Political background on and before 28 Rajab 60th Hijra, Imam Hussein Journey
Political background
The corrupt and nepotistic rule of the third Caliph Uthman concluded with a violent uprising especially against his close aides and cousins Marwan and Muawiya, both from the Ummayad clan. Uthman was killed and for many days rebels controlled Madina. Under the overwhelming pressure from the entire Ummah, Ali ibn Abi Talib took the caliphate.[1] His immediate steps to bring order included removing of notorious and illegal regional governors most of them were close relatives of Uthman. Muawiya who had already entrenched himself in Syria refused the allegiance to the rightful Caliph. Muawiya's rebellian marked the first major strife in the hitherto mostly united Muslim community. This split resulted in three battles: the Camel, the Seffin, and the Nahrawan. Muawiya planned and financed a Kharijitesto assassinate Ali ibn Abi Talib. In order to exonerate himself from that blame, he propogated that the plot included his own assassination, which he obviously escaped unscathed.
Umayyad dynasty appears[2]
Hasan ibn Ali succeeded his father and started a military campaign against Muawiya I, but the insincerity of many tribes from Kufa became apparent and Muawiya I bribed his way into many of the tribal leaders around Hasan ibn Ali to leave his army in disarray. Hasan ibn Ali eventually signed a conditional peace treaty with Muawiya I after receiving a promise that when Muawiya I died, a Shura (a council of nobles to appoint the next caliph) would be held to find his successor. Based on the peace treaty, Hasan ibn Ali ceded power to Muawiya I.
Caliphate turns into monarchy
Muawiya violated every single clause of the treaty which he signed with Hasan Ibn Ali. Most blatantly he tried to ensure that his son, Yazid I, would be planted as the next King, another major deviation from the general islamic norms (Muawiya's rule marks the end of islamic caliphate even in sunni traditions and he is regarded as a usurper). Muawiya required all of his supporters to swear allegiance to Yazid before his death. By doing so, he disregarded the peace treaty with Hasan ibn Ali to hold Shura.
When Muawiya died, some major Muslims such as Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Zubayr as well as Husayn ibn Ali refused to recognize Yazid I as the next caliph. This was an opportune time for any parties opposing Umayyad to begin struggling for power.[3]
Kufa's opposition to Damascus
Kufa, a garrison town in what is now Iraq, had been Ali's capital, and there were still many people in Kufa claiming they are still supporters of Ali. Husayn ibn Ali received many letters from the Kufans expressing their offer of support if he claimed the caliphate. They were also trying to restore Kufa's power against Damascus, the Umayyad capital.
Particulars of the event
The route of Husayn ibn Ali from Medina to Karbala is mentioned in various history books.[4][5]
Medina
Yazid, the new ruler, feared that Husayn would revolt. Therefore he sent a letter to Walid ibn Utbah, governor of Medina, and ordered him to take allegiance from Husayn or to kill him if he refrains. Walid consulted Marwan ibn al-Hakam and he advised Walid to kill Husayn since he will never accept Bay'ah with Yazid, but Walid did not accept this advice since he did not want to kill Husayn.
Walid held a meeting with Husayn to convince him of Bay'ah with Yazid I but was refused. The day after, Marwan asked Husayn for Bay'ah.
Husayn replied:
"... Say farewell to Islam while Ummah are afflicted by a ruler such as Yazid. Since I have heard of my grandfather, prophet of God, who was saying: The Caliphate is forbidden for Abu Sufyan's descendants".[6]
Husayn departed Medina on Sha'ban 3, 60 AH (May 9, 680 CE) to perform the Hajj ritual.[7] More authentic reports tell us that Husayn bin ALi actually left Madinah on the 28th day of Rajab in teh 60th year of Hijra.
Mecca
Husayn ibn Ali stayed in Mecca from the beginnings of the Sha'ban and all of the Ramadan, Shawwal, as well as Dhu al-Qi'dah.
When many letters came from Kufa assuring Husayn ibn Ali of Kufan support, he answered their calls and sent Muslim ibn Aqeel, his cousin, to Kufa as his representative, in an attempt to consider their last situation and opinions.
Abd-Allah ibn Abbas and Abdullah ibn Zubayr held a meeting with Husayn ibn Ali in Mecca to advise him to refuse traveling toward Iraq.
In other meeting, Abdullah ibn Umar asked him to reconcile with strayed people and to prevent war. But he warned Abdullah ibn Umar not to desist from supporting him.
Meanwhile Husayn ibn Ali corresponded with nobles of Basrah and asked them to support him. Major tribes of Basrah gathered and got ready for fight against Yazid I and informed Husayn ibn Ali. At the same time Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad, governor of Basrah, executed one of the messengers of Husayn ibn Ali and then addressed people and warned them to avoid insurgency. Ibn Ziyad, governor of Basra and Kufa, left Basra toward Kufa next day, leaving his brother as deputy governor of Basra. Basrah rebels’ army never reached Husayn ibn Ali and they became aware of his martyrdom midway of Kufa.
Considerable military units under Umar ibn Sa'ad entered Mecca to confront or attack Husayn ibn Ali on Tarwiyah day.[8]
Husayn ibn Ali gave a speech to people the day before his departure and said:
"... The death is a certainty for mankind, just like the trace of necklace on the neck of young girls. And I am enamoured of my ancestors like eagerness of Jacob to Joseph ... Everyone, who is going to devote his blood for ours sake and is prepared to meet Allah, must depart with us..."[9]
He also willed before his journey his half-brother Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah. Mohammad ibn Hanafiyyah was preventing him from going to Kufa knowing hypocrisy and insincerity of its people even with Ali. But Husayn departed toward Kufa to avoid the battle inside holy Mecca.
Husayn ibn Ali left Mecca toward Kufa with his family members plus some supporters on Dhu al-Hijjah 3 or 8, 60AH (September 4 or 9 September 680 CE).
Husayn's representative to Kufa, Muslim ibn Aqeel, welcomed by people of Kufa. And most of them swore allegiance to him. But he and his host, Hani ibn Urwa, executed by the new governor of the Kufa, Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad, on Dhu al-Hijjah 9, 60AH (September 10, 680 CE) without any considerable resistance of the people. And almost all the Kufan supporters of Husayn turned into his enemies.
Toward Kufa
Husayn ibn Ali came across with a convoy in the Tan'im station carrying some gifts from governor of Yemen for Yazid I. He confiscated all of their consignments and made the cameleers free to select between making a new contract with him and being paid for the amount of the way they had traveled so far. Some cameleers accompanied him.[10]
He met with Boshr ibn Ghalib in the Zat-Erq station who was coming from Iraq and asked about his opinions about Iraq political situation. Boshr replied: "I left the hearts which are adherents of yours and the swords which are adherents of the Umayyad!” And Husayn confirmed his analysis and news.
Zuhair ibn Qayn left Mecca toward his town at the same time but was trying to be away from convoy of Husayn ibn Ali due to the political disputes he had with Ali ibn Abi Talib before. After a while and passing away some stations, Zuhayr forced to camp near Husayn's camp caused by some limitations. At this time Husayn sent a messenger toward Zuhayr and called him for a meeting. Zuhayr's wife encouraged him to visit offspring of the Prophet. Zuhayr visited Husayn. After the meeting Zuhayr ordered to move his tent to Husayn's camp and asked his wife to leave him and told her: "I have decided to accompany Husayn in order to sacrifice myself for him and to shield him by my soul.
"The word came about the death of Muslim ibn Aqeel in Zobalah station. This news caused a great sorrow in the convoy. A group of fellow travelers left Husayn alone after that and only his family members and loyal followers remained with him. Husayn continued to advance toward Kufa even after receiving news of the loss of Kufan support. Now, nowhere is safe for him and for his family.
Husayn sent Qais ibn Musahhar al-Saydavi as messenger toward nobles of Kufa, such as Solayman ibn Sorad al-khozaei. He was captured in the vicinity of Kufa but managed to tear the letter to pieces to hide names of its recipients. Ibn Ziyad forced him to reveal the names or curse Husayn and his father and brother before people to survive from death. He accepted the later but cursed ibn Ziyad and encouraged people to join Husayn ibn Ali. Ibn Ziyad ordered his execution by dropping him from the top of the palace afterward.
[1] http://anwary-islam.com/companion/ali-bin-%20abi-%20talib.htm
[2] Dur al-Manthur of Imam Al-Suyuti, Verse 60 of Sora 17 "و اذ قلنا لک انّ ربّک احاط بالنّاس و ما جعلنا الرّویا الّتی اریناک الّا فتنة للنّاس و الشّجرة الملعونة فی القرآن و نخوّفهم فما یزیدهم الّا طغیانا کبیرا"
[3] Nafas-al-Mahmoum, by Abbas Qomi. Testaments of Muawiya I to Yazid I.
[4] http://www.al-islam.org/publishers/mtrust/map3.htm
[5] http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/infallible5a.asp
[6] انا لله و انا الیه راجعون. و علی الاسلام السلام اذ قد بلیت الامة براع مثل یزید. و لقد سمعت جدی رسول الله یقول: الخلافة محرمة علی آل ابی سفیان Lohouf, By Sayyid ibn Tawoos. Tradition No.16
[7] Lohouf, By Sayyid ibn Tawoos. Tradition No.21
[8] Lohouf (Arabic: اللهوف), By Sayyid ibn Tawoos (Arabic: سید ابن طاووس). Tarwiyah day (Arabic: یوم الترویة)
[9] الحمد لله ما شاء الله و لا قوّة الا بالله و صلّی الله علی رسوله وسلّم. خطّ الموت علی ولد آدم مخطّ القلادة علی جید الفتاة و ما اولهنی الی اسلافی اشتیاق یعقوب علی یوسف و خیر لی مصرع انا لاقیه. کانّی باوصالی تقطّعها عسلان الفلوات بین النّواویس و کربلاء فیملانّ منّی اکراشا جوفا و اجربة سغبا. لا محیص عن یوم خطّ بالقلم. رضا الله رضانا اهل البیت نصبر علی بلائه و یوفّینا اجور الصّابرین. لن تشذّ عن رسول الله لحمته و هی مجموعة له فی حظیرة القدس تقرّ بهم عینه و ینجز بهم وعده. من كان باذلا فينا مهجته و موطّنا علي لقاء الله نفسه فليرحل معنا فانّی راحل مصبحا غدا ان شاء الله تعالی" Lohouf, By Sayyid ibn Tawoos, Tradition No.72
[10] Lohouf, By Sayyid ibn Tawoos. Tradition No.80
