Muharram

The 10th Night (Part 1/3)

And so the Battle of Karbala begins

Where you can read about it online >>

https://www.al-islam.org/articles/karbala-chain-events

https://www.al-islam.org/understanding-karbala-sayyid-saeed-akhtar-rizvi

I'll put up book titles later that you can buy or look up to read about the Battle of Karbala, Imam Hussain's death, Ashura

So, last chapter ended with Imam Hussain ibn Ali (as) giving his companions, his brothers, and nephews a speech

Some who joined for only their advantage left, but those who joined for truth stayed to fight with Imam Hussain (as) and for Islam, to be martyred the next morning

Finally, the day of Ashuraa dawned upon the soil of Karbala. It was the day when Jihad would be in full bloom, blood would be shed, 72 innocent lives would be sacrificed, and a decisive battle would be won to save Islam and the Ummah.

It had been a few days since the water supply was cut off by the enemy. Children were crying for water, the women were desperate for water, Zainul-Abideen, the son of Imam Husayn (a.s.) was sick with fever. The suffering from the thirst was too painful to bear. And despite this, not a single person in the camp made any complaints or even questioned the mission of Imam Husayn. Each member supported the Imam wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.

Next morning Imam Husayn (a.s.) went out of the camp and saw Umar Ibn Sa'ad mobilizing his troops to start the hostility. He stared at the intimidating army, and as large as it was Imam Husayn showed no signs of compromise. Imam Husayn raised his hands in prayer

Before the actual engagement was to take place, Hurr, the previous commander of the enemy force, felt his conscience violently stirring, he was in turmoil. Upon realizing the gravity of the situation, he suddenly broke away from Umar Ibn Sa'ad's camp (along with two others). They rushed toward Imam Husayn (a.s.) to join his camp.

Hurr's heart was jumping with joy, his mind relieved of an agonizing tension. Hurr's defection worried Umar Ibn Sa'ad very much, lest others do the same and defect. So Umar Ibn Sa'ad threw an arrow in the air to indicate the start of the battle. This was the outset of a catastrophe and a tragic event that Mu'awiya had once conceived to happen.

(Keep in mind, Hurr is Yazid's son, the general/commander of the army, and he switched sides to join Imam Hussain (as), because he chose 'heaven over hell')