Ibn Ziyad’s letter to Imam al-Husayn (as)

Ibn A‘tham narrates that Hurr ibn Yazid and his companions had descended upon Imam al-Husayn with the intention of encountering him at war. Hurr wrote a letter to ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad informing him that Imam al-Husayn (as) had arrived at Karbala. The son of Ziyad decided to write a letter to Imam al-Husayn (as), in which he said, "... and after this, O al-Husayn!

News has reached me that you have arrived at Karbala. Amir al-Mu'minin Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah has written a letter to me ordering that I should not be content with anything save sending you to the Omniscient one or dealing with you in whatever way I wish..."21

This is yet another document that shows that Yazid himself had given ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad the responsibility of killing Imam al-Husayn (as) if he refused to pay allegiance.

Notes:

21. Ibn A‘tham, Al-Futuh, vol. 5, p. 150; Khwarazmi, Maqtal al-Imam al-Husayn (as), vol. 1, p. 140.