"I am Ali, son of Husayn son of Ali, – We and the household of God are closer to the prophet Than Shabath and Shamir the vile [military leaders of the opposing forces]. I strike you with the sword until it bends – the blows of a Hasimite [family of the prophet] youth, and ‘Alid [in the family line of Ali, the fourth caliph and cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet] – And today I will not stop defending my father [Husayn, the great Shia martyr] – By God the son of the bastard [the local Umayyad governor] shall not rule over us.” – Ali Ibn Husayn, Poem, c. 680 CE What sort of conclusions might a historian draw about the time period using this source? What additional questions might a historian have? Must be at least 250
