Ibn Athir writes, “When Imam al-Husayn’s (as) head was brought for Yazid, ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad gained high esteem before Yazid. Yazid bestowed numerous favors upon him. He was extremely pleased with him. However, it did not take long before Yazid l...

Ibn Athir writes, “When Imam al-Husayn’s (as) head...

Ibn Athir narrates, “After al-Husayn’s martyrdom, Yazid called for a general meeting. The people of Sham were coming in to meet him while the blessed head of Imam al-Husayn (as) was placed next to him. He had a wooden stick in his hands with which he...

Ibn Athir narrates, “After al-Husayn’s martyrdom, ...

One of the documents which serves as evidence to prove that Yazid played a direct role in the killing of Imam al-Husayn (as) is a letter which ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas wrote to Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah. In this letter, Ibn ‘Abbas admonished Yazid to kill Ima...

One of the documents which serves as evidence to p...

Ibn A‘tham narrates that Hurr ibn Yazid and his companions had descended upon Imam al-Husayn with the intention of encountering him at war. Hurr wrote a letter to ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad informing him that Imam al-Husayn (as) had arrived at Karbala. T...

Ibn A‘tham narrates that Hurr ibn Yazid and his co...

Ya‘qubi recounts, “By the time al-Husayn started off towards Iraq, Yazid had appointed ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad to be the governor of that land. Yazid wrote to his newly appointed governor, ‘News has reached me that the people of Kufah have written a l...

Ya‘qubi recounts, “By the time al-Husayn started o...

Tabari recounts that Imam al-Husayn (as) publicly addressed the people, “Do you know what Ibn Zubayr says?” The people said, “No, we don’t know. May Allah sacrifice us for you!” Imam al-Husayn (as) said, “Ibn Zubayr says, ‘Stay in this mosque. I will...

Tabari recounts that Imam al-Husayn (as) publicly ...

Ibn ‘Asakir recounts, “When Yazid was informed about Imam al-Husayn’s exodus towards Kufah, he wrote a letter to his governor, ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, in which he ordered him to battle Imam al-Husayn (as) and send the Imam to Sham.”13 Ibn A‘tham nar...

Ibn ‘Asakir recounts, “When Yazid was informed abo...

Ibn A‘tham recounts that Walid wrote a letter to Yazid informing him about the events that had transpired between him and Imam al-Husayn (as) and between him and Zubayr. Yazid was infuriated by what had taken place. In a reply to Walid, he wrote, “Wh...

Ibn A‘tham recounts that Walid wrote a letter to Y...

History bears witness that Yazid was determined to kill Imam al-Husayn (as) in the case that he refused to pay him allegiance. In his book of history, “Tarikh Ya‘qubi”, Ya’qubi writes, “In a letter which he wrote to Walid ibn ‘Aqabah ibn Abi Sufiyan,...

History bears witness that Yazid was determined to...

History bears witness to the fact that when Yazid appointed ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad as the governor of Kufah, he ordered Ibn Ziyad to be in constant consultation with him on every matter, large or small, that involved Imam al-Husayn (as). From this, ...

History bears witness to the fact that when Yazid ...

Upon examination of historical evidence, it is apparent that it was Yazid that appointed ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad to the post of governor of Kufah. Before then, ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad was the governor of Basrah. This appointment sheds light upon the v...

Upon examination of historical evidence, it is app...

Driven by undisguised hostility against the Ahl al-Bayt (as), Ibn Taymiyyah rose in defence of Yazid. He endeavored by all means to exonerate Yazid of all corruption and unscrupulousness including his guilt in the killing of Imam al-Husayn (as). He h...

Driven by undisguised hostility against the Ahl al...

Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah was an Umayyad caliph who committed uncountable crimes during his short-lived reign. In the first year of his three-year rule, he issued orders that the Prophet’s (S) grandchild, Imam al-Husayn (as), must be put to death along wit...

Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah was an Umayyad caliph who comm...

Most Muslims, including the Sunnis, remember the historical epic of Imam al-Husayn (as) with unanimous honor and respect. In addition, after the event of Karbala, those who had either opposed the Ahl al-Bayt (as) or had taken a position of neutrality...

Most Muslims, including the Sunnis, remember the h...

7. Mu‘awiyah himself was not the legitimate caliph Sunni Islam accepts the legitimacy of the incoming caliph by relying on the oath of the previous caliph. However, the caliphate and Imamate of the previous caliph must indisputably be proven before ...

7. Mu‘awiyah himself was not the legitimate caliph...

5. The continuity and stability of the Prophet’s (S) mission depended heavily on al-Husayn’s (as) uprising On his own chain of transmission, al-Tirmidhi narrates from Ya‘la ibn Marrah that the Holy Prophet (S) said, «حسين منّي وأنا من حسين.&r...

5. The continuity and stability of the Prophet’s (...

2. Imam al-Husayn’s (as) infallibility Imam al-Husayn (as) is one of the people included in the ‘Verse of Purification’ [Ayah al-Tathir] of the Holy Qur’an. Therefore, he is free of any sort of sin, error or forgetfulness. Imam al-Husayn (as) cannot...

2. Imam al-Husayn’s (as) infallibility Imam al-Hu...

Supporters of Bani Umayyah and Yazid’s partisans among some Islamic sects have been persistent in trying to portray the issue of Imam al-Husayn’s (as) uprising against Yazid as a rebellion against a legitimate Muslim caliph whose allegiance and calip...

Supporters of Bani Umayyah and Yazid’s partisans a...

Some misguided traditionalists and historians have attempted to portray Yazid’s caliphate and government as legitimate according to Islam. They have endeavored to demonstrate that the people pledged allegiance to Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah. By doing so, th...

Some misguided traditionalists and historians have...

1. On his own chain of transmission, al-Tirmidhi narrates from Umm Salamah that the Holy Prophet (S) always used to say, «لا يحبّ علياً منافقٌ ولا يبغضه مؤمنٌ.» “No hypocrite loves ‘Ali, and no believer hates ‘Ali.”69 2. Al-Tirmidhi al...

1. On his own chain of transmission, al-Tirmidhi n...

1. The Holy Prophet (S) said, «لاتسبّوا علياً؛ فانّه کان ممسوساً في ذات الله عزّ وجلّ.» “Do not curse ‘Ali, because he is heedless of any dangers in the way of Allah.”65 2. The Holy Prophet (S) also said, «من سبّ علياً فقد سبّني...

1. The Holy Prophet (S) said, «لاتسبّوا علي...