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(Continued)
What man is there who would say anything after this with such a threat ringing in his ears? Who is the one who would be able to raise his voice when he sees and hears the demands of the Umayyads to go out to fight al-Husayn on the plain of Karbala and not go? What intimidation available could be used by the enemies of Ali and the enemies of his descendants that is greater than the massacre which they brought down on al-Husayn, his children, his followers and his bereft family. Such killing is the kind of cruelty and disgraceful action which history has never seen throughout its many epochs.
A little before the battle, al-Husayn stood and addressed the army of Yazid with the following words:
". . . Look back at my lineage and see who I am. Then examine yourselves and reprove your actions. Examine whether it is good and lawful for you to kill me and to violate my womenfolk.
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Am I not the son of the daughter of your Prophet and the son of his trustee, his cousin? Is not Jafar, the martyr, who flies in heaven, my uncle? Haven't you heard the well-known tradition that the Apostle of God said to me and my brother: 'You two are the lords of the youth of Paradise and the delight of the eyes of people who observe my practice'? If you believe what I say - and what I say is the truth, for by God I have never told a lie since I learnt that God hated those who lie (there the point is proved). But if you do not believe me, there are among you those who will tell you about it if you ask them. Ask Jabir b. Abd Allah, or Abu Sa'id al-Khudri or Sahl b. Sa'd or Zayd b. Arqam. They will tell you that they heard the Apostle of God say that. In those words there is a barrier which should prevent you from shedding my blood."
Al-Husayn went on with his speech and said:
"Tell me do you want me killed to avenge the death of one of you whom I have killed? Or because of property belonging
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