Battle of Karbala

The martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at Karbala on the 10th day of Muharram (Ashura) in 680 CE. This event marks the defining moment in Islamic history that crystallized the Sunni-Shia division.

After Mu’awiya’s death, his son Yazid I claimed the caliphate, violating the earlier agreement that leadership would return to the family of Ali. Husayn refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid, viewing his rule as illegitimate and tyrannical. At the invitation of Kufan Shiites, Husayn traveled from Mecca toward Kufa with a small group of about 72 companions and family members, including women and children.

Intercepted by a 4,000-strong Umayyad army at Karbala, Husayn’s party was surrounded and denied access to water from the Euphrates River. After several days of siege, battle commenced on Ashura. Despite hopeless odds, Husayn refused to surrender or pledge allegiance to Yazid. He and nearly all his male companions were killed; only his ill son Ali Zayn al-Abidin survived. The women and children were taken captive to Damascus.

For Shia Muslims, Karbala represents the ultimate sacrifice in the face of injustice and tyranny—a model of resistance to oppression. The annual commemoration of Ashura includes passion plays (ta’ziyeh), processions, and acts of mourning that define Shia identity and theology of redemptive suffering.