The intense arguments were heard in the camp and immediately Imam Husayn (a.

The intense arguments were heard in the camp and immediately Imam Husayn (a.s.) asked some of his friends to rescue Burair. On seeing several persons approaching them, Ishaq’s men were subdued lest there should be bloodshed. Bleeding profusely, Burair proudly set down the leather bag and asked the children in the camp to drink. The anxious crowd of jostling children upset the vessel and in no time, the water flowed out and was absorbed by the parched earth.

Burair was grieved that the water brought at the risk of life could not pass the thirsty throats of the children in Imam Husayn’s camp.[^1] Imam Husayn (a.s.) came to know that the vile Umar bin Sa’d was planning a sneak attack by his entire force from behind to kill everyone including women and children and destroy Imam Husayn’s camp. To safeguard against such an event, a trench was dug all around the camp, leaving a small passage in the front.

Firewood and other available fuel was lit and thrown into the trench. The heat of the burning trench was added to the agony of the three-day’s thirst. One of Umar’s soldiers called Jawairia, mocked saying, “ O associates of Husayn, this fire should remind you of the fire of Hell that is waiting for you.

” Imam Husayn (a.s.) replied, “ You mention my connection with fire, while I am expecting eagerly to meet my Creator .” Thereafter, Imam Husayn (a.s.) raised up his arms and prayed, “ O Lord, make this man taste the fire in this world before the one that awaits him in the next. ” Jawairia’s horse suddenly shied and threw him straight into the burning trench, reducing him to ash.[^2] Imam Husayn (a.s.) deputed his brother Abbas (a.s.) to go and speak to Umar bin Sa’d.

Abbas (a.s.) went with about twenty companions. He asked Umar bin Sa’d, “ Why have you surrounded us? What crime has Husayn committed ?

.” Umar replied, “ Our chief [ibn Ziyad] has ordered that we should either make Husayn accept Yazid as the leader of Muslims and pay allegiance to him, or kill him along with all those who support him .” Abbas (a.s.) asked his companions to stay back and he said to ibn Sa’d, “ Do not take any hasty step till I give your message and get the reply from al-Husayn .” When Abbas (a.s.) left, Habib ibn Mudhahir addressed the surrounding army, “You are a wretched gathering who have assembled here to kill the only surviving son of Fatima and the grandson of the messenger of Allah.