Extracted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Karbala
Primary sources
The first historian to systematically collect the reports of eyewitnesses of this event was Abi Mikhnaf (died in 157 AH/774 CE) in a work titled "Kitab Maqtal Al-Husayn".[70]
Abi Mikhnaf's original seems to have been lost and that which has
reached today has been transmitted through his student Hisham Al-Kalbi
(died in 204 AH.) There are four manuscripts of the Maqtal, located at
Gotha (No. 1836), Berlin (Sprenger, Nos. 159–160), Leiden (No. 792), and
St. Petersburg (Am No. 78) libraries.[71]
Rasul Jafarian has counted five primary sources that are now
available. Among the original works on maqātil (pl. of maqtal or place
of death / martyrdom and hence used for books narrating the incident of
Karbalà) the ones that could be relied upon for reviewing the Karbala
happenings are five in number. All these five maqtals belong to the
period between the 2nd century AH (8th CE) and the early 4th century AH
(10th CE). These five sources are the Maqtal al-Husayn of Abu Mikhnaf,
the Maqtal al-Husayn of Ibn Sa'd -Sunni Historian-, the Maqtal al-Husayn of Baladhuri -Sunni Historian-, the Maqtal al-Husayn of Dinawari, and the Maqtal al-Husayn of Ibn A'tham.[72]
However, some other historians have recognized some of these as secondary sources. For example Veccia Vaglieri has found that Baladhuri (died 279AH/892-893CE) like Tabari has used Abi Mikhnaf but has not mentioned his name.[73] On the basis of the article of "Abi Mikhnaf" in "Great Islamic Encyclopedia" Ibn A'tham has mentioned Abi Mikhnaf in "Al-Futuh" thus he should be recognized as secondary source.[74]
Secondary sources
Then latter Muslim historians have written their histories on the basis of the former ones especially Maqtal Al-Husayn of Abi Mikhnaf. However they have added some narrations through their own sources which were not reported by former historians.
Tabari narrated this story on the basis of Abi Mikhnaf's report through Hisham Al-Kalbi in his history, History of the Prophets and Kings.[75] Also there is fabricated version of Abi Mekhnaf's book in Iran and Iraq.[70] Then other Sunni Muslim historians including Balazari and Ibn Kathir narrated the events of Karbala from Abi Mikhnaf. Also among Shi'a Shaykh al-Mufid used it in Irshad.[76]
However, followers of Ali – later to be known as Shia Muslims –
attached a much greater importance to the battle and have compiled many
accounts known as Maqtal Al-Husayn.
Shia writings
Salwa Al-Amd has classified Shia writings in three groups:[77]
- The legendary character of this category associates the chronological history of Husain ibn Ali with notions relating to the origin of life and the Universe, that have preoccupied the human mind since the beginning of creation, and in which Al-Husayn is eternally present. This category of writing holds that a person's stance toward Husain ibn Ali and Ahl al- Bayt is a criterion for reward and punishment in the afterlife. It also transforms the historical boundaries of Husain ibn Ali's birth in 4 Hr. and his martyrdom in 61 Hr. to an eternal presence embracing the boundaries of history and legend.
- This category comprises the literary works common in rituals and lamentations (poetic and prose) and is characterized by its melodramatic style, which aims to arouse pity and passion for Ahl al- Bayt's misfortunes, and charge feelings during tempestuous political circumstances on the memory of Ashura.
- This category is the nearest to Sunni writings because it fully cherishes the historical personality of Husain ibn Ali and regards the Karbala incident as a revolt against oppression; dismissing the legendary treatment, while using the language of revolt against tyranny and despotic sovereignty. A model writer of this category is Mohamed Mahdi Shams Al-Din.
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