Husayn ibn Ali

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Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (حسين بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (third of Shaban 626, at Medina - tenth of Muharram 680, at Karbala) was the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the son of Ali, the first Shia Imam, and the fourth Sunni Rightly Guided Caliph, and Muhammad's daughter Fatima Zahra. Husayn ibn Ali is revered as the third Imam (Supreme Authority) by most Shi’a Muslims, and as the second Imam by the majority of Ismaili Shi'a Muslims.^[1]

He was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680.^[2] The anniversary of his death is called Ashura and it is a day of mourning and religious observance for Shi'a Muslims. This day is well-known because of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali the grandson of Muhammad, along with his family and close friends at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (680).

[edit] The birth of Al Imam Husayn ibn Ali (RA)

After Al Imam Hassan ibn Ali (RA) was born; Fatima al-Zahra bint Muhammad became pregnant with her second child. Fatima started noticing the signs that childbearing was near, but Muhammad (SAW) had already foretold of Al Imam Husayn ibn Ali’s (as) birth.

On Sha'ban 3, 4 H.E., Muhammad (SAW) was given news of the birth of Husayn ibn Ali. Muhammad (SAW) hurried to the house of Fatimah al-Zahra his daughter and Ali ibn Abi Talib. Saffiyah bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Asma bint Umais, and Umm Salama were present when Husayn ibn Ali was born.

When Muhammad (SAW) asked Safiyah bint 'Abd al-Muttalib to bring him the newborn child, she said: "We have not cleaned him yet." When Muhammad heard this, he said: "You clean him? Surely Allah the Exalted has cleaned and purified him."

Asma bint Umais took the newborn child to him wrapped in a piece of cloth. Muhammad (SAW) took him in his arms and recited the call to prayer (Adhan) into his right ear, and read the shorter version (Iqama) in his left ear. He then placed the infant in his lap and wept.

"May my father and mother be your sacrifice", Asma bint Umais asked Muhammad(SAW) , "Why are you crying?"

"Because of my son", he replied.

"He is a newborn infant", she said.

"O Asma", he said, "After me, the transgressing party will kill him. May Allah never grant them my intercession."

Then he said: "Asma, do not tell Fatima about this, for she has just given birth to him."^[3]

Seven days after the birth Muhammad shaved Husayn ibn Ali’s head and gave the gold equivalent of the weight of his hair as charity for him.

[edit] Ali's caliphate and the claims of his sons

In Islamic heritage, we notice that successorship of a prophet had always been by explicit declaration by the prophet himself, like Aaron was declared the successor of Moses, by none other than Moses. Also, the successors to most of the prophets of semitic religions had been from the bloodline of the prophets. This was a tradition firmly established as the will of God. And this was perhaps, the most logical cause of confusion as to who should lead the Muslims after the demise of their prophet. However, discarding the tradition of successorship, a caliph was elected by highly regarded political figures of the earliest Muslim community.

This lead to a feeling among some Muslims that Ali, Husayn's father was, by implication of the Islamic tradition, rightful successor of the prophet and was denied his right. However, Ali maintained that although a right of the successor, leadership of the Muslim state was not to be perceived as successorship to the prophet since Islam was meant to be faith and not state. Thus, he stood firm as the bearer of Imamate while not the bearer of caliphate nor did he pledge his allegiance to his predecessors. In 656, when Uthman, the third caliph was killed by a revolting mob, all those who rejected Ali's claim earlier, came to him and pleaded of him to take up the position of the head of the temporal state. He was a caliph for four years and four months only, during this short period he faced continual challenges from the group of Muawiyah and other contenders. In 661 Ali was assassinated by Ibn Muljim, in the mosque of kufa.

Ali's followers, Shia, proclaimed that his eldest son Hassan, who was the successor to Ali's Imamate should be the caliph and the Islamic tradition must not be discarded again. Muawiyah had fought Ali for the leadership of the empire and now prepared to fight Hassan. After a few inconclusive skirmishes between the armies of Hassan and Muawiyah, Hassan reminded his followers of Ali's position that Imamate is sufficient for successorship of the prophet and that leading the Muslim state was not a criterion. Thus, to avoid agonies of another civil war, he signed a treaty with Muawiyah and relinquished the control of what had turned into an Arabian kingdom; while not having pledged his allegiance to Muawiyah. Even after taking such a stance, Hassan was poisoned and killed in 669 by Muawiyah. This left Husayn as the head of the Alids, the successor to Hassan's Imamate.

Muawiyah chose to proclaim his son Yazid as the heir to his throne, and the alleged leader of the Muslim state. He died in 680. in Damascus, Muawiyah's capital and the heart of his power, Yazid was now the caliph. Having realized that unless Husayn, the grandson of the prophet and the legitimate successor to Hassan, submits to his command, his caliphate would not be deemed legitimate due to the clause in Hassan's treaty with Muawiyah which forbade Muawiyah from appointing a successor to himself. Thus, he tried several times to force Husayn into pledging allegiance to him.

It is a fact of history that Yazid was a man of no faith as he claimed that Islam was no more than a game of the Hashimites to attain temporal power. In the face of such a claim, had the grandson of the prophet submitted to Yazid, it would conclusively affirm Yazid's position about genuineness of Islam.

In order to avoid being forced to submit, Husayn left Madina for Mecca. It is to be noted that Husayn had sufficient supporters in Hijaz whom he could easily mobilize, but did not.

The people of Kufa had sent several letters to Husayn, inviting him to fill the void left by demise of Hassan and to lead them in religious affairs. Yazid, who was already paranoid, perceived this a danger to his throne. He plotted to kill the grandson of the prophet during the Hajj, in the precincts of the Holy Kaaba, thus defiling and desecrating it.

In order to avoid this sacrilege, Husayn took along his wives, children, a few friends and relatives and headed towards Kufa to fulfill the responsibility of the bearer of Imamate and to fulfill his destiny as was prophesied by his grandfather, Mohammad.

On his way, he was offered military support by the tribe of Banu Tayy as well as sanctuary in their hills from where he could (if he wanted to) safely lead a revolt and overthrow Yazid. But surprisingly, he refused the offer and continued his journey with his few companions.

[edit] Wives and children

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[edit] Battle of Karbala

Main article: Battle of Karbala

The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, 61 AH (October 9 or 10, 680) in Karbala. On one side were supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husayn ibn Ali; on the other side was a military detachment from the forces of Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph. The battlefield was a desert region located beside one of the branches of the Euphrates River.the cause of battle is that yazid wanted husayn to be under his kingdom that was Injustice and not islamic.but Husayn the grandson of the prophet Muhammad knows the right from the wrong.

Husayn ibn Ali's group consisted of notable members of Muhammad's close relatives, around 72 men their women and children. On the other side were the armed forces of Yazid I, about 40,000 men led by Umar ibn Sa'ad. It intrigues historians that Hurr, one of the highest ranked commanders of Yazid's army, who was the man responsible for stopping Husayn at Karbala left the overwhelming force of thousands of soldiers and joined Husayn with his son and a slave. At the 10th of Muharram he died by Husayn's side in the battle killing 41 soldiers.

Despite the figures of 72 men against thousands, it is recorded that the battle went on from dawn to dusk. However, the outcome was obvious, Husayn and his men were martyred including his baby child. His women and children were taken captives. The captives were made to travel to Syria through the deserts of Iraq, tied in ropes and taken on camels without saddles, due to which many of the children fell off the camels and the women were not allowed to even stop and help their children. The graves of these children can still be seen in the desert between Karabla and Kufa. It is to be noted that people who did this with the family of Mohammad were themselves Muslims.

Today, martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali is commemorated during every Muharram, with the most important of these days being its tenth day, Ashura.

[edit] Burial

Husayn's body is said to have been buried in Karbala, near the site of his death. Most accounts say that his head was later retrieved and interred with his body. The Imam Husayn Shrine was later built over his grave; it is now a holy site of pilgrimage for Shia Muslims.

[edit] Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali

Main article: Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali

[edit] Shi'a views of Husayn

Shi'ahs regard Husayn as an Imam (lord of the spiritual kingdom) and a martyr.He is believed to be the third imam. He set out on his path in order to save Islam and the Ummah from annihilation at the hands of Yazid. According to Shi'a belief he was a willing sacrifice to religious necessity, and Shi'as view Husayn as an exemplar of courage and resistance against tyranny. Ashura, a day of mourning and self-reflection, is held in honor of his suffering.

The saying, "Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala," is a reminder to live one's life as Husayn did on Ashura, with total sacrifice to Allah and for others. This saying also signifies "We must always remember, because there is suffering everywhere".

[edit] Sayings of Muhammad about Husayn ibn Ali in Sunni books

"Al-Hasan and al-Husayn are the chiefs of the youth of Paradise and Fatimah is the chief of their women."

1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p660, on the authority of Abu Sa'id and Hudhayfa
2. Sunan Ibn Majah, Introduction 8
3. al-Tabarani, on the authorities of: Umar, Ali, Jabir, Abu Hurayrah, Usamah Ibn Zaid, al-Baraa, Ibn 'Adi, and Ibn Masud.
4. al-Kubra, by al-Nasa'i
5. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 62,82, v3, pp 3,64, v5, p391
6. Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p771, Tradition #1360
7. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, pp 166,167
8. Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu'aym, v5, p71
9. Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p187
10. Tuhfatul Ashraf, by Lumzi, v3, p31
11. Ibn Habban, as mentioned in al-Mawarid, pp 551,553
12. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p290
13. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tradition #6154

Muhammad said, "The member of my home (family members specified in other narrations as Fatima, Ali, Hasan, and Husayn) is from me and I am from Them."

1. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v4, p172
2. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p772, Tradition #1361
3. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p 177
4. Amali, by Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani, p 64
5. al-Kuna wal Asmaa, by al-Dulabi, v1, p88
6. al-Tabarani, v3, p21
7. Adab by al-Bukhari, also al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, as quoted in:
8. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p291
9. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tradition #6160

Muhammad looked toward Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, and then said, "I am in war with those who will fight you, and in peace with those who are peaceful to you."

1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p699
2. Sunan Ibn Majah, v1, p52
3. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p767, Tradition #1350
4. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p149
5. Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p169
6. al-Kabir, by al-Tabarani, v3, p30, also in al-Awsat
7. Jami' al-Saghir, by al-Ibani, v2, p17
8. Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v7, p137
9. Sawaiq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, p144
10. Talkhis, by al-Dhahabi, v3, p149
11. Dhakha'ir al-Uqba, by al-Muhib al-Tabari, p25
12. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tradition #6145

Muhammad said, "He who loves al-Hasan and al-Husayn, has loved me, and he who makes them angry has made me angry."

1. Sunan Ibn Majah,
2. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, from Abu Hurairah
3. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as quoted in:
4. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p292

[edit] Maxims attributed to Hussayn ibn Ali

1. O Allah, what did he find who lost you, and what did he lose who found you?
2. Some people worship Allah for the purpose of gaining His gifts. This is the worship of the merchants. Some worship Him for the purpose of avoiding His punishment. This is the worship of the slaves. Some worship Him as showing gratitude to Him. This is the worship of the genuine ones. It is the best worship. [1]
3. When he clashed with vanguards of ibn Ziyad led by Hurr during his journey toward Karbala: "... Don't you see that the truth is not put into action and the false is not prohibited? The believer has got to be fond of meeting his God justly. So I do not consider the death but blessedness and living with the oppressors other than abjectness."
4. Part of his speech on Ashura: "... Lo and behold; an ignoble (i.e ibn Ziyad), son of other ignoble (i.e. Ziyad ibn Abihi), has entangled me in a bifurcation, between either unsheathing the swords or accepting abjectness. And far be it that we accept abjectness. Allah abominates that for us, plus his proph­et, believers, the chaste pure gentlewomen, those who do not accept oppression as well as the souls who do not submit to meanness abominate it. They disapprove that we prefer obedience of scrooges to the best sites of murder. Beware; I assault you together with this family while they are few and when the helpers deserted. ... "

[edit] See also

• Muhammad
• Ali ibn Abi Talib
• Hassan ibn Ali
• Abbas ibn Ali
• Zayn al-Abidin
• Muhammad al-Baqir
• Ja'far al-Sadiq
• Musa al-Kazim
• Ali al-Rida
• Muhammad al-Taqi
• Ali al-Hadi
• Hasan al-Askari
• Muhammad al-Mahdi
• Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah
• Battle of Karbala
• Day of Ashura
• Imam Hussain Shrine
• Sayyid
• Ahl ul-Bayt
• Arba'een
• Zulfiqar
• Azadari

[edit] Notes

1. ^ "al-Husayn ibn 'Ali". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. 
2. ^ Gordon, 2005, pp. 144-146
3. ^ Muhammad Ibn Ismail Bukhari and Muhammad Muhsin Khan (1996). The English Translation of Sahih Al Bukhari With the Arabic Text. Al-Saadawi Publications. ISBN 1881963594. 

[edit] References

Books

• Al-Bukhari, Muhammad Ibn Ismail (1996). The English Translation of Sahih Al Bukhari With the Arabic Text, translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Al-Saadawi Publications. 1881963594. 
• Gordon, Matthew (2005). The Rise Of Islam. Greenwood Press. 0313325227. 

Encyclopedia

• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.. 

[edit] External links

• Husayn ibn 'Ali an article of Encyclopædia Britannica.
• Husayn ibn 'Ali by Wilferd Madelung, an article of Encyclopædia Iranica.
• Husayn ibn 'Ali in popular Shiism by Jean Calmard, an article of Encyclopædia Iranica.
• The passion (ta¿zia) of Husayn ibn 'Ali by Peter Chelkowski, an article of Encyclopædia Iranica.
• Imam Hussain
• Imam Husayn in the eyes of non-Muslims
• The Third Imam
• Mourning ceremonies for Imam Husayn
• The concept of martyrdom and mourning in Islamar:الحسين بن علي

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