Were Shia's responsible for killing Imam Husain (as)?

Before the events of Karbala, Imam Husain (as) was living in Medina. He was facing increasing pressure to give allegiance to Yazid ibn Muawiya. Fearing violence in the holy city of Medina, Imam Husain (as) was looking for a way out of the city. The people of Kufa wrote several letters to the Imam inviting him to come and live amongst them, to lead as their Imam.

Imam Husain (as) sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqeel to visit Kufa and see for himself how genuine the support was for the Imam. Upon his arrival, Muslim was greeted by thousands of well-wishers confirming their allegiance to Imam Husain (as), begging for his arrival. Yazid sent the cursed Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad to replace the sitting governor after Umar ibn Saad (leader of Yazid ibn Muawiya's army at Karbala) wrote to him, making him aware of the situation: "Muslim bin Aqeel has come to Kufa and the Shia have given the oath of allegiance to him on behalf of al Hussain bin Ali. If you have any need of Kufah then send a strong man there who will carry out your orders and act in the same way as you would against your enemy. Al Nauman bin Bashir is a weak man or he is acting like a weak man" (Tabari, Chaper 19). Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad quickly spread fear around Kufa, threatening to kill anyone who supported the arrival of Imam Husain (as).

Unfortunately, the faith of the Kufans was not strong; Islam had only arrived in Kufa during the calpihate of Umar ibn Khattab. He had set it up as a military fort during his rule and it was then the hub of Imam Ali's (as) caliphate. When word of the threats of Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad spread, the supporters fled in their droves out of fear. Muslim ibn Aqeel was captured and executed after refusing to turn away from Imam Husain (as).

This idea that because the Kufans turned their back on Imam Husain (as) when threatened by torture and killings and therefore were responsible for the Imam's death is wrong. Ubaydullah's threats were not mere words, he imposed a curfew on Kufa, actively sent his army to look out for people who were supporting Muslim ibn Aqeel and even spread rumours that the Syrian army was arriving to support him in his quest to shut down any support for Imam Husain (as). "Women began to come to their sons and brothers, urging them to go away as the people would be enough without them. Every man went to his son or his brother telling him, ‘Tomorrow the Syrians will come against you. What have you to do with the war and this evil doing? Go away.’ Thus, each took someone away. They continued to disperse so that by the time evening came Muslim b Aqil only had thirty men with him in the mosque" (Tabari, Chapter 19).

 

Great fear was spread throughout Kufa by his aggressive actions and many supporters of Imam Husain (as) were executed in Kufa. Despite this, several Shia Kufans managed to escape the city and fought alongside Imam Husain (as), sacrificing their lives in Karbala.