2nd Muharram , is almost here .

Imam Hussain (as) and companions had been

invited to Kufa but the majority of Kufans betrayed them and refused to join them
in the campaign against Yazid's tyranny. And the army of Yazid bin Muwaiyah barred
the path. So Imam Hussain and his companions turned towards the Euphrates river
and reached an open ground near the river, at a place called Karbala, on the 2nd.
Here they put up their camps and though Yazid's army controlled the river and
blocked the exit paths, they didn't at this time stop the Imam or his companions
from getting water or cooking food , that came later
According to various traditions, the caravan of Imam Hussain has a total of around
145-148 people , of which around 56 were women and children of the Ahle Bayt and
some attendant women . The rest were men , of the Ahle Bayt and their supporters
and followers and a very few warriors who came from Kufa to join them .
At this stage the forces of Yazid were around 700 but he had sent more forces to
join these and soon they army would be around 4000-5000

7th of Muharram , on this day the combined Yazidi army of 5000-6000 sealed all the
directions to and from Karbala and also blocked access to the river and all water
sources for Hzt Imam Hussain (as) and his family and companions. Over the next 2
days they only had very scarce water in their containers (mashq ) and the
situation of thirst became worse for the children and women by 9th of Muharram ,
and efforts of the men to reach the river and fetch more water , failed.
Finally on the 10th the Imam decided to forcibly obtain water and he rejected all
the threats and incentives of the army of Yazid bin Muwaiyah . The struggle and
resistance of the Imam and his family was entirely based on principles. The Imam
did not want to fight against other Muslims but he had to reject the unprincipled
and unIslamic politics of Yazid and his cohorts and assert the true Islamic
guidelines of his own beloved grandfather our Holy Prophet Hzt Muhammad pbuh

Ashura (10th Muharram ) is one of the most important days in the Islamic calendar.
Of course , for Muslims the central importance is of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam
Hussain (as) and companions at Karbala. In addition, these following events also
took place on this fateful day :

* The heavens and earth were completed and the first rain fell on earth .
* Adam (as) and Amma Hawwa/Eve were forgiven on this day and their repentance
accepted.
* Hazrat Nuh/Noah's Ark reached Mt Ararat and the flood started to recede and Nuh
made 'Asura' dessert to give thanks to Allah
* Hazrat Musa/Moses took the Bani Israel out of Egypt and on this day parted the
sea to save his people and drown Pharaoh and his army .
* Hazrat Isa /Jesus ascended directly to heaven on Allah's orders on this day.

May Allah grant us the blessings of this day and may we commemorate it fittingly,
ameen. It's Sunnah to keep a fast on 10th Muharram, many Muslims who are able to
fast on both 9-10th.