From the 3rd of Muharram troops of Umar ibn-e-Saad started
gathering in Karbala to fight Imam Hussain(as) and his handful of
companions on the direct orders and direction of Yazeed ibn-e-Muawiya.
The troops came in large numbers and started settling around the river
Euphrates (Nehr-e-Furat). Ibn-e-Ziyad continued sending troops from Kufa
and some troops were also sent directly by Yazid from Syria. According
to historical counts the total Yazid army was between 30,000 and 120,000
men. This strong army against a handful (between 72 and 200) people –
including men and women – shows the level of fear that Yazeed and
ibn-e-Ziyad had of Imam Hussain(as).
From the
3rd until the 7th of Muharram troops kept on arriving and the children
of Imam Hussain’s(as) camp were frightened by the thunderous noise of
the horses and soldiers. The womenfolk and children kept on asking on
every arrival if they came as the helpers of Imam Hussain(as) and always
the answer was a heartbreaking NO. This continuously added to the
fright of children and womenfolk. Finally on the day of Ashura (10th
Muharram), there arrived some help for Imam Hussain(as) as well - a
group of 3 people – Hur, his son and his slave – and then an old and
trusted friend of Imam Hussain(as) named Habib ibn-e-Mazahir(as).
Although too little, but their arrival was so heartening for the women
and children of the camp that they sent personal greetings and
salutations to them and thanked them for coming to the help of the Imam
and his family.
At this time, the first real
confrontation took place between Imam Hussain(as) Umar ibn-e-Saad. Umar
demanded that Imam Hussain(as) should shift his camp away from the river
and taking a strategic step, Imam(as) agreed to move his camps at a
distance from the river. This was the time when the water of the river
was stopped by force for the family and friends of Imam Hussain(as).
They were then using the water that was already stored with them. The
elders were not drinking any water, they were giving it to children and
womenfolk. The women as well, controlled their own thirst to be able to
give the water to the children. Finally on the 7th of Muharram all the
water they had stored ran out. Now Imam(as), his companions, his
womenfolk and children were without water. This dreadful situation
continued until the 10th of Muharram. Narrators of the event of Karbala
state that all these 4 days they kept on hearing the cries of Al-Atash
Al-Atash (Oh thirst! Oh thirst) from the children in the Imam’s(as)
camp.
Ala Lanatullahe ala Qaum-az-Zalimeen -
May Allah curse the cruel tribe which committed atrocities on the
Ahl-e-bait(as) of prophet Mohammad(sawaw).
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