The history of Muslims has been shaped by great pains and struggles since the early centuries. From the moment Prophet Muhammad began his struggle in the name of Allah, unprecedented sorrows and persecutions, not only for him but also for those around him, marked the beginning of a history filled with suffering and oppression. The struggles initiated by the Messenger of Allah and his companions against disbelief resulted in immense pain and significant losses. The revelation of the Quran and the success of the Muslims were achieved through perseverance and hardship in the face of the atrocities endured.
Until the Kerbala incident, Islamic history had witnessed numerous sorrows and tears, and Muslims had faced countless injustices, yet the Kerbala incident gave rise to even greater sufferings and left behind significant sectarian traumas for the years to come. In terms of its causes and consequences, the Kerbala incident transformed all aspects of Muslim life, including political, social, and economic dimensions. The impact of the events in Kerbala has led to enduring challenges that persist to this day, leaving a profound pain etched in the hearts and minds of Muslims until the Day of Judgment.
Following the passing of Prophet Muhammad in the year 632, debates arose over who would be the leader of the state and who would lead the Muslims. These debates marked the initial steps leading to the Kerbala incident. Throughout this process, the disputes were resolved among the early believers through patient and resolute attitudes, preventing the emergence of divisive ideas and an atmosphere of discord among the Muslims. After the selection of the first caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr, subsequent periods under the leadership of Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Usman, and Hazrat Ali, were characterized by individual incidents, disputes, and assassinations, shaping the second phase of events leading to Kerbala. Notably, the criticism and social pressures under the leadership of Muawiya during this period had exhausted and weakened the Muslims. Despite Prophet Muhammad’s unparalleled example of unity and harmony throughout his life, the Muslim community began to experience societal fragmentation and division for the first time.
After the assassination of the last caliph among the early believers, Hazrat Ali, his supporters pledged allegiance to his son, Hazrat Hasan. Viewing the Muslims’ acceptance of Hazrat Hasan as the new caliph as an attack and defeat against his own authority, Muawiya, ruling over Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon, instructed his commanders to prepare for war. At the same time, he attempted to negotiate an agreement with Hazrat Hasan to convince him to relinquish his claim to the caliphate. Muawiya, recognized as a shrewd political figure, was more focused on reaching an agreement with Hazrat Hasan than engaging in war, even though he was aware of his military strength. Recognizing that forcefully seizing the caliphate would not be legitimate and would be subject to debate, he aimed to resolve the situation by first reaching an agreement with Hazrat Hasan through astute political maneuvering.
Hazrat Hasan, however, rejected Muawiya’s proposed agreement and chose to resist. Subsequent events led to clashes between Hazrat Hasan’s supporters and Muawiya’s loyalists. Recognizing that he had the potential to defeat Muawiya’s forces, Muawiya attempted to propose a new agreement with Hazrat Hasan, this time with more favorable terms. The agreement was accepted, and Muawiya’s caliphate was recognized. Despite the agreement, Muawiya, who remained uncomfortable with Hazrat Hasan’s presence, eventually manipulated Hazrat Hasan’s wife, Ja’da bint Ash’as, by promising to marry her son Yezid and instructed her to poison her husband. After being poisoned by his wife, Hazrat Hasan fell ill and passed away.
Following Hazrat Hasan’s death, Muawiya sought to establish a dynasty and attempted to designate his son Yezid as the caliph. However, Hazrat Hussein, who could not accept the transformation of the caliphate into a hereditary rule and the martyrdom of his brother Hazrat Hasan, began to express his objections. Yezid, who succeeded his father Muawiya after his death in 680, made attempts to secure Hazrat Hussein’s allegiance. However, Hazrat Hussein resisted, and as a result, faced increasing opposition from both his supporters and the general population. Concerned for their safety, Hazrat Hussein and his family set out toward Mecca in May 680 in search of a secure haven. The people of Kufa, who had previously betrayed Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Hasan, invited Hazrat Hussein to their city and pledged their support in resisting the Umayyad rule. Despite this invitation, they did not hesitate to allow the Umayyads to kill Muslim bin Aqil, whom Hazrat Hussein had sent to Kufa to assess their sincerity.
Unaware of the fate of his son Muslim bin Aqil, Hazrat Hussein continued his journey towards Kufa, believing in the goodwill of its people. Although he learned about the fate of Muslim, the determination of Muslim’s sons to avenge their father did not deter Hazrat Hussein from continuing on his path to Kufa.
Upon hearing of Hazrat Hussein’s intention to challenge them, the people of Kufa, under the orders of the governor Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, dispatched a commander named Hurr bin Yazid to prevent Hazrat Hussein’s group from proceeding. Hurr bin Yazid instructed Hazrat Hussein to take a different route between Kufa and Medina until a new order arrived from the governor. Following this order, Hazrat Hussein arrived at the Kerbala Desert near the Euphrates River. Another figure who arrived in Kerbala was Omar bin Sa’d. Acting under the orders of the governor Ubaydullah, Omar bin Sa’d was tasked with securing Hazrat Hussein’s allegiance to Yezid on behalf of the Umayyad ruler. Hazrat Hussein’s refusal to pledge allegiance prompted the governor to cut off their access to water. Consequently, Hazrat Hussein and his companions were deprived of water. Here, Hazrat Hussein, his family, and his supporters made the decision to resist and fight, refusing to succumb to oppression and choosing to die if necessary.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, Hazrat Hussein and his companions resolved to stand firm in the face of oppression and fight valiantly for the sake of Allah. In preparation for martyrdom, Hazrat Hussein and his 32 horsemen and 40 foot soldiers purified themselves with musk and chamomile before the battle.
Subsequently, Hazrat Hussein and his supporters confronted the Yezid loyalists in Kerbala. The battle began when Omar bin Sa’d fired the first arrow. In the battle, many of Hazrat Hussein’s supporters were martyred, leaving only the members of the Prophet’s family (Ahl al-Bayt) remaining. Hazrat Hussein’s 19-year-old son, Ali al-Akbar, was martyred in the battle by the Kufa forces. The Kufa forces also killed Hazrat Hussein’s other sons, Ja’far and Abdullah, in their ruthless pursuit to behead the members of the Prophet’s family.
Hazrat Hussein displayed heroic courage in the battle, but as he faced the relentless attacks of the Kufa forces, he was overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. Struck by arrows and spears, Hazrat Hussein fell from his horse, and his head was severed before his body was trampled underfoot by the horses. The severed heads of Hazrat Hussein and his family members were sent to Yezid by the Kufa forces.
The Kerbala incident became a significant turning point in the Islamic world, marking the most profound rupture in history. Kerbala not only fueled doctrinal and sectarian divisions among Muslims but also became the greatest tragedy ever witnessed. The oppression endured by the Ahl al-Bayt, the beheading, the deprivation of water, and the decimation of their lineage left an indelible and unremitting trauma that persisted through the centuries.
In the aftermath of the events, the unity and harmony that Muslims had developed based on the experiences of Prophet Muhammad and his companions were tarnished and eventually vanished. The initial seeds of sectarian divisions were sown during this period, forming the foundation for conflicts that would later arise among Muslims in subsequent centuries, with the events of Kerbala at their core.
Furthermore, the events not only caused political and ideological divisions among Muslims but also led to cultural transformations and deep-seated animosities between the factions. The suffering endured by Hazrat Hussein, his family, and his supporters in Kerbala remained ingrained in memory and found expression in numerous poetic works in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature, recounting the pain and sorrow.
The term “Kerbala” has become synonymous with grief, sorrow, and distress, perpetuating the memory of the oppression that occurred. Throughout history, Kerbala has had a profound impact on Turkish society, especially among Turkmen groups. The incident has been commemorated, discussed, and remembered in various works, becoming an important motif in Turkish literature and deeply influencing Turkish culture. In addition, Kerbala became a significant point of pilgrimage for Ottoman Turks embarking on their Hajj journey, maintaining its importance over time.
Due to the martyrdom of Hazrat Hussein, his family, and his companions on the tenth day of the month of Muharram, known as “Ashura Day,” the day has been observed for centuries as a day of mourning, remembering the tragic events of Kerbala and honoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives.
