Shimr arriving with letter from Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad to 'Umar ibn Sa'd - Today in Muharram Day 9

Bismi-Llah, al-Rahmani, al-Rahim. This day, the ninth of Muharram, as told by Imam Ja'far As-Sadiq 'alayhi as-salam, is the day in which Imam Husayn 'alayhi as-salam, and his companions were completely surrounded. They were besieged and blocked off from all sides.

All the armies of al-Sham had arrived and it is the day in which Ibn Marjanah and Ibn Sa'd were thrilled with happiness. It was this day in which Imam Husayn and those with him came to the realization that they were going to be all alone and no support was going to come.

Why did 'Ubayd Allah Ibn Ziyad create such an extremely large military force just for a small group of men, women, and children? From all the many regiments that arrived in Karbala' in which we have only mentioned a few of them, the most ruthless of them all, the most evil of them all was the army of Shimr Ibn Dhi 'l-Jawshan, in which on this day, the 9th of Muharram he and his army had arrived in Karbala'.

Shimr arrived with a very harsh letter from 'Ubayd Allah Ibn Ziyad to 'Umar Ibn Sa'd giving the final commands to get him, Imam Husayn, to pledge allegiance or to be killed. Not only to kill him, but also to mutilate his body as well. Shimr gave safe passage to some of the people in Imam Husayn 's camp but they all rejected it.

On the afternoon of Ta'su'a [the ninth, eve of Ashura'], 'Umar Ibn Sa'd commanded the army to advance forward. They sent a message saying either give in or fight Allah. Al-'Abbas 'alayhi as-salam, informed Imam Husayn and the Imam said to him if you are able to make them delay this until tomorrow, so that we may spend this night praying to our Lord, beseeching Him repenting and seeking His forgiveness. 'Umar Ibn Sa'd agreed.

It was this day as well that Imam Husayn gathered his companions and they showed their utmost level of loyalty never wanting to abandon him. They all spent the night worshipping, while in the tent Sayyidah Zaynab 'alayha salam heard her brother saying the following poem-'Ya dahru uffin laka min khalilin, kam laka bil ishraqi wal-asili? Min sahibin aw talibin qatilin wal-dahru la yaqna'u bil badili wa innama al-amru ila al-Jalili wa kullu hayyin salikun sabili'-[ 'O time, what an unfortunate friend you are; How many days and nights have you witnessed? How many a soul have you seen slain; time not replacing a lost one? The Command is with the Great; and every living thing is following its predestined path'].

As-Sayyidah Zaynab 'alayha salam could not contain her grief. She said she wished she would be taken away before she sees this. Imam Husayn then had a long discussion with her.

Tonight, the night of Ashura'. Besides your mourning and you participating in Majalis make sure that you perform the recommended 'ibadat [acts of worship] for this night. Spend this night reflecting on your life as well. How close are you? How far are you away from Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala and from Ahlul Bayt 'alayhum as-salam?

Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa bil-Lah, al-'Aliyyi, al-'Adhim [and there is no Power or Might except that of Allah, The Most High, The Most Noble].