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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Everlasting Instruction, Imam al-Husayn’s Journey to Makka Imam al-Husayn’s Flight to Makka The Holy Qur’an says: إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْقَصَصُ الْحَقُّ Surely this is an account of Truth. (3:62) Historical records tell us that after Mu'awiya’s death, Yazid, his invalid issue, occupied the station of caliphate and wrote to his governor in Madina to force Imam al-Husayn (‘a) among others to pay the oath of allegiance to him, or else execute him.
When the Imam (‘a) is asked to pay his oath of allegiance to Yazid, he presents a rational exposition, worthy of consideration. He first introduces himself and then Yazid, and thereafter says: مِثْلِي لاَ يُبَايعُ مِثْلَه 'My example [who it utterly submissive to Allah] cannot give his hand to the like of Yazid [who is an open sinner]" In short, he ('a) says: Premiss 1: I am a manifestation of truth. Premiss 2: Yazid is a manifestation of falsehood.
Premiss 3: A manifestation of truth cannot unite with a manifestation of falsehood. Conclusion: Hence I cannot agree to pay the oath of allegiance to him. The interesting point here is that the Imam ('a) does not merely say "I will not pay the oath of allegiance to Yazid". Rather he says 'anyone like me (mithli) does not/cannot pay[^1] the oath of allegiance to anyone like Yazid (mithlahu)". Therefore, this statement is not a personal issue, but a universal lesson for all times and all places.
It is a direction for every truth-seeker and informs the wrongdoers that a truth-seeker will never yield to falsehood. Thereafter Imam al-Husayn ('a) resolves to leave Madina for Makka with his noble family members. This forms the basic anecdote of this short treatise. It is a move of truth towards Truth from the champion of truth (haqq) itself.
The above verse speaks of Prophet Musa (‘a)’s escape from Egypt when fleeing from Fir'awn, but is also applicable for Imam al-Husayn (‘a) too. Just as Musa (‘a) flees from Fir’awn and his comrades, al-Husayn (‘a) flees from the Fir’awn of his time.