What has brought you [here]?

What has brought you [here]?” Al-Husayn (as) answered him: “The people of Iraq have written to me calling me towards them.” ‘Abdullah bin Muti’ said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I remind you of Allah and the sanctity ( hurmah ) of Islam lest it be violated! By Allah, I implore you not to let the sanctity of the Messenger of Allah (S) be broken! I adjure you before Allah [to think] about the sacredness of the Arabs!

For by Allah, if you seek that which is in the hands of the Banu Umayyah, they will surely kill you. If they kill you, they will never fear anyone after you.[^16] By Allah, it is the sanctity of Islam which shall indeed be violated, and the sacredness of the Quraish and that of the Arabs. Do not do that and do not go to Kufah. Do not expose yourself to the Banu Umayyah.” But [al-Husayn (as)] insisted on continuing with the journey.

Khuzaimiyyah Al-Husayn (as) proceeded till he reached a watering place somewhere above Zarud[^17] [known as al-Khuzaimiyyah].[^18] Zuhair bin al-Qain Joins al-Husayn (as) A man from Banu Fazarah reports that: “We were with Zuhair bin al-Qain al-Bajali when we left Makkah. [Although] we were travelling alongside al-Husayn (as), there was nothing more hateful to us than that we should stop with him at a halting place.

Such that when al-Husayn (as) would start out, Zuhair bin al-Qain would linger behind, and whenever al-Husayn (as) would halt, Zuhair would move ahead, until we reached a station where we could not avoid halting with him. Al-Husayn (as) halted at one side and we halted at the other side. While we were sitting, eating our food, al-Husayn’s messenger approached us, greeeted us and entered [our tent]. He said: “O Zuhair bin al-Qain!

Abu ‘Abdillah Husayn bin ‘Ali has sent me to summon you to him.” [Here] each one of us threw away what was in his hands in amazement; it was [as surprising] as if birds had alighted on our heads.[^19] Dalham bint ‘Amru, Zuhair’s wife, says: “I said to him: “The son of the Prophet of Allah has sent for you and you are not going to him?! Glory be to Allah! Go to him and see what he says, and then come back.” So Zuhair bin al-Qain went to see him.

It was not long before he returned joyfully while his countenance was glowing. Then he said to his companions: “Whoever among you wishes to follow me [may do so], otherwise this is the last time [we see each other]!