Alī—especially since those who killed his father, Alī, believed him to be an unbelieving apostate and regarded killing him as one of the greatest deeds by which they could draw near to Allah. This was unlike those who killed al-Husayn: they did not believe (1) him to be an unbeliever, and many—if not most—of them hated the thought of killing him and regarded it as a grave sin. Nevertheless, they killed him to further their own ends, just as people kill one another in struggles for political rule.

From this and other considerations, it becomes clear that much of what has been related concerning the matter is false. This includes the claim that the sky rained (2) blood—[for this has never happened upon anyone’s being killed] (3)—and the claim that a red glow appeared in the sky on the day al-Husayn was killed but had never appeared before. This is sheer nonsense. That red glow has always appeared and has a natural cause related to the sun; it is comparable to twilight.

Likewise, the statement:

“No stone anywhere in the world was ever lifted without fresh blood being found beneath it.”

This too is an obvious lie.

As for al-Zuhrī’s statement:

“None of al-Husayn’s killers remained without being punished (4) in this world,”

this is possible. Wrongful aggression is among the sins most swiftly punished, and the aggression against al-Husayn was among the gravest acts of wrongful aggression.

As for his statement, “The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—frequently exhorted the Muslims concerning his two grandsons, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, saying to them, ‘These two are a trust I leave in your care.’ And Allah revealed