on a shield, and—by Allah—it was only a short while later that I entered upon al-Mukhtār ibn Abī ʿUbayd, and the head of ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ziyād was set before al-Mukhtār on a shield. [By Allah, it was only a short while later that I entered upon Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr, and the head of al-Mukhtār lay before him on a shield]⦗1⦘. And, by Allah, it was only a short while later that I entered upon ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān, and the head of Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr was on a shield in front of him.

Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭabarī said in his History: “Zakarīyā ibn Yaḥyā al-Ḍarīr related to me; Aḥmad ibn Janāb al-Maṣṣīṣī⦗2⦘ related to us; Khālid ibn Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Qasrī⦗3⦘ related to us; ʿAmmār al-Duhnī related:

I said to Abū Jaʿfar, ‘Tell me about the slaying of al-Ḥusayn as though I had been present.’

He said: ‘Al-Ḥusayn set out, carrying the letter that Muslim ibn ʿAqīl had written to him, summoning him to come. When he was three miles short of al-Qādisiyyah, al-Ḥurr ibn Yazīd al-Tamīmī met him and said, “Where are you bound?” He replied, “I am heading for this town.” Al-Ḥurr said, “Turn back, for I have left no good behind me that I can hope for you.” Al-Ḥusayn considered turning back; with him were the brothers of Muslim ibn ʿAqīl, who said, “By Allah, we shall not return until we avenge our brother on those who killed him, or we ourselves are killed.” Al-Ḥusayn said, “There is no good in life after you.” He proceeded until the vanguard of Ibn Ziyād’s cavalry confronted him. Seeing this, he turned⦗4⦘ toward Karbalāʾ, set his back to a qasbā⦗5⦘ and an open stretch so that he could be attacked only from one side, dismounted, and pitched his tents. His followers numbered forty-five horsemen and one hundred foot soldiers.

ʿUmar ibn Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ had been appointed governor of Rayy by Ibn Ziyād, who gave him his letter of commission and said, “Deal with this man for me and then proceed to your post.” ʿUmar said, “Excuse me,” but he refused. “Give me this night to think,” he asked, and was granted it. After considering the matter, he came to him at dawn having accepted the assignment, then marched out.

When he reached al-Ḥusayn, the latter said, “Choose⦗6⦘ one of three: either let me return to the place from which I came; or let me go on to Yazīd; or let me join the frontier garrisons.” ʿUmar accepted, but ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ziyād wrote: “No—and no honor for him—until he places his hand in mine.” Al-Ḥusayn said, “No, by Allah, that shall never be.” Battle was joined; all of al-Ḥusayn’s companions were killed, among them a dozen young men of his own household. An arrow struck the son who sat in his lap; he kept wiping away the blood, saying, “O Allah, judge between us and a people who summoned us to aid them and then slew us.”

He then called for a ḥibrah cloak⦗7⦘, tore it, wrapped himself in it, and went out with his sword. He fought until he was killed. A man from Madhḥij cut off his head, brought it to Ibn Ziyād, and recited:

“Load my mount with silver and gold—
for I have slain the veiled king.”