Imam Husayn (as) didn't Show Bravery?

Objection Eight: Imam Husayn (as) didn't show Bravery and kept sending his (as) Associates into Battle

Some Nasibis find the tragedy of Karbala as a good opportunity to criticize the stance of Imam Husayn (as) and his strategy so that they can give a cover to the cowardliness their caliphs exhibited in battle fields at the time of Prophet(s). But what these Nasibis don't know is the fact that unlike their caliphs Imam Husayn (as) fought hard in the battle field against his massive enemies.

Molvi Atta Muhammad wrote:

"Now the Zulfiquar of Husayn Ibn Ali was unleashed…He jumped into his enemies like Ali went for Khayber.. 410 enemies were killed by the hands of Husayn(as)"

Kitab Shahadatain, page 179, published Gorakh Pur. India

Even being thirsty Imam Husayn (as) managed to reach river Tigris and the enormous army of Ibn Sa`d wasn't able to do anything. [Tareekh Kamil, Volume 4 page 32]. Ibn Hajar Makki writes:

“If the army of Yazid had not ditched Husayn(as) by coming between Him and river, they would never have been able to over come Him because He was such a brave person who would never move from his place.When all of His companions got killed and Husayn(as) became alone, He made such a strong attack on the army of Yazid that He killed many of their strong men and then many groups collectively attacked Him”

Sawaiq e Muhirqah, page 118. (Egypt)

Ibn al Hadeed Muttazali writes:

“The army of Yazid used to say: “We haven’t seen any courageous person than Husayn because even after being injured and weak and loosing his companions and brother he used to attack the opponent army like an experienced lion”

Sharh Nahjul Balagha, Volume 3 page 482. Published in Egypt

Ibn Athir Jazri while mentioning the last moments of His(as) life writes:

“Even after resorting on his feet Husayn(as) used to fight like a brave person and used to rigorously attack enemies while saving himself from the mass arrows and jumping into the empty spaces and used to say: ” Are you people gathering for my murder ? By God ! After my murder there will not be any human being on whose murder Allah would be enraged”

Tareekh Kamil, Volume 4 page 31

Ibn Athir Jazri and Tabari wirtes:

“When enemies started attacking Husayn(as) from both sides He(as) too jumped on them and then the situation was that when Husayn(as) would attack the enemies on left hand side He would perished them and when He would attack the enemies of his right hand side He would make all of them unconscious. Narrator says: “By Allah ! I haven’t found anyone firm, brave and strong hearted than Husayn infact I haven’t seen anyone similar than him although he was collapsed at that time due to the fact that his brother, nephew, friends and companions had been killed. By Allah ! The army of Yazid used to run from his attack as if a goats run after the attack of beast”

1. Tareekh Tabari, Volume 6 page 259

2. Tareekh Kamil, Volume 4 page 22

The status of courage, strong heartedness and martyrdom of Imam Husayn (as) can be known from the above cited quotations. We see intense fighting by a person who was hungry and thirsty that the army of Ibn Ziyad used to run as if they were attacked by a lion.

Another point is that in the situation of Karbala, to stay alive required more courage and bravery. Everyone there knew that they were to be killed, then there was no point in being scared or lengthening the life that had turned worse than death. At that time in the extreme hunger and thirst, Imam Husayn (as) showed that he indeed is the grandson of Rehmatul-Lil-Aalameen, and sent his companions to the battlefield first, as they were already there to die, but of course they were under an unbelievable spell of thirst and hunger, death was no problem for them, but yes, the starvation was a problem, therefore Imam Husayn (as) stayed in the battlefield till the end, bore the thirst and hunger, lifted all the corpses of his family and companions, and he was hungry and thirsty throughout that time, and finally he himself fought and achieved martyrdom himself.

Any rational sensible person would agree that in Karbala, life had become more difficult than death, hence Imam Husayn (as) eased up the things for his companions.