293 [4] Yaqubi...

293 [4] Yaqubi, 2/218 [5] ‘Batah’, a large part of land between Waast and Basra consisting of villages in close proximity ( Mojam al-Buldan 1/666) [6] Qudamah bin Ja’far, Al-Khiraj wa Suna’tul Kitabah, Pg. 169 [7] Al-Iraq fee Zillul Hukmul Amawi, Pg. 9 movements because social awareness was dominant there to a great extent and Kufians used to impose their desires on rulers and when they did not fulfill them they used to draw swords against them and stand up to confront them.

Anyway, Imam (‘a) chose to migrate to Kufa, from the aspect that the city of Kufa was the center of power in the Islamic world. Abdul Muta-aal Saeedi says: “Imam Husain (‘a) did not make a wrong choice. He decided to move to Iraq at that time because Iraq was a suitable place to lay the foundation of the movement of uniting the aims of Muslims.

And therefore he selected it so that afterwards this Kingdom may be established for the Iraqis and later on the Abbaside Kingdom developed there, which ruled on Muslims for 500 years.” [1] Secondly: Kufa was the cradle of Shiaism and a native place of the Alawites which displayed exceptional devotion to Ahle Bayt (‘a) on numerous occasions.

Groups of revolutionaries, under the leadership of Malik Ashtar Nakhai, a prominent Shia personality, moved to Medina and laid siege to Uthman and they attacked him and nominated the Imam for caliphate. This was the seed of Shiaism that was sown in Kufa during the caliphate of Umar.

Because among the governors of Kufa were Ammar bin Yasir and Abdullah Ibn Masud, who publicized the greatness and merits of the Imam in gatherings of Kufa; that had been recorded from the Holy Prophet (s) in his regard. They spoke all this so much that finally the people became devoted to the Imam and began to have respect and regard for him.

In such a way that Kufians participated on the side of the Holy Imam (‘a) in the battles of Jamal and Siffeen and they used to say to His Eminence, “O Amiral Momineen! Take us wherever you like as we are your soldiers and companions.

We are inimical to all those who are inimical to you and we shall be with anyone who returns to you and obeys you.” [2] Imam Amirul Momineen (‘a) has praised their goodness because he believed that they were sincere friends towards him and he told them, “O people of Kufa! You are my brothers, companions and supporter for truth and those who respond for Jihad against those who make the unlawful as lawful.