Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Consequences of the Tragedy of Karbalah
The consequences of the tragedy of Karbalah were profound and far-reaching. In Persia it gave birth to a national sentiment which afterwards enabled the descendants of Hazrat Abbas to overthrow the Umayyads. Even its immediate effects on the population of Medina were tremendous. The Medinites became so disgusted with Yazid’s f abominable life and conduct that they proclaimed Yazid’s deposition ’and expelled his governor from the city. Tl’ereupon Yazid sent a large army to deal with the situation. At Harrah a bloody encounter , took place in which the Medinites were worsted, and the town of Medina was sacked.
The tragedy of Karbalah caused a terrible reaction in favour of the lineage of Hazrat Ali. The claim of Hazrat Ali’s line to rule, originally treated with indifference, now began to enlist the support of the multitudes. A dark cloud of indignation mixed with feeling of hatred towards the Umayyad rule began to gather which ere long burst upon the dynasty, and destroyed its root and branch. The tragic incident of Karbalah decided not only the fate of the Caliphate but destroyed once for all the prospects of unity among the true believers of Islam which had developed in Amir Mu’awiya’s time, and led directly to wars wherein the sword was turned by the Muslim warriors against their fellow believers. Thus the tragic incident dealt a severe blow to the fortunes of Islam.

374 Political and Cultural H/sfon/ of Islam

This great tragedy of Karbalah and its consequent stain of ignominy to the house of Umayyads could have been avoided had Hussain been taken alive to Yazid as he had desired, but ’Ubaydullah’s ruthless insistence on unconditional surrender led ultimately to the black day at Karbalah. It is assessed critically by certain writers including Muir that Muslims forget the rebellious attitude of Alids against an established form of Government. But these critics do not appear to realize that Yazid had been nominated king on hereditary basis against the accepted principles of filling the vacancy to the Caliphate by election and selection. Also as a candidate for the office of Caliphate he was comparatively less qualified than Hussain.
Again Hussain was prepared to submit to Yazid and live the life of a peaceful citizen and since the three alternatives suggested by him were not at all unreasonable ’Ubaydullah’s unreasoning and inconsiderate insistence on a complete and abject low in spirit or hope surrender was the reason of Hussain’s refusing to cite historical parallel: when the people of Jerusalem agreed to surrender to the Muslim army provided the document of treaty was signed by the Khalifah himself, Umar I had to go to distant Jerusalem from Medina for this purpose alone. Very properly, Hussain had not insisted on Yazid’s coming to Kufah to sign any treaty but, on the contrary, he had expressed his willingness to be taken to Yazid at Damascus. Even ’Ubaydullah might possibly have accepted this proposal of Hussain had not Shimr volunteered at the psychologic moment to perform this nefarious deed.8
The tragedy of Karbalah is an event of far-reaching consequences in the history of Islam. It decided not only the fate of the Caliphate but also destroyed once for all the prospects of unity among the Muslims which had developed in Mu’awiya’s time. P.K. Hitti says, ”The blood of Hussain e\en more than that of his father, proved to be the seed of the Shi’ite School.” The Shi’ite party was born anew on the field of Karbalah. Henceforth the first ten days of Muharram came to be obsc-ived by tne Shi’ite Muslim as days ot lamentation. The day of Karbalah gave the Shi’ite a battle cry which ultimately proved to be one of the causes of the fall of the Umayyad dynasty. The division of the Muslims into two hostile camps was detrimental to the progress and prosperity of future Islam.
Yazid I
’ 375
The Chehlum, the fortieth day after the murder of Hussain (’Ashura, the 10th Muharram) is also observed as the day of mourning because on that day the head of Hussain was returned by the Yazidis and burried along with the body at Karbalah. Since then Shi’ism exemplified into its movement definite form, and \engeance for the martyrdom of Hussain and his followers became their avowed objective. The claims of Ali’s line to rule which had been comparatively little asserted or stressed began to take deeper root into the hearts of a large section of the people and hatred against the Umayyads began to grow. Hussain’s little son Ali entitled Zayn alAbidin born of a daughter of Yazdagird in, the Persian Emperor, had also an additional claim to the throne of Persia and found a large number of followers among the Persians besides the Shi’ahs. An Assessment of Yazid
Yazid died at the age of forty after a reign of three and a half years on 11th November 683 A.D. He was a poet and a patron of learning and his sons distinguished themselves in science, and arts. Khalid b. Yazid collected books on Syriac and Greek sciences, and started a bureau among the Muslims, according to some Arab historians of the Abbasids as a votary of luxury, music and dance he annoyed the Medinites and the Makkahans. However, according to some others he was pious and generous and lived a simple life. Ibn Kathir observes that Yazid was generous and eloquent, a skilled poet, brave and courageous and an expert in administrative affairs. There are yet others \\ho observe that Yazid was excessively generous and spent thousands of dinars in granting pensions.
He was wise, devoid of pride and hated the pompous life of a rulei, a friend of the subjects and lived in the company of pious men as Abu Darda.’ They state that he was cultured and lived a simple life like an ordinary citizen. Imam ibn Hanbal has included his name in the list of pious men and an eminent religious teacher and philosopher like Imam Ghazzali certified Yazid as a true Muslim and would not accept the charge that Yazid \vas implicated in the killing of Hussain. The short life that Yazid lived as a ruler was spent in facing internal troubles as a result of which no further conquests of new lands were made during his reign. On the other Hand the Muslims suffered disasters in North Africa but. at home, he tried to introduce reforms in financial administration and succeeded in irrigating the Ghutah the Oasis of Damascus.
1 William Muir. 1 he Caliphate. P 309
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Lntvclopedia of Islam P. 1168
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Political and Cultural History of Islam

Yazid was both cruel and treacherous; his depraved nature knew no pity or justice. His pleasures were as degrading as his companions were low and vicious. He insulted the ministers of religion by dressing up a monkey as a learned divine and carrying the animal mounted on a beautifully caparisoned Syrian donkey wherever he went. Drunken riotousness prevailed at court, and was naturally imitated in the streets of the capital. Hussain. the second son of AM, had inherited his father’s virtues and chivalrous disposition. ’The only quality,” says Sedillot, ”that he lacked was the spirit of intrigue which characterised the descendants of Ummaya.” He had served with honour against the Christians in the siege of Constantinople, and combined in his person the right of descent both from the Holy Prophet and AM.
Yazid was a man of cruel nature. He was a drunkard and debauchee and it is said that he used to go out of his way to violate the principles of Islam. He reigned for three years and six months but no progress was made in his reign to extend Islam. On the contrary, there were serious disasters in North Africa. According to Ibn atTiktaka, his reign was noted for three misdeeds. ”He killed Hussain, son of Hazrat AM in the first year of his reign. In the second year he plundered Makkah and ransacked it for three days and in his third year he raided the Ka’bah”.