Editing Battle of Karbala (section)

== Departing Mecca ==
The stay of Imam Hussain in Mecca continued until the season for pilgrimage when Muslims from all over the world poured in groups into Mecca in order to perform the rites of the hajj. The Imam discovered that some of the followers of Yazid had entered Mecca as pilgrims (hajjis) with the mission to kill the Imam during the rites of hajj with the arms they carried under their special pilgrimage dress (ihram). The Imam shortened the pilgrimage rites and decided to leave Mecca. At this time, Hussain was unaware of the change of political circumstances in Kufa and decided to depart.

Amidst the vast crowd of people, Imam stood up in a short speech announced that he was setting out for Iraq. In this short speech he also declared that he would be martyred and asked Muslims to help him in attaining the goal he had in view and to offer their lives in the path of God. Some of the outstanding people of Mecca stood in the way of Imam Hussain and warned him of the danger of the move he was making. His uncle Abd-Allah b. Abbas in particular warned him not to trust the Kufans, who had betrayed his father and his brother. Imam Hussain regularly thanked his advisers for their concern but replied that he must leave the outcome to the decision of God. He added that he knew that wherever he turned or went he would be killed. He emphasized that he would leave Mecca in order to preserve the respect for the House of God and not allow this respect to be destroyed by having his blood spilled there.