When the army approached closer, Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) mounted a camel, kept the Qur’an al-kareem in front and addressed the enemy forces in the following words:
“O people! Listen to me. Do not be rash. Let me admonish you. Let me say a few words in my justification and let me explain the reason of my arrival here. If my excuse is reasonable and if you can accept it, do justice in my case. You would be lucky if you desist from taking arms against me. Even after hearing me, if you refuse to accept my excuse, I will be ready for you. Rush upon me all at once. Do not allow a moment’s respite. Whatever be the eventual outcome, I repose confidence in Allah Who supports righteous men.”
When this speech was heard by the female members of the Ahl al-Bayt there began hue and cry inside the tents. Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) asked his brother Hadrat Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anh) and his son Ali to go and console them for they had yet to weep a lot. Thereafter, he remarked: “May Allah bless a long life to Abdullah ibn Abbas.” The narrator states: “It was due to the fact that Abdullah ibn Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anh) suggested Hadrat Imam Husain at Madinah leaving the women at home but the Imam did not pay any heed to it. Now when he heard their hue and cry, it reminded him of the submission of Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anh).” He resumed his speech:
“O people! Remember my lineage. Pause to think for a while who am I. Take stock in your conscience! Is it fair for you to kill me and discard the respect due to me? Am I not the son of your Nabi’s daughter, and the son of his cousin? Was the leader of Shuhadaa, Hamza (radiy allahu ‘anh) not my father’s uncle? Is Ja’far al-Tayyar (radiyallahu ‘anh) not my uncle? Don’t you remember the famous tradition of the Beloved Nabi (Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam), ‘Sayyads (Chiefs) of the youths of Paradise,’ concerning me and my brother? If my statement is true, it is certainly true, as since the time I am conscious of myself, I have not uttered a lie. Tell me is it right for you to receive me with unsheathed swords? If you don’t believe in my word, there are persons among you who can testify to the correctness of my statement. Ask Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (radiy allahu ‘anhuma). Inquire from Sahl bin Sa’d Sa’di and Zaid bin Arqam (radiyallahu ‘anhuma). They can tell you wheter they heard the Beloved Nabi (Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) saying this about me and my brother or not. Should not this fact prevent you from shedding my blood? By Allah, there is no grandson of the Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) on the surface of the globe at this time except myself. I am the direct descendant and grandson of your Beloved Nabi (Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam). Do you want to kill me, because I have taken the life of any one? Did I shed anyone’s blood? Have I usurped the wealth of anyone? Tell me what is the matter? What is my fault?”
Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) repeatedly asked this question, but nobody answered. At last, he called out, by name, the prominent persons of Kufa and inquired whether they had not written to him: “Fruits are ripe, the soil has become green and the canals are overflowing. If you come, you will come to the great army of your own; come soon.”
Thereupon those persons opened their mouth and said that they had never written to that effect. Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) expressed surprise at it and cried out, “what a blatant lie.” Then Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) again called out loudly, “O people! As you dislike me, it is better that I am released, I shall go back.”
At this juncture, one of the Kufans named Qais bin Ash’ath said: “Is it not advisable that you should surrender yourself to your cousins? They will mete out the treatment to you worthy of your position. You will receive no harm from them.”
To this, Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) answered, “All of you are tarred with the same brush. O man! Do you want that Bani Hashim should demand ransom for one more life, in addition to that of Muslim bin Aqil? No, I shall not surrender myself to them with humiliation.”
“O people! Listen to me. Do not be rash. Let me admonish you. Let me say a few words in my justification and let me explain the reason of my arrival here. If my excuse is reasonable and if you can accept it, do justice in my case. You would be lucky if you desist from taking arms against me. Even after hearing me, if you refuse to accept my excuse, I will be ready for you. Rush upon me all at once. Do not allow a moment’s respite. Whatever be the eventual outcome, I repose confidence in Allah Who supports righteous men.”
When this speech was heard by the female members of the Ahl al-Bayt there began hue and cry inside the tents. Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) asked his brother Hadrat Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anh) and his son Ali to go and console them for they had yet to weep a lot. Thereafter, he remarked: “May Allah bless a long life to Abdullah ibn Abbas.” The narrator states: “It was due to the fact that Abdullah ibn Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anh) suggested Hadrat Imam Husain at Madinah leaving the women at home but the Imam did not pay any heed to it. Now when he heard their hue and cry, it reminded him of the submission of Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anh).” He resumed his speech:
“O people! Remember my lineage. Pause to think for a while who am I. Take stock in your conscience! Is it fair for you to kill me and discard the respect due to me? Am I not the son of your Nabi’s daughter, and the son of his cousin? Was the leader of Shuhadaa, Hamza (radiy allahu ‘anh) not my father’s uncle? Is Ja’far al-Tayyar (radiyallahu ‘anh) not my uncle? Don’t you remember the famous tradition of the Beloved Nabi (Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam), ‘Sayyads (Chiefs) of the youths of Paradise,’ concerning me and my brother? If my statement is true, it is certainly true, as since the time I am conscious of myself, I have not uttered a lie. Tell me is it right for you to receive me with unsheathed swords? If you don’t believe in my word, there are persons among you who can testify to the correctness of my statement. Ask Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (radiy allahu ‘anhuma). Inquire from Sahl bin Sa’d Sa’di and Zaid bin Arqam (radiyallahu ‘anhuma). They can tell you wheter they heard the Beloved Nabi (Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) saying this about me and my brother or not. Should not this fact prevent you from shedding my blood? By Allah, there is no grandson of the Holy Nabi (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) on the surface of the globe at this time except myself. I am the direct descendant and grandson of your Beloved Nabi (Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam). Do you want to kill me, because I have taken the life of any one? Did I shed anyone’s blood? Have I usurped the wealth of anyone? Tell me what is the matter? What is my fault?”
Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) repeatedly asked this question, but nobody answered. At last, he called out, by name, the prominent persons of Kufa and inquired whether they had not written to him: “Fruits are ripe, the soil has become green and the canals are overflowing. If you come, you will come to the great army of your own; come soon.”
Thereupon those persons opened their mouth and said that they had never written to that effect. Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) expressed surprise at it and cried out, “what a blatant lie.” Then Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) again called out loudly, “O people! As you dislike me, it is better that I am released, I shall go back.”
At this juncture, one of the Kufans named Qais bin Ash’ath said: “Is it not advisable that you should surrender yourself to your cousins? They will mete out the treatment to you worthy of your position. You will receive no harm from them.”
To this, Imam Husain (radiyallahu ‘anh) answered, “All of you are tarred with the same brush. O man! Do you want that Bani Hashim should demand ransom for one more life, in addition to that of Muslim bin Aqil? No, I shall not surrender myself to them with humiliation.”
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