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The Day of Ashura: A Microcosm of the Human Condition / 89

grandson of the Holy Prophet, or by twisting the facts to
suit one’s own agenda.
One famous historian, and depicter of events of
the battle of Karbala, was a woman by the name of
Bakr bin Wa’il. It is narrated that “she was with her
husband in the army of Ibn Sad. However, when
she saw that the soldiers of Kufa had made a rush
on the tents of the children of Imam Hussain and
were looting even the dresses of the ladies she
picked up a sword, proceeded towards the tents of
Imam Hussain and shouted: “O children of Bakr
bin Wa’il! You are alive and in spite of these
people are plundering the tents of the daughters of
the Holy Prophet. Allah is the only Arbitrator.
1
Come on, and avenge the bloodshed.”
Such a narration shows that decisions were to be
made, not just by those fighting, but those who
stood witness to, or survived the aftermath of the
tragedy. The role of historians and those that
carried forth the message of Karbala are perhaps
the most important in keeping the message of
Imam Hussain alive. Yazid chooses to hire “court
historians and fuqaha.
2
[who] tried to justify even the blackest crimes of
3
Yazid as errors of ijtihad.”

1. Ayati, https://www.al-islam.org/probe-history-ashura-dr-
ibrahim-ayati.
2. Religious lawmakers.
3. "The Sermon of Mina, https://www.al-islam.org/articles/sermon-mina-
al-imam-al-Hussains-everlasting-message-religious-leaders.