Ḥusayn
Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī was a significant figure in early Islamic history, recognized as the son of Fāṭima and ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, both closely related to the Prophet Muḥammad. Following the Prophet's death, tensions arose regarding the rightful leadership of the Muslim community, leading to the emergence of factions loyal to Ḥusayn and his family, known as the Shīʿa. The struggle for leadership culminated in the Battle of Karbalāʾ on October 10, 680 CE, where Ḥusayn and his followers faced the forces of the Umayyad Caliphate, resulting in his martyrdom. His death, occurring while he was in prayer, is considered a pivotal moment that transformed Shīʿism from a political movement into a distinct religious sect. The aftermath of the battle elevated Karbalāʾ as a revered pilgrimage site for Shīʿite Muslims, underlining its enduring spiritual significance. The influence of Ḥusayn's martyrdom continues to resonate in various communities, particularly in modern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of Iraq, where his legacy is commemorated annually during observances such as Ashura.
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Ḥusayn
Related civilization: Arabia
Major role/position: Political and religious leader
Life
Ḥusayn (KOOS-in) was the son of Fāṭima, daughter of the Prophet Muḥammad and founder of Islam, and ՙAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the Prophet’s son-in-law and cousin. Tensions over leadership of the new faith had been mounting from the time of the Prophet’s death. Many gave allegiance to the Prophet’s family; they became known as the Party of ՙAlī or Shīՙite.
Ultimately the struggle concerning the line of succession for the leader of Islam culminated in a battle that took place on October 10, 680 c.e., at Karbalā՚ on the bank of the Euphrates River in what became Iraq. The partisans supporting the lineal descent of Ḥusayn faced the opposing forces, some four thousand strong, of the house of Umayyad under the command of al-Ḥurr ibn Yazīd al Tamini. With fewer than one hundred family members and followers, Ḥusayn was slain while kneeling in prayer on the battlefield. His head was severed and taken to the Umayyad capital at Damascus and presented to the Caliph Yazīd I. After the martyrdom, Karbalā՚ became an important place of pilgrimage for Shīՙite Muslims. Shaykh al Mufīd records a firsthand account of the events in the life of al-Ḥusayn in the Kitāb al-Irshād (eleventh century c.e.; Kitāb al-Irshād: The Book of Guidance Into the Lives of the Twelve Imams, 1981).
Influence
Ḥusayn’s death and the battle at Karbalā՚ had immediate and major religious and historical significance. It was the martyrdom that spearheaded a revolution in the early Islam; Shīՙism was transformed from a political party into a religious sect. The Shīՙite branch of Islam continues to be influential in modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of Iraq.
Bibliography
Halm, Heinz. Shiism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1991.
Lewis, Bernard. The World of Islam: Faith, People, Culture. London: Thames and Hudson, 1976.
Momen, Moojan. An Introduction to Shi‘i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi‘sim. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1985.