The Purpose of Military Loss
In accordance to Shia tradition, Husayn ibn Ali was offered help from the Jinn, who could have destroyed the forces of Yazid with ease. Husayn refused this offer saying: 'our aim is to sacrifice ourselves to save Islam and to influence the people to alter their own destinies by following true-Islam'. The Shia belief strongly states that Husayn's sacrifice was not a defeat but a victory. They define victory as achieving something that you aim for, rather than achieving a victory by defeating your opponent. Husayn aimed for sacrificing himself for Islam and to influence as many people as possible to alter their own destinies by following the true-path of Islam. As he achieved his goal, his sacrifice is a victory and not a defeat according to this definition of victory.
Read more about this topic: Zuhayr Ibn Qayn
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