In the name of God,


The event of Karbala, or Ashura, refers to the battle between Imam Hussein and his companions against the army of Kufa. This event took place on the 10th of Muharram in the year 61 AH, following Imam Hussein's refusal to pledge allegiance to Yazid ibn Muawiya, resulting in the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his companions, as well as the captivity of his family.


The event of Karbala is considered the most heartbreaking incident in the history of Islam; therefore, Shia Muslims hold their largest mourning ceremonies on its anniversary and engage in lamentation.


The event of Karbala began with the death of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan on the 15th of Rajab in the year 60 AH and the commencement of his son Yazid's rule. The governor of Medina attempted to obtain allegiance from Imam Hussein for Yazid; thus, Hussein ibn Ali left Medina at night to avoid pledging allegiance and headed towards Mecca. During this journey, Imam Hussein's family, several members of the Banu Hashim, and some of his Shia followers accompanied him.

Imam Hussein stayed in Mecca for about four months. During this time, he received letters of invitation from the people of Kufa, totaling several thousand. To verify the content of the letters, he sent Muslim ibn Aqil to Kufa and Sulaiman ibn Razein to Basra. Despite the possibility of an assassination attempt on Imam Hussein in Mecca by Yazid's agents, the invitations from the Kufans and the confirmation from the Imam's envoy regarding the authenticity of the invitations led Imam Hussein to set out for Kufa on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah.


Before reaching Kufa, Imam Hussein became aware of the betrayal of the Kufans. After encountering the army of Hur ibn Yazid al-Riyahi (the commander who was tasked with blocking Imam Hussein's path but later became a martyr in Imam Hussein's camp), he headed towards Karbala. There, he faced the army of Umar ibn Sa'ad (the commander of Yazid's forces), which had been sent by Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad (the governor of Kufa) against him.

The two armies fought on the 10th of Muharram, known as Ashura. After Imam Hussein and his companions were martyred, Umar ibn Sa'ad's forces trampled their bodies with horses. Additionally, on the afternoon of Ashura, Yazid's army attacked Imam Hussein's tents, set them on fire, and then took the survivors captive. Imam Zain al-Abidin, who was unable to participate in the battle due to illness, and Lady Zainab were among the captives. The soldiers of Umar ibn Sa'ad impaled the heads of the martyrs on spears and took them along with the captives to Kufa, then from there to Damascus to Yazid.


The bodies of the martyrs of Karbala were buried at night by the people of the Banu Asad tribe after Umar ibn Sa'ad's army had left. The event of Karbala, which occurred in the first century of the Islamic calendar, saw Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet and the third Imam of the Shia, martyred along with a number of his companions by the orders of Yazid ibn Muawiya, while their women and children were taken captive. This event is considered the most heartbreaking incident in the history of Islam.

Muawiya cunningly appointed his son Yazid as his successor. While Muawiya appeared to uphold the laws of Islam, Yazid was a man known for his indulgence in alcohol and immoral behavior, showing no regard for justice, leading to widespread oppression and class disparity (consuming alcohol and engaging in immoral conduct are prohibited in Islam). Imam Hussein rose to reform society and was martyred on the plains of Karbala on Ashura.


On Ashura, his young son Ali Akbar, his six-month-old son Ali Asghar, and all the men were killed, including his brother Abu al-Fadl, who was the commander of his forces. Imam Zain al-Abidin did not go to the battlefield due to illness and was taken captive. Lady Zainab, a brave and free woman, despite losing all her brothers and children, conveyed the message of Imam Hussein's quest for justice to everyone. She delivered powerful speeches in Kufa and Yazid's palace, raising awareness and paving the way for the downfall of Yazid's regime.


Zainab serves as a role model for all Muslim women in terms of courage. I will discuss more about her in the future.