The Prophet Muhammad A simple Guide to his Life
The Policy of the Prophet
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evil being rampant, he battled with the forces of
Yazid, without considering the consequences, and
sacrificed his life for the cause.
But this image of Husain ibn Ali, being man-made,
is totally unrealistic. It is one promoted by poets
and orators, for no authentic history presents this
picture of Husain ibn Ali. Authentic records -
History of Tabari, History of Ibn Kathir, and AI-
Bidayah wa-al-Nihayah by ibn Kathir - have all
clearly, and in no uncertain terms, stated that when
Husain reached Kufa and was informed of the real
situation, he was prepared to go back to Makkah.
The events tell us that when Husain ibn Ali set off
from Makkah to Kufa, he had no intention of
fighting the forces of Yazid. He was accompanied
only by about 150 people, including women,
children and even sick people. No one who goes out
to do battle would be accompanied by such a
group. The only reason for his leaving Makkah for
Kufa was that he had received a message from its
inhabitants that he should visit their town, as they
were all ready to make him their leader. It was on
this basis that Husain had gone there.
