Hazrat Hurr bin Yazid at-Tamimi al-Yarbu’i was a career officer in the Kufa army. When Husayn bin Numayr, the commander at al-Qadisiya, learnt that Imam Husayn and his entourage were getting very close to Kufa he dispatched Hurr with a detachment of 1,000 men to intercept Imam.
Hurr believed that Imam was being prevented from entering Kufa because his presence might jeopardize the stability of the city. As a professional soldier he did not very much concern himself with what he considered to be political issues. His duty, he felt, was to execute the order of his superiors. However, lurking somewhere in that stout military heart was an Islamic conscience.
Hazrat Hurr and his soldiers met Imam Husayn and his companions at a place a few miles outside Kufa.
It was midday when the two parties met.
Hurr and his people had been travelling since morning and were very thirsty. He requested Imam Husayn for water for his army. Imam Husayn asked Hazrat Abbas, Hazrat Ali Akbar, Hazrat Qasim and the others to give Hurr and his men water and also to give water to their horses. This must have been a poignant scene. Water bottles being brought out of the saddle bags and the youths pouring water for Yazid’s army to quench their thirst.
Zuhr prayers were led by Imam and Hurr and his soldiers joined in. After the prayers Hurr told Imam Husayn that his orders were to stop Imam Husayn from going to Kufa unless he agreed to give “Bai’at”-swear allegiance- to Yazid. Imam Husayn said that he would never give Bai’at to Yazid. Yazid was an unjust ruler who wanted to destroy Islam. In any case he was going to Kufa because he had been invited by the people there.
Imam produced two sacks of letters and petitions from the people of Kufa begging him to go there. Hurr said that as his orders were not to let Imam go to Kufa there was nothing that he could do save carry out his orders.
Imam Husayn could have fought Hurr and his soldiers and forced his way into Kufa, but he did not wish to start any battle.
He told Hurr that he would take another route and go away from Kufa. Hurr said that his orders were to follow Imam Husayn. And so, followed by Hurr and his 1000 soldiers, Imam Husayn and his companion rode in the direction away from Kufa.
On the 2nd Muharram, they reached Karbala’. Imam Husayn bought land there and put up his tents. Hurr and his men pitched their camps some distance away.
The following day, Umar bin Sa’ad came to Karbala’ with 4000 soldiers. Umar Sa’ad was the commander of the Yazid’s Army. He had several meetings with Imam Husayn and was so impressed by Imam that he began to join Imam for prayers.
When Ibn Ziyad heard this, he was furious. He sent Shimr with 10,000 men and wrote a letter to Umar bin Sa’ad, ordering him to get “Bai’at” from Imam Husayn or kill him. Umar bin Sa’ad immediately changed his attitude towards Imam Husayn. Following his instructions he imposed restrictions on Imam Husayn and his followers from getting water from “Furaat”, and from 7th Muharram, no one from Imam Husayn’s camp was allowed near the river.
On the night of Ashura, Hurr was very restless. He could hear the children in Imam Husayn’s camp cry because of thirst. He began to think “What have I done? Why did I put the son of Fatimah in this position? Will Allah ever forgive me?” He could not sleep the whole night. Within him there was a struggle between his duty as a soldier and his Islamic conscience. Just before dawn he made up his mind.
Hurr, his son and his slave rode over to Imam Husayn’s camp. Hurr threw himself at Imam Husayn’s feet, pleading for his forgiveness. Imam Husayn took Hurr in his arms and said, “Hurr, I forgive you. I assure you that my grandfather, the Holy Prophet also forgives you.”
Hurr then asked Imam Husayn for permission to go and fight the enemies of Islam. Imam Husayn said “Hurr, you are my guest. How can I let you die for me?” Hurr insisted. Hurr went to the battlefield, and after a valiant fight, he fell and was killed. His son and the slave were also killed.
Hurr’s example moved nearly thirty other soldiers to defect to Imam Husayn, where the only reward to be had was certain death, but where Allah’s pleasure lay.
The story of Hurr is the story of a struggle between right and wrong within the human mind and victory of the Islamic conscience.
When he got to the body of Hurr Imam prayed to Allah: “Oh Allah! I Commend to you this brave man who has given his life for Islam.”