Imam Husayn ibn Ali had several sons and daughters from different wives. Only one son — Ali ibn Husayn, known as Imam Sajjad — survived the tragedy of Karbala and later became the fourth Imam of the Shia; the rest of his children were either martyred at Karbala, died during the captivity that followed, or lived on.
Who were Husayn ibn Ali’s children?
According to historical and Shia sources, Imam Husayn had at least six children: three sons — Ali al-Akbar, Ali al-Asghar (Abdullah), and Ali ibn Husayn (Imam Sajjad) — and several daughters, the best known being Sakina and Fatima al-Sughra. Sources differ slightly on the exact names and number of his daughters.
Which of Husayn’s children were present at Karbala?
Ali al-Akbar, a young man in his early twenties, was killed on the battlefield at Karbala in 61 AH (680 CE). Ali al-Asghar, an infant who, according to Shia accounts, was struck by an arrow in his father’s arms as Husayn asked for water for him, died the same day. Daughters such as Sakina were taken with the caravan of captives after Karbala, first to Kufa and then to Damascus.
Why did only one of Husayn’s sons survive?
Ali ibn Husayn (Imam Sajjad), a teenager or young man of about twenty-two at the time of Karbala, was severely ill and unable to fight — something Shia belief holds preserved his life and the continuation of the line of Imams. He was taken captive along with the other survivors and, after his release, was recognized as the fourth Shia Imam.
What do we know about Ruqayya, Husayn’s daughter?
In popular Shia devotional tradition, especially in Iran, a young daughter named Ruqayya is remembered as having been taken captive to Damascus after Karbala and dying there shortly afterward, grieving her father’s death; a shrine attributed to her in Damascus is an important pilgrimage site today. Historians, and even some Shia scholars, however, question her existence as a figure distinct from Fatima al-Sughra — the earliest historical sources do not clearly record an independent figure by that name, and the account appears to have taken shape mainly in later devotional literature. Noorjoo reflects this disagreement as it stands.
To read about why Husayn refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid, see “Husayn Refused Allegiance to Yazid: Here’s Why.” For the events of Ashura itself, see “Why Was Imam Husayn Martyred? The Story of Ashura.” For a full profile of Husayn’s only surviving son, see the “Ali ibn Husayn (Imam Sajjad)” page.
Sources
- Ibn Sa’d, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir
- Shaykh al-Mufid, Kitab al-Irshad
- Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib Al Abi Talib