Yazid said he would kill Husain. Husain said that was okay. Yazid said he would kill all of Husain's family. Husain said he could not compromise his principles, no matter what the price. Yazid's army of tens of thousands then surrounded Husain and a small band of his family, friends and followers at a place called Kerbala (in present day Iraq), and cut off their water on the 7th of the Islamic month of Moharram. For three days, Husain and his family had no water. At dawn on the third day, the 10th of Moharram, Husain told all in his party that they were sure to be killed and whoever wanted to leave was free to do so. No one left. In fact, several heroic souls left Yazid's camp to come and join the group that was certain to be slaughtered.
On the 10th of Moharram, a day now known throughout the Islamic world as Ashura, the members of Husain's parched party came out one by one to do battle, as was the custom at the time. They were valiant, but hopelessly outnumbered, and therefore each was killed in turn. All of Husain's family was massacred in front of his eyes, even his six-month old son, Ali Asghar, who was pierced through the throat by an arrow from the renowned archer of Yazid's army, Hurmula. After Husain's teenage son Ali Akbar was killed, he is said to have proclaimed, "Now my back is broken." But the last to die before him, was his beloved brother, Abbas, while trying desperately to break through Yazid's ranks and bring water back from the Euphrates for Husain's young daughter, Sakeena. And then Husain himself was killed.