Imam al-Husayn b. Ali (a): Difference between revisions

  |cause of martyrdom = at the [[Battle of Karbala]]

There are few reports about his life in the three decades after the demise of the Prophet (s). In the period of the caliphate of Imam 'Ali (a) he accompanied his father and participated in the battles of [[Battle of Siffin|Siffin]], [[Battle of Jamal|Jamal]], and [[Battle of Nahrawan|Nahrawan]] alongside his father. After the demise of Imam 'Ali (a), he followed and supported [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]]. He confirmed the [[treaty between Imam al-Hasan (a) and Mu'awiya]]. Even after the martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan (a), Imam al-Husayn (a) adhered to the treaty until the [[Mu'awiya]]'s death. In response to letters from Kufa which invited him to lead an uprising against Mu'awiya he ordered patience until the time of Mu'awiya's death.

The imamate of Imam al-Husayn (a) coincided with the rule of Mu'awiya, who supposedly respected the Imam (a) but, at the same time, took pleasure in weakening and subjugating the Shi'a. Imam al-Husayn (a) rebuked Mu'awiya in several cases, he wrote Mu'awiya a letter, condemning him for the murder of [[Hujr b. Adi]]. In another occasion, when Mu'awiya introduced Yazid as his successor, Imam al-Husayn (a) refused to pay allegiance to him, calling him unfit for leadership and proclaimed himself as the rightful leader of the ummah. The [[sermon of the Imam (a) in Mina]] can also be regarded as a political lecture against the Umayyads.  

For fear of revenge from Yazid's army, the people of Kufa reneged on their promises to support the Imam (a). As as result, The [[Battle of Karbala]] took place on the [[Day of 'Ashura']]. Imam (a) along with a handful of his companions (around [[Martyrs of Karbala|seventy-two]]) were martyred and the remaining companions were taken as prisoners to Kufa and [[Syria]].

The martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) has had a deep impact on Muslims in general and on the Shi'a in particular; it has been a source of inspirations for various resistance movements and revolutions throughout history.

His Teknonym was Abu Abd Allah<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 27; Ibn Abī Shayba, ''al-Muṣannaf'', vol. 8, p. 65.</ref> which, like his name, was given by the Prophet (s) when the al-Husayn was a child.<ref>''Mawsu'at kalimat Imam al-Husayn'', p. 38</ref> Also, Imam al-Husayn (a) was known by other kunyas, Abu Ali, Abu l-Shuhada [father of the martyrs], Abu l-Ahrar [father of the free-minded], and Abu al-Mujahidin [father of the fighters (on the way of God)].<ref>Muḥaddithī, ''Farhang-i ʿĀshūrā'', p. 39.</ref>

Many titles have been attributed to Imam al-Husayn (a), and some of them are as the same as the titles associated with his brother, [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]], like Sayyid Shabab Ahl al-Janna (master of the youth of the paradise). Al-Zaki, al-Tayyib, al-Wafi, al-Sayyid, al-Mubarak, al-Nafi', al-Dalil Ala Dhat Allah, al-Rashid, and al-Tabi' li-Mardat Allah are among the special titles of Imam al-Husayn (a).<ref>Ibn Abī l-Thalj, ''Tārīkh al-aʾimma'', p. 28.</ref> Ibn Talha al-Shafi'i reports "al-Zaki" as the most popular title and "Sayyid Shabab Ahl al-Janna" as the most important of the Imam's (a) titles.<ref>Ibn Shahrāshūb, ''Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib'', vol. 4, p. 86.</ref> In some [[Shi'a]] hadiths, Imam al-Husayn (a) is referred to as al-Shahid or [[Sayyid al-Shuhada]].<ref>Ibn Qūlawayh, ''Kāmil al-zīyārāt'', p. 216-219; Ṭūsī, ''Amālī'', p. 49-50.</ref> [[Thar Allah]] and [[Qatil al-'Abarat]] are other titles which are mentioned in some [[ziyarah text]]s.<ref>Ibn Qūlawayh, ''Kāmil al-zīyārāt'', p. 176.</ref>

Imam al-Husayn (a) was born in [[Medina]]. While some have recorded that he (a) was born in 3/625,<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 463; Ṭūsī, ''Tahḍīb al-aḥkām'', vol. 6, p. 41.</ref> the most preferred account among historians and scholars is that his birth was in [[4]]/626.<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 246; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 27; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 2, p. 555.</ref> There is no consensus regarding the day the Imam (a) was born but it is believed it was most likely on [[Sha'ban 3]].<ref>Ibn Ṭāwūs, ''Iqbāl al-aʿmāl'', p. 689-690; Ṭūsī, ''Miṣbāḥ al-mutahajjid'', p. 826-828.</ref> Al-Mufid mentioned his birth on Sha'ban 5.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 27.</ref>

| [[Shahrbanu]] || daughter of Yazdgird the king of Iran || [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]] || Contemporary researchers doubt this,<ref>Motahharī, ''Khadamāt-i mutaqābil-i Iran wa Islām'', p. 131-133.</ref> in some reports she is mentioned as Sindiyya, Ghazala, and Shah-i Zanan

Ya'li al-Amiri narrated from the Prophet (s) that, "Al-Husayn is of me and I am of al-Husayn, God loves who loves him; [[al-Hasan]] and al-Husayn are two sons among the sons [of prophets]."<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 142ک Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 10, p. 385.</ref>

It is reported in some sources that one of the early days of the caliphate of Umar, al-Husayn (a) entered [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] where he (a) saw Umar giving a speech on the pulpit of the Prophet (s). So, he (a) stepped up the pulpit and told him, "Come down from the pulpit of my father and go sit on the pulpit of your father!" Umar was astounded at this statement and said, "My father did not have a pulpit!"<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 10, p. 394; Ibn Shahrāshūb, ''Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib'', vol. 4, p. 40; Dhahabī, ''Tārīkh al-Islām'', vol. 5, p. 100.</ref> There is reports about the special respect of the second caliph for al-Husayn (a).<ref>Ibn ʿAsākir, ''Tārīkh madīnat Damascus'', vol. 14, p. 175; Sibṭ b. al-Jawzī, ''Tadhkirat al-khawāṣ'', p. 212.</ref>

It is reported that when people paid allegiance to Imam Ali (a), al-Husayn (a) delivered a speech.<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 10, p. 121.</ref> During the [[Battle of Jamal]], he was the commander of the left part of his father's army.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Jamal'', p. 348; Dhahabī, ''Tārīkh al-Islām'', vol. 3, p. 485.</ref> In the [[Battle of Siffin]], he delivered a speech, encouraging people to jihad,<ref>Naṣr b. Muzāhim, ''Waqʿat al-ṣiffīn'', p. 114-115.</ref> and became the commander of the warriors of the right arm of the army.<ref>Ibn Shahrāshūb, ''Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib'', vol. 4, p. 86; Ibn Aʿtham, ''al-Futūḥ'', vol. 3, p. 24.</ref> However [[al-Hasanayn (a)]]'s role in Siffin was limited, according to sources that allude to Imam Ali (a)'s preference not to involve his sons in the fighting only to protect them, in one occasion, it is reported that in this battle al-Husayn (a) was present in a successful attempt to reclaim the control of water, which Imam Ali (a) later described the act as the first success achieved due to sheer blessing given upon the presence of al-Husayn.<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 44, p. 266.</ref> Reports that al-Husayn (a) participated in the [[Battle of Nahrawan]] also exist.<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 3, p. 939.</ref>

Al-Husayn (a) had the utmost respect for his brother. It is reported, for instance, that if Imam al-Hasan (a) was present in a session, al-Husayn (a) would not speak.<ref>Ibn Shahrāshūb, ''Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib'', vol. 3, p. 401; Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 291.</ref> After the martyrdom of Imam Ali (a) a group of [[Khawarij]], who did not want to give up fighting against the Syrians, refused to pay allegiance to Imam al-Hasan (a) and came to al-Husayn (a) to choose him as their leader. He told them, "God forbid that I accept your allegiance while al-Hasan (a) is alive."<ref>Ibn Qutayba, ''al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa'', vol. 1, p. 59.</ref> When Imam al-Hasan (a) made [[Peace agreement between Imam Hasan (a) and Mu'awiya|peace with Mu'awiya]], al-Husayn (a) defended his brother's decision against the people who opposed it.<ref>Dīnawarī, ''al-Akhbār al-ṭiwāl'', p. 221.</ref> He stated that al-Hasan (a) "is my Imam."<ref>Ṭūsī, ''Ikhtīyār maʿrifat al-rijāl'', p. 110.</ref> It is reported that when the peace treaty was made, Imam al-Husayn (a), like his brother, paid allegiance to Mu'awiya.<ref>Ṭūsī, ''Ikhtīyār maʿrifat al-rijāl'', p. 110.</ref> He remained faithful to the treaty after the martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan (a).<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 32.</ref> There are, however, some reports indicating that al-Husayn (a) did not pay allegiance to Mu'awiya and was not pleased with the treaty,<ref>Ibn ʿAsākir, ''Tārīkh madīnat Damascus'', vol. 13, p. 267; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 160.</ref> but, considering the evidence against such reports, scholars have regarded them as unreliable.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa sīyāsī-yi aʾimma'', p. 157-158.</ref> According to reliable reports, at the time of the treaty of Imam al-Hasan (a) and Mu'awiya, some followers of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] asked al-Husayn (a) to oppose this political peace treaty and stand against Mu'awiya. However, he (a) firmly supported his brother's treaty. When [[Qays b. Sa'd]] asked al-Husayn's (a) view on the treaty, he (a) openly shared his support for Imam al-Hasan's (a) decision. After the peace treaty was signed, al-Husayn (a) returned to [[Medina]] and remained there.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 165.</ref>

Imam al-Husayn (a) became the Imam of the Shi'a after the martyrdom of his brother in 50/670, and his imamate continued until 61/680. In addition to general proofs, Shiite scholars mention specific proofs for the imamate of each Imam (a).<ref>Ṣadūq, ''Iʿtiqādāt'', p. 104; Ibn Bābawayh, ''al-Imāma wa l-tabṣara'', p. 104.</ref> Al-Shaykh al-Mufid has mentioned a number of proofs for the imamate of Imam al-Husayn (a) in his ''[[al-Irshad]]'', including a hadith of the [[Prophet (s)]] says, "These two sons of mine are Imams, be they sitting or standing",<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 30.</ref> and it is further proof of the [[Imamate]] of al-Hasan (a) and al-Husayn (a).

Like the [[three caliphs]], [[Mu'awiya]] pretended to revere Imam al-Husayn (a) because he knew that Imam al-Husayn (a) held a respected position among people of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]]; the ill-treatment of Imam (a) would not go unnoticed. However, Mu'awiya regarded Imam (a) as an obstacle in the way of his government, and it worried him. On one hand, he did not disregard Imam's (a) position; he pretended to esteem and respect him and also ordered his agents not to disrespect the Prophet's (s) grandson. On the other hand, he kept Imam al-Husayn (a) under constant and daily surveillance to monitor his private and public life in the city and in travel. Mu'awiya never attempted to keep the surveillance a secret from Imam al-Husayn, so he (a) would not consider rising against him.

Contrary to his peace treaty with Imam al-Hasan (a), Mu'awiya called the people in 56/676 to pay allegiance to Yazid as his successor.<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 8, p. 79.</ref> Some figures, such as Imam al-Husayn (a) refused to pay allegiance to Yazid, so Mu'awiya went to [[Medina]] to convince them to do so.<ref>Ibn Qutayba, ''al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa'', vol. 1, p. 204.</ref> In a session that Mu'awiya held for that purpose, Imam al-Husayn (a) rebuked Mu'awiyah, warned him against taking such a measure, considering especially the corrupt character of Yazid, and emphasized his own place and right to take the leadership of the ummah.<ref>Ibn Qutayba, ''al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa'', vol. 1, p. 208-209.</ref>  

Yazid succeeded his father when the latter died in [[Rajab 15]], 60/[[April 21]], 680.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 155; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 32.</ref> He decided to force a number of noble figures, including Imam al-Husayn (a), who had refused to pay allegiance to him to do so.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 338.</ref> However, the Imam (a) refused to pay allegiance again<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 33.</ref> and left Medina in [[Rajab 28]]th to Mecca. <ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 160; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 34.</ref>

In Mecca, he was received warmly by the people.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 156; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 36.</ref> He stayed there more than four months (from Sha'ban 3rd until [[Dhu l-Hijja 8]]th).<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 66.</ref> During this time, the Shiites of [[Kufa]], who learned about the Imam's (a) rejection of paying allegiance to Yazid, wrote him [[Letters of People of Kufa to Imam al-Husayn (a)|letters]], inviting him to Kufa.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 157-159; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 36-38.</ref> In order to ascertain the loyalty of the Kufans, the Imam (a) sent [[Muslim b. Aqil]] to Kufa to see the circumstances and report back to him. After being welcomed by the people and receiving their vows of allegiance, Muslim b. Aqil wrote a letter to the Imam (a) and affirmed that Kufa was ready to receive him.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 41.</ref> Thus, the Imam (a) started his travel from Mecca to Kufa in Dhu l-Hijja 8th.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 3, p. 160; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 66.</ref>

He used to sit with the poor, accepted their invitations, ate with them, invited them to his house, and never hesitated in giving charity.<ref>Ibn ʿAsākir, ''Tārīkh madīnat Damascus'', vol. 14, p. 181; Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 10, p. 411.</ref> If a beggar asked him for help while he (a) was praying, he (a) tried to recite the remainder of his [[prayer]] quickly in order to give the beggar what he (a) had.<ref>Ibn ʿAsākir, ''Tārīkh madīnat Damascus'', vol. 14, p. 185.</ref>  

It is reported that Imam al-Husayn (a) spent the land, and whatever he (a) inherited before he (a) received them in the way of God. He (a) gave his ring and paid the full debt of a man in return for answers to three questions. His generosity was to the extent that a Jewish couple became Muslim when they saw this merit of his. Regarding his forbearance, it is reported that when a man from [[Syria]] insulted him and his father, Imam al-Husayn (a) forgave him and treated him with kindness. It is also said that the lasting marks of the bags of food he (a) carried for the orphans and the poor was clearly seen on his back among his multiple wounds after his martyrdom.

With the emergence of Shiite dynasties, mourning rituals for Imam al-Husayn (a) became officially recognized,<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 11, p. 183.</ref> and various rituals such as [[chest-beating]] and [[ta'ziya]] developed. Reciting supplications such as [[Ziyarah Ashura']] and [[Ziyarah al-Warith]], whether individually or congregationally, were also among these rituals.

Forty days after the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) is called the day of [[Arba'in]], in which many Shiites visit the shrine of the Imam (a). It is reported that [[Jabir b. Abd Allah al-Ansari]] was the first person who visited the Imam's (a) grave on this day.<ref>Ṭūsī, ''Miṣbāḥ al-mutahajjid'', p. 787.</ref> According to ''[[al-Luhuf]]'', the family of the Imam (a), who were taken as captives to Damascus, also visited his grave on the same day on their way back to Medina.<ref>Ibn Ṭāwūs, ''al-Luhūf'', p. 225.</ref>  

The instruction to visit the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the day of Arba'in has caused Shiites, especially Iraqi Shiites, to go to Karbala on this day. This visitation, which mostly takes place in the form of [[Procession of Arba'in|procession]], is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It is reported that in 2017, more than thirteen million pilgrims participated in this gathering.  

The sayings of Imam al-Husayn (a) on different themes, such as God, the Quran, Ahl al-Bayt (a), rulings, and ethics, are found in various sources, most of which were delivered in the last few months of the Imam (a).

* who seeks to attain something by disobeying God will lose what he wishes and will be afflicted by what he fears sooner than he expects.<ref>Ibn Shuʿba al-Ḥarrānī, ''Tuḥaf al-ʿuqūl'', p. 248.</ref>