A sunni brother mentioned:
Imam Hussein (A.S) was truthful in his determination to change the
munkar, but he was adviced by the likes of Ibn Abbas and Ibn Umar that
he was overoptimistic with the people of Iraq and their help. Hussein,
being a human who is not ma3soom like the prophets, exercised his
Ijtihad.
Based on what is even reported by the Sunnis, Imam Hussein knew that he
will be killed in Ashura in Karbala, and yet he went forward. Not only
Imam Hussein, but also all the Prophets of God knew about the detail
of this catastrophe. From Adam, to Noah, to Moses, to Zakariyya, to
Yahya (John), to Muhammad, all cried for Imam Hussein (A.S) and
remembered him on the day of Ashura.
Imam Hussein, before he leaves Medina, saw the Messenger of Allah in dream who told him:
"Verily Allah willed to see you martyred. Verily Allah willed to see your family captives"
He knew that he will be killed where and how. There was no error in his
part or what you called overestimation of the people of Iraq. A person
who goes to a battle which has an uncertain ending, never takes his
family, women, and children with him, and never put their lives in to
jeopardy. But
Imam Hussein did all that, knowing all the tragic events which will
happen to them from setting their tents on fire (by the soldiers of
Yazid) to plundering them and moving them from town to town. But he
took with him women and children because they were supposed to deliver a
message to the people of each town and to wake them up from their deep
sleep. No doubt that the event of Karbala was a turning point in the
destiny of the religion of Islam, by which the religion was immuned
form annihilation. Individuals, however, are not immune from going
astray. But the blast in Karbala and its inspiring effects on the
hearts of people never let Islam to be eradicated.
Another brother mentioned that if one knows that by going to certain
place, he would be certainly killed, the going to that place is
considered to be suicide, and as such, how could Imam Imam-Hussein go
toward Karbala if he knew that he would be killed?
The above question is interesting. Imam Hussein knew where and how he
will be killed and who will kill him. This was the case for the other
Imams of Ahl-ul-Bayt as well. Even Sunnis narrated that the Prophet
(PBUH) told Imam Ali who kills him and when will he be killed. But none
of them avoided what Allah foreordained. Thus Imams having the
knowledge of when they die is confirmed by both Sunni and Shia.
It should be noted that the prophets and Imams share with the rest of
humanity the means for obtaining knowledge which Allah has given: the
senses, the intellect, etc. They also possess special powers and means
which other people do not have. In carrying out the commands of Allah in
which people have also responsibility, and likewise in ordinary
behavior, the prophets and Imams only make use of the first way of
knowing, that is the commonly available means. The second means
(extraordinary means) is only used by them in duties and works which are
connected with their position of prophet hood and Imamate.
Thus in matters such as knowing the beginning of the month, passing
judgment, finding out if something is unclean or pure, etc., they make
use of ordinary means such as sighting of the moon, and so forth, which
anyone else employs. The extraordinary means of knowledge cannot be the
basis for their action (unless in some rare circumstances when Allah
wishes otherwise), and what they volitionally do must be determined by
the means available to everyone. In other words, the act of Imam is
based on the conclusion of pieces of evidences which can be obtained by
the ordinary human beings, and not by the information related to what
Allah has foreordained, otherwise a contradiction would arise: For
instance, Allah foreordained that Imam Ali be killed by Ibn Muljam (LA)
in the Mosque on a specific date, but since Imam Ali knows this via an
extraordinary means of knowledge given by Allah, if he avoids the
Mosque, he would have gone against what Allah foreordained which is
impossible.
Likewise, Imam Hussein (A.S) though knew most of the people of Iraq
will not follow him, he did his duty by answering their unanimous call.
Imam Hussein sent his agent, Muslim Ibn Aqeel to Kufa, since he wanted
to do the investigation as an ordinary human being does. This is while
he knew the situation in Kufa by extraordinary means of knowledge and
that Muslim Ibn Aqeel will be killed, yet he was not supposed to act
based on what is concealed from an ordinary human being. He acts based
on the extraordinary means of knowledge only if Allah wishes so and
such circumstances are rare.
Thus, such extraordinary knowledge has spiritual aspect as being the
Representative of Allah (Khlifatullah), and the reason for it must be
sought on this level, and it is not for the purpose of influencing and
controlling the events on the level of ordinary understanding.
Comment :
Very simple explanation You do not have to go through any research just
read Quran about scarifice of Hazrath Ismail.Did not Hazrat Ibrahim .
told Hazrath Ismail that he going to sacrifice him. Did not Hazrath
Ismail was know that he will be sarified. [H2]THEN WHY HAZRATH ISMAIL
WENT ALONG WITH HAZRAT IBRAHIM?