El-Bizri (البزري—البزرة) is an Arabic name. Historically, its members settled in Sidon , Lebanon with a large branch also growing in Damascus , Syria , and a much smaller presence in Acre ('Akka) mainly in pre-1948 Palestine .
169-524: Traditionalist Arab/Levantine genealogists ( nuqaba’ Sayda wa Dimashq ) who established the family-tree noted that the El-Bizri descent comes from the lineage of the Imam Husayn ibn Ali as 'Sheriffs' ( Ashraf ). Following Arab clan lineages, which are recorded as well as transmitted orally, the El-Bizri line is traced back to the grandfather of the family al-Siyyid ‘Abd’Allah al-Bizri al-Sidawi , who
338-574: A Christian envoy from Najran (now in northern Yemen ) came to Muhammad to argue which of the two parties erred in its doctrine concerning Jesus . After likening Jesus' miraculous birth to Adam 's creation —who was born to neither a mother nor a father— and when the Christians did not accept the Islamic doctrine about Jesus, Muhammad reportedly received a revelation instructing him to call them to Mubahala, where each party should ask God to destroy
507-612: A Roman colony , it was notionally refounded and given the formal name Colonia Aurelia Pia Sidon to honour its imperial sponsor . During the crusades , Sidon was known in Latin as Sagittus and in Old French as Saete , Sayette or Sagette . In the Book of Genesis , Sidon was the first-born son of Canaan , who was a son of Ham , thereby making Sidon a great-grandson of Noah . In antiquity, Sidon held prominence as
676-454: A Sidon native, conceived the idea to establish a treatment plant for the city's decades-old chronic waste problem. He established the privately funded IBC Enviro and the treatment plant became operational in 2013. The Ministry of Environment came up with a $ 50,000+ plan to clean the whole area and transform the dump into a green space, along with other heaps in the country. Qamla beach in Sidon,
845-576: A coast in close proximity to the Sea Castle, witnessed a large municipal cleanup in May 2011, as it was an easy target of rubbish being washed up by the Makab. These plans aim to revive the former glory of the city's coasts and attract tourists who avoided swimming in Sidon's sea before. The project of cleaning the region where the waste dump has already started, and currently a waves-barrier is being built, and
1014-513: A column. Sidon capitulated in two days, and the British went on to Acre . This action was recalled in two Royal Navy vessels being named HMS Sidon . The 19th century brought significant changes to the Jewish community of Sidon. By 1830, the community, comprising around twenty-five families of primarily Arabic-speaking merchants, had customs akin to those of Judean Jews . Starting in 1850,
1183-527: A core of loyal adherents since the middle of the 20th century. While the El-Bizri were Levantine in their Arabism (namely focused mainly on Bilad al-Shaam in regional politics), and the Solh being also similar to them in this, the Saad were leaning more towards a broader pan-Arabism (Nasserite, Libyan, and then Syrian). The Hariri family started to rise to political and economic prominence in the 1980s and became perhaps
1352-407: A country composed of unequally developed regions. This legacy remains a heavy load to bear socially, culturally, economically and politically. Even though the public policies elaborated by the young Lebanese State were attempting to have regional perspectives, the early urban planning schemes reveal a development approach exclusively axed on Beirut and its suburbs. The post war development policy of
1521-563: A cultural center by the municipality). In the 2000 and 2005 parliamentary elections, the Sidon District along with the Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts formed the first electoral district of South Lebanon. However, in the 2009 elections – and due to the reactivation of the 1960 electoral law – the city of Sidon was separated from its district to form a separate electoral district. The overwhelming majority of Sidon's population belong to
1690-469: A desert plain 70 kilometers (43 mi) north of Kufa, and set up camp. On the following day, a 4,000-strong Kufan army arrived under the command of Umar ibn Sa'd . He had been appointed governor of Rayy to suppress a local rebellion, but then recalled to confront Husayn. Initially, he was unwilling to fight Husayn, but complied following Ibn Ziyad's threat to revoke his governorship. After negotiations with Husayn, Ibn Sa'd wrote to Ibn Ziyad that Husayn
1859-404: A desolate place without fortifications or water. One of Husayn's companions suggested that they attack Hurr and move to the fortified village of al-Aqr. Husayn refused, stating that he did not want to start the hostilities. According to Valiri, Hurr ordered his army to take Husayn and his companions to Ibn Ziyad without fighting and intended to persuade Husayn to do so. But when he saw that Husayn
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#17327732222932028-475: A distinct religious sect. Heinz Halm writes: "There was no religious aspect to Shi'ism prior to 680. The death of the third imam and his followers marked the 'big bang' that created the rapidly expanding cosmos of Shi'ism and brought it into motion." A few prominent Alid supporters in Kufa felt guilty for abandoning Husayn after having invited him to revolt. To atone for what they perceived as their sin, they began
2197-621: A ditch was dug behind the tents and filled with wood ready to be set alight in case of attack. Husayn and his followers then spent the rest of the night praying. After the morning prayer on 10 October, both parties took up battle positions. Husayn appointed Zuhayr ibn Qayn to command the right flank of his army, Habib ibn Muzahir to command the left flank, and his half-brother Abbas as the standard bearer. Husayn's companions, according to most accounts, numbered thirty-two horsemen and forty infantrymen. Ibn Sa'd's army totaled 4,000. The ditch containing wood were set alight. Husayn then delivered
2366-446: A dream to move forward irrespective of the consequences. Further on the way, he received the news of the execution of Ibn Aqil and the indifference of the people of Kufa. He informed his followers of the situation and asked them to leave. Most of the people who had joined him on the way left, while his companions from Mecca decided to stay with him. On the way, Husayn encountered various people. In response to Husayn's question about
2535-478: A large party (Future Movement) that cuts across various economic classes but that is usually seen as a Sunni political movement with regional weight due to its close ties with Saudi Arabia. The names of many notable members of the El-Bizri family in the twentieth century are listed on the Sidon Misplaced Pages webpage with additional Wiki-links and external references. Afif al-Bizri , a major field general in
2704-428: A letter to Hur in which Ibn Ziad had ordered him to not to stop in a place where Husayn can have easy access to water. With this letter, Obaidullah wanted to force Husayn to fight. Zuhair ibn Qayn suggested to Husayn to attack the small army of Hur and capture the fortified village of Akr. But Husayn did not accept; Because he did not want to start a war. On 2 October 680 (2 Muharram 61 AH), Husayn arrived at Karbala ,
2873-757: A movement known as Tawwabin uprising , under Sulayman ibn Surad , a companion of Muhammad, to fight the Umayyads, and attracted large-scale support. The armies met in January 685 at Battle of Ayn al-Warda ; which resulted killing most of them including Ibn Surad. The defeat of the Tawwabin left the leadership of the Kufan pro-Alids in the hand of Mukhtar al-Thaqafi . In October 685, Mukhtar and his supporters seized Kufa. His control extended to most of Iraq and parts of northwestern Iran. Mukhtar executed Kufans involved in
3042-417: A separate legal and political status which made them into a kind of enclaves. At the same time, the remaining Jews of the city fled, and the Jewish cemetery fell into disrepair, threatened by coastal erosion. On Easter Sunday , 19 April 1981, at least sixteen people were killed in Sidon after the ( South Lebanon Army ) SLA's long-range artillery indiscriminately shelled the city centre. It was reported that it
3211-650: A significant Phoenician city. Nestled on a mainland promontory and boasting two harbors. Throughout ancient history, Sidon had many conquerors: Assyrians , Babylonians , Egyptians , Persians , Greeks , and finally Romans . Under Persian rule, it eclipsed Tyre to become the paramount city in Phoenicia. In the New Testament era, Herod the Great visited Sidon. Both Jesus and Saint Paul are said to have visited it, too (see Biblical Sidon below). The city
3380-478: A speech to his opponents reminding them of his status as Muhammad's grandson and reproaching them for inviting and then abandoning him. He asked to be allowed to leave. He was told that first he had to submit to Yazid's authority, which he refused to do. Husayn's speech moved Hurr to defect to his side. After Husayn's speech, Zuhayr ibn Qayn attempted to dissuade Ibn Sa'd's soldiers from killing Husayn, but in vain. Ibn Sa'd's army fired several volleys of arrows. This
3549-556: A succession of conquerors, first by the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BC, ending with its occupation by Alexander the Great in 333 BC, and the start of the Hellenistic period of Sidon's history. The Persian influence seems to have been profound, as is observed in the change of the architectural style of the city. In exchange for supporting his conquest of Egypt , King Cambyses II of Persia awarded Sidon with
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#17327732222933718-508: A successor was in violation of Hasan's peace treaty with Mu'awiya. Before his death in April 680, Mu'awiya cautioned Yazid that Husayn and Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr might challenge his rule and instructed him to defeat them if they did. Yazid was further advised to treat Husayn with caution and not to spill his blood, since he was the grandson of Muhammad. Immediately after Mu'awiya's death on 15th of Rajab 60 AH (22 April 680 AD), Yazid charged
3887-710: A tendency to exonerate Yazid at the cost of Ibn Ziyad and lower authorities. The primary source of the Karbala narrative is the work of the Kufan historian Abu Mikhnaf titled Kitab Maqtal Al-Husayn . Abu Mikhnaf's was an adult some twenty years after the Battle of Karbala. As such he knew many eyewitnesses and collected firsthand accounts and some with very short chains of transmitters, usually one or two intermediaries. The eyewitnesses were of two kinds: those from Husayn's side; and those from Ibn Sa'd's army. Since few people from Husayn's camp survived, most eyewitnesses were from
4056-691: Is a bearer of the historical titles ‘Husayni’ and ‘Ridwi’ ( in a respective attribution of their lineage to Imam al-Husayn and Imam al-Rida ). Although being Ashraf who descend from the Husayni and Ridwi line, they are not Shi’a and for a long time they have been associated with the Sunni Hanafi tradition in Islam , perhaps under influences from the Ottoman era in the Levant . The ancient lineage of
4225-499: Is a duplication of the report regarding Ibn Ziyad. No one was compassionate towards the women and Ali al-Sajjad, One of his courtiers asked for the hand of a captive woman from Husayn's family in marriage, which resulted in heated altercation between Yazid and Zaynab. The women of Yazid's household joined the captive women in their lamentation for the dead. After a few years, the women were compensated for their belongings looted in Karbala and were sent back to Medina. The killing of
4394-511: Is also led riderless through the streets. In Iran, the battle scenes of Karbala are performed on stage in front of an audience in a ritual called taziya (passion play), also known as shabih . In India however, taziya refers to the coffins and replicas of Husayn's tomb carried in processions. Sidon Sidon ( / ˈ s aɪ d ən / SY -dən ) or Saida ( / ˈ s aɪ d ə , ˈ s ɑː ɪ d ə / SY -də, SAH -id-ə ; Arabic : صيدا , romanized : Ṣaydā )
4563-413: Is also narrated that Muhammad took Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn under his cloak and called them ahl al-bayt and stated that they are free from any sin and pollution. Muhammad reported the Karbala incident on several occasions; For example, he gave a small bottle of soil to Umm Salama and told her that the soil inside the bottle would turn into blood after Husayn was killed. In the year 10 AH (631–632)
4732-441: Is considered by Shi'as to be a source of salvation in the afterlife, and is undertaken as a remembrance of his suffering. After the death of Husayn, when his family was being taken to Ibn Ziyad, Husayn's sister Zaynab is reported to have cried out after seeing his headless body: "O Muhammad!... Here is Husayn in the open, stained with blood and with limbs torn off. O Muhammad! Your daughters are prisoners, your progeny are killed, and
4901-456: Is from their ranks that Maarouf Saad started his public life, and their close cousins, Nazih El-Bizri, Amin El-Bizri, and Fouad El-Bizri became the next generation of politicians and statesmen in Lebanon; holding positions as ministers and members of parliament. The El-Bizri and the Saad political practices were bent on social justice and on local service in public affairs. The El-Bizri were since
5070-608: Is limited to a region of 786 hectares in area and 5 meters in elevation, while each of the city's suburbs is administered by its own independent municipal council. Sidon is the center of the Governorate of South Lebanon , and hosts the seat of the Governor of Southern Lebanon. The city is also the center of the Sidon District and the Union of Sidon and Zahrani Municipalities (founded in 1978 and contains 15 municipalities). Sidon hosts
5239-482: Is linked to the descendants of al-Siyyid Ja’far al-Tawwab al-Rabhi , known as ¨Abi al-Banin¨ جعفر بن علي الهادي , who is the son of al-Imam al-Hadi and the uncle of the hidden and awaited Imam al-Mahdi ( الإمام مهدي المنتظر). ( His grandfather is al-Imam Muhammad al-Jawwad, ibn al-Imam ‘Ali al-Rida , ibn al-Imam Musa al-Kazim , ibn al-Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq , ibn al-Imam Muhammad al-Baqir , ibn al-Imam ‘Ali Zayn al-‘Abidin , ibn al-Imam Husayn ). The El-Bizri family
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5408-733: Is mentioned in Papyrus Anastasi I as ḏjdwnꜣ . It appears in Biblical Hebrew as Ṣīḏōn ( Hebrew : צִידוֹן ) and in Syriac as Ṣidon ( ܨܝܕܘܢ ). This was Hellenised as Sidṓn ( Ancient Greek : Σιδών ), which was Latinised as Sidon and entered English in this form. The name appears in Classical Arabic as Ṣaydūn ( صَيْدونْ ) and in Modern Arabic as Ṣaydā ( صَيْدَا ). As
5577-574: Is said to have killed many of his attackers. The Umayyad forces however were still unwilling to kill him and each of them wanted to leave this to somebody else. Eventually Shemr shouted: "Shame on you! Why are you waiting for the man? Kill him, may your mothers be deprived of you!" The Umayyad soldiers then rushed Husayn and wounded him on his hand and shoulder. He fell on the ground face-down and an attacker named Sinan ibn Anas stabbed and beheaded him. Seventy or seventy-two people died on Husayn's side, of whom about twenty were descendants of Abu Talib ,
5746-741: Is the third-largest city in Lebanon . It is located on the Mediterranean coast in the South Governorate , of which it is the capital. Tyre , to the south, and the Lebanese capital of Beirut , to the north, are both about 40 kilometres (25 miles) away. Sidon has a population of about 80,000 within the city limits , while its metropolitan area has more than a quarter-million inhabitants. The Phoenician name Ṣīdūn ( 𐤑𐤃𐤍 , ṢDN ) probably meant "fishery" or "fishing town". It
5915-405: Is to correct the corruptions that have occurred in the nation of my ancestors. I want to command the good and forbid the bad, and follow the tradition of my grandfather and the way of my father Ali ibn Abi Talib. So, whoever accepts this truth (and follows me) has accepted the way of God and whoever rejects (and does not follow me) I will walk (my way) with patience and perseverance so that God may be
6084-594: Is unlikely to have considered submitting to Yazid. A mawla of Husayn's wife later claimed that Husayn had suggested that he be allowed to leave, so that all parties could allow the fluid political situation to clarify. Ibn Sa'd sent the proposal, whatever it was, to Ibn Ziyad, who is reported to have accepted but then persuaded otherwise by Shemr ibn Ziljawshan . Shemr argued that Husayn was in his domain and letting him go would be to demonstrate weakness. Ibn Ziyad then sent Shemr with orders to ask Husayn for his allegiance once more and to attack, kill and disfigure him if he
6253-474: The History of Prophets and Kings by al-Tabari ; and Ansab al-Ashraf by Baladhuri . Tabari quotes either directly from Abu Mikhnaf or from his student Ibn al-Kalbi, who took most of his material from Abu Mikhnaf. Tabari occasionally takes material from Ammar ibn Mu'awiya, Awana and other primary sources, which, however, adds little to the narrative. Baladhuri uses same sources as Tabari. Information on
6422-527: The Ahl al-Bayt . He is also considered to be a member of the Ahl al-Kisa , and a participant in the event of the mubahala . Muhammad described him and his brother, Hasan, as the leaders of the youth of Paradise . During the caliphate of Ali, Husayn accompanied him in wars. After the assassination of Ali , he obeyed his brother in recognizing the Hasan–Mu'awiya treaty , despite it being suggested to do otherwise. In
6591-447: The Ain al-Hilwa refugee camp. Studies in 2000 showed a population of 65,000 in the city, and around 200,000 in the metropolitan area. The little level land around the city is used for cultivation of wheat, vegetables, and fruits, especially citrus and bananas. The fishing in the city remains active with a newly opened fishery that sells fresh fish by bidding every morning. The ancient basin
6760-645: The Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe. Both Hasan and Husayn were named by Muhammad, although Ali had other names such as "Harb" in mind. To celebrate Husayn's birth, Muhammad sacrificed a ram, and Fatima shaved his head and donated the same weight of his hair in silver as alms. According to Islamic traditions, Husayn is mentioned in the Torah as "Shubayr" and in the Gospels as "Tab". Aaron, Moses' brother, gave
6929-620: The Crusade of 1197 . It remained an important Crusader stronghold until it was destroyed by the Ayyubids in 1249. In 1260, it was again destroyed by the Mongols led by Kitbuqa . The remains of the original walls are still visible. During the 12th century, Benjamin of Tudela noted the presence of approximately twenty Jews, possibly families, in Sidon, which he described as a "large city." After Sidon came under Ottoman Turkish rule in
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7098-536: The Hasan–Mu'awiya treaty . When Mu'awiya died in 680, Yazid demanded that Husayn pledge allegiance to him. Husayn refused to do so. As a consequence, he left Medina , his hometown, to take refuge in Mecca in AH 60 (679 CE). There, the people of Kufa sent letters to him, invited him to Kufa and asked him to be their Imam and pledged their allegiance to him. On Husayn's way to Kufa with a retinue of about 72 men, his caravan
7267-739: The Lycian tomb and the Sarcophagus of the Crying Women were discovered, which are now on display at the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul . When Sidon fell under Roman domination, it continued to mint its own silver coins. The city was embellished by Herod , king of Judaea , who built there a theatre. By the First Jewish–Roman War , Sidon sheltered enough Jews that local pagans hesitated to attack them during
7436-636: The Royal necropolis of Sidon was extensively excavated by the Ottomans, and its treasures transferred to Istanbul (like the Alexander sarcophagus ). Sidon was a small fishing town of 10,000 inhabitants in 1900. After World War I it became part of the French Mandate of Lebanon . During World War II the city, together with the rest of Lebanon, was captured by British forces fighting against
7605-519: The Vichy French , and following the war it became a major city of independent Lebanon . Following the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight , Palestinian refugees arrived in Sidon, as in other Lebanese cities, and were settled at the large refugee camps of Ein el-Hilweh and Mieh Mieh . At first these consisted of enormous rows of tents, but gradually houses were constructed. The refugee camps constituted de facto neighborhoods of Sidon, but had
7774-399: The verse of purification , the ahl al-bayt has been praised. According to Madelung, there are numerous narrations showing Muhammad's love for Hasan and Husayn, such as carrying them on his shoulders, or putting them on his chest and kissing them on the belly. Madelung believes that some of these reports may imply a little preference of Muhammad for Hasan over Husayn, or pointing out that Hasan
7943-577: The 1940s, 1950s and then during the Lebanese civil war as Nasserites (populist followers of Nasser in Lebanon). The local political conflict between these two families was always resolved through amicable means and ties of kinship. Their hold over the political aspects of the city was similar to that of Mediterranean families in Sicily or to being also influenced by the ties of Arab families, clans, and tribes in traditionalist forms. The most notable figures of
8112-421: The 20th century was mainly dominated up till the 1980s by allegiances around two main families, the El-Bizri and Saad. The El-Bizri politicians were known for their business connections, close ties with eminent Lebanese and Levantine leaders, and their bent on serving the Lebanese state as government ministers, officials, and mayors. The Saad politicians tended to be populist and became engaged in violent protests in
8281-515: The 5th century BC, and that his mother was a priestess of ‘Ashtart , "the goddess of the Sidonians." In this inscription the gods Eshmun and Ba‘al Sidon 'Lord of Sidon' (who may or may not be the same) are mentioned as chief gods of the Sidonians. ‘Ashtart is entitled ‘Ashtart-Shem-Ba‘al, '‘Ashtart the name of the Lord', a title also found in an Ugaritic text. Nebuchadnezzar II subjugated
8450-632: The Amarna Period, Egypt went into decline, leading to uprising and turmoil in the Levant. There was rivalry between Lebanese coastal city-states fighting for dominance, with Abimilku of Tyre in the south, and Rib-Hadda of Byblos in the north. Byblos became significantly weakened as the dominant city on the Lebanese coast. Further north, the Akkar Plain rebelled and became the kingdom of Amurru with Hittite support. The Mitanni Empire, an ally of
8619-567: The Caliphate of Ali, Husayn, along with his brothers Hasan and Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya , and his cousin, Abdullah ibn Ja'far were among closest allies of Ali. He remained alongside him, accompanying him in the battlefields. According to a report by Tabari , Husayn was among Ali's major supporters who were cursed in public by the order of Mu'awiya . After the assassination of Ali people gave allegiance to Hasan. Mu'awiya who did not want go give allegiance to him, prepared to fight. To avoid
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#17327732222938788-635: The Egyptians, had dominated Syria but now fell apart due to the military campaigns of Suppiluliuma I of Hatti . Tutankhamun and his general Horemheb scrambled to keep Egyptian control over southern Levant, as the Hittites became overlords in the north. The oldest testimony documenting words in the Phoenician language of Sidon, is also from this period. The Book of Deuteronomy (3, 9) reads: "the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion". In other words: Mount Hermon
8957-458: The El-Bizri family in the first half of the 20th century were: Ahmad El-Bizri (born 1899), Salah El-Bizri, Eizeddine El-Bizri (commonly known as Eizzo), and Anwar El-Bizri (born 1910). These four brothers were businessmen and politicians who dominated the political life of the city up till the late 1940s, using traditional inherited forms of governance since Ottoman times. With intelligence and strength, they maintained their power for over 50 years. It
9126-632: The El-Bizris was at times intimidating on the local scene, but they were also known for their goodwill and dignified public service. The Saad family developed their links with Nasserism in the 1950s and engaged in the uprising and armed protest of 1958 against the government of the Lebanese President Chamoun. They also became involved in the civil war as part of the left wing politics of the Lebanon (Al-Haraka al-Wataniyya) with PLO connections, and they actively contributed to resisting
9295-489: The El-Bizris was at times intimidating on the local scene, but they were also known for their goodwill and dignified public service. The Saad family developed their links with Nasserism in the 1950s and engaged in the uprising and armed protest of 1958 against the government of the Lebanese President Chamoun. They also became involved in the civil war as part of the left-wing politics of Lebanon (Al-Haraka al-Wataniyya) with PLO connections, and they actively contributed to resisting
9464-809: The International Baalbeck Festival for decades, Chairman of the Social Welfare Institutions ( Dar Al Aytam Al Islamiya ) for decades. Amin El Bizri, Lebanese Minister of Public works and Transportation from 1976 till 1979. Dr. Abdel Rahman El Bizri, mayor of Sidon from 2004 till 2010. And Lebanese Parliament Deputy from 2022. Fayez Salah El Bizri, President of Makassed Islamic Charitable Society - Saida from 2022 till . Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali ( Arabic : الحسين بن علي , romanized : al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ; 11 January 626 – 10 October 680)
9633-534: The Israeli occupation after 1982. The Saads remained populist in their politics and focused on the grassroots, while the El-Bizri were generally appealing to the middle and upper classes. In the middle 1980s, the Hariri family began to rise to prominence and became the most influential in Sidon in political and financial terms, even though the presence of the Saad and the El-Bizri in local politics remained significant at
9802-426: The Israeli occupation after 1982. They remained populist in their politics and focused on the grassroots, while the El-Bizri were generally appealing to the middle and upper classes. In the middle 1980s, the Hariri family started to rise to prominence and it became the most influential in Sidon in political and financial terms, even though the presence of the Saad and the El-Bizri in local politics remained significant at
9971-485: The Kufis had left both his father Ali and his brother Hasan alone, and suggested that Husayn go to Yemen instead of Kufa, or at least not take women and children with him if he were to go to Iraq. Husayn insisted on his decision and wrote about his motives and goals in a famous letter or will that he gave to Muhammad ibn al Hanafiyyah "I did not go out for fun and selfishness and for corruption and oppression; Rather, my goal
10140-412: The Lebanese state and institutions, and they supported the Solh family that had successive Prime Ministers and that moved its power base from Sidon to Beirut. The Saad family developed its original politics from within the sphere of influence of the El-Bizri family and then became a power to reckon with on its own after 1948, and most powerfully in 1958, then in the civil war and up till today. Maarouf Saad,
10309-403: The Lebanese state as government ministers, officials and mayors. The Saad politicians tended to be populist and became engaged in violent protests in the 1940s, 1950s and then during the Lebanese civil war as Nasserites (populist followers of Nasser in Lebanon). The local political conflict between these two families was always resolved through amicable means and ties of kinship. Their hold over
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#173277322229310478-505: The Ottoman rule bent on serving the state, and this continued with their loyalty and support to the successive governments of Lebanon since the times of independence. They also helped eminent politicians and statesmen of Sidonian descent such as Prime Ministers Riad Solh, Taki El-Din Solh, and Rashid Solh, they also gave their support to former Prime Minister Saab Salam, father of the current Lebanese prime minister, Tamam Salam. The presence of
10647-529: The Palais de Justice, Sidon's main courthouse, and shot dead three magistrates and a chief prosecutor. The attackers escaped. No group claimed responsibility but suspicion focused on Osbat al-Ansar whose leader had been sentenced to death in absentia for the murder of the head of the Sufi Al-Ahbash movement and the attempted assassination of the mufti of Tripoli . He was believed to be in hiding in
10816-654: The Saad political practices were bent on social justice and on local service in public affairs. The El-Bizri were since the Ottoman rule bent on serving the state, and this continued with their loyalty and support to the successive governments of Lebanon since the times of independence. They also helped eminent politicians and statesmen from Sidonian descent such as the Prime Ministers Riad Solh , Takieddine el-Solh and Rashid Solh, they also gave their support to former Prime Minister Saeb Salam , father of Tamam Salam , Prime Minister 2014–2016. The presence of
10985-459: The Saad were leaning more towards a broader pan-Arabism (Nasserite, Libyan, and then Syrian). As for the Hariri family, they are regionally focused on Saudi orientations in politics. The Hariri family started to rise to political and economic prominence in the 1980s and became perhaps the most influential family in Lebanon by the middle 1990s. It is now one of the most organized in political terms and it follows modern forms of political practice through
11154-560: The State, promoted by Hariri government (1992–1998), was centered around balanced development and is widely inspired by the 1943 Pact and the 1989 Taef agreement (LABAKI1993: 104). However the application of this policy aims mainly at the rehabilitation and construction of roads and infrastructures (electricity, telephone, sewage). Another of its components is the rehabilitation of government buildings (airport, port, schools, universities and hospitals). Transportation projects (mainly concentrated on
11323-684: The Sunni narrations quoted by al-Tabari do not name the participants. Other Sunni historians mention Muhammad, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn as having participated in the Mubahala, and some agree with the Shia tradition that Ali was among them. The verse "God wishes only to remove taint from you, people of the Household, and to make you utterly pure" is also attributed to this event, during which Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn stood under Muhammad's cloak. Thus
11492-489: The Sunni sect of Islam, with a small number of Shiites and Christians. Sidon is the seat of the Greek Melkite Catholic Archbishop of Sidon and Deir el Qamar , and has housed a significant Catholic population throughout its history. Sidon also hosts the seat of the Shiite Ayatollah of South Lebanon. In the 1930s, when Lebanon was still under the French mandate, Sidon had the largest Jewish population in Lebanon, estimated at 3,588, compared to 3,060 in Beirut , however by
11661-960: The Syrian army who was a key figure in shaping the Arab united republic in the Gamal Abdel Nasser era between Syria and Egypt . Nader El-Bizri , the philosopher and architect. Gamil El Bizri, mayor of Sidon from 1908 till 1910 Mosbah El Bizri, mayor of Sidon from 1910 till 1914. Also from 1920 till 1922. Said El Bizri, mayor of Sidon from 1923 till 1933. The Four Brothers - Riad El Bizri's Sons: Ahmad El Bizri , (Mayor of Sidon from 1937 till 1951. Member of Parliament from 1951 till 1953) Ezzedine El Bizri Anwar El Bizri Dr. Nazih El Bizri, mayor of Sidon from 1952 till 1959. And Lebanese Parliament Deputy from 1953 till 1958 and from 1972 till 1992. Lebanese Minister of Health and Minister of Social Affairs from 1955 till 1956. And from 1972 till 1973. And from 1980 till 1982. Fouad El Bizri Lebanese Minister of Public works and Transportation and Ministry of Energy and Water from 1966 till 1968, Vice-chairman of
11830-430: The Umayyad rule, which they considered to be oppressive, and that they had no rightful leader. They asked him to lead them in revolt against Yazid, promising to remove the Umayyad governor if Husayn would consent to aid them. Husayn wrote back affirmatively that a rightful leader is the one who acts according to the Qur'an and promised to lead them with the right guidance. Then he sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqil to assess
11999-466: The agonies of the civil war, Hasan signed a treaty with Mu'awiya , according to which Mu'awiya would not name a successor during his reign, and let the Islamic community ( ummah ) choose his successor. Madelung believes that Husayn did not recognize this treaty at first, but pressed by Hasan, accepted it. Later on when several Shia leaders suggested him to conduct a surprise attack on Mu'awiya's camp near Kufa, he refused, saying that as long as Mu'awiya
12168-565: The area indicate settlements from the earliest prehistorical ] times. Sidon I, II and III are prehistoric sites, while Sidon I is the tell of ancient Sidon starting from the Early Bronze Age. Sidon I is an archaeological site located to the east of the city, south of the road to Jezzine . An assemblage of flint tools was found by P. E. Gigues suggested to date between 3800 and 3200 BC. The collection included narrow axes or chisels that were polished on one side and flaked on
12337-468: The author discusses the development predominance of Beirut over the rest of the regions of Lebanon (North, South and Beqaa) is a well-known imbalance that can be dated to the early 19th century. With the expansion of Beirut in the 1870s, urban growth in the future capital outpaced Tripoli and Saida. Transportation routes, missionary schools, universities and hospitals as well as the Beirut port development and
12506-440: The battle found in the works of Dinawari and Ya'qubi is also based on Abu Mikhnaf's Maqtal , although they occasionally provide some extra notes and verses. Other secondary sources include al-Mas'udi 's Muruj al-Dhahab , Ibn Ath'am 's Kitab al-Futuh , Shaykh al-Mufid's Kitab al-Irshad , and Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani 's Maqatil al-Talibiyyin . Most of these sources took material from Abu Mikhnaf, in addition to some from
12675-503: The battle of Karbala very briefly, stating that it lasted for no longer than a siesta , Lammens concludes that there was no battle at all but a quick massacre that was over in an hour; he suggests that the detailed accounts found in the primary sources are Iraqi fabrications, since their writers were dissatisfied with their hero being killed without putting up a fight. This is countered by the historian Laura Veccia Vaglieri , who argues that despite there being some fabricated accounts, all of
12844-467: The bitterness of breaking the allegiance of the people of Kufa with his father and brother, saying, "These people have submitted to the obedience of Satan and have left the obedience of God the Merciful." On the way, he refused to accept the offer to go to the tribe of Tayy by pointing to his pact with Hurr about not returning. Later, a messenger from Ibn Ziad came to Hur and, without greeting Husayn, gave
13013-595: The broader massacre of Jews in Greco-Syrian towns in 66 CE, as documented by Josephus . The Romans built a theater and other major monuments in the city, and an underground Mithraeum was discovered. In the reign of Elagabalus , a Roman colony was established there. During the Byzantine Empire , when the great earthquake of AD 551 destroyed most of the cities of Phoenice , the law school of Berytus took refuge in Sidon. The town continued quietly for
13182-671: The burial place of Imam Husayn's head; For example, with his father Ali in Najaf, outside Kufa but not with Ali, in Karbala with his whole body, in Baqiya, in an unknown place in Damascus , in Raqqa , Syria, and in a mosque Mohsen Al-Amin in Cairo . Shi'a Muslims consider pilgrimages to Husayn's tomb to be a source of divine blessings and rewards. According to Shi'a tradition the first such visit
13351-538: The city of Tyre . Tyre also grew into a great city, and in subsequent years there was competition between the two, each claiming to be the metropolis ('Mother City') of Phoenicia . During the Phoenician era, Sidon thrived on two pivotal industries: glass manufacturing and purple dye production. The city's glass production operated on an extensive scale, while the manufacturing of purple dye held nearly equal importance. The magnitude of Sidon's purple dye production
13520-710: The city to be part of the Neo-Babylonian Empire . Sidon's navy played a significant role in the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, aligning with the Persian fleet against the Greeks. From the mid-fifth century BC onward, warships became a prominent feature on the city's coinage. At the end of the Persian era, in 351 BC, Phoenicia was invaded by Artaxerxes III . Like other Phoenician city-states, Sidon suffered from
13689-688: The city, secretly left the city with his companions and family. Fifty men from Husayn's relatives and friends – who could fight if needed – accompanied Husayn, including women and children. He took the northerly route through the Arabian Desert . On persuasion of Husayn's cousin Abd Allah ibn Ja'far , the governor of Mecca Amr ibn Sa'id sent his brother and Ibn Ja'far after Husayn in order to assure him safety in Mecca and bring him back. Husayn refused to return, relating that Muhammad had ordered him in
13858-619: The city. The Hammuds also served as government customs agents and tax collectors for various Ottoman religious foundations. During the Egyptian–Ottoman War , Sidon, like much of Ottoman Syria , was occupied by the forces of Muhammad Ali of Egypt . His ambitions were opposed by the British Empire, which backed the Ottomans. The British Admiral Charles Napier , commanding a mixed squadron of British, Turkish and Austrian ships, bombarded Sidon on 26 September 1840, and landed with
14027-516: The coastal line) constitute 25% of the budget of 10-year economic plan developed by the CDR (BAALBAKI 1994: 90). However, all these projects are predominantly concentrated around Beirut, ignoring the regions. Near the southern entrance to the city used to be a 'rubbish mountain' called at the time by the locals the Makab ; namely, a 600,000 cubic metre heap that reached the height of a four-story building. It
14196-561: The commerce of silk participated to the fortification of Beirut as a major trade center for Mediterranean exchange (ARNAUD 1993; LABAKI 1999: 23). However, the establishment of Great Lebanon in 1920, under the French mandate, added the poorer areas of the North (Akkar), Beqaa (Baalbak-Hermel) and the South (Jabal Aamel) to the relatively affluent cities of Mount Lebanon. This addition made of Lebanon
14365-487: The community witnessed growth as Maghrebi Jews , initially settled in the Chouf Mountains above Beirut, migrated to Sidon and Beirut amidst escalating Druze - Maronite tensions and the ensuing 1860 war. With roots in mountain traditions, they introduced citrus cultivation on the outskirts of Sidon, leading to the construction of a new synagogue in 1860 to meet the needs of the expanding community. From 1887
14534-403: The contemporary accounts together form "a coherent and credible narrative". She criticizes Lammens' hypothesis as being based on a single isolated report and being devoid of critical analysis. Similarly, Madelung and Wellhausen assert that the battle lasted from sunrise to sunset and that the overall account of the battle is reliable. Vaglieri and Madelung explain the length of the battle despite
14703-557: The early 16th century, it became the capital of the Sidon Eyalet (province) and regained a great deal of its earlier commercial importance. In 1521, Moses Basola encountered twenty families of Musta'rabi Jews during his visit to Sidon. During the 18th century, the city was dominated by the Hammud family of notables, who monopolized the production and exporting of cotton in the region and built numerous palaces and public works in
14872-542: The east wind blows dust over them." Shi'a Muslims consider this to be the first instance of wailing and mourning over the death of Husayn. Husayn's son Ali al-Sajjad is reported to have spent the rest of his life weeping for his father. Similarly, Husayn's mother Fatima is believed to be weeping for him in paradise and the weeping of believers is considered to be a way of sharing her sorrows. Special gatherings ( majalis ; sing. majlis ) are arranged in places reserved for this purpose, called husayniyya . In these gatherings
15041-508: The end of 1990s most of the Jewish population had emigrated leaving their cemitery and other sites in a state of abandonment. Sidon is home to numerous educational facilities ranging from public elementary schools to private universities. According to a 2006 study, the city is home to 29 schools that serve a total of 18,731 students: 37% are in public schools, 63% are in private schools. Sidon also contains 10 universities, 5 of which are private universities. The following archaeological sites in
15210-504: The false party and their families: If anyone dispute with you in this matter [concerning Jesus] after the knowledge which has come to you, say: Come let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us swear an oath and place the curse of God on those who lie.(Qur'an 3:61) In Shia perspective, in the verse of Mubahala , the phrase "our sons" would refer to Hasan and Husayn, "our women" refers to Fatima, and "ourselves" refers to Ali. Most of
15379-469: The family is safeguarded in the records of its elders, and the clerics who search for genealogies ( ansab al-ashraf ) confirmed the old family-tree manuscript that is traced on papyrus [1] Archived 2015-05-24 at the Wayback Machine . Many of the young members of the El-Bizri family are not aware of their Arabian lineage, let alone that tradition links their clan history with the descendants from
15548-448: The father of Ali . This included two of Husayn's sons, six of his paternal brothers, three sons of Hasan ibn Ali, three sons of Jafar ibn Abi Talib and three sons and three grandsons of Aqil ibn Abi Talib. Following the battle, Husayn's clothes were stripped, and his sword, shoes and baggage were taken. The women's jewelry and cloaks were also seized. Shemr wanted to kill Husayn's only surviving son Ali al-Sajjad , who had not taken part in
15717-547: The fighting because of illness, but was prevented by Ibn Sa'd. There are reports of more than sixty wounds on Husayn's body, which was then trampled with horses as previously instructed by Ibn Ziyad. The bodies of Husayn's companions were decapitated. There were eighty-eight dead in Ibn Sa'd's army, who were buried before he left. After his departure, members of the Banu Asad tribe, from the nearby village of Ghadiriya, buried
15886-473: The fighting so far, joined the battle. Husayn's son Ali Akbar was killed; then Husayn's half-brothers, including Abbas, and the sons of Aqil ibn Abi Talib , Jafar ibn Abi Talib and Hasan ibn Ali were slain. The account of Abbas' death is not given in the primary sources, al-Tabari and Baladhuri , but a prominent Shi'a theologian Shaykh Al-Mufid states in his account in Kitab al-Irshad that Abbas went to
16055-554: The following day by firing 60–80 rockets into the security zone and northern Israel. According to UNIFIL observers the missiles appeared to be targeted at uninhabited areas. The attack on Sidon is credited with leading to a truce between Hizbollah and Amal and increased cooperation between the two groups and the Lebanese Army . This was evident in the Ansariya ambush the following month. On 8 June 1999 two gunmen entered
16224-451: The forming of the greater Lebanon and its history till the end of the twentieth century (especially in Sidon ) was notable. This was mainly felt on the political scene. They were mainly civil servants, notaries, merchants, army officers, and muftis in the late Ottoman era, and had a bond in marriage with a branch of the famed Abaza clan that came from Egypt to settle in Sidon at the end of
16393-469: The front only, Ibn Sa'd ordered the tents to be burned. All except the one which Husayn and his family were using were set on fire. Shemr wanted to burn that one too, but was prevented by his companions. The plan backfired and flames hindered the Umayyad advance for a while. After noon prayers, Husayn's companions were encircled, and almost all of them were killed. Husayn's relatives, who had not taken part in
16562-440: The governor of Medina, Walid ibn Utba ibn Abu Sufyan , to secure allegiance from Husayn with force if necessary. Yazid's goal was to take control of the situation in the city before the people became aware of Mu'awiya's death. Yazid's concern was especially about his two rivals in the caliphate; Husayn and Abdullah ibn Zubayr who had previously renounced allegiance. Husayn answered the summons but declined to pledge allegiance in
16731-508: The grandson of Muhammad shocked the Muslim community. The image of Yazid suffered and gave rise to sentiment that he was impious. Prior to the Battle of Karbala, the Muslim community was divided into two political factions. Nonetheless, a religious sect with distinct theological doctrines and specific set of rituals had not developed. Karbala gave this early political party of pro-Alids a distinct religious identity and helped transform it into
16900-403: The headless bodies of Husayn's companions. Husayn's family, along with the heads of the dead, were sent to Ibn Ziyad. He poked Husayn's mouth with a stick and intended to kill Ali al-Sajjad, but spared him after the pleas of Husayn's sister Zaynab. The heads and the family were then sent to Yazid, who also poked Husayn's mouth with a stick. The historian Henri Lammens has suggested that this
17069-469: The incident as a historical tragedy; Husayn and his companions are widely regarded as martyrs by both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. According to majority of narrations, Husayn was born on the 3rd of Sha'ban 4 AH (11 January 626 CE) in Medina and was still a child when his grandfather, Muhammad , died. He was the younger son of Ali , the cousin of Muhammad, and Fatima , the daughter of Muhammad, both from
17238-403: The judge between me and this nation and he is the best judge." Then, Husayn, who had not yet received the letters of the new events of Kufa, prepared to leave for Kufa on the 8th or 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah 60 AH / 10 or 12 September 680 AD. Instead of performing Hajj, he performed Umrah, and in the absence of the Governor of Mecca, Amr ibn Sa'id ibn As , who was performing Hajj on the outskirts of
17407-506: The killing of Husayn, including Ibn Sa'd and Shemr, while thousands of people fled to Basra. He then sent his general Ibrahim ibn al-Ashtar to fight an approaching Umayyad army, led by Ibn Ziyad, which had been sent to reconquer the province. The Umayyad army was routed at the Battle of Khazir in August 686 and Ibn Ziyad was slain. Later on, in April 687, Mukhtar was killed. Based on an official report sent to caliph Yazid, which describes
17576-421: The leader of his family, and a local influential politician was assassinated on the eve of the Lebanese civil war in 1975. The Saads retained their populism and grassroots appeal and attracted a core of loyal adherents since the middle of the 20th century. While the El-Bizri were Levantine in their Arabism (namely focused mainly on Bilad al-Shaam in regional politics), and the Solh being also similar to them in this,
17745-498: The level of visibility and activism. The Saad family developed its original politics from within the sphere of influence of the El-Bizri family and then became a power to reckon with on its own after 1948, and most powerfully in 1958, then in the civil war and until the present today. Maarouf Saad, the leader of his family, and a local influential politician, was assassinated at the eve of the Lebanese civil war in 1975. The Saads retained their populism and grassroots appeal, and attracted
17914-422: The level of visibility and activism. The politics of Sidon is similar to that of the traditional old cities of the Levant in the sense of being family-based. In broad terms, one could say that the El-Bizri family had an influence since Ottoman times, and then most significantly across almost the entirety of the 20th century. It was local in impact at first, but then the members of this family became influential within
18083-486: The members of the Shi'a faith with a catalog of heroic norms. The battle is commemorated during an annual ten-day period during the Islamic month of Muharram by many Muslims especially Shi'a, culminating on tenth day of the month, known as the day of Ashura . On this day, Shi'a Muslims mourn, hold public processions, organize religious gathering, beat their chests and in some cases self-flagellate . Sunni Muslims likewise regard
18252-529: The most influential family in Lebanon by the mid-1990s, following modern forms of political practice through a large party (Future Movement) that cuts across various economic classes. According to a 2013 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report "data also point to an increase in urban poverty especially in Lebanon's largest cities suburbs such as Beirut, Tripoli and Saida, as illustrated by poverty-driven symptoms (child labour, over-crowding and deteriorated environment conditions)." In another UNDP report,
18421-458: The murder of Muslim ibn Aqeel and Hani ibn Arwa was reported by some travellers, for the first time in Thalabiyah. When Husayn reached the area of Zabalah, he found out that his messenger, Qais ibn Mushar Sa'idawi – or his brother-in-law, Abdullah ibn Yaqtar – who had been sent from Hejaz to Kufa to inform the people of Husayn's imminent arrival, was exposed and killed by falling from
18590-737: The next century, until the Muslim conquest of the Levant in 636. On 4 December 1110, Sidon was captured after the siege of Sidon , a decade after the First Crusade , by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem and King Sigurd I of Norway . It then became the center of the Lordship of Sidon , an important vassal-state of the Kingdom of Jerusalem . Saladin captured it from the Crusaders in 1187, but German Crusaders restored it to Christian control in
18759-443: The nine-year period between Hasan's abdication in AH 41 (660 AD) and his death in AH 49 (669 AD), Hasan and Husayn retreated to Medina, trying to keep aloof from political involvement for or against Mu'awiya. Sentiments in favor of the rule of Ahl al-Bayt occasionally emerged in the form of small groups, mostly from Kufa, visiting Hasan and Husayn asking them to be their leaders – a request to which they declined to respond. When Hasan
18928-491: The nine-year period between Hasan's abdication in AH 41 (660 CE) and his death in AH 49 or 50 (669 or 670 CE), Hasan and Husayn retreated to Medina, trying to keep aloof from political involvement for or against Mu'awiya . After the death of Hasan, when Iraqis turned to Husayn, concerning an uprising, Husayn instructed them to wait as long as Mu'awiya was alive due to Hasan's peace treaty with him. Prior to his death, Mu'awiya appointed his son Yazid as his successor, contrary to
19097-588: The nineteenth century. This sectarian and demographic division rose to the surface during the Lebanese Civil War , when armed clashes erupted between the pro-Palestinian Sunni Muslims and the anti-Palestinian Christians. The clashes ended with the surrender of the Christian front, and the Christians were forced to move to east Beirut . After the war ended in 1990, the Christians have gradually returned to their hometowns. The local politics of Sidon in
19266-423: The numerical disparity between the opposing camps as Ibn Sa'd's attempt to prolong the fight and pressure Husayn into submission instead of attempting to quickly overwhelm and kill him. According to Wellhausen, the compassion that Yazid showed to the family of Husayn, and his cursing of Ibn Ziyad was only for show. He argues that if killing Husayn was a crime its responsibility lay with Yazid and not Ibn Ziyad, who
19435-736: The place from which I came to you. He then showed them the letters he had received from the Kufans, including some in Hurr's force. Hurr denied any knowledge of the letters and stated that Husayn must go with him to Ibn Ziyad, which Husayn refused to do. Hurr responded that he would not allow Husayn to either enter Kufa or go back to Medina, but that he was free to travel anywhere else he wished. Nevertheless, he did not prevent four Kufans from joining Husayn. Husayn's caravan started to move towards Qadisiyya, and Hurr followed them. At Naynawa, Hurr received orders from Ibn Ziyad to force Husayn's caravan to halt in
19604-470: The political aspects of the city was similar to that of Mediterranean families in Sicily or to being also influenced by the ties of Arab families, clans, and tribes in traditionalist forms. The most notable figures of the El-Bizri family in the first half of the 20th century were: Ahmad El-Bizri (born 1899), Salah El-Bizri, Eizeddine El-Bizri (commonly known as Eizzo) and Anwar El-Bizri (born 1910). These four brothers were businessmen and politicians who dominated
19773-489: The political life of the city up till the late 1940s, using traditional inherited forms of governance since Ottoman times. With intelligence and strength they maintained their power for over 50 years. It is from their ranks that Maarouf Saad started his public life, and their close cousins, Nazih El-Bizri, Amin El-Bizri, and Fouad El-Bizri became the next generation of politicians and statesmen in Lebanon; holding positions as ministers and members of parliament. The El-Bizri and
19942-498: The primary works of Awana, al-Mada'ini and Nasr ibn Muzahim. Although Tabari and other early sources contain some miraculous stories, these sources are mainly historical and rational in nature, in contrast to the literature of later periods, which is mainly hagiographical in nature. The Battle of Karbala was also reported by an early Christian source. A history by the Syriac Christian scholar Theophilus of Edessa , who
20111-480: The pro- Alid party ( Shi'at Ali ) into a unique religious sect with its own rituals and collective memory. It has a central place in the Shi'a history, tradition, and theology, and has frequently been recounted in Shi'a literature . For the Shi'a, Husayn's suffering and martyrdom became a symbol of sacrifice in the struggle for right against wrong, and for justice and truth against injustice and falsehood. It also provides
20280-572: The pulpit. During the time of Uthman, he defended Abu Dharr al-Ghifari , who had preached against some of the actions of the tyrants and was to be exiled from Medina. According to several narrations, Ali asked Hasan and Husayn to defend the third Caliph during the Siege of Uthman and carry water to him. According to Vaglieri, when Hasan entered Uthman's house, Uthman was already assassinated. Another report says that Uthman asked Ali's help. The latter send Husayn in response. Then Uthman asked Husayn if he
20449-424: The river together with Husayn but became separated, was surrounded, and killed. At some point, a young child of Husayn's, who was sitting on his lap, was hit by an arrow and died. During the Battle of Karbala the Umayyad soldiers hesitated to initiate a direct attack on Husayn; however, he was struck in the mouth by an arrow as he went to the river to drink. He collected his blood in a cupped hand and cast towards
20618-399: The river. They could only fill twenty water-skins. Husayn and Ibn Sa'd met during the night to negotiate a settlement; it was rumored that Husayn made three proposals: either he be allowed to return to Medina, submit to Yazid directly, or be sent to a border post where he would fight alongside the Muslim armies. According to Madelung, these reports are probably untrue as Husayn at this stage
20787-459: The roof of Kufa Palace. Upon hearing this, Husayn allowed his supporters to leave the caravan due to the depressing issues such as the betrayal of the Kufis. A number of those who had joined him on the way, parted away. But those who had come with Husayn from Hejaz did not leave him. The news from Kufa showed that the situation there had completely changed from what Muslim had reported. The political assessments made it clear to Husayn that going to Kufa
20956-520: The routes into Kufa. Husayn and his followers were intercepted by the vanguard of Yazid's army, about 1,000 men led by Hurr ibn Yazid al-Tamimi , south of Kufa near Qadisiyya . Husayn said to them: I did not come to you until your letters were brought to me, and your messengers came to me saying, 'Come to us, for we have no imam.' ... Therefore, if you give me what you guaranteed in your covenants and sworn testimonies, I will come to your town. If you will not and are averse to my coming, I will leave you for
21125-451: The same names to his sons after learning the names God had chosen for Ali's children. Husayn was brought up in the household of Muhammad at first. The family formed from the marriage of Ali and Fatima was praised many times by Muhammad. In events such as Mubahala and the hadith of the Ahl al-Kisa , Muhammad referred to this family as the ahl al-bayt . In the Qur'an, in many cases, such as
21294-456: The second category. According to Julius Wellhausen , most of them regretted their actions in the battle and embellished the accounts of the battle in favor of Husayn in order to dilute their guilt. Although as an Iraqi, Abu Mikhnaf had pro-Alid tendencies, his reports generally do not contain much bias on his part. Abu Mikhnaf's original text seems to have been lost and the version extant today has been transmitted through secondary sources such as
21463-407: The secretive environment of the meeting, suggesting it should be done in public. Marwan ibn Hakam told Walid to imprison or behead him, but due to Husayn's kinship with Muhammad, Walid was unwilling to take any action against him. A few days later, Husayn left for Mecca without acknowledging Yazid. He arrived in Mecca at the beginning of May 680, and stayed there until the beginning of September. He
21632-555: The situation in Iraq, the poet Farzadaq explicitly told him that the hearts of the Iraqi people are with you, but their swords are in the service of the Umayyads. But Husayn's decision was unwavering, and in response to those who tried to dissuade him, he said that things were in God's hands and that God wanted the best for His servants and would not be hostile to anyone who was right. The news of
21801-411: The situation in Kufa. Ibn Aqil attracted widespread support and informed Husayn of the situation, suggesting that he join them there. Yazid removed Nu'man ibn Bashir al-Ansari as governor of Kufa due to his inaction, and installed Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad , then governor of Basra , in his place. As a result of Ibn Ziyad's suppression and political maneuvering, Ibn Aqil's following began to dissipate and he
21970-498: The sixth Shi'a imam Jafar Sadiq and his followers. Buyids and Safavids also encouraged this practice. Special visits are paid on 10 Muharram ( Ashura Pilgrimage) and 40 days after the anniversary of Husayn's ( Arba'in pilgrimage ). In Shi'a tradition, Husayn's martyrdom is also connected to the hagiography of John the Baptist . The soil of Karbala , is considered to have miraculous healing effects. Mourning for Husayn
22139-405: The sky, complaining to God of his suffering. Later, he was surrounded and struck on the head by Malik ibn Nusayr. The blow cut through his hooded cloak, which Husayn removed while cursing his attacker. He put a cap on his head and wrapped a turban around it to staunch the bleeding. Ibn Nusayr seized the bloodied cloak and retreated. Shemr advanced with a group of foot soldiers towards Husayn, who
22308-579: The southern regional headquarters of a series of governmental facilities like the Central Bank of Lebanon, Électricité du Liban, Central Telecommunications Station and others. It is also the home of the Justice Palace of South Lebanon in its new headquarters on East Boulevard (the old headquarters were an old Ottoman Saray that is currently occupied by the LSF and is planned to be transformed into
22477-427: The story of Karbala is narrated and various elegies ( rawda ) are recited by professional reciters ( rawda khwan ). During the month of Muharram, elaborate public processions are performed in commemoration of the Battle of Karbala. In contrast to pilgrimage to Husayn's tomb and simple lamenting, these processions do not date back to the time of the battle, but arose during tenth century. Their earliest recorded instance
22646-564: The surrender of the Christian front, and Christians were forced to move to east Beirut . After the war ended in 1990, some Christians gradually returned to their hometowns but in 2000 many fled to Israel. The local politics of Sidon in the 20th century was mainly dominated up till the 1980s by allegiances around two main families, the El-Bizri and Saad. The El-Bizri politicians were known for their business connections, close ties with eminent Lebanese and Levantine leaders, and their bent on serving
22815-409: The terms of the treaty even after Hassan's death. Husayn then left Kufa for Medina along with Hasan and Abdullah ibn Ja'far. He adhered to the terms of the treaty even after Hasan's death. According to the Shi'a, Husayn was the third Imam for a period of ten years after the death of his brother Hasan in 670 AD. All of this time except the last six months coincided with the caliphate of Mu'awiya. In
22984-643: The territories of Dor , Joppa , and the Plain of Sharon . Under the Diadochi or successors of Alexander, it enjoyed relative autonomy and organised games and competitions in which the greatest athletes of the region participated. In the Hellenistic period necropolis of Sidon, important finds such as the Alexander Sarcophagus (likely the tomb of King Abdalonymus rather than Alexander ),
23153-592: The title, the Family of the Cloak, is related sometimes to the Event of Mubahala. During the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar, Husayn was present at some events such as testifying about the story of Fadak . According to a narration, Husayn, while the second caliph was sitting on the pulpit of Muhammad and giving a speech, objected to him for sitting on the pulpit of Muhammad, and Umar also stopped his sermon and came down from
23322-555: The tree of the Imam al-Husayn bin 'Ali, or that they have migrated historically from the eastern regions of the Fertile Crescent to Damascus and the Lebanese coast. In modern times, the El-Bizri family (Bizri or Al-Bizri) contributed to the social, economic, and political life in Sidon and Damascus in the wider Levantine context. Their role from the late Ottoman period, at the end of the nineteenth century, then throughout
23491-585: The vast bulk of the waste dump being cleared. The city of Sidon is administered by the Municipality of Sidon. The municipality is constituted of a council of 21 members including the City Mayor and his Deputy. It has administrative and financial independence but remains under the control and supervision of the central government, specifically the Ministry of Interior. The municipality's jurisdiction
23660-511: Was "a proud soul in him". The army advanced toward Husayn's camp on the evening of 9 October. Husayn sent Abbas to ask Ibn Sa'd to wait until the next morning, so that they could consider the matter. Ibn Sa'd agreed to this respite. Husayn told his men that they were all free to leave, with his family, under the cover of night, since their opponents only wanted him. Very few availed themselves of this opportunity. Defense arrangements were made: tents were brought together and tied to one another and
23829-461: Was a social, political and religious leader. The grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muhammad's daughter Fatima , as well as a younger brother of Hasan ibn Ali , Husayn is regarded as the third Imam (leader) in Shia Islam after his brother, Hasan, and before his son, Ali al-Sajjad . Being the grandson of the prophet, he is also a prominent member of
23998-541: Was able to defend himself against rebels. Husayn demurred, so Uthman sent him back. It is also narrated that Uthman's cousin, Marwan ibn Hakam , have said Husayn: "Leave us, your father incites the people against us, and you are here with us!" Haeri writes in the Encyclopedia of the Islamic World: According to some narrations, Husayn or Hasan were wounded in the case of defending Uthman. During
24167-671: Was accompanied by his wives, children and brothers, as well as Hasan's sons. Husayn had considerable support in Kufa, which had been the caliphal capital during the reigns of his father and brother. The Kufans had fought the Umayyads and their Syrian allies during the First Fitna, the five-year civil war which had established the Umayyad Caliphate. They were dissatisfied with Hasan's abdication and strongly resented Umayyad rule. While in Mecca, Husayn received letters from pro- Alids in Kufa informing him that they were tired of
24336-462: Was alive due to Hasan's peace treaty with him. Meanwhile, Marwan reported to Mu'awiya the frequent visits of Shias to Husayn. Mu'awiya instructed Marwan not to clash with Husayn, in the same time he wrote a letter to Husayn in which he "mingled generous promises with the advice not to provoke him." Later on, when Mu'awiya was taking allegiance for his son, Yazid , Husayn was among the five prominent persons who did not give his allegiance, as appointing
24505-410: Was alive, he would abide by the terms of the peace treaty, however, after Mu'awiya's death, he will reconsider it. After signing the peace treaty, Mu'awiyah delivered a sermon in Kufa in which he declared that he had violated all the provisions of the treaty and also insulted Ali ibn Abi Talib. Husayn wanted to respond, but Hasan refused to do so, and Hasan delivered a sermon in response. Husayn adhered to
24674-416: Was called "Sirion", in (the Phoenician language of) Sidon. Sidon was one of the most important Phoenician cities, and it may have been the oldest. From there and other ports, a great Mediterranean commercial empire was founded. Homer praised the skill of its craftsmen in producing glass, purple dyes, and its women's skill at the art of embroidery. It was also from here that a colonising party went to found
24843-626: Was chief astrologer in the Abbasid court between 775 and 785, is partially preserved in a number of extant Christian chronicles, including those by Michael the Syrian and the Byzantine historian Theophanes the Confessor . Husayn ibn Ali's tomb is located in the city of Karbala , about 90 km southwest of Baghdad . This tomb was probably formed two centuries after the event of Karbala and
25012-507: Was determined, not to take women and children with him. Nevertheless, he offered Husayn support if he would stay in Mecca and lead the opposition to Yazid from there. Husayn refused this, citing his abhorrence of bloodshed in the sanctuary, and decided to go ahead with his plan. Despite the advice of Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya , Abdullah ibn Umar , and the constant insistence of Abd Allah ibn Abbas in Mecca, Husayn did not back down from his decision to go to Kufa. Ibn 'Abbas pointed out that
25181-427: Was doing this for Husayn and that if there would be a war, Husayn would be killed. Husayn, however, was not afraid of death and stopped in an area called Karbala, on the outskirts of Kufa. In one place, Husayn recited a sermon and said: "I do not see death except as martyrdom and living with the oppressors except as hardship." In another place, he explained the reason for his opposition to the government while recalling
25350-686: Was eventually conquered by the Arabs and then by the Ottoman Turks . Sidon has been inhabited since very early in prehistory . The archaeological site of Sidon II shows a lithic assemblage dating to the Acheulean , whilst finds at Sidon III include a Heavy Neolithic assemblage suggested to date just prior to the invention of pottery . Around 1350 BC, Sidon was part of the Egyptian Empire and ruled by Zimredda of Sidon . During
25519-401: Was evident through a considerable mound of discarded Murex trunculus shells discovered near the southern harbor. These shells were broken to extract the precious pigment, so rare that it became synonymous with royalty. In AD 1855, the sarcophagus of King Eshmun’azar II was discovered. From a Phoenician inscription on its lid, it appears that he was a "king of the Sidonians," probably in
25688-666: Was followed by duels in which several of Husayn's companions were slain. The right wing of the Kufans, led by Amr ibn al-Hajjaj, attacked Husayn's force, but was repulsed. Hand-to-hand fighting paused and further volleys of arrows were exchanged. Shemr, who commanded the left wing of the Umayyad army, launched an attack, but after losses on both sides he was repulsed. This was followed by cavalry attacks. Husayn's cavalry resisted fiercely and Ibn Sa'd brought in armoured cavalry and five hundred archers. After their horses were wounded by arrows, Husayn's cavalrymen dismounted and fought on foot. Since Umayyad forces could approach Husayn's army from
25857-441: Was forced to declare the revolt prematurely. It was defeated and Ibn Aqil was killed. Husayn had also sent a messenger to Basra, another garrison town in Iraq, but the messenger could not attract any following and was quickly apprehended and executed. Husayn was unaware of the change of political circumstances in Kufa and decided to depart. Abd Allah ibn Abbas and Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr advised him not to move to Iraq, or, if he
26026-511: Was in Baghdad in 963 during the reign of the first Buyid ruler Mu'izz al-Dawla . The processions start from a husayniyya and the participants parade barefoot through the streets, wailing and beating their chests and heads before returning to the husayniyya for a majlis . Sometimes, chains and knives are used to inflict wounds and physical pain. In South Asia , an ornately tacked horse called Zuljenah , representing Husayn's battle horse,
26195-559: Was in response to a request from Bashir Gemayel in connection with ongoing Syrian attacks on Phalangist positions around Zahle . Israel denied involvement. After the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon Sidon was occupied by the Israeli army for almost two and a half years. On 18 August 1997, following a roadside bomb near Jezzine which killed two teenage members of a SLA leader's family, SLA artillery shelled Sidon killing seven civilians and wounding thirty-five. Hizbollah responded
26364-451: Was intercepted by a 1,000-strong army of the caliph at some distance from Kufa. He was forced to head north and encamp in the plain of Karbala on 2 October, where a larger Umayyad army of some 4,000 or 30,000 arrived soon afterwards. Negotiations failed after the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad refused Husayn safe passage without submitting to his authority, a condition declined by Husayn. Battle ensued on 10 October during which Husayn
26533-574: Was martyred along with most of his relatives and companions, while his surviving family members were taken prisoner. The battle was followed by the Second Fitna , during which the Iraqis organized two separate campaigns to avenge the martyrdom of Husayn; the first one by the Tawwabin and the other one by Mukhtar al-Thaqafi and his supporters. The Battle of Karbala galvanized the development of
26702-415: Was more similar to his grandfather. Other Hadiths of this kind are: "whoever loves them loves me and whoever hates them hates me", and "al-Hasan and al-Husayn are the sayyids [masters] of the youth of Paradise". The recent one is used by Shia to prove the right of Imamate for the descendants of Muhammad. Sayyid shabab al-djanna is an epithet used by Shias to refer to each of Muhammad's grandsons. It
26871-566: Was moving his caravan, he did not dare to follow it. However, Madlung and Bahramian write that when Husayn was ready to leave, Hurr blocked his way and said that if Husayn did not accept the order given by Ibn Ziyad, Hurr would not allow him to go to Medina or Kufa. He suggested to Husayn to neither go to Kufa nor to Medina, rather write a letter to Yazid or Ibn Ziyad and wait for their orders, hoping to avoid this difficult situation by receiving an answer. But Husayn did not heed to his advice and continued to Azad or Qadisiyah. Hurr informed Husayn that he
27040-581: Was no longer apt. In the area of Sharaf or Zuhsam, armies emerged from Kufa under the leadership of Hurr ibn Yazid. With the weather being hot there, Husayn ordered water to be given to them and then announced his motives to the army and said: "You did not have an Imam and I became the means of uniting the ummah. Our family is more deserving of government than anyone else, and those in power do not deserve it and rule unjustly. If you support me, I will go to Kufa. But if you do not want me anymore, I will return to my first place." Ibn Ziyad had stationed troops on
27209-414: Was now prepared to fight as few people were left on his side. A young boy from Husayn's camp escaped from the tents, ran to him, tried to defend him from a sword stroke and had his arm cut off. Ibn Sa'd approached the tents and Husayn's sister Zaynab complained to him: "'Umar b. Sa'd, will Abu 'Abd Allah (the kunya of Husayn) be killed while you stand and watch?" Ibn Sa'd wept but did nothing. Husayn
27378-425: Was only performing his duty. Madelung holds a similar view; according to him, early accounts place the responsibility for Husayn's death on Ibn Ziyad instead of Yazid. Yazid, Madelung argues, wanted to end Husayn's opposition, but as a caliph of Islam could not afford to be seen as publicly responsible and so diverted blame onto Ibn Ziyad by hypocritically cursing him. According to Howard, some traditional sources have
27547-509: Was originally created to dispose of the remains of buildings destroyed in Israeli air strikes during the 1982 invasion, but it then became the main dump for the city. Growing out of the sea, it became an environmental hazard, with medical waste and plastic bags polluting nearby fishing grounds. Sidon politicians, including the Hariri family, failed for decades to resolve the Makab crisis—which has endangered residents' health (especially during episodic burning). In 2004, Engineer Hamzi Moghrabi,
27716-517: Was performed by Husayn's son Ali al-Sajjad and the surviving family members during their return from Syria to Medina. The first historically recorded visit is Sulayman ibn Surad and the Penitents going to Husayn's grave before their departure to Syria. They are reported to have lamented and beaten their chests and to have spent a night by the tomb. Thereafter this tradition was limited to the Shi'a imams for several decades, before gaining momentum under
27885-519: Was poisoned, he refused to tell Husayn the name of his suspect, probably Mu'awiya, in fear of provoking bloodshed. The burial of Hasan's body near that of Muhammad, was another problem which could have led to bloodshed, as Marwan ibn Hakam swore that he would not permit Hasan to be buried near Muhammad with Abu Bakr and Umar , while Uthman was buried in the cemetery of al-Baqi . After the death of Hasan, when Iraqis turned to Husayn, concerning an uprising, Husayn instructed them to wait as long as Mu'awiya
28054-431: Was rebuilt and expanded until the thirteenth century AH. This place did not have a building at first and was marked with a simple sign. After that, in the third century AH, a monument was built on it, which was considered during the time of some Abbasid caliphs and Dailami princes and patriarchal and Ottoman rulers, and over time, the city of Karbala was built and expanded around it. There are several narrations about
28223-407: Was to refuse, as "a rebel, a seditious person, a brigand, an oppressor and he was to do no further harm after his death". If Ibn Sa'd was unwilling to carry out the attack, he was instructed to hand over command to Shemr. Ibn Sa'd cursed Shemr and accused him of foiling his attempts to reach a peaceful settlement but agreed to carry out the orders. He remarked that Husayn would not submit because there
28392-545: Was transformed into a fishing port, while a small quay was constructed to receive small commercial vessels (see "Old City" and the "Architecture and landscape" sections below). Saida Municipal Stadium was inaugurated in 2000 for the Asian Football Confederation's Cup 2000 . This sectarian and demographic division rose to the surface during the Lebanese Civil War , when armed clashes erupted between Sunni Muslims and Christians. The clashes ended with
28561-465: Was willing to return. Ibn Ziyad replied that Husayn must surrender or he should be subdued by force, and that to compel him, he and his companions should be denied access to the Euphrates river. Ibn Sa'd stationed 500 horsemen on the route leading to the river. Husayn and his companions remained without water for three days before a group of fifty men led by his half-brother Abbas was able to access
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