Battle of Karbala

Historical overview

The Battle of Karbala occurred on 10 Muharram 61 AH (October 10, 680 CE) in the arid desert plain of Karbala near the Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq. Imam Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, journeyed toward Kufa after receiving thousands of letters requesting his leadership against the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I. Intercepted en route by Umayyad forces under Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi and later surrounded by a massive army commanded by Umar ibn Sa'd, Imam Husayn's small band of approximately 72 companions and family members was denied access to the Euphrates River for three days. Despite extreme thirst and overwhelming numerical odds, Imam Husayn and his companions refused to yield to injustice. On the tenth day of Muharram (Ashura), they engaged in battle and were martyred. The tragic event became a pivotal turning point in Islamic history, symbolizing ultimate sacrifice, resistance against tyranny, and devotion to Islamic principles.

Historical context and how to read this record

This record presents Battle of Karbala, dated in the archive as 61 AH / 680 CE and associated with Karbala, Iraq. The date, place, summary, named groups, terrain features, and references shown here come from the bundled or published event record. They provide a concise entry point for study, while the linked source notes remain the place to check what each historical or religious text actually reports. A label in the archive is not, by itself, proof that every chronology, number, or interpretation is agreed across historians.

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Record timeline and tactical markers

1. Archive date: 2026-10-04 · 61 AH / 680 CE
2. Recorded setting: Karbala, Iraq
3. Map feature 1: Arid desert plain near the Euphrates basin
4. Map feature 2: Al-Alqama stream flowing north-to-south on the eastern flank
5. Map feature 3: Low sand ridges providing defensive rear positioning for Husayn's tents
6. Map feature 4: Umayyad blockade positions guarding all river access points
7. Schematic marker 1: Camp of Imam Husayn ibn Ali · Imam Husayn ibn Ali (Standard-bearer: Abbas ibn Ali) · ~72 armed companions and family members
8. Schematic marker 2: Umayyad Army under Umar ibn Sa'd · Umar ibn Sa'd · 4,000 to 30,000 troops
9. Schematic marker 3: Water Blockade Contingent · Amr ibn al-Hajjaj al-Zubaydi · 500 cavalry under Amr ibn al-Hajjaj

Marker ordering is a reading aid, not a chronological claim about the event.

Forces and commanders

• Camp of Imam Husayn ibn Ali — Imam Husayn ibn Ali (Standard-bearer: Abbas ibn Ali) (~72 armed companions and family members)
• Umayyad Army under Umar ibn Sa'd — Umar ibn Sa'd (4,000 to 30,000 troops)
• Water Blockade Contingent — Amr ibn al-Hajjaj al-Zubaydi (500 cavalry under Amr ibn al-Hajjaj)

Geography: water and landscape

• Al-Alqama Canal (Euphrates Branch) (river)
• Arid desert plain near the Euphrates basin
• Al-Alqama stream flowing north-to-south on the eastern flank
• Low sand ridges providing defensive rear positioning for Husayn's tents
• Umayyad blockade positions guarding all river access points

The caravan route: Makkah to Karbala

Distances: Najaf, Kufa, Karbala and Samarra

Distances are approximate and given for orientation.

Sources

• Tarikh al-Tabari (History of the Prophets and Kings), Vol. 5, Events of 61 AH
• Kitab al-Irshad by Shaykh al-Mufid, Chapter on the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn
• Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 4

More 3D maps

• Karbala · The Plain of 61 AH
• Battle of Badr · Wells and Two Slopes
• Khaybar · Basalt Harrat and Fortified Oases
• Hijrah Route · Makkah to Madinah
• Najaf & Kufa · The Historic Plain
• Siffin · Euphrates Campaign Landscape