Page 261 - Pure Life 20

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In the treaty, Hasan was to hand over power to
Muawiyah on the condition that he be just to the people
and keep them safe and secure and that he would not
establish a dynasty. This brought to an end the era of
the Rightly Guided Caliphs and Hasan ibn Ali was also
the last Imam for the Shias to be a Caliph.
Hussein ibn Ali became the head of Banu Hashim
after his older brother, Hasan ibn Ali, was poisoned to
death in 670 (50 AH). His father's supporters in Kufa
gave their allegiance to him. However, he told them he
was still bound by the peace treaty between Hasan and
Muawiyah I as long as Muawiyah was alive.
The Battle of Karbala occurred within the crisis
environment resulting from the succession of Yazid I.
Muawiyah persuaded several leading companions to
swear loyalty to his son, Yazid, and appointed him as
his successor both in breach of the treaty and the Shura
succession principle, for many Muslims instead
wanted Hussein ibn Ali to be their Caliph.
Later, Hussein ibn Ali did not accept Maliyah's
request for his son Yazidi's succession, referring to the
peace treaty. The legitimacy of Yazidi's succession as
well as his "worthiness" for this position was
questioned at the time, and people like Said ibn
'Uthman, Ahnaf ibn Qais, denounced the Yazid
caliphate.
Also, Hussein ibn Ali along with the sons of several
other well-known companions of Muhammad namely,
Abd Allah ibn Umar, and Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr
rejected the caliphate of Yazid, because he considered
the Umayyad's an oppressive and religiously-
misguided regime.