“And what did he say to you? …” The man repeated the whole account. Ibn Ziyad commented, “Thereupon his face turned black. (1)

Abu Maʿshar, on the authority of his informants, related:
When Husayn encamped at Karbala he asked, “What is the name of this land?” They said, “Karbala.” He remarked, “It is a place of anguish and affliction.”

ʿUbayd Allah dispatched ʿUmar ibn Saʿd to wage war against him. Husayn said, “O ʿUmar, choose one of three things: either allow me to return, or escort me to Yazid so that I may place my hand in his, and if you will not, then send me to the Turks so I may fight them until I die.”

ʿUmar conveyed this to ʿUbayd Allah, who was inclined to send Husayn on to Yazid. Shimr ibn Dhi l-Jawshan objected, “Not unless he surrenders to your authority.” That message was then sent to Husayn, who replied, “By Allah, I will never do that.”

Because ʿUmar delayed engaging him, ʿUbayd Allah sent Shimr ibn Dhi l-Jawshan with instructions: “If he fights, fine; otherwise kill him and take his command.” (2)

Among ʿUmar’s troops were thirty men from Kufa. They said, “The grandson of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offers you three alternatives and you will not accept even one!” They crossed over to Husayn’s side and fought with him. (3)

ʿAbbad ibn al-ʿAwwam, narrating from Husayn, said:
“I witnessed the killing of Husayn. Saʿd ibn ʿUbaydah told me: I saw Husayn wearing a striped cloak. A man called ʿAmr ibn Khalid al-Tuḥāwī shot him with an arrow, and I saw the arrow lodged in his side.” (4)

Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, on the authority of his father, said:
“Zurʿah shot Husayn with an arrow that struck him in the palate. Husayn caught the blood in his hands and raised them toward the sky in supplication. He called for water to drink, but Zurʿah blocked him from it, so Husayn prayed, ‘O Allah, make him die of thirst.’

Someone who witnessed Zurʿah’s death later told me that as he lay dying he screamed from the heat in his belly and the cold on his back, and between…"