Upon his departure from Medina to Mecca...

Upon his departure from Medina to Mecca, then from Mecca to Karbala’’, Imam Husayn (ﻉ) took his son Ali Zain al-Abidin, who was then twenty-two years old, with him. It cannot be ascertained whether Zain al-Abidin fell ill during the journey or after reaching Karbala. On the tenth of Muharram, 61 A.H./October 10, 680 A.D., he was too ill to move. As access to the Euphrates was blocked for three days and water was extremely scarce, the illness of Zain al-Abidin intensified.

For the most part of that day, he lay unconscious and could not participate in the battle which was carried on by all the male members of his family. So when Imam Husayn (ﻉ) bade his family farewell and went to the battlefield, he could not talk with his son Zain al-Abidin. Providence had perhaps destined Zain al-Abidin to be tested in another way when he was to lead his distressed family as…