History Books

Ubaidullah b. Abbas was quickly advancing towards Maskin with twelve thousand soldiers in the vanguard brigade. While passing through a place called "Shami" near Qadisiya, he continued his advance till he reached Maskin after crossing over the Euphra...

Ubaidullah b. Abbas was quickly advancing towards ...

Some historians, prominent among them being Ibne Kaseer, have written that Imam Mujtaba (as) was against the war but the views of the supporters of war and the Iraqi people prevailed over his own view; they gathered a large number of people after whi...

Some historians, prominent among them being Ibne K...

These people did not belong to any particular group or party. They did not have the ability to differentiate between the truth and falsehood and thereby to feel their responsibility to be on the right path. Moreover the extensive propaganda by the Kh...

These people did not belong to any particular grou...

The researchers complain that a factual, analytical and critical study of the struggle between Imam Hasan (as) and Moawiya, as presented by history, has not yet been undertaken. Thus, a chapter on the early Islamic period remains dark, vague and uncl...

The researchers complain that a factual, analytica...

During the caliphate of Imam Hasan (as), Ziyad b. Abeeh was his governor in Persia. When Moawiya wrote threatening letters to him, he made the following speech in reply: "The son of the liver-eater, the centre of malice, and the leader of opposition ...

During the caliphate of Imam Hasan (as), Ziyad b. ...

Ibne Qutaiba Dinavari records that Sulaiman b. Sarad, who was a leader of Koofa and was not present in Koofa at the time, raising an objection against Imam Hasan (as), said: "I am very much surprised how you agreed to Moawiya's allegiance when you ha...

Ibne Qutaiba Dinavari records that Sulaiman b. Sar...

Musayyab b. Najih (or Najaih) rose and said: "May my life be sacrificed for you. I wonder how you gave allegiance to Moawiya when you had forty thousand soldiers under your command?" 9 From the above objection, it has been concluded that forty thousa...

Musayyab b. Najih (or Najaih) rose and said: "May ...

History has recorded the evidence for a very long time that victory or defeat of an army does not depend on the number of its soldiers. When the soldiers are brave and determined to even sacrifice their lives for a great cause, then even small battal...

History has recorded the evidence for a very long ...

Outwardly these people were pious and very respectable but the level of their intellect could be judged from the fact that, God forbid, they had slandered the leader of the faithful, Hazrat Ali (as) as being a polytheist, and had fought the war calle...

Outwardly these people were pious and very respect...

A particular class of people, devoted to Imam Hasan (as) and his illustrious father, having a special identity based on faith, thought, intellect and mystic knowledge. These people consider caliphate as the right of the household of the Holy Prophet ...

A particular class of people, devoted to Imam Hasa...

In the reliable historical records no detail is available through which we could ascertain the composition of various groups that constituted the army of Imam Mujtaba (as) and their quality. Occasionally it has been mentioned that Imam Mujtaba (as) h...

In the reliable historical records no detail is av...

Many letters had been exchanged between Imam Hasan (as) and Moawiya - who thought that through his cunning and threats he would be able to force the grandson of the Holy Prophet (saww) to resign, but he was very surprised when the Imam (as) did not t...

Many letters had been exchanged between Imam Hasan...

A study of the historical record shows that the historians have ignored the period between the accession to caliphate by Imam Hasan (as) and the commencement of the war. Although this ambiguity is reflected in describing the whole life of Imam (as), ...

A study of the historical record shows that the hi...

In Shi'ite history, Koofa has had a central position. From the time of the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (as) to the revolutionary period of Imam Husain (as) and further till the steadfast and firm stand taken by Hazrat Mukhtar, many important incidents to...

In Shi'ite history, Koofa has had a central positi...

Mashad is the capital of Khorasan province in the North East of Iran, 892 km away from Tehran. It is located at the altitude of 985 Meter occupying an area of 204 sq. Km. and has a population of about 1.5 million. Mashad grew from a small village cal...

Mashad is the capital of Khorasan province in the ...

Hamza ibne Qahtabah, the Abbasid army commander who had led the war against the Ommayids was appointed by Mansur and Al-Mahdi, the Abbasid caliphs as the Governor of Khorasan. He made a big garden between Noughan and Sanadan and erected a palace whic...

Hamza ibne Qahtabah, the Abbasid army commander wh...

The modern city of Samarra is situated on the bank of the river Tigris some sixty miles from the city of Baghdad. The city is of outstanding importance because of its two shrines. The golden dome on one shrine was presented by Nasr al-Din Shah and co...

The modern city of Samarra is situated on the bank...

The historian Ibn Kuluwayh mentioned that those who buried Imam Husayn (a.s.), made a special and rigid construction with signs above the grave. Higher and bigger constructions above the grave started during the ruling of Al-Saffah, but Harun al-Rash...

The historian Ibn Kuluwayh mentioned that those wh...

Anyone approaching Baghdad from the north or the west will be impressed by the sight of the four golden minarets at Kadhmayn, the Shrine of the Two Imams, Imam Musa al-Kadhim and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad, peace be upon them. They are respectively ...

Anyone approaching Baghdad from the north or the w...

Abu al-Fadl Abbas, peace be upon him, was the brother of Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husayn (a.s.) and the standard-bearer of Imam Husayn (a.s.) in the Battle of Karbala. He is well known in history for his valour, loyalty and similarity to his father...

Abu al-Fadl Abbas, peace be upon him, was the brot...

There are many opinions among different investigators, as to the origin of the word "Karbala". Some have pointed out that "Karbala" has a connection to the "Karbalato" language, while others attempt to derive the meaning of word "Karbala" by analysin...

There are many opinions among different investigat...