TheBattle of Karbalatook place onMuharram10, in the year 61AHof theIslamic calendar[2](October 10, 680)[8][9]inKarbala, in present dayIraq. The battle was between a small group of supporters and relatives ofMuhammads grandsonHussein ibn Ali, and a much larger military detachment from the forces ofYazid I, theUmayyadcaliph, whom Hussein had refusedto recognise. Hussein and all his supporters were killed, including Husseins six-month-old infant son,Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn, andthe women and children taken as prisoners. The dead are regarded asmartyrsby Muslims, and the battle has a central place inShiahistory and tradition, and has frequently been recounted in ShiaIslamic literature.The Battle of Karbala is commemorated during an annual 10-day period held every Muharram by the Shia as well as manySunnis, culminating on its tenth day,Ashura.Shias believe Hussains sacrifice was orderedbyGodand was necessary to awaken the ummah and stop Yazid hijacking Islam.[citation needed]Political backgroundSee also:Succession to MuhammadThe rule of the third Caliph,Uthman ibn Affan, concluded with a violent uprising. This uprising ended with the assassination of Uthman and for many days rebels seized and occupied the city ofMedina. Under the overwhelming pressure of theUmmah,Ali(Ali ibn Abu Talib) was elected as the fourth caliph with massive numbers of people swearing their allegiance to him. His immediate steps were to ensure the unity ofMuslims. He issued the orders of not attacking the rebels until order was restored.The governor ofSyria,Muawiyah, kinsman to the murdered caliph Uthman, refused allegiance to Ali and revolted against him, using his cousins unpunished murder as a pretext. This resulted in armed confrontations between the Islamic Caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib and Muawiyah. Practically, the Muslim world became divided. At the death of Ali ibn Abu Talib, his elder sonHasan ibn Alisucceeded him but soon signed a treaty with Muawiyah to avoid further bloodshed.[10]One of Muawiyahs most controversial and enduring legacies was his decision to designate his son Yazid as his successor.The appointment of Yazid was unpopular in Madina. Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60,Number 352, Narrated by Yusuf bin Mahak:Marwan had been appointed as the governor of Hijaz by Muawiya. He delivered a sermon and mentioned Yazid bin Muawiya so that the people might take the oath of allegiance to him as the successor of his father (Muawiya). Then Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr told him something whereupon marwan ordered that he be arrested. But Abdur-Rahman entered Aishas house and they could not arrest him. marwan said, It ishe (AbdurRahman) about whom Allah revealed this Verse: And the one who says tohis parents: Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me..? On that, Aisha said from behind a screen, Allah did not reveal anything from the Quran about us except what was connected with the declaration of my innocence (of the slander).Ibn Katheer wrote in his book the Al-Bidayahwan-Nihayah[11]that in the year 56 AH Muawiyah called on the people including those within the outlying territories to pledge allegiance to his son, Yazeed, to be his heir to the Caliphate after him. Almost allthe subjects offered their allegiance, with theexception of Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr (the son of Abu Bakr),Abdullah ibn Umar(the son of Umar), al-Husain bin Ali (the son of Ali), Abdullah bin Az-Zubair (The grandsonof Abu Bakr) and Abdullah ibn Abbas (Alis cousin). Because of this Muawiyah passed through al-Madinah on his way back from Makkah upon completion of his Umrah Pilgrimage where he summoned each one ofthe five aforementioned individuals and threatened them. The speaker who addressed Muawiyah sharply with the greatest firmness amongst them was Abdurrahman bin Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, while Abdullah bin Umar bin al-Khattab was the most soft spoken amongst them.Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr andAbdullah ibn Umarwere mid level Muslim commanders at theBattle of Yarmoukthat took Syria. Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr sisterAsmā bint Abu Bakralso fought in theBattle of Yarmoukand was opposed to Yazid.[12]Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr had been one of the first to duel in that battle, after taking a sword to hand over to a Qays bin Hubayrah who had lost his sword, while in a duel with the Roman Armys best horseman. Two more Roman horsemen then came forward saying We see no justice when two of you come against one of us. Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr replied I only came togive my companion a sword and then return.Were 100 of you to come out against one of us we would not be worried. You are now three men. I am enough to take on all three of you. After which he took down the Roman horsemen on his own.[13]After seeing this, Bannes the Roman general saidCaesar really knew these people best. I now know that a difficult situation is to come on you. If you do not attack them with great numbers, you will have no chance.Abdullahibn Umarhad also been a mid level commander in theBattle of Yarmouk. Some Roman soldiers went to the house of Abu al-Jaid a local Christian in az-Zura ah and after eating all the food, raped his wife and killed his son.[14]His wife complained to the roman general and he ignored her. Abu al-Jaid then went to the Muslims and told them that he knows the local area and if the Muslims exempt him and his descendents from taxes for ever he will help them defeat the Roman army.[14]He then took horse men led byAbdullah ibn Umarto the Roman camp at night and attacked them and then ran away. The Romans chased them and in the dark tens of thousands of them fell downa cliff at the an-Naqusah Creek into a river.[15]Abdullah bin Az-Zubair had also been a commander in various battles including in North Africa and was also involved in thesiege of Constantinople.Muawiyah then delivered a sermon, having stood these five men below the pulpit in full view of the people after which the people pledged allegiance to Yazeed as they stood in silence without displaying their disagreement or opposition for fear of beinghumiliated. Saeed bin Uthman bin Affan, the son of Uthman also criticized Muawiyah for putting forward Yazeed..[11]They tolerated Muawiyah but did not like Yazeed.In his written instructions to Yazid, Muawiyah suggested specific strategies for each one of them. Muawiyah warned Yazid specifically about Hussein ibn Ali, since he was the only blood relative of Muhammad.[16]`Abd Allah ibn `Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar did not want to start another civil war and wanted to wait. Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr challenged them and wentMeccawith Hussein. Hussein ibn Ali believed the appointment of Yazid as the heir of theCaliphatewould lead tohereditary kingship, which was against the original political teachings of Islam. Therefore, he resolved toconfront Yazid.[17]Muhammads prophecyAccording to thehadisbook complied by the Sunni scholarAl-Tabarani, Muhammad told his wifeUmm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya:Hazrat Gabrielinformed me that my grandson Hussain-ibne-Ali(R.A.) will be killedafter me in the land of al-Taff and brought me this Turbah (mudd/soil) and informed me that this is the soil of the place he will be martyred.[18]Events before the battleMuawiyah I died onRajab22, 60 AH (680 CE).In violation of Islamic tradition and his own written agreement with Hasan ibn Ali,[citation needed]Muawiyah I appointed his son Yazid as his successor, converting the caliphate into a dynasty. Few notables of the Islamic community were crucial to lending some legitimacy to this conversion of the caliphate into a dynasty,[19][20]even people like Said ibn Uthman[19]andAhnaf ibn Qais[20]denounced his caliphate.[16]Hussein ibn Ali was the most significant threat to this dynastic rule, since he was the only living grandson of theIslamic prophetMuhammad. Yazid instructed his Governor Walid in Medina to force Hussein ibn Ali to pledge allegiance to Yazid. Hussein refused it and uttered his famous words thatAnyone akin to me will never accept anyone akin to Yazid as a ruler. Hussein departed Medina on Rajab 28, 60 AH (680 CE), two days after Walids attempt to force him to submit to Yazid Is rule. He stayed in Mecca fr
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 17:05:20 +0000
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