Habib heavily contributed in the Battle of Karbala. He fought with the third Shia Imam, Husayn ibn Ali against the forces of Yazid, led by Umar ibn Sa'ad. Umar ibn Sa'ad was the son of Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas, who introduced Islam in China during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan. Husayn's forces were heavily outnumbered. Husayn had a grand total of 73 or more soldiers, as some soldiers from the opposition had joined his side through his influence. The most famous example of a person who joined Husayn's side through influence was a former soldier of Yazid called Hurr. Husayn's forces fought at least 40 000 of the enemy forces led by Umar ibn Sa'ad. Although, Husayn was given a chance to surrender himself and swear loyalty to Yazid he always refused saying: "Yazid is a drunkard womanizer, who is unfit for leadership. I am the grandson of the messenger of Allah. A person like me does not surrender himself to a person like him. I am the heir of the messenger of Allah, and I deserve leadership more than anyone else".

Husayn's army was split into 3 sections, the left flank, the right flank and the Ahl al-bayt. The Ahl al-bayt section consisted of the Banu Hashim, i.e, the clan of Hashim. The Ahl al-Bayt, in that context, referred to anyone who was a descendent of Muhammad, the last Prophet of Islam. Ahl al-Bayt means People of the House in Arabic. Habib was given the duty of being in charge of the left flank of Husayn's army, despite the fact that he was 70 years old. It is said in the book 'Karbala and Ashura', by Ali Husayn Jalali, that Habib killed 62 of the enemy soldiers before being taken as captive by enemy forces and later on decapitated by a commander in the enemy forces called Shimr ibn Dhil-Jawshan. The Shia hold the belief that: it is not unusual for a man of who is 70 years old to kill 62 soldiers, if his faith (iman) mounts to a very high level.[citation needed] It is apparent that an anti-Islamic website states that Husayn sacrificed his family and companions as well as himself in the pursuit of power. This is obviously not true, because if it was power he was after he would have surrendered himself to Yazid, in exchange for many estates, a lot of promised wealth and high status. A reasonable question that arises from the statement that Husayn wanted power is, if Husayn was looking for power, why did he bring women and children with him? This proves that Husayn was never looking for power but wanted the women, children and his son Ali ibn Husayn, the only male survivor of the battle, to be witnesses to his sacrifice in order to convey the message of Islam by showing the great sacrifice of Husayn. Husayn is greatly known for his loyalty to Islam, his great sacrifice and his little concern for power by most Muslims, most notably by Shias, as well as many non-Muslims.

[edit] The Purpose of military Loss

In accordance to Shia tradition, Husayn ibn Ali was offered help from the Jinn, who could have destroyed the forces of Yazid with ease. Husayn refused this offer saying: 'our aim is to sacrifice ourselves to save Islam and to influence the people to alter their own destinies by following true-Islam'. The Shia belief strongly states that Husayn's sacrifice was not a defeat but a victory. They define victory as achieving something that you aim for, rather than achieving a victory by defeating your opponent. Husayn aimed for sacrificing himself for Islam and to influence as many people as possible to alter their own destinies by following the true-path of Islam, thus making his sacrifice a victory and not a defeat.

Descendants of Ali ibn Abu Talib Imam Husayn ibn Ali, Chief of the Army and the grandson of Muhammad Abbas ibn Ali , a half-brother of Husayn and the Commander of the Army Ali al-Akbar ibn Husayn , a son of Husayn and Umm Laila Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn , the six-month-old son of Husayn and Rubab Umar ibn Ali, a half-brother of Husayn and full brother of Abbas ibn Ali Ja'far ibn Ali Uthman ibn Ali, brother of Abbas Abu Bakr ibn Ali Abu Bakr ibn Hasan ibn Ali Qasim ibn Hasan ibn Ali Qasim ibn Abbasibn Ali Fadl ibn Abbas ibn Ali Abdullah ibn Hasan ibn Ali Aun ibn Abdillah ibn Ja'far, the son of Zaynab bint Ali Muhammad ibn Abdillah ibn Ja'far, son of Zaynab bint Ali

[edit] Descendants of Ali's brothers Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Aqeel Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Aqeel Muhammad ibn Sa'id Abdulrahman ibn Aqeel Ja'far ibn Aqeel ibn Abi Talib

[edit] Casualties from the Bani Asad clan

Uns Bin Hars al-Asadi Habib ibn Muzahir Asadi, the commander of the left flank Muslim Bin Ausaja al-Asadi Qais Bin Masher al-Asadi Abu Samama Amr ibn Abdillah Borair Zibe Khozair al-Hamdani Aamir ibn Abdillah al-Hamdani Shabib, a liberated slave of Hars ibn Jabir al-Hamadani Hanala ibn Asad Abis Shakri Abdulrahman Arhbi Sayf ibn Hars Malik, the cousin of Sayf Bin Hars Mauq' ibn Thamamah al-Asadi Habshi ibn Qais al-Nahmi

[edit] Casualties from the Jahni

Junada Bin Hars

Majma Bin Abdullah

Hajjaj Bin Masrooq, Mu'ezzin of the camp of Hussain

[edit] Ansari Casualties

Umer Bin Qarza Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Rab Khazrji Junada Bin Kab Amer Bin Janada ibn Kab Naeem Bin Ajlan Abdul Hatoof Ansary a brother of Abdul Hatoof

[edit] Bijli and Khas-ami

Zuhayr ibn Qayn , the commander of the right flank Salman Bin Mazarib, the cousin of Zuhayr Saeed Bin Umer Abdullah Bin Basheer

[edit] Kindi and Ghaffari

Yazid Bin Zaid Kindi Harb ibn Imru al-Qais Zaheer ibn Aamir Basheer ibn Aamir Abdullah Arwah Gahffari Jhon, slave of Abu Zar Ghaffari Abdulrahman ibn Orawah bin Harraq Abdullah ibn Orawah bin Harraq Zawir ibn Amr al-Kindi

[edit] Kalbi

Abdullah Bin Ameer (Omair) Wife of Abduallah bin Omair Kalbi, Woman who was killed at Karbala Abdul Aala Bin Yazeed Saleem Bin Ameer

[edit] Azdi

Qasim Bin Habib Zaid Bin Saleem

Noman Bin Umer Muslim bin Katheer Rafe',the liberated slave of Muslim Azdi

[edit] Tai and Taymi

Jabir Bin Hajjaji Abd al-Rahman bin Mas'ood Taymi Baker Bin Haee Ammar Bin Hassan Tai Mas'ood Bin Hajjaji Taymi Habib bin Amir-e-Taymi

[edit] Abdi

Yazeed Bin Sabeet Amir Bin Muslim Saif Bin Malik Abde Qais Abdullah bin Zaid Obaidullah bin Zaide Adhan ibn Omayya

[edit] Taghleebi

Zurghama Bin Malik Kanana Bin Ateeq Qasith ibn Zuhair al-Taghlabi Kardoos ibn Zuhair al-Taghlabi Musqit ibn Zuhair al-Taghlabi

[edit] Jahani and Tameemi

Aqaba Bin Sult

[edit] Others

These names are mentioned also.

Jibilath ibne Ali Shaibani Yazid bin Maghfal Ja'fi Nasr bin Naizar, A liberated slave of Amirul-Momineen Qan'ab an Namri Kannah Taghlabi

Ammara ibn Salama al Daalani Amr ibn Hasan Talee Amr ibn Ha'b Abu Thamama al Sa'idi Amr ibn Abdullah-e-Jundayi Amir bin Muslim at Badi Basri Salim, liberated slave of Muslim at Badi Aabis ibne Abi Shabeeb-e-Shakiri Shaneb Shakiri Suwaid bin Amro bin Abil Mataa al Anmari al Khash'mi Sawar bin Manyim-e-Nahmi Sayeed bin Abdullah Hanafi, When Imam Husayn wanted to pray at noon he

stood in front of Imam as barrier Ziad bin Areeb al Sa'idi Aslam, the liberated slave of Imam Husayn Qarib, The son of a liberated slave girl of Imam Husayn Munjeh, the liberated slave of Imam Hassan Sa'd - the liberated slave of Amro bin Khalid Sa'd the liberated slave of Amirul-Momineen Ali Salim the liberated slave of Amire Abdi Hars, The liberated slave of hazrat Hamza Hanzala bin As'adus-Shabami Hallas bin Amro' ar Rasibi Hajjaji bin Badr as S'di Jundab bin Mujee al Khaulani Omayyabib Sa'd at Tale Anas bin Hars-e-Kahili

[edit] Miscellaneous Deaths

Qanab Bin Umer al-Ghulam al-Turki, servant of the fourth Shia Imam, Ali ibn Husayn

[edit] Those joined Imam from the enemy Army

Hurr ibn Yazid al-Tamimi, He was one of the commanders of Umayyad army and joind Imam with six others including his two sons

Aaiz ibn Majama' al-Aazi, He joined Imam with Hurr Amr ibn Khalid-e- Saidavi and three others Hars ibn Imra' al-Qays al-Kindi, Along with him three others joined Imam Omer bin Zabi'ah al-Zabiyee Abdulrahman bin Mas'ud al-Taimi Abdullah ibn Bushr Khash'ami Sa'ad ibn Hars Abu al-Hatuf ibn Hars Jaun ibn Malik al-Tamimi

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