Battle of Karbala

For the battles in the Iraq War, see Battle of Karbala (2003) and Battle of Karbala (2007).

Battle of Karbala File:Karbala battle.jpg Virtual image of Hussein bin Ali and his infant son in his hand , as he addressed Yazid's army.
Date 10 Muharram 61, October 10, 680 AD Location Karbala Result Pyrrhic Umayyad victory
Belligerents
Umayyads	Family of Mohammed
Commanders and leaders
Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad Umar ibn Sa'ad	Husayn ibn Ali † Abbas ibn Ali †
Strength
30,000 (at least)	72

The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar (October 9 or 10, 680) in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side were supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husayn ibn Ali; on the other side was a military detachment from the forces of Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph.

Husayn ibn Ali's group consisted of notable members of Muhammad's close relatives, around 128, of whom some were either old (90+ years) or young (6 months). Husayn and some members of his group were accompanied by some of the women and children from their families. On the opposing side, the armed forces of Yazid I were led by Umar ibn Sa'ad.

The reason for the battle was Yazid's insistence that Husayn accept him (ie Yazid) as the righteous and undisputed ruler. Husayn was no ordinary person. Grandson of the prophet, he was widely accepted as the most pious throughout his life. A seal from such a personality would have given a kiss of life to Yazid's unlawful power grab. Both were well aware of this. Yazid chose to use the state power to first deny access to water and food for three days to Husayn and his family (including women and children) and when Husayn still insisted on his stance of not providing legitimacy to Yazid's rule, told Husayn that he would be killed. Husayn chose that. He and his followers were killed by the forces of Yazid during the 1 day battle in Karbala. The captured women were tortured, mocked and made an example of. In the end though, these women, through their speeches were able to turn the tables on Yazid.

This battle also had significant effects on the formation of revolts against the Umayyad dynasty.

The battle of Husayn ibn Ali 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.

Political background

See also: Succession to Muhammad

The rule of the third Caliph Uthman concluded with a violent uprising. This uprising ended with the assassination of Uthman and for many days rebels seized and occupied the city of Medina. Under the overwhelming pressure of the Ummah, Ali ibn Abi Talib was elected as the fourth Caliph with massive numbers of people swearing their allegiance to him. His immediate steps were to ensure the unity of Muslims. He issued the orders of not attacking the rebels until order was restored. The governor of Syria, Muawiya, refused allegiance to Ali and revolted against him. This resulted in armed confrontations between the Islamic Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiya. Practically, the Muslim world became divided. At the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib, his elder son Hasan ibn Ali succeeded him but soon signed a treaty with Muawiya to avoid further bloodshed. Muawiya remained the ruler of Syria. At the death of Muawiya, his son Yazid sought to establish himself as the next caliph, a move which was considered unacceptable by a number of eminent leaders of the ummah including the younger son of Ali ibn Talib, Husain ibn Ali. In fact, Yazid had been nominated by his father so that the issue of succession might arise plunging the entire Ummah into a war like it happened in pre-Muawiya period.

Now, majority of Muslims swore allegiance to Yazid's nomination except for five companions, namely, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Abdullah Ibn Zubair, Abdullah Ibn Omar, Hussain Ibn Ali and Abdur Rehman Ibn Abu Bakr disapproved of Yazid's nomination and declared it against the spirit of Islam. As mentioned, Hussain ibn Ali believed nomination of Yazid to the heir-ship of the Caliphate would destroy of the spirit of democracy and republicanism nurtured and developed so assiduously during the Prophet's era and afterward, and that it would lead to hereditary kingship which was repugnant to the original political teachings of Islam. Therefore, he resolved to oppose this with all the resources at his command.

Events Before the Battle

Muawiah died on Rajab 22, 60 AH. Muawiah had already started an empire-wide scheme of coercing Bayat'of his notorious son Yazid before his death. Few notables of the Islamic community were crucial to lending some legitimacy to this conversion of Khlafat into a dynasty. Husayn was by far the most significant personality being the only grandson of the Prophet. Yazid instructed his Governor Walid in Madina to immediately corner Husayn for him to pay allegiance to Yazid's appointment as the king. Husayn in presence of Marwan refused it and uttered his famous words that "anyone akin to me will never accept anyone akin to Yazid as a ruler." Ref: Tabri. Husayn departed Medina on Rajab 28, 60 AH two days after Walid's attempt to force him to succumb to Yazid's rule. He stayed in Mecca from the beginnings of the Sha'ban and all of the Ramadan, Shawwal, as well as Dhu al-Qi'dah.

It is mainly during his stay in Mecca that he received many letters from Kufa assuring him their support and asking him to come over there and guide them. He answered their calls and sent Muslim ibn Aqeel, his cousin, to Kufa as his representative in an attempt to consider the exact situation and public opinion.

Husayn's representative to Kufa, Muslim ibn Aqeel was welcomed by the people of Kufa, and most of them swore allegiance to him. After his initial observation, Ibn Aqeel wrote to Hussain Ibn Ali that situation in Kufa is favorable. However, after the arrival of the new Governor of Kufa,Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad, the scenario changed. Ibn Aqeel and his host, Hani ibn Urwa were executed on Dhu al-Hijjah 9, 60AH (September 10, 680 CE) without any considerable resistance of the people. This shifted the loyalties of the people of Kufa to Emir Yazid against Husayn ibn Ali. Hussain ibn Ali also realizing a deep conspiracy to kill him during Hajj left Mecca on 8 Dhu al Hajj 60 AH, just a day before Hajj. He delivered a famous sermon in Kaaba highlighting his reasons to leave that he didn't want the sanctity of Haram to be violated, since his opponents had crossed any norm of decency and were willing to violate all tenants of Islam and Arab traditions.

When Hussain ibn Ali was making his mind to leave for Kufa,Abd-Allah ibn Abbas and Abdullah ibn Zubayr held a meeting with him and advised him not to move to Iraq, or, if he was determined to move, not to take women and children with him in this dangerous journey. Husain, however, had resolved to go ahead with his plan. He gave a speech to people the day before his departure and said:

"... The death is a certainty for mankind, just like the trace of necklace on the neck of young girls. And I am enamored of my ancestors like eagerness of Jacob to Joseph ... Everyone, who is going to devote his blood for ours sake and is prepared to meet Allah, must depart with us..."

On their way to Kufa, the small caravan received the sad news of execution of Muslim ibn Aqeel and indifference of the people of Kufa. Instead of turning back, Husayn decided to continue the journey and sent Qais ibn Musahhar al-Saydavi as messenger toward nobles of Kufa. The messenger was captured in the vicinity of Kufa but managed to tear the letter to pieces to hide names of its recipients. Just like Muslim ibn Aqeel, Qais ibn Musahhar was executed.

The Events of Battle

Battle of Karbala, Iranian painting, oil on canvas, 19th century from the Tropenmuseum Amsterdam

Husayn and his fellows were two days' journey away from Kufa when they were intercepted by the vanguard of Yazid's army; about 1000 men led by Hurr Riahy. Upon interception by vanguards Husayn asked: "With us or against us?" They replied: "Of course against you, oh Aba Abd Allah!" Husain 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 small caravan of the Family of Prophet arrived at Karbala on Muharram 2, 61AH (October 2, 680 CE). They were forced to pitch a camp on dry, bare land and Hurr stationed his army nearby.

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 he accepted after Ibn Ziyad threatened to depose him from the governorship of Ray city. Umar ibn Sa'ad moved towards the battlefield with a 40,000-men 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 Husayn and his disciples from accessing water and do not allow them to drink a drop of water. Ibn Sa'ad ordered 5000 horsemen to cut Husain's camp off from the Euphrates to stop them from accessing water. One of the disciples of Husain ibn Ali met Umar ibn Sa'ad and negotiated to get access to water, which the latter denied. The water blockade continued up to the end of the battle on Muharram 10 night (October 10, 680 CE).

Umar ibn Sa'ad received an order from ibn Ziyad to start the battle immediately and not to postpone it further. The army started stealthily advancing toward Husain's camp on the afternoon of 9th of Muharram. At this time Husain sent Abbas ibn Ali to ask ibn Sa'ad for another delay, until the next morning, so that he and his men could spend the night praying. Ibn Sa'ad agreed the respite.

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 wished to defect and remained with him. Husain and his followers held a vigil to pray all night.

Day of the battle

On Muharram 10 called Ashura, Husayn ibn Ali prayed Morning Prayer with his companions. He appointed Zuhayr ibn Qayn to command the right flank, Habib ibn Muzahir to command the left flank and his half-brother Abbas ibn Ali as standard bearer of his army. There is controversy regarding gregorian date for the day of Ashura. October 10, is a calculated date through calculators. But, these calculators are not always correct. According to book Maqtaly Hussain Muharram 9 is October 12, 680, so it appears that date was October 13, 680 A.D.

The companions of Husayn ibn Ali were 32 horsemen and 40 infantrymen. Husayn rode on his horse Zuljenah.

On the other side,Yazid had sent Shimir(his chief commander)to replace Umar ibn Saad ibn Yazid as the commander.He reorganized his army and by afternoon, he had come to know that Hurr along with his son had defected to Hussain's army.

Husain ibn Ali called the people around him to join him for the sake of Allah and to defend Muhammed’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 ibn Sa'ad and galloped his horse to Husain's small force and told them.

The battle starts

Ibn Sa'ad advanced and fired an arrow at Husain's army, saying: "Give evidence before emir that I was the first thrower." Then his army started showering Husain's army with weapons. Both sides began fighting. Successive assaults resulted in the death of a group of Husain's companions.

The first skirmish was between the right flank of 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. 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 (72) of Husain's companions.

In order to prevent random and indiscriminate showering of arrows on Husain's camp which had women and children in it, Husain's followers went out to single combats. Men like Burayr ibn Khudhayr, Muslim ibn Ausaja and Habib ibn Muzahir 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 to begin with. 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 Akbar ibn Husain, the middle son of Husayn, was the first one who received permission from his father.

Casualties from Banu Hashim were sons of Ali ibn Abi Talib, sons of Hassan ibn Ali, Son of Husain ibn Ali, Son of Abd-Allah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi-Talib and Zainab bint Ali, sons of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, as well as a son of Muslim ibn Aqeel. There were seventy-two dead in all (including Imam Hussain).

Death of Abbas ibn Ali

Husayn ibn Ali advanced toward Euphrates branch along a dyke and his brother Abbas ibn Ali was moving ahead of him. They had planned to bring some water to tents. But ibn Sa'ad's army prevents them and one of them hit Husayn on his chin with an arrow. Husayn pulled out the arrow and stopped further advance enabling him to cover Abbas and protect the tents at the same time. Abbas ibn Ali continued his advance into the heart of ibn Sa'ad's army. 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 didn't drink any water despite being severely thirsty. He put the water skin on his right shoulder and started riding back toward their tents. Amr Saad ordered an outright assault on Abbas ibn Ali saying that if Abbas succeeds in taking water back to his camp, we won't 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 hand was cut off. Abbas put the water skin on his left shoulder and continued his way but his left hand also cut off from wrist. Abbas now held the water skin with his teeth. The army of ibn Sa'ad started shooting arrows at him. That is when he started crying; because 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 someone hit a gurz on his head and he fell off the horse. In his last moments when Imam Hussain was wiping the blood in his eyes to enable him to see Imam Hussain's face, Hazrat Abbbas said not to take his body back to the camps because he had promised to bring back water but couldn't and so couldn't face Bibi Sakina

Death of the infant son of Hussain

When nobody was left in Hussain's camp, Hussain raised an immortal call for help by saying, "Is there anyone who can help me?" Hearing this call, Husain's six-month-old baby dropped himself from the cot. Hussain took Ali al-Asghar towards the enemy camp and cried out, "Is there anyone who can give some water to my thirsty child?". Hussain didn't literally want water for his son, but wanted to show the world the cruelty that lied within the enemies of Islam. The rival army sent a best archer, Hurmula, who killed Ali al-Asghar by shooting an arrow. After he returned to the tents, Imam Husayn had made a small grave for Ali al-Asghar behind the tents with his sword, Imam Husayn had no water to make the grave wet, but there was enough tears shed by Imam Husayn that the grave became very wet.

Death of Husayn ibn Ali

Husain ibn Ali offered single battle to the enemy. He killed everybody that fought him in single battles. He demonstrated extreme courage and bravery, forced the enemy into retreat frequently and killed a great number of opponents. Husayn and earlier his son 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.

Husayn 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 ..."

Then his enemies invaded back toward him.

They continuously attacked each other, 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 (Husayn is son of Fatimah bint Muhammad) on the earth except him" Then he grasped the arrow and pulled it out of his chest from behind which caused heavy bleeding.

He became very weak to fight and halted and the soldiers approaching him were giving up confronting him, until a soldier approached him while cursing and hit him on his head with his sword.

The enemies halted for a while and then returned and surrounded him. At this time Abd-Allah ibn Hassan, who was an underage boy, escaped from the tents and ran until arrived beside Husayn. When a soldier intended to hit Husayn with his sword, Abd-Allah ibn Hassan defended his uncle with his arm which caused it to be cut and hanged. Husayn hugged him but the boy was hit on his neck with an arrow.

Husayn became very weak due to his heavy injuries and hits by arrows. Then a voice came from skies "We are satisfied with your deeds and sacrifices." After this Imam Husayn placed his sword in to its holder 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.

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 Husayn's throat with his sword whilst Husayn was prostrating to Allah. Just before his throat was about to be cut, Husayn asked Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan, "Have you done your prayers today?" and this shocked Shimr because he did not expect anyone in the position of Husayn to ask about such a question. 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 Husayn ibn Ali on a spear. The ibn Sa'ad's men looted all the valuables from Husayn's body.

Another ending of the battle is the following;

While Imam Hussain was taking rest against the tree, Shimr knew that Imam Hussain was unable to fight and sent one of his men to go and kill him. The man went and seeing Imam Hussains Eyes,he got extremely scared and ran back to his camp. When Shimr asked why he hadn't killed Imam Hussain, the man replied that looking into his eyes he saw prophet Mohammad. Angrily, Shimr sent another man. This one was so frightened that he droped his sword and ran back to his camp. This time when Shimr asked him why he hadn't killed him, he said he saw into his eyes and saw the angry look of Ali.Shimr was angry, said that he would have to do it himself and wearing his iron boots, he went to where Imam Hussain was. Using his iron boots he kicked Imam Hussain in the ribs. Imam Hussain fell to the floor, when Shimr disrespected and sat on top of him. Using a blunt knife,he rugged 12 times against Imam Hussain's throat. Imam Hussain said "get up", your blunt knife wont work here, this is the area that was kissed by my grandpa Prophet Mohammad! Let me sujdo (on the ground while praying), and pray for the well being of my people". While his head was down in sujdo, Shimr removed his head from 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 Husayn?" And when they saw the martyrs and wailed. Then Sakina bint Husayn (Death, 117 AH) embraced her father's body until some people dragged her away.

Umar ibn Sa'ad called volunteering horsemen to trample Husayn's body. Ten horsemen trampled his body such that his chest and back were ground.

Traditionally, it is believed that Imam Husayn'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).

Aftermath

Umar ibn Sa'ad sent Husayn'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.

After ibn Sa'ad's army went out of Karbala, some people from Banu Asad tribe came there and buried their dead.

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 Ali ibn Husayn, who was gravely ill, as well as Hassan ibn Hassan al-Muthanna, who was seriously injured in the battle of Karbala.

Zainab 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. ..."

During the journey from Karbala to Kufa, and from Kufa to Damascus, Husayn's sister Zaynab bint Ali and Umm-Kulthoom bint Ali, and son Ali ibn Husayn 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 Husayn's uprising.

The prisoners were held in Damascus for a year. The people of Damascus began to frequent the prison, and Zaynab and Ali ibn Husayn used that as an opportunity to further propagate the message of Husayn and explain to the people the reason for Husayn'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 Husayn's cause.

Historiography of the battle of Karbala

See also: Maqtal Al-Husayn

Primary sources

The first historian to systematically collect the reports of eyewithnesses of this event was Abi Mikhnaf(died in 157 AH, 774 CE) in a work titled "Ketab Maqtal Al-Husayn". Abi Mikhnaf's original seems to have been lost and that which has reached today has been transmitted through his student Hisham Al-Kalbi (died in 204 AH.) There are four manuscripts of the Maqtal, located at Gotha (No. 1836), Berlin (Sprenger, Nos. 159-160), Leiden (No. 792), and St. Petersburg (Am No. 78) libraries.

Rasul Jafarian has counted 5 Primary sources which are now availlable. Among the original works on maqàtil (pl. of maqtal or place of death / martyrdom and hence used for books narrating the incident of Karbalà) the ones that could be relied upon for reviewing the Karbala happenings are five in number. All these five maqtals belong to the period between the 2nd century AH (8th CE) and the early 4th century AH (10th CE). These five sources are the "Maqtal al-Husayn" of Abu Mikhnaf, the "Maqtal al-Husayn" of Ibn Sa'd-Sunni Historian-, the "Maqtal al-Husayn" of Baladhuri -Sunni Historian-, the "Maqtal al-Husayn" of Dinawari, and the "Maqtal al-Husayn" of Ibn A'tham. How ever some other historians have recognized some of these as secondary sources. For example Veccia Vaglieri has found that Baladhuri (died 279AH/892-893CE) like Tabari has used Abi Mikhnaf but hasn't mentioned his name. On the basis of the article of "Abi Mikhnaf" in "Great Islamic Encyclopedia" Ibn A'tham has mentioned Abi Mikhnaf in "Al-Futuh" thus he should be recognized as secondary source.

Secondary sources

Then latter Muslim historians have written their histories on the basis of the former ones especially Maqtal Al-Husayn of Abi Mikhnaf. However they have added some narrations through their own sources which weren't reported by former historians.

Tabari narrated this story on the basis of Abi Mikhnaf's report through Hisham Al-Kalbi in his history, History of the Prophets and Kings. Also there is fabricated version of Abi Mekhnaf's book in Iran and Iraq. Then other Sunni Muslim historians including Balazari and Ibn Kathir narrated the events of Karbala from Abi Mikhnaf. Also among Shi'a Shaykh al-Mufid used it in Irshad. However, followers of Ali – later to be known as Shia Muslims – attached a much greater importance to the battle and have compiled many accounts known as Maqtal Al-Husayn.

Shia writings

Salwa Al-Amd has classified Shia writings in three groups:

• Religious texts: The legendary character of this category associates the chronological history of Al-Husayn with notions relating to the origin of life and the Universe, that have preoccupied the human mind since the beginning of creation, and in which Al-Husayn is eternally present. This category of writing holds that a person’s stance toward Al-Husayn and Ahl al- Bayt is a criterion for reward and punishment in the afterlife. It also transforms the historical boundaries of Al-Husayn’s birth in 4 Hr. and his death in 61 Hr. to an eternal presence embracing the boundaries of history and legend.

• Historic texts:This category is the nearest to Sunni writings because it fully cherishes the historical personality of Al-Husayn and regards the Karbala ’ incident as a revolt against oppression; dismissing the legendary treatment, while using the language of revolt against tyranny and despotic sovereignty. These oral traditions were later collected and recorded by Shia historians such as Abi Mekhnaf and Ibn A'tham.

• Tragedic poems, plays, and other narratives intended for popular consumption, which may contain material not strictly supported by the Hadiths or the histories. This category comprises the literary works common in rituals and lamentations (poetic and prose) and is characterized by its melodramatic style, which aims to arouse pity and passion for Ahl al-Bayt’s misfortunes, and charge feelings during tempestuous political circumstances on the memory of Ashura.

Distortion of the history

As Jafarian says "The holding of mourning ceremonies for Imam Husayn was very much in vogue in the eastern parts of Iran before the Safawids came to power. Kashefi wrote the "Rawzah al-Shuhada" for the predominantly Sunnis region of Herat and Khurasan at a time when the Safawid state was being established in western Iran and had no sway in the east." After the adoption of the Shi'a faith in Iran, many Iranian authors composed poems and plays commemorating the battle. Most of these compositions are only loosely based upon the known history of the event. ref name=autogenerated2 />

Some 20th century Shia scholars have protested the conversion of history into mythology. Prominent critics include:

• Murtaza Motahhari
• Abbas Qomi, author of Nafas al-Mahmoum
• Sayyid Abd-al-Razzaq Al-Muqarram, author of Maqtalul-Husayn

Also several books have been written in Persian language about political backgrounds and aspects of the battle of Karbala.

Impact on the Literature

The theme of suffering and martyrdom occupies a central role in the history of religion from the earliest time. Sacrifices are a means for reaching higher and loftier stages of life; to give away parts of one's fortune or to sacrifice members of one's family enhances one's religious standing. The Biblical and Quranic story of Abraham who so deeply trusted in God that he, without questioning, was willing to sacrifice his only son, points to the importance of such sacrifice.

Taking into account the importance of sacrifice and suffering for the development of man, Islamic literature has given a central place to the death on the battlefield of Muhammed's grandson Husayn. The development of the whole genre of marsiya and taziya poetry in the Persian and Indo-Persian world, or in the popular Turkish tradition is in this way.

Persian Literature

The name of Husayn appears several times in the work of the first great Sufi Persian/Dari poet, Sanai Ghaznawi. Here, the name of the martyred hero can be found now and then in connection with bravery and selflessness, and Sanai sees him as the prototype of the Shaheed (martyr), higher and more important than all the other martyrs who are and have been in the world.

The tendency to see Husayn as the model of martyrdom and bravery continues in the poetry written in the Divan of Attar.

When Shiism became the official religion of Iran in the fifteenth century, Safavid rulers such as Shah Tahmasp, patronized poets who wrote about the tragedy of Karbala, and the genre of marsiya, according to Persian scholar Wheeler Thackston, "was particularly cultivated by the Safavids."

The most well-known fifteenth-century Persian marsiya writer was Muhtasham Kashani, whose works consequently became a source of elegy emulation for Iranians.

Azari and Turkish Literature

Turkish tradition, especially in the later Bektashi order, is deeply indebted to Shi'i Islam. But it seems that already in some of the earliest popular Sufi songs in Turkey, those composed by Yunus Emre in the late 13th or early 14th century, Muhammed's grandsons played a special role.

Indo-Muslim Literature

As in many other fields of Sindhi poetry, Shah Abdul-Latif of Bhit (1689-1752) is the first to express ideas which were later taken up by other poets. He devoted “Sur Kedaro” in his Sindhi Shah Jo Risalo to the martyrdom of the grandson of Muhammed, and saw the event of Karbala as embedded in the whole mystical tradition of Islam.

A number of poets among the Shia of Sindh composed elegies on Karbala. The most famous of them is Thabit 'Ali Shah (1740-1810), whose specialty was the genre of “suwari”. This genre, as well as the more common forms, persists in Sindhi throughout the whole of the 18th and 19th centuries, and even into our own times (Sachal Sarmast, Bedil Rohriwaro, Mir Hassan, Shah Naser, Mirza Baddhal Beg, Mirza Qalich Beg, to mention only a few, some of whom were Sunni Sufis).

The most famous corpus of Urdu poetry on Karbalas was produced by two poets of Lucknow named Mir Babar Ali Anees and Mirza Salamat Ali Dabeer. Both these poets lived in the 19th century and they were the contemporaries of the Delhi based poet Mirza Ghalib. The genre of poetry that those two poets produced is known as MARSIYA. Recently, professor David Matthews of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, has translated a full length (197 stanzas of six lines each) MArsiya of Anis into English verse. This was published in book form by Rupa and Co.m, New Delhi, India.

The legacy of Urdu Marsiya has lasted to this day and many poets are still writing that kind of poetry. Both Josh MAlihabadi and Allama Muhammad Iqbal followed the genere of six-line stanza and have produced great poetry.

But there was also another way to understand the role of Husayn in the history of the Islamic people, and importantly, the way was shown by Muhammad Iqbal, who was certainly a Sunni poet and philosopher.

The Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi dynasties of South India (Deccan), predominantly Twelver Shi'is in religious persuasion, patronized Dakhni (an early South Indian dialect of Urdu) marasi. Although Persian marasi of Muhtasham Kashani were still recited, the Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi rulers felt the need to render the Karbala tragedy in the language of common Muslims. In the Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi kingdom of Deccan, marasi flourished, especially under the patronage of Ali Adil Shah and Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, marsiya writers themselves, and poets such as Ashraf Biyabani. Urdu marasi written during this period are still popular in South Indian villages.

Mirza Ghalib described the "King of Martyrs", Imam Husayn, by using metaphors, similar to the ones he used in his odes. Ghalib used regal imagery to underscore the virtues of Imam Husayn. The marasi of Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Rafi Sauda are similar to those of Ghalib in that they perform their panegyric function for the martyrs of Karbala; but these poets also wrote marasi in which the narration of the Karbala tragedy was saturated with cultural and ceremonial imagery of North India.

Josh Malihabadi renowned as "Shair-i inqilab", or the Poet of revolution, used the medium of marsiya as a means to propagate the view that Karbala is not a pathos-laden event of a bygone era, but a prototype for contemporary revolutionary struggles. Josh's writings during the late 1930s and the early 1940s, when nationalist feelings were running high in South Asia, had a momentous impact upon his generation. Josh attempted to galvanize the youth of his day by intertwining their contemporary struggle of liberation from colonization with Husayn's battle: “O Josh, call out to the Prince of Karbala [Hussain], cast a glance at this twentieth century, look at this tumult, chaos, and the earthquake. At this moment there are numerous Yazids, and yesterday there was only one. From village to village might has assumed the role of truth, Once again, Human feet are in chains”

Vahid Akhtar, formerly Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Philosophy at Aligarh Muslim University, has been crucial in keeping the tradition of marsiya dynamic in present-day South Asia. His marasi rely on the images, metaphors, and nuances inherited from nineteenth century masters, and on the values invested in this genre by socio-religious reformers like Josh. On the back cover of his recently-published marsiya anthology, for example, is the famous Arabic saying: "Every place is Karbala; every day is Ashura." By positing a similarity between Husayn's historic battle and the present day struggle of human kind against renewed forms of Yazidian oppression, Akhtar deflects the interpretation of the martyrs of Karbala as mere insignia of Islamic history; they are instead posed as the sinews for the revival of an ideal Islamic state of being.

Shia observances

The Battle is commemorated each year by Shia Muslims in the Remembrance of Muharram. The mourning reaches its climax on the 10th of Muharram, the day of the battle, known as Ashurah. It is a day of speeches, public processions, and great grief. Men and women chant and weep, mourning Husayn, his family, and his followers. Speeches emphasize the importance of the values for which Husayn sacrificed himself, his family, and his followers.

In South Asia, the Battle of Karbala has inspired a number of literary and non musical genres, such as the marsiya, noha, and soaz.

See also

• Day of Ashura
• Persecution of Shia Muslims
• Hussaini Brahmin
• Arba'een
• Sahaba
• Ahl ul-Bayt
• Shi'a Imam
• Azadari
• Zuljenah
• The Sermon of Ali ibn Husayn in Damascus

References

• Al-Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir (1990). History of the Prophets and Kings , translation and commentary issued iby I. K. A. Howard. SUNY Press. ISBN 0395652375. (volume XIX.)

Bibliography

• al-Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir – History of the Prophets and Kings; Volume XIX The Caliphate of Yazid b. Muawiyah, translated by I.K.A Howard, SUNY Press, 1991, ISBN 0-7914-0040-9
• Kennedy, Hugh – The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State, Routledge, 2001

External links

• Battle of Karbala An article by Encyclopedia Britanica Online
• Online book: The Tragedy of Karbala and the Martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) - By Hazrat Sheykh Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali QSA
• Remembering Imam Hussain RA, Friday 9th Jan, Manchester, Program in English!
• Poem In respect of our Imam RA, Friday 9th Jan, Manchester, Program in English!
• English Speech In respect of our Imam RA, Friday 9th Jan, Manchester, Program in English!

Sunni links

• Karbala – A Lesson For Mankind
• The Tragedy of Karbala and Martyrdom of Imam Hussain

Shia links

• The Story Of Imam Husayn's Martyrdom.
• The history of Abi Mekhnaf, reconstructed and translated into English
• Ayati's discussion of the history of Ashura
• Islam and Karbala
• Ashura.com
• KARBALA: When Skies Wept Blood docufilm homepage
• Mourning for Imam Hussain
• Who Killed Imam Hussain
• Karbala & Imam Hussain
• poetry on Kerbala by Mahmood Abu Shahbaaz Londoni
• Battle of Karbala in English