Today I wanted to write about a man who, like Hussain, serves as an example for us in our daily lives. History is full of inspirational figures, but rarely do we see an entire family of piety. Hussain’s father Ali taught him the morals and values that are spoken about at length on this website. So let me tell you about Ali…

When I feel wronged by a person and angry, I often sit in my room and allow the rage to build, my eyes wandered across my bedroom wall where there are dozens of cards pasted there with scribbled quotes that I’ve come across and loved. One it particular stands out from the rest:

“Patience is for a person to bear that which befalls him and to suppress his anger with that which enrages him.”

Ali ibn Abi Talib.

In that moment I remembered what I had read once about Ali ibn Abi Talib in his final days. As he stood in prayer in the mosque of Kufa, a man waited in the shadows. As Ali prostrated, the assassin got up quickly unsheathing a sword he had hidden in his cloak and struck Ali on his head with a heavy blow. The mercenary’s attempt at fleeing failed as half of Ali’s companions rushed to help their leader while the other half surrounded the assassin and bound him tightly with ropes to prevent him from escaping. When they brought the man to Ali and he saw the ropes with which he was tied up cutting into his skin, Ali forgot his own pain and requested that the man be untied immediately and treated more humanely.

The assassin could not believe the mercy that was being shown to him by the man he had just fatally wounded. Ali was the leader of the time and he treated his killer with an enormous amount of dignity and respect. Ali’s justice was always tempered with mercy, even to the worst of his enemies.

A beautiful account about Ali’s character can be found in Thomas Carlyle’s book On Heroes, Hero Worship and the Heroic History. Thomas Carlyle observed:

“As for this young Ali, one cannot but like him. A noble minded creature, as he shows himself, now and always afterwards, full of affection, of fiery daring something chivalrous in him, brave as a lion, yet with a grace, truth and affection worthy of Christian knighthood. He died by assassination in the mosque at Kufa, death occasioned by his own generous fairness, confidence in the fairness of others.”

The justice and mercy Ali showed to even the man that dealt him a deadly blow is a remarkable example for us today. Only a man truly in full control of himself would be able to act the way he did. In Ali’s life he taught his son Hussain to live by the same moral and values as his father and that is what makes Hussain the inspiration that he is to us all today.

The ruler who extinguished a candle

The man was the ruler of a large domain, with great power at his disposal.  Yet despite the undoubted influence he wielded, he always demonstrated humility and an acute sense of right and wrong.

One day, the man was set at work.  A candle lit, he sat to undertake government business.  Two men arrived, informing the ruler they wished to consult him.  The ruler beckoned them in. Before proceeding, though, he extinguished his candle and lit another.

Undoubtedly bewildered, the duo are reported to have asked, “Why did you extinguish the candle?”

The ruler is said to have replied, “That [first] candle was bought with the state’s money.  And as long as I work for the state, I may use it.  But as you have come on personal business, I must use a candle paid from my own funds.”

This man was Ali ibn Abu Talib, the father of Hussain. 

Compassion and justice

Ali, the cousin of Muhammad, was a unique man, one about whom historians have waxed lyrical and poets penned couplets.  This brief anecdote of the extinguishing of a candle and lighting another encapsulates the very heart of Ali: justice, righteousness and unwavering integrity.

On many occasions – both before and during his government – Ali illustrated his uprightness.  He was renowned for his generosity to the impoverished, the ill and the destitute.  It is said he would stay awake late into the night, taking food and comfort to the needy, carrying heavy loads to ease their pains.  He would happily endure the discomfort of a parched tongue and empty stomach to relieve their woes.

Ali taught his friends and companions, many of whom looked to him for guidance, “Do not feel ashamed if the amount of charity is small because to refuse the needy is an act of greater shame.”  Even when Ali was the ruler of Arabia, he ate just enough to survive – often dry, hard bread and sour yoghurt.  When a citizen and companion – shocked and appalled when he learnt of this – asked why it was that Ali, chieftain of the land, did not enjoy the privileges of his office and eat more wholesome food, Ali dismissed his concern. How could it be that the leader of the land would enjoy greater privileges than a citizen?  How some Middle Eastern rulers and those exposed by the Panama Papers affair could learn from such principles today.

Many regard ‘justice’ as the ultimate byword for Ali’s legacy.  When a man stole Ali’s shield, Ali – overlord of Arabia – did not exact revenge, but filed a claim in the local court.  When the judge ruled in favour of the first man and Ali accepted the verdict, the man was so overwhelmed and surprised he repented, declaring himself a follower and subscriber of Ali

A model of best practice

So highly regarded was the justice and equity of this man’s government, that the United Nations incorporated numerous traditions of Ali ibn Abu Talib into a model of best practice in 2002.  Many rulers of today’s nation states would do well to take heed of such guidance, which ranges from how to collect tax fairly, dealing with the different classes of society and even to dealings with his political opponents and resist oppression.

In testimony to his legacy, to this day millions keep a copy of Ali ibn Abu Talib’s sermons, letters and teachings, collected in a compilation named Nahjul Balagha (“The Peak of Eloquence”), on their bookshelf.  

To this man of piety and virtue, equality as between peoples – regardless of their background, skin colour or privilege – was paramount.  He famously proclaimed, “A man is either your brother in faith – or your equal in humanity.”

1400 years after his passing, Ali is remembered as a man of great wisdom, knowledge, a gifted soldier and just leader.

“Live amongst people in such a manner that if you die they weep over you and if you are alive they crave for your company.”

Ali ibn Abu Talib

Ali ibn Abu Talib is buried in Najaf, Iraq, where annually millions of pilgrims from around the world of different faiths come to pay their respects.

in the name of ALLAH

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

In the name of ALLAH, Most Gracious , Most Merciful

الحمد لله رب العالمین

Praise be to God, Lord of the universe

الرحمن الرحیم

Most Gracious , Most Merciful

مالک یوم الدین

Master of the day of judgment

ایاک نعبد و ایاک نستعین

we worship you only , We ask you for help only

اهدنا صراط المستقیم

Guide us in the right path

صراط الذین انعمت علیهم غیر المغضوب علیهم والضالین

The path of those whom you blessed ,not of those who have deserved wrath,nor of the strayers

sound of sureh :

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001.Fatehe.mp3

The Day of Ashura marks the death anniversary of Hussain ibn Ali, a 7th century revolutionary leader who was killed in The Battle of Karbala. The Day of Ashura is mourned by millions across the world to remember Hussain’s valiant stand for social justice, against a corrupt tyrant called Yazid.

History of The Day of Ashura

Hussain ibn Ali was the grandson of Muhammad (the last prophet of Islam), born in 620 AD to a family famed for their values of love, honour and peace. Hussain was a leader who was known widely for his compassion, wisdom and integrity. Not long after the death of Muhammad, the Muslim empire had slid into political turmoil and corruption as Yazid (from the Ummayad dynasty) usurped power and slowly began destroying the moral fabric of society.

Yazid wanted Hussain to pay him an oath of allegiance in order to gain credibility for his illegal rule. Hussain out of moral obligation towards his principles of social justice and honour refused to do so, despite it being a risk to his life.

Hussain chose to make a stand, and began a small but mighty uprising – he chose to leave the comfort of his own city and begin a journey eastwards towards modern day Iraq. Hussain travelled with his family and 72 companions to make it clear that he did not want violence, but was prepared to defend himself and sacrifice all he had for the greater good of his people.

Hussain ibn Ali is buried today in the land of

Karbala, Iraq, where millions of visitors come

annually to pay homage to him.

Word reached Yazid of Hussain’s movement and out of fear it would gain momentum he dispatched an army of 30,000 to halt Hussain and his supporters in their tracks. They were blocked from moving further until Hussain pledged allegiance, but Hussain resisted. Yazid ordered his army to attack and kill Hussain and his supporters, on the 10th day of the first month of the Islamic calendar (Muharram) – which is known as The Day of Ashura (the 10th day).

Ashura and The Battle of Karbala

Hussain and his supporters had been stopped in the desert land of Karbala (in Iraq), where they had been denied access to water for 3 days. At dawn on the Day of Ashura, Hussain and his men made their prayers, knowing that what was ahead of them was certain defeat yet they all remained steadfast and loyal to their principles.

The battle of Karbala commenced at noon, small bands of men dispatched Hussain’s camp to go and fight valiantly against the army of Yazid. One after the other Hussain’s supporters fought and died until eventually Hussain had no one left to support his resistance.

Illustration of the battle map where

Hussain and his camp had been encircled

by an army of 30,000.

Hussain was fatigued, thirsty and heavily wounded having fought bravely against the enemy, until eventually he fell. The enemy forces attacked him from all sides with swords, spears and arrows until a man by the name of Shimr ruthlessly beheaded Hussain on the burning plains of Karbala.

The legacy of Ashura

Whilst Hussain died in the battle, he was victorious through his legacy. His actions and the stand he made at Karbala triggered a series of small uprisings against the tyrannical regime of Yazid which led to his eventual demise. Yazid’s army took the women and children from Hussain’s camp as war prisoners and marched from Iraq to Syria where they were held captive.

Hussain’s sister Zainab and his son Zain Al-Abideen, defied Yazid in his own courtyard in famous sermons which unnerved even his closest allies. Thereon, the remaining members of Hussain’s family spread the word to the people about the massacre which took place and the crimes that were committed on The Day of Ashura.

The Day of Ashura – a day of mourning

The Day of Ashura is mourned and remembered by millions of people across the world as the day Hussain and his supporters were killed in The Battle of Karbala. Today, pilgrims from all across the world visit the shrine of Hussain ibn Ali in Karbala where he is buried, to pay their tribute to his courageous stand.

On the day of Ashura many Muslims partake in large peaceful gatherings where they recite poems in memory of Hussain and his sacrifice whilst lamenting and beating their chest as a cultural tradition to display their grievance. Many people use the day of Ashura as a day to perform acts of kindness and charity as a way for them keep alive the very same principles and values Hussain gave his life for.

Hussain ibn Ali is remembered around the

world as a symbol of resistance who stood

for humanitarian values.

next time we will talk about the day of arbaeen

good luck guys

in the name of allah

this part is the summary of part 1 - 7 

No more than 50 years had passed since the death of Muhammad (the last Prophet of Islam) and the Muslim Empire was sliding into corruption under a tyrant from the Ummayad dynasty, Yazid.

Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad took a stand against Yazid’s illegitimate rule. Whilst Yazid was in equal parts feared and despised for his ruthlessness, Hussain was admired and respected by society at large. Mindful of this, Yazid decided that he would demand Hussain’s allegiance, hoping to gain some form of legitimacy for his inherited rule.

Hussain’s stand against tyranny.

Hussain had a choice to make. To endorse Yazid would no doubt mean a handsome reward and a life of luxury. To refuse would invariably lead to his own demise. What should he do? What would you or I do? For Hussain the choice between the easy thing and the right thing was no choice at all.

Hussain refused.

He said: “I will never give Yazid my hand like a man who has been humiliated, nor will I flee like a slave… I have not risen to spread evil or to show off… I only desire to enjoin good values and prevent evil.”

“I only desire tospread good values and prevent evil.”

– Hussain ibn Ali

The journey from Mecca to Kufa.

His life now under threat, Hussain decided to move himself and his family to Mecca in the hope that Yazid’s agents would respect the holy city. As he waited, pondering his next move, messages of support began to arrive from across the empire. He left for Kufa, a city in Iraq, but en route, he was intercepted by a battalion of Yazid’s soldiers, who blocked Hussain and his supporters from going towards Kufa and instead forcibly diverted towards the desert town of Karbala.

Once they reached Karbala, forces surrounded their small band and blocked their access to the water supply. With both camps stationed at Karbala, a stalemate ensued. Hussain had made it clear that he could not, and would not, bow to Yazid. The opposing forces of 30,000 soldiers, which vastly outnumbered Hussain’s small band of seventy-two men and their families, were under strict orders not to let Hussain leave.

After a week, word reached Hussain that Yazid had sent orders that he was not to be allowed to leave Karbala until he had taken an oath of allegiance. The end was drawing close.

Map of Hussain ibn Ali’s journey

from Mecca (modern day Saudi Arabia)

to Karbala (in Iraq).

The final stand of Hussain ibn Ali.

That night Hussain assembled his group, stressing to them that it was his life that Yazid wanted and that they might be able to escape. Again, Hussain’s selflessness shone through. There he stood, amongst his family and companions, all having been deprived of water in the scorching desert for three days, pleading with them to leave him and save themselves!

After a few days of this stalemate, the government forces were commanded to attack and kill Hussain and his companions. Hussain’s men were vastly outnumbered.  The hour for battle commenced, Hussain’s companions departed from their camp in small bands and one after the other – all fighting valiantly before being killed

Illustration of the battle map

where Hussain and his camp had been

encircled by an army of 30,000

Throughout the day the forces of Yazid asked Hussain for his allegiance, yet Hussain resisted. Eventually Hussain was alone with no one left to support him. Fatigued, thirsty, and heavily wounded, Hussain fell to the ground as the women and children looked on.

He too was killed mercilessly, yet he died holding on firmly to his principles.

Hussain ibn Ali’s death anniversary

is mourned annually on what’s referred

to as The Day of Ashura

Hussain’s victory and inspiring legacy.

After his death, the women and children from Hussain’s party were taken captive. His sister, Zainab, took up the mantle of leadership of the small band, and gave speech after speech condemning the actions of Yazid and his government, culminating in a confrontation in the ruler’s own court. Zainab was perhaps the first person to be inspired by Hussain’s stand, using it as a catalyst for change. She refused to be subdued and put her fear to one side so she could hold to account those responsible for the moral decay of society.

Millions of people from all walks of life

visit the resting place of Hussain and

his companions in Karbala, Iraq.

Despite the pervasive sexism of society at the time, Zainab managed to lead and inspire both men and women. Hussain’s example, that one man can stand alone against an army of thousands, inspired her to the point where she castigated and berated a murderous dictator in his own palace, laying the foundations for the eventual overthrow of  the Umayyad dynasty.

Today millions of people pay homage to Hussain ibn Ali for his stand and annually mourn the tragic Battle of Karbala in which Hussain, his family and loyal companions were brutally killed one by one. Pilgrims from all walks of life visit the Imam Hussain shrine to pay their respects in the city of Karbala, Iraq.

Around 20-25 million visit Hussain’s shrine on

‘Arbaeen’ day. It’s the largest peaceful

gathering in the world

next time we will talk about the largest peaceful gathering in the world

good luck

In th last part , we looked at Hussain's faith and how the religion of Islam served as the foundations for his uprising for social justice against Yazid.
 

In this part of the information pack we will take a closer look at the family of Hussain, the role they played in his uprising and how they can be seen as an inspiration for all humanity...

The Ahlulbayt

The Ahlulbayt which means 'the people of the house', refers to the family of Prophet Muhammad, in particular the following members:

• Prophet Muhammad - the last prophet of Islam
• Ali ibn Abu Talib - Prophet Muhammad's cousin, son-in-law and fourth Caliph
• Fatima bint Muhammad - Prophet Muhammad's daughter and wife of Ali
• Hassan ibn Ali - Ali and Fatima's eldest son and Hussain's elder brother
• Hussain ibn Ali - Ali and Fatima's son

Hussain's family played a pivotal role in the establishment of the religion of Islam, and were widely seen as the key figures of guidance amongst the Muslims. They all strived to establish good values in their society and all faced separate hurdles against oppressive rulers of their time.
 

Prophet Muhammad
 

Prophet Muhammad was born in 632 AD in Mecca, in modern day Saudi Arabia. He grew up in a society which was rife with issues such as racism, sexism and corruption. Muhammad was a trader and had a great reputation for being honest and truthful - something which was an exception in his time.

Muhammad received revelation of the Holy Qur'an as a young man, and in accordance with these revelations he rose up to reform his society and rid it of the evil values which had become prevalent. The religion of Islam was established after many years of struggle, in which Muhammad and his followers defended themselves against various attacks.

"Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith."
- Prophet Muhammad
 

Fatima bint Muhammad

After the death of Prophet Muhammad, his family were in position to lead society; however their role was quickly usurped and they were sidelined. Whilst they all spoke out against this violation and the corruption of moral values from society, they all adopted different methods in doing so.

Fatima spoke out boldly against the Caliph (leader) who had taken the role of Ali. Fatima died in mysterious circumstances after her house was attacked by supporters of the Caliph. She is seen as a role model for millions of women across the world as someone who upheld the values of modesty and speaking out against injustice.

"God commanded enjoining good and forbidding evil as a means for amendment and correction to society and the people"
- Fatima bint Muhammad
 

Ali ibn Abu Talib

During the life of the Prophet and early days of Islam, Ali has rose to fame as a brave warrior and man of justice, charity and integrity. After the passing of Muhammad, Ali chose to adopt a position of patience in the matter in order to avoid fragmenting society into a civil war.

Ali ibn Abu Talib was given the role of leadership by popular demand after 3 caliphs before him had passed. He was however embroiled in several wars as political opponents wanted to overthrow him and his government; despite this Ali established a government that was based on the values of social justice, and uprooted much of the widespread corruption that had spread.

However, Ali was killed whilst in prayer in the city of Kufa - the same city which Hussain sough to migrate towards to launch his uprising against Yazid.

"He who angers you, controls you."
- Ali ibn Abu Talib
 

Hassan ibn Ali

Hassan was the eldest of Ali and Fatima's son, and was a recognised figure amongst all Muslims, as he was given the title of 'Leader of the Youth in Paradise' alongwith his brother Hussain. Shortly after the killing of his father Ali, a ruler by the name of Muawiyya of the Ummayad Dynasty in Damascus had ceased power. Muawiyya has previously launched several military attacks on Ali during his leadership.

Hassan opposed Muawiyya for several years, however Hassan found that he did not have enough support amongst the people to overthrow him. He made a treaty with Muawiyya that would ensure that he was not to pass on power to his son Yazid after his passing. But Muawiyya violated the terms of the agreement, and has Hassan assassinated by way of poison. 

"Befriend people in the same manner you would like them to befriend you."
- Hassan ibn Ali
 

Hussain ibn Ali

Some time after Hassan, Hussain's elder brother had been killed, Muawwiya passed away and in stark violation of the treaty forged by Hassan - he passed on power to his son Yazid. Hussain out of moral obligation refused to pay allegiance to Yazid, which led to his uprising and subsequent Battle of Karbala in which he was martyred.

"The most generous of people, is the one who gives to those whom he has no hope of gaining anything in return."
- Hussain ibn Ali
 

Why are the Ahlulbayt a source of inspiration for humanity?

The Ahlulbayt lived their lives by principles of spreading good values and preventing evil. They all in their own way sacrificed their lives in doing so, and remain heroes in history for their service to society and humanity.

They all sought to establish social justice, through charity, compassion and integrity. The Ahlulbayt imparted their wisdom to as many people as they could throughout their lives and their teachings and sayings serve as a foundation for millions of people across the world on a daily basis.

Regardless of whatever religion, class or creed you may be from - what they stood for is universal, and if we could take even just a few lessons from their lives to implement in our own, the world would surely be a brighter place for everyone.

In the the last part , we looked at the aftermath of The Battle of Karbala and how Hussain's legacy continues to inspire millions around the world.
 

In this part of the information pack we will look at the role of Hussain ibn Ali's faith and how we can all draw lessons from it.

Hussain ibn Ali's faith

Hussain ibn Ali's grandfather was Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam. He grew up as in close proximity to his grandfather and inherited many of the great characteristics of Muhammad. Hussain was a devout Muslims and was known for his religiousness, wisdom and piety. He upheld the true values of Islam.

Islam was a religion that came about at a time of great moral corruption in society, where human rights were routinely violated and respect amongst the society was gifted only to those who were the richest and powerful. Islam came to reverse this and to establish values of honour, integrity, compassion and equality.

Islam spread fast throughout the lands of Arabia and across the world until today, where it is still the fastest growing religion. It is because Islam upholds values and principles such as dignity for all in society, regardless of their class, colour or creed. It was these values that Hussain rose to uphold and ensure that Yazid was not able to erode them.

Islam: A Catalyst for Social Justice

Islam is a religion which seeks to establish social justice across all social institutions regardless of class, colour or creed. Prophet Muhammad spent his life establishing strong reforms across his society to ensure that justice was upheld at all levels.

The religion of Islam encourages humanity to speak out against injustice, oppression and corruption and to strive towards a society based on respect, honour and dignity. It was this fundamental values which Hussain stood for in the face of Yazid.

The Sermon of Mina

Before departing for his journey to Kufa, Hussain famously gave a sermon to the people where he said the following:

"God mentions the duty of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil before all other duties, because He knows that if it is performed and is established in the society all other duties, the easy and the difficult, will also become established."

"The reason for this is that enjoining the good and forbidding the evil means summoning people to Islam, as well as resistance against injustice, opposing and struggling against oppressors, and endeavoring to ensure that public wealth and income derived from war are distributed in accordance with the just laws of Islam, and that taxes are collected, levied and expended in due and proper form."

"O God! You know that everything we did was not prompted by rivalry for political power, nor for a search for wealth and abundance; rather it was done to demonstrate to men the shining principles and values of Your religion, to reform the affairs of Your land, to protect and secure the indisputable rights of Your oppressed servants, and to act in accordance with the duties You have established and the norms, laws, and ordinances You have decreed."

The next part of the information pack will look at how Hussain's family and their role in laying down the foundation for Hussain's uprising and how all of humanity can draw inspiration from them.

The last part looked at the events of The Day of Ashura, the day on which Hussain and his small number of supporters were massacred in The Battle of Karbala. 

This part will look at what lessons we can draw from Hussain's sacrifice and continuing legacy...
 

The aftermath of Ashura

Whilst Hussain died in the battle, he was victorious through his legacy. His actions and the stand he made at Karbala triggered a series of small uprisings against the tyrannical regime of Yazid which led to his eventual demise. Yazid’s army took the women and children from Hussain’s camp as war prisoners and marched from Iraq to Syria where they were held captive.

Hussain’s sister Zainab and his son Zain Al-Abideen, defied Yazid in his own courtyard in famous sermons which unnerved even his closest allies. Thereon, the remaining members of Hussain’s family spread the word to the people about the massacre which took place and the crimes that were committed on The Day of Ashura.

Hussain ibn Ali's epic legacy

Till today, any positive change in society can always be traced back to one person, or a group of people, who stood up in the face of injustice and suffered for it. In recent history, Martin Luther King and Gandhi are but two examples of people who dedicated themselves to a difficult path in the face of much opposition and oppression.

Yet on a much smaller scale, we all face daily challenges in our lives, where we need to make a stand against some form of oppression and injustice; at work, in social situations or even at home. Like Hussain, we too have a choice: the easy way or the right way. It is our choices that determine our legacy, just as it was Hussain’s choices that determined his.

Ultimately, Hussain’s stand was more for the people and society in general than for himself. He was a man of status and influence, who was unaffected by the corruption and sleaze of the government in his day-to-day life. His own interests would have been served by accepting a generous bribe, and his life would have been preserved. Society’s interests, however, were best served by his stand for the rights of the voiceless, the poor and the weak; by his sacrifice.

In the the last part , we looked into the beginning of Hussain's uprising and his journey towards Karbala were he has been blocked from moving forward by Yazid's army.
 

In this part of the information pack we will explore the epic finale of Hussain's uprising and The Battle of Karbala. 

Hussain's compassion

After Hussain and his small group of supporters had been intercepted, they were diverted to a land called Karbala. On this journey, Hussain noticed that Yazid's men - led by a man called Hurr - had ran out of water.

Hussain ordered his men to share their water to the enemy forces and their horses. Hurr was deeply moved by this act of mercy and this single act led to Hurr eventually switch sides to Hussain's movement a few days later.

Once they reached Karbala, an army of 30,000 surrounded their small band and penned them in. In a cruel twist of irony, blocking their access to the water supply. The walls were closing in.

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.