the rulers and refraining from fighting them, even though many people of knowledge and religion did fight during civil strife.

The question of fighting rebellious groups and enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong can be confused with fighting during civil strife, but this is not the place for a detailed discussion of the matter. Whoever reflects upon the authentic, firmly established hadiths transmitted from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—concerning this matter, and considers it with the discernment of those endowed with insight, will know that what the prophetic texts prescribe is the best course of action.

Thus, when al-Husayn—may Allah be pleased with him—intended to set out for the people of Iraq after they had sent him numerous letters, eminent men of knowledge and religion, such as Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbās, and Abū Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahmān ibn al-Hārith ibn Hishām, advised him not to go. They strongly believed that he would be killed. One of them even said:

“I entrust you to Allah as one destined to be slain.”

Another said:

“Were it not for intercession, I would hold you back and prevent you from setting out.”

In doing so, they sincerely sought to advise him and secure both his welfare and that of the Muslims. Allah and His Messenger command only what sets matters right, not what causes corruption; yet human judgment is sometimes right and sometimes wrong.

It then became clear that the matter was as those men had said: there was neither any religious nor any worldly benefit in his setting out (1). Rather, those oppressive tyrants gained power over the grandson of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and killed him unjustly as a martyr. His setting out and being killed resulted in corruption that would not have arisen (2) had he remained in his city. Nothing came of his intention to bring about good and ward off evil. Rather, the evil increased because of his setting out and being killed, and there was a diminution in