Grandson of the Prophet; Karbala and its enduring memory
Family
Husayn ibn Ali was the son of Ali and Fatimah and the younger brother of Hasan. Twelver Shi‘i Muslims recognize him as their third Imam; his place as the Prophet’s grandson is important throughout Muslim tradition.
Karbala
Husayn and members of his family and companions were killed at Karbala on 10 Muharram 61 AH, conventionally dated 10 October 680. The forces confronting them acted under the authority of the governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. His son Ali ibn Husayn, who was ill, survived.
Remembering responsibly
Karbala holds a central place in Shi‘i mourning, devotional literature and reflection on justice. Historical research distinguishes early accounts from later retellings. Exact speeches, numbers and individual episodes should be traced to their sources rather than repeated without attribution.
Sources and further study
Encyclopaedia Iranica — Husayn ibn Ali: life and significance
An introductory, source-attributed profile. Dates and disputed reports are qualified where necessary. The linked works represent their authors’ historical or religious approaches; linking a source does not endorse every interpretation it contains.