Page 255 - Pure Life 20

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Spiritual Journey 265
A couple of dozen men under the command of
Zuhayr ibn Qayn repulsed the initial infantry attack and
destroyed the left flank of the Syrian army which in

disarray collided with the middle of the army. The
Syrian army retreated and broke the pre-war verbal
agreement of not using arrows and lances. This
agreement was made in view of the small number of
Hussein ibn Ali's companions. Umar ibn Sa'ad on
advice of 'Amr ibn al Hajjaj ordered his army not to
come out for any duel and to attack Hussein ibn Ali's
army together.
`Amr ibn al-Hajjaj attacked Hussein ibn Ali's right
wing, but the men were able to maintain their ground,
kneeling down as they planted their lances. They were
thus able to frighten the enemy's horses. When the
horsemen came back to charge at them again, Husayn's
men met them with their arrows, killing some of them
and wounding others.
`Amr ibn al-Hajjaj kept saying the following to his
men, "Fight those who abandoned their creed and who
deserted the jam`a!" Hearing him say so, Hussein ibn
Ali said to him, "Woe unto you, O `Amr! Are you
really instigating people to fight me?! Are we really the
ones who abandoned their creed while you yourself
uphold it?! As soon as our souls part from our bodies,
you will find out who is most worthy of entering the fire.
In order to prevent random and indiscriminate
showering of arrows on Hussein ibn Ali's camp which
had women and children in it, Husayn's followers went
out to single combats. Men like Burayr ibn Khudhayr,
Muslim ibn Awsajaand Habib ibn Muzahir were slain
in the fighting.