The number of companions and ahl al bayt of imam Hussein peace be upon him

The companions and family of Imam (peace be upon him), according to Mas’udi in “Muruj al-Dhahab,” were five hundred horsemen and one hundred foot soldiers. The number of those killed on the day of Ashura was eighty-seven. According to al-Tabari, citing his chain of narrators from Ammar al-Dahni from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him), when the Imam (peace be upon him) entered Karbala, he was accompanied by one hundred foot soldiers and forty-five horsemen. Abu Mikhnaf reports that on the day of Ashura, thirty-two horsemen and forty foot soldiers were with the martyr Imam (peace be upon him).

It is not unlikely that the Imam’s (peace be upon him) numbers were larger when he first entered Karbala, but as they saw the situation was not as they expected, they separated from him immediately. Some who stayed behind also gradually left when they saw the enemy’s forces increasing day by day, leaving the Imam (peace be upon him) alone. This helps reconcile the differing accounts.

Evidence for this is found in the report of Abu Mikhnaf, as narrated by al-Tabari: Whenever the Imam (peace be upon him) reached a group, they would join him and follow him until he arrived at the place of Zubalah and learned of the martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqil. The Imam’s (peace be upon him) letter was then read to the people. In the letter, it was stated:

“Our supporters have left us and did not assist us. Muslim has been killed; anyone who wishes to depart is free to go, and there is no objection.”

Thus, the people dispersed to the right and left, and no one remained with the Imam (peace be upon him) except the companions who were with him from Medina.

Therefore, it is clear that anyone who saw the Imam (peace be upon him) moving with a group towards Kufa and heard of his invitation and knew about his position and the large number of his supporters would follow him. After the place of Zubalah, some people who were attached to worldly gains joined the Imam (peace be upon him) and accompanied him, but in Karbala, they gradually separated. Those with greater desires left later.

The report stating that eighty-seven were killed in Karbala might refer to women and children who were killed, such as Umm Wahb and the small children. The count of seventy-two killed might have referred specifically to the warriors, not to everyone who was killed.