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Battle of Karbala

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For the battles in the Iraq War, see Battle of Karbala (2003) and Battle of Karbala (2007).
Battle of Karbala

File:Karbala battle.jpg

Hussein bin Ali with his infant son in his hands, as he addressed Yazid's army.
Date10 Muharram 61, October 10, 680 AD
Location
Karbala
Result Pyrrhic Umayyad victory
Belligerents
Umayyads Family of Muhammad
Commanders and leaders
Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad
Umar ibn Sa'ad
Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan
Hurr ibn Yazid (left his army and joined Husain during the battle)  †[a]		 Husain ibn Ali †
Abbas ibn Ali †
Habib ibn Muzahir †
Zohair ibn Qain †
Strength
4,000[1] or 5,000[2] (at least) - 30,000[2] or 100,000[3][4] (at most) 72 (during Ashura), 110 (Early days of the war, Imam Hussain gave them a choice to stay or not, 38 chose not to stay)[5][6].
Casualties and losses
Unknown 72 [7][8].
  1. Hurr was originally one of the commanders of Ibn Ziyad's army but changed allegiance to Hussain along with his son, slave and brother on 10 Muharram 61, October 10, 680 AD
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The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar[2] (October 10, 680)[9][10] in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment from the forces of Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph, whom Husain had refused to recognise as caliph. Husain and all his supporters were killed, including Husain's six months old infant son, and the women and children were taken as prisoners. The dead are regarded as martyrs by Muslims, and the battle has a central place in Islamic history and tradition with particular emphasis in the faith, and has frequently been recounted in Shi'ah Islamic literature.

The Battle of Karbala is commemorated during an annual 10-day period held every Muharram by the Shi'ah as well as many Sunnis, culminating on its tenth day, Ashura.[11]

It is widely regarded as an event which saved Islam. Hussein bin Ali is credited with saving Islam from oblivion by offering timely sacrifice to draw the line of demarcation between real Islam and the version promoted by the tyrannical Yazid.[12]

Political background

See also: Succession to Muhammad

The 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 of Medina. Under the overwhelming pressure of the Ummah, 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 of Muslims. He issued the orders of not attacking the rebels until order was restored. The governor of Syria, Muawiya, kinsman to the murdered Caliph Uthman, refused allegiance to Ali and revolted against him, using his cousin's unpunished murder as a pretext. This resulted in armed confrontations between the Islamic Caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib and Muawiya. The battles of Al Jamal and Al Saffain, parts of the confrontations mentioned above, had many a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (sahaba) fighting on either sides killed. It was a war of Muslims facing Muslims, as forbidden by the Quran itself. In no circumstance were Muslims permitted to take up arms against each other, except where one group of Muslims unlawfully started a fight, and had to be fought against till they were subdued and made subservient to Allah's commands and that too with justice to the wronged faction, peace and goodwill between the two factions following the fight. (Surah: Alhujuraat Quran:Part 27). This in fact was the preamble to the battle of Karbala where Muslims who had prayed for the safety and prosperity on the progeny of the Prophet Muhammad in the same way the safety and prosperity granted to the progeny of Abraham, by Allah, in all of their five mandated daily prayers,(Dua Ibrahimia) had killed mercilessly the beloved grandson of their revered Prophet Muhammad along with his family, followings and not to be forgotten the six month old infant son of that grandson. Practically, the Muslim world became divided. At the death of Ali ibn Abu Talib, his elder son Hasan ibn Ali succeeded him but soon signed a treaty with Muawiya to avoid further bloodshed.[13] Muawiya remained the ruler of Syria. Prior to his death, Muawiya was actively plotting a major deviation from Islamic norms.[14] He was establishing his son Yazid I as the next ruler hence establishing dynastic rule for the first time in Islam. This was a move which was considered unacceptable by some leaders of the ummah including the younger son of Ali ibn Abu Talib, Husain ibn Ali.[14][15]

The majority of Muslims were observing the conduct of the leaders of prominent companion families, namely, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Abdullah Ibn Zubair, Abdullah Ibn Omar, Husain ibn Ali and Abdu'l-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr. In his written instructions to Yazid, Muawiya suggested specific strategies for each one of them. Muawiya warned Yazid specifically about Husain ibn Ali, since he was the only blood relative of the prophet Muhammad.[16] Yazid was successful in coercing Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah Ibn Omar and Abdu'l-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr. Abdullah Ibn Zubair took refuge in Mecca. Husain ibn Ali believed the appointment of Yazid as the heir of the Caliphate would lead to hereditary kingship, which was against the original political teachings of Islam. Therefore, he resolved to confront Yazid.[17]

Events Before the Battle

Muawiya I died on Rajab 22, 60 AH (680 CE). In violation of Islamic tradition and his own written agreement with Hasan ibn Ali, [citation needed] Muawiya 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 Caliphate into a dynasty,[18][19] even people like Said ibn Uthman[18] and Al Ahnaf ibn Qays[20] denounced his Caliphate.[21] Husain ibn Ali was the most significant threat to this dynastic rule, since he was the only living grandson of the prophet Muhammad. Yazid instructed his Governor Walid in Medina to force Husain ibn Ali to pledge allegiance to Yazid. Husain refused it and uttered his famous words that "Anyone akin to me will never accept anyone akin to Yazid as a ruler." Husain departed Medina on Rajab 28, 60 AH (680 CE), two days after Walid's attempt to force him to submit to Yazid I's rule. He stayed in Mecca from the beginnings of the Sha'ban and all of Ramadan, Shawwal, as well as Dhu al-Qi'dah.

It is mainly during his stay in Mecca that he received many letters from Kufa assuring him their support and asking him to come over there and guide them. He answered their calls and sent Muslim ibn Aqeel, his cousin, to Kufa as his representative in an attempt to consider the exact situation and public opinion.

Husain's representative to Kufa, Muslim ibn Aqeel was welcomed by the people of Kufa, and most of them swore allegiance to him. After this initial observation, Muslim ibn Aqeel wrote to Husain Ibn Ali that the situation in Kufa was favorable. However, after the arrival of the new Governor of Kufa, Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad, the scenario changed. Muslim ibn Aqeel and his host, Hani ibn Urwa, were executed on Dhu al-Hijjah 9, 60AH (September 10, 680 CE) without any considerable resistance of the people. This shifted the loyalties of the people of Kufa, in favor of Yazid against Husain ibn Ali.[22] Husain ibn Ali also realized a deep conspiracy that Yazid had appointed `Amr ibn Sa`ad ibn al As as the head of an army, ordering him to take charge of the pilgrimage caravans and to kill al Husain ibn Ali wherever he could find him during Hajj,[23][24] and hence decided to leave Mecca on 08th Dhu al-Hijjah 60 AH (12 September 680 AD), just a day before Hajj and was contented with Umrah, due to his concern about potential violation of the sanctity of the Kaaba.[25][26] He delivered a famous sermon in Kaaba highlighting his reasons to leave that he didn't want the sanctity of Kaaba to be violated, since his opponents had crossed any norm of decency and were willing to violate all tenets of Islam.

When Husain ibn Ali was making his mind to leave for Kufa, Abd-Allah ibn Abbas and Abdullah ibn Zubayr held a meeting with him and advised him not to move to Iraq, or, if he was determined to move, not to take women and children with him in this dangerous journey. Husain ibn Ali, however, had resolved to go ahead with his plan. He gave a speech to people the day before his departure and said:

"... The death is a certainty for mankind, just like the trace of necklace on the neck of young girls. And I am enamored of my ancestors like eagerness of Jacob to Joseph ... Everyone, who is going to devote his blood for our sake and is prepared to meet Allah, must depart with us..."[27]

On their way to Kufa, the small caravan received the sad news of execution of Muslim ibn Aqeel and the indifference of the people of Kufa.[28][29][30] Instead of turning back, Husain decided to continue the journey and sent Qais ibn Musahhar al-Saydavi as messenger to talk to the nobles of Kufa. The messenger was captured in the vicinity of Kufa but managed to tear the letter to pieces to hide names of its recipients. Just like Muslim ibn Aqeel, Qais ibn Musahhar was executed.

The Events of Battle

Abbas Al-Musavi - Battle of Karbala - Brooklyn Museum
Battle of Karbala, Iranian painting, oil on canvas, 19th century from the Tropenmuseum Amsterdam

Yezid thereupon dispatched 4,000 soldiers to intercept Hussain. These 4,000 soldiers were actually on their way to fight the Daylamites, but Yezid re-routed them to Karbala. These 4,000 soldiers passed through Kufa. The Kuffans witnessed the departure of this force from Kufa with their own eyes, full well knowing they were headed to Karbala to intercept Hussain. This would be the Kuffans’ last chance to honor the oaths of allegiance to Hussain which they had taken upon the hands of his cousin Muslim ibn Aqil. This was the final opportunity to rush to the side of the grandson of the Prophet and protect the Ahlel Bayt. It was after all the invitations and assurances of support from the people of Kufa that encouraged Hussain to abandon the safety of Mecca for Kufa. But once again faithfulness, courage and commitment was found lacking in the people of Kufa. Only a handful emerged to join Hussain at Karbala. The number was possibly greater than 18,000; 18,000 was simply the number of men who had pledged Bayat (oath of allegiance) to protect Hussain. Had they wanted to, the people of Kufa could have defeated Yezid’s men and protected Hussain.[31]. However, the people of Kufa did not really accept Imam Husayn (AS) as their Imam, ordained by Allah. They were simply inclined to install him as the sixth Caliph of Islam on political lines, who would simply protect their rights and rule justly. True Shia amonst the Kufans, who believed in the infallibility of Imam Husayn (AS) were either martyred or imprisoned. However Habib ibn Mazahir (RA) managed to join him and was martyred in the ensuing battle.

According to Shia sources: Ibn Ziyad sent a brief letter to Umar ibn Sa'd that commanded, "Prevent Husain and his followers from accessing water and do not allow them to drink a drop [of water]. Ibn Sa'ad followed the orders, and 5000 horsemen blockaded the Euphrates. One of Husain's followers met Umar ibn Sa'ad and tried to negotiate some sort of access to water, but was denied. The water blockade continued up to the end of the battle on Muharram 10th (October 10, 680 CE).[32]

Umar ibn Sa'ad received an order from Ibn Ziyad to start the battle immediately and not to postpone it further. The army started advancing toward Husain's camp on the afternoon of Muharram 9th. At this point Husain sent Abbas ibn Ali to ask Ibn Sa'ad to wait until the next morning, so that he and his men could spend the night praying. Ibn Sa'ad agreed to the respite.[33][34][35]

On the night before the battle, Husain gathered his men and told them that they were all free to leave the camp in the middle of the night, under cover of darkness, rather than face certain death if they stayed with him. None of Husain's men defected and they all remained with him. Husain and his followers held a vigil and prayed all night.[36]

Start of the day of the battle

On Muharram 10th, also called Ashura, Husain ibn Ali completed the morning prayers with his companions. He appointed Zuhayr ibn Qayn to command the right flank of his army, Habib ibn Muzahir to command the left flank and his half-brother Abbas ibn Ali as the standard bearer. There is controversy regarding the date for the day of Ashura in the Gregorian Calender. October 10 is a calculated date through calculators.[37][38] These calculators however, are not always correct. According to book Maqtal al Husain Muharram 9th is October 12, 680, so it appears that the date was October 12, 680 A.D.

Husain ibn Ali's companions numbered 32 horsemen and 40 infantrymen.[39] Husain rode on his horse Zuljenah.

Husain ibn Ali called the people around him to join him for the sake of Allah and to defend Muhammad's family. His speech affected Hurr ibn Yazid Al-Riyahi, the commander of the Tamim and Hamdan tribes who had stopped Husain from his journey. He abandoned Umar ibn Sa'ad and joined Husain's small band of followers.[40]

On the other side, Yazid had sent Shimir (his chief commander) to replace Umar ibn Sa'ad as the commander.[40][41][42]

The battle starts

Umar ibn Sa'ad advanced and fired an arrow at Husain ibn Ali's army, saying: "Give evidence before the governor that I was the first thrower." Ibn Sa'ad's army started showering Husain's army with arrows.[43][44] Hardly any men from Husain ibn Ali's army escaped from being shot by an arrow.[44][45] [44][46]

The first skirmish was between the right flank of Imam Husain's army with the left of the Syrian army. A couple of dozens men under the command of Zuhayr ibn Qain fought heroically and repulsed the initial infantry attack and in the process destroyed the left flank of the Syrian army which in disarray collided with the middle of the army. Seeing this, the Syrian army quickly retreated and broke the pre-war verbal agreement of not using arrows and lances. This agreement was made in view of the small number of Husain ibn Ali's companions. Umar ibn Sa'ad on advice of 'Amr ibn al Hajjaj ordered his army not to come out for any duel and to attack Husain ibn Ali's army together.[47][48]

`Amr ibn al-Hajjaj attacked Husain ibn Ali's right wing, but the men were able to maintain their ground, kneeling down as they planted their lances. They were thus able to frighten the enemy's horses. When the horsemen came back to charge at them again, Husain's men met them with their arrows, killing some of them and wounding others.[48][49] `Amr ibn al-Hajjaj kept saying the following to his men, "Fight those who abandoned their creed and who deserted the jam`a!" Hearing him say so, Husain ibn Ali said to him, "Woe unto you, O `Amr! Are you really instigating people to fight me?! Are we really the ones who abandoned their creed while you yourself uphold it?! As soon as our souls part from our bodies, you will find out who is most worthy of entering the fire![48][50]

In order to prevent random and indiscriminate showering of arrows on Husain ibn Ali's camp which had women and children in it, Husain's followers went out to single combats. Men like Burayr ibn Khudhayr,[51] Muslim ibn Awsaja[47][52] and Habib ibn Mazahir[53][54] were slain in the fighting. They were attempting to save Husain's life by shielding him. Every casualty had a considerable effect on their military strength since they were vastly outnumbered by Yazid I's army. Husain's companions were coming, one by one, to say goodbye to him, even in the midst of battle. Almost all of Husain's companions were killed by the onslaught of arrows or lances.

After almost all of Husain's companions were killed, his relatives asked his permission to fight. The men of Banu Hashim, the clan of Muhammad and Ali, went out one by one. Ali al Akbar ibn Husain, the middle son of Husain ibn Ali, was the first one of Hashemite who received permission from his father.[53][55][56]

Casualties from Banu Hashim were sons of Ali ibn Abi Talib, sons of Hasan ibn Ali, sons of Husain ibn Ali, sons of Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi-Talib and Zaynab bint Ali, sons of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, as well as a son of Muslim ibn Aqeel. There were seventy-two Hashemites dead in all (including Husain ibn Ali).[57]

Death of Abbas ibn Ali

Abbas ibn Ali advanced toward Euphrates branch along a dyke. Abbas ibn Ali continued his advance into the heart of ibn Sa'ad's army.[58] He was under heavy shower of arrows but was able to penetrate them and get to the branch leaving heavy casualties from the enemy. He immediately started filling the water skin. In a remarkable and immortal gesture of loyalty to his brother and Muhammad's grandson he did not drink any water despite being severely thirsty. He put the water skin on his right shoulder and started riding back toward their tents. Umar ibn Sa'ad ordered an outright assault on Abbas ibn Ali saying that if Abbas ibn Ali succeeds in taking water back to his camp, we will not be able to defeat them till the end of time. A massive enemy army blocked his way and surrounded him. He was ambushed from behind a bush and his right arm was cut off. Abbas ibn Ali put the water skin on his left shoulder and continued his way but his left arm was also cut off. Abbas ibn Ali now held the water skin with his teeth. The army of ibn Sa'ad started shooting arrows at him, one arrow hit the water skin and water poured out of it, now he turned his horse back towards the army and charge towards them but one arrow hit his eyes and someone hit a gurz on his head and he fell off the horse.In his last moments when Hussain ibn Ali was wiping the blood in his eyes to enable him to see Husain's face[citation needed], Abbas ibn Ali said not to take his body back to the camps because he had promised to bring back water but could not and so could not face Bibi Sakinah, the daughter of Husain ibn Ali. Then he called Imam Husain, "brother" for the first time in his life. Before the death of Abbas Imam Hussein was noted to have said "Abbas your death is like the breaking of my back"

Death of Husain ibn Ali

Husain ibn Ali told Yazid's army to offer him single battle, and they gave his request. He killed everybody that fought him in single battles.[59] He frequently forced his enemy into retreat, killing a great number of opponents. Husain and earlier his son Hazrat Ali Akbar were the two warriors who penetrated and dispersed the core of Ibn-Saad's army (Qalb-e-Lashkar), a sign of extreme chaos in traditional warfare.

Imam Husain advanced very deep in the back ranks of the Syrian army. When the enemies stood between him and the tents he shouted:

"Woe betide you oh followers of Abu Sufyan's dynasty! If no religion has ever been accepted by you and you have not been fearing the resurrection day then be noble in your world, that's if you were Arabs as you claim."[60]

Then his enemies invaded back toward him.

They continuously attacked each other,[61] Until his numerous injuries caused him to stay a moment. At this time he was hit on his forehead with a stone. He was cleaning blood from his face while he was hit on the heart with arrow and he said: "In the name of Allah, and by Allah, and on the religion of the messenger of Allah." Then he raised his head up and said: "Oh my God! You know that they are killing a man that there is son of daughter of a prophet on the earth except him." He then grasped and pulled the arrow out of his chest, which caused heavy bleeding.[62]

He became very weak and stopped fighting. The soldiers approaching him gave up confrontation, seeing his position. One soldier, however, walked up to Imam Husain and hit him on his head with his sword.

The enemies hesitated to fight Imam Husain, but they decided to surround him. At this time Abd-Allah ibn Hassan, an underage boy, escaped from the tents and ran to Husain. When a soldier intended to slay Husain, Abd-Allah ibn Hassan defended his uncle with his arm, which was cut off. Imam Husain hugged Abd-Allah, but the boy was already hit by an arrow.[63]


Umar ibn Sa'ad ordered a man to dismount and to finish the job. Khowali ibn Yazid al-Asbahiy preceded the man but feared and did not do it. Then Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan dismounted his horse and cut Husain's throat with his sword whilst Husain was prostrating to Allah. Just before his throat was about to be cut, Imam Husain asked Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan, "Have you done your prayers today?" and this shocked Shimr because he did not expect anyone in the position of Husain to ask about such a question. Lanti Shimr ibn Dhiljawshan was saying: "I swear by God that I am raising your head while I know that you are grandson of the messenger of Allah and the best of the people by father and mother" when he raised head of Husain ibn Ali on a spear.[64] The ibn Sa'ad's men looted all the valuables from Husain's body.

Aftermath

Umar ibn Sa'ad sent Husain's head to ibn Ziyad on Ashura afternoon and ordered to sever heads of his comrades to send them to Kufa. The heads were distributed to various tribes enabling them to gain favor of ibn Ziyad. Ibn Sa'ad remained in Karbala until the next noon.[65]

After ibn Sa'ad's army went out of Karbala, some people from Banu Asad tribe came there and buried their dead.[66]

On Muharram 11 (October 11, 680 CE), all captives including all women and children were then loaded onto camels with neither saddle nor shade and were moved toward Kufa. As they approached Kufa, its people gathered to see them. Some women of Kufa gathered veils for them upon knowing that they are relatives of Muhammad. Among the captives were Hazrat Ali ibn Husain, who was gravely ill, as well as Hazrat Hassan ibn Hassan al-Muthanna, who was seriously injured in the battle of Karbala.[67]

Zaynab bint Ali pointed at the people to be quiet. Then she addressed the people of Kufa:

"The praise is exclusively attributed to Allah. And greetings to my father (grand father), Muhammad, and to his pure and benevolent family. And then, Oh people of Kufa! Oh deceitful and reneger people! Do you weep? So let tears not be dried and let groans not be finished. ... Beware, such a bad preparation you have made for yourself that Allah became furious of you and you will be at punishment forever. Do you weep and cry? Yeah, by Allah, do weep numerously and do laugh less! Since you brought its shame and fault on yourself and you will not be able to cleanse it forever. ..."[68]

During the journey from Karbala to Kufa, and from Kufa to Damascus, Husain's sister Zaynab bint Ali and Umm-Kulthoom bint Ali, and son Ali ibn Husain gave various speeches that exposed the truth about Yazid and told the Muslim world of the various atrocities committed in Karbala. After being brought to Yazid's court, Zaynab courageously gave a famous speech in which she denounced Yazid's claim to the caliphate and eulogized Husain's uprising.

The prisoners were held in Damascus for a year. During this year, some prisoners died of grief, most notably Sukayna bint Husain. The people of Damascus began to frequent the prison, and Zaynab and Ali ibn Husain used that as an opportunity to further propagate the message of Husain and explain to the people the reason for Husain's uprising. As public opinion against Yazid began to foment in Syria and parts of Iraq, Yazid ordered their release and return to Medina, where they continued to tell the world of Husain's

Historiography of the battle of Karbala

See also: Maqtal Al-Husayn

Primary sources

The first historian to systematically collect the reports of eyewitnesses of this event was Abi Mikhnaf (died in 157 AH/774 CE) in a work titled "Kitab Maqtal Al-Husayn".[69] Abi Mikhnaf's original seems to have been lost and that which has reached today has been transmitted through his student Hisham Al-Kalbi (died in 204 AH). There are four manuscripts of the Maqtal, located at Gotha (No. 1836), Berlin (Sprenger, Nos. 159–160), Leiden (No. 792), and St. Petersburg (Am No. 78) libraries.[70]

Rasul Jafarian has counted five primary sources which are now available. Among the original workslatter Muslim historians have written their histories on the basis of the former ones especially Maqtal Al-Husayn of Abi Mikhnaf. However they have added some narrations through their own sources which were not reported by former historians.

fully cherishes the historical personality of Husain ibn Ali and regards the Karbala incident as a revolt against oppression; dismissing the legendary treatment, while using the language of revolt against tyranny and despotic sovereignty. A model writer of this category is Mohamed Mahdi Shams Al-Din.

History Distortion

As Jafarian says "The holding of mourning ceremonies for Imam Husain ibn Ali was very much in vogue in the eastern parts of Iran before the Safavids came to power. Kashefi wrote the "Rawzah al-Shuhada" for the predominantly Sunnis region of Herat and Khurasan at a time when the Safavid state was being established in western Iran and had no sway in the east." [71]

After the ad of the Shi'a faith in Iran, many Iranian authors composed poems and plays commemorating the battle.[72] Most of these compositions are only loosely based upon the known history of the event.[71]

Some 20th century Shia scholars have protested the conversion of history into mythology. Prominent critics include:

Also several books have been written in Persian language about political backgrounds and aspects of the battle of Karbala.[78]

Impact on Literature

The theme of suffering and martyrdom occupies a central role in the history of religion from the earliest time. Sacrifices are a means for reaching higher and loftier stages of life; to give away parts of one's fortune or to sacrifice members of one's family enhances one's religious standing. The Biblical and Qur'anic story of Abraham who so deeply trusted in God that he, without questioning, was willing to sacrifice his only son, points to the importance of such sacrifice.

Taking into account the importance of sacrifice and suffering for the development of man, Islamic literature has given a central place to the death on the battlefield of Muhammed's grandson Husain ibn Ali. The development of the whole genre of marsiya and taziya poetry in the Persian and Indo-Persian world, or in the popular Turkish tradition is in this way.

Persian Literature

The name of Husain ibn Ali appears several times in the work of the first great Sufi Persian[79] poet, Sanai Ghaznawi. Here, the name of the martyred hero can be found now and then in connection with bravery and selflessness, and Sanai sees him as the prototype of the Shaheed (martyr), higher and more important than all the other martyrs who are and have been in the world.[80]

The tendency to see Husain ibn Ali as the model of martyrdom and bravery continues in the poetry written in the Divan of Attar.

When Shiism became the official religion of Iran in the fifteenth century, Safavid rulers such as Shah Tahmasp, patronized poets who wrote about the tragedy of Karbala, and the genre of marsiya, according to Persian scholar Wheeler Thackston, "was particularly cultivated by the Safavids."[81]

The most well-known fifteenth-century Persian marsiya writer was Muhtasham Kashani,[82] whose works consequently became a source of elegy emulation for Iranians.

Azari and Turkish Literature

Turkish tradition, especially in the later Bektashi order, is deeply indebted to Shi'i Islam. But it seems that already in some of the earliest popular Sufi songs in Turkey, those composed by Yunus Emre in the late 13th or early 14th century, Muhammed's grandsons played a special role.[83]

South Asian Muslim literature

Sindhi literature

As in many other fields of Sindhi poetry, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689–1752) is the first to express ideas which were later taken up by other poets. He devoted Sur Kedaro in his poetic compendium Shah Jo Risalo to the martyrdom of the grandson of The Prophet Muhammed, and saw the event of Karbala as embedded in the whole mystical tradition of Islam.

A number of poets in Sindh have also composed elegies on Karbala. The most famous of them is Sayed Sabit Ali Shah (1740–1810), whose specialty was the genre of "suwari". This genre, as well as the more common forms, persists in Sindhi poetry throughout the whole of the 18th and 19th centuries, and even into our own times. Sachal Sarmast, Bedil , Mir Hassan, Shah Naser, Mirza Baddhal Beg, Mirza Kalich Beg their devotion to Husain ibn Ali is well known and deeply embedded in their Sufi teachings.[80]

Urdu literature

The most famous corpus of Urdu poetry on Karbala was produced by two poets of Lucknow named Mir Babar Ali Anees and Mirza Salamat Ali Dabeer. Both these poets lived in the 19th century and they were the contemporaries of the Delhi based poet Mirza Ghalib. The genre of poetry that those two poets produced is known as Marsiya. Recently[when?], professor David Matthews of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, has translated a full length (197 stanzas of six lines each) Marsiya of Anis into English verse. This was published in book form by Rupa and Co., New Delhi, India.

The legacy of Urdu Marsiya has lasted to this day and many poets are still writing that kind of poetry. Both Josh Malihabadi and Allama Muhammad Iqbal followed the genre of six-line stanza and have produced great poetry.

But there was also another way to understand the role of Husain ibn Ali in the history of the Islamic people, and importantly, the way was shown by Muhammad Iqbal, who was certainly a Sunni poet and philosopher.

The Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi dynasties of South India (Deccan), predominantly Twelver Shi'is in religious persuasion, patronized Dakhni (an early South Indian dialect of Urdu) marasi. Although Persian marasi of Muhtasham Kashani were still recited, the Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi rulers felt the need to render the Karbala tragedy in the language of common Muslims. In the Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi kingdom of Deccan, marasi flourished, especially under the patronage of Ali Adil Shah and Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, marsiya writers themselves, and poets such as Ashraf Biyabani. Urdu marasi written during this period are still popular in South Indian villages.[84]

Mirza Ghalib described the "King of Martyrs", Imam Husain ibn Ali, by using metaphors, similar to the ones he used in his odes. Ghalib used regal imagery to underscore the virtues of Imam Husain ibn Ali. The marasi of Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Rafi Sauda are similar to those of Ghalib in that they perform their panegyric function for the martyrs of Karbala; but these poets also wrote marasi in which the narration of the Karbala tragedy was saturated with cultural and ceremonial imagery of North India.[84]

Josh Malihabadi renowned as "Shair-i inqilab", or the Poet of revolution, used the medium of marsiya as a means to propagate the view that Karbala is not a pathos-laden event of a bygone era, but a prototype for contemporary revolutionary struggles. Josh's writings during the late 1930s and the early 1940s, when nationalist feelings were running high in South Asia, had a momentous impact upon his generation. Josh attempted to galvanize the youth of his day by intertwining their contemporary struggle of liberation from colonization with Husain ibn Ali's battle: "O Josh, call out to the Prince of Karbala [Husain], cast a glance at this twentieth century, look at this tumult, chaos, and the earthquake. At this moment there are numerous Yazids, and yesterday there was only one. From village to village might has assumed the role of truth, Once again, Human feet are in chains"[84]

Vahid Akhtar, formerly Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Philosophy at Aligarh Muslim University,[85] has been crucial in keeping the tradition of marsiya dynamic in present-day South Asia. His marasi rely on the images, metaphors, and nuances inherited from nineteenth century masters, and on the values invested in this genre by socio-religious reformers like Josh. On the back cover of his recently[when?] published marsiya anthology, for example, is the famous Arabic saying: "Every place is Karbala; every day is Ashura." By positing a similarity between Husain ibn Ali's historic battle and the present day struggle of human kind against renewed forms of Yazidian oppression, Akhtar deflects the interpretation of the martyrs of Karbala as mere insignia of Islamic history; they are instead posed as the sinews for the revival of an ideal Islamic state of being.[86]

Bengali Literature

Mir Mosharraf Hossain wrote novel "Bishad Shindhu" and Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote many poems on this incident. Marsiyas are still sung on 10th Muharram.

Shia observances

Shia Muslims commemorate the Battle of Karbala every year in the Islamic month of Muharram. The mourning begins on the first day of the Islamic Calendar and then reaches its climax on Muharram 10, the day of the battle, known as Ashurah. It is a day of Majlises, public processions, and great grief. Men and women chant and weep, mourning Husain ibn Ali, his family, and his followers. Speeches emphasize the importance of the values the sacrifices Husain ibn Ali made for Islam. Shia mourners in countries with a significant Shi'a majority flagellate themselves with chains or whips, usually causing bleeding. This mainly takes place in countries such as Pakistan and Iraq and the villages and poorer areas of Iran. Most Shias show grievances, however, through weeping and beating their chests with their hands in a process called Mattum. Forty days after Ashurah, Shias mourn the death of Husain ibn Ali in a commemoration called Arba'een.

In South Asia, the Battle of Karbala has inspired a number of literary and non-musical genres, such as the marsiya, noha, and soaz.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312214/Battle-of-Karbala
  2. ^ a b c http://www.al-islam.org/short/Karbala.htm
  3. ^ Hamish Tathkirat al Khawass.
  4. ^ al Muqarram, Abd al Razzaq. "The Hosts". Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as]. p. 160.
  5. ^ Datoo, Mahmood. "At Karbala". Karbala: The Complete Picture. p. 167.
  6. ^ http://mahmooddatoo.com/karbala/8-at-karbala#8.3
  7. ^ [Datoo, Mahmood. "At Karbala". Karbala: The Complete Picture. p. 167.
  8. ^ http://mahmooddatoo.com/karbala/8-at-karbala#8.3
  9. ^ Western-Islamic Calendar Converter
  10. ^ Gregorian-Hijri Dates Converter
  11. ^ The Everlasting Stand - Muharram 1427
  12. ^ http://www.al-islam.org/kaaba14/6.htm
  13. ^ "Karbala: Chain of events Section - PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IMAM AL-HASAN AND MU'AWIYA". Al-Islam.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  14. ^ a b "Karbala: Chain of events Section - MU'AWIYA DESIGNATES YAZID AS SUCCESSOR". Al-Islam.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  15. ^ al Muqarram, Abd al Razzaq. "1. Al Husain's Uprising". Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as]. pp. 21–33.
  16. ^ al Muqarram, Abd al Razzaq. "1. Al Husain's Uprising". Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as]. p. 32.
  17. ^ "Karbala: Chain of events Section - YAZID BECOMES RULER". Al-Islam.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  18. ^ a b ibn Habib, Mohammad. "(the Sixth Letter deals with assassinated personalities)". Nawadir al Makhtutat. p. 165.
  19. ^ "Volume. 1 (1328 A.H./1910 A.D.: Al-Umma Press, Egypt)". Al Imamah wal Siyasah. p. 141.
  20. ^ "Volume. 1 (1328 A.H./1910 A.D.: Al-Umma Press, Egypt)". Al Imamah wal Siyasah. p. 141.
  21. ^ al Muqarram, Abd al Razzaq. "1. Al Husain's Uprising". Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as]. pp. 29–30.
  22. ^ The Tragedy of Karbala, pg. 23
  23. ^ al Gulpaygani, Shaykh Lutfullah. Muntakhab al Athar fi Akhbar al Imam al Thani ‘Ashar, Radiyaddin al Qazwini. pp. 304, 10th Night.
  24. ^ al Muqarram, Abd al Razzaq. "The Journey to Iraq". Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as]. p. 130.
  25. ^ Nama, ibn. Muthir al Ahzan. p. 89.
  26. ^ Al-Tabari. Tarikh. Vol. 06. p. 177.
  27. ^ Lohouf, By Sayyid ibn Tawoos, Tradition No.72
  28. ^ Al-Tabari. Tarikh. p. 995. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Volume= ignored (|volume= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ al Muqarram, Abd al Razzaq. "Zarud". Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as]. p. 141.
  30. ^ Kathir, Ibn. Al Bidaya. Vol. 08. p. 168.
  31. ^ http://www.schiiten.com/backup/AhlelBayt.com/www.ahlelbayt.com/articles/history/ashura.html
  32. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], The Watering place, pg.162" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  33. ^ "Karbala: Chain of events Section –Karbala". Al-Islam.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  34. ^ Tabari, Al. Tarikh. Vol. 06. p. 337.
  35. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Day Nine, pg.169" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  36. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Those Whose Conscience is Free, pg.170" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  37. ^ Western-Islamic Calendar Converter
  38. ^ Gregorian-Hijri Dates Converter
  39. ^ Lohouf (Arabic: اللهوف), By Sayyid ibn Tawoos (Arabic: سید ابن طاووس). Tradition No. 140
  40. ^ a b "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Al-Hurr Repents, pg.189" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  41. ^ Tabari, Al. Tarikh. Vol. 06. p. 244.
  42. ^ Book "Martyrdom Of Hussain"
  43. ^ Maqrizi, Al. Khutat. Vol. 02. p. 287.
  44. ^ a b c "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], The First Campaign, pg.190" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  45. ^ al Bahraini, Abdullah Nurallah. Maqtal al Awalim. p. 84.
  46. ^ Majlisi, Al. Bihar al Anwar. Mohammad ibn Abutalib
  47. ^ a b Tabari, Al. Tarikh. Vol. 06. p. 249.
  48. ^ a b c "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], The Right Wing Remains Firm, pg.193" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  49. ^ al Kathir, Ibn. Al-Kamil. Vol. 04. p. 27.
  50. ^ al Kathir, Ibn. Al-Bidaya. Vol. 08. p. 182.
  51. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Burayr ibn Khudayr, pg.201" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  52. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Muslim ibn Awsajah, pg.193" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  53. ^ a b Tabari, Al. Tarikh. Vol. 06. p. 251.
  54. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Habib ibn Mazahir, pg.196" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  55. ^ al-Tabari, ibn-Tavoos, et al.
  56. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Martyrdom of Ahl al Bayt, Ali al Akbar, pg.206" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  57. ^ "Maqtal al Husain [as]: Martyrdom epic of Imam al Husain [as], Martyrdom of Ahl al Bayt, pg.206-235" (PDF). Naqviz.org. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  58. ^ Lohouf, Tradition 174 and 175.
  59. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No.177
  60. ^ "ویلکم یا شیعه آل ابی سفیان! ان لم یکن لکم دین و کنتم لا تخافون المعاد فکونو احرارا فی دنیاکم هذه و ارجعوا الی احسابکم ان کنتم عربا کما تزعمون" Lohouf, Tradition No.179
  61. ^ " و هو فی ذلک یطلب شربة من ماء فلا یجد ..." Lohouf, Tradition No.181
  62. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No.182
  63. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No.184, 185
  64. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No.192 and 193
  65. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No. 222, 223
  66. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No. 226
  67. ^ Lohouf, Tradition No. 227, 228, 229, 230
  68. ^ الحمد لله و الصلوة علی ابی محمد و آله الطیبین الاخیار. اما بعد یا اهل الکوفة! یا اهل الختل و الغدر! اتبکون؟ فلا رقات الدمعة و لا هدات الرنة ... الا ساء ما قدمت لکم انفسکم ان سخط الله علیکم و فی العذاب انتم خالدون. اتبکون و تنتحبون؟ ای والله فابکوا کثیرا و اضحکوا قلیلا فلقد ذهبتم بعارها و شنارها و لن ترحضوها بغسل بعدها ابدا. ... Lohouf, Tradition No. 233 to 241
  69. ^ Kitab Maqtal al-Husayn.doc
  70. ^ Syed Husayn M. Jafri, The Origins and Early Development of Shi'a Islam, Oxford University Press, USA (April 4, 2002), ISBN 978-0195793871.
  71. ^ a b Al-islam.org Jafarian, Rasool, A Glance at Historiography in Shiite Culture, chapter 13
  72. ^ Table of Contents and Excerpt, Aghaie, The Women of Karbala
  73. ^ Meaning of 'Ashura: Misrepresentations & Distortions
  74. ^ 'Ashura - History and Popular Legend
  75. ^ 'Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions
  76. ^ Nafasul Mahmoom
  77. ^ ḤUsayn Ibn ʿAlī, Al, Encyclopedia of Religion
  78. ^ Nezam.org, Majlesekhobregan.ir -> Magazines -> Islamic Government
  79. ^ "Sanāʾī." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 17 Jul. 2008 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/521711/Sanai>.
  80. ^ a b Karbala
  81. ^ Wheeler Thackston, A Millennium of Classical Persian Poetry (Bethesda: Iranbooks, 1994), p.79.
  82. ^ Shams Alshoara Mohtasham kashani
  83. ^ (Yunus Emre Divani, p. 569.)
  84. ^ a b c Utexas.edu
  85. ^ www.amu.ac.in/
  86. ^ Karbala', an Enduring Paradigm

References

Further reading

Template:Martyrs of Karbala

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