4. Towards Karbala
Whileonthe wayto Kufaandstillafewdays’journeyaway fromthe
city,hereceived newsthattheagentofYazidinKufahadputtodeath
therepresentativeoftheImaminthatcityandalsooneoftheImam’sde-
termined supporters who was a wellknown man in Kufa. After their
death,their feethadbeentiedandtheyhadbeen draggedthroughthe
streets.Thecityanditssurroundingswereplacedunder strictobserva-
tionandcountlesssoldiersofthe enemywereawaitinghim.Therewas
nowayopentohimbuttomarch aheadandto facedeath. Itwashere
thattheImamexpressedhisdefinitivedeterminationtogoaheadandbe
martyred; and so he continued on his journey.
ApproximatelyseventykilometersfromKufa,inadesertnamedKar-
bala, the Imam and his entourage were surrounded by the army of
Yazid. For eight days they stayed in thisspot duringwhich the circle
narrowed andthe number of the enemy’s army increased. Finally the
Imam,withhishouseholdandasmallnumberofcompanionswereen-
circled by an army of thirty thousand soldiers. During these days the
Imamfortifiedhispositionandmadeafinalselectionofhiscompanions.
Atnighthecalledhiscompanionsandduringashortspeechstatedthat
therewasnothingaheadbutdeathandmartyrdom.Headdedthatsince
theenemywasconcernedonlywithhispersonhewouldfreethemfrom
allobligationssothatanyonewhowishedcouldescapeinthedarkness
ofthenightandsavehislife.Thenheorderedthelighttobeturnedout
and mostof those who had joined him for their own advantage, dis-
persed. Only a handful of those who loved the truth and the Banu
Hashim remained.
OnceagaintheImamassembledthosewhowereleftandputthemto
a test. He addressed his companions and Hashimite relatives, saying
againthat the enemywasconcerned onlywith his person.Eachcould
benefitfrom the darknessofthe nightand escapethe danger. Butthis
timethefaithfulcompanionsoftheImamansweredeachinhisownway
that they would not deviate for a moment from the path of truth of
whichtheImamwastheleaderandwouldneverleavehimalone.They
saidtheywoulddefendhishouseholdtothelastdropoftheirbloodand
as long as they could carry a sword.