Battle of Karbala - Political Background

Political Background

The rule of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, concluded with a violent uprising. This uprising ended with the assassination of Uthman and for many days rebels seized and occupied the city of Medina. Under the overwhelming pressure of the Ummah, Ali (Ali ibn Abu Talib) was elected as the fourth caliph with massive numbers of people swearing their allegiance to him. His immediate steps were to ensure the unity of Muslims. He issued the orders of not attacking the rebels until order was restored. The governor of Syria, Muawiyah, kinsman to the murdered caliph Uthman, refused allegiance to Ali and revolted against him, using his cousin's unpunished murder as a pretext. This resulted in armed confrontations between the Islamic Caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib and Muawiyah. Practically, the Muslim world became divided. At the death of Ali ibn Abu Talib, his elder son Hasan ibn Ali succeeded him but soon signed a treaty with Muawiyah to avoid further bloodshed. Muawiyah remained the ruler of Syria. Prior to his death, Muawiyah was actively plotting a major deviation from Islamic norms. He was establishing his son Yazid I as the next ruler hence establishing dynastic rule for the first time in Islam. This was a move which was considered unacceptable by some leaders of the ummah including the younger son of Ali ibn Abu Talib, Hussein ibn Ali.

The majority of Muslims were observing the conduct of the leaders of prominent companion families, namely, `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas, Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, Abdullah ibn Umar, Hussein ibn Ali and Abdu'l-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr. In his written instructions to Yazid, Muawiyah suggested specific strategies for each one of them. Muawiyah warned Yazid specifically about Hussein ibn Ali, since he was the only blood relative of Muhammad. Yazid was successful in coercing `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdu'l-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr. Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr took refuge in Mecca. Hussein ibn Ali believed the appointment of Yazid as the heir of the Caliphate would lead to hereditary kingship, which was against the original political teachings of Islam. Therefore, he resolved to confront Yazid.