Husayn ibn Ali

Lore & Background

Husayn was born on 11 January 626 in Medina and was still a child when his grandfather Muhammad died. During the caliphate of Ali, Husayn accompanied his father in the military campaigns of the First Fitna. After Ali's assassination, he obeyed his brother Hasan in recognizing the Hasan–Mu'awiya peace treaty, despite being suggested to do otherwise. After Hasan's death, the people of Kufa turned to Husayn and called for an uprising, but he instructed them to wait as long as Mu'awiya remained alive, in accordance with Hasan's peace treaty. Prior to his death, Mu'awiya appointed his son Yazid as his successor, violating the treaty. When Mu'awiya died in 680, Yazid demanded that Husayn pledge allegiance, but Husayn refused and left Medina for Mecca. While in Mecca, the people of Kufa sent him numerous letters inviting him to become their Imam. Husayn sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqil to assess the situation, and after a favorable report, he traveled toward Kufa with about 72 men. His caravan was intercepted by a 1,000-strong Umayyad army and forced to camp at Karbala on 2 October, where a larger army of 4,000–30,000 arrived. Negotiations failed after the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad refused safe passage unless Husayn submitted, a condition he rejected. The Battle of Karbala ensued on 10 October, during which Husayn was killed and beheaded along with most of his family and companions, while survivors were taken captive to Kufa and then Damascus.

Reader's Guide

The Battle of Karbala finalized the Shia–Sunni schism and gave the Alids their own religious identity, playing a significant role in the development and consolidation of what became Shia Islam. It holds a central place in Shia history, tradition, and theology, and has frequently been recounted in Islamic literature. Husayn's suffering and martyrdom became a symbol of sacrifice in the struggle for right against wrong, and for justice and truth against injustice and falsehood. His martyrdom is commemorated during the annual ten-day mourning period of Muharram by millions of Muslims, especially Shia Muslims, culminating on the tenth day known as Ashura, the day when Husayn was killed. Every year on this day, over 35 million people in Karbala alone commemorate his death. Mourners hold large public processions, organise religious gatherings, beat their chests, and in some cases self-flagellate. Husayn and his companions are widely regarded as martyrs by all Muslims. The Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq, is a profoundly holy site in Shia Islam, alongside the Shrine of his half-brother Abbas. The main event is the Arba'in pilgrimage, where up to 40 million visit the shrines, most traveling on foot from around Iraq and nearly 60 countries. The battle was followed by the Second Fitna, during which the people of Kufa organized two campaigns to avenge Husayn's killing: first by the Tawwabin, and then by Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, who ruled over much of Iraq and parts of northwestern Iran for eighteen months and killed several figures responsible for Husayn's death.

Did You Know?

• Muhammad named Husayn himself, even though Ali had other names like 'Harb' in mind.
• Islamic tradition holds that Husayn is mentioned in the Torah as 'Shubayr' and in the Gospels as 'Tab'.
• Muhammad gave a small bottle of soil to Umm Salama and told her it would turn into blood after Husayn was killed.
• Ali interpreted the name Karbala as 'karb' (anguish) and 'bala' (calamity) after passing through the area.
• Over 35 million people commemorate Husayn's death in Karbala alone every year on Ashura.

Sacred Lineage and Early Years

Most narrations report that Husayn was born on the 3rd of Sha'ban 4 AH (11 January 626) in Medina and was still a child when his grandfather Muhammad died. He was the younger son of Ali and Fatima, both from the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe. Both Hasan and Husayn were named by Muhammad, although Ali had other names like 'Harb' in mind. Muhammad sacrificed a ram to celebrate Husayn's birth, and Fatima shaved his head and donated the same weight of his hair in silver as alms. Islamic traditions hold that Husayn is mentioned in the Torah as 'Shubayr' and in the Gospels as 'Tab'. Husayn was raised in Muhammad's household during his early years. In events such as Mubahala and the hadith of the Ahl al-Kisa, Muhammad referred to this family as the Ahl al-bayt. Madelung notes numerous narrations showing Muhammad's love for Hasan and Husayn, such as carrying them on his shoulders or putting them on his chest and kissing them on their bellies. A widely reported hadith in Sunan al-Tirmidhi states: 'Hasan and Husayn are the masters of the youth of Paradise. Whoever loves them loves me and whoever hates them hates me. Husayn is from me, and I am from Husayn. God loves whoever loves Husayn. Indeed, Husayn is the Lamp of Guidance and the Ark of Salvation.' Muhammad also reported the Karbala incident on several occasions, giving a small bottle of soil to Umm Salama and telling her the soil would turn into blood after Husayn was killed. Ali also knew Husayn would be killed in Karbala, and once passed by the area, stopped and cried, interpreting Karbala as 'karb' (anguish) and 'bala' (calamity).

Political Conviction and the March from Medina

During the caliphate of Ali, Husayn accompanied his father in the military campaigns of the First Fitna. After the assassination of Ali, he obeyed his brother in recognizing the Hasan–Mu'awiya peace treaty, despite being suggested to do otherwise. Under the treaty, Hasan ceded the caliphate to Mu'awiya on the condition that he rule in compliance with the Quran and the Sunnah, a council should appoint his successor, and Hasan's supporters would receive amnesty. During the nine-year period of Hasan's abdication, Hasan and Husayn withdrew to Medina, seeking to remain removed from political involvement. After Hasan's death, the people of Kufa turned to Husayn and called for an uprising, but he instructed them to wait as long as Mu'awiya remained alive, in accordance with Hasan's peace treaty. Prior to his death, Mu'awiya appointed his son Yazid as his successor, violating the treaty and making the caliphate hereditary. When Mu'awiya died in 680, Yazid demanded that Husayn pledge allegiance, but Husayn refused and questioned the legitimacy of his rule. He left Medina in 679 and took refuge in Mecca. While in Mecca, the people of Kufa sent him numerous letters, inviting him to Kufa, asking him to become their Imam, and pledging their allegiance. Husayn first sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqil to Kufa to assess the situation, and after receiving a favorable report, he accepted their invitation and traveled toward the city with about 72 men, including his family members and close companions.

The Confrontation at Karbala

On his way to Kufa, Husayn's caravan was intercepted by a 1,000-strong army of the Umayyad Caliphate at some distance from Kufa. He was forced to head north and camp in the plain of Karbala on 2 October, where a larger Umayyad army of 4,000–30,000 arrived soon afterwards. Negotiations failed after the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad refused to grant Husayn safe passage unless he submitted to his authority, a condition Husayn rejected. The Battle of Karbala ensued on 10 October, during which Husayn was brutally killed and beheaded along with most of his family members and companions, while the surviving members of his family were taken captive and brought first to Kufa and then to Damascus. The battle finalized the Shia–Sunni schism and was followed by the Second Fitna, during which the people of Kufa organized two campaigns to avenge the killing of Husayn: first by the Tawwabin, and the other by the revolutionary Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, who ruled over much of Iraq and parts of northwestern Iran for eighteen months and killed several figures responsible for Husayn's death.

Martyrdom, Memory, and the Shape of a Faith

The Battle of Karbala gave the Alids their own religious identity and played a significant role in the development and consolidation of what became Shia Islam. It holds a central place in Shia history, tradition, and theology, and has frequently been recounted in Islamic literature. Husayn's suffering and martyrdom became a symbol of sacrifice in the struggle for right against wrong, and for justice and truth against injustice and falsehood. His martyrdom is commemorated during the annual ten-day mourning period of Muharram by millions of Muslims, especially Shia Muslims, culminating on the tenth day known as Ashura, the day when Husayn was killed. Every year on this day, over 35 million people in Karbala alone commemorate Husayn's death. Countless mourners around the world hold large public processions, organise religious gatherings, beat their chests and in some cases self-flagellate. Husayn and his companions are widely regarded as martyrs by all Muslims. The Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq, is a profoundly holy site in Shia Islam. Alongside his shrine stands the Shrine of Abbas, Husayn's half-brother, standard-bearer, and one of his principal supporters. The main event is the Arba'in pilgrimage, where up to 40 million visit the shrines. Most of the pilgrims travel on foot and come from all around Iraq and nearly 60 countries. While rooted in Shia Islam, the Arba'in pilgrimage has emerged as a symbol of interfaith engagement, increasingly attracting participants from various religious backgrounds, including Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Yazidis, and Zoroastrians. Arba'in is the largest annual public gathering on earth.

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