Thus, he decided to carry out that task and advanced to Nainawa (Karbala') at the head of an army of about 4,000 soldiers. Upon his arrival, Umar bin Sa'd surrounded Imam Husain's camp. Imam Husain (A.S.) began negotiations with him, and they had several meetings. As a result, he wrote to Ubaidulla bin Ziyad suggesting lifting the siege on Husain's camp and allowing him to return from where he had come, thus, halting the impending shedding of blood. Ubaidulla received the letter. Even he at first appreciated the idea and wanted to put it into effect. But then, Shimr bin Dil-Jawshan-one of the blood enemies of Ahlul-Bait (A.S.) - warned him of the consequences. Ubaidullah accepted the suggestion of Shimr and handed him a threatening letter to be delivered to Umar bin Sa'd. The letter read in part:
"Therefore, see to it that if Husain and his followers submit to my authority and surrender, you send them to me in peace. If they refuse, then march against them to fight them and to punish them; for they deserve that. If Husain is killed, make the horses trample on his body; both front and back."
Thus, the logic of lbn Ziayd insists on shedding blood and mutilating the martyrs as his forefathers did during the pre-ignorance of Quraish who mutilated Hamza, the Prophet's uncle, before.
There was no alternative except war. Husain (A.S.) could under no cir*****stance surrender to Ibn Ziyad:
"One like me can never give a pledge of allegiance to Yazid".
He continued: "I do not wish a death for myself other than martyrdom, while life among the unjust would be unbearable".
He (A.S.) recited the words he took from the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), which he conveyed to the Ummayad army a few days earlier. He told them:
"O people, the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) had said:
"Whoever witnesses an unjust ruler considering the prohibitions of Allah, the Almighty, as permissible, breaking the covenant of Allah, opposing the practices of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), treating his servants sinfully and cruelly and had seen all these misdeeds but did not oppose him by words or actions, Allah surely will punish him as He wills."
Imam Husain (A.S.) saw that he could not negotiate with this herd of weak-willed men who dedicated themselves to win booty and wealth. He asked his brother, Abbas, once again, to talk to the army and demand a delay of only one night. Umar bin Sa'd and his officers agreed to grant Imam Husain (A.S.) the delay he asked. On the morrow, history would turn a new page in the life of Islam. Men would fight one anther in a great and glorious battle in Karbala'.
The Night of Ashura':
It was not to rethink his decision concerning the military choice that Husain asked Ibn Sa'd to grant him the extra time. The path was crystal clear in his mind, but Husain (A.S.) eagerly wanted to stay up that night in worship. He desired that it be the last night during which he would talk to his family, companions and loved ones. He knew what lay ahead. Thus he said to his brother Abbas, the second time he sent to Ibn Sa'd:
"Go back to them. If you can delay them until morning and persuade them to keep away from us during the evening, then perhaps we may be able to pray to our Lord during the night, to supplicate to Him loved prayer, the recitation of His Book, invocating Him at length and seeking his forgiveness."
Darkness fell. The household of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and their supporters did not close their eyes. Some of them were praying, invocating Allah for his mercy, and reciting the Qur'an. Others were preparing wills and saying last words to their families. Voices were like the buzz of the bees. They were preparing themselves to meet their Lord. Swords and spears were being readied. That night they were guests on the land of Karbala'. History awaited the event that would take place on the morning. The swords and spears were pens that would inscribe the most glorious chapter on the continuing drama being written by man.
During that night, Husain (A.S.) bid farewell to his family and loved ones. He paid visits to al-Sajjad, Sukaina, Layla, Rabab and al-Baqir al-Saghir (A.S.) his nephew. He made his last will, as he decided to water the orchared of Islam with his own blood.
The Day of Ashura':
Imam Husain (A.S.) together with his pious companions, passed the night before the tenth of Moharram in prayers, supplications and getting ready for the following day.
That night came to an end. It was as if a long history had elapsed. The tenth of Moharram, the day of blood, jihad, and martyrdom, the day of the decisive battle, was already born.
Umar bin Sa'd was arranging his troops in line, and mobilizing his soldiers to fight the fifth member of the purified family of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), whose love was decreed by Allah on the Ummah through the explicit words of the Holy Qur'an.
Imam Husain (A.S.) went out of his tent completely ready to engage the enemy. The battle was inescapable. So, he started fortifying his camp where the children and women were waiting for what would happen next. He ordered the digging of a trench at the rear of the camp. This was to prevent the army from attacking the camp from that point. He set the trench ablaze. Secure as the back of the camp was, the battle would be fought in the front only.
Once again, Imam Husain (A.S.) delivered a speech. He reminded the Kufans of their letters and envoys, combined with their pledge of allegiance, but to no vail. His call fell on deaf ears.
He mounted his horse, and galloped to a place before the hostile army, in his hand he grasped the Qur'an. He opened it, raising it above his hand, and said:
"O people! Let us have the Book of Allah and the Sunna of my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.), to arbitrate between us."
No one seemed to be influenced by the words of Imam Husain (A.S.).
Rather, Umar bin Sa'd ordered the standard-bearer of his army to advance and gave the go-ahead for the war to start. He, himself, fired the first arrow toward the camp of Imam Husain (A.S.), shouting,
"All of you be witness that I am the first to shoot."
Imam Husain (A.S.) stared unperturbed and strong hearted at the great army which was equipped to the teeth. Like a towering mountain, determined and unshakable, Imam Husain (A.S.) did not show the smallest sign of weakness. Never did he think of reconsidering his decision. There was no one but Allah to look to. He raised his hands in prayer:
"O Allah! It is You in Whom I trust amid all grief. You are my hope amid all violence. You are my refuge and provision in everything that happens to me. How many grievances that weaken the heart, leaving me with not means to handle them, during which friends desert me, and the enemy rejoices in it. I lay it before You and complain of it to You, because of my desire in You, You alone. You relieve me of it and remove to from me. You are the Master of all graces, and the possessor of all goodness, and the Ultimate Resort of all desires."
That was the outset of a catastrophe and tragedy which victimized the scion of prophethood and the leader of the Muslims, the grandson of the noble Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), Husain bin Ali bin Abi-Talib.
The men lunged at one another, first in single battles, then in a full war. It was only natural that strength would help the army of Yazid bin Mu'awiya massacre this small group of warriors whose number were not more than 72.
The whole tragedy of the Ahlul-Bait (A.S.), and their painful suffering at the hands of their enemies was crystal incarnated in the battle of Karbala'.
The battle continued at Karbala'. The cascade of exalted blood was flowing, making its way to immortality. The companions of Imam Husain (A.S.) were falling to the ground, one after the other. Those matchless heroes from the household of Aqeel and of Ali bin Abi-Talib (A.S.) were now decapitated bodies scattered on the plains of war like the stars on an autumn sky, or lotus petals on the surface of a pond.
Now the attack intensified. They were most almost encircled by the Ummayad army. Some of the soldiers went into the tents looting property. Ibn sa'd ordered, "Set the tents ablaze". The children cried and the woman also wept, as they saw the tents burning.
Imam Husain (A.S.) stood there amid them, sure of joining them shortly, but deeply stirred by the cries of the children and lamentations of the women. He looked for a helper. He called out:
"Is there and defender of the womenfolk of the Apostle of Allah? Is there a monotheist who fears Allah and so helps us? Is there any supporter seeking Allah's reward and so aids us?"
There was no answer except the wailing of women and children. Imam Husain (A.S.) had no option except fighting the enemy. His heart was flooded with fatherly compassion and love and being afraid for his family, sanctity, the sanctity, the sanctity of the Ansar and the orphans of the martyrs.
Certain that he (A.S.) would never return alive from the battlefield, he went to the tent of his sister Zainab, asking her to bring him his baby so as to kiss his lips and see him for the last time.
Imam Husain (A.S.) repeated the phrase:
"O Allah! I complain to You about what is being done to the son of the daughter of your Prophet".
He (A.S.) looked around and there was no one to help him. His companions were strewn lifeless around him, they had done their duty raising the famous watchword.
Imam Husain (A.S.) was all alone. He was carrying the sword of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) in his hand and the heart of Ali (A.S.) in his depths. On his tongue there was word of piety. This was the very day the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) promised him and this was the place he told him would be his last abode. He called the enemy to fight him in single combat. One after the other they came forward and were dispatched to the other world.
Imam Husain (A.S.) was still very worried about his camp, which continued to burn.
When the forces of Ibn Sa'd cut him off from the camp, he called to the Ummayads:
"I am fighting you. Women have no blame. I will prevent your villains from harassing my womenfolk as long as I am alive".
The ears and hearts of those ill-mannered ones were deaf to the speech of the son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), Shimr bin Dil Jawshan with ten of his men moved towards the tent of Imam Husain (A.S.) in which his family were, then, Imam Husain cried out at them:
"Woe unto you. If you do not have faith nor fear the Day of Judgement, be free in (your world), and noble, and forbid my possessions and family from your tyrants and your ignorant ones."
The attack continued violently, while Imam Husain (A.S.) debated with them, until an arrow directed at Imam Husain (A.S.) lodged in his throat. Spears and swords were eating into his body. He was weak from profuse bleeding while his body became a metaphor for a book, on which every sword blow and arrow had written the most majestic lines of an epic tale.
They were sixty-seven wounds' silently reciting the story of struggle and jihad and indelibly inscribing the tragic chapters of oppression and injustice.
The enemies were not yet satisfied. Shimr approached Imam Husain (A.S.) carrying his sword and struck him several time, Then he cut his head off. He carried the head proudly, to be placed in front of Ibn Ziyad as a bounty waiting its rewards.
The head that never said 'yes' to the oppressors, that was repeating:
"By Allah! Will never give you my hand like a man who has been humiliated, nor will flee like a slave".
Ibn Sa'd ordered horsemen to trample over the holy body of Imam Husain (A.S.).
The head of Imam Husain (A.S.), along with the heads of his companions (and even the tiny head of Ali Asghar) were distributed among the criminals, as gifts, carrying them to the Ummayad governor of Kufa.
For three days the pure, holy bodies of the martyrs were left lying on the desert of Karbala' before men from the tribe of Bani Asad who were living not far away from the battlefield buried them. The criminals, not yet satisfied with all this, carried the children and women, in addition to the sick son of Imam Husain (A.S.), Imam Zainul-Abideen (A.S.), as prisoners from Kufa to Syria. At the front of the sad procession were the head of Imam Husain (A.S.) and his followers
