Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Journey of ImamHusayn

The Journey of ImamHusayn (as), Excerpts from the bookKitab alIrshad

Authors(s):Shaykh al-Mufid

Translator(s): Dr. I. K. A. Howard

Excerpts from the bookKitab alIrshad

Pages 305 - 326

Translated by I.K.A Howard

Tahrike Tarsile Quran

Paper back - ISBN 0-940368-11-0

www.alhassanain.org/english

Table of Contents

Part 1 3

Imam Hussain (as) sets out on his Journey 3

Part 2 6

The Continuation of the Journey 6

Part 3 10

(Continued from Part 2) 10

Part 4 14

(continued from Part 3) 14

Part 5 18

(continued from Part 4) 18

Part 6 21

(continued from Part 5) 21

Part 1

ImamHussain (as) sets out on his Journey

AlHusyan , the blessings of God be on him, set out from Mecca to Iraq on the day of Muslim's (attempted) rising inKufa , that is the day ofTarwiya , after staying in Mecca for the rest ofShaban , the month ofRmadhan , Shawwal andDhu alQada and eight days ofDhu - al-Hijja in the year 60 A.H. (680). During his stay in Mecca, peacebe on him, a number ofHijazis andBasrans had gathered around him, joining themselves to his household and his retainers (mawali ).

When he determined on journeying to Iraq, he made thecircumbulation of the (sacred) House and the ritual running between al-Safa and al-Marwa . Then he left the state of consecration (for the pilgrimage) (after) he had performed the lesser pilgrimage (umra ) because he was not able to perform the greater pilgrimage (hajj). Through fear of being apprehended in Mecca, and being taken toYazid b.Muiawiya , he, peace be on him, had set out early with his House, his sons and those of hisShia who had joined him.

[As it has been reported to us:]

News of Muslim's (capture and death) had not yet reached him because (it had only happened) on the day he set out.

[It is reported that al-Farazdaq , the poet, said:]

I made the pilgrimage with my mother in the year 60 A.H. (680). I was driving her camel when I entered the sanctuary. (There) I met al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be on them, leaving Mecca accompanied by (some men carrying) swords and shields.

"Whose caravan is this?" I asked.

"Al-Husayn b. Ali's, peacebe on them," was the reply. So I went up and greeted him.

"May God grant you your request and (fulfil ) your hope in what you want, by my father and mother, son of the Apostle of God," I said to him. "But what is making you hurry away from the pilgrimage?"

"If I did not hurry away, I would be apprehended," he replied. Then he asked me: "Who are you?"

"An Arab," I answered and he did not question me (about myself) any further.

"Tell me about the people you have left behind you," he asked.

"You have asked a good (question)," I answered. "The hearts of the people are with you but their swords are against you. The decision comes from Heaven and God does what he wishes."

"You have spoken truly of the affair belonging to God," he replied.

"Every day He (is involved) in (every) matter" (LV, 29) If fate sends down what we like and are pleased with, we praise God for His blessings. He is the One from Whom help should be sought in order to give thanks to Him. However, although fate may frustrate (our) hopes, yet He does not destroy (the souls of) those whose intention is the truth and whose hearts are pious."

"True, God brings you what you wish for (ultimately) and guards you against what you are threatened by," I said. Then I asked him about matters concerning vows and pilgrimage rites. He told me about them and then moved his mount off, saying farewell, and so we parted.

When al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be on them, left Mecca,Yahya b. Said b. al-'As met him with a group (of men). They had been sent to him by 'Amr b. Said.

"Come back from where you are going," they ordered. But he refused (to obey) them and continued. The two groups came to blows and hit at each other with whips. However al-Husayn and his followers resisted fiercely. Al-Husayn continued until he got to al-Tanim . There he met a camel-train which had come from Yemen. He hired from its people (additional) camels for himself and his followers to ride.

Then he said to the owners (of the camels): "Whoever (of you) wants to come with us to Iraq, we will pay his hire and enjoy his company and whoever wants to leave some way along the road we will pay his hire for the distance he has travelled."

Some of the people went with him but others refused.Abd Allah b.Jafar sent his sons, Awn and Muhammad, after him, and he wrote a letter to him which he gave to them. In it, he said:

I ask you before God (to return) if you have set out when you

see my letter. For I am very concerned because the direction in

which you are heading will have within it your destruction, and

the extirpation of your House. If you are destroyed today, the

light of the land will be extinguished; for you are the (standard)

of those who are rightly-guided and the hope of the believers.

Do not hurry on your journey as I am following this letter.

Greetings.

Abd Allah, then went to 'Amr b. Sad and asked him to write to al-Husayn (offering him) a guarantee of security, and (promising) tofavour him, so that he would return from where he was going.Amr b. Said wrote a letter in which he offered himfavour and a guarantee of security for himself. He dispatched it with his brotherYahya b. Said.Yahya b. Said went after him (as did)Abd Allah after dispatching his sons.The two handed ('Amr's ) letter to him and strove (to persuade) him to return.

"I have seen the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, in my sleep," answered (al-Husayn ), "and he ordered me (to do) what I am carrying out."

"What was that vision?" they both asked.

"I have not told anyone of it," he answered, "and I am not going to tell anyone until I meet my Lord, the Mighty and Exalted."

When 'Abd Allah b.Ja'far despaired of (persuading) him, he told his sons, Awn and Muhammad, to stay with him, to go with him and to struggle on behalf of him. He returned withYahya b.Sa'id to Mecca.

AlHusayn , peace be on him, pressed on swiftly and directly towards Iraq until he reachedDhat 'Irq .

WhenUbayd Allah b.Ziyad had learnt of the journey of al-Husayn , peace be on him, from Mecca toKufa , he had sent al-Husayn b.Numayr , the commander of the bodyguard (shurta ), to station himself at al-Qadisiyya and to set up a (protective) link of cavalry between the area of al-Qadisiyya toKhaffan and the area of al-Qadisiyya to al-Qutqutaniyya . He informed the men that al-Husayn was heading for Iraq.

When al-Husayn , peacebe on him, reached al-Hajiz (a hill above)Batn al-Rumma , he sentQays b.Mushir alSaydawi - some say it was his brother-in-nurture,Abd Allah b.Yuqtur toKufa . For he, peace be upon him, had not yet learnt the news of (the fate of)Ibn 'Aqil . He sent a letter with him:

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

From al-Husayn b. Ali

To his brother believers and Muslims,

Greetings to you, I praise God before you, other thanWhom

there is no deity. Muslim b.Aqil's letter came to me, informing

me of your soundjudgement and the agreement of your leaders

to support us, and to seek our rights. I have asked God to make

your actions good and reward you with the greatest reward. I

set out to you from Mecca on 8th ofDhu al-Hijja , the Day of

Tarwiya . When my messenger reaches you, be urgent and

purposeful in youraffiars , for I am coming to you within the

(next few) days.

Greeting and the mercy and blessings of God.

Muslim had written to al-Husayn seventeen days before he was killed and theKufans had written to him: "Here you have a hundred thousand swords. Do not delay."

Qays b.Mushir went towardsKufa with the letter. However, when he reached al-Qadisiyya , al-Husayn b.Numayr apprehended him and sent him toUbayd Allah b.Ziyad .

"Go up on the pulpit,"Ubayd Allah b.Ziyad ordered him, "and curse the liar, al-Husayn b. Ali, peacebe on him"

Qays went up on the pulpit and praised and glorified God. Then he said:

People, this man, al-Husayn b. 'Ali the best of God's

creatures , the son of Fatima, the daughter of the Apostle,

may God bless him and his family and grant them peace, (is nearby). I am his messenger to you. Answer him.

Then he cursedUbayd Allah b.Ziyad and his father and prayed for forgiveness for Ali b.Abi Talib and blessed him. 'Ubayd Allah ordered him to be thrown from the top of the palace. They threw him and he was smashed to pieces.

[It is (also) reported:]

He fell on the ground in chains and his bones were crushed and there only remained to him his last breath. A man called 'Abd al-Malik b. 'Umayr al-Lakhmi came to him and cut his throat. When he was told that that had been a shameful (thing to do) and he was blamed for it, he said: "I wanted to relieve him (of his suffering)."

Part 2

The Continuation of the Journey

(While this had been going on) al-Husayn , peace be on him, had leftHajiz in the direction ofKufa until he came to one of the watering (places) of the Arabs. Therethere was 'Abd Allah b.Muti al-'Adawli , who was staying there. When he saw al-Husayn , peacebe on him, he got up and said to him: "(May I ransom) my father and mother for you, son of the Apostle of God, what has brought you (here)?" He brought him (forward) and helped him to dismount.

"It is a result of the death ofMuawiya as you would know," replied alHusayn , peacebe on him. "The Iraqis have written to me urging me to (come to) them"

"I remind you, son of the Apostle of God, (of God) and the sacredness of Islam, lest it be violated. I adjure you before God (to think) about the sacredness ofQuraysh . I adjure you before God (to think) about the sacredness of the Arabs. By God, if you seek that which is in the hands ofBanu Umayya , they will kill you. If they kill you, they will never fear anyone after you. Then it will be the sacredness of Islam which is violated, and the sacredness ofQuraysh and the sacredness of the Arabs. Don't do it! Don't go toKufa ! Don't expose yourself toBanu Umayya !"

Al-Husayn , peacebe on him, insisted on continuing his journey. (In the meantime) 'Ubayd Allah b.Ziyad had ordered (the area) which was betweenWaqisa and the roads to Syria and Basra to be occupied (so that) they should not let anyone enter, nor anyone leave (Kufa ).

However, al-Husayn , peace be on him, went on without knowing anything (of that) until he met some Arabs. He asked them (about the situation) and they told him: "No, by God, we don't know (anything about it) except that we cannot get into or out of (Kufa )."

He continued on his journey.

[A group ofFazara andBajila reported (the following account). They said:]

We were withZuhayr b. al-Qayn al-Bajah when we came from Mecca. (Although) we were travelling alongside alHusayn , peacebe on him, there was nothing more hateful to us than that we should stop with him at a halting place. (Yet) when al-Husayn , peacebe on him, travelled and halted, we could not avoid halting with him. Al-Husayn halted at the side (of the road) and we halted at the (other) side (of the road). While we were sitting, eating our food, a messenger of al-Husayn , peace be on him, approached, greeted us and entered (our camp).

"Zuhayr b. al-Qayn ," he said, "Abu 'Abd Allah al-Husayn , peace be on him, has sent me to you (to ask) you to come to him."

Each man of us threw away what was in his hands (i.e. threw up his hands in horror); it was (as surprising) as if birds had alighted on our heads.

"Glorybe to God," (Zuhayr's ) wife said to him, "did the son of the Messenger of God send for you? Then aren't you going to him? If you wentto him, you would hear what he had to say. Then you could leave him (if you wanted to)."

Zuhayr b. al-Qayn went (across) to him. It was not long before he returned to announce that he was heading east. He ordered his tent (to be struck) and (called for) his luggage, mounts and equipment. His tent was pulled down and taken to al-Husayn , peace be on him, then he said to his wife: "You are divorced, go back to your family, for I do not want anything to befall you except good."

Then he said to his companions:

Whoever wants to follow me (may do so), otherwise he is

at the end of his covenant with me (i.e. released from

obedience to followZuhayr as the leader of his tribal

group ). I will tell you a story (of something which happened

to me once): we were raiding a rich land. God granted us

victory and we won (a lot of) booty.Salman al-Farsl , the

mercy of God be on him, said to us: 'Are you happy with the

victory which God has granted you and the booty you have won?'

We said: 'Yes.' Then he said: 'Therefore when you meet the

lord of the young men of the family of Muhammad be happier to

fight with them than you are with the booty which you have obtained

today .'As for me. I pray that God may be with you."

He remained among the people with al-Husayn until he was killed.

[Abd Allah b.Sulayman and al-Mundhir b.Mushamill both fromAsad , reported:]

When we had finished the pilgrimage, there was no concern more important to us than to join al-Husayn , peace be on him, on the road, so that we might see what happened in his affair. We went along trotting our two camels speedily until we joined him atZarud . As we approached, there we (saw) a man fromKufa who had changed his route when he had seen al-Husayn , peace be on him. Al-Husayn , peace be on him, had stopped as if he wanted (to speak to) him, but (the man) ignored him and went on. We went on towards the man. One of us said to the other: "Come with us to ask this man if he has news ofKufa ."

We came up to him and greeted him. He returned out greeting.

"From which (tribe) do you come, fellow?" we asked.

"(I am) anAsadi ," he answered.

"We also areAsadis ," we said. "Who are you?"

"I amBakr b. so and so," he answered and we told him our lineage.

"Tell us of the people (you have left) behind you?" we asked.

"Yes," he replied, "I only leftKufa after Muslim b. 'Aqil and Hani' b. 'Urwa had been killed. I saw them being dragged by their legs into the market-place."

We went on to join al-Husayn , peacebe on him, and we were travelling close to him until he stopped at al-Thalabiyya in the evening. We caught up with him when he stopped and we greeted him. He returned our greeting.

"May God have mercy on you," we said, "we have news. If you wish, we will tell it to you publicly or if you wish, secretly."

He looked at us and at his followers.

"There is no veil for these men," he answered.

"Did you see the rider whom you were near, yesterday evening?"

"Yes," he answered, "I had wanted to question him."

"We have got the news from him and spared you (the trouble of) questioning him," we said. "He was a man from our (tribe), of sound judgment, honesty and intelligence. He told us that he had only leftKufa after Muslim and Hani' had been killed, and he had seen them being dragged by their legs into the market-place."

"We belong to God and to Him we shall return; may God have mercy on them both," said al-Husayn , and he repeated that several times.

"We adjure you beforeGod, " we exhorted him, "for your own life and for your House that you do not go from this place, for you have no one to support you inKufa and noShia . Indeed we fear that such men (will be the very ones who) will be against you."

"What is your opinion," he asked, looking towards the sons of 'Aqil , "now that Muslim has been killed?"

"By God," they declared, "we will not go back until we have taken our vengeance or have tasted (the death) which he tasted."

Al-Husayn , peacebe on him, came near us and said: "There is nothing good (left) in life for these men."

Then we knew that his decision had been taken to continue the journey.

"May God be good to you," we said.

"May God have mercy on you both," he answered.

Then his followers said to him: "By God, you are not the same as Muslim b.Aqil . If you go toKufa , the people will rush to (support) you."

He was silent and waited until daybreak. Then he ordered his boys and servants to get a lot of water, to give (the people) to drink and more for the journey. They set out (once more) and went on toZubala . News ofeAbd Allah b.Yuqtur reached him. He took out a written statement to the people and read it to them:

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,

News of the dreadful murder of Muslim b.Aqil Hani' b.

Urwa , andAbd Allah b.Yuqtur has reached us. OurShia

have deserted us Those of you who would prefer to leave

us , may leave freely without guilt.

The people began to disperse from him to right and left until there were only left with him those followers who had come with him from Medina, and a small group of those who had joined him. Al-Husayn had done that because herealised that the Arabs who had followed him had only followed him because they thought that he was going to a land where the inhabitants' obedience to him had already been established. And he did not want them to accompany him without being (fully) aware of what they were going to.

At dawn, he ordered his followers to provide themselves with water and with extra (supplies of it). Then they set out until they passedBatn al Aqaba. He stopped there and was met by ashaykh of theBanu Ikrima calledAmr b.Lawdhan .

"Where are you headings." he asked.

"Kufa ," replied al-Husayn , peacebe on him.

"I implore you before God," exhorted theshaykh , "why are you going there? You won't come to anything there except the points of spears and the edges of swords. If those who sent for you were enough to support you in battle and had prepared the ground for you, and you came to them, that would be a wise decision. However, in the light of the situation as it has been described I don't think that you ought to do it."

Servant of God," he answered, "wise decisions are not

hidden from me.yet the commands of God, the Exalted,

cannot be resisted. By God, (my enemies) will not leave

me till they have torn the very heart from the depths

of my guts. If they do that, God will cause them to be

dominated and humiliated until they become the most

humiliated of the factions among nations.

Part 3

(Continued from Part 2)

He, peace be on him, went on fromBatn al Aqaba until he stopped atSharaf (for the night). At dawn he ordered his boys to get water and more (for the journeysWhen he continued from there until midday. While he was journeying, one of his followers exclaimed:

"God is greater (Allahu akbar )!"

"God is greater (AllAhu akbar )!" responded al-Husayn , peace be on him. Then he asked: "Why did you sayAllahu akbar ?"

"I saw palm-trees," answered the man.

"This is a place in which we never see a palm-tree," a group of his followers asserted.

"What do you think it is then?" asked al-Husayn , peacebe on him.

"We think it is the ears of horses," they answered.

"By God, I think so too," he declared. Then he said: "(So that) we can face them in one direction (i.e. so that we are not surrounded), we should put at our rear whatever place of refuge (we can find)."

"Yes," said to him, "there isDhu Husam over on your left. If you reach it beforethem,it will be (in) just (the position) you want." So he veered left towards it and we went in that direction with him. Even before we had had time to change direction the vanguard of the cavalry appeared in front of us and we could see them clearly. We left the road and when they saw that we had moved off the road, they (also) moved off the road towards us. Their spears looked like palm branches stripped of their leaves and their standards were like birds' wings. Al-Husayn ordered his tents (to be put up) and they were erected. The people came up; (there were) about one thousand horsemen under the command of al-Hurr b.Yazid al-Tamimi . (It was) during the heat of midday (that) he and his cavalry stood (thus) facing al-Husayn , peacebe on him. Al-Husayn , peacebe on him, and his followers were all wearing their turbans and their swords (ready to fight).

"Provide (our) people with water and let them quench their thirst and give their horses water to drink little by little," alHusayn ordered his boys. They did that and they began filling their bowls and cups and took them to the horses. When a horse had drunk three or four or five draughts, the water was taken away and given to another horse-until they had all been watered.

[ Ali b. alTaan alMuharibi reported: ]

I was with al-Hurr on that day, I was among the last of his followers to arrive. When al-Husayn , peacebe on him, saw how thirsty both I and my horse were, he said: "Make your beast (rawiya ) kneel." I thoughtrawiya meant water-skin so he said: "Cousin, make your camel (jamal ) kneel." I did so. Then he said: "Drink." I did so, but when I drank, water flowed from my water-skin.

"Bend your water-skin," said al-Husayn . I did not know how to do that. He came up (to me) and bent it (into the proper position for drinking). Then I drank and gave my horse to drink.

Al-Hurr b.Yazid had come from al-Qadisiyya .Ubayd Allah b.Ziyad had sent al-Husayn b.Numayr and ordered him to take up (his) position at al-Qadisiyya . Then al-Hurr had been sent in advance with one thousand horsemen to meet al-Husayn .

Al-Hurr remained positioned opposite to al-Husayn , peace be on him, until the time for the midday prayer drew near. Al-Husayn , peacebe on him, ordered al-Hajjaj b.Masruq to give the call to prayer. When the second call to prayer immediately preceding the prayer (iqama ) was about (to be made) al-Husayn came out (before the people) dressed in a waist-cloth czar) and cloak (rida ') and wearing a pair of sandals. He praised and glorified God,then he said:

People, I did not come to you until your letters came to me,

and they were brought by your messengers (saying), 'Come to

us for we have no Imam. Through you may God unite usunder

guidance and truth.' Since this was your view, I have come to

you . Therefore give me what you guaranteed in your covenants

and (sworn) testimonies. If you will not and (if you) are (now)

averse to my coming, I will leave you (and go back) to the place

from which Icame.They were silent before him. Not one of them said a word.

"Recite theiqama ," he said to the caller for prayer (mu'adhdhin ) and he recited theiqama .

"Do you want to lead your followers in prayer?" he asked al-Hurr b.Yazid .

"No," he replied, "but you pray and we will pray (following the lead of) your prayer."

Al-Husayn , peacebe on him, prayed before them. Then he returned (to his tent) and his followers gathered around him. Al-Hurr went back to the place where he had positioned (his men) and entered a tent which had been put up for him. A group of his followers gathered around him while the rest returned to their ranks, which they had been in and which now they went back to. Each of them held the reins of his mount and sat in the shade (of its body).

At the time for the afternoon (asr ) prayer, al-Husayn , peace be on him, ordered his followers to prepare for departure. Then he ordered the call to be made, and the call for theeasr prayer was made, and theiqama . Al-Husayn , peace be on him, came forward, stood and prayed. Then he said the final greeting (of the prayer) and turned his face towards them (al-Hurr's men). He praised and glorified God and said:

People, if you fear God andrecognise the rights of those

who have rights, God will be more satisfied with you. We

are the House of Muhammad and as such are more entitled to

the authority (wilaya ) of this affair (i.e. the rule of the

community ) over you than these pretenders who claim what does

not belong to them. They have brought tyranny and aggression

among you. If you refuse (us) because you dislike (us) or do

not know our rights, and your view has now changed from what

came to us in your letters and what your messengers brought,

then I will leave you.

"By God," declared al-Hurr , "I know nothing of these letters and messengers which you mention."

"Uqba b.Siman ," al-Husayn , peacebe on him, called to one of his followers, "bring out the two saddle-bags in which the letters to me are kept."

He brought out two saddle-bags which were full of documents, and they were put before him.

"We are not among those who wrote these letters to you," said al-Hurr , "and we have been ordered that when we meet you we should not leave you until we have brought you toKufa to 'Ubayd Allah."

"Death will come to you before that (happens)," al-Husayn , peacebe on him, told him. Then he ordered his followers, "Get up and get mounted."

They got mounted and (then) waited until their women had beenmounted,"Depart ," he ordered his followers.

When they set out to leave, the men (with al-Hurr ) got in between them and the direction they were going in.

"May God deprive your mother of you," said al-Husayn , peacebe on him, to al-Hurr , "what do you want?"

"If any of the Arabs other than you were to say that to me," retorted al-Hurr , "even though he were in the same situation as you, I would not leave him without mentioning his mother being deprived (of him), whoever he might be.But by God there is no way for me to mention your mother except by (saying) the best things possible."

"What do you want?" al-Husayn , peacebe on him, demanded.

"I want to go with you to the governor,Ubayd Allah," he replied.

"Then by God I will not follow you."

"Then by God I will not let you (go anywhere else)."

These statements were repeated three times, and when their conversation was getting more (heated) al-Hurr said: "I have not been ordered to fight you. I have only been ordered not to leave you until I come with you toKufa . If you refuse (to do that), then take any road which will not bring you intoKufa nor take you back to Medina, and let that be a compromise between us while I write to the governor, 'Ubayd Allah. Perhaps God will cause something to happen which will relieve me from having to do anything against you. Therefore take this (road) here and bear to the left of the road (to) alUdhayb and al-Qadisiyya ."

Al-Husayn , peacebe on him, departed and al-Hurr with his followers (also) set out travelling close by him, while alHurr was saying to him:

Al-Husayn , I remind you (before) God to (think of) your

life ; for I testify that you will be killed if you fight.

"Do you think that you can frighten me with death?" said al-Husayn , peacebe on him. "Could a worse disaster happen to you than killing me? I can only speak (to you) as the brother of al-Aws said to his cousin when he wanted to help the Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him and his family peace. His cousin feared for him and said: 'Where are you going, for you will be killed?' but he replied:

I will depart for there is no shame in death for a young

man , whenever he intends (to do what is) right and he

strives like a Muslim,

(Who) has soothed righteous men through (the sacrifice of) his life, who has scattered the cursed and opposed the criminal.

If I live, I will not regret (what I have done) and if

I die, I will not suffer. Let it be enough for you to

live in humiliation and be reviled.

When al-Hurr heard that he drew away from him. He and his followers travelled on one side (of the road) while al-Husayn , peace be on him, travelled on the other, until they reachedUdhayb al-Hijanat . Al-Husayn , peace be on him, went on toQasr Bani Muqatil . He stopped there and there a large tent had (already) been erected.

"Whose is that?" he asked.

"That belongs toUbayd Allah b. al-Hurr al-Jufi ," he was told.

"Ask him to come to me," he said.

The messenger went to him and said: "This is al-Husayn b. Ali, peacebe on them, and he asks you to come to him."

"We belong to God and to Him we shall return," said 'Ubayd Allah. "By God, I only leftKufa out of dread that al-Husayn , peace be on him, would enterKufa while I was there. By God, I do not want to see him, nor him to see me."

The messenger returned to him (al-H.usayn ). Al-Husayn , peace be on him, rose and went over to him. He greeted him and sat down. Then he asked him to go with him.Ubayd Allah b. alHurr repeated what he had said before and sought to excusehimself from what he was asking him (to do).

"If you are not going to help us," al-Husayn , peacebe on him, said to him, "then be sure that you are not one of those who fight against us. For, by God, no one will hear our cry and not help us without being destroyed."

"As for that (fighting against you)," he replied, "it will never happen, if God, the Exalted, wishes."

Then al-Husayn , peacebe on him, left him and continued to his camp. Towards the end of the night, he ordered his boys to get provisions of water. Then he ordered the journey (to continue). He set out fromQasr Bani Muqatil .