The danger of betrayal – Lessons from Karbala
The Prophet ﷺ warned us of a trait that lies at the heart of hypocrisy:
“There are three signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Betrayal (khiyana) is not a small sin. It is a break of trust, damages relationships, and brings about enormous consequences, both in this life and the next. One of the most tragic examples of betrayal in Islamic history is the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali.
Mu’awiyah appointed his son Yazid as his successor. Husayn refused to pledge allegiance to him, considering Yazid character and religious knowledge. He made the decision to withhold bay‘ah for the sake of preserving the sanctity of Islam.
The people of Kufa in Iraq, where his father, Ali bin Talib, had moved the capital from Madinah, wrote to Husayn pledging their loyalty. Reports suggest over 12,000 letters were sent, promising to support him and urging him to come to Kufa. These were not just words; they were pledges. Trust was given.
Despite warnings and consultations from companions advising him against the journey, recalling how the people of Iraq had betrayed his father, Husayn remained hopeful. He sent his cousin, Muslim ibn Aqil, to assess the situation. When Aqil arrived, 18,000 people gave him bay‘ah. Encouraged by this, he wrote back for Imam Husayn to come.
However, when the governor of Kufa learned of this, Muslim ibn Aqil and his supporters were killed. Before his death, he managed to send a letter to Husayn urging him not to come, but it was too late. Imam Husayn had already begun his journey with around 70 of his family members and companions.
Yazid had issued a command forbidding anyone from giving allegiance to Husayn. By the time Husayn reached Karbala, he was surrounded by 4,000 soldiers, vastly outnumbering his small group.
Husayn offered three proposals in an effort to avoid bloodshed: he requested to be allowed to return to Madinah, to be permitted to take part in jihad, or to meet Yazid directly and negotiate. However, each of these proposals was rejected.
The only option they gave him was surrender and captivity. Husayn refused. He stood firm in the face of injustice, and he and his companions were martyred on the battlefield of Karbala.
The people of Kufa, who had written to him, called him, and given their word, were the same ones who stood with his enemies or turned away. This betrayal was a key cause of his martyrdom.
“Allah does not love the traitors.”
(Surah Al-Anfal, 8:58)
When someone trusts us, we must honour that trust. It is from the qualities of the hypocrite to give someone hope, make a promise, and then abandon them when they are most in need.
This is what happened to Husayn.
He, along with his brother Hasan, are the leaders of the youth of Paradise. (Tirmidhi and Ahmad). One narration mentions that he saw a dream where he would break his fast with his grandfather ﷺ and that is how he died.
Mourning Husayn
As we reflect on his sacrifice, we must ask: how do we honour his memory? Not through actions that go against the Shari’ah, but by living the values he died for, truth, loyalty, courage, and standing against oppression, even when you stand alone.
While the tragedy of Karbala is undeniably sad, Islam teaches that mourning should not continue indefinitely. The Prophet ﷺ instructed that mourning for the deceased should not exceed three days, even for close relatives. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a deceased person for more than three days, except for her husband, in which case she should mourn for four months and ten days.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
Other monumental losses in Islamic history, such as the assassinations of Umar, Uthman, and Ali, also shook the Muslim world, yet the response was in accordance with prophetic principles.
Is there any loss greater than the loss of the Prophet ﷺ? Yet we do not mourn that every year. In Islam, we are taught to mourn with dignity and patience. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“He is not from us who strikes the cheeks, tears the clothes, and calls with the cries of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Islam forbids excessive mourning practices such as slapping the cheeks, tearing clothes, or screaming in grief. It is also not from the Sunnah to mark annual death anniversaries or to hold ritual commemorations, as these were never practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or his companions.
The ugly consequences of betrayal
The betrayal of Husayn and the betrayal of the people of Gaza reveal a powerful parallel, they both show the devastating consequences that treachery and abandonment can have. Husayn was promised support by the people of Kufa, but when the time came, they withdrew their loyalty and left him isolated, leading to his martyrdom.
Likewise, the people of Gaza are being killed while much of the Muslim world and the rest of the world stands by in silence and complicity. The Prophet ﷺ said,
“The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he does not oppress him nor does he let him down.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
In many narrations we are told that betrayal is sinful. Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah does not like those who betray.”
(Surah Al-Anfal 8:58)
“Do not be an advocate for those who betray trust.”
(Surah An-Nisa 4:105)
“Indeed, Allah does not guide the plot of the betrayers.” (Surah Yusuf 12:52).
The Prophet ﷺ echoed this point in his hadith. He said:
“Every traitor will have a banner on the Day of Judgment. It will be said: This is the betrayal of so-and-so.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
And:
“There is no faith for the one who has no trustworthiness.”
(Ahmad)
To let a fellow Muslim down in their time of need is a form of betrayal, and those who betray will be punished on the Day of Judgement. It was betrayal that led to the tragedy of Karbala, and it is betrayal, through division and inaction, that allows the atrocities in Gaza to continue. If the Muslims stood together, as brothers and sisters united, such oppression would not persist.
Our leaders keep betraying us and not delivering their promises. We ask Allah to grant relief to those who are suffering.
May Allah protect us from betrayal, and make us among those who are loyal, honest, and trustworthy.
Based on the khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 4th July 2025, 9th Ashurah