before the governor that I was the first thrower." Ibn Sa'ad's army started showering Husain's army arrows.[39][40] Hardly any men from Husain ibn Ali's army escaped from being shot by an arrow.[40][41] Both sides began fighting. Successive assaults resulted in the death of a group of Husain ibn Ali's companions.[40][42]
The first skirmish was between the right flank of Imam Husain's army with the left of the Syrian army. A couple of dozens men under the command of Zuhayr ibn Qain fought heroically and repulsed the initial infantry attack and in the process destroyed the left flank of the Syrian army which in disarray collided with the middle of the army. Seeing this, the Syrian army quickly retreated and broke the pre-war verbal agreement of not using arrows and lances. This agreement was made in view of the small number of Husain ibn Ali's companions. Umar ibn Sa'ad on advice of 'Amr ibn al Hajjaj ordered his army not to come out for any duel and to attack Husain ibn Ali's army together.[43][44]
`Amr ibn al-Hajjaj attacked Husain ibn Ali's right wing, but the men were able to maintain their ground, kneeling down as they planted their lances. They were thus able to frighten the enemy's horses. When the horsemen came back to charge at them again, Husain's men met them with their arrows, killing some of them and wounding others.[44][45] `Amr ibn al-Hajjaj kept saying the following to his men, "Fight those who abandoned their creed and who deserted the jam`a!" Hearing him say so, Husain ibn Ali said to him, "Woe unto you, O `Amr! Are you really instigating people to fight me?! Are we really the ones who abandoned their creed while you yourself uphold it?! As soon as our souls part from our bodies, you will find out who is most worthy of entering the fire![44][46]
In order to prevent random and indiscriminate showering of arrows on Husain ibn Ali's camp which had women and children in it, Husain's followers went out to single combats. Men like Burayr ibn Khudhayr,[47] Muslim ibn Awsaja[43][48] and Habib ibn Mazahir[49][50] were slain in the fighting. They were attempting to save Husain's life by shielding him. Every casualty had a considerable effect on their military strength since they were vastly outnumbered by Yazid I's army. Husain's companions were coming, one by one, to say goodbye to him, even in the midst of battle. Almost all of Husain's companions were killed by the onslaught of arrows or lances.
After almost all of Husain's companions were killed, his relatives asked his permission to fight. The men of Banu Hashim, the clan of Muhammad and Ali, went out one by one. Ali al Akbar ibn Husain, the middle son of Husain ibn Ali, was the first one of Hashemite who received permission from his father.[49][51][52]
Casualties from Banu Hashim were sons of Ali ibn Abi Talib, sons of Hasan ibn Ali, a son of Husain ibn Ali, a son of Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi-Talib and Zaynab bint Ali, sons of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, as well as a son of Muslim ibn Aqeel. There were seventy-two Hashemites dead in all (including Husain ibn Ali).[53]
[edit] Death of Abbas ibn Ali
Abbas ibn Ali advanced toward Euphrates branch along a dyke. Abbas ibn Ali continued his advance into the heart of ibn Sa'ad's army.[54] He was under heavy shower of arrows but was able to penetrate them and get to the branch leaving heavy casualties from the enemy. He immediately started filling the water skin. In a remarkable and immortal gesture of loyalty to his brother and Muhammad's grandson he did not drink any water despite being severely thirsty. He put the water skin on his right shoulder and started riding back toward their tents. Umar ibn Sa'ad ordered an outright assault on Abbas ibn Ali saying that if Abbas ibn Ali succeeds in taking water back to his camp, we will not be able to defeat them till the end of time. A massive enemy army blocked his way and surrounded him. He was ambushed from behind a bush and his right arm was cut off. Abbas ibn Ali put the water skin on his left shoulder and continued his way but his left arm was also cut off. Abbas ibn Ali now held the water skin with his teeth. The army of ibn Sa'ad started shooting arrows at him, one arrow hit the water skin and water poured out of it, now he turned his horse back towards the army and charge towards them but one arrow hit his eyes and someone hit a gurz on his head and he fell off the horse.In his last moments when Abbas ibn Ali was wiping the blood in his eyes to enable him to see Husain's face, Abbas ibn Ali said not to take his body back to the camps because he had promised to bring back water but could not and so could not face Bibi Sakinah, the daughter of Husain ibn Ali. Then he call Imam Husain, "brother" for the first time in his life. Before the death of Abbas Imam Hussein was noted to have said "Abbas your death is like the breaking of my back"
[edit] Death of Husain ibn Ali
Husain ibn Ali told Yazid's army to offer him single battle, and they gave his request. He killed everybody that fought him in single battles.[55] He frequently forced his enemy into retreat, killing a great number of opponents. Husain and earlier his son Hazrat Ali Akbar were the two warriors who penetrated and dispersed the core of Ibn-Saad's army (Qalb-e-Lashkar), a sign of extreme chaos in traditional warfare.
Imam Husain advanced very deep in the back ranks of the Syrian army. When the enemies stood between him and the tents he shouted:
"Woe betide you oh followers of Abu Sufyan's dynasty! If no religion has ever been accepted by you and you have not been fearing the resurrection day then be noble in your world ..."[56]
Then his enemies invaded back toward him.
They continuously attacked each other,[57] Until his numerous injuries caused him to stay a moment. At this time he was hit on his forehead with a stone. He was cleaning blood from his face while he was hit on the heart with arrow and he said: "In the name of Allah, and by Allah, and on the religion of the messenger of Allah." Then he raised his head up and said: "Oh my God! You know that they are killing a man that there is son of daughter of a prophet on the earth except him." He then grasped and pulled the arrow out of his chest, which caused heavy bleeding.[58]
He became very weak and stopped fighting. The soldiers approaching him gave up confrontation, seeing his position. One soldier, however, walked up to Imam Husain and hit him on his head with his sword.
The enemies hesitated to fight Imam Husain, but they decided to surround him. At this time Abd-Allah ibn Hassan, an underage boy, escaped from the tents and ran to Husain. When a soldier intended to slay Husain, Abd-Allah ibn Hassan defended his uncle with his arm, which was cut off. Imam Husain hugged Abd-Allah, but the boy was already hit by an arrow.[59]
Imam Husain got on his horse and tried to leave, but Yazid's army continued pursuit. According to Shia tradition, a voice came from skies stating: "We are satisfied with your deeds and sacrifices." Husain then sheathed his sword and tried to get down from the horse but was tremendously injured and so the horse let him down. He then sat against a tree.[60]
Umar ibn Sa'ad ordered a man to dismount and to finish the job. Khowali ibn Yazid al-Asbahiy preceded the man but feared and did not do it. Then Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan dismounted his horse and cut Husain's throat with his sword whilst Husain was prostrating to Allah. Just before his throat was about to be cut, Imam Husain asked Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan, "Have you done your prayers today?" and this shocked Shimr because he did not expect anyone in the position of Husain to ask about such a question. Lanti Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan was saying: "I swear by God that I am raising your head while I know that you are grandson of the messenger of Allah and the best of the people by father and mother" when he raised head of Husain ibn Ali on a spear.[61] The ibn Sa'ad's men looted all the valuables from Husain's body.
Another ending of the battle is the following;
While Imam Husain was taking rest against the tree, Shimr knew that Imam Husain was unable to fight and sent one of his men to go and kill him. The man went and seeing Imam Husain's eyes,he got extremely scared and ran back to his camp. When Shimr asked why he had not killed Imam Husain, the man replied that looking into his eyes he saw prophet Muhammad. Angrily, Shimr sent another man. This one was so frightened that he droped his sword and ran back to his camp. This time when Lanti Shimr asked him why he had not killed him, he said he saw into his eyes and saw the angry look of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Shimr was angry, said that he would have to do it himself and wearing his armor, he went to where Imam Husain was. Using his iron boots he kicked Imam Husain in the ribs. Imam Husain fell to the floor, when Shimr disrespected and sat on top of him. Using a blunt knife, he rugged 12 times against Imam Husain's throat. While his head was on the floor, Shimr removed his head from his body.
The army of Ibn Sa'ad rushed to loot the tents. The daughters of Mohammad's family were expelled from the tents, unveiled and barefooted, while weeping and crying for their slain relatives. The army set all the tents on fire. The women were asking: "By Allah, will you make us pass the site of the murder of Husain?" And when they saw the martyrs and wailed.[62] Then Sakinah bint Husain (Death, 117 AH) embraced her father's body until some people dragged her away.[63]
Umar ibn Sa'ad called volunteering horsemen to trample Imam Husain's body. Ten horsemen trampled his body such that his chest and back were ground.
Traditionally, it is believed that Imam Husain's body was martyred but his 'noor' (light) and Imamat were passed on to his son Ali who became Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (Sahifa-e-Sajjadiya is a collection of his supplications).
[edit] Aftermath
Umar ibn Sa'ad sent Husain's head to ibn Ziyad on Ashura afternoon and ordered to sever heads of his comrades to send them to Kufa. The heads were distributed to various tribes enabling them to gain favor of ibn Ziyad. Ibn Sa'ad remained in Karbala until the next noon.[64]
After ibn Sa'ad's army went out of Karbala, some people from Banu Asad tribe came there and buried their dead.[65]
On Muharram 11 (October 11, 680 CE), all captives including all women and children were then loaded onto camels with neither saddle nor shade and were moved toward Kufa. As they approached Kufa, its people gathered to see them. Some women of Kufa gathered veils for them upon knowing that they are relatives of Muhammad. Among the captives were Hazrat Ali ibn Husain, who was gravely ill, as well as Hazrat Hassan ibn Hassan al-Muthanna, who was seriously injured in the battle of Karbala.[66]
Zaynab bint Ali pointed at the people to be quiet. Then she addressed the people of Kufa:
"The praise is exclusively attributed to Allah. And greetings to my father (grand father), Muhammad, and to his pure and benevolent family. And then, Oh people of Kufa! Oh deceitful and reneger people! Do you weep? So let tears not be dried and let groans not be finished. ... Beware, such a bad preparation you have made for yourself that Allah became furious of you and you will be at punishment forever. Do you weep and cry? Yeah, by Allah, do weep numerously and do laugh less! Since you brought its shame and fault on yourself and you will not be able to cleanse it forever. ..."[67]
During the journey from Karbala to Kufa, and from Kufa to Damascus, Husain's sister Zaynab bint Ali and Umm-Kulthoom bint Ali, and son Ali ibn Husain gave various speeches that exposed the truth about Yazid and told the Muslim world of the various atrocities committed in Karbala. After being brought to Yazid's court, Zaynab courageously gave a famous speech in which she denounced Yazid's claim to the caliphate and eulogized Husain's uprising.
The prisoners were held in Damascus for a year. During this year, some prisoners died of grief, most notably Sukayna bint Husain. The people of Damascus began to frequent the prison, and Zaynab and Ali ibn Husain used that as an opportunity to further propagate the message of Husain and explain to the people the reason for Husain's uprising. As public opinion against Yazid began to foment in Syria and parts of Iraq, Yazid ordered their release and return to Medina, where they continued to tell the world of Husain's cause.
Azadari
The Mourning of Muharram is an important period of mourning in Islam, taking place in Muharram which is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is also called the Remembrance of Muharram (Arabic: ذكرى محرم or مناسبة محرم). Many of the events associated with the remembrance take place in congregation halls known as Hussainia.
The event marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala when Imam Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a Shia Imam, was killed by the forces of the second Umayad caliph Yazid I. The event is marked by arranging 'majalis' (gatherings) to review Islamic teachings and to commemorate Imam Hussain's sacrifice. The mourning reaches its climax on the tenth day, known as Ashura, on which the forces of Yazid killed the 72 individuals who fought, including Imam Hussain and his family and supporters. The women and children left living were made prisoners and transported to Yazid's court in Damascus.
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