المجالس العاشورية في المآتم الحسينية

He said: "I paid attention and found that the two lines were fitted to the meter of the muwashshah (strophic poem) of which I had composed some parts. I then composed it lamenting the affair of al-Husayn (peace be upon him) and incorporated the two mentioned lines. Thus, the muwashshah began with expressions of congratulations and ended with elegy and lamentation."

The Fifth Assembly, on the Third Day: The Worship of Hussain (peace be upon him), His Pilgrimage, and Some of His Noble Miracles

It is mentioned in the book "Al-Mazar" by Al-Mashhadi, may he rest in peace, in some of the noble visitations: "I bear witness that you fulfilled the covenant and trust of God, and all that He conditioned upon you in His book. You called to His path, exerted your utmost in His satisfaction, and led the people on the path of prophethood and the ways of the message. You walked in it with the conduct of the prophets and the paths of the vicegerents. However, no command of yours was obeyed, and no ear listened to you. May the prayers of God be upon your souls and bodies."

The text appears to mention Abu Tammam Al-Tai, suggesting it might be a reference to one of his poems or sayings, but without additional context or content, a direct translation isn't possible. If you provide more of the text, I'll be able to assist with a full translation.

It is narrated by Al-Humairi, may mercy be upon him, with his chain of narration to Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) who said: Al-Hussein, son of Ali (peace be upon him), departed towards Mecca one year on foot, and his feet became swollen. A servant of his told him, "If you ride, this swelling will subside for you." He replied, "No, when we reach the next watering place, a dark-skinned man will greet you with a medicinal preparation, so purchase it from him without bargaining." His servant said to him, "May my father and mother be your ransom, there is no dwelling ahead of us where anyone sells this remedy." He replied, "Indeed, that is just before the water station."

So he marched to the olive oil merchant and found him wearing black. Al-Hussein said to his servant, "Go to the man and take some oil from him." The servant took the oil and gave him the payment. The man asked the servant, "For whom have you bought this oil?"

He said to Al-Hussein, son of Ali (peace be upon them), "Let us go to him." The black man went towards him and said, "O son of the Messenger of Allah, I am your servant; I do not take a price for it, but pray to Allah to grant me a sound and healthy male child who loves you, Ahl al-Bayt. I have left my wife in labor." Al-Hussein replied, "Go back to your home, for Allah has granted you a sound and healthy male child."

The woman gave birth to a sound boy, and then the black man returned to Al-Hussein and prayed for goodness for him for the birth of the child. Subsequently, Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) applied moisture to his legs, and he did not rise from his place until the swelling subsided.

Ibrahim al-Rafa'i narrated from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I saw Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them) walking to the pilgrimage. Whenever they passed by a man on a mount, they would dismount and walk. This became burdensome for some of them, so they spoke to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas: "Walking has become burdensome for us, and we don't think it's proper to ride while these two leaders walk." So Sa'd said to Hasan: "O Abu Muhammad, walking has become difficult for a group of those with you, and when people see you both walking, they won't feel comfortable riding."

When you two mounted, Hasan (peace be upon him) said: "We do not ride; we have committed ourselves to walking to the House of Allah in Mecca on foot. However, take us away from the path." So they walked away from the crowd of people.

Abdullah bin Ubaid Abu Umair said: "Hussain bin Ali (peace be upon them) performed Hajj twenty-five times on foot, and indeed, the camels would walk alongside him."

Ibn Abd Rabbo mentioned in his book "Al-Iqd Al-Farid" that it was said to Ali bin Al-Hussein (peace be upon them): "How few were the children of your father!" He replied: "I am amazed that he had any children at all when he used to pray a thousand rak'ahs daily and nightly."

It was also said to Al-Hussein (peace be upon him): "How great is your fear of your Lord!" He answered: "Only those who fear God in this world will feel secure on the Day of Judgment."

In the narratives about the miracles of the Master of Martyrs (peace be upon him), Bishr Al-Amash recounted on the authority of Zurara bin A'yun, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) narrating from his forefathers (peace be upon them) that a man suffering from a severe fever was visited by Hussein (peace be upon him). When Hussein entered through the door of the house, the fever immediately left the man. The man then said to him, "I am satisfied with what you have been given, truly, truly, for even the fever flees from you." Hussein (peace be upon him) replied, "By God, Allah has created nothing without commanding it to obey us."

Then we heard a voice, although we saw no figure, saying, "Here I am at your service." It asked, "Did not the Commander of the Faithful command you not to approach except an enemy or a sinner so that you may be an expiation for his sins? Why did you approach this one?" The sick man was Abdullah bins Shaddad bin Al-Had Al-Laithi.

Salih ibn Mitham reported: I entered, along with Abaya al-Asadi, to see Hababa al-Walbiya. She said to him: "This is your nephew, Mitham." She confirmed, "Indeed, he is truly my nephew. Shall I tell you a story about..."

Al-Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon them)? I replied: Yes. She said: I entered upon him, greeted him, and he returned the greeting warmly. Then he said, "What has delayed you from visiting us and greeting us, O Hubbaba?" I said, "The only thing that kept me from you was an ailment that occurred." He asked, "What is it?" She said that she uncovered her face to show vitiligo. She continued, saying that he kept praying until her hand was healed and Allah removed the vitiligo. Then he said: "O Hubbaba, no one adheres to the faith of Abraham in this nation except us and our followers, and all others are absolved from it."

In "The Eyes of Miracles" by Al-Murtada, may God have mercy on him: from Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), from his father, from his grandfather (peace be upon them), it is narrated that the people of Kufa came to Ali (peace be upon him) and complained to him about the lack of rain, and requested him to pray for rain for them. He said to Al-Hussein (peace be upon him): "Stand and pray for rain."

So he stood, praised God, and exalted Him, and sent blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and said: "O Allah, Giver of goodness, Sender of blessings, send down the sky upon us pouring abundantly, and grant us abundant, widespread, profuse rain, washing and saturating. Let it descend heavily, continuously, and in torrents, reviving the weak among your servants, and reviving the dead among your lands. Amen, Lord of the worlds."

When he (peace be upon him) finished his supplication, Allah the Almighty suddenly sent rain. A Bedouin arrived from some outskirts of Kufa and said: "I left the valleys and hills overflowing, merging into one another."

It is narrated in some esteemed books from Al-Tabari, attributed to Tawus Al-Yamani, that Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon them) was such that when he sat in a dark place, people would be guided to him by the radiance of his forehead and neck. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) would often kiss his forehead and neck. One day, Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended and found Fatimah (peace be upon her) sleeping, while Hussein was crying in his cradle. Gabriel began to coo and soothe him until she awoke and heard the voice cooing. She looked around but did not see anyone. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed her that it was Gabriel (peace be upon him).

Ibn al-Jawzi mentioned in his book "Al-Muntazam" a strange report from Wasit, brought by the book of Ibn Wahban al-Wasiti, which tells a remarkable story:

A woman from their community living near the Fisaili River contracted leprosy, which caused her to lose her nose, lips, fingers, and toes. Her odor became putrid, causing her family distress. Consequently, her husband and children took her outside their settlement to a remote area, where they built a small hut for her. Her presence was unbearable due to the stench, so no one would pass by her. Her son would bring her two loaves of bread, which he would throw to her. One day, she called out to him, saying, "My son, by God, stop for a moment so I can see you, and please bring me a sip of water to drink." However, he didn’t comply and fled.

Nearby was a water pool, and her thirst compelled her to approach it. She gathered her strength and reached there, but fainted upon arrival. After regaining consciousness, she recounted that she saw two men and two women seated beside her. They offered her two loaves of bread on green leaves and brought her a jug filled with water, saying to her, "Eat from this bread and drink from this water." As she ate, the loaf would restore itself each time until she was full. She drank from the jug water more delightful than any she had ever tasted before. She asked, "O my lords, who are you?" One of them replied, "I am Hasan, this is Husayn, this is Khadijah the Great, and this is Fatimah al-Zahra." Hasan then placed his hand on her chest and face, and Husayn on her back. Her lips, nose, and fingers were restored, and she was cured, shedding approximately thirty scales like those of a fish. People from the area came to witness and seek blessings from her.

Among the miracles of Hussein (peace be upon him) is what Ibn Asaakir narrated through his chain from Abdullah bin Ja'far, from Abu Aoun, who said: When Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon them) left Medina intending to go to Mecca, he passed by Ibn Muti', who was digging his well. Ibn Muti' asked him, "Where are you going, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you?" He replied, "I am heading to Mecca."

He mentioned to him that his followers had written to him about it, so Ibn Muti’ said to him, "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, let us enjoy your presence and do not leave us to them." But Hussein (peace be upon him) refused. Ibn Muti’ then said to him, "This well of mine has been filled with water, and today is the time when something emerges from it into the bucket. If only you would pray to God to bless it for us." Hussein replied, "Bring some of its water." Water from the well was brought to him in a bucket. He drank from it, rinsed his mouth, and then returned it to the well. The water turned sweet and was plentiful. Then Hussein bid them farewell and headed to Mecca.

Yes, he set out to Mecca, but in what state did he go (peace be upon him)? It is narrated from Sukayna that she said, as it was reported about her: We left Medina on a dark night with thunderstorms and lightning, until we thought that the sky had collapsed onto the earth.

Yes, Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) departed from Medina to Mecca, leaving the home desolate after it had been illuminated by the light of his radiant face. May God have mercy on Sheikh Ali Al-Jeshi, as he said:

In the first assembly of the fourth day, the people of Kufa wrote to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), urging him to send Muslim ibn Aqil (peace be upon him) to them.

As stated in the noble Ziyarah Nahiya: "Peace be upon you, O knower of your sanctity, sincere in your loyalty to you, drawing near to God through your love, disassociating from your enemies. Peace from one whose heart is wounded with your calamity, whose tears flow freely at your remembrance. Peace from the stricken and saddened, the longing and lowly one. Peace from one who, if he were with you in Karbala, would have shielded you with his soul from the edge of the swords, and given his life for you in the face of death. He would have fought beside you, supported you against those who wronged you, dedicated himself to you with his body and possessions, offering his soul as a ransom for your soul, and his family as protection for your family. Although the passage of time has delayed me, and destiny has hindered me from supporting you, and I was not among those who fought your enemies, nor among those who opposed you, I shall mourn for you morning and evening. I shall weep for you with blood instead of tears, regretting you and lamenting what befell you, with sorrow until I die from the sorrow of your tragedy and the anguish of grief."

The narrator said: When the people of Kufa heard of Muawiya's demise, they began to gossip about Yazid. They were aware of Hussein's (peace be upon him) refusal to pledge allegiance to him, as well as the situation regarding Ibn al-Zubayr in this context and their departure to Mecca. The Shiites in Kufa gathered at the house of Sulayman ibn Surad al-Khuza'i, where they discussed Muawiya's death, praised and thanked God for it. Sulayman said: "Muawiya has perished, and indeed..."

Al-Husayn had broken off his allegiance to the people and had gone out to Mecca, and you are his supporters and the supporters of his father. If you are certain that you will assist him and fight his enemies, then write to him. But if you fear failure and weakness, do not deceive the man about himself. They said, "No, rather we will fight his enemies and sacrifice our lives for him." So, write to him.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. To Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) from Sulayman ibn Surad, al-Musayyib ibn Najaba, Rifa'a ibn Shaddad al-Bajali, Habib ibn Muzahhir, and his loyal followers and the Muslims from among the people of Kufa: Peace be upon you. We praise God before you, the one besides whom there is no deity.

Praise be to God who rendered your enemy, the oppressive oppressor, defeated. He who seized control of this nation, confiscated its affairs, usurped its property, assumed authority over the people without their consent, killed its best members, and left the worst. He made the wealth of God circulate among its tyrants and wealthy ones. May he be destroyed as the people of Thamud were destroyed.

Indeed, we have no Imam. Come to us so that perhaps God will unite us with you upon the truth. Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir is in the governor's palace, but we neither gather with him for Friday prayers nor go out with him during festivals. If we learn that you are approaching us, we will drive him out till we send him off to Syria, God willing.

They then dispatched the letter with Abdullah bin Masma' al-Hamdani and Abdullah bin Wal and instructed them to hurry. They left swiftly until they reached Hussein in Mecca on the tenth day of Ramadan.

The people of Kufa lingered for two days after they received the letter, and they sent Qays ibn Mus'hir al-Saidawi, Abd al-Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Shaddad al-Arhabi, and Amarah ibn Abdullah al-Saluli to Al-Husayn (peace be upon him), accompanied by about one hundred and fifty missives from individuals, pairs, and groups of four.

And the honorable man, may mercy be upon him, despite all of this, refused and did not respond to them. In a single day, he received six hundred letters, and the letters continued to arrive until they accumulated to a total of twelve thousand letters, in parts and collectively, at his place.

Sheikh Al-Mufid, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Then they stayed for two more days and sent Hani ibn Hani al-Sabe'i and Sa'id ibn Abdullah al-Hanafi to him. They wrote to him: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. To Hussein ibn Ali from their followers among the believers and Muslims. Peace be upon you. The people are waiting for you; they have no leader but you. Hurry, hurry, and again hurry, hurry. Peace be upon you.

Thumama wrote to Shabath bin Rib'i, Hajar bin Abjar, Yazid bin Al-Harith bin Ruwaim, Urwa bin Qais, Amr bin Hajjaj Al-Zubaidi, and Muhammad bin Amr Al-Taimi: "Greetings, the fields have turned green, the fruits have ripened, the earth is lush, and the trees have leafed. So, if you wish, come forth with your warriors grouped. Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you and upon your father before you."

All the messengers met with him (peace be upon him), and he read the letters and asked the messengers about the people. Then he wrote back with Hani bin Hani and Saeed bin Abdullah, who were the last of the messengers.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From Al-Hussain son of Ali to the assembly of believers and Muslims,

After greetings, I have received letters from Hani and Saeed, who were the last of your messengers to come to me. I have understood everything you conveyed and mentioned, and the majority of you have stated that you have no leader. So I will come to you, by the will of Allah, to unite us on truth and guidance. I am sending to you my brother, the son of my uncle, and the trusted one of my household, Muslim bin Aqil. If he writes to me that your prudent and virtuous people have united upon what your messengers have conveyed and what I have read in your letters, I will quickly come to you, if Allah wills. For, by my life, an imam is none other than the one who rules by the Book, upholds justice, follows the religion of truth, and dedicates himself to serving Allah. Peace be upon you.

Al-Hussain (peace be upon him) called upon Muslim ibn Aqil and sent him with Qays ibn Musher al-Saidawi, Amarah ibn Abdullah al-Saluli, and Abdul Rahman ibn Abdullah al-Azdi. He instructed him to have piety, to keep his matter concealed, and to act with kindness. If he saw the people united and steadfast, he was to hasten back with that information to him.

Muslim (peace be upon him) proceeded until he reached Medina. There, he prayed in the mosque of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and bid farewell to his beloved family members. He hired two guides from the tribe of Qais, and they started to guide him, avoiding the main road. However, they lost their way and were overcome by severe thirst, hindering their ability to continue. They then pointed him towards the path after it became apparent to them, and Muslim took that path. Both guides died of thirst. The narration continues until the narrator says:

Muslim bin Aqil (peace be upon him) arrived at the water of Tiy and he settled there for a while. As he dismounted, he saw a man hunting. He watched as the man skillfully struck down a deer as it appeared to him. Muslim bin Aqil then said, "We shall slay our enemy, God willing."

Then he (peace be upon him) approached until he entered Kufa and settled in the house of Al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubaida, which is today known as the house of Muslim ibn Al-Musayyib. The followers began to visit him, and whenever a group of them gathered, he would read to them the letter from Al-Husayn (peace be upon him), and they would weep. People pledged allegiance to him, and he gathered a following of eighteen thousand, commanding him to come. The Shiites continued to come to Muslim ibn Aqil (peace be upon him) until his whereabouts became known.

When news of this reached Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir, who was the governor of Kufa under Muawiya and was confirmed in his position by Yazid, he ascended the pulpit, praised and glorified God, and then said:

"To proceed, fear God, O servants of God, and do not hasten into turmoil and division, for in that there is the destruction of men, the shedding of blood, and the usurpation of wealth. I do not fight those who do not fight me, nor do I attack those who do not attack me. I will not disturb your sleep, provoke you, act on mere suspicion or accusations. However, if you show me hostility, break your pledge of allegiance, and oppose your leader, then by God, there is no deity but Him, I will strike you with my sword whose hilt remains firm in my hand, even if I have no allies among you. Indeed, I hope that those among you who recognize the truth are more than those driven by falsehood."

Abdullah bin Muslim bin Rabi'ah Al-Hadhrami, an ally of Banu Umayyah, stood up and said to him: "Indeed, he..."

Only severe measures can rectify matters, and this stance that you maintain between yourself and your enemy is the opinion of the weak. Al-Nu'man replied: Being among the weak in obedience to God is more beloved to me than being among the mighty in disobedience to God. Then he sat down.

Abdullah bin Muslim went out and wrote a letter to Yazid bin Muawiyah: "After greeting, Muslim bin Aqil has arrived in Kufa, and the Shiites have pledged their allegiance to him for Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib. If you have any need in Kufa, send a strong man who can carry out your orders and act as you would against your enemy. Al-Numan bin Bashir is a weak man, or he appears to weaken." Then Amarah bin Aqbah bin Huwam wrote, and Umar bin Saad bin Abi Waqqas wrote something similar to him.

When the letters reached Yazid, he called for Sarjun, the servant of Muawiya, and asked him: "What is your opinion? Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) has sent Muslim ibn Aqil to Kufa to gain allegiance, and it has come to my attention that An-Nu’man is weak and speaks poorly. Whom do you think I should appoint over Kufa?" Yazid was displeased with Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, but Sarjun said to him: "If Muawiya, who has passed away, were to advise you, would you take his opinion?" Yazid replied: "Yes." Sarjun then presented Ubayd Allah's appointment over Kufa and said: "This is Muawiya’s opinion, which he ordered with this document. Unite the two cities under Ubayd Allah's command." Yazid said: "I will do it. Send the appointment of Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad to him."

Muslim ibn Amr al-Bahili wrote to Ubaidullah with him: "As for what follows, my followers from the people of Kufa have written to inform me that Ibn Aqeel is there, gathering groups to break the unity of the Muslims. So, as soon as you read this letter, proceed to Kufa and seek Ibn Aqeel as you would seek a bead until you find him and either arrest him, kill him, or exile him. Peace."

He handed him the pact concerning Kufa, and Muslim bin Amr set out until he reached Ubayd Allah in Basra, delivering to him the pact and the letter. Ubayd Allah then immediately ordered preparations for the journey.

And he prepared to head to Kufa the next day, then he left Basra, appointing his brother Othman as his successor.

Ibn Al-Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, said: It is narrated to Husayn bin Abdul Rahman that the people of Kufa wrote to him—meaning to Al-Hussein (peace be upon him)—saying: "We are with you, a hundred thousand strong." According to Awad bin Abi Hind, from Al-Sha'bi, Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) had forty thousand people from Kufa pledge allegiance to fight whoever he fights and make peace with whoever he makes peace. Therefore, he sent a reply to them, giving them hope of acceptance and promising a swift arrival. He also dispatched Muslim bin Aqeel.

After that, may Allah have mercy on him, he said: Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) had written a letter to a group of notables in Basra, entrusting it to a man named Suleiman, also known as Abu Razeen, inviting them to support him and obey him. Among them were Yazid bin Masoud al-Nahshali and al-Mundhir bin al-Jarood al-Abdi. Yazid bin Masoud gathered the Bani Tamim, Bani Hanzala, and Bani Saad. When they were present, he said, "O Bani Tamim, how do you regard my position and lineage among you?" They replied, "Indeed, you are, by Allah, the backbone of our strength and the head of our pride. You occupy a central place in honor and have excelled in it." He said, "I have gathered you for a matter I wish to consult with you on and seek your assistance with." They responded, "By Allah, we will sincerely advise you and commend your judgment, so speak and we will listen."

He said: Indeed, Muawiya has died, and he is now merely a memory, by God he is lost and gone. Behold, he had caused tyranny and sin to prevail, and the pillars of oppression have been shaken. He had established a pledge of allegiance and thought he had firmly secured it, but alas, he was mistaken. By what he intended, he strove and ultimately failed; he consulted, yet was abandoned. And now, Yazid, a drinker of wine and a symbol of debauchery, claims the caliphate over the Muslims and assumes authority over them with little patience and scant knowledge. He does not even know where his feet step when it comes to righteousness. I swear by God, a solemn oath, that striving against him in the cause of religion is more virtuous than striving against the polytheists. And here is Hussein ibn Ali...

The son of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is of noble lineage and sound judgment. His virtues are indescribable, and his knowledge is inexhaustible. He is most deserving of this matter due to his precedence, age, position, and close relation. He shows kindness to the young and compassion to the old. What an honorable shepherd he is for his flock, and what an exemplary leader for his people. Through him, God has made clear His proof, and the exhortation has been conveyed through him. Do not turn away from the light of truth, nor wallow in the mire of falsehood. Indeed, Sahar bin Qais betrayed you on the day of the Camel Battle, so cleanse yourselves by going out to support the son of the Messenger of Allah and aiding him. By God, no one refrains from supporting him except that God bequeaths degradation to his children and scarcity to his kin. Here I am, having donned the war attire and armored myself for it. Whosoever destined to die, shall not evade it; and whosoever fearlessly fights, shall not be disgraced. So, respond well, may God have mercy on you, and return this message appropriately.

So the Banu Hanzala spoke, saying: "O Abu Khalid! We are your people and your horsemen of the clan. If you aim at us, you will hit your mark, and if you lead us into battle, you will conquer. By God, we will not enter into any challenge unless we engage in it wholeheartedly, nor will we encounter any hardship unless we face it bravely. We will defend you with our swords and protect you with our bodies whenever you wish."

They spoke to Nusaad bin Zaid and said: "O Abu Khalid! The thing we detest most is going against you and deviating from your opinion. Sakhr bin Qais had instructed us to desist from fighting, which earned us praise and maintained our honor among us. So give us time to reconsider, and our decision will come to you."

They spoke with Nuaim ibn Amr ibn Tamim and said: "O Abu Khalid! We are the sons of your father and your allies. We are not satisfied if you are angry, and we will not settle if you depart. The matter is in your hands, so call us and we will respond, command us and we will obey. The decision is yours whenever you wish."

He said, "By God, O sons of Saad, if you do this, may God never lift the sword from you, and may your sword remain among you forever."

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. To proceed, your letter has reached me, and I understand what you have encouraged me towards and invited me to: to take my share in your obedience and to achieve my portion in supporting you. Indeed, Allah never leaves the earth without a caretaker acting on it.

I am well, and I seek guidance for a path of salvation, as you are God's proof over His creation and His entrusted on earth. You have branched from an Ahmadine olive tree; he is its root and you are its branch. Proceed, you have attended the luckiest of birds, for you have humbled the necks of the Bani Tamim, leaving them more eager to obey you than the thirsty camels are to drink on the fifth day. You have humbled the necks of the Bani Saad and washed the impurities from their hearts with the water from a cloud when its lightning flashed and sparkled.

When Hussein (peace be upon him) read the letter, he said: "May God secure you on the Day of Fear and quench your thirst on the Day of Thirst." When the person referred to him was preparing to set out towards Hussein (peace be upon him), news of his martyrdom reached him before he could depart, and he was distressed at being unable to join him.

As for Al-Mundhir ibn Jarud, he took the letter and the messenger to Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. Al-Mundhir feared that the letter might be a ploy from Ubayd Allah, as Bahriya, the daughter of Al-Mundhir ibn Jarud, was married to Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. Ubayd Allah seized the messenger and crucified him, then ascended the pulpit and threatened the people of Basra against dissent and spreading rumors. The night passed, and by morning, he appointed his brother, Uthman ibn Ziyad, over them, and quickly headed to Kufa.

It is narrated by Ibn Nama that Al-Hussain (peace be upon him) wrote a letter to the prominent figures of the people of Basra, including Al-Ahnaf ibn Qais, Qais ibn Al-Haytham, Al-Munthir ibn Al-Jarood, and Yazid ibn Mas'ood Al-Nahshali. He sent the letter with Zura'a Al-Sudusi (or it is said with Sulayman known as Abu Razeen), and the letter stated: "I invite you to God and to His Prophet, as the Sunnah has been neglected. If you respond to my call and obey my command, I will guide you to the path of righteousness." Al-Ahnaf wrote back to him: "As for what follows, be patient, for the promise of God is true, and do not let those who lack certainty unsettle you."

May the mercy of God be upon the pious Sheikh Yusuf Abu Dhib al-Khatti, as he says:

The second session, four days after Ibn Ziyad's entry into Kufa and the killing of Hani ibn Urwa.

The narrator said: When Ibn Ziyad approached Kufa, he halted until nightfall. The people there assumed he was Hussein (peace be upon him) and he entered from the side of Najaf. A woman exclaimed, "God is great! By the Lord of the Kaaba, it is the son of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family)." The people cried out, saying, "We are with you, more than forty thousand," and they crowded around him, taking hold of the reins of his mount, believing him to be Hussein (peace be upon him). He uncovered his face and said, "I am Ubayd Allah." The crowd scattered, trampling over each other, and he entered the governor's palace wearing a black turban.

When morning came, he stood addressing them, reproaching them, and reprimanding their leaders, and he promised them...