Shafaqna English- “Reflections on the Ashura movement” is a book written by “Rasul Jafarian” in Persian, published by Ansarian Publication. Shafaqna English has translated some sections of this book.
Popular Beliefs Among the People of Different Regions
Iraq – Basra and Kufa
The people of Iraq — especially the residents of Basra and Kufa, who were a mix of various migrating tribes (especially Yemenis) — were afraid of being dominated by the rulers of Sham (Greater Syria) and were not inclined toward them. The people of Basra, due to their role in the Battle of Jamal, were mostly inclined toward Uthman’s path, although there were also some Shi‘a Muslims among them.
In Kufa, however, many were Shi‘a Muslims. After the Battle of Siffin, some became Kharijites. Many others wanted neither of these paths and rejected the Umayyads altogether. The Shi‘a Muslims of Iraq were strong and insistent on supporting Imam Hussain (AS).
For example, after Imam Hassan (AS) was martyred, they sent condolences to Imam Hussain (AS), expressing their loyalty and urging him to join them. But the Imam replied: “As for me, that is not my view today. So, may God have mercy on you, remain close to the earth and hide yourselves in your homes.”
(Ya’qubi has preserved a fuller version of this letter.)
Iraq – Madinah and Makkah
The people of Madinah and Makkah — especially the Ansar — generally despised the Umayyads. They supported the centrist path of Quraysh. After the Battles of Jamal and Siffin (where many Ansar fought for Imam Ali (AS)), the people of Madinah no longer supported the Alawi Path and instead leaned more toward figures like Abdullah ibn Zubayr or Abdullah ibn Umar — the former being revolutionary, the latter non-revolutionary.
Ibn Zubayr became the hope of the revolutionary crowd. When he went to Makkah, his supporters — including Mus‘ab ibn ‘Abdal-Rahman ibn ‘Awf and Abdullah ibn Muti-al-‘Adawi — were arrested and imprisoned.
Iraq – Sham
The people of Sham (Greater Syria: Syria, Jordan, Palestine) were all staunch supporters of the Umayyads. Their population and economic resources were immense, giving the Umayyads great leverage. They fiercely supported Muawiyah to preserve monarchy among themselves.
When Muawiyah was dying, some of the leaders visited him and expressed concern, saying: “It’s as if the caliphate will leave the house of Abu Sufyan and go to the house of Abu Turab (Ali (AS)). No, by God, we will never accept this!”
The elites of Sham gathered before the dying Muawiyah and insulted Imam Ali (AS): “He came to us from Iraq, killed our nobles, and destroyed our society. We do not wish for the caliphate to go to his children. Assign it instead to your son Yazid, for he is acceptable to us and to all Muslims.”
This reveals how they still bore resentment from the Battle of Siffin and pressured Muawiyah to pass the caliphate to Yazid. Yazid, in his first public speech, stated that there would be a serious war with the people of Iraq, but that “the good is among you, O’ people of Sham.”
Part of the Book Reflection on the Ashura movement by Rasul Jafarian