Umar bin Sa'ad in Krabal

"Now then O Hussein! I have been informed that you have halted at Karbala. Yazeed has written to me not to recline my head on the bed and not be satiated until I send you to Allah, or you submit yourself to me and Yazeed bin Mu’awiyah."

When his letter reached Imam Hussein (A.S), he read it and said:

"The one who seeks the pleasure of people against the displeasure of Allah can never succeed."

The messenger asked him the reply for the letter, to which Imam said:

"He has no reply, but has the wrath (of Allah)."

When the messenger reached Ubaydullah and conveyed the Imam’s message to him, he was infuriated and looked towards Umar bin Sa’ad and appointed him to fight with Imam Hussein (A.S). Before that Ubaydullah had given the governorship of Ray to Umar bin Sa’ad, thus when Umar excused himself, Ubaydullah told him to return the post bestowed upon him. Umar asked for respite and thereafter agreed in fear of the governorship being taken away from him.

The author says that this (Umar bin Sa’ad’s excuse to Ubaydullah not to fight) seems unlikely to me. The reliable biographers and historians have mutually agreed that Umar bin Sa’ad reached Karbala one day after Imam Hussein (A.S) entered therein, and it was the day of third of Muharram (thus it proves that he was prepared for it from the very beginning).

It is written in Bihaar al-Anwaar, that Ubaydullah bin Ziyad kept dispatching troops one after the other to Umar bin Sa’ad (in Karbala) until he had thirty thousand horsemen and foot-soldiers with him. Then Ubaydullah wrote to Umar: “I have not left any excuse for you with respect to the (quantity of) army. Then remember to inform me, every morning and evening, about your affairs.” Ubaydullah had started inciting Umar (for battle) from the sixth of Muharram.

Habeeb bin Muzhaahir came to Imam Hussein (A.S) and told him, “O son of the Prophet of Allah (PBUH)! Nearby there is a branch of the tribe of Bani Asad. If you permit, I shall go to them and invite them to assist you; perhaps Allah will defend you through them.” Imam gave him permission and Habeeb, in the darkness of the night, disguised himself and went towards them. They recognized him then Habeeb replied, “I have brought the best gift for you. I have come to you to invite you to assist the grandson of our Prophet. He is here with a group of believers, each one of whom is better than a thousand men, and they shall not leave him, betray him nor surrender him (to the enemies). Then Umar bin Sa’ad has surrounded them. You are my tribesmen; hence I invite you towards welfare. Then today pay heeds to my words and assists him, so as to gain honor in this world as well as the Hereafter. I swear by Allah! Whoever among you is martyred in the way of Allah along with the grandson of the Prophet of Allah, and then he will be in the lofty station among the friends of Muhammad (PBUH).” Hearing this a man from among them, named Ubaydullah bin Basheer arose, and said, “I am the first one to accept this invitation.” Then he recited the following Rajaz: “The nation knows that when the horsemen are ready to fight, I stand as a warrior, valorous, similar to a forest Lion.” Then the men of the tribe gathered until ninety people prepared to go to assist Imam Hussein (A.S).

At that moment, a man from among them went and apprised Umar bin Sa’ad about the situation and he sent Ibne Azraq with four hundred horsemen towards Bani Asad. When they (Bani Asad) were coming towards the army of Imam Hussein (A.S), the horsemen of Umar bin Sa’ad stopped them on the bank of the river Euphrates. A quarrel started between them which turned into a fierce battle. When the people of Bani Asad realised that they were incapable of resisting them, they returned to their tribe. They left their place that very night fearing Umar bin Sa’ad. Habeeb returned to Imam (A.S) and apprised him of the situation and Imam said:

“There is no Might and no Power except with Allah, the Most High, and the Most Great.”

Then Ubaydullah wrote to Umar bin Sa"ad: "Now then! Prevent Husain and his companions from getting water. They should not get a single drop of water.

Taken from the book named: NAFASUL MAHMOOM

Other links:

Imam’s letter to the noblemen of Basra (Part 1)

Imam’s letter to the noblemen of Basra (Part 2)

Imam’s letter to the noblemen of Basra (Part 3)

Muslim bin Aqeel’s departure from Mecca in Mid-Ramadhan

Ubaydullah bin Ziyad’s exit from Basra towards Kufa