The Messengers

The Story

Hussain was in Makkah when the first messengers came from Kufa, a faraway city in Iraq.

They brought letters full of promises. More messengers came after that.

All the letters said the same thing: The people of Kufa wanted Hussain to come, and they promised to help him.

Hussain read carefully and asked the messengers questions. He did not rush.

The letters sounded good, but Hussain wanted to be sure.

Were the people of Kufa really ready?

Hussain needed someone he trusted to find out.

Hussain made a wise choice: He would not go yet.

He sent his cousin, Muslim ibn Aqil, to Kufa to see if the promises were true. Hussain would wait for his report.

Muslim ibn Aqil set out with companions.

Hussain told him to be kind, careful, and to send news back.

The journey to Kufa began.

Hussain stayed in Makkah and waited.

He did not rush. He chose to ask, check, and wait.

That is wisdom. 🌙

Now Muslim ibn Aqil was on the road to Kufa. What would he find?

Family Discussion

Hussain received letter after letter with big promises.

He did not rush — he wanted to find out if they were true before he decided.

Have you ever waited to find out more before making an important decision?

Sources: Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, The History of al-Tabari, Vol. XIX: The Caliphate of Yazid ibn Muʿawiyah, trans. I. K. A. Howard — a widely transmitted early historical account of the Kufan letters arriving in Makkah and Hussain's dispatch of Muslim ibn ʿAqil to investigate, Shaykh al-Mufid, Kitab al-Irshad, trans. I. K. A. Howard, pp. 301–305 — messengers, Hussain's reply, Muslim ibn ʿAqil named as cousin and trusted representative, instructions to verify unity of support, Abu Mikhnaf, The Event of Taff, 'Al-Husayn in Makkah' — Hussain reading the letters, questioning messengers about conditions in Kufa, and sending Muslim ibn ʿAqil ahead to investigate