ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ashura Political Goals Of Imam Husayn (As)'S Uprising The two Imams, Hasan and Husayn (as) had resolved to proclaim their revolt against Umayyad rule when conditions become favourable. They had disclosed this to their partisans ( Shi'ah ) more than once. The plan of the two Imams Hasan and Husayn (as) on this issue, i.e. their position vis-à-vis the Umayyads, was the same.

After the treaty of Imam Hasan (as) some groups of the Shi'ah of Iraq wrote to Imam Husayn (as) requesting him to proclaim an uprising and revolt against Mu'awiya. They rejected Imam Hasan's (as) stand of accepting a settlement. In reply, Husayn (as) wrote: "Abu Muhammad [Hasan] has said the truth. Let every man among you keep to his house as long as this man (Mu'awiya) is alive."[^1] God Most High willed that Mu'awiya's treachery against the Imam be executed.

So he was martyred before the death of Mu'awiya and Husayn (as) took the office of leadership ( imamah ) and assumed the responsibility of leading the opposition and the movement for change. The stand of Husayn (as) was a continuation of that of his brother concerning Mu'awiya after the death of al-Mujtaba, Imam al-Hasan (as).

The people of Iraq wrote to him again, reiterating their demand that he should lead them to revolt against Mu'awiya but Imam Husayn (as) again did not respond to their request. He wrote: "As for my brother, I hope that God made him succeed and guided him to the right with respect to what was coming. I, myself don't have this view [of revolting against Mu'awaya] today. So do not stir. May God have mercy on you!

Keep to your houses and guard against suspicion as long as Mu'awiya is alive."[^2] However, an underground political movement was in progress in Hijaz. Imam Husayn (as) was directing it to awaken the Muslims against Umayyad rule, in preparation for an all out revolt after Mu'awiya’s death. The Imam (as) was in touch with some Muslim dignitaries in Iraq and Hijaz who used to visit him and take his advice.

Despite the fact that these meetings were largely held in secret, they were not hidden from the Umayyad spies. Therefore Marwan, Mu'awiya's governor of Medina, wrote to him, saying: "Umar ibn Uthman reports that an Iraqi man and some notables of the people of Hijaz are visiting Husayn ibn Ali and that we cannot be sure that he will not revolt. I investigated the matter and found out that he wants a conflict even today.