The Death of Hussein
Hussein ibn Ali is considered by Shi’ites to be the correct caliph. He is the grandson of the great prophet, Muhammad. His legacy lies in his martyrdom against the tyrant ruler Yazid of the Umayyad Dynasty When Yazid inherited the throne from his father, many Shiites were upset and rose up to oppose his rule in the town of Kufa, where Hussein and his family were invited by the citizens to take refuge. However, on their way from Mecca to Kufa, the caravan was stopped in Karbala by the Umayyad army, of approximatey 4,000 men, sent by Yazid.
Hussein was cornered around Karbala, a desert town in modern day Iraq. Both camps waited in the desert for a consecutive week at a stalemate. Finally, Yazid's commander became impatient and demanded that Hussein either pledged his allegiance or face death.
The legend of Hussein ibn Ali lies in his choice that day. Despite the fact he faced Yazid army with only 72 of his own men, Hussein stated, “I will never give Yazid my hand like a man who has been humiliated, nor will I flee like a slave…” (whoishussain.org). Hussein begged his followers to flee and save themselves, but they refused. Hussein and his men were slaughtered by the Umayyad army of Yazid and the women and children were taken captive. The bodies left lying on the battlefield were mutilated, adding to the tension of later generations in Islam.
Hussein was cornered around Karbala, a desert town in modern day Iraq. Both camps waited in the desert for a consecutive week at a stalemate. Finally, Yazid's commander became impatient and demanded that Hussein either pledged his allegiance or face death.
The legend of Hussein ibn Ali lies in his choice that day. Despite the fact he faced Yazid army with only 72 of his own men, Hussein stated, “I will never give Yazid my hand like a man who has been humiliated, nor will I flee like a slave…” (whoishussain.org). Hussein begged his followers to flee and save themselves, but they refused. Hussein and his men were slaughtered by the Umayyad army of Yazid and the women and children were taken captive. The bodies left lying on the battlefield were mutilated, adding to the tension of later generations in Islam.
What happened after the war?
This win for the Umayyad’s solidified Yazid and the Umayyad dynasty’s power. Hussein’s body was dismembered and his head was then taken to Kufa to show the emperor, Yazid, and his body buried there. Many Iraqi Muslims believe that the head was taken back to Karbala and buried with his body, but Syrian Muslims believe that his head was transported to Damascus and was buried in the Great Mosque, where they believe it still resides.
Many Fatimid Muslims believe the head was placed on a plate in a casket by the Dai, which was then transported to Cairo, Egypt. The al-Husayn mosque in Cairo also lays claim to the head resting within its walls.
For Shi’ite Muslims, the tomb of al-Husayn at Karbala is the most holy place in the entire world. Regardless of Hussain’s final resting place, his martyrdom is undeniable to all of Islam and his legacy lives on as an example of the violence caused by clashes over the rightful caliph in the Muslim world since Muhammad.
Resources:
Press, Michael. Hussein’s Head and Importance of Cultural Heritage. American Schools for Oriental Research, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
Russell, Tony, Allen Brizee, and Elizabeth Angeli. "MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 4 Apr. 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Battle of Karbala. Encyclopedia Britannica. 16 May 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
n.p. Who is Hussain?. Who is Hussain. n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
Press, Michael. Hussein’s Head and Importance of Cultural Heritage. American Schools for Oriental Research, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
Russell, Tony, Allen Brizee, and Elizabeth Angeli. "MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 4 Apr. 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Battle of Karbala. Encyclopedia Britannica. 16 May 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
n.p. Who is Hussain?. Who is Hussain. n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.