They gathered around him in great numbers...

They gathered around him in great numbers, seeking guidance in Islamic philosophy and other religious matters. They were enamored of Imam Husayn’s way of discourse, ethics and manners. Every day the gathering swelled to greater proportions. The fast approaching Hajj brought more and more people from far-off places and countries.

When the pilgrims learnt that the Holy Prophet’s grandson was in Mecca, they swarmed around him to have a look at him and to clarify their doubts in matters of religion, science, commerce, rights, obligations, morals, ethics…etc. This irked ibn az-Zubair who was planning to enlarge his own following. He therefore used to meet Imam Husayn (a.s.) more out of curiosity to know what was happening in Imam Husayn’s camp, than out of real respect.

Al-Haj Moulvi Ghulam Abbas Ali Sahib wrote, “ Husayn never attempted to gain any land or disturb the government by any rebellious movement, in spite of the love and power he was commanding at Mecca. He only lectured to his disciples on various rites and ceremonies of Islam inculcated by the Qur’an and the Prophet, on allowable and objectionable articles of food, and on ethical principles. His chief aim was to train people to be godly and pious and strict observers of the Islamic Principles.

The more he heard of the irreligion of Yazid, the greater was his zeal in ordering his disciples to follow the Qur’anic injunctions.

He feared that the Arabs, who had long been accustomed to idolatry and irreligion headed by atheistic monarch, would easily be misled and thus the success achieved by his grandfather in training them to be pious servants of God would be lost forever .”[^1] In Medina, Imam Husayn (a.s.) had received hundreds of letters and personal representations complaining against the tyranny and un-Islamic character and conduct of Mu’awiya and his men.

After Mu’awiya’s death, Imam Husayn (a.s.) received at Mecca over twelve thousand letters from the people of Kufa, complaining against the oppressive, vicious and merciless killing of innocent persons by Ibn Ziyad, Yazid’s governor of Basra, for criticizing his irreligious ways of life and distortion of the Qur’an and the Sunna.[^2] They pleaded with Imam Husayn (a.s.) to save Islam from being distorted and misinterpreted by the unethical usurpers of power.

The people of Kufa were disgusted with the oppressive nature of the Umayyad rule and the ignorance of the governors in religious matters.