卡尔巴拉战役

The Battle of Karbala (Arabic: مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء, romanized: Maʿrakat Karbalāʾ) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the forces of the second Umayyad caliph Yazid I (r. 680–683), and a small army led by Husayn ibn Ali, second son of Ali and grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, in modern-day southern Iraq.

Prior to his death, the Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya I (r. 661–680) appointed his son Yazid as his successor, making the caliphate hereditary. Yazid's nomination was contested by Husayn and other notables, and after Mu'awiya died in 680, Yazid demanded allegiance from Husayn and the other dissidents. Husayn refused and took refuge in Mecca. While Husayn was in Mecca, the residents of Kufa, the center of Ali's caliphate, sent him numerous letters inviting him to overthrow Umayyad rule, and pledging their allegiance to him. Husayn first sent his cousin, Muslim ibn Aqil, to Kufa to assess the situation and the genuineness of their support. After receiving a favorable report from Muslim, Husayn accepted their invitation and traveled toward the city in response to their calls.

On his way to Kufa with about 72 men, Husayn's caravan was intercepted by a 1,000-strong army of the caliph at some distance from Kufa. He was forced to head north and encamp at the plains of Karbala on 2 October, where another 4,000-strong Umayyad army arrived soon afterwards. Negotiations failed after the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad refused to grant Husayn safe passage unless he submitted to his authority, a condition Husayn rejected.……

Background

After the assassination of the third caliph Uthman ibn Affan by rebels in 656, Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, was proclaimed as the fourth caliph in Medina.……

Prelude

On his succession, Yazid tasked the governor of Medina, al-Walid ibn Utba ibn Abi Sufyan, to secure allegiance from Husayn and Ibn al-Zubayr, with force if necessary.……

Journey towards Kufa

Husayn left Mecca with a group of fifty men and his family on 9 September 680 (8 Dhu al-Hijjah 60 AH), a day before the Hajj pilgrimage. He took the northerly route through the Arabian Desert.……

Battle

After the morning prayer on 10 October, both parties took up battle positions. Husayn appointed Zuhayr ibn al-Qayn to command the right flank of his army, Habib ibn Muzahir to command the left flank, and his half-brother Abbas as the standard bearer.……

Aftermath

Seventy or seventy-two people died on Husayn's side, of whom about twenty were descendants of Abu Talib, the father of Ali.……

Tawwabin uprising

In Kufa, prominent Alid partisans felt guilty for abandoning Husayn after having invited him to revolt.……

Primary and classic sources

The primary source of the Karbala narrative is the work of the Kufan historian Abu Mikhnaf titled Kitab Maqtal Al-Husayn.……

Historical analysis

Based on an official report sent to caliph Yazid, which describes the battle very briefly, stating that it lasted for no longer than a siesta, Lammens concludes that there was no battle at all but a quick massacre that was over in an hour;……

Modern historical views on Husayn's motivations

Wellhausen has described Husayn's revolt as a premature and ill-prepared campaign by an ambitious person.……

Impact in Shia Islam

The Battle of Karbala holds a central place in Shia history, tradition, and theology, and has frequently been recounted in Islamic literature.……

Shia observances

Pilgrimages to Husayn's tomb are believed by Shi'as to be a source of divine blessings and rewards.……