Edinburgh Studies in Classical Islamic H The Karbala Story and Early Shi'ite Identity, (Paperback)

<p>In 680 CE al-&amp;#7716;usayn ibn &amp;#703;Al&amp;#299;, the grandson of the Prophet Mu&amp;#7717;ammad, was killed in a battle at Karbala. Ancient accounts describe this event as a minor skirmish, similar to the numerous battles that were waged in the early history of Islam. Among Shi&amp;#703;ites, however, the story of the event soon developed into a narrative about a cosmic battle between the powers of universe, with al-&amp;#7716;usayn personifying good and life-giving powers. The story came to epitomise the trauma that is at the heart of the Shi&amp;#703;ite ethos: the treachery of the non-Shi&amp;#703;ite community against the family of the Prophet. </p><p>This book investigates this development in the 7th to 10th centuries CE and its significance for emerging Shi&amp;#703;ite identity in early Islam. It provides an in-depth analysis and diachronic comparison of the three earliest versions of the Karbala story, analyses the story of the Penitents who attempted to avenge the death of al-&amp;#7716;usayn, and surveys the development of the image of al-&amp;#7716;usayn and the rituals associated with him in historiography, poetry and Shi&amp;#703;ite hadith.</p>

• Edinburgh Studies in Classical Islamic H The Karbala Story and Early Shi'ite Identity, (Paperback)
• Author: Associate Professor Torsten Hylén
• ISBN: 9781399522069
• Format: Paperback
• Publication Date: 2026-10-31
• Page Count: 280