When was the body of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) buried?

[صدى المهدي]

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There are three main opinions regarding the date of Imam al-Husayn’s (peace be upon him) burial. Some scholars believe he s buried on the 11th of Muharram, others on the 12th, and still others on the 13th, with the last being the most widely accepted view. Detailed Explanation:


Historians have differed regarding the day of his burial, and three views have emerged: 1. The 11th of Muharram


This is the view held by a number of historians, including Ibn Shahr Ashub, al-Mas'udi, al-Baladhuri, Ibn Kathir, al-Tabari, and Ibn al-Athir. This opinion also seems to be that of Shaykh al-Mufid in his book al-Irshad, and those who follow his view, as will be explained in the second point.
He wrote:
“Ibn Sa'd remained the rest of the day (i.e., the 10th) and the following day (i.e., the 11th) until midday. Then he called the people to depart, and he headed tord Kufa with the daughters of al-Husayn, his sisters, and the women and children with him. Among them s 'Ali ibn al-Husayn, who s seriously ill.”


This is also mentioned by al-‘Allama al-Tabarsi in I‘lam al-Wara bi-A‘lam al-Huda.
It is commonly reported that the tribe of Banu Asad buried the martyrs on the day Ibn Sa'd departed with the family of the Prophet, which s the 11th of Muharram. 2. The 12th of Muharram


This is the opinion chosen by Ibn Tawus. 3. The 13th of Muharram


This is the opinion of Sayyid al-Muqarram (d. 1391 AH) in his book Maqtal al-Husayn. He did not cite a source or mention who supported this view. He stated:
“On the 13th of Muharram, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin came to bury his martyred father, for only an Imam can bury another Imam.”


Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi commented:
“It is well-known that the pure bodies remained on the battlefield, unburied, for three days. Some sources mention that they were buried the day after ‘Ashura (i.e., on the 11th), but this is unlikely, since ‘Umar ibn Sa'd s still busy burying his own army’s dead on that day. Moreover, the people of Ghadiriyya had fled the Euphrates area out of fear of Ibn Sa'd and would not have dared return so quickly.”