William Muir

“ There were three, he said, of whom he must beware—the two 'Abdallahs, sons of 'Omar and Az-Zubeir, and Al-Hosein son of 'Ali. The first, a pious devotee, would easily be put aside. "As for Al-Hosein," he continued, "the restless men of Al-'Irak will give him no peace till he attempt the Empire; when thou hast gotten the victory, deal gently with him, for truly the blood of the Prophet runneth in his veins. It is 'Abdallah son of Az-Zubeir that I fear the most for thee. Fierce as the lion, crafty as the fox, destroy him root and branch." ”

“ Encircled with harrowing detail, it never fails to rouse horror and indignation to the utmost pitch. The fond believer forgets that Al-Hosein, leader of the band, having broken his allegiance, and yielded himself to a treasonable, though impotent, design upon the throne, was committing an offence that endangered society, and demanded swift suppression. He can see nought but the cruel and ruthless hand that slew with few exceptions all in whose veins flowed their Prophet's sacred blood. ”

“ But it was dangerous to leave the pretender to hover about the city already excited by the affair of Muslim. So 'Obeidallah sent 'Omar son of Sa'd with 4000 horse and a second summons.1 Thus arrested, Al-Hosein pitched his camp on the field of Kerbala on the river bank, five-and ­twenty miles above Al-Kufa. ”