Suddenly the Imam(a) looked back and saw him.

Suddenly the Imam(a) looked back and saw him. Nafi told him that he was very afraid for the Imam(a) to see him alone out there so near the enemy camp. The Imam(a) said he came to explore if there might be a hidden position from which the enemy could attack. After they both returned to camp, the Imam(a) entered his sister's tent while Nafi stood nearby.

All of a sudden Hadrat Zeynab, Husayn's(a) sister, broke into tears at the thought of the impending death facing her brother and his companions and expressed fears about the constancy of his men. The Imam(a) in response had tried to assure his sister of their loyalty and devotion. On hearing this, Nafi headed for the tent of Habib ibn-Mazahir, another brave, loyal companion of Imam Husayn(a) and told him what he had heard.

Then they both went up to the tents of the women-folk in the camp to assure them of the loyalty of the Imam's troops. The Imam(a) told the women to come out of their tents and thank those loyal men outside for their willingness to sacrifice their lives, standing by the Household of the Prophet(s).

In their response it seemed as if the companions of Husayn(a) were saying: If we failed to stay at Mina (a place in Mecca where the pilgrims to the Ka'aba stay overnight) we would make our tryst in Karbala, anotherMina; Ifwesaidfarewell to Zamzam and Safa (respectively a well and a high cliff in Mecca), we should make ofKarbala, a pillar ofloyalty and sincerity (Safa) In order for human beings to know their Maker, we would make ourselves a mirror to show the image of God; To treat the abyss ofpeople 's ignorance, we would make ofKarbala a place where people are curedoftheirillnesses; Toliberate mankind from bondage, we would hoist the banner of freedom; We would overthrow oppressors and liberate the oppressed; We would tear down the palace of despotism and in its place build the palace of justice.

If religious revolution was about to occur in the world, we would make it ring with the call for truth. Yazid ibn- Thabit' Abqassi Ibn Thabit was a shi'ite of a pure disposition and was lauded by Hadrat Mahdi(a) himself. When the enemy came to know that Imam Husayn(a) intended to leave for Iraq and unite with some people there, Ibn Ziad ordered his agent in Basra to be on the alert and make note of all those who were coming and going from Iraq.

Ibn Thabit, in company with Adham ibn-Umayya and other notables, left Basra for Mecca.