Why did Imam Hussin (a.s) take his family to Karbala?

The aim of the uprising of Imam Husayn was to "demand reform" of the Muslim Ummah and to revive the values of Islam. He Uprised to pay attention to the corruption of the Umayyad people and to show their true faces. The Imam wanted to make people understand that the Umayyad government was not Islamic at all and that they were seeking to eliminate Islam and the name of the Prophet (s). The Imam took his family with him to let the people know that the Umayyads would not allow one of the Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet (s) to survive and even kill their infants. The philosophy of accompanying the family of Imam (a) is revealed after the event of Ashura when the Muslims woke up to the blindness and saw the true face of the Umayyad. They knew how the Prophet's family was killed and the women and children of the Ahl Al-Bait (a.s) were taken captive. The uprising of 'Ashura and the message of Ahl al-Bayt awakened the people from a sleep of ignorance and became the starting point of the uprisings that led to the annihilation of the Umayyad dynasty.

In addition, the philosophy of taking the family with him can have the following reasons:

1. Imam Hussain (a) had gone to live in Mecca or Kufa, it was natural that he had to take his family with him.

2. The Imam had gone on a long journey that could not be returned soon.

3. The Imam knew that he and all his companions would be martyred on this trip, so the purpose of his uprising required promoters to accomplish the purpose of his uprising. If he did not take them, no one would have known the meaning of his uprising and martyrdom.

4. His family was also their personal desire. Imam told his family and companions in several places and for the last time on the night of Ashura, "Whoever wants to go back and leave me, can go now”, his family and his companions replied, 'If we are killed a thousand times and then we rise again, we will not leave you.'

5. On the other hand, in the harsh tone that Yazid had written to his governor, it was clear that the lives of Ahl al-Bayt and his companions would not have been safe if they stayed in Medina.

6. Teaching that the defense of Islam does not know men and women and everyone should defend it.

7. To show the real face of the enemy that they do not even show mercy to women and infants. [1]

The most important reason is the reason why Imam Husayn himself replied to his brother, Muhammad Hanafiyya, "Allah loves to see me killed." And he likes to see the rest of the Ahl Al-Bait as a prisoner”. [2]. Allah wants to realize the goal of the “Great Slaughter”[3], and with this Test, He separates the real Muslims and faithful from  the fake of them.[4]