From Rajab to Zul-Hijjah, i.e., for around five months, Imam Husayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ stayed in Makkah al-mukarramah. In this time, he remained completely silent. He received a continuous flood of letters from the people of Kufa, who requested:

“O honourable one! Yazid is a major transgressor and oppressor. We do not want to pledge our allegiance to him. As of now, there is none more rightful to the caliphate than you on the face of the earth. You are capable of stopping Yazid’s tyranny. We ask you to come to Kufa, and we shall pledge oaths of allegiance to you. Our bodies, lives and wealth are all at your service.”

Now, a matter of Shari’ah arises. On one hand, we have a person who is incapable to become the caliph. On the other, we have a capable individual, who is eligible to become caliph. If the Muslims request the capable individual to accept the post of caliph so that the ummah are safeguarded from the tyranny of the incapable person, it now becomes necessary for the capable individual to accept this post and aid the oppressed.

As the people of Kufa were consistently asking for help by writing letters to him, Shari’ah had now made it necessary upon Imam Husayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ to take physical steps to stop Yazid. Otherwise, the people of Kufa could have made the following excuse on the Day of Judgement, “O Allah Almighty! We requested help from Imam Husayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ many times, but as he did not come, we were forced to pledge our allegiance to Yazid despite him being an oppressor and an evil transgressor.”

As Shari’ah had now made it a must for Imam Husayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ to take physical action, the great Imam displayed profound wisdom by first sending his (paternal) cousin, Imam Muslim رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, to Kufa in order to assess the situation there.

After carrying out other acts of wisdom, Imam Husayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then set out for Kufa himself. Sadly, the people of Kufa proved to be disloyal.