At the time for the afternoon (asr) prayer...

At the time for the afternoon (asr) prayer, al-Husayn, peace be on him, ordered his followers to prepare for departure. Then he ordered the call to be made, and the call for the easr prayer was made, and the iqama. Al-Husayn, peace be on him, came forward, stood and prayed. Then he said the final greeting (of the prayer) and turned his face towards them (al-Hurr's men).

He praised and glorified God and said: People, if you fear God and recognise the rights of those who have rights, God will be more satisfied with you. We are the House of Muhammad and as such are more entitled to the authority (wilaya) of this affair (i.e. the rule of the community) over you than these pretenders who claim what does not belong to them. They have brought tyranny and aggression among you.

If you refuse (us) because you dislike (us) or do not know our rights, and your view has now changed from what came to us in your letters and what your messengers brought, then I will leave you. "By God," declared al-Hurr, "I know nothing of these letters and messengers which you mention." "Uqba b.

Siman," al-Husayn, peace be on him, called to one of his followers, "bring out the two saddle-bags in which the letters to me are kept." He brought out two saddle-bags which were full of documents, and they were put before him.

"We are not among those who wrote these letters to you," said al- Hurr, "and we have been ordered that when we meet you we should not leave you until we have brought you to Kufa to 'Ubayd Allah." "Death will come to you before that (happens)," al-Husayn, peace be on him, told him. Then he ordered his followers, "Get up and get mounted." They got mounted and (then) waited until their women had been mounted,"Depart," he ordered his followers.

When they set out to leave, the men (with al-Hurr) got in between them and the direction they were going in. "May God deprive your mother of you," said al-Husayn, peace be on him, to al-Hurr, "what do you want?" "If any of the Arabs other than you were to say that to me," retorted al-Hurr, "even though he were in the same situation as you, I would not leave him without mentioning his mother being deprived (of him), whoever he might be.

But by God there is no way for me to mention your mother except by (saying) the best things possible." "What do you want?" al-Husayn, peace be on him, demanded. "I want to go with you to the governor, Ubayd Allah," he replied.