Al-Husseini who also serves as Secretary General of Arab Islamic Council of Lebanon tweeted that, “I would like to thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for the great honor of granting me Saudi citizenship. Saudi Arabia is really super”.

He said, “On the occasion of the issuance of the honoetable royal order from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may God support him, and my honor to be granted the Saudi nationality, I extend my thanks and appreciation to the honorable and His Highness the Crown Prince, asking God Almighty to preserve the Kingdom and its leadership and to help me serve this great country”.

Saudi citizens congratulated and hailed Al-Husseini for obtaining citizenship.

Al-Husseini stressed that Saudi nationality is a responsibility that every Arab and every Muslim should be proud of, and it is his responsibility to preserve this precious gift.

He tweeted, “I pledge to God Almighty to work diligently, honestly and faithfully to serve my great country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

Sayyed Al-Husseini is well-respected Shiite scholar who is famous for rejecting sectarianism, and for promoting moderation. He works tirelessly to resist the attempts to politicize the Shiite community.

Traffic snarls across battered bridges and disabled war victims sell tissues, cigarettes and tea at junctions…

Mosul (Reuters) – Three years ago, the world rejoiced when Iraqi forces backed by the United States and Iran liberated this ancient city from the brutal rule of Islamic State. The people of Mosul hoped to rebuild their shattered lives.

Today, a different battle plays out.

Taking place largely behind the scenes, from legislative halls that overlook the city’s bombed-out streets to hotel meeting rooms in Baghdad, it is a power struggle among parties, politicians and militiamen. Some are backed by Iran. Others favour the United States.

At stake: political control of Nineveh province, of which Mosul is capital – a region rich in natural resources and a link in a supply route from Tehran to the Mediterranean. The route serves Iran-backed militias, Washington’s fiercest enemy here since the defeat of Islamic State.

Iran’s allies had been winning. They installed a governor favoured by Tehran a year ago. But then anti-government protests, U.S. sanctions and the assassination of Iran’s military mastermind Qassem Soleimani challenged Iranian influence. The pro-Western camp replaced the Nineveh governor with a longtime U.S. ally.

The contest mirrors a wider struggle over the future of Iraq itself.

Speaking to Reuters over the span of a year, around 20 Iraqi officials involved in the political tussle over Nineveh described how Iran and its allies developed the networks to influence local government, how pro-Western officials tried to hit back, and how this tug of war has crippled Mosul’s recovery. If any side prevails, many of these insiders believe, it will ultimately be the side aligned with Iran. Iran helps its allies with money, political backing and sticks with them, explained Nineveh councilor Ali Khdeir. The United States, in contrast, “has left no real mark on Iraq.”

Mosul, meanwhile, lies largely in ruins. Traffic snarls across battered bridges and disabled war victims sell tissues, cigarettes and tea at junctions – the kind of misery that Iraqi officials fear is the perfect breeding ground for Islamic State to reemerge.

Two changes of governor in 2019 meant contracts for projects worth at least $200 million were not awarded by the local government last year. They included building a new emergency hospital, procuring vehicles to clear rubble from bombed-out homes and bolstering the fleet for Mosul’s under-equipped first-responder teams, according to officials and a local government document seen by Reuters.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State accused Iran of working “overtime to dominate every aspect of Iraq’s political and economic life.” The United States is committed to helping Iraq build its economic prospects and improve stability and security, said the spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus.

A spokesperson for Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York, Alireza Miryousefi, insisted: “Iran does not interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs.”

The Iraqi government didn’t respond to detailed questions for this article. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi told Reuters in response to a question about Mosul that corruption and political infighting hampered the city’s recovery, but denied it was part of a proxy contest.

“We Had A Modest Life And Simple Dreams”

Rasha Saeed’s young family is one of thousands suffering from the failures of city hall.

Still mourning the death of their nine-year-old son, killed in a U.S. coalition air strike in 2015, the family returned to their neighbourhood after its liberation from Islamic State. They found their home had been destroyed by bombs and bulldozed over. Rasha, her husband Luay Shaker and their three remaining children live in debt and in limbo in a partially-repaired rented flat nearby. They watch grass grow on the earth where their old house stood. Residents say Islamic State fighters’ bodies are buried beneath.

Luay, a manual labourer who ferried supplies before the war to stores in Mosul’s historic Old City markets, cannot work while he recovers from an operation to remove a tumour from behind his ear. Limited space at the West Mosul medical complex nearby – where a new hospital was meant to go up – means follow-up treatment is sporadic and slow. “It can be a long wait between appointments because Luay’s doctor can take only three patients on site a week,” Rasha said.

The medical complex is a cluster of portacabins on a vast bombed-out site that once boasted five fully-equipped hospitals with hundreds of beds. It currently has around 80 emergency ward beds for a population of more than a million people living in the area, doctors say. They describe a lack of equipment and medicine, including masks and gloves – a concern especially as cases of COVID-19 rise in Iraq. A spokesperson for Iraq’s Health Ministry responded that protective equipment is available in all state health institutions.

Rasha’s temporary home stands alone amid destruction on a hill above the Tigris River, overlooking Mosul.

“We had a modest life before Islamic State, simple dreams to live without violence, for our children to be educated and maybe one day to afford a bigger home. That is now impossible,” Rasha said.

A Change In City Hall

The political contest for Nineveh is part of a wider picture across Iraq’s northern Sunni-majority provinces, former strongholds of dictator Saddam Hussein which hold strategic value for Tehran – and where Washington wants to curb Iranian influence.

The fertile plains of Nineveh flank Syria to the west, where Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have fought alongside President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Beyond is Lebanon, home to Shi’ite Iran’s Hezbollah allies. The provinces of Anbar, bisected by the vast Euphrates River, Salahuddin, home to an important Shi’ite shrine, and Diyala, which borders Iran, form the rest of that mostly Sunni land corridor. Many of the 5,000 U.S. troops in Iraq – a number that is being reduced – have been deployed at bases dotted through three of these provinces and are regularly harassed by rocket attacks that U.S. officials have blamed on Iranian proxies who want U.S. troops to leave.

Iran firmly established dominance over Baghdad and Iraq’s southern Shi’ite provinces after the 2003 U.S. -led invasion that ousted Saddam. But the country’s Sunni areas, home also to minority groups of Kurds, Christians, Shi’ite Turkmen and Yazidis, presented more of a challenge. They became hubs for a Sunni insurgency against U.S. forces in the mid-2000s and strongholds for Islamic State, which made Mosul its capital in 2014.

After Iran-backed militias helped drive Islamic State from Mosul in 2017, the militias stayed put. Their flags fly throughout northern Iraq, next to banners and billboards that honour their leaders, including the late Soleimani.

Twenty local government officials, Baghdad lawmakers and tribal leaders interviewed by Reuters described how Iran then deepened its political influence until it had allies in almost every provincial administration.

Central to such efforts in Nineveh, these sources said, were two powerful Sunnis – Khamis al-Khanjar, an Anbar businessman turned politician, and Ahmed al-Jabouri, widely known as Abu Mazen, a former governor of Salahuddin province, now sitting in the Iraqi parliament.

Khanjar was an outspoken opponent of Iran. He supported Sunni protests against the Iran-backed Baghdad government in 2013 and later accused Iran-allied Shi’ite militias of human rights abuses. Abu Mazen was once a U.S. ally. He described working closely with U.S. forces after the 2003 invasion.

In 2018, Khanjar and Abu Mazen unexpectedly joined a bloc of Iran-backed parties and militia leaders in the Iraqi parliament. Explaining this shift, Khanjar said: “The strongest on the ground can get things done … I go with the bloc that’s (strongest) on the ground. If that coalition has Iranian links, that’s not on us.” He denied being an ally of Iran. Abu Mazen declined to comment for this article.

Then, in May 2019, Khanjar and Abu Mazen intervened in the selection of Nineveh’s new governor, according to nine sources, including several members of the regional administrative council and relatives of the two men. A majority of Nineveh’s 39 councilors, tasked with electing the new governor, initially favoured a candidate critical of Iran, these sources said. But two days before the council was due to vote, Abu Mazen and Khanjar invited nearly two dozen council members to a meeting in a hotel in nearby Erbil, said several people, one of whom attended.

The council members were promised local government posts or payments of up to $300,000 apiece from the men or their offices if they voted for a different candidate, Mansour al-Mareid, a Sunni favoured by Iran and its allies in Baghdad, these people said. One council member told Reuters he accepted money and used it to buy a new home.

Mareid was duly elected with the votes of 28 of the 39 council members.

Khanjar confirmed he and Abu Mazen met with councilors in Erbil to agree on the governor and negotiate over provincial posts. He also confirmed he supported Mareid, but denied that votes were bought. “I didn’t pay a single dinar,” he said.

Mareid, the winning candidate, said he had no knowledge of bribes being given to councilors and he denied any loyalty to Iran, but he added: “Council members can be bought, so it wouldn’t surprise me, and nothing can happen in this country without Iran approving it.”

The gathering in Erbil wasn’t the only meeting that took place around that time. Three of the councilors interviewed by Reuters described further meetings and contacts with senior Iraqi paramilitary officials who were trying to win support for Mareid.

Another Nineveh councilor recounted that he and a colleague were invited to a hotel in Baghdad shortly after the vote to meet a senior Iranian diplomat and an Iraqi militia leader loyal to Iran. The councilor, who had loudly criticized Mareid’s appointment, said he was offered a post in the Nineveh government if he would drop his opposition to the new governor. He said he declined the offer. The Iranian embassy didn’t reply to questions about the meeting. Reuters couldn’t reach the militia leader. The Iraqi state paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) that oversees militias didn’t respond.

U.S. pushes back

Within a few months the pendulum had swung again.

The United States imposed sanctions on Iran-aligned militia leaders and on their Iraqi Sunni allies – among them Abu Mazen in July and Khanjar in December.

The U.S. Treasury said it was freezing Abu Mazen’s assets because he had protected “his personal interests by accommodating Iran-backed proxies that operate outside of state control.” It targeted Khanjar in a round of sanctions against Iran-backed militia leaders, accusing him of bribery and saying he had spent “millions of dollars in payments to Iraqi political figures in order to secure their support.”

Abu Mazen and Khanjar denied any wrongdoing at the time and condemned the U.S. sanctions as interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.

Abu Mazen felt under pressure as a result of the U.S. move, said a relative and five Nineveh councilors. The measures helped persuade Abu Mazen, these sources said, to withdraw support for Mareid and back a former military commander and U.S. ally, Najm al-Jabouri [no relation], to replace him as governor. In November, 23 of the council’s 39 members voted to dismiss Mareid and appoint Jabouri.

Jabouri’s appointment and the pressure on Iran’s allies across the country from U.S. air strikes and sanctions have given militia groups pause in Mosul, local officials say. Their military presence has reduced on inner city streets where Shi’ite and militia flags once flew atop mosques and junkyards they controlled.

Pro-U.S. officials in Mosul hope that the government of Prime Minister Kadhimi, who is accepted by both the United States and Iran, together with fractures among Iran-backed militias following the death of Soleimani, will turn the tide against Tehran’s influence. But they also complain that Governor Jabouri is mostly hamstrung against Iran’s militia and political allies in Mosul.

“Jabouri is weak politically,” said Mosul council member Ali Khdeir. “Because of their power on the ground, he’ll have to deal carefully with the militias at first.”

Jabouri told Reuters that any governor would face criticism and he defended his record. He conceded that political rivalries were impeding progress in rebuilding the city. “It makes my work harder,” he said.

Four local officials said some administrative posts have changed hands and are no longer controlled by allies of Iran-backed militias, but others are still held by officials with links to militia groups. The militias also have offices in Mosul, these local officials said, through which they win construction and other business contracts, even though such offices were banned by a central government decree last year. The militia groups did not respond to Reuters questions about their activities.

A City in Ruins

Amid this chaos, reconstruction stalls.

The power vacuum between Mareid and Jabouri just weeks before the end of 2019 prevented contracts being awarded at a crucial time when the annual budget needed to be spent, a senior local administrator and a second official said.

A document signed by the head of municipalities, Abdul Qadir al-Dakhil, and reviewed by Reuters showed that provincial authorities failed to award contracts worth more than $200 million in Nineveh province in 2019. They included the new emergency hospital, equipment for another nearby hospital, providing additional vehicles for the civil defence rescue services and rehabilitating 13 schools, Dakhil told Reuters.

Dr Omar Hamudat, who helps run the West Mosul emergency medical complex, worked in Mosul hospitals under international sanctions in the 1990s and under Islamic State’s occupation. Hamudat said healthcare infrastructure was the worst it had ever been.

“Once we could carry out 200 emergency operations a day here. Now, we manage about 15,” he said, speaking in his cramped portacabin office at the complex.

Nineveh province had hospitals with a total of about 4,000 beds before the arrival of Islamic State. It has a little over 1,000 now, including in what Hamudat called his “caravans,” a reference to the portacabins.

Mosul’s civil defence chief, Hossam Khalil, said a provision of emergency vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances, expected in 2019, had not come through. “Sometimes we have to use our own cars for work,” Khalil said, “but try not to do that for crucial life-saving work, or putting out fires.”

Residents of Mosul have praised Jabouri’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, where a lockdown has so far avoided a mass outbreak, but some worry he is not up to the task of rebuilding the city. Many just want a competent governor, regardless of political affiliation.

“Mareid began getting things done,” said Safwan al-Madany, a 30-year-old activist who has been involved in voluntary aid projects for his city since 2011 and rebuilding work since the fall of Islamic State.

During Mareid’s six-month tenure, some bridges in the city were fixed. “He had the contacts, power and connections in Baghdad to make things happen, even if those were paramilitary-linked. He’s an engineer by trade and understands construction. Jabouri is a military man. We wish Mareid would come back,” said Madany.

Enduring Influence

Across the rest of the Sunni provinces that lie between Nineveh and Baghdad, regional councilors, tribal chiefs and members of Iraq’s parliament say Iran’s efforts to entrench local political allies will likely outlast the U.S. tactics of air strikes and economic sanctions.

Potential friends of America lament what they see as a lack of U.S. interest or ability to blunt Iran’s influence in the country allied troops invaded 17 years ago. In February 2019, the head of Salahuddin provincial council, Ahmed al-Krayem, travelled to Washington to drum up U.S. support for his region and help counter Iran.

“The visit wasn’t fruitful,” said a senior Iraqi lawmaker, a relative of Krayem.

“Whoever he met didn’t seem interested in his proposals for a bolstered U.S. troop presence and U.S. investment.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which hosted Krayem at a private event during that trip, declined to give details about the gathering. Krayem also declined to comment.

A Salahuddin official said that by contrast, “the Iranians, including their diplomats at the embassy, reach out to people you’d never expect them to, at a local level.”

Asked about U.S. engagement in Iraq, Department of State spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said: “We will continue to stand with the Iraqi people in support of their calls for reform and change, and to help them achieve an Iraq that is economically prosperous, a pivotal country in the region, and free of foreign meddling.”

Other Salahuddin Sunni chieftains have met Shi’ite paramilitary officials to plead over the return of Sunni families displaced by the war with Islamic State and scattered in camps and temporary homes across northern Iraq. They worry about the drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq, saying it opens up their regions to the danger of a resurgent Islamic State.

“A few years ago I would never have dealt with Iran-backed officials,” said Sheikh Khalid al-Nasseri, a senior leader in Saddam Hussein’s clan. “Now I’ll work with anyone to get services for our people and return families to their homes from miserable camps.”

Who killed Al-Hussein ibn Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him)? Lecture in video is in Arabic by Shaykh Uthman Al-Khamees may Allaah preserve him. I have taken the time to transcribe the lecture in English for all to benefit. This ends with quotes from Shiite scholars and books, the sources of those who claim to love the household of the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him.

571 CE – Muhammad peace and blessings upon him was born in Mecca after his father died and became an orphan at 6 years old when his mother died. His grandfather Abdul-Muttalib took care of him until he died when Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him was only 8 years old. Abu Talib, his uncle, then took care of him. Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him got married to Khadijah at 25. At 40, he became the messenger of Allaah, peace and blessings be upon him.

Allah chose for him people who gave him victory and supported him during 13 difficult years in Mecca. Then migration took place to Medina and Allaah praised the Muslims in Medina who supported their brethren from Mecca.

Allaah says in Noble Qur’an 59:9 – “And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful.”

They loved Muhammad peace and blessings upon him more than they loved themselves. Islam reached us because of their efforts.

Allaah says in Noble Qur’an 5:3 – “…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion…”

Muhammad peace and blessings upon him passed away after he has delivered the complete message. He died in 632 CE (11 Hijri). Abu Bakr became Khalifa (Caliph) or 2 years and some months, people lived in peace. Then Umar became Caliph. The Ansar and Muhajiroon loved each other and all Muslims loved each other.

Allaah praises them in no uncertain terms in Noble Qur’an 9:100 – “And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.”

This continued until Caliph Umar was killed by Abu Lu’lu’ah Persian, who stabbed him from behind during prayer. Uthman Ibn Affan was then given the pledge in the year 644 CE (23 Hijri) was given pledge of allegiance. 12 years under his rule, Islam spread and life was peaceful for Muslims.

People outside of Medina and Mecca, rather outside the Arabian Peninsula who were from Basrah, Kufah and Egypt – they did not like the peaceful conditions that the Muslims were living in. Abdullah Ibn Saba, who was originally Jewish, led this campaign of rumors and lies. Some believed these rumors and a group came of out Basrah, Kufah and Egypt – they came supposedly for the Hajj (major pilgrimage). A group of 6,000 armed men came and surrounded Uthman’s house and told him to surrender his leadership.

Uthman consulted the companions may Allaah be pleased with them, and not a single one said that he should abandon his post as Caliph. Abdullah Ibn Umar told Uthman: “What more can they do to you than killing you? Can they give you paradise or hellfire?” Uthman responded in the negative, so Abdullah said then he doesn’t see that he should leave his post as Caliph. They entered Uthman’s house and killed him as a martyr.

During the time when the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him was alive, he once climbed the mountain of Uhud with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman. The mountain shook with them. The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him said to the mountain, “Be firm, O Uhud! For on you there are no more than a Prophet, a Siddiq (truthful one, referring to Abu Bakr and two martyrs (referring to Umar and Uthman).” [Bukhari]

Ali then became Caliph via the Muslims pledging allegiance to him.

Many Muslims felt a sense of oppression and anger. How can these people enter Medina and kill the leader of the believers yet the Muslim armies are opening the lands of Ash-Sham (in today’s terms: Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan), Egypt, Persia and reached Africa and other places?! How dare these people do this? Those Muslims in Medina were small in number compared to those people because many were in armies abroad. Uthman also refused to allow them to fight them. So much so that Zaid bin Thabit said to Uthman “if you wish we can be the Ansar of Allah twice,” meaning “just like we were with Muhammad peace and blessings upon him we can be with you.” Uthman said no, let each one of you to stay in his home based on my orders and authority. This is bravery for Uthman. He did not want one drop of blood to be shed for his sake, may Allaah be pleased with him.

Talha and Az-Zubair went to Mecca to meet some Muslims because those intruders were still in Medina. They met in Mecca and decided to avenge the murder of Uthman. A group of Muslims went from Mecca to Basrah to meet those who went back from Medina to Basrah. This exit from Mecca to Basrah to avenge was faulty in that they did not get Caliph Ali’s permission first (even though he was not going to object, but they should have asked permission). But this would cause chaos; people have to go back to Ali as Khalifa. Ali was upset with them and a small battle took place between them called the minor Battle of the Camel (the first one).

Talha and Az-Zubair were victorious over the people of Basrah, but when Ali heard this he went from Medina to Kufah and this is where the Battle of the Camel took place. Ali was in fact correct because he was the leader. None of them wanted to fight. In fact, Talha and Az-Zubair did not participate in the battle; they were killed in a treacherous way. Ali did not want to fight Talha and Az-Zubair, rather, when Ali saw Talha dead he cried, he said “I wish I died before this by 20 years.” Talha and Az-Zubair used to fight alongside Muhammad peace and blessings upon him.

Later on, there was the Battle of Siffin between Mu’awiyah and Ali again due to the murder of Uthman. Both Mu’awiyah and Ali wanted to avenge the death of Uthman, but there were misunderstandings. Mu’awiyah did not want to give Ali the pledge of allegiance until Ali avenged the death of Uthman, and Ali insisted that Mu’awiyah gives him the pledge fist so that Caliph Ali would establish his authority in order to avenge the death of Uthman.

The people of Iraq betrayed Ali and killed him. How did this happen? The Khawarij, who rebels, those literally want out against the leadership. They are an enemy from within and opposed both sides of the Muslims, the side of Ali and the side of Mu’wiyah, and just wanted to see bloodshed between them and benefitted from the status quo. Three Khawarij, Abdul-Rahman ibn Muljim was to kill Ali, Umar Ibn Bakr At-Tamimi was to kill Amr ibn Al-Aas, and Al-Barq Ibn Abdullah At-Tamimi was to kill Mu’awiyah – their claim was that they want to rid the Muslims of three, of Ali, Mu’awiyah, and Amr ibn Al-Aas. Ironically, they wanted to get close to Allah by killing his allies.

Ali was killed he was going to pray the Fajr (dawn prayers). Mu’awiyah was stabbed but was not killed. Someone else was stabbed and killed that was mistakenly thought to be Amr ibn Al-Aas.

After the death of Caliph Ali, the pledge of allegiance was done for Al-Hassan ibn Ali and then he abandoned his post in a year called the year of the Jama’ah (group, that is, to unite the Muslims). Muhammad peace and blessings upon him did predict this. Al-Bukhari narrated that Al-Hasan said that Abu Bakrah said that the Messenger of Allah gave a speech on the Minbar (pulpit) while Al-Hasan bin Ali was with him. He was repeatedly looking at Al-Hasan and then at the people; then said, “Verily, this son of mine is a Sayyid (chief or master), and may Allah make peace between two great groups of Muslims through him.” What the Prophet said, occurred. Al-Hasan brought peace between the people of Ash-Sham and Iraq, after they fought tremendous wars and frightening battles. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir in explaining Noble Qur’an 49:9 – And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.]

Things went back to being peaceful for the 20-year duration under the reign of Caliph Mu’awiyah may Allaah be pleased with him. Islam spread during his time.

In the year 60 Hijri – Mu’awiyah felt his end was near. He wanted the successor to be his son Yazid. Many companions were against this idea and told Mu’awiyah not to do this because in Quraysh there were those who were better such as Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah Ibn Umar, Al-Hussein, others. They told him not to make it from father to son so it does not become a norm. This is why Abdur-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said to Mu’awiyah “Do you want to make it like Hercules, every time a Hercules dies another one comes in his place – as in an inheritance?” Mu’awiyah did not listen and still did it. The companions gave the pledge of allegiance so as to maintain order.

Two refused to give the pledge, Al-Hussein ibn Ali and Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair. They acknowledged the Caliph but refused to give the pledge themselves. They were demanded to give the pledge but they refused. The leader of Medina told them that they have to. They both left at night from Medina to Mecca. Things were calmed down because the leader of Mecca was more mature than leader of Medina because he left them alone and did not force them to give the pledge to Yazid.

The city of Kufah (in Iraq) was the city that was inhabited and led by Ali and then Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein. Al-Hassan, as Caliph, was there for 6 months after Caliph Ali was martyred. As mentioned above, Al-Hassan left his post (and gave it to Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan in order to maintain peace and unity) and both he and Al-Hussein returned to Medina. The people of Kufah knew that Al-Hussein did not give the pledge of allegiance to Yazid, so they said that they would give the pledge to Al-Hussein – they wanted to return the chaos. They sent over 500 letters to Al-Hussein about this and claimed that in fact broke the allegiance to Yazid.

Al-Hussein sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqeel ibn Abi Talib to check. So, he went and realized that it was true. 18,000 gave the pledge of allegiance on behalf of Al-Hussein to Muslim ibn Aqeel. So, Muslim ibn Aqeel sent a letter to Al-Hussein to come because 18,000 gave Al-Hussein the pledge.

Al-Hussein left on the day of Tarwiyah (same day are people coming to Hajj). Some companions said to Al-Hussein to stay back and perform the Hajj since there were only two more days for it to start. They suggested that he does this first and then see what he want to do afterwards. Al-Hussein responded in the negative and went. Some companions tried to stop him, such as Abdullah ibn Al-Abbas (who was blind at the time) – he said to Al-Hussein “Were it not for people seeing us I would have grabbed you by the hair so that you don’t go.” Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair said: “Will you go to a people who killed your father and stabbed your brother? You will not see from them except treachery.” Abu Said Al-Khudri also tried to stop Al-Hussein.

Abdullah ibn Umar went after him after Al-Hussein travelled for 3 days and tried to stop him. Al-Hussein showed him the letters. Abdullah said: “Allaah gave the option to Muhammad peace and blessings upon him for this life and its splendors or what is with Allah, so Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him chose what is with Allaah. And you are a descendant of Muhammad peace and blessings upon him; you will not get it. Leave the people of Kufah, those who are treacherous.” Al-Hussein still went.

News came to the leader of Kufah, An-Nu’man ibn Bashir, that Al-Hussein was going to Kufah. An-Nu’man ibn Bashir did not give it much attention. Some went to Yazid in Ash-Sham and informed him that things are getting hot and that An-Nu’man was not doing anything and that there was a risk of a tribulation taking place. Yazid removed An-Nu’man ibn Bashir from his post and replaced him with Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad.

Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad was in Basrah, when he entered Kufah he entered it disguised, some thought he was Al-Hussein so they saluted him by saying “Welcome O son of Muhammad peace and blessings upon him’s daughter (Fatima).” Ubaydullah realized that this was serious. So, he sent his spies in Kufah to find out where this was being plotted. He came to know that it was Hani ibn Urwah. So, Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad asked Hani ibn Urwah about Muslim ibn Aqeel, he answered he did not know, even though Muslim ibn Aqeel was in his house. So Ubaydullah sent his spies to enter Hani ibn Urwah’s house and found Muslim ibn Aqeel there. Hani ibn Urwah said: “I swear, if he was under my foot I would not raise it.” He did not want to betray him.

So Ubaydullah put Hani ibn Urwah in jail. When Muslim ibn Aqeel heard of this he told those who gave him the pledge to exit in a resistance against Ubaydullah. 4,000 went out with Muslim ibn Aqeel and surrounded Ubaydullah’s house in the early afternoon. By late afternoon, only 30 remained. By sunset Muslim ibn Aqeel was by himself, he tried to escape but he was captured and killed.

Al-Hussein was on the way. When Ubaydullah realized that Al-Hussein was on the way he sent an army to meet Al-Hussein under the leadership of Al-Hurr ibn Yazid At-Tamimi. So, they met in Al-Qadissiyah (same site of the battle during Umar’s time between the Muslims and the Persians).

Al-Hussein did not leave Mecca to fight because he had his family with him, he went to assume leadership based on the pledges of allegiance. He was surprised that things were different.

Al-Hurr ibn Yazid At-Tamimi asked Al-Hussein where he was going. AL-Hussein said that he was going to Kufah and showed him the letters of the people. Al-Hurr ibn Yazid At-Tamimi said to Al-Hussein that they betrayed him and that Muslim ibn Aqeel was killed. He told Al-Hussein to go back. Al-Hussein wanted to go back, but the children of Muslim in Aqeel told their uncle AL-Hussein: “How can we return without avenging the death of our father Muslim ibn Aqeel?” So, they went ahead. Al-Hurr ibn Yazid told them to return for he feared that Allaah will test him with Al-Hussein’s blood (meaning he feared a war to take place in these mixed events).

Al-Hussein headed for Kufah and Al-Hurr was with him but told him that he will not enter Kufah, but instead, to go anywhere else other than Kufah. Al-Hurr suggested that Al-Hussein should to go to Yazid in Ash-Sham. Al-Hussein refused.

When Yazid knew that Al-Hussein was given the pledge and that he was going to come to Kufah, he sent lines of poetry to Abdullah ibn Abbas to prevent Al-Hussein from going there. Caliph Yazid stressed that they are both from Abd Manaf – in other words, there were blood relations between them.

Al-Hussein and A-Hurr reached Karbala – Al-Hussein asked what is this land? They said Karbala – Al-Hussien said Karb (distress) and Bala (affliction and calamity). Hussein was killed here eventually.

Al-Hussein stopped in Karbala – the rest of the army that Ubaydullah sent arrived. It was an army of 4,000 over and above the army already with A-Hurr which was 1,000. Al-Hussein only had 73 people vs. 5,000 from both armies. When Al-Hussein stopped at Karbala he was told that he will not enter Kufah. Umar Ibn Sa’d, the leader of the additional army of 4,000 he said that matters are done.

Al-Hussein said that he will give them three options:

• Let Al-Hussein go back
• To allow Al-Hussein go to any place of the Muslims to fight in the way of Allaah
• Go to Yazid in As-Sham

Umar ibn Sa’d said to Al-Hussien to communicate with Yazid and Umar ibn Sa’d himself will communicate with Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad to see what will happen. Umar Ibn Sa’d communicated with Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad but Al-Hussein did not communicate with Yazid.

Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad’s response what to let Al-Hussein choose whatever he wishes but that Al-Hussein will not enter Kufah. There was some bad company with Ubaydullah who was called Shamr Ibnu Thil-Jawsha. Shamr began to spew his poison by making statements to Ubaydullah such as: “This is strange – Al-Hussein sets conditions and you are the leader?” So Ubaydullah asked what he should do. Shamr said that Ubaydullah should take Al-Hussein as a hostage then send him wherever he wants. Ubaydullah agreed. So Ubaydullah communicated with Umar ibn Sa’d to bring Al-Hussein as hostage.

Umar ibn Sa’d refused. Shamr said to Umar ibn Sa’d that if he does not listen then he would be released from his post and that Shamr will take over. Umar ibn Sa’d refused to give up his post. Due to this pressure, Umar ibn Sa’d asked Al-Hussein to come as hostage. Al-Hussein refused, he was the son of the daughter of Muhammad peace and blessings upon him, how can he be taken as hostage? Al-Hussein wanted to leave Karbala and return to Medina. Al-Hussein talked to the people in the opposing army and reminded them of the letters they originally sent him. They all denied and said things have now changed, and they were in fact from the group of Ali in the battle of Siffin and pretended to be with Al-Hussein.

Contrary to what is being propagated that Al-Hussein went out die or to show the corruption of Yazid, all such claims are lies. Rather, Al-Hussein in fact went out of Mecca to take the leadership from the pledge of allegiance. When he realized the treachery, he wanted to return. This is mentioned in books of Sunnis and Shiites.

In Kitab Al-Luhoof by Ibn Tawuus – he said: “Al-Hussein said to one of them if you are now against your pledge according to your letters then I will return where I came from.”

Al-Hussein wanted to return but he refused to be hostage. Fighting started and Al-Hussein was killed and a group of the household of Muhammad peace and blessings upon him were killed. Form the sons of Ali ibn Abi Talib: Ja’far, Al-Abbas, Abu Bakr, Muhammad (other than Muhammad Ibn Al-Hanafiyyah), and Uthman – these are five from the brothers of Al-Hussein.

Who killed Al-Hussein? An army from Ash-Sham or who? In fact, it was the army of Iraq that sent him the letters claiming the pledge, and they are the ones that killed him. In fact, there are many testimonies that the Shiites in fact killed Al-Hussein. Ali ibn Abi Talib had 39 children, 19 males and 20 females. From the sons of Al-Hassan ibn Ali: Abdullah, Al-Qasim, and Abu Bakr. And from the sons of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, the brothers of Muslim ibn Aqeel (mentioned earlier): Jafar, Abdullah, and Abdurrahman. And from the sons of Muslim ibn Aqeel: Abdullah and Aqeel. And from the sons of Abdullah ibn Jafar: Auon and Muhammad. And from the sons of Al-Hussein himself: Abdullah and Ali (referred to Ali the older, but Ali the younger was not killed, and he is referred to as Zain-Al-Abideen).

Who killed Al-Hussein? The people of Ash-Sham or the people of Iraq?! The army that went out to fihght Al-Hussein was the army of Kufah in Iraq, the very same army that sent Al-Hussein letters of support inviting him to give him the pledge of allegiance.

There are many who admit that the Shiites killed Al-Hussein. Here are statements of the household of the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him on the people of Kufah:

In Najul Balaghah – Ali ibn Abi Talib who lived with them for four years until he was killed there described the people of Kufah in the harshest of terms, as those who can hear yet they play deaf, those who can speak yet pretend to be dumb, and those are blind yet they are able to see. He described them as being untruthful and treacherous. He described them to be like camels that disperse when their owners leave them.

Ali ibn Al-Hussein who witnessed the massacre of his father and household in Karabala and survived it, entered Kufah after this great crime, and reprimanded its inhabitants for tricking his father and claiming to have given him the pledge and yet betrayed him in the end. He lashed at them by wishing that they perish for betraying his father and fighting him. He questioned how they will look at Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him? – This was mentioned in the Book of At-Tabrasi called Al-Ihtijaj in volume 2 on page 32

Ali ibn Al-Hussein, Zain-ul-Abideen, nay Allaah be pleased with him, passed by those who were crying and waling for Al-Hussein and his family, so Ali ibn Al-Hussein said to them: “You wail and cry for us? Who killed us! And you you wail and cry?” – This is in the book of Al-Malhoof page 86.

Umm Kulthoom, daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib, sister of Al-Hussein, said: “O people of Kufah, may evil befall you, what is it with you that you betrayed Al-Hussein and killed him?” – This was mentioned in Nafas Al-Malhoof Al-Mahmoum page 363.

Zainab bint Ali, the sister of the martyr Al-Hussein – she told them to shut up when she saw them crying, she said to them “You kill our men and your women cry, Allaah is the judge between you and us” – This was mentioned in Nafas Al-Mahmoom on page 365.

Any mention of Yazid or Ash-Sham? They were all from Iraq, just as Murtdadha al-Mutahhiri said that Kufah were the Shiites of Ali without doubt. A people of treachery and betrayal.

Jawad Muhaddithi, in his book Mawso’a Ashuraa’, page 59, said that all events point to the fact that Ali ibn Abi Talib suffered at the hands of the people of Kufah, and Al-Hassan faced betrayal from them, and Muslim ibn Aqeel was killed by them oppressively, and Al-Hussein dyed in Karbala while he was thirsty close to Kufah and by the army of Kufah.

These are killers of Ahlul-Bayt (Household of Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him) yet they claim to be the ones who support Ahlul-Bayt?!

Hussein Korani said that the people of Kufah did not just stop at abandoning Imam Al-Hussein, but they went out to Karaba to fight Imam Al-Hussein – This is in the book Rihab Karbala page 60.

Hussein Korani also says that Abdullah ibn Hawza At-Tamimi stood in front of Imam Al-Hussein and yelled to the congregation “Is Hussein among you?!” Abdullah ibn Hawza was one of the group of Ali before and perhaps one of those who wrote to Al-Hussein to come to get the pledge of allegiance. He addressed Al-Hussein by telling him “O Hussein, I give you the glad tidings of the Hellfire.” – This is in the book Rihab Karbala page 61.

Kadhim Al-Ihsa’I An-Najafi in his Book titled Ashura page 89 says that: “The army that went out to fight Imam Al-Hussein was 300,000 [he exaggerated the number], all of them were form the people of Kufah, there was not amongst them anyone from Ash-Sham, Hijaz, India, Pakistan, Sudan, Egypt, African, rather, all of them are from Kufah who gathered from various tribes.

Hussein Ibn Ahmad Al-Boraqi An-Najafi in his Book “Tareekhu Kufah” page 113 says – “The people of Kufah are guilty of stabbing Al-Hassan and killing Al-Hussein after the invited him.”

Murtada Al-Muttahiri, the Shiite philosopher, in his book “Al-Malhama Al-Hussayniyyah” volume 1 page 129 says – “There is no doubt that Kufah were from the group of Ali and that those who killed Imam Al-Hussein were his own group.” He also says “The killing of Al-Hussein by the hands of the Muslims, rather, by the hands of the Shiites, only 50 years after the death of Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. It is indeed a confusing matter and a strange paradox which gravitates attention.” – this is from the same book in volume 3 page 490.

The Shiites cry for Al-Hussein yet they are his killers. They killed 18 members of the household of the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. Today they cry and want revenge! Revenge on who?

Muhsin Al-Ameen, a well-known Shiite scholar, in his book “A’yan Ash-Shia” in volume page 26 – he says – “Al-Hussein gave the pledge to 20,000 of the people of Iraq, then they betrayed him and went out to fight him while the pledge to him was on their necks, and they killed him.”

These are clear admissions, what more do you want?

After the martyrdom of Al-Hussein by four years, a group of them came out calling themselves the army of those who are repenting, and some of them were good. They organized an army that actually ended up killing Ubaydullah ibn Ziad (mentioned earlier).

Today they beat themselves every year in mourning. They wish they were with those people back at the time of Al-Hussein to save him, nay, if they were alive during that time, they would have been with the army that fought Al-Hussein.

The event took place on the 10th of Muhharam in the year 61 Hijri.In an ugly ending. Shamr the evil one cut off Hussein’s head, and Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad took his head to Ash-Sham.

Three participated in the killing of Al-Hussein:

• Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad leader of Kufah – the one who ordered it
• Shamr ibnu Thul Jawshan – severed the head
• Sinan ibn Anas An-Nakha’i – the killer

Those three, ironically, those three were in Ali’s army in battle of Siffin, supporting Ali, Al-Hussein’s father. These are a people of treachery.

Ibrahim An-Nakha’i, may Allaah have mercy, him said: “If I was among those who killed Al-Hussein, then I entered Paradise, I would be shy to look at the face of Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him”.

May Allaah have mercy on Al-Hussein the martyr. He is in Paradise as in the hadith which was reported by Ahmad, At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah and An-Nasaa’i, it was narrated by Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri may Allaah be pleased with him who said: “The Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him said: ”Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein are the masters of the youth of Paradise.” Shaykh Al-Albaani may Allaah have mercy upon him classified it as Saheeh [sound].

Article is taken from Prof. Wasim Ismail’s Facebook Post.

Professor Wasim Ismail is of Palestinian origin settled in Canada. He earned Masters in Islamic Studies from Islamic Online University.