SHAFAQNA – On the third day of Muharram, Imam Hussein (A.S.) settled in the lands of Karbala and Umar ibn Sa’ad entered the desert of Karbala with his troops.
Based on some historical narrations, one of the incidents that has happened on the third day of Muharram, was the purchase of the lands of Karbala by Imam Hussein (A.S.). Imam had bought the lands from the people of Neynava with the condition that they should guide and be hospitable to any pilgrim who is fond to visit the graves of the martyrs and Imam.
According to some accounts, Imam paid 60,000 Dirhams for these lands. On this condition, after paying the price, he returned the lands to them. In the book of Al-Mustadrak (Vol. 14, P. 61), we read that Imam asked them to accommodate his pilgrims for three days.
Source: Shia Calender, Abd ol-Hussain Neyshaboori, Dalile Ma Publishing, 2008