Islam

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Martyrdom of Imam Husain (A.S.)By
Dr. Syed H. Akhter
Austin, Texas

The month of Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar year. An
important and tragic event took place on the tenth of Muharram that shook the Muslim
world. It was the murder of Imam Husain (A.S.), his family members, and his close
friends by the army of Yazid. Yazid was at that time the despotic ruler of the Muslim
world, who came to power as the self-proclaimed “sixth caliph of Islam” after the death of
his father, Mu’awiya. Yazid gave himself the title of ameer-ul-mu’mineen, meaning
“commander of the faithful.”
Husain was one of the two grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.), and
the younger of the two sons of Hazrat Fatima (A.S.), the daughter of the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet loved his two grandsons, Hasan and Husain dearly, and since he had no
surviving sons of his own, out of affection he used to call them “my sons.” There are
numerous traditions recorded by many historians which indicate the great love and respect
the Holy Prophet had for his grandsons, not only brcause they were his grandsons, but
because of their spiritual excellence and their sacrifices to come, in saving Islam.
According to one tradition, the Holy Prophet declared that Hasan and Husain were the
“Princes of the Youth of Paradise.” Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.) took his grandsons
with him, along with his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Imam ‘Ali (A.S.), to face the
challenge of the Christian delegation from Najrain, which had come to dispute with the
Holy Prophet about his divine mission. The Christians were awe-struck at the sight of the
Holy Prophet and his family, and withdrew the challenge. This event became known as
Mubahila, and is recorded in the Holy Qur’an in chapter 3 verse 61.

Historical Background
During the caliphate of Imam ‘Ali, Mu’awiya declared himself the governor of
Syria. After the assassination of ‘Ali by a Kharijite, ‘Ali’s elder son, Imam Hasan,
succeeded him, being judged as the most qualified and deserving by the people. By this
time, however, Mu’awiya had amassed enough support in and around Syria to unilaterally
declare he the caliph of whole Islamic world. In order to avoid bloodshed, preserve unity,
and in fact to save the religion of Islam from destruction, Imam Hasan signed a peace
treaty with Mu’awiya. The treaty included these terms: (1) Mu’awiya would be the
temporal political head of the Muslim empire; (2) Mu’awiya would not appoint his own
successor, but would leave the caliphate to the will of the majority (which favored Imam
Husain); and, (3) Mu’awiya would allow the Muslims to live in peace, free from
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oppression, especially those belonging to the Hashimite tribe (the tribe of the Holy Prophet
and his family).
Mu’awiya violated the terms of this treaty and, near his death, designated his son
Yazid as his successor. Yazid was an immoral and ruthless man with no sense of justice.
He employed bribery and coercion to win support. Imam Husain, as the protector and
guardian of the religion established by his noble grandfather, Prophet Muhammad
(S.A.A.W.), refused to swear allegiance to him. Yazid realized that he could never
legitimize and consolidate his rule without the allegiance of Imam Husain, the grandson of
the Holy Prophet. Consequently, he decided that he would either force the Imam to submit
to his rule, or else he would have him killed.
In the 61st year after Hijra (680 AD), Imam Husain, while performing the
pilgrimage in Mecca, received the news that assassins had been sent by Yazid to kill him.
Desiring to protect the sanctity of the Holy City, he interrupted his pilgrimage and headed
towards Kufa, in modern-day Iraq on invitation of the people there to come and teach them
about Islam. He took with him his family members and close friends, including his sixmonth-
old infant son, Ali Asghar. His journey to Kufa was intercepted by a detachment of
Yazid’s army, led by a commander named Hur. Hur had orders to re-direct the Imam to
camp in the desert plains of Karbala, on the banks of the River Euphrates. In order to
avoid bloodshed, Imam Husain chose not to resist, and followed Hur’s directions. He and
his companions were forced to camp at a great distance from the river, which was the only
source of water in the area.
On the seventh day of Muharram, Ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, ordered that
food and water supplies were to be blocked from reaching Imam Husain’s camp. In the
meantime, the ranks of Yazid’s army were increasing by the thousands. The blistering sun
scorched the desert sand, and the thirst was becoming unbearable in Husain’s camp. The
children especially were becoming dehydrated and weak, and Imam Husain pleaded with
Yazid’s army to supply water at least to those children, but to no avail.
On the tenth day of Muharram, Yazid’s army was ready to attack the small band of
defenders in Imam Husain’s camp. One by one, his friends and relatives took permission
to go out and fight and each one laid down his life in the defense of Islam. Two of his
nephews, who were only ten years old, were among the brave soldiers who died fighting.
The commander of Husain’s forces was Abbas, his brother, who had inherited his chivalry
from his father ‘Ali, the Lion of Allah. Abbas asked Husain’s permission to go and fight
his way through to the river and bring back some water for Sakina, Husain’s four-year-old
daughter, and the other children. The Imam reluctantly gave him permission to go and
fetch water. Abbas took an empty flask, charged into Yazid’s army, cut through the ranks,
and arrived at the river. While he filled the pitcher with water, he himself did not drink a
drop, for he reasoned that he could not do so while Imam Husain, Sakina, and the others
were still thirsty. Abbas did not make it back to the camp, however. The whole army of
Yazid converged upon him. He died defending the precious pitcher of water.
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Imam Husain’s six-month-old son, Ali Asghar, was on the verge of death from
dehydration. Husain brought him out of the tent to show his pitiful condition to the
soldiers in Yazid’s army, pleading for at least enough water to save the infant’s life. The
enemy denied his request. A heartless archer from the enemy army shot an arrow that
struck the infant, killing him in his father’s own arms.
Soon, Imam Husain was left alone to face Yazid’s army, since all the able-bodied
male members of his camp had died fighting one by one. He made a final plea to the army
of Yazid, reminding them of his kinship with the Holy Prophet of Islam, the love and
respect which the Holy Prophet had used to show him, and the numerous traditions in
which the Holy Prophet had warned the Muslims not to disobey or injure him. He
reminded them of his desire to uphold the truth and his status as one of the true protectors
of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. He asked to be allowed to leave the Muslim kingdom,
so that Yazid would not perceive him as a threat to his power. Finally, he clearly warned
them that by shedding his blood, they would be subjected to the wrath of Allah (S.W.T.)
and they would lose any hope of the intercession of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.A.W.). The
commanders of the opposing army were unmoved, and reiterated their desire to kill Imam
Husain unless he chose to submit to the authority of Yazid. Husain was left with no choice
but to take a firm and final stand against falsehood, and to fight for the preservation of
Islam. He fought bravely, and in the end he achieved martyrdom.

The Significance of Imam Husain’s Martyrdom.
Immediate outcome of Imam Husain’s actions: Muslims and non-Muslims alike
have acknowledged that Imam Husain saved Islam from destruction by sacrificing his life.
Yazid had been successful in winning over the allegiance of the great majority of
Muslims, and the rest of the Muslim world was in a state of moral slumber. The principles
of Islam were being plundered, the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet was being tampered with,
and phony traditions were being concocted to justify the rule of Yazid. It was the singular
sacrifice of Imam Husain and his faithful followers that shook the Islamic world out of its
slumber. The Muslims were forced to ask themselves why the beloved grandson of the
Holy Prophet had been murdered so brutally. It then dawned upon the people what the
true nature of Yazid and his supporters was.

Long term outcome of Imam Husain’s actions:actions:Imam Husain, by challenging
Yazid and in the process laying down his life, changed the world and re-shaped human
destiny forever. Yazid, and indeed all future despots, were put on notice that they would
not be tolerated, and that truth and justice would be upheld and would ultimately succeed,
regardless of the costs. The Iranian revolution that uprooted and overthrew an unjust
government, and the liberation of Lebanon from foreign occupation are two of the more
recent exemplars of these principles laid down by Imam Husain.
Imam Husain’s Philosophy:
Professor Syed Jafar Raza Bilgirami beautifully describes Imam Husain’s
philosophy. He states that at Karbala, Imam Husain came to rebuild a system of life. He
gave a practical embodiment to the rational concept of justice. He successfully placed the
spirit (savage, war-making qualities in man) and the appetite (greed for material things and
lust for power) under the command of reason (‘Aql). In Karbala, he formulated a new
code of life to safeguard the peace and security of human society for all times to come.
Imam Husain’s Foresight and Planning for the Battle of Karbala:
Imam Husain chose not to flee or hide from Yazid, because that would not have
exposed Yazid’s corruption of Islam and would have served to legitimize his unjust rule.
He knew that by rejecting Yazid’s demands, he would most likely be killed. However, he
also did not want to die like any other martyr. He wanted his death to serve as a starting
point for a revolution that would strengthen justice and oppose tyranny for all times to
come. This type of stance needed planning and wisdom. As pointed out by scholars,
Imam Husain’s planning encompassedthree factors:
(1)The choice of location;
(2)The choice of companions; and,
(3) Foolproof arrangements for passing on the event to the annals of history.
The Choice of Location:
Imam Husain chose not to stay in Mecca because he did not want his blood to
desecrate the Holy Precincts. Besides, if he were to be killed by hired assassins, then the
killers’ motives would not be clear and his death would fade away on the pages of history.
So he chose to travel to Iraq (the den of the tyrant himself), where his mission would
receive the maximum publicity, and where Yazid’s evil would be best exposed. The
events of history proved that Imam Husain was right.
The Choice of Companions:
Hujjatul-Islam Maulana Ali Naqvi has written that in Karbala, the largest number of
true Muslims gathered in the entire history of Islam. Imam Husain was not seeking the
best fighters, since his goal was not to fight to win a physical war. He was looking for
men of principle, true Muslims, firm and patient, who would go through the utmost
hardships successfully.
His companions included men of different tribes, coming from different parts of
Arabia and beyond. They included, among others, an elderly companion of the Holy
Prophet, some liberated slaves, and a young newlywed Christian couple. The age of his
supporters ranged from six months to a ripe old age of over 90.
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The heterogeneity of Imam Husain’s supporting group indicates that he did not want
the confrontation with Yazid to be misrepresented as a struggle between two clans, or a
campaign for gaining power.
Preserving His Sacrifice in the Annals of History:
Imam Husain took women, children, and all of his family members with him. This
strategy ensured that after his death, his message would be spread through his family
members, and that Yazid would not be able to suppress the truth or falsify Imam Husain’s
motives. History proves that it was a brilliant move. His sister Zainab (A.S.), through her
scholarly and bold speeches, and with no fear of the tyrant Yazid, eloquently proclaimed
the truth and exposed the falsehood of Yazid in his own court. He was speechless and
humiliated before her. His court was full of dignitaries, both local and from other nationstates,
and his own supporters. They were shocked to hear the truth put forth so forcefully,
and many were brought to tears. The same scene was repeated in the bazaars and
marketplaces of the country, all along the travel route of the surviving captives. Husain
had laid the foundation of the revolution with his blood. His sister Zainab stirred the
revolution with her oratory. That revolution changed the world forever.
Statements of Historians and World Leaders:
This unique historical sacrifice of Imam Husain and his small band of 71 male
supporters has caught the attention of historians, scholars, and writers throughout the
world, in all periods of history. Some of the more notable quotes and insights are given
below:
“Of that gallant band, male and female knew that the enemy forces around were
implacable, and were not only ready to fight, but to kill. Denied even water for the
children, they remained parched under the burning sun and scorching sands, yet not one
faltered for a moment. Husain marched with his little company, not to glory, not to power
of wealth, but to a supreme sacrifice, and every member bravely faced the greatest odds
without flinching.” - Dr. K. Sheldrake
“If Husain had fought to quench his worldly desires, as alleged by certain Christian
critics, then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It
stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for Islam.” - Charles Dickens
“The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Cerebella is that Husain and his
companions were rigid believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority
does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain,
despite his minority, marvels me!”- Thomas Carlyle
“In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Husain will awaken
the sympathy of the coldest reader.”- Edward Gibbon
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“The tragedy of Karbala decided not only the fate of the Caliphate, but also of
Mohammadan kingdoms long after the Caliphate had waned and disappeared.”- William
Muir
“Imam Husain uprooted despotism forever, till the Day of Resurrection. He
watered the dry gardens of freedom with a surging wave of his blood, and indeed he
awakened the sleeping Muslim nation. If Imam Husain had aimed at acquiring the
worldly empire, he would not have traveled the way he did. Husain weltered in blood and
dust for the sake of truth. Verily, therefore, he becomes the foundation of the Muslim
creed ‘La Ilaha Il-lallah,’ meaning, there is no deity but Allah (God).” - Sir Mohammad
Iqbal
“A reminder ofthat blood-stained field of Karbala, where the grandson of the
Apostle of God fell, at length, tortured by thirst, and surround by the bodies of his
murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then, sufficient to evoke, even in the most
lukewarm and the heedless, the deepest emotion, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation
of spirit before which pain, danger, and death shrink to unconsidered trifles.” - Browne’s
History of Persia

References:
-The Martyrdom of Imam Husain by Yousef N. Laljee
-The Spirit of Islam by Ameer Ali
-Imam Husain and Planning of the Incident of Karbala by S.G. Haider
-Imam Husain and His System of Life by Syed Jafar Raza Bilgirami