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In the the last part , we explored the circumstances which forced Hussain ibn Ali to take a moral stance and take a stand against Yazid.
 

In the third part of the information pack we will look into the beginning of Hussain's uprising and his journey to Karbala.

The uprising

Hussain refused to pay allegiance to Yazid, the corrupt despot who had seized power. Yazid began a campaign of intimidation and threat of violence against Hussain and his supporters.

With his life under threat, Hussain sought refuge with family in the city of Mecca (in modern day Saudi Arabia) in hope that Yazid’s agents would respect the holy city. He used his stay in Mecca to plan his next move, and to garner support from the people by reminding them of their moral obligation towards fighting corruption.

“I have not risen to spread evil or to show off, nor for spreading immorality or oppression...I only desire to spread good values, and prevent evil.”

Word began to spread of Hussain's uprising and messages of support flooded in from across the empire, particularly from a city called Kufa (modern day Iraq). Kufa held strong significance as one of the most important cities within the empire.

Betrayal in Kufa

Thousands of letters expressing support were sent to Hussain from Kufa, and so he sent his cousin and close advisor, Muslim ibn Aqeel, to Kufa to gauge the situation.

Yazid became aware of Hussain's uprising and the people of Kufa's support for him, in response he sent a governor to brutally crack down any dissent. Threats were issued to anyone who showed support for Hussain, and subsequently Muslim ibn Aqeel was captured and beheaded.

The vast majority withdrew their promises of support toward's Hussain's uprising.

The journey to Karbala

Meanwhile, Hussain had already left his home and begun his journey towards Kufa. He had heard that government henchmen were on their way to extract an oath of allegiance from him by threat of death, and he was loath to see bloodshed in the holy city of Mecca.

He was accompanied only by his family and a close group of supporters. On his journey, Hussain would stop from town to town to gain support from the people, but very few joined him.

As Hussain got closer towards Kufa, he was intercepted and diverted by a battalion of soldiers to a land by the name of Karbala. Yazid's soldiers had been ordered to block Hussain from going any further.