The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

A.D. 68o] AL-HOSEIN\S JOURNEY TO AL-KUFA 307
yielding to his advice, in an evil hour was tempted to accept A.H. 60-61.
the call. His cousin, Muslim, was sent before to prepare the Mu^iii^ sent
way for his approach.^ The plot becoming known at court, i"
advance,
Yezid deputed 'Obeidallah, son of Ziyad, from Al-Basra deat"i a°
(whose rule there was as stern as had been his father's), ^y^^to
take command at Al-Kufa. On his arrival, search was Sept.,
made, and Muslim was discovered lurking under protection of
Hani', a friend to the house of 'All. The populace, suddenly
siding with the pretender, rose on 'Obeidallah, and besieging
him in his castle, went near to turning the tables against him.
The ebullition, however, soon subsided. 'Obeidallah regained
^^° •^•^•
the lead, and Muslim with his protector was put to death.
Meanwhile, towards the close of the year 60 A.ll., on the i.iosein sets
first day of Pilgrimage—it was the same day on which Muslim g^xi/^eo^A'H*
was put to death— Al-Hosein, heedless of the remonstrances Sept. 10,
of faithful friends, started from Mecca with his family and ° ^'^''
a little band of devoted followers. He had already passed
the desert, advancing upon Al-Kufa, when tidings reached
him of the fate of Muslim. He was staggered, for it might
well have seemed a mad attempt to venture, with the ladies
of his household, into that fickle city. It was yet possible
to retrace his steps. But Muslim's brethren were clamorous
that he should avenge his blood ;
and there was still the
forlorn hope that those who had drawn Al-Hosein by
their specious promises thither, would rally round his
person so soon as he appeared. But each succeeding
messenger was fraught with darker tidings. Al-Farazdak,
the poet, chanced to pass that way from Al-Kofa ; all that
he could say to his princely friend was,— T//c heart of tlic
city is 7vitJi thee ; but its szoord agaijist thee. The Bedawin,
ever ready for a fray, had been swelling the little band to
a considerable force ; but now, seeing the cause hopeless,
they drew oiT; and so Al-Hosein, already two or three weeks
upon his journey, was left with nothing but his original
following of some 30 horse and 40 foot.- A chieftain
>
Muslim was son of 'All's brother 'Akil. The actors in thi^ melancholy
chapter have become household names,—words either of love or
intensest hate, in the mouths of Muslims, especially of the Shi'a.
- The number varies ;
but none place it higher than 40 horse and
100 foot. Seventy heads were brought into Al-Kufa, probably those of
all the combatants. The rest were, no doubl, campfollowers, etc.