"Thursday, the night of the ninth of Muharram, ‘Umar ordered his entire army to attack the Imam’s camp at once. The Imam was sitting, then said to his brother ′Abbās, “Go to them and see what they are up to.”
′Abbās went with twenty followers. Among them were Zuhayr and Habib. They asked the army, and the army replied that the order of the governor came that they must obey him and his rule, or fight. ′Abbās went back to the Imam and told him.
"The Imam and his followers were totally cut off from water and their throats burned from thirst. At this point the Imam asked ′Abbās to bring some water for the women and children. ′Abbās and twenty others each took a water skin and, during the night, marched towards the Euphrates. ′Abbās was in the middle and all twenty around him to protect his water skin and Nafi’ Ibn Hilal al-Bujali took the flag.
The guards at that part of the river asked, “Who is this?”
He said, “We came to drink water.”
"Ibn Ziyad announced a public meeting in the main Masjid of Kufah and made a speech and immediately distributed money among the soldiers and then went to Nukhaylah. He camped there, and ordered Ibn Namr al‑Tamimi and Hajjaj Ibn Abjar and Shimr Ibn Dhil‑Jawshan and Shibth Ibn Rab’i to go and join ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d. Shibth (one of those who wrote letters inviting the Imam) announced that he was sick.
"On the second day of the holy month of Muharram, sixty‑one years after the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medinah, his grandson, Imam Husayn (AS) ARRIVED At Karbāla’, Hurr and his army blocked the caravan of Imam Husayn from going any farther. Hurr said, “This is near the river and you cannot go farther.”
The horses of the Imam’s group stopped, and Imam Husayn asked Zuhayr, “What is the name of this place”
Zuhayr answered, “Taf.”
The Imam asked, “Is there any other name for this place?”
Zuhayr said, “It is also called Karbāla’.”
"Ibn al‑‘Ash’ath came with seventy soldiers to capture Muslim at dawn while he was praying. When he heard horses galloping, Muslim knew that he was discovered. He finished his prayer and said to Taw′ah, “You have done what you should do, may the Messenger of God intercede for you. Yesterday, I dreamed that my uncle ′Ali, Leader of the Faithful, told me: You will be with me tomorrow.”
"Meanwhile, Yazid wrote a letter to ‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad who was in Basrah, “Go to Kufah, capture Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil, and see what is appropriate to imprison him, send him to exile, or kill him.”
From his arrival, all the Followers of Kufah gathered to Muslim’s house expressing their welcome and obedience to the Imam, they were counted as 18,000, and in another report 25,000, and in Shi’bi’s report, 40,000. Then, Muslim wrote a letter to the Imam and sent it with ‘Abis Ibn Shabib al‑Shakiri, explaining the situation and the intense desire of the people for his arrival. In his letter he said, “A leader does not lie to his people.
Imam Husayn (AS) gave the letter to Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil and said, “Go to Kufah. Whatever God wishes will happen, and I wish that you and I will be in the ranks of the martyrs. When you arrive in Kufah, reside with the reliable people.” The Imam sent three people with Muslim: Qays Ibn Mash′ar al‑Saydawi, ′Imarah Ibn ′Abdullah al‑Saluli and ′Abdul Rahman Ibn ′Abdullah al‑Azdi. The Imam said to Muslim, “Fear God, and check to see if whatever the people of Kufah are saying in their letters is true.
"While the Imam was in Mecca, the people of Kufah sent letters inviting him, individually and in groups, all asking the Imam to come to Kufah. They stated that they were rejecting the governor of Kufah, an-Numan Ibn Bashir. The letters of invitation continued. In one day, he received six hundred letters.
Imam Husayn (AS) settled at the house of ′Abbās Ibn ′Abdul Muttalib. The people of Mecca visited him and pilgrims visiting the city for the upcoming Hajj season also visited him. Ibn az-Zubayr also visited the Imam, but he was jealous that the Imam was attracting all the attention. Occasionally, Imam Husayn went to visit the grave of his grandmother Khadijah, and prayed there.
