lose a battle.
The perception of Khalid’s invincibility among the Muslim soldiers clearly disturbed Caliph Umar, who immediately discharged him from his duties as commander of the Muslim army in order to remind the Muslims that it was God who granted victory. Moreover, Khalid would not have been able to defeat the Persians and the Byzantines, argued Umar, had it not been for Divine support and assistance. Caliph Umar did not demote Khalid out of jealousy or personal grudge, unlike suggestions by some historians. On the contrary, he was very fond of Khalid and considered him to be one of Islam’s greatest sons. Khalid died of prolonged illness at the age of fifty-eight and was buried in Hims, in Syria; his desire to attain martyrdom was not realised. However, he understood why he could not die fighting in the battlefield, because that would have meant defeat for the ‘Sword of God’. When the news of Khalid’s death was relayed to Caliph Umar, he remarked, ‘The death of Khalid has created a void in Islam that cannot be filled.’ That was the greatness of the man who single-handedly humbled two of history’s greatest empires.
ALL NATIONS HAVE their own heroes. Some attained fame and fortune by defending their nations against external aggression; others were glorified for their artistic achievements; yet others became symbols of hope in the face of great adversity. All great nations and civilisations, therefore, remember and commemorate, at one time or another, the heroic actions and deeds performed by their great historical figures. Islamic history, indeed human history, is replete with great feats performed by renowned personalities in different spheres of human endeavour; but very few people have been able to reach the sublime and exalted position attained by one man. He was braver than a lion, an angel among men and the prince of all martyrs. That was Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib was born in Madinah into the most noble and respected family of Arabia. His father was Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Caliph of Islam, and his mother was Fatimah, the youngest daughter of Prophet Muhammad. Hussain’s family lineage was, therefore, of the highest pedigree. Once Abdullah ibn Umar, the son of Caliph Umar, asked his father why he consistently treated Hussain and his brother Hasan more favourably than his own sons. The great Caliph retorted, ‘Abdullah, your remarks have hurt me. Don’t you know that your grandfather stands no comparison with their grandfather! Do you think your grandmother can equal theirs? Has your maternal uncle the same standing as theirs? Can your maternal aunt compare with their aunt? Is your paternal uncle of the same rank as theirs? Can your paternal aunt be a match for theirs?’ Abdullah, the son of Caliph Umar, understood what his father was trying to say. As far as family background and nobility of origin was concerned, no one was superior to Hussain; he was beyond comparison in this respect. As young Hussain grew up in Madinah under the watchful gaze of his beloved grandfather, the Prophet, and the loving care of his parents, Ali and Fatimah, he came to personify sublime qualities and attributes; indeed, honesty, integrity and piety became the hallmarks of his character and personality. Above all, Hussain grew up to be a man of sound beliefs and uncompromising principles. He inherited all the noble qualities and attributes of his parents, and received tuition in Islam from the Prophet himself. Being very fond of his two grandsons, the Prophet visited them daily and spent quality time with them. Often he would volunteer to feed Hussain and his older brother with his own hands, and became visibly distressed and anxious if he knew his grandsons were sick or upset.
One day when Hussain and his brother ran into the Prophet’s mosque while he was delivering a sermon, the sight of his beautiful grandchildren – who were wearing new clothes and looked very handsome – touched the Prophet so much that he leaned forward and gently seated the boys next to him on the pulpit and said, ‘How true is the word of God! Verily, children and worldly goods are the test of a man. When I saw these children coming in, I could not help but stop the sermon and run towards them.’ Hussain spent his early years in the company of the Prophet, the greatest of all teachers, and he learned all his habits from his beloved grandfather. He enjoyed playing with the Prophet while the latter immersed himself in his daily prayers. He climbed onto his shoulders and played games like any other child of his age. Once, while the Prophet was holding Hussain in his lap, tears suddenly began to roll down his cheeks. When he was asked why he cried, he replied, ‘Because angel jibrail (Gabriel) appeared just now. He has informed me that my followers are going to slay this grandson of mine. He has even shown me the dust of the spot where he is going to be butchered! The dust is red!’
Hussain was only seven when the Prophet passed away in 632. Six months later he suffered another shock when his beloved mother Fatimah also died, leaving him in the care of his father, Ali. It was a very difficult period for young Hussain, who suddenly found himself deprived of motherly love and affection. Being a very wise and learned man, Ali tried his best to fill the void left by his wife and took good care of Hussain, who also grew up to be a wise and handsome young man. When Uthman became Caliph, Hussain was about twenty years old and had become well known for his versatility, military skills and bravery. As an accomplished soldier, he participated in a number of battles against the adversaries of Islam, including the one that led to the conquest of Tabaristan. Hussain thus acquired a reputation in Madinah for his sacrifices for the sake of Islam. However, during the latter part of Caliph Uthman’s reign, internal frictions and schisms began to disrupt the unity of the Islamic State. Bent on wreaking havoc within the Islamic State, insurgents tried to blame the Caliph for the deteriorating situation in Madinah, but the aging Caliph refuted all their charges. Their failure to discredit the Caliph persuaded the insurgents to assassinate him. It was Hussain and his brother who stood at the front gate of the Caliph’s house to protect him from his opponents.
Unfortunately, the insurgents managed to enter Caliph Uthman’s house through the back door and brutally murdered him. Ali was then elected the fourth Caliph, in 656. During Ali’s Caliphate, Hussain stood by his father like a rock and supported him as much as he could. Four and a half years into his Caliphate, Ali died of a stab wound inflicted by a member of the khawarij sect. Before his death, he called his sons Hasan and Hussain and told them: ‘I want you to fear God always. Don’t feel sorry for what you cannot get. Be good to the people. Help the weak against the oppressor.’ Both Hasan and Hussain lived up to their father’s advice. Hasan was naturally a gentle and peace-loving man who disliked conflict and bloodshed. Though immediately after his father’s death he was elected Caliph, he abdicated in favour of his rival Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan to avoid yet another leadership contest. However, Hussain disagreed with his brother’s decision and considered Muawiyah to be an opportunist and usurper. Known for his integrity and uncompromising principles, Hussain’s stance on the issue of political leadership put him on a collision course with Yazid, the son of Muawiyah, who succeeded his father as the ruler of the Islamic State in 680.
Like his father, Yazid had a privileged upbringing but, unlike his father, he knew very little about Islam and was even less experienced in public affairs. Living in his father’s imposing Caliphal Palace in Damascus, he became well known for his unscrupulousness and lack of diplomatic skills. Even those who knew him well considered him unsuitable for the highest office in the land, but Muawiyah ignored all friendly advice and insisted on nominating Yazid as his successor. To be fair to Muawiyah, before his death he advised Yazid to be kind and generous to his subjects, especially to those who lived in the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah, but as soon as Yazid ascended the throne, he wasted no time in using force against those who refused to recognise him as the legitimate Caliph. Devoid of tact and intelligence, Yazid created chaos and disorder across the Islamic State. His choice of governors, civil servants and military commanders were equally appalling. He removed some of the most gifted and able governors and diplomats from their posts, and replaced them with some of the most corrupt and ruthless people. This helped to intensify the conflict between the ruling elites and the masses, who, as expected, opposed Yazid’s choice of governors and administrators.
Against this backdrop, Hussain and Abdullah ibn Zubair emerged to challenge Yazid’s right to rule the Islamic State. When Hussain refused to recognise Yazid as Caliph, the latter ordered his governor
