The First Attack

'Umar Ibn Said came forward, shot one arrow at the camp of the Imam, and said, "Bear witness with the governor that I was the first to shoot an arrow!"

The army began and their arrows fell like rain. The Imam said to his people, "Get up to death, which everyone has to taste. Indeed, these arrows are their messengers to us."

The Imam's followers fought all in one group, and they lost fifty men. When the Imam saw that so many of his followers were killed at once, individual people began to ask permission to go and fight. He was hesitating to allow them.

Then, from the enemy's side, Yesir and Salim came forward and asked who wanted to fight them. Habib and Burayr wanted to go and fight, but the Imam did not allow them (they were old). 'Abdullah Kalbi, one of the children of Ulaym, was brave and experienced in war, but he was young. He asked permission and the Imam allowed him to go. When he went forward, Ibn Ziyad's camp asked who he was, and he told them who he was.

They answered, "We do not want you. We want Zuhayr or Habib or Burayr. You are not equal to us!"
Without returning to tell the Imam, he screamed curses at them and attacked. He hit Yesir with his sword, and then Salim came and swung at him. 'Abdullah used his left hand to block Salim 's sword, and all of his fingers were cut off. But that did not stop him. 'Abdullah went after Salim , killed him, and then chased after Yesir and killed him as well.

Then he went back to the Imam. On his way back he met his wife, Umm Wahab, carrying a tent pole. She was encouraging him to fight on. He wanted to take her back to the tents with the other women, but she refused and said, "I want to join the fight with this pole."

The Imam intervened. He asked her to come back and said, "Women should not fight."

Sayf Ibn Harith and Malik Ibn 'Abd al-Jabiri came to the Imam crying. The Imam asked, "Why are you crying?"

They said, "We are crying for you, Imam, that you are going to be alone, and we cannot help you."
They went and fought until they were killed. Then 'Abdullah and 'Abdul Rahman, sons of 'Urwah, came and fought until they were killed. Then 'Amr Ibn Khalid al-Saydawi and Sa'd and Janir Salmani and Majma Aidhi came and all at once went against the enemy. One of them called for help from the Imam. 'Abbas immediately went to rescue them, but before 'Abbas could reach them, the enemy surrounded them and killed then.

When the Imam saw that most of his people were killed, he took hold of his beard and said to the army, "God's wrath was on the Jews because they claimed a child for Him, His wrath was on the Christians because they made Him a third of three, His wrath was on Zoroastrians because they worshipped the sun, and His wrath will be on those who united to kill the grandson of the Messenger of God.

By God, I will not agree to anything they want until I reach God by my blood!

Is there anyone to help us? Is there anyone to help the family of the Prophet?"

Then, Sa'd Ibn Harith and his brother who were among 'Umar's army immediately turned against the army and began slashing them with their swords, killing many of them.

Adapted from the book: "Karbala & Ashura" by: "Ali Hussain Jalali"