Family of the Prophet · 626 to 680

Husayn ibn Ali

The Prophet's grandson, son of Ali and Fatima. He refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid and was killed at Karbala on 10 Muharram 61 AH with members of his family. Muslims have marked the day, Ashura, ever since.

At a glance

Lived: 626 to 680
Role: Family of the Prophet
Era: The Umayyads of Damascus
Chapter: 2. The Umayyads

Battles

680
Battle of Karbala
Husayn and his companions martyred. On 10 Muharram 61 AH, Husayn, the Prophet's grandson, was killed with about seventy members of his family and supporters after refusing allegiance to Yazid.

Husayn ibn Ali's world

750: The Umayyads of Damascus

Muawiya ruled from Damascus and named his son Yazid as heir, the first time the caliphate passed from father to son. Karbala followed in 680. Then came the largest expansion in Islamic history: Spain in 711, Sindh in 712 and Central Asia up to the Syr Darya.

See the 750 map Read chapter 2

People of the same era

Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz Tariq ibn Ziyad Muhammad bin Qasim Qutayba ibn Muslim

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