The Tragedy of Karbala

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Halm, Heinz (1997). Shi'a Islam: From Religion to Revolution. Translated by Allison Brown. Princeton: Markus Wiener Publishers. ISBN 1-55876-134-9.

Invoking blessings on the Holy Prophet (sa) is a key factor for the acceptance of prayer. We should send salutations upon the Holy Prophet (sa) generally; however, during this month we should pay particular attention towards invoking blessings on the Holy Prophet (sa).’ The month of Muharram marks the first month of the Islamic calendar. While the new year is generally welcomed with much celebration, Muslims across the world are also reminded of a grave tragedy that befell the noble family of the Holy Prophet (sa) in the plains of Karbala, in present-day Iraq, when the beloved grandson of the Holy Prophet (sa) and his family members were mercilessly martyred. This episode was a turning point in Islamic history because they offered the ultimate sacrifice to uphold the Qur’anic principles of absolute justice. In the Battle of Uhud which took place near Madina in the month of Shawwal 3 A.H. between the Muslims and the polytheists of Makkah, a group of forty Muslims disobeyed their commander owing to some misunderstanding. Consequently 700 Muslims, who were fighting against 3000 polytheists, were defeated after having gained victory over the enemy. More than 80 persons were martyred. The bodies of most of the martyrs were mutilated in such a way that a sister could not identify the body of her brother except by means of a defect in his finger. Notwithstanding this the Battle of Uhud and the martyrdom of more than 70 to 80 Muslim mujahids have not acquired the grandeur of the tragedy of Karbala.Donaldson, Dwight M. (1933). The Shi'ite Religion: A History of Islam in Persia and Irak. London: Luzac. OCLC 459263076. So for that reason it is not really correct to divide the Battle of Karbala into "religious" or "political" since it involved both. There were clearly matters that today would be considered "political" such as succession (that is, it was not a battle over theology) while at the same time, as the previous response emphasized, it was not a ploy for power or this sort of thing. From the accounts of the Battle of Karbala, it is clear that matters both religious and political were discussed between both sides prior to the outbreak of fighting. Shurayh went in and looked at him. When Hani' saw Shurayh, he said, with blood flowing down his beard, “Oh what a God! Oh what Muslims! Has my clan been destroyed? Where are the people of religion? Where are the people of the town?” When he heard the tumult at the door of the palace he said, “I think those are the voices of Madhhij and my group of the Muslims. If ten of them got in, they would be able to rescue me.” Abu Thamama Saidi said to the Imam at about noon: "What a good thing it would be if we offer the noon prayers along with you before we are martyred!"

The message of Karbala is especially relevant to people struggling worldwide today, encouraging them to carry on believing that their sacrifice will indeed pay off in the future. Yes,” was the answer. “Then go to your people,” she said. But he was silent. She repeated it but he was still silent. A third time she said, “Glory be to God, servant of God, get up - may God give you health - (and go) to your people. For it is not right for you to sit at my door and I will not permit you to do it.” Calmard, Jean (2004). "Ḥosayn b. ʿAli II. In Popular Shiʿism". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Vol.7. Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation . Retrieved 11 August 2019. Get up and bring him to me immediately,” said Ibn Ziyad to (Muhammad Ibn al-Ashath), poking a cane into his side. He sent (Amr Ibn ) Ubayd Allah Ibn Abbas al-Sulam, with him, together with seventy men from the tribal group of Qays. Howard, I. K. A., ed. (1990). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XIX: The Caliphate of Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah, A.D. 680–683/A.H. 60–64. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-0040-1.

Bibliography

During the time of the Prophet (S), especially after the formation of the Muslim community in Medina, the Prophet handled matters that today would be considered both "religious" (like acts of worship) and "political" (like laws and the military). One can say a similar thing for many other pre-modern empires as well, which were not led by Muslims.

They continued to disperse so that by the time evening came and Muslim Ibn Aq'il prayed the evening prayer, he had only thirty men with him in the mosque. When he saw that it was evening and he only had that group with him, he left the mosque and headed for the gates of Kinda. He reached the gates with only ten of them (left) with him. When he left the gate, there was no one with him to guide him. He looked around but could see no one to guide him along the road, to show him to his house and to give him personal support if an enemy appeared before him. Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib, the magnanimous uncle of the Prophet of Allah was martyred in Uhud and he received the title of Doyen of Martyrs from Allah and His Prophet. However, if even his name is substituted for that of Imam Husayn it cannot be expected to create the same effect.

Tragedy of Karbala as reported by the Sunnis Part 1

Vaglieri, L. Veccia (1971). "(Al)-Ḥusayn b. 'Alï b. Abï Ṭālib". In Lewis, B.; Ménage, V. L.; Pellat, Ch.& Schacht, J. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume III: H–Iram (2nded.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp.607–615. OCLC 495469525.

After the third caliph Uthman's assassination by rebels in 656, the rebels and the townspeople of Medina declared Ali, a cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, caliph. Some of Muhammad's companions including Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan (then governor of Syria), and Muhammad's widow A'isha, refused to recognize Ali. They called for revenge against Uthman's killers and the election of a new caliph through shura (consultation). These events precipitated the First Fitna (First Muslim Civil War). [9] When Ali was assassinated by Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite, in 661, his eldest son Hasan succeeded him but soon signed a peace treaty with Mu'awiya to avoid further bloodshed. [3] In the treaty, Hasan was to hand over power to Mu'awiya on the condition that Mu'awiya be a just ruler and that he would not establish a dynasty. [10] [11] [12] [c] After the death of Hasan in 670, his younger brother Husayn became the head of the Banu Hashim clan to which the Islamic prophet Muhammad also belonged. [15] Though his father's supporters in Kufa gave him their allegiance, he would abide to the peace treaty between Hasan and Mu'awiya as long as the latter was alive. [3]

The betrayal of the Kufans

History has carried powerful accounts, notably of Bibi Zainab (AS), the younger sister of Imam Hussain (AS), for publicly rebuking Yazid and his followers. Zafir Malik serves as the Associate Editor of The Review of Religions, having graduated from Jamia Ahmadiyya UK – Institute of Modern Languages and Theology. He is also an Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and regularly appears as a panellist on MTA International and Voice of Islam radio station answering questions onIslam. Arjomand, Saïd A. (2016). Sociology of Shiʿite Islam: Collected Essays. Leiden: E. J. Brill. ISBN 978-9004326279. Nowhere in history is there another example of an iconic leader heading towards certain death while carrying along women and children of his household. Haywood, J. A. (1991). "Marthiya in Urdu literature". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.& Pellat, Ch. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume VI: Mahk–Mid (2nded.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp.610–612. ISBN 978-90-04-08112-3.