The narrative that our opponents insist on being true is that Imam al-Husayn (AS) set out for Kufa because the Shi’a invited him to rise against the government, but then betrayed him and slaughtered him upon his arrival. However, upon investigation into the sources we fail to find any evidence that any Shi’a wrote to Husayn (AS) and then fought against him. We challenge, in fact, any proponent of this narrative to name just a single Shi’a who did this. On the contrary, many o

Sunni scholarship has historically framed Karbala in a negative light interpreting it as an act of rebellion that brought harm to the Muslim ummah. Al-Husayn’s story in their eyes is an example of evil that occurs by standing against a ruler rather than an example of a stand against oppression and injustice. This is because for them, the political legitimacy of the ruling authority...

Now we turn to who truly betrayed al-Husayn. We have already refuted the false claim that the Shias were his betrayers. So then, who were they? Many of those who penned letters to Imam al-Husayn (AS) are counted by Ahl al-Sunnah themselves as reliable transmitters of hadith. How strange that their own narrators deceived Husayn, yet the blame is shifted onto the Shias! If treachery is to be condemned, then let it be condemned where it belongs.

In the narrative of Ahlus Sunnah, Husayn (AS) is portrayed as a miskeen young man with no experience in politics, who was overly optimistic in trusting the people of Kufa despite being warned about their treachery by the “senior” companions. He chose to trust them regardless of the advice he received and set out to Iraq to receive his bay‘ah and form a government. In order to appropriately defend the accusations attributed al-Husayn (AS), we proceeded to provide a full histor

In this article, we'll be refuting Mu'awiyah's allegedly having good relations with Imam al-Husayn (AS).

Muawiyah’s appointment of Yazid as his successor was highly controversial. He favored Yazid over numerous high-ranking companions who were still alive at the time. This decision also violated one of the key conditions stipulated in the treaty between him and Imam al-Hasan (AS), namely that Muawiyah would not appoint a successor to the caliphate. After discovering the reality behind Yazid’s status and how wicked he was, we must ask the question: why did Mu’awiyah then appoint

There is no doubt that one of the defining characteristics of the Shia is their immense love for al-Husayn b. Ali (AS) and their deep sorrow over his martyrdom. Every year, during the month of Muharram, the Shia commemorate the martyrdom of al-Husayn, holding gatherings, listening to sermons, and engaging in acts of charity in the name of al-Husayn (AS), much to the chagrin of their adversaries. Many ask: why talk about Karbala over and over again, and why don’t the Shia mov

It is the popular belief of the Shi’a that Imam al-Husayn (AS) was aware of his death due to having been informed by his grandfather Rasulullah (SAW) and his father Amir al-Mu’mineen (AS). For this reason, people make the contention that the Imam committed “suicide” because he knowingly brought himself to his death. What is the response to this accusation?

Yazid was born during the caliphate of Uthman b. Affan, in what is now modern-day Syria. His mother, Maysun bt. Bahdal was a Christian woman with whom Yazid spent much of his early life. It is perhaps because of this Christian influence on Yazid that he saw no issue with immoral or sinful behavior as a ruler, as he would have read in the Bible about the actions of prophets like David and Solomon, who are attributed with serious faults and transgressions. Perhaps, in Yazid’s m

The growing endorsement of Yazid b. Mu‘awiyah (LA) and his followers have become ever so prevalent today that it has conveniently cleared Yazid of any responsibility for the entirety of Karbala and instead shifts the blame onto the commanders, most notably Ibn Ziyad. In order to prove Yazid is responsible for Karbala, we only need to establish his support and command for al-Husayn’s death, which is undeniable when revising the historical accounts.

This series presented before you is not a simple retelling of the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (AS), but rather a comprehensive study of its historical, theological, and moral significance. Instead of focusing on 'what' happened in Karbala, we focus on 'why' did it happen and 'why' it's as significant as we claim it to be, with compelling evidence from both Shi'a and Sunni sources. Below is a list of the chapters included in this series:

One of the most common criticisms leveled against the Shi'a concerns their conduct during mourning sessions for the Ahl al-Bayt (as)...