Umar bin Saad sent a man called Qurra bin Qais to Imam Husayn [a].

Umar bin Saad sent a man called Qurra bin Qais to Imam Husayn [a]. He ordered him to ask the Imam: Why have you come to Kufa? When Qurra went to Imam Husayn [a], the Imam asked Habib bin Mudhahir about him: Do you know him? Habib answered: Yes, this is Qurra bin Qais. I know his good opinion. I don't think he'll fight you. Qurra came and greeted the Imam. He told him about Umar bin Saad's letter. The Imam said: The people of Kufa have asked me to come. If they hate me, I'll leave them.

Qurra bin Qais kept silent. He wanted to come back to Umar bin Saad. So Habib said to him: Qurra, woe unto you! Don't come back to the unjust people! Support Imam Husayn! Qurra said: I'll tell Umar about Imam Husayn's answer. Then I'll consider your request. Tasu'a On Muharram 9th, 61 A.H. Umar bin Saad started his attack at night. He advanced towards Imam Husayn's camp. Zaynab, Imam Ali's daughter, heard the enemy's voice. She said to her brother al-Husayn: The enemies have approached!

Imam Husayn [a] ordered his brother al-Abbas to ask them. Al-Abbas, Habib bin Muzahair, and twenty persons jumped on their horses and rode away. Al-Abbas asked them about their aim. They said: Obey Ubaidullah bin Ziyad, otherwise we'll attack you! Al-Abbas came back to Imam Husayn [a] to tell him about the enemy's attitude. Habib stayed behind. He began advising the enemy army: By Allah, tomorrow, Allah will regard you as bad people!

How will you meet Him while you are going to kill Imam Husayn and his family? Don't you know that they're the Prophet's grandsons? Don't you know that they pray to Allah after midnight and remember Him very much? An enemy person called Uzrah said: Habib, you're praising yourself! Zuhair answered: Allah has praised and guided him. Uzrah I advise you to fear Allah! For Prayers Al-Abbas went to Imam Husayn [a] to tell him about the enemies' attitude.

The Imam said to him: Go back and ask them for time to pray. We want to pray to Allah tonight. We want to ask Him to forgive us. Allah knows that I love prayers, reading the Qur'an, and asking forgiveness. Al-Abbas came back and asked them for some time. Umar bin Saad thought for a while. He thought that Imam Husayn [a] would change his mind. So, he agreed on Imam Husayn's request and said: We'll give you a chance till tomorrow. If you give in, we'll take you to Emir Ubaidullah bin Ziyad.

If you refuse to give in, we won't let you go. Imam Husayn [a] gets ready to fight.