MuhammadMuhammad! Rayshahri Translatedby AbbasJaffer ryihe martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a) sent shockwaves through the early X Muslim community. Today, this tragedy is still remembered, studied, and commemorated. However, in recent years, there have been increasing questions over the reliability of the historical accounts of his martyrdom. What material is reliable, and what sources can be used when presenting the narrative of his martyrdom to others? The Chronicles of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn was compiled to fill the need for a strongly reliable source on Imam Husayn’s (a) final days. Meticulously researched, it contains narrations about the Imam’s last stand that are found only in the earliest extant sources. Hand-selected for their reliability, they have been arranged and translated into fluid, precise English. No detail of the narrative of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a) has been left out, from his fateful journey towards Iraq, to the journey of the captives afterwards and the events surrounding Arba‘in. The Chronicles also includes narrations on related topics of interest, such as the custom of mourning the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a) and fasting on the day of Ashura. Ample preliminary matter written by recog­ nised Islamic scholars addresses the question of the reliability of early and medieval sources, the nature of the oral versus the written tradition, and the challenges faced in the modern era in presenting a reliable account of M : Imam Husayn’s (a) martyrdom. The Arabic text of the narrations has been included throughout, and the work is rounded out with five detailed maps of the Imam’s journey. This work is certain to find a special place in the personal library of historians, students and scholars of Islam, those speaking from the pulpit, and anyone with an interest in Imam Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). Partly sponsored by ISBN: 978-1-907905-51-3 ICAS Press Islamic Centre of England 781907 9055- 3 Chronicles of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn Chronicles ofthe Martyrdom of Imam Husayn Guzldik-yi Shahadat Namih-yi Imam Husayn (a) Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri Translated by Abbas Jaffer ICAS Press © I CAS Press, 2020 Chronicles of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn, being an English translation of Muhammad M. Rayshahri’s Guzldih-yi Shahadat Namih-yi Imam Husayn (a). The moral rights of the authors have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans­ mitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of ICAS Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organisation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to ICAS Press at the address below. ICAS Press 133 High Road London NW10 2SW ISBN: 978-1-907905-51-3 (hardcover) Cover, design and typesetting by Scholarly Type Cover calligraphy of uya Husayn" by Mohammed al-Hasani al-Mushrafawi Printed and bound in Turkey CONTENTS Acknowledgements xxiii Preface................... xxv About this book__ xxxi Translator’s preface.............................................................................. xxx Lx CHAPTER ONE | SALIENT ASPECTS OF THE EPIC OF ASHURA … PART l: A SURVEY OF THE WORKS ON THE HISTORY OF ASHURA ,2 1. Reliable sources.......................................................................... .3 2. Unreliable sources.................................................................... 6 3. Contemporary sources............................................................. 21 PART 2： THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STAND OF ASHURA.................. 37 1. Preliminary assumptions.......................................................... 38 2. The methodologies employed in deducing and analysing the objectives of Imam al-Husayn (a)............................................... 40 3. Opinions about the objectives of the stand of Imam al-Husayn (a). • .41 4. The view that there were multiple objectives 46 PART 3: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE JOURNEY OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A) TO IRAQ AND THE UPRISING IN KUFA..................................................... 53 1. Thereasonsfor choosing Kufa as the base for the uprising............ 55 2. The responses of Imam al-Husayn (a) to those who advised him of the dangers of going to Kufa................................................ 61 3. The factors that led the Kufans to respond positively to the Husaynl revolution.......................................................................... 64 4. The Kufan society........................................................................ 65 5. The type of Shi‘a in those times................................................... 68 6. The psychology of the Kufans..................................................... 7. The role of the administrative and economic system of Kufa in the military mobilization of its citizens 75 8. The most important factors in the collapse of the revolution of Kufa 81 PART 4： cAZADARlAND WEEPING FOR IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A). 86 v vi | Chronicles of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn 1. The status and position of 'azaddri in the words and practice of the Imams (a)................................................................................................ 86 2. The philosophy of 'azadarl................................................................ 89 3. The threats facing the 'azadarl of Imam al-Husayn (a)................... 91 4. Purposeful gatherings of mourning.................................................. 97 PART 5: THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOURNING CEREMONIES FOR IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A)................................................. 99 The first stage: From the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) to the death of his killers........................................................................... 99 The second stage: The establishment of 'azadarlas a ritual of faith by the Imams (a) 101 The third stage: 'Azadart, before it became an established institution in the middle of the 4,h/io,h century. ,104 The fourth stage: 'Azaddri in Muharram as an established institution in the 4th/i oth and 5th/nth centuries........................................................ .106 The fifth stage: 'Azadarim the 6,h/i2,h to the centuries....... 107 The sixth stage: 'Azadari in the 10^/16^ and the n,h/i7th centuries (the Safavid era)................................................................................ 111 CHAPTER TWO | THE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A)...................................................................... 113 PART 1: THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, OF THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A)............................................. 114 1/1: The chief of all the martyrs in history........................................ 114 1/2: Al-Husayn (a) would be killed, along with his children and hiscom- panions, while surrounded on all sides............................................ 115 1/3: The soil of the land on which al-Husayn (a) would be martyred ... 116 1/4: The martyrdom of al-Husayn (a) has been decreed.................. 117 1/5: Call for forbearance.................................................................... 117 PART 2: THE PROPHECIES OF GOD’S MESSENGER (S) ABOUT THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A)............................................. 118 2/1: The prophecy about his martyrdom at the time of the birth of al-Husayn (a)...................................................................................... 118 2/2: The prophecy about his martyrdom when al-Husayn (a) was one year old 119 2/3: The prophecy about his martyrdom when al-Husayn (a) was two years old.................................................................................................. 119 2/4: The prophecy about the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a) in the last hours of the life of the Prophet (s) 121 Table of Contents \ vii 2/5: Informing Fatimah (a) about the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a)"..122 2/6: Informing Umm Salamah about the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a) .123 2/7: Informing Wishah about the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a) 124 2/8: Foretelling the date of the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a)... 124 2/9: Foretelling the place of the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a).. 125 2/10: The Prophet (s) is shown the soil of the land in which the blood of al-Husayn (a) would be shed 129 2/11: The appeal of the Prophet (s) to his nation to assist al-Husayn (a) 131 2/12: The prophecy of the Prophet (s) about the characteristics of the killers of al-Husayn (a).............................. 132 2/13: The foretelling of the Prophet (s) about themannerin which al-Husayn (a) would be killed.............................. ,136 2/14: The prophecy of the Messenger of God (s) about the shrine of al-Husayn (a) and about those who would come for his visitation (zcyarah)................................................................................................... 137 PART 3: THE PROPHECIES OF IMAM <ALl (A) ABOUT THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A)............................................................................. 139 3/1: Foretelling the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a) when crossing Karbala.................................................................................................... .140 3/2: A dream that the Commander of the Faithful (a) had in Karbala. .146 3/3: The prophecy of ‘AlT (a) about the martyrdom of al-Husayn (a), [related] in the Mosque of Kufa...............................................................148 3/4: The prophecy of (All (a) about those who would participate in the killing of al-Husayn (a).............................................................................148 3/5: The prophecy of lAlT (a) about the name of the standard-bearer of the army who would fight al-Husayn (a)................................................. 149 3/6: The prophecy of《AH (a) about the names of some of those who would fight against al-Husayn (a)....................................................... 150 3/7: The prophecy of {AlT (a) about the names of some of those who would refuse to help al-Husayn (a)..................................................... 152 3/8: The prophecy of cAlT (a) about the killer of al-Husayn (a)......... 152 3/9: The prophecy of‘All (a) about the shrine of al-Husayn (a) and those who come for his visitation (zcyarah)............................................ 155 PART 4: OTHER PROPHECIES ABOUT THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A)...................................................................................... 157 4/1: The prophecy of Imam al-Hasan (a) about the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a).......................................................................... 157 4/2: The prophecy of Salman about the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a)..................................................................................... 158 viii | Chronicles of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn 4/3: The prophecy of Abu Dharr about the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayii (a)..................................................................................158 4/4: The prophecy of Ibn (Abbas about the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a)..................................................................................159 4/5: The prophecy of companions of Imam (Ali (a) about the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a)..................................................159 PART 5: THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE EVENT OF KARBALA...................162 CHAPTER THREE | THE DEPARTURE OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A) FROM MEDINA UNTIL HIS ARRIVAL IN KARBALA.................................................185 PART 1: REJECTION BY IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A) OF YAZlD’S DEMAND FOR ALLEGIANCE.......................................................................................... 186 1/1: The beginning of the rule ofYazId............................................ 186 1/2: Demanding the oath of allegiance from Imam al-Husayn (a). ,186 1/3: The consultation of al-Walld with Marwan about taking the oath of allegiance from Imam al-Husayn (a)................................. .188 A 1/4: Imam al-Husayn (a) summoned by al-Walld to give his oath of allegiance............................................................................. ,189 1/5: The preparations of the Imam (a) before going to al-Walld … 190 i/6: The meeting between the Imam (a) and al-Walld about giving the oath of allegiance........................................................... 1/7: The argument between Marwan and al-Walid after the departure of Imam al-Husayn (a)................................................... 195 1/8: The argument between Marwan and Imam al-Husayn (a) in the street..................................................................................... 195 PART 2: FROM MEDINA TO MECCA.................................................... 197 2/1: The dream of al-Husayn (a) about the Prophet (s) when he was saying farewell at his grave...................................................... 197 2/2: Lamentation by the women of the family of 4Abd al-Muttalib at the departure of the Imam (a).................................................... 198 2/3: The advice of (Umar ibn ‘All ibn Abl Talib to the Imam (a)... 199 2/4: The will of the Imam (a) to his brother, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah............................................................................. 200 2/5: The departure of the Imam (a) from Medina and his stay in Mecca........................................................................................... 201 2/6: The companions of the Imam (a) from his family on the journey to Mecca............................................................................. 204 PART 3: THE ACTIVITIES OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A) IN MECCA....... 205 -4 Table of Contents | ix 3/1: The delight of the people of Mecca at the arrival of Imam al-Husayn (a)........................................................................... 205 3/2: The letter of the Kufans to the Imam (a), urging him to rise against YazTd........................................................................... 206 3/3: The Imam (a) sends a special envoy with his letter of reply to Kufa..................................................................................... 211 3/4: The Imam (a) seeks help from the people of Basra................. 213 PART 4： THE DEPARTURE OF THE ENVOY OF IMAM AL-HUSAYN (A) FROM MECCA UNTIL HIS MARTYRDOM IN KUFA............................. ,216 4/1: Reports about the events on the way to Kufa............................ 216 4/2: The arrival of Muslim in Kufa and the pledge of allegiance of the Kufans to him......................................................................... 220 4/3: The speech of al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir and his threatening the people......................................................................................... 224 4/4: Receipt by YazTd of the news of the bay'ah of the people to Muslim, and the weak stance of al-Nu(man ibn Bashir.................. 226 4/5: The seeking of advice by YazTd in selecting a governor for Kufa .. 227 4/6: The appointment of‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad as the governor of Kufa...................................................................................... 228 4/7: The arrival of Ibn Ziyad in Kufa...................................... 230 4/8: The speech of Ibn Ziyad in the Mosque of Kufa and his warning the people against disobeying him.......................... 232 4/9: The political strategy used by Ibn Ziyad to gain control over Kufa 233 4/10: Muslim’s transfer to the house of Hani, ibn *Urwah................ 234 4/11: The letter of Muslim to the Imam (a) about coming to Kufa.. 236 4/12: Some reports relating to plans to kill Ibn Ziyad....................... 237 4/13: Spending money and sending a spy to discover the location of Muslim......................................................................................... 240 4/14: The capture of Hani’ and the events surrounding it............ 243 4/15: The speech of Ibn Ziyad after the imprisonment of Hani》— 246 4/16: The call of Muslim to his army and his mobilization towards the governor'smansion 246 4/17: The encirclement of the mansion of Ibn Ziyad by Muslim and his men...................................................................................... 248 4/18: Battle between Muslim and the forces of Ibn Ziyad, and the wounding of Muslim.............................................................. 248 4/19: The strategy of Ibn Ziyad for dispersing the people from around Muslim....................................................................... 249 4/20: The desertion of the followers of Ibn *AqTl.................. 251